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Arthur and Guinevere were dancing, slowly, her head on his chest. They were at Leon's celebrating the fact that Percival had just landed a major contract.

The song changed from a slow number to an upbeat one but they didn't stop swaying slowly on the dance floor, from time to time, she would lift her head and stare at him, and Arthur would smile down at her. Guinevere hadn't been this happy in years.

His arms tightened around her and they both understood, without saying a word; that they had come to a turning point in their relationship.

She wasn't worried; she loved and trusted Arthur, although she had yet to tell him that but after all the months they had been together she was finally ready to take the next step.

000

"Artie."

Arthur and Guinevere stopped. They were just outside Leon's, having decided to walk to Arthur's flat. It wasn't very near but they both wanted to take a night stroll.

"Come, is this how you greet an old friend?" the young woman asked. She was tall striking blonde woman. She was wearing a navy blue jumpsuit and she looked good.

"Adrienne," Arthur said. "I didn't know you were back in town."

"You mean you didn't want to know," she laughed. A loud trilling sound that got on Gwen's nerves.

"How have you been?" Arthur asked.

"Artie," she laughed again. "So this must the new girl I've heard so much about."

Gwen smiled tightly at her.

"I would warn you to be on your guard," Adrienne told Gwen, "but I don't think you need any help from me. You managed to get Lance to the altar; although we all know how long that lasted."

"Adrienne," Arthur said. He tone was cold and hard.

"What?" Adrienne laughed again. "Does she need you to protect her from the likes of me? To fight all her battles?"

"No," both Arthur and Gwen said.

"I don't need anyone to do that for me." Gwen added. She would have walked off but Arthur's hold on her had tightened.

"No," Adrienne looked her up and down, "I don't believe you need anyone to do that." Her tone was so insulting both Arthur and Gwen felt like slapping her. Well, Gwen wanted to slap her but Arthur only kept from slugging her because he knew about her condition.

"Adrienne," Arthur spoke again. "It was nice running into you. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

"You won't get rid of me that easily," Adrienne said. "I came here to say something and I won't leave until I've said it."

"Fine," Gwen said, "just say it already."

"You'll never fit into the family," Adrienne said, "you know it and I know it. So just drop this whole charade and go back to your arty types."

"Arty types?" Gwen smiled.

"You know what I mean," Adrienne replied. "Arthur may be playing at being photographer but we all know that that's not his place. Not really."

"Adrienne, go away, before you embarrass yourself any further," Arthur said.

"Embarrass myself?" Adrienne asked. "You're the one who is embarrassing yourself. You know that this can never go anywhere."

"Go back to Helios," Arthur told her. "Go back before he begins to think that he made a mistake."

Gwen was surprised to see Adrienne's eyes begin to water.

"I love Guinevere," Arthur added, "and if it were up to me we'd be married already or get married tomorrow."

"You really love her?" Adrienne asked.

"Yes," Arthur replied. "I really do."

"Why couldn't you love me?" Adrienne asked. "Why doesn't anyone love me?"

"Helios loves you," Arthur told her.

"He says he does," Adrienne agreed. "But how do I know that he's not just saying it?" That last question was aimed at Gwen.

"If Arthur says he loves you, then I'm sure he does," Gwen told her gently. She couldn't believe that this was the same woman who had been sneering at her a few minutes ago.

"Thank you Gwen," Adrienne said. "Uther said that you were a good sort, not what he'd thought you'd be."

"He did?" Both Arthur and Gwen were shocked.

A blue Range Rover pulled up infront of them and a man got out. "Addy, dear, there you are. I was so worried."

"Helios," Arthur turned to him.

"Thank you, Arthur," Helios said, "I came here as soon as I heard that Addy was coming to see you." He took Adrienne into his arms and hugged her close, whispering softly to her.

Arthur and Helios had sort of grown up together – their fathers were colleagues which had meant that they spent many a holiday together when they fathers were working. Helios had followed in his father's footsteps and he was now a partner in their law firm.

"She's fine," Arthur said.

"Was she very rude?" Helios asked. "She was sort of…put out when she heard that you were dating."

"She wasn't too rude," Gwen assured him.

"Thank you," Helios smiled at them both and helped Adrienne into the car.

They watched the car drive away in silence.

"What's wrong with her?" Guinevere asked.

"We're not really sure," Arthur replied. "Her father never let her get tested properly but she has some sort of bipolar disorder."

"The poor girl," Gwen sympathised. "It must be hard."

"Very," Arthur agreed. "There was a time when she convinced herself that she was in love with me."

"Oh you poor you," Gwen teased him. "Having a beautiful girl think she's in love with you, it must have been very bad."

"It was crazy," Arthur insisted. "She never wanted to let me out of her sight."

"What happened?"

"She met Helios," Arthur shrugged, "and decided that she loved him and not me."

"And?"

"Quite surprisingly, Helios loves her," Arthur said.

"So, you and Helios?" Gwen asked. "I sense…something."

"I'll tell you about it another time," Arthur said. "Helios and Adrienne have taken up enough of our evening already."

"Okay," Gwen agreed, "but you do think she was right about your father?"

"What?"

"About him saying that I am a good sort."

"It doesn't matter what my father thinks," Arthur assured her. "He's not the one who wants to marry you and I'm not going anywhere."

"He came by the other day," Gwen told him. She had been debating with herself about whether to tell him or not.

"Came by where? When? Why didn't you tell me?"

"I don't know why I didn't tell you," Gwen admitted.

"What did he want?" Arthur asked her.

"I guess he wanted to see for himself the woman his son is spending with," Gwen said. "He wasn't that bad," she added in answer to his unspoken question.

"He wasn't that bad?" Arthur repeated. "What did he say?"

"Nothing that I've not already heard," Gwen said. "But I think we came to some sort of understanding."

"What sort of understanding?"

"That we'll probably never see eye-to-eye on many issues or even agree at all," she smiled widely at each other, "but we both love you and want what's best for you."

"Do you think he realises that you are what's best for me?"

"Oh, I don't know, I don't know if even you realise it as well," she teased him, "but I'm sure you'll both find out soon enough."

000

Guinevere woke up slowly and opened her eyes. She wondered for a few seconds where she was and then it came back to her. Leon's, meeting Adrienne and finally ending up at Arthur's flat.

She had fallen asleep.

One minute, they had been kissing and then he'd gone to the bathroom and that was the last thing she remembered.

"Good morning, Guinevere."

Arthur was standing in the doorway eyeing her lazily.

"Arthur, I'm so sorry about last night."

"As long as that doesn't happen every time, it's fine."

"I promise to stay awake for every second next time."

"I'll hold you to that."

A loud banging coming from the kitchen interrupted them.

"Sorry," Merlin said, as he walked towards Arthur's room, "I hope I didn't interrupt anything."

"Of course you did," Arthur replied, "as was your intention."

"I had to make sure you were fully dressed," Merlin said cheekily, "unlike that other time when-"

"You'll stop talking if you value your life," Arthur threatened him half-heartedly. "Don't forget that I have more dirt on you than you have on me."

"But you forget," Merlin laughed, "Gwen isn't interested in hearing about me."

"Don't be too sure," Gwen said. "I want to hear all the stories."

"Don't worry," Merlin whispered loudly, "I'll tell you all the stories you need to know."

"Thank you Merlin," Gwen said.

"What did you want Merlin?" Arthur asked his friend. "Surely there was a reason for your interruption."

Merlin smiled at his friend. "Uh…no, nothing actually."

Arthur glared at his friend.

000