Gwen squealed as someone rode a bike over her toe. That someone in pigtails and a pink dress turned and stuck a tongue out at her, as if Gwen was at fault for placing her foot there.

"Why do you think people keep covering Santa Baby?" Merlin asked as the song wafted through the crowded mall. "I mean, none of them will ever be as great as Eartha Kitt, so it seems like a pointless endeavour."

A little boy slammed into Gwen, then promptly burst into tears, earning Gwen a dirty look from who she assumed was the father. "This is a pointless endeavour," said Gwen. "This is why online shopping was invented. So we didn't have to venture to the shops a week before Christmas."

"If you think I'm going to expose my credit card to scam artists online, you don't know me that well."

Bumping his shoulder, Gwen shook her head. "You are living in the dark ages. Right, now we're here. Where's your shopping list?"

Merlin patted his pockets, then took out a crumpled piece of paper. "Here." He squinted at it. "Umm, can you read it? My handwriting -"

With a sigh, Gwen snatched it from his hand. "Alright. Orthopedic pillow for your mother. Ugly mug for the prat. Cute mug for Gwen -" Gwen raised her eyebrows. "Mug with pictures of food for Percy and mug with pictures of horses for Elyan - Merlin, you're buying mugs for everyone. Look, mug with nasty quote for youknowwho. Morgana is getting a mug too?"

He shrugged. "They are kind of personalised."

"Merlin. Gift giving is an art!"

He grabbed the shopping list from Gwen. "That's why I bribed you to come with me. I thought you might have some suggestions. You always give the best gifts."

"I am not some kind of gift genie. And I want a gift card from Art Style."

"I saw a really cute mug -"

"Merlin!"

He grinned, then slipped his arm through Gwen's tugging her so she didn't trip over a little tyke who decided that the middle of a busy shopping mall was the best place to sit down and play with his toys.

After hours of going into every shop the mall had to offer, it was a relief to finally find an empty table in the expensive, crowded coffee shop and sink into the comfortable chair.

"Your usual?" Merlin asked. "My treat."

"As it should be," said Gwen as she fished out her phone.

Merlin stopped in mid-turn away from the table and frowned. "Don't."

"Maybe I have messages from a potential client or maybe Elyan -"

Warm fingers covered her hand. "Did you block him?"

"No."

"I'll do it."

"No! Maybe -" Gwen pulled her phone back. "Maybe he changed his mind." Then she looked up at Merlin, who was still frowning down at her. "You never know, right?"

Merlin's frown deepened and he pressed his lips together, clearly not wanting to start the argument they had had two days ago.

"I'll be fine. Get me a cheesecake as well?"

"You'll be ok?"

"I'll be fine on my own for ten minutes."

Merlin gave her a look, which Gwen interpreted as the"don't you dare call the bastard" look, which was completely unnecessary since she wasn't going to call the bastard, although admittedly, she had brought up his number on her phone several times over the last few days. But all she did was stare at the familiar number and the stupid photo of the two of them making silly faces in a photo booth. Checking that Merlin was out of view, Gwen tapped her phone, turning the screen on.

A message from Percy reminding her about his Christmas party. A message from Morgana checking on her.

Nothing from Lance.

Even knowing it was foolish, Gwen opened their message log. The last message from Lance mocked her, undoing whatever healing she had managed to do over the past week.

Gwen, we need to talk.

So cliched. Just like the reason he broke up with her.

She squeezed her eyes shut, willing the tears that had suddenly developed to not shed. Not in a public place. And not in front of Merlin who was already chafing at the bit to find an excuse to yell at Lance (he wasn't the physically violent kind)

"What you need is a one night stand." A tray landed on the table in front of her. "How about that guy. He was standing in front of me and he has a good body."

Putting her phone away, Gwen opened her eyes and followed the direction of Merlin's finger. "As usual, your taste in men is impeccable. He does look good."

A smug smile took up residence on Merlin's face. "I have it on good authority - mine - that he smells like a dream too."

"Firstly, that is creepy. Secondly, I am not a one night stand person." She narrowed her eyes at Merlin. "This whole shopping expedition was an excuse to drag me out of the house, wasn't it?"

"A little bit? Moping around at home over that jerk is a waste of time."

"And tripping over the crowd to do last minute Christmas shopping is not?"

"You enjoyed it," said Merlin with a grin. "You love buying gifts."

"Maybe. And maybe for a few hours, I didn't think about Lance," conceded Gwen. Then, she sighed. "Look at us - both single for Christmas and the new year."

"Ah," said Merlin, his cheeks suddenly reddening. "About that -"

Gwen sipped her beer, leaned her hips against the kitchen counter and watched as Percy did something to the large slab of meat on the table. Whatever it was he was doing, Gwen was pretty certain that the dinner would be delicious, and she was already salivating at the thought. People said that break ups during the holiday season were the worst, but the Gwen begged to differ. The busy holiday season - when commissions were coming in fast and furious, together with the many gatherings and Merlin's dogged insistence on spending every possible moment with her - gave her little time to dwell on the whys and what ifs of her breakup with Lance. Other than a long, tearful conversation with Morgana, who had offered to skin and chop Lance into little bits, then feed him to her dog, Gwen thought she was coping remarkably well.

"Are you sure you don't need any help?"

Percy lifted his head and snorted. "After what you and Merlin did with the mince pies? Maybe you can wash up later. Ow!"

"It was just a little burnt." Gwen tried for a pout, but could stop a smile from breaking through.

"They were instant mince pies, Gwen. The only thing you had to do, was not burn them."

Gwen smacked him again with the dish cloth. "Blame Merlin. He was showing me yet another of his card tricks."

"Please don't tell me that is the entertainment tonight."

"You need to compare it to the alternative - Aithusa performing." She took another sip of the beer, then grinned at Percy's face. "She'll sit in the middle of the table and stare at everyone with her beady eyes."

"I heard that and I resent it!" Merlin walked into the kitchen, together with Elyan who was holding a large bag of groceries. "Aithusa does not have beady eyes."

Elyan laughed, then, after dropping the bag on a table, walked over to Percy, pressing a kiss to his shoulder. "She does though. Here, I got the rest of the food stuff. Need help?"

"You can peel potatoes."

"Hey!" said Gwen. "Why is it he can peel the potatoes?"

"Come on, Gwen. You can help me with my new trick." Snagging her hand, Merlin tugged her towards the living room. "Let's give the lovebirds back their kitchen."

With a roll of her eyes, another gulp of beer, Gwen obediently followed Merlin into the living room.

Dinner was, not surprisingly, delicious and Gwen stuffed herself full of lamb and potatoes. But what was better than the dinner was sitting around the table with her closest friends? Even Morgana was supposed to drop by later after her family dinner for dessert, now that, miraculously, Merlin and her had patched things up. Gwen suspected that it didn't take much for them to patch things up - just another round of energetic sex.

They settled down on Percy's plush sofas for ice-cream and Elyan shared a story about a particularly difficult customer at his work place, causing the whole table to erupt in laughter.

"It wasn't funny then!"

"No," said Merlin, swiping at his eyes, "I imagine not. But that image -"

"- of your colleague being humped by that dog is hilarious in my mind," said Percy. "More ice-cream anyone?"

Merlin slumped into his chair, echoing how Gwen felt. "No, thank you. This was so good but my stomach is stuffed."

"Me too," said Gwen on a sigh, rubbing her stomach. "Thank you, Percy for the great meal."

"Here, give me your bowls."

Just as Percy stood, the doorbell rang. Immediately, all eyes turned to Merlin, who looked back at Gwen. "She's your best friend."

"Merlin," purred Morgana when he opened the door. "Hello everyone. I brought someone. I had to stop world war three from breaking out in the Pendragon mansion." Shrugging off her coat, Morgana stepped aside to reveal her brother.

Gwen doubled over with laughter as Percy and Elyan danced with more passion than skill to Diamonds. Merlin and Morgana had finished their dance off with Morgana showing off dance skills Gwen never knew she possessed. Now, they were seated at the other end of the sofa, squabbling over whether Merlin's stumble into Morgana was a cunning ploy by him to make her lose. since, as Morgana said, he was as graceful as a penguin on stilts and had as much rhythm as a rock and there was no way he could win on merit.

"You know, we are next." Arthur was next to her, frowning into his phone. "How about Anaconda? Or Bang Bang?"

"How about something nice and slow?" Gwen shifted so she could peer at the song list Arthur had pulled up on his phone. "Like Royals."

Arthur turned his head, and suddenly Gwen was looking directly into his eyes. His face was so close to hers she could see the faint scar on his chin. Her eyes, having no shame, dropped to his lips while her brain started to wonder what it would be like if she closed the tiny distance and pressed her lips against his. Why her body parts were acting so ridiculously, Gwen had no idea. She waited for him to say something, but he continued to stare at her.

Then he lifted a hand and touched her, so softly she barely registered the touch. "You have freckles." The words were soft, and his warm breath brushed against her cheek.

Oh god. Arthur Pendragon was annoyingly attractive and her heart, like her eyes and brain, was turning into mush.

"Hey! It's your turn!" Elyan flung himself onto an armchair. "Make me proud, sis. I trashed Percy."

"What song?" Percy asked.

Arthur, his cheeks flushed red, suddenly moved away and stood up. "Royals. Gwen's request." Then he turned and, clearly having regained his composure, winked at her, turning whatever was left of her heart into a puddle. He stretched out a hand. "Come on. Let's see you move."

Despite being Morgana's half-brother, Arthur's skill at dancing resembled Merlin's, giving Gwen an easy win. But in the end, despite Elyan and Gwen's best efforts, Morgana reigned champion. Merlin showed off a few of his magic tricks and then they watched a holiday movie together. All the time, Arthur sat next to her on the sofa, every comment he made directed to her.

It was a great night.

But, later back in her bed, what Gwen remembered most of all was Arthur Pendragon and his blue eyes and his smile.

"Maybe, if you wanted that is, we could have coffee together," Arthur had whispered to her as they were saying their goodbyes. "Just - maybe."

Then, Morgana was hugging her and reminding her of their next lunch date and Arthur was gone, even before she could answer him.

Gwen closed her eyes.

Maybe.

AN: Happy holidays everyone! Thank you to every one of you who read and commented on my writing. Here's to 2016 being an even better year. 3