Disclaimer: All likenesses to any characters of the TV show Merlin belong to the BBC, or whatevs.

Author's Note: Okay! THIS is the last chapter, for sure. And then epilogue. I hope it was a nice read. Thank you SO much for all my reviewers! You guys like, totally made my day EVERY day. Without you, there wouldn't have been this last chapter. I've already started mapping out my next project, which is a Merlin supernatural (not the show) AU.

Summary: Arthur Pendragon has had enough. He's run away to become Camelot, and work as a busboy in Ealdor, where he meets mysterious stranger Merlin Emrys, whose new goal in life is saving Camelot.

Warnings: The boys have even MORE fun in this chapter. What can I say, they're insatiable!

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Arthur and Merlin finally started moving and getting ready to go to the airport after a nice, lazy morning shag, and then one more in the shower. Arthur found out that Merlin did not like to share a tooth brush, and Merlin found out that Arthur took longer than a girl to get his hair sorted.

After a quick trip to the hotel room that Merlin had only briefly shared with Morgana to snatch his things up, they checked out and headed outside. Morgana must've thought of everything, because there was a car waiting for them. The driver looked surprised to see someone with Arthur, and Arthur figured Morgana must not have told him that he had company.

They loaded their bags into the back of the car and slid into the backseat together. Merlin, Arthur found out, was not a morning person. He still had bags under his eyes and was yawning every minute on the minute.

"It's a little while to the airport," Arthur murmured, his arm curling around Merlin's shoulders. He ignored the shocked and scandalized look on the driver's face, "It's alright to take a nap on the way there."

Merlin nodded and curled closer to Arthur's side, yawning again. Arthur tilted his head back on the seat and thought over the events of the past 24 hours. The morning before he was sitting behind a desk in cooperate America, pushing pencils and taking faxes. Work that shouldn't have been exhausting and dreadful and nearly painful.

He had come home to the hotel expecting to just drop onto his bed and sleep straight through to the next morning until he had to wake up and repeat the process. Like an endless cycle of dread that his father thought was suitable punishment. He certainly hadn't expected to see Merlin there, waiting for him. He hadn't expected to see Merlin ever again. He thought Merlin would've been angry with him and never want to speak with him again.

He supposed he had Morgana to thank for that. Merlin had explained to him that morning that Morgana knew Gaius, and that Gaius had recognized Arthur through Morgana's pictures and gossip. They kept in touch, and Gaius may have let it slip that Arthur was in Ealdor parading as Camelot. Arthur knew he should be angry with Gaius for blowing his cover, but he wasn't, really.

His father was stopped from proceeding with an ill advised wedding that would've wrecked the family. And his father seemed almost happy to have him back. Arthur did miss his father, even if they'd never tell each other their feelings. Pendragons didn't do that kind of thing.

Merlin muttered something at his side, and Arthur snapped out of his thoughts. "What?"

"Nothing," Merlin grumbled, shoving his face further into Arthur's shoulder, resuming his nap. Arthur had to keep from smiling too big, or he'd look like a loon. He still couldn't quite believe that meek and mild Merlin had actively pursued him across a whole ocean, just to punch him in the face and then shag him. Arthur wouldn't have had it any other way.

His decision to return to Ealdor wasn't as difficult as he thought it would be. He knew the moment he saw Merlin sitting on the bed reading his journal that he'd go back. He may have tried to argue, but they were moot points. He'd never had someone as dedicated to him like Merlin was, even if Merlin was still a little miffed that Arthur had taken so long to tell him the truth, and had left him naked on a hill in the middle of the night.

It had taken Merlin a while to get used to Arthur's real name. He sometimes would mutter Cam fondly, but it was Arthur more often than not. And they'd had a good laugh about the whole Merlin/Arthur dynamic. When he was in Ealdor, he never really put any thought behind it, because he was Cam there.

The car stopped and Arthur prodded Merlin in the side gently before looking out the window. He stiffened. "This isn't the airport," he told the driver, leaning forwards in the seat and disturbing Merlin, who grunted and shifted away from him.

"No, it isn't," the driver agreed, sounding confused.

"Yeah, well. We're supposed to be at the airport, we've got a flight at 9:15," he informed the driver.

"That's not what your father said when he sent me. He said I had to bring you to him," the driver sounded defensive all of a sudden.

"My father? I thought Morgana left you," Arthur puzzled, then sat back. "My father, he couldn't just…let me go, could he?" He shoved the door open angrily.

"Arthur?" Merlin leaned out the door, staring up at him with wide, sleepy eyes.

Arthur glared towards the building, and then the driver, before holding his hand out for Merlin. "Come on, I've got some business to settle, and then we'll head out," Arthur promised. They'd miss their flight that Morgana booked, but he'd find a way back. His father wasn't keeping him here.

Merlin shuffled out of the car, grasping Arthur's hand tightly and leaning into him, as if to offer Arthur his little bit of support, as if it would make a difference. "Stay out here, we shouldn't be long," he ordered the driver, then pulled out his temporary new mobile and began tugging Merlin along behind him.

"What do you know about this?" he snapped at Morgana, who had the gall to sound offended on the other end.

"Arthur, I don't know what you're talking about. Quit being stupid. How was your night with Merlin?" Morgana asked.

"None of your business. You've had to have told father what I was planning, why else would he have sent a car for me this morning?" Arthur snapped.

"I swear I didn't tell Father anything," Morgana replied, "I swear it. You're not going to talk to him are you?"

"Of course I am. I've got to tell him I'm leaving now, to his face," Arthur sighed, stepping into the lift with a confused Merlin in tow.

"Well, good luck with that. How's Merlin?" Morgana asked, and Arthur grunted, handing the phone over to Merlin, who began to shake his head before accepting the phone.

"Yeah, hi Morgana…I'm fine…No, he's being a perfect gentleman," Arthur continued to glare up at the counting numbers at Merlin was being drilled by Morgana on all matters of their short relationship. When they arrived on the floor and Arthur started pulling Merlin out behind him, Merlin told Morgana he had to go and hung up on her, shoving the phone into his pocket.

He continued to tug Merlin along until he reached his father's office, and Merlin was taking it all in silent patience, and Arthur would've been thankful if he weren't so angry with his father at the moment.

"Mr. Pendragon! Your father is with a client, I don't think you should…" Arthur shut the secretary up with a well-placed glower. When he was about to wrench the door open Merlin stopped him by placing his hand on Arthur's upper arm.

"Don't try to stop me, Merlin," Arthur said, whirling on his…his boyfriend? Weird thought.

"I'm not," Merlin said, shaking his head. He pressed a quick kiss to the corner of Arthur's mouth, "Good luck." He let Arthur's hand go, and gave him a gentle push towards the door, and Arthur was lucky to have such a supportive friend who probably hated his father more than he did at the moment. And while that should have turned him off, it just riled him up some more and he flung the door open.

"Arthur!" his father gasped.

"Arthur!" gasped the blonde tart Vivian from his father's lap.

"Father!" Arthur shouted, probably scarred for life.

"Vivian, dear, you should leave," Uther Pendragon said, none too gently shoving the blonde from his lap. She had no right to sound offended and hurt as she passed by Arthur while protesting.

Once she was gone Arthur whirled on his father again, eyes narrowed. He didn't say anything, just waited for an explanation that he felt he deserved, a lot. Uther didn't say anything, either, and they just stood there, glaring.

Arthur finally cracked first, as he was wan to do, "You said it was over."

Uther shook his head and cleared his throat, dropping back into his overly large office chair. He laced his fingers together and set his elbows on his desk, leaning forwards. "I got an interesting call this morning," Uther began, and Arthur narrowed his eyes. "A nice young man called, asking for Camelot. 'Camelot?' I said. 'Yes,' he said, 'Camelot and Merlin.' He explained to me then, that my son had a lover I didn't know about, from some godforsaken town in the middle of nowhere, which he had planned to return to this very morning."

Arthur stiffened and continued to glared, "I thought, 'Certainly that couldn't be my son. He wouldn't dare run again. He knows better.' Obviously you don't. I had my driver send Morgana's away and take you here, where you belong. You can send your beau back to Ealdor, now."

Arthur's fists were clenched at his side, his nails digging into his palms. Damn Mordred. He grit his teeth and took a few breaths before he could trust himself to speak without yelling at his father, "I don't belong here," is what he finally said, and Uther tensed. "I don't belong here, and I never have. You know that, Mum knew that. Mum wouldn't want me to be here and be miserable."

Uther stood up and rounded the desk so he could stand in front of Arthur, "Now, don't say things like that when you're not in your right mind. I know what you need, you need to stay here. You don't want to go back."

"Don't pretend you know what I want," Arthur grit out, shaking his head. "All my life you've been telling me what I want and what I need. All my life you've been grooming me and training me to be like you, and I don't want to be like you. I want to go back to Ealdor, I need to stay with Merlin. You say you loved Mum, but you never respect anything she said."

"Don't you dare insinuate that I didn't love your mother!" Uther shouted, and for once Arthur didn't flinch, just kept his steely, cool expression. "If your mother were here—"

"If mother were here you know she'd tell me to go!" Arthur shouted back, finally losing his composure. "If mother were here, that tart wouldn't be here, you wouldn't be endangering the family assets with some VD infested slut! If mother were here, she would have told you that Morgana is way more suited for the business than I ever will be. She'd tell you that I was meant to be a busboy in Ealdor, because that's what I want to be!"

Uther was completely still now, and he no longer looked as angry as he had before. He didn't even seem upset that Arthur had insulted Vivian. He finally seemed to crumble, and he looked older than Arthur had ever seen his father look. To sons who idolize their fathers, their fathers are supposed to be ageless and eternal and heroic, and to have that perception of their father shattered so suddenly like that was nearly heart-breaking.

"Arthur…you know I only want what's best for you…" Uther tried, and if he were a lesser-man, Arthur was sure his voice would be cracking.

"Isn't what's best for me what I want?" Arthur asked, his voice no longer harsh or cold. That seemed to surprise Uther as he looked up, frowning. He looked like a man who had just lost the largest battle in his life and was upset to have lived to tell about it.

"And you're sure you want this? You want Ealdor and…and your boy, Merlin?" Uther asked. Arthur nodded, no doubt in his mind that that's what he wanted.

"But I don't want to go without your blessing, father. I will go, but I don't want to," Arthur nearly pleaded.

Uther sighed, looking broken as he nodded grimly, "You have my blessing," he conceded, wincing as if it hurt, "But you will be returning sometimes, to visit at least?"

"That depends, will you dump that chit Vivian?" he asked, once again steely.

"I was never going to marry her, you know. I'm not as stupid as you think I am," Uther informed his son.

"Then…then what? Why?" Arthur asked, confused.

"She was just a pawn, to get you back here," Uther confessed, and instead of getting angry, Arthur laughed. It was a kind of maniacal, crazy laugh at first, before it melted into a sincere laugh, which had even Uther cracking a (albeit) confused smile.

"You did miss me!" Arthur finally gasped out, "I thought you had just given up on me."

Uther smiled a little more, "You are my son, I couldn't have given up even if I had wanted to."

"Is she going to be mad?" Arthur asked. Uther shook his head and glanced over Arthur's shoulder, out of the small window that was left unshuttered, to where Vivian was trying her best, and failing, to flirt with a very flustered and red looking Merlin. Arthur laughed.

He looked at his watch, "Well, we've officially missed our flight," Arthur sighed, "I guess we'll stay another day and catch the next flight out tomorrow morning."

"The young man seemed upset enough that you weren't home yet," Uther said, shaking his head, "Strange boy. Very strange…But catching a flight won't be necessary. You can use the company plane, the small one. I'll call ahead and let them know you're coming."

"Thanks, Father," Arthur said, and if he wasn't Arthur Pendragon, he probably would have cried and hugged his father and it would be like something out of a Lifetime Movie, but without the murder and pregnancy pacts. Instead they exchanged hearty handshakes like the men they were, and Arthur was sweeping out of the office looking altogether better than he had going in.

"Oh Arthur, thank god," Merlin breathed, squeezing passed Vivian and flinging his arms around Arthur's shoulders before really thinking. He quickly backed away and blushed, keeps his hands to himself before Arthur pulled him back to his chest, laughing at Merlin's blush.

"It went well then?" Merlin asked as he pulled back from the hug.

"Very well," Arthur agreed, smiling and ducking his head to press a gentle kiss to Merlin's lips, who blushed and reacted as minimally as he could. Another thing Arthur learned about Merlin; does not do PDA well.

---

Another thing Arthur learns about Merlin; does not do planes well, either. He had been eager to become a part of the mile high club with Merlin, and was disappointed when the first thing Merlin did when they took their seats on the plane was immediately snatch up the barf-bag and tuck his head between his knees before the plane even took off.

When they were finally in the air and settled, Merlin sat up, looking paler than normal, maybe even a little green. He was tightly clutching Arthur's hand and avoided looking anywhere near the window. It made Arthur love him all the more, knowing he had flew for the first time, and hated it, just to get him back.

"Alright there, Merlin?" he asked, trying to hide the grin from his face and school it into a look of concern.

"Ugh," Merlin groaned, "How can you do this all the time, Ca-Arthur?" he asked, and Arthur winced only a little at the almost slip-up.

"I've been flying since I was a baby," he replied, shrugging, "You get used to it."

"I'll never get used to it," Merlin said vehemently, before turning a little greener as the plane hit some slight turbulence. He turned his head and pressed his face into Arthur's shoulder.

"Don't you dare ralph on me, Merlin," Arthur hissed.

"I won't…promise," Merlin muttered, his voice muffled against Arthur's collar. He eventually fell asleep, and instead of throwing up on Arthur, he started to drool, which, Arthur supposed, was a little better than vomit.

Arthur would never admit it out loud, but he was kind of dreading returning to Ealdor. He knew what waited for him there was probably an, at first, joyful reception, and then an angry, shouting and hitting reception from everyone, except maybe Gwen. Merlin had told Arthur about Gwen and Lancelot making eyes at each other, and Lancelot's decision to stay behind. Hopefully Gwen didn't convince her new beau to punch him in the eye again; the last bruise was just gone.

Arthur eventually fell asleep as well, his head on top of Merlin's, and doing his fair share of drooling, enough to catch up to his boyfriend.

---

Their reception wasn't as bad as Arthur would have thought. He was only hit three or four times, and Mordred had stomped on his foot when he was informed that Morgana wasn't with them.

He and Merlin barely had a chance to catch up with their sleep before Hunith was shoving everybody into her impossibly small car and driving them all into town to go out to eat.

At first it was uncomfortable because everybody kept calling him 'Cam' or 'Camelot' and either he or Merlin would correct them gently. Eventually they just let it go if they had forgotten he was Arthur, and dinner passed quickly enough. Merlin and Arthur finally returned to the inn, where they'd dropped to the bed, exhausted. They barely had time to share a few heated kisses before they both fell asleep, still fully clothed.

When they woke up, after having slept the whole entire prior day and ignoring any calls or knocks on the door, they got up and took separate showers, since the shower at the inn was way too small to share even an intimate shower.

Arthur let Merlin go first, because Merlin complained that he was an utter girl and took too long in the shower. Arthur had argued the fact that Merlin was much more girly than him with his love of the stars and all that. So when Arthur came back in his room from his (admittedly) long shower, he was incredibly pleased to see Merlin flung across the bed, knees bent up and his towel slowly sliding down his thighs.

He had Arthur's astronomy book propped up on his chest, his glasses perched on the end of his nose as he frowned slightly in thought. If Arthur's prick hadn't sprung up so suddenly that it made him dizzy, he would have said something cheeky about how nerdy Merlin looked.

Instead he stood there, mouth suddenly very dry and slightly parted. "Arthur?" Merlin laid the book flat on his chest and propped himself up on one elbow, head tilted slightly as he observed his speechless boyfriend with curiosity. His expression quickly melted into a smirk, and he laid the book aside, dropping one knee and spreading his legs slightly, giving Arthur a bit of a show.

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, sounding way too innocent for his own good, licking his lips as he continued that curious and smoldering gaze.

"Guh," said Arthur, feeling as if he would melt right on the spot. Merlin's smirk widened again, and Arthur's stomach did a little flip before he nearly flung himself on the bed, half on top of Merlin, shoving the book off the bed. It was a foolish move, because Merlin wasn't anticipating it and was leaning forwards as Arthur was crashing down and their foreheads bumped together painfully.

Merlin laughed and Arthur scowled, rubbing at his abused head before shutting Merlin up with a bruising kiss. He bit down on Merlin's bottom lip, and Merlin moaned, his hands coming up to wind themselves in Arthur's hair. Arthur was sure there would be permanent fingers trails in his hair because of Merlin. He found he didn't mind (that much).

Arthur shifted so that he could slide his leg in between Merlin's, their feet tangling together. When he moved his lips from Merlin's and down to his neck, Merlin let out an appreciative groan and arched his hips up, his erection pressing into Arthur hip, already half-hard and growing.

Arthur, who was treated to the pre-show, was completely hard and gasping with want. While Merlin moaned and writhed under the ministrations of his tongue, he reached down to pull the towel away from Merlin's hips, then wrapped his fingers around Merlin's cock, jumping right into the punishing pace he was just learning Merlin enjoyed. For all his teasing, Merlin was quite impatient.

"Arthur, Arthur," Merlin gasped, pulling himself up and pressing his chest to Arthur's, "God, Arthur. So hot," Merlin hissed, his teeth grazing Arthur's earlobe.

"I know I am," Arthur panted, rutting down through his towel into Merlin's hip, the rough, wet fabric providing much needed friction.

"Prat," Merlin had meant to say, but it came out as, "Pra-oooh, do that again!" Arthur chuckled breathlessly against Merlin's neck, twisting his hand again in the way that Merlin had pleaded for. Arthur swore he saw a flash of gold as Merlin gasped and pulled back to stare at Arthur. But he figured he was going crazy with lust.

Merlin's hands had left his hair and were now tugging at Arthur's towel before it, too, fell away. Arthur sighed and ground his hips down again, his cock leaving a shiny trail on Merlin's still slightly damp skin. Merlin was blindly groping around down near their groins, his head thrown back.

He finally pushed Arthur's hand away from his prick, then shifted so their pelvises were aligned better, before wrapping his fingers around both of their cocks, stroking in long, firm strokes.

Arthur fell shakily to his forearms, pinning Merlin beneath him as Merlin continued to stroke and mutter filthy things into Arthur's ear. Arthur was trying to be as quiet as he could, the walls of the inn were paper thin, but he couldn't help crying out when Merlin bit down on his shoulder and shuddered, coating both of their bellies in his release.

Merlin abandoned his softening prick to focus all attention on Arthur's, tugging and pulling and stroking, the process slickened up by his own spunk. It wasn't long before Arthur was silently chanting 'Merlin Merlin Merlin' and jerking his hips through his orgasm. He promptly collapsed on top of Merlin, who let out an 'oof' and tried to feebly push Arthur off of him, complaining until Arthur rolled over onto his side.

Merlin spooned up behind him, pressing his sweaty forehead to Arthur's back and still panting. Arthur was ready to go back to sleep, but they had places to be and people to see. Merlin told him this.

"Bugger other people," Arthur groaned, rolling over so he was facing Merlin.

"No thank you, that's what you're for," Merlin replied cheekily, pressing a kiss to Arthur's nose.

"I knew you only liked me for my body," Arthur sighed, pretending to be hurt.

"Yup! And your arse, it's incredible," Merlin chimed.

"Mmm, it is pretty incredible," Arthur agreed.

"Don't get a big head, now," Merlin ordered, and Arthur grinned, tucking his head under Merlin's chin to press kisses to his collar bone.

"You wouldn't like me if I didn't have a big head," Arthur stated, "Or if I weren't such prat."

"This is true," Merlin said, nodding. "But we really do need to talk about your prattish-ness," he said, almost seriously, "It's not appropriate in the middle of sex."

"Mhm," Arthur agreed distractedly, completely infatuated with tracing trails of sweat and water down Merlin's neck with his tongue.

"I mean it, Arthur," Merlin said, pushing Arthur away, "We've got a lot to talk about, actually." Arthur sighed and moved away. Merlin was right. They really hadn't had time at all to talk about everything that had happened. But he really hoped they'd never have to talk about it, just agree that it'd happened and move on.

"Can't this wait?" Arthur pleaded, "My bones are still made of jelly."

Merlin pushed his glasses up his nose, shaking his head, "No, Arthur. I've got something very serious I want to talk with you about."

"You're not breaking up with me already, are you?" Arthur asked, only half-kidding.

"No! Of course not," Merlin said quickly, pressing his hand to Arthur's chest, "No. We need to talk about your living arrangements. You can't go on living here, you know. It's hardly appropriate for us to carry on here with others in the inn," Merlin said, sounding studious and serious and somehow sexy.

"I'm not moving in with you and your mum," Arthur informed Merlin, "That'd be way more awkward."

"I wasn't suggesting that. You see, Gaius is moving in with Mum," ("Don't ever mention Gaius after sex ever again, Merlin," Arthur demanded.) "And he's offered me his flat. And I figured, since you're staying, you might want a permanent residence here…"

"Are you asking me to move in with you? If so, it's pretty piss poor," Arthur stated, and Merlin snorted, pushing on Arthur's chest so there was more space in between them.

"Yes I am, you prat, can't you just appreciate it?" Merlin was trying his best to sound offended.

"I do appreciate it," Arthur said softly, leaning forwards to press a kiss to Merlin's jaw, "I appreciate this," he kissed his chin, "I appreciate everything you've done for me," he moved his lips to the corner of Merlin's, "I appreciate you," he kissed Merlin.

Merlin smiled into the kiss, his fingers winding into Arthur's hair gently, tilting his head to deepen the kiss briefly, before pulling back, "You're such a girl Arthur," he teased, briefly kissing Arthur again, "Was that a yes?"

"Yeah," Arthur breathed, smiling wider, "Thank you."

Merlin blinked, "For what?"

"For saving Camelot."