Love You Madly
Gwen's opened her eyes, slowly. Everything was blurry. Within a few seconds her brain registered the sheets of plastic wrapped tightly around her eyes. She tried to move her hands but soon realized that they were handcuffed to the back of the chair.
Her mouth, however, was completely unbound.
"Hey! Whoever you are, let me out of here now!"
Her voice echoed against the walls and complete silence followed. Through her blurry vision, she could discern that she was completely alone.
Great. Just great.
She was scared. Her Victims no More! class hadn't covered being kidnapped on your significant other's birthday party. Not like the class had done her much good in the past. If she got out of this place alive, she was going to have some words with her former instructor.
"LET ME OUT OF HERE!"
As if on cue, the door on the far end of the room opened, revealing a tall blurry figure.
"My, my," said the figure. The voice was cool and feminine and not at all familiar. "You're quite the screamer."
"I don't know what you think you're trying to achieve here," Gwen seethed as the blurry figure approached her. "Arthur doesn't even know where I am. He's not going to come for me."
The woman laughed. The sound was empty and sent a pronounced chill down Gwen's spine.
"My dear girl," she said, perching herself on the table, "you have no idea… do you?"
Gwen thought it quite rich that this lady was being so patronizing. She had kidnapped her after all… what was she playing at?
"You, my dear," the woman said, reaching out to stroke Gwen's hair, "you are the key to the Pendragons' downfall."
Gwen recoiled from her touch. "You're insane," she whispered. "I'm just a nanny. You've got the wrong girl."
"One day, you'll learn everything," the woman said, hopping off the desk. "But that is not my purpose for today. I want to make Arthur suffer a little longer from your absence."
Gwen felt a sudden anger surging through her veins. Suffer? Arthur didn't deserve to suffer any longer. He'd been through enough tragedies in his life. Surely this woman was aware of that.
"What has Arthur done to you?"
The woman walked behind Gwen, placing her hands on the back of the metal chair and leaning in close.
"The Pendragons took everything from me," the woman hissed. "If you knew even half of the story, Guinevere, you'd probably hate them even more than I do. My dear…you owe every misfortune to the Pendragon family. Their debt to you can never be repaid."
"You've got the wrong girl," Gwen said. "I'd never met the Pendragons up until a few months ago. What you're saying… just can't be true."
"I have the right girl," the woman insisted. "You're Guinevere Leodegrance, daughter of Tom and Lily. I knew your mother. She was a good person, whom I loved very much."
"Don't use my mother as an excuse!" Gwen cried. "She would have never supported this. She wouldn't have wanted to see anyone in pain, let alone have her daughter kidnapped. You're doing this for yourself."
"Poor girl," the woman said, clucking her tongue. She stood up, straightened her clothes and turned to face her. "Sooner or later, you're going to help me destroy the Pendragons. It's only a matter of time."
"You're wrong," Gwen whispered as the woman walked away.
"Mal," said the woman, ignoring Gwen, "keep an eye on her. You are not to harm her, you understand?"
"Yes ma'am," the guard responded.
The woman left the room, the sound of her heels clicking against the floor.
Gwen struggled against her handcuffs, but it was no use. She was stuck.
"I wouldn't try to get out of those," said the guard. "You're only going to hurt yourself."
Gwen gave an arid laugh. "Why do you care if I get hurt? You seemed to be perfectly fine with abducting me."
"Guinevere—"
"You don't get to call me that!" she yelled. "Only Arthur…Arthur's the only person who gets to call me that. You don't know anything about me and I'd like to keep it that way."
"Very well," Mal said, turning away from her.
Gwen sunk down in her chair, suddenly feeling exhausted. Never in her life had she felt so angry and frustrated. Who did these people think they were? Did they think they could just take her against her will? Did they honestly believe she would betray Arthur?
She was tired of being the damsel in distress, tired of people trying to use her against Arthur.
She was done being passive—it was time to fight back.
"Daddy," Mordred whined, "Where's the ice cream?"
Arthur ruffled his son's hair. "We have to wait for Guinevere."
"Arthur," Morgana said, casting him a worried glance, "it's been an hour. Maybe we should go look for her."
Arthur knew something was wrong. He'd felt it when she rushed out suddenly, had seen the flash of fear in her eyes as she walked away. He thought he was being paranoid, that maybe the bad memories of this day had clouded his perceptions.
She had to be safe; the alternative was too hard for him to bear.
"She said she went to Mr. Friendly's," Merlin mused. "I thought that place had gone out of business."
"Maybe that's what's taking her so long," said Morgana. "Maybe she's looking for another place to get the ice cream?"
"She hasn't returned her calls," Arthur said. "Guinevere always picks up her phone. Why wouldn't she answer, or call to let us know she was having trouble?"
"Mr. Friendly's," Merlin muttered. "Mr. Friendly's…"
"What are you going on about over there, Merlin?"
"I think… she was trying to tell us something, Arthur," he said. "I just don't know what."
"Mr. Friendly's means nothing to me," Arthur said. "Why would she use a code that no one can understand—"
"I've got it!" Merlin exclaimed. "Mr. Friendly… he was a character on LOST."
"Merlin," said Morgana, "I doubt now's the time to talk about a disappointing television show."
"I'll ignore your insult for now," Merlin said, glaring at her. "Mr. Friendly was a character on LOST who… kidnapped one of the castaways. I think… she was trying to tell us…"
"Oh my god," Morgana said, standing up. "We need to call the police!"
"No," Arthur said, suddenly. "Not yet."
"Why not?"
"They won't prioritize the case," Arthur said, his voice hollow. "I need to find out who did this first, then we'll contact the police."
"Arthur, don't be an idiot!" Morgana said rushing over to him. "This isn't some silly revenge kick! Gwen's in danger! We've got to get some help!"
"You don't think I know that!" Arthur yelled. "You don't think I'm worried about her? I'm out of my mind with worry! I don't know what I'll do if anything happens to her. But I need to figure this out myself. Getting the police involved now will only slow me down."
Merlin placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "We'll give you any help you need to bring her back, Arthur."
Morgana sighed. "I think this is stupid, arrogant, idiotic, and brash. But I'll help."
Mordred grasped his father's hand and squeezed tightly. "Bring her home, daddy," he said, his eyes wide and earnest.
Arthur lifted his son into his arms and kissed his forehead. "I will bring her back. Mordred. Don't you worry."
He clutched his son tighter to his chest trying not to fall apart at the seams. He had to stay strong for his son and for Guinevere. He couldn't allow himself to give in to his fear and rage.
He looked up, locking eyes with Merlin, then Morgana.
"Let's get her back."
Gwen watched as Mal gingerly placed a metal plate in front of her. He stepped back and faced her expectantly.
Gwen raised an eyebrow.
"I thought you might be hungry," said he said quietly.
"That's… very kind of you," she said slowly, as if he were a child, "but I can't eat it. I can neither see nor use my hands."
"Oh."
He knelt down beside her chair.
"I made you a turkey sandwich…and some tomato soup," he told her. "It's really quite good… I could… feed it to you if you like."
"I already ate," she said, turning her nose up at the food. "I was actually in the middle of a birthday dinner when you all snatched me up. I'd really like to get back to that."
"I can't do that, Gwen," he said, shaking his head. "Please try to understand—"
"Understand?" Gwen laughed aridly. "There is nothing to understand. I want to go home. You have no right to keep me here!"
"We're not going to hurt you, Gwen," he said. "You're too important to us."
He placed his hand on the bare skin of her shoulder and she flinched away from his touch.
"You're afraid of me," he said, sounding surprised.
"I don't know you," she said. "You've tied me up in this room and bound my eyes. Forgive me if I don't trust you."
"I would never hurt you, Gwen," he said gently.
Something about Mal's silhouette seemed familiar to her. Though his features were blurry, she could make out his blond hair and stubble.
"Do I… know you?"
"No," he said, shaking his head. "But I know you, Gwen. And I…"
He stopped.
"You…what?"
"You remind me so much of her," he said after a few long moments. "She was…truly beautiful, your mother."
Gwen could feel the anger rising from the pits of her stomach.
"All of you speak as if you knew her!" Gwen yelled. "She was my mother. If you were of any importance to her, she would have mentioned you. Don't you dare bring my mother into whatever sinister game you're playing!"
She could feel the tears welling in her eyes as she yelled. The loss of her mother was still a wide-open and sensitive wound.
"Your mother had an entirely different life before she had you," Mal said. "She was an heiress. But she always made sure to look out for people like me."
"You're crazy," Gwen whispered. "You have no idea what you're talking about."
"I do," Mal said, leaning against the table. "I was the family cleaning boy. She never let anyone mistreat me. She would say, 'Kindness isn't a virtue it's'—"
"A necessity," Gwen finished, astonished. "How could you possibly…"
"I loved her," Mal said. "I was young, no older than thirteen, but I loved her dearly. She used to perch herself on a tree branch in the garden clutching impossibly large books, and I could see her from the window. She had long brown hair, much like yours, bright brown eyes that were always full of light, and caramel skin. Impossibly beautiful, she was."
Mal clenched his fists at his sides. "And then one day… that branch broke, and Miss Lily fell into the arms of that charlatan maintenance man..."
Your mother fell right into my arms…and into my life… like an angel from the heavens.
"No…" Gwen said. "You're lying… I've heard this story before. My mother was a maid, not an heiress. She was sitting in the tree…. But it happened in the park, not her own garden."
"I remember it as if it were yesterday… it was the reason Miss Lily was disowned. She married that scoundrel, had his child, and was shunned from the household. I never saw her again… "
Gwen's head was reeling from the influx of information. She knew better than to trust the words of her captor. He could very well be feeding her lies, spinning some sort of story to turn her against Arthur.
"Mal…" she pleaded, allowing his name to pass through her lips for the first time. "My mother died years ago. I know it's difficult to let her go, but she wouldn't have wanted you to torture yourself this way. I know you don't want to do this; you don't seem like a bad guy. "
To her surprise, Mal leaned in and pressed his lips to her forehead. She inhaled his scent deeply. It was familiar, so infuriatingly familiar.
"I've long since let go of Lily," Mal said, pressing his forehead to hers. "But the universe had other plans for me and I crossed paths with her daughter, every bit as lovely and kind."
She felt his fingers at the back of her head untie the plastic around her eyes.
"I laid eyes on you day after day and, even though we didn't speak much, I grew to love you as I loved her," he said.
The plastic fell down Gwen's shoulders in ribbons, landing in a pool by her feet. Her captor walked around to face her. She gasped.
"Charlie?"
Vivian awoke to a large thumping sound against her desk. She arose abruptly, hitting her head against the back of her desk chair.
"Oh geez! I didn't mean to startle you!"
Leon stood over her, looking apologetic. She had been totally prepared to chew out whoever had disturbed her beauty sleep, but the sight of Leon and his impossibly tousled hair only elicited a smile.
"I…brought you coffee," Leon said, handing her a Styrofoam cup. "I know you have quite a bit of work on your hands this evening."
Vivian felt an odd stirring in her chest as she accepted the cup. "Um… thank you."
"I got French Vanilla," he added, "I figured you like it since you pour vanilla creamer into your coffee every morning."
"You've been watching me, have you?" Vivian smirked. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think I had a stalker on my hands, Smallville."
Leon choked on his coffee.
"I'm not stalking you," he said, regaining his composure. "I just…I realized… I had a good time last week, even though you spilled coffee on me. Guess I just wanted an excuse to talk to you again."
There it was again, that strange feeling in her heart. She wasn't used to being treated like this. Men never bought her coffee, not even the morning after. Men never wanted to engage her in conversation either. They thought her incredibly droll or insipid.
She looked up at him warmly, with surprising ease. "That's just about the kindest thing anyone has ever said to me, Leon."
The sincerity in her voice threw him for a loop, a beautiful vulnerability he was sure she didn't express often.
"No, problem." Leon cleared his throat, in an attempt to clear the strange air between them. "By the way, Arthur just called… he says Gwen has gone missing. He's a total wreck; I don't think I've seen him this way for a long while."
This time Vivian choked on her coffee.
"He's asked me to keep watch for her in case she shows up at the office," Leon said.
"Mhmm," Vivian responded, diverting her eyes. "I'll keep an eye out as well."
She reached into her purse and fumbled for her phone, slipping it beneath her desk and texting frantically.
Leon gave her an odd look. "You're not… sexting someone are you?"
Vivian had enough composure to roll her eyes. "Can you blame me if I want to send a text away from prying eyes."
Leon raised his hands in defense. "Hey, not trying to pick a fight with you, Viv. Trying my best to be civil. "
Vivian pressed send and slipped the phone back into her pocket. She paused for a moment, before smoothing down her skirt.
"I know, Leon," she replied, "I'm working on the whole civil thing. It'll take a while, so you're going to have to be patient with me."
Leon placed a hand on her shoulder. "You're doing just fine, Viv. I'm sorry I caught you at such a bad time. I just figured, if I'm going to be manning the fort for Arthur, I might as well seek out company."
Her eyes slowly moved to his hand, questioningly. He quickly removed his hand and cleared his throat again. She missed the warmth immediately.
"Ah, sorry," Leon said, placing his hands in his pockets. "I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable."
Oh, he was making her uncomfortable all right. But not at all the way he thought he was.
Her phone went off in her bag, causing her to jump.
"Are you sure you're okay?" Leon asked, concern in his eyes. "You're acting awfully cagey."
She ignored him, peering down at her phone.
Keep him occupied.
"Since we're both going to be here for a while," Vivian said, zipping up her purse. "Why don't we order some food and work in Nimueh's office?"
Leon laughed. "If someone told me a year ago that Vivian Carlyle would request a work date, I wouldn't have believed it. But you know… I'm still not… you're still not…"
Standing in front of him, she felt so small against his 6'4 frame. Yet, she pressed her hand against his chest, boldly looking up into his eyes.
"We don't have to be anything," she said, turning on the façade. "We're just friends having a bit of fun. Nothing wrong with that."
She stood on her tiptoes, in an attempt to kiss him on the lips, but thought better of it. Her lips connected with his cheek instead, lingering for just a moment longer than was necessary. She slid her arm down his chest as her heels touched the floor.
She tried to move away, but she felt strong hands pull her back. Her chest collided with his and her lips soon followed. His hand slid and caressed the skin beneath the back of her button down shirt. The kiss was sweet, but she could feel a reservoir of longing threatening to burst through.
She hated this. Not the kiss. Leon was an amazing kisser. His lips somehow managed to remain gentle yet firm against hers, allowing only the tip of his tongue to slip through. But this… this was not what she wanted to him to do. Not now. She wanted the dinner and the movies, the chocolate and flowers, love and devotion. She hadn't realized it before, when she'd had her eye on the Pendragon fortune.
She gasped as his hand inched higher up her back.
"Not here," she whispered against his lips. She pulled away, beckoning him to an empty office down the hall.
It was a dance she always did, sometimes out of boredom, sometimes to get what she wanted.
Hours later, she lay naked, draped across his chest, his arms encircling her waist. There was a deep shame and the pit of her stomach that she hadn't expected.
She slowly peeled herself from his body, reaching for her clothes robotically. He sat up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist from behind, his palms pressing against her flat stomach.
"How about that dinner," he said, pressing a soft kiss to the base of her neck.
She arched in his arms, and warmth spread through her body like wildfire.
"I should go," she gasped. "I –"
He pulled her closer and she melted against his back. "Don't you dare whisper some bullshit about how that didn't mean anything."
That wasn't the problem. It had meant too much.
"It did but—"
"Stay."
It was a request tinged with command. She closed her eyes, hating herself for everything, wishing she hadn't corrupted their relationship before it had even begun.
He took her silence as affirmation, coaxing her to the floor. She smiled as her lips collided with his for the umpteenth time.
There was plenty of time to hate herself later. For now, she'd relish the moment before everything fell apart.
Arthur pounded the table in frustration. It had been hours since Gwen had disappeared and he'd heard nothing from her. He'd sent out a search party of his security team to search for her to no avail.
He felt warm arms wrap around his shoulders and a weight against his shoulder.
"Hey," Morgana said. "How you holding up?"
"How do you think," he answered, sighing. "What if… what if they've done something to her, Morgana? What if they've…"
"Shh," Morgana said, "It's not productive to think that way. I think your captives want something from you in exchange for Gwen. I guess we just have to wait for them to contact you."
"The waiting's the worst part," he said, leaning into her embrace. "Gosh, Morgana, I can't stand to lose her. Just this morning, we were happy. I could feel it. I haven't felt that way in years. I can't go back to that. I can't…imagine my world without her."
"You love her," Morgana said, warmly.
Arthur froze. Love? He hadn't loved anyone in years. He'd turned that off years ago, devoting all his love to his son, fueling all his energy in his safety and wellbeing. He only allowed himself fleeting thoughts of sexual attraction.
He thought of Gwen, beautiful Gwen, with her radiant smile and kind eyes. He remembered the taste of her soft lips and the feel of her curves against his back. Guinevere in her red dress and blue hair; Guinevere rescuing his son, Guinevere welcoming him home on his birthday. Guinevere, Guinevere, Guinevere.
"I…love her," Arthur said slowly. "I love Guinevere."
"It's about time you realized it," Morgana said, moving to stand at his side. "The way you look at her, Arthur, you'd think she was a goddess."
"That obvious, huh?" he said, smiling for the first time in hours.
"Yep," Morgana said without pause. "I mean she's an easy girl to love, that Guinevere. The fact that she's willing to put up with you speaks volumes."
He shoved her playfully.
"I am happy for you, Arthur," she said, her voice filled with sincerity. "I give you a lot of crap, but you really are an extraordinary guy who deserves to be happy."
Her words threw him for a loop. Arthur knew Morgana was a softie at heart, but she rarely allowed herself to be vulnerable, even with him.
Arthur gestured towards Merlin, who was currently slumped over on the couch with Mordred's head in his lap.
"And how are you dealing with the… Merlin situation," Arthur said, his voice hesitant.
Morgana gave a heavy sigh and collapsed into the chair next to him, placing her head on his shoulder.
"God, Arthur, I don't even know," she admitted. "I've never fallen out of love with him. I thought I had… but what I feel for him is far too strong. It's always been there, since we were kids. I was afraid of it…I ran away from it. And now that I'm ready to face it…I can't."
She grabbed a fist full of his shirt in her palm, clinging to him. "I would never do anything to jeopardize what Freya and Merlin have. I'm…glad he found someone. But part of me, the part of me I loathe, wants him so desperately. Instead of distancing myself I engulf myself in his presence. Does that make me crazy?"
"I don't think so," Arthur said, hugging her closely and smoothing her hair with his hand. "It's not that easy to simply forget a love that deep. And I don't think Merlin… has forgotten either. But… he just can't. He loves Freya too and would never betray her."
Morgana sighed. "We always manage to get involved in the most fucked up triangles, don't we?"
"We'll get through this," he said, squeezing her shoulders. "We may come out the other side with a few scrapes and bruises, but we will get through this."
The sound of Arthur's phone interrupted their musings. Arthur released Morgana and reached for the offending object.
Unknown number.
He gestured to Morgana, who arose promptly in search of her computer.
"Hello?"
"Pendragon."
"Where is she?" Arthur hissed. "If you laid a single hand on her head… I'll kill you."
"It's Lance."
"Lancelot," Arthur said, locking eyes with Morgana. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
"Freya told me Gwen was missing," he said, his hoarse voice revealing his exhaustion. "I…I think I know where she might be."
"What do you mean… how could you possibly know where she is?"
"That is of no consequence," Lance said. "If my suspicions are correct, she may be in more danger than she knows. I believe we can put our differences aside to save the one thing we both hold dear."
Arthur remained silent for a moment. He didn't trust Lancelot as far as he could throw him. It went beyond jealousy; there was just something about the guy that rubbed him the wrong way. And yet…
"I agree," Arthur said, sighing. "As much as I don't like it, I might actually need your help to find her. How soon can you get here?"
"I'm outside," Lance said.
Arthur ended the call, placing his phone in his pocket. He turned towards Morgana.
"Please look after Mordred," he said.
"You don't have to tell me twice," Morgana said. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead. "Be careful."
"I will."
He opened the door, feeling the cold air seep through his clothing. His eyes found Lance, leaning against his black convertible. He looked tired and disheveled, in contrast to his usual flawless appearance.
The two men locked eyes for a moment, feeling camaraderie for the first time.
"Shall we?"
"Charlie…" she said, still not believing her eyes. "But why?"
"I've already told you why," he said. "I'm just trying to protect you, Guinevere."
"You're crazy…"
His fist collided with the table and Guinevere flinched.
"I'm not crazy!"
"This entire time… you've been watching Arthur and me. Oh god… you got this job just so you could spy on me. You had access to the house…"
"I never invaded your privacy," he said, sounding on edge. "What kind of person do you think I am?"
Gwen struggled again to free her hands from the cuffs, to no avail.
"Please let me go," she said, collapsing against the back of the chair. "Please… I just want to go home."
"I'm afraid you can't do that, Gwen," Mal said. "You're never going home if I have something to say about it."
"You can't just keep me locked up here forever!"
"I don't plan on keeping you locked up," he said calmly. "I plan on making sure that bastard never lays his hands on you again."
He leaned forward touching her cheek with his hand. "A girl like you… is too precious." His hand slid to her shoulder. "Beautiful." He moved his hand further down to the swell of her chest. "Perfect."
"Get your hands off of me!" she screamed, flinching away from his touch.
"I only want what's best for you, Guinevere," he said, eyes wide. "Arthur will only bring you pain. I don't want that for you."
"Charlie—"
"My name is Maleagant."
"Charlie…I don't understand," Gwen said, hanging her head. "You were always so nice and kind to me. I never thought you'd be capable of something like this."
"I'm trying to protect you!"
"From what? Arthur? What you've done today far outweighs anything Arthur could possibly do to me."
"The Pendragons stole everything from you, Guinevere," Mal said softly. "And they will continue to steal everything from you until you have nothing left."
"What do you mean they stole everything from me?" Guinevere asked. "Your boss said that before. I don't understand. I never had anything to begin with. I've only ever had my family. Yes, I've lost them, but the Pendragons aren't responsible for that."
"It's not my place to tell you," he said, clenching his fists. "But I will say this… nothing in your life…has been an accident. Someone has always been pulling the strings. And your Arthur…he's not as innocent as you think."
"Don't you dare speak of him that way," Gwen seethed. "He's twice the man you could ever hope to be."
"This is just a passing fancy for him, Gwen," Mal said. "He only wants to possess you, completely. And when he does, he'll leave you. This is what Pendragons do. They're evil, Gwen. They're pure evil—"
"Stop," Guinevere said. "I am no Patty Hearst. If this is some ploy to get me to turn on Arthur, you're wasting your time. I trust him more than any man I've met. No matter what you say… my feelings for him will never fade."
"I admire your loyalty, Gwen," Mal said, shaking his head. "But it is blind… and foolish."
"Then let me be a fool," Gwen said, leaning back against the chair.
She pulled against her chains again, wincing as the metal bit against her skin.
"Stop that! You're hurting yourself," Mal said, concern filling his eyes.
Gwen stared at him for a moment, the cogs turning in her head.
She pulled again, biting her lip as the metal cut into her skin.
"What are you doing? STOP!"
"You love me?"
She pulled again, biting back a scream.
"STOP IT!"
"Then let me go!"
"I CAN'T!"
She pulled again, drawing blood. "Let me go!"
"Alright!"
Gwen looked up at him wide eyes.
"I can't let you go," he said, "But I can certainly make it harder for you to injure yourself."
Gwen sighed as he tied the plastic around her hands, knotting it tightly around the metal bars of the chair. A few moments later, she heard the satisfying clang of the metal handcuffs hitting the floor.
Mal knelt down and began unlocking the cuffs around her legs. This time Gwen smirked as the metal loosened around her ankles.
Before Mal realized his mistake, Gwen delivered a swift kick to his head with all the strength she could muster. He fell backwards with a resounding thud, his body immobile.
Gwen wasted no time in untying the knots that restrained her. As she suspected, Mal had been very lenient after seeing her chaffed wrists.
Her plan had cost her dearly. She had two large gashes around her wrists. She bit her lips to keep from crying out in pain.
She knelt over Mal's still body and carefully retrieved a set of silver keys from his pocket. She hesitated for a moment before ripping two large pieces of his black t-shirt and wrapping them around her wrists to slow the bleeding.
Gwen stared at his face for a few long moments. She was still having trouble wrapping her head around everything she had learned over the last few hours. Mal was a little unhinged, yes, but he'd sounded sincere in his hopes to save her. He clearly knew many things that she didn't. She was willing to believe that much. And maybe…just maybe… the Pendragons had some skeletons in the closet she'd yet to discover.
Gwen shook her head before racing to the door. Just a few hours and she was already sympathizing with her captor. She had to get herself out of there.
She fumbled with the keys for a few minutes before hearing the satisfying clickof the door unlocking. She flung the door open and paused for a moment, observing her surroundings.
Gwen blanched immediately.
She was standing in a giant warehouse. Tiny dim lightbulbs swung back and forth eerily from the ceiling. Rows and rows of old boxes were stacked in metal carriers littered with dust.
She took felt knot in her stomach. This place… looked like it hadn't been touched in years. If Arthur was looking for her… it was unlikely he'd ever find her here.
Feeling hopeful, she reached into her pocket for her phone. A black screen stared back at her. Great. Just great.
Arthur gripped the leather handle of the car door as Lance raced down the freeway.
"I know you want to ask me something," Lance said, keeping his eyes firmly on the road. "Let's get this over with, shall we?"
"You're not the gallant prince Gwen thinks you are," Arthur said, turning towards Lance. "I've always known it. At first I thought it was misplaced jealousy. But I always believed there was something off about you. Something insincere. I always thought it was possible… that you were using her to get to me."
"You're every bit as arrogant as I thought you were." Lance took a sharp turn, causing Arthur's head to collide with the window. "I love Guinevere more than you will ever understand. From the moment I met her… I knew she was different. Yes, I had an agenda. Our meeting was planned. I never expected I'd fall for her so suddenly."
"You don't deserve her," Arthur seethed.
"I agree, Pendragon." Lance chuckled. "I couldn't possibly agree with you more."
Arthur was taken aback. He had not expected Lance to be this self-deprecating. What happened to the arrogant pop star he'd come to loathe?
"I'm not proud of what I've done. I am deeply ashamed," Lance said sighing. "I was desperate. A woman promised me she'd get my sister on a clinical trial to treat her cancer. I was a fool and fell for it. There was no trial. She knew Freya was going to die and let me keep believing there was hope."
"Freya," Arthur muttered. "Merlin's Freya?"
Lancelot nodded. "The very same. I was asked to befriend and seduce Guinevere and turn her away from the Pendragon family. When I failed at my task, I was given a folder to deliver to her, with damning evidence against your family. Someone has a vendetta against you, Arthur. And they need Guinevere to fulfill it."
"What evidence?"
"I came to help you find Guinevere," Lance said. "Beyond that, I refuse to involve myself in this anymore. I owe no debt to you. I owe a debt to Guinevere. I hope she never finds out what's in the file. For her sake, as well as yours."
"Miserable bastard," Arthur hissed.
"We need to hurry," Lancelot said, ignoring the insult.
"What is it that you're not telling me?"
"My boss… she sent someone to keep an eye on Gwen. She believed this person would never hurt Guinevere, but I fear she greatly underestimated his obsession with her. He's a couple cards short of a full deck, that Mal."
"Mal… who is Mal?"
"You know him as Charlie," Lance said.
"Charlie?" Arthur said incredulously. "You can't be serious. That boy doesn't know his ass from his elbow."
"You should be more careful about who you let in your home. His records were falsified. He was obsessed with Lily Leodegrance and took to stalking her on occasion. She put out a restraining order on him when her son, Elyan was born."
"Oh god…" Arthur said. "What if he… oh I swear to God, if he lays a hand on her I will end his life."
"If anything happens to her, I will never forgive myself," Lance said, gripping the steering wheel. "I never thought they would try to kidnap her. I know that woman doesn't want to see Gwen hurt, but if she was stupid enough to leave her alone with that man…"
"Who is this woman you keep talking about?"
"I never met her. We only communicated through cell phone and mail. I've tried to trace the calls and the letters to no avail. I heard her voice only once, when the voice masking technology was malfunctioning. That's how I figured out it was a woman orchestrating everything."
Arthur snorted. "You're more of an idiot than I thought, Lancelot."
"Are you saying you wouldn't do anything to protect the one's you love?"
"That's not what I'm—"
"My sister is the only thing that mattered to me," Lance continued. "Everything went out the window as soon as she was diagnosed. I didn't care what kind of person I became. I… just wanted her to be safe. I wanted her to live."
Arthur's eyes softened. "I'm…sorry."
"We're here."
Lance had parked in front of a rather outdated warehouse. Arthur cocked an eyebrow in disbelief.
"This was the drop off point for the files. I came here once a week for several months. I'm almost certain they're keeping her here."
Arthur hesitated for a moment before quickly undoing his seatbelt and exiting the car.
"Before we go in there, I want to make one thing perfectly clear," Arthur said, glaring at Lance. "I understand why you did what you did and I don't doubt that you're in love with Gwen. I can see it in your eyes. I can never fully understand the pain you're experiencing."
In a few easy strides he stood mere inches from Lance, his gaze unwavering.
"But you had better stay away," Arthur spat. "I don't care how you do it. I don't want to see you around her. If I ever find out that you tried to seek her out, I will tell her everything."
"All do respect, Pendragon," Lance said. "I don't respond to threats."
A high pitched scream cut the tension between them.
"That was…"
"GUINEVERE!" Arthur yelled.
Gwen pressed her back against a pile of boxes, taking a moment to catch her breath. She didn't know how much longer she could keep this up. Her feet were aching and she was beginning to feel a bit light headed from the blood loss.
"If you come back to me," Mal voice echoed through the warehouse. "I promise I won't hurt you. In fact, I'll take you away from here. Somewhere where no one will be able to hurt you."
Gwen felt the panic run through her veins like wildfire. She'd miscalculated; Mal had woken up sooner than she thought.
"You can't run from me forever," he added, his voice harder. "If you come out now, I won't punish you for your behavior."
She remained still, pressing her back even closer to the boxes. Hiding was only a temporary plan. It would only be a matter of time before he found her. Even if she did locate the exit, she doubted there would be an easy escape route from the warehouse. This game of cat and mouse was only prolonging the inevitable.
Gwen emerged from her hiding spot, her heart racing.
"I knew you'd make the right decision."
Mal stood before her, his face a bloodied mess.
"You broke my nose," he added. "How are you going to repay me for that?"
"I don't owe you anything,' Gwen hissed.
Mal advanced upon her until her back was pressed hard against a tower of cardboard boxes. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her to him, causing her to scream in pain.
"Go ahead," she hissed, fighting back tears. "Kill me."
She flinched as he traced the column of her neck with his hand. He paused for a moment, before tilting her chin with his index finger.
"I'm not going to kill you," he said. "I love you, Guinevere. I only want what's best for you. That's why I'm going to take you away from all of this. We can fly somewhere, anywhere you want. We'll start a family and leave all of this behind."
"I would rather die," she spat back.
He pushed her against the boxes causing the column to tremble a bit. Gwen glanced upward for a moment, the cogs turning in her head.
"I'm trying to save you!" he shouted. "Why can't you see that I just want the best for you?"
Gwen took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
"You're right," she said.
He stared at her, confusion dancing across his face.
"You're… you're just trying to protect me," she said. "I think I understand now."
She slipped out of his grasp and maneuvered around him, reversing their positions.
"Thank you," she said, placing her hands on his shoulders. "Thank you for looking out for me."
She leaned in close so that her lips were nearly touching his ear. His body stiffened under her fingers.
"But I can take care of myself," she whispered.
Before he had time to react, she used her remaining strength to shove him into the wavering column of boxes. His body hit the base of the tower, causing it to topple over. Gwen quickly rolled out of harms way as the boxes collapsed on top of him.
As she pulled herself up, she could feel her vision blurring. She stumbled, trying in vain to remain balanced on her feet. A voice screamed her name as a pool of light streamed into the building. Footsteps echoed across the hard ground, growing louder with each passing second.
As her feet finally gave way, she felt a strong pair of arms wrap around her from behind, coaxing her into darkness.
"You really should get some sleep, Arthur."
Arthur leaned back against his headboard. He'd been sitting in the same position for nearly three hours, standing vigil over Gwen.
"I can't sleep," he said. "She's only woken up once since we got back. I need to make sure she's okay."
His eyes returned to her sleeping form beside him.
Merlin sighed. "I've already checked her vitals. She may have lost a lot of blood, but she's not in any immediate danger. She should just take it easy for the next few days."
Arthur clenched his fist in response. "She's fine now… but what about the next time? These people, whoever they are, mean business. I can't believe they were this close to her this entire time. I need to protect her."
Merlin chuckled. "From what you told me, she doing a pretty good job of that herself."
"Just when I think I have her figured out, she surprises me." Arthur shook his head. "I have no doubt that she can handle herself. I just… don't want to lose her, Merlin."
Merlin's eyes steeled at his words. "I understand," he said. "Just…take it easy, okay? We both know how fond you are of guilt tripping yourself. I don't want to see you go down that road."
"Pot. Kettle. Black."
Merlin cocked an eyebrow. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Merlin," Arthur said, "you're living in the apartment of your ex-girlfriend while your current girlfriend is in the hospital—"
"To be closer to Freya if something were to happen!"
"Why didn't you ask if you could stay here, then?"
"I… well… because…"
Arthur shook his head as Merlin grew slightly pink, stumbling over his words.
"Morgana, she…well… just being around her raises my spirits somehow. In a way that being around you doesn't," Merlin said finally.
"I'm hurt," Arthur said, placing his hand over his heart. "You've replaced me with a stuck up, loudmouthed, spoiled brat. I thought we were more than that, Merlin."
Merlin rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you'll live."
Arthur paused for a moment, thinking over his words carefully before speaking. "Merlin…are you still in love with my sister?"
A very pregnant pause followed his question. Merlin's eyes widened slightly as he processed Arthur's words. He blinked once, then again. His fingers fiddled with cuffs of his button down shirt.
"I…"
"Are you still in love with her?"
Merlin exhaled slowly, his shoulders slumping. "What I feel about your sister… what I have always felt… cannot be contained in a simple word. She broke me, Arthur. Ruthlessly. She smashed my heart into a million pieces and, one by one, Freya put them back together again. I love Freya. She's kind, beautiful, and good and, for some reason, she loves me. I don't feel like I have to measure up to anything when I'm with her. "
"I didn't mean to question your love for Freya… I only wanted to—"
"It's complicated," Merlin said. "What I feel for Morgana…is painful. It's not pure love, no. It's anger, humiliation, guilt, and adoration all wrapped up into 'love'. I look at her and my heart swells and breaks at the same time. She's frustrating, and beautiful, and clever, and fucked up, and confusing as all get out, but she grounds me, challenges me, completes me more than anyone."
Merlin gave Arthur an incredibly pained look. "I know I should stay away from her, given our history, but I can't. The energy between us has helped me cope with Freya's situation. Without her, I'm sure I'd be spiraling a lot faster than I am."
Arthur was shocked. It was the first time Merlin spoke about his feelings for Morgana in almost nine years. He knew his friend had been hurting, but they had made an unspoken pact to never speak of it. Merlin had chosen to hide his feelings behind a wall of smiles and jokes, but he was still in pain, even now.
And just like that, before Arthur had time to respond, Merlin hastily rebuilt the wall. The pained look vanished and the smile returned as he stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"To sleep. In the guest room," Merlin said, his eyes travelling to Gwen. "I feel like I'm intruding on something very private."
Arthur snorted. "That's never stopped you before."
"I respect Gwen," Merlin said. "I didn't respect Martha or Gina or Bethany."
"Not to mention Andrea, Christine, or Tiffany."
Merlin chuckled. "You're not the only one who actively tries to sabotage others' relationships. If I'm going to have to hang around a girl for the rest of my life, I better damn well like her."
"Selfish, Bastard."
"Goodnight, Arthur."
He walked to the threshold and paused for a moment, his back facing the bed.
"Thank you," he said, his voice barely audible.
Arthur's eyes softened his friend exited the room. "No problem," he whispered.
He stared at the door for a few moments after Merlin left. There didn't seem to be a happy ending in sight for his sister and his best friend. Their relationship had always been a puzzle to him, a headache. Now it was just a huge clusterfuck that he had no idea how to solve.
Arthur shook his head, deciding to focus on something else. Like Merlin's complete inability to shut a door properly, for example. He swore Merlin left the door slightly open just to mess with him…
Gwen stirred beside him. She slowly opened her eyes as he turned to face her.
"Hey," he said, smiling, "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit over the head with a bag of bricks," she moaned.
"I hate to see the other guy."
She sat up suddenly. "Oh my gosh… did I… is he…?"
"He's not dead."
Gwen raised an eyebrow. "You look disappointed."
"I really wanted to hurt him, Gwen," Arthur admitted. "I really want him to hurt him for what he did to you."
"Why didn't you?"
"The police showed up quicker than I expected."
Gwen giggled.
"So they forced you to be a knight in shining armor instead of a brute?"
"I think we both know who the brute is between the two of us," Arthur scoffed. "Since when you been this fearless hero?"
"I guess you never noticed before," she quipped. "I was getting tired of having to be saved."
He snaked his arm around her waist, pulling her closer.
"I can't believe I could have lost you," he said, his voice ragged. "I was such an idiot. I knew something was wrong when you left, but I didn't listen to my gut."
"Hey, It wasn't your fault," she murmured. "Charlie was crazy… you had no way of knowing that. It was my decision to go, to protect Mordred. Charlie threatened to kill him."
"Oh god." Arthur took a deep breath. "He's sick."
"I don't think he would have really done it." Gwen winced as she sat up. "He just wanted to get me out of this house—away from you. I just didn't want to take that chance."
He lightly grasped her left wrist and lifted it to his lips.
"You're amazing, Guinevere," he said, lifting his head to meet her gaze.
"No, I'm not." She turned away from him to hide her blush. "I did what anyone would have done. And Charlie may have been off… but he didn't want to hurt me. I hurt myself so he'd let me go. He told me…"
She stopped herself. Tonight was not the night to delve into Charlie's story. At least, not until she had enough time to investigate. There was no use in worrying Arthur unnecessarily.
"He told you…what?"
"Nothing," she said. "I don't want to think about him any more."
"Don't worry," he said, pulling her gently into his lap. "Even if you are a fearless hero, I'll make damn sure he never comes near you again."
Gwen leaned back against him as he wrapped his hands around her waist. She closed her eyes, enveloped in the warm comfort of his body.
"I'm so hopelessly lost without you," he said, pressing his cheek to the crown of her head. "I kept up a strong face for Mordred, but I was going mad inside. I just knew… I couldn't bear to lose you, Guinevere."
Guinevere smiled. "I'm glad to be home," she said.
Arthur paused for a moment, thinking over his words carefully. "You should stay here, then. With us."
Her eyes flew open at his words and she turned to face him. "Arthur, I …"
He tilted her head upwards and gently kissed her. The words died on her lips and she responded immediately, turning in his lap to face him and gently entangling her fingers in his hair. Every time their lips met, Gwen felt a strong warmth radiating through her body, spreading through her, giving her life.
A soft moan escaped her lips as he pulled away. For a few moments, she was both dizzy and disoriented, once reeling from the kiss. Her grip on his hair grew lax as her arms hung loosely around his shoulders, fingers entangled around the nape of his neck.
"Please," Arthur said, pressing his forehead against hers. "Don't leave. I know you're probably considering it, but—"
She pressed her finger against his lips. "Arthur, " she said, "I wasn't even thinking of leaving. Not now, anyway. I'd be doing exactly what Charlie wanted in the end. I love this place. I love being around you…the both of you. It would take much more than that to make me leave."
"I'm glad," Arthur said, pressing his lips against her forehead.
"Though you might want to kiss me again, just to be sure," she said with a wink.
Arthur chuckled as he closed the distance between their lips once more.
Little did they know, a certain precocious seven year old had been observing the entire scene from the crack in the doorway, his fists clenched in anger.
Hey guys! Long time no see! I hope you aren't angry with me :P life kind of got in the way. Not to mention how disenchanted I became with Merlin after season 3. However, I still like the characters and love writing, so I'll continue to do so until you get sick of me. I won't make any promises about updates, but I'll at least try to upload chapters much frequently than I have been doing. Unfortunately, that may mean that the chapters will be a little shorter than you're used to!
Thank you guys for all your support! I really appreciate it As always, please let me know what you think. Your comments really brighten my day!
3 Hime
:: The title of this chapter comes from the CAKE song of the same name::