Disclaimer: I own nothing
Ooo
Thanks everyone for the support! Much appreciated. Not long to go now, this will be the second last chapter
Ooo
It had been so easy to acquire, just like it had always been. No matter how distant Morgana had felt from that old world, the path was still familiar. The morgause sat on her coffee table, so comfortably as if it was supposed to be there. She stared at it, her resistance weakening with every minute. She still had the same two choices she'd always had. One was familiar and one was on that she seemed to resist every day.
She stood up and rubbed her eyes frantically. The walls seemed to pull closer to her. She needed to get out, she needed fresh eye, she needed….
Her eyes lingered on the morgause.
Ooo
Gwen ran into her brother the next morning in the foyer of Arthur's building. She pulled her coat close to herself, embarrassed. Elyan raised his eyebrows, taking in her appearance.
"Wasn't last night your first date?"
There was no 'hello' or 'good morning', just accusation
"It's not what you think"
Gwen defended, her embarrassment deepening. Elyan just chuckled
"Actually I think it is"
Gwen was about to retort, explaining that she was a grown woman and Elyan himself hardly had a clean record. She didn't get the chance; Elyan just shrugged and asked if she had time for a coffee up at in his flat.
Gwen clicked the kettle on herself as Elyan busied himself with the cup in his small kitchen
"So it is pretty early to be sneaking off"
He said casually
"Elyan, you are really the last person I want to talk about this with"
Elyan chuckled
"Come on Gwen, I always tell you stuff"
"Yeah I hardly ever want to hear about"
"I don't want the details….trust me I want you to leave the details out. I'm just curious"
Gwen poured the hot water into each other the cups, sighing.
"I wasn't sneaking off….I just was going home"
Elyan studied her, accepting the mug she offered.
"It's moving a little fast"
He commented, taking a sip.
He had a point, she knew. It was moving fast, well for her it was.
"It just feels right"
Elyan nodded, not totally convinced
"But you still snuck out this morning"
Gwen nodded
"That's not a good sign Gwen"
"It wasn't because of any horrible reason. It was just a surprise to find myself there. I never do stuff like that Elyan. Last night felt right and I still felt right this morning….it just made me feel a little dizzy…but in a good way"
She knew she wasn't explaining herself properly, but Elayn seemed to understand. He smiled
"You're falling in love"
He accused with a smirk, making Gwen laugh
"I'm really happy right now"
Her phone buzzed before they could say anything more, Arthur was trying to call
"Let me guess?"
Elyan said pushing his mug on the bench and leaving for the bathroom, giving Gwen some privacy
"Hello?"
She greeted
"Gwen?"
Arthur still sounded half asleep. She wondered vaguely of he had even checked the rest of the apartment before calling her
"Where are you?"
He asked
"I'm just at my brother's"
There was silence from Arthur's end and Gwen followed with
"I'm sorry I didn't stay"
There was a soft sigh into the phone and Gwen regrated deciding to leave him. Clearly he mistook her actions
"Was it because of everything that happened with Merlin? Is it all too much?"
She chuckled
"So quick to think the worst Mr. Pendragon?"
He didn't reply to her playful tone
"Look, I don't do things like that normally"
She started
"I just wanted to have a minute to myself and make sure I was doing the right thing"
"And are you?"
She paused for a minute, unable to contain her smile
"Yes. Yes, I am. Why do you come down to Eylan's?"
There was a soft beep
"Is that your call waiting?"
"Yes"
Gwen confirmed
"Ok, well you should take the call…I'll be down in a minute"
Gwen hung up and accepted the next call. This time it was from the other Pendragon, Morgana.
"Gwen?"
Her voiced seemed far away and breathless. Gwen instantly felt concerned
"I need you"
Morgana whispered
"Arthur will be here in a minute. As soon as he comes, we'll go. Where are you? At your flat?"
"Don't bring Arthur"
Morgana demanded frantically
"Morgana I have too. Are in danger?"
"No, it's like last time…"
There were three knocks at the door and Gwen quickly whipped it open. Arthur's smile quickly dropped when he saw Gwen expression
"Hey Arthur"
Elyan greeted, but frowned when he noticed the tension
"What's going on…"
He trailed off as Gwen raised her hand to silence him
"Don't tell Arthur"
Morgana repeated half heartily
"I've got some Morgause here….please don't tell Arthur, he'll be so mad"
Gwen felt sick, wanting to ask a million questions but realising how Arthur will react if he caught wind of half the story
"I have to"
She whispered softly and Morgana sighed
"Don't tell him everything then….Gwen I didn't take it….and I won't. I just need you guys here"
Morgana hung up and Gwen dropped her phone to her side, as Arthur and Elyan stepped closer towards her
"What's going on?"
Elyan demanded
"It's Morgana isn't it?"
Arthur rubbed his eyes, not needed confirmation from Gwen. Merlin last night and now this, His family was hardly giving him any chance with Gwen.
"We have to go to her"
Gwen said
"She is ok, she just needs someone"
Gwen kissed her brother on the cheek as a good bye and pulled her coat on. She grabbed Arthur's hand and he looked down at it.
"Coming?"
She asked
Ooo
Morgana was sitting on her coffee table when they arrived. The door was unlocked and the tumbled straight in. Her legs were crossed and she seemed to stare right through them, making Arthur nervous.
Gwen swept to her side and whispered things Arthur couldn't seem to here. Morgana was nodding and then shaking her head. The emotion that seemed to fill the room, instantly made him feel nervous. Gwen was good at this, she was everything Morgana needed at the moment and he felt a little bit like a dead weight.
He was making his way towards the woman when he saw it. He'd seen it enough times in different forms to recognise what it was. He felt his heart stop and grabbed it off the bench, curling it with is his fingers. His eyes slid to Gwen and Morgana and he tried to contain his anger.
"What is this doing here?"
He asked calming, presenting the morgause to both women. Morgana looked scared and Gwen didn't look as surprised as she should have been.
"I said, what is this doing here?"
"She didn't take any"
Gwen quickly defended, rising to her feet.
"She wanted to, but she didn't"
"It's still here Gwen. She still went out and bought it. She knows the rules; if she wants to do this stuff again I'm out of here"
"I didn't take it Arthur, that's all I bought"
Morgana said, speaking clearly for the first time since they entered
"I was just having a weak moment. It's been sitting there since yesterday afternoon"
"It doesn't change the fact that it's still here! That you still knew how to get it"
Gwen took a couple of steps towards Arthur, trying to calm him
"Arthur calm down"
Arthur looked at her furious
"Calm down? I'm trying to be with you Gwen, I'm trying to have you in my life and all of Morgana's shit keeps bubbling to the surface, continually ruining everything"
"You have me Arthur, ok? We have to be here for Morgana"
Arthur could hardly hear the her word through his own anger
"Last night was almost perfect and then we ended up at the hospital because of Merlin. Merlin was there because of damage caused by smoke inhalation…which surprise surprise is Morgana's fault. This morning I was ready to enjoy a moment of peace with you, get to know your brother and look what happened… here we are and surprise surprise its Morgana's fault again"
"Your sister is sick"
Gwen snapped
"You have to realise that. Every minute of every day she is going to be tempted till she dies. You have to get that through your skull. She lives in one of the largest cities of the world. Temptation is everywhere. Gosh, I could do out and buy drugs if I wanted. It would be that easy"
Gwen was panting; emotion was bursting from her eyes. Morgana slid her knees under her chin, watching them both
"Merlin is in hospital?"
She asked quietly
"Yeah, no thanks to you"
"Arthur, get out"
Arthur glared at Gwen, not sure he heard her right
"Excuse me?"
"I said get out. You aren't helping anyone here"
"She is my sister"
It seemed Gwen thought it best to just begin to ignore him and returned to her spot beside Morgana.
Ooo
It was lunch time before Gwen and Arthur found they were alone again. Morgana had fallen asleep, drained for the night.
"Do you have to go to work?"
Arthur asked quietly as he made them both a sandwich. Gwen shook her head, not meeting his eyes
"I'm sorry Gwen; I know I can lose my head sometimes"
Gwen sighed but didn't leave Morgana's lounge
"Arthur it's not that. I know this is a really complicated situation. Things are going to be said that nobody really means but…."
"But what?"
Arthur felt himself feeling sick again. If Gwen decided to leave him, he knew he couldn't stop her. He had a complicated life; it was a big asks to have anyone to just accept his circumstances.
"But…I don't think Morgana should be living in London. I think it was too much to expect that she could cope here. I think she should move….and I think you should go with her"
Arthur abandoned his half made lunch and sat beside
"Do you want me to leave then? Is that how you see yourself getting out of this, by getting me to leave the city?"
Gwen held his hands with her own and smiled
"Don't you get it yet Arthur? I meant it when I said I think this is the real thing. I will never leave you side"
She said, repeating her words from the night before.
"A fresh start is what everyone here needs. Morgana needs to be taken from the temptation…I'm not saying it would fix everything and that country air will just make her 'better' but I think it could help"
"What about your job? And you just moved into that place…."
Gwen shook her head, waving off his train of thought
"They are just details. If we are by each other's side, I think it could work"
Arthur slumped into the back of the couch
"I think this idea might save us all Gwen"
oooo