Having A Home


Arthur stared at the closed door blocking his way and found he couldn't reach forward to push it open. On the other side was Morgana, who after a good night's rest, was probably ready to talk. After her arrival at the feast, she had quickly passed out and it hadn't taken long for everyone to spring into action. She had been carried to bed within moments and had been there ever since. He hadn't even had the chance to ask how she had aged so quickly, let alone a question that had been haunting him for almost three years.

Is Merlin okay?

"She's not going to bite," Gwen side from behind him and he turned his head a little to acknowledge her. She often appeared out of nowhere and he'd grown used to it, especially since her husband was now one of his Knights and it meant she was around the castle a lot more. "I bet she's eager to see you Arthur. Who knows what she's been through, she could have been alone all this time and a friendly face might help her. I'll be right out here if you need me."

"What if she doesn't remember me? She looks almost my age, that's a long time and she could have forgotten me."

"As if anyone could forget you," she brushed past him and gently placed her hand on the handle. "Just be patient. She might not be ready to talk about what happened yet." Arthur didn't have time to respond since Gwen opened the door a moment later and he instinctively stepped through, his eyes seeking out Morgana. He spotted her out on the balcony, standing there quietly as she stared out at Camelot, the clothes she had been wearing upon arrival still on.

"Morgana," he spoke up and her entire body tensed as he approached her. "There are plenty of clothes in the closet. I can get one of the maids to help you clean yourself and change, you don't have to-" he went to comfortingly touch her shoulder but she shrank away, taking a step back to avoid his touch "-stay in those clothes. Especially that cloak, it's basically ruined."

The arms crossed over her chest tightened as she clutched the material between her fingers, clearly having no intention of taking it off. How could something so … horrible, have so much meaning to her? "Why don't we go inside? I'll get you something to eat and drink, I bet your hungry."

"How long has it been since we left?" She asked and Arthur hesitated a moment as he heard how much her voice had changed. No longer was he facing a little girl. This was a woman who had experienced such things that no one should endure.

"Almost three years. By the looks of it, it's been a lot longer for you." Morgana didn't respond and instead walked back into the room, her eyes glancing at the four walls that surrounded her. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Camelot is safe. Nothing can hurt you in here." He watched as she walked over to the unmade bed she'd been put in last night and her hand gently brushed against the quilt, her green eyes taking in every detail. "How are you?" A simple glance was all it took to give him an answer, "You're right. Stupid question."

Running his hand through his hair nervously, he tried to think of something to say when Morgana decided to speak up. "Something to eat would be nice actually."

"Great! I'll go get you something. Stay right there."


"It's not like I'm going anywhere," Morgana muttered as Arthur shut the door and she sat down on the edge of the bed. She couldn't believe she was actually back in Camelot. For some reason, when she'd looked up to see Arthur stood behind a table upon her arrival, she had thought him a mirage. Something she'd made up to make herself feel better when she discovered the portal hadn't worked. However when she'd woken up in bed, she was convinced she was back.

Reaching inside her cloak, she pulled out the small dragon she never lost and placed it on the palm of her hand. "Onbryrdan." It was a spell Merlin had often said when she was upset and the spell had made the tiny dragon come to life, she had quickly learned how to do such a spell, however she enjoyed seeing Merlin attempt to cheer her up. Now she often turned to the small dragon whenever she felt lonely. It was strange, she felt more lonely here then she did back in the other world with Merlin.

"He's okay, I know he is." Morgana whispered and the dragon blinked up at her innocently, two blue eyes now replacing stone so it gave it some life. She always was reminded of Merlin when it looked at her. The two eyes held such wisdom but also hidden innocence she wished she could have helped Merlin express. "I think he's just going to have to wait for another month to pass and use that beast again to get free, that's all. He'll be here in thirty days."

"Morgana, everything okay?" Gwen poked her head through the door after hearing Morgana talk to what she thought was an empty room. Morgana smiled and nodded, undoing the spell upon her dragon so she could hide it away. No one would see her treasure. Not unless they pried it from her dead corpse.


3o Days Later


Standing in the large hall, Morgana stared at the spot she'd been told the hole first appeared and waited. A month had passed since her arrival and she knew that tonight would be the night Merlin returned. He had too. She was tired of answering everybody's questions about where she'd been. Surprisingly, Arthur hadn't asked that many himself. A few days after she got back, he'd slipped the question 'was Merlin okay' into the conversation and when she had replied with 'he was fine', nothing more had been said on the matter.

Most people asked how she survived, lived and gotten through the long nights in that beastly world. All she could respond with was that she couldn't have done it without Merlin. Next had come the questions about how she had aged. That was something she couldn't answer. Not even Merlin had been able to figure it out and she hadn't aged further since coming back to Camelot. She was back to normal. As normal as she could be after everything anyway.

"Morgana, you've been waiting almost all day and night. Why don't you take a rest?" Gwen asked and Morgana shook her head, her eyes never leaving the spot on the floor. "I'll watch for you. I promise you that if Merlin comes back, I'll let you know."

It was only when Gwen came over that she realised just how tired she was. Sleeping in a bed was hard to get used too after all this time and she was only getting a few hours of sleep every night, it was beginning to take its toll on her. "You promise to come wake me? Swear to me."

"I promise. The moment he turns up."

She gave a small smile and slowly walked from the hall, her footsteps wobbling from side to side as her body began to let her know just how tired she was. "Are you alright?" A deep voice broke the silence of the castle and she looked up the stairs nearby to see Gwaine stood there. She had seen him wondering about the castle since she got back but never had they had a moment to talk. Then again, why would they? She'd barely known him before she left.

"I'm fine. Just a litt-" she faltered as dizziness overtook her and an arm came around her waist to hold her up. Morgana pressed her hand against Gwaine's chest as she straightened up and she gazed into his brown eyes as he smiled at her. "Thank you, I must be more tired then I thought."

"I'll walk you back then, can't leave a helpless maiden like yourself to stagger back to her room alone."

"I'm hardly helpless," Morgana replied firmly and the two of them walked up the stairs. Neither knowing that they'd just set in motion their destiny.


2 Years Later


"Congratulations Morgana, I'm so happy for you." Arthur brought Morgana into a tight embrace and then took Gwaine's hand in a firm handshake, "You better take good care of her."

"She takes care of me more often then not," Gwaine replied and wrapped his arm around his new wife's waist. The ceremony had just ended and now they were gathering to congratulate the couple, Arthur being King, got to go first. "However I must steal her away for a dance before anyone else catches us alone." He grinned at Arthur before dragging Morgana into the middle of the courtyard where many couples were dancing together.

Arthur took a seat at a nearby table and watched them as they smiled at one another, each knowing they'd found the one person who could make them happy. He on the other hand was still alone. Slowly people were beginning to forget about Merlin and it was only the sorcerer's who were reminded of him everyday that they saw Morgana smiling. She was smiling because of him.

In the first year, all of them had gone every month, to the hall, to see if Merlin returned home. However as the months dragged on and people got on with their lives, the time of the month was forgotten. Only himself, Morgana, Gwen, Gwaine and Lancelot went now. Even then, sometimes Arthur found himself alone with Morgana on the night.

He wondered if he was even alive. After Morgana had described the place, on how they'd always been on guard and there was never a moments peace, he was surprised they lasted the first few years. At least then they'd had each other. Right now, if Merlin was alive, he was alone.

"Sire," Gwen said from beside him and he broke away from his thoughts. "Care to dance?"

"I'd love too." Taking her hand, Arthur got to his feet and was lead out amongst the people. Pulling one of his closest friends into his arms, he twirled them around and smiled down at her.

"What were you thinking about, just now?" Gwen asked and when she got a questioning look in return, she carried on. "You looked so sad and confused. Like in front of you wasn't a wedding, but a funeral. Are you thinking about Merlin again?"

"Is it wrong that I wish Morgana was still there with him? At least then he'd have someone to keep him company. He's spent so much of his life alone, I fear any longer and it will drive him insane."

"If anyone can survive that place, it's him. He'll come back to you when the time is right." She rested her head against his shoulder and closed her eyes, "Until then you'll have to grin and bear it. If Morgana suspects anything, she'll feel guilty about marrying Gwaine and moving on with her life. She still has nightmares about that place."

Arthur remained silent and rested his cheek against the back of her head, a small sigh leaving his lips as he watched the happy couple dance. Gwen was right, he couldn't let on about what he was thinking, it wasn't far on Morgana. So he danced and smiled, pretending that he wasn't screaming inside with the fact that he missed Merlin more then anything.

It was a few hours later when people were beginning to leave when Arthur first felt like something was wrong. It was an hour during the day when the sun was at it brightest and yet darkness covered them suddenly, the clouds turning colours he didn't think were possible and the air becoming colder then ever. Just as he was about to tell people to go home, a large hole opened up in the air and Arthur felt his heart leap from his chest. He recognised that hole.

"Merlin!" Morgana was already yelling from behind him and she passed his side, her eyes up at the hole as it expanded. "He's come home! MERLIN! MERLIN!" She kept yelling and it was only when the ground began to shake that Arthur touched his sword, this wasn't right. The last time the hole had appeared, the ground had shaken before it appeared, not after. Which meant whatever was coming through it, wasn't a small person.

"Run!" Arthur yelled and everyone ran towards the side doors of the castle as a large beast broke through the surface of the hole, the beast's body crashing onto the ground in the middle of the courtyard where the events after the wedding had been held. Arthur hid behind some barrels in a lame attempt to hide and he peered through the small gap between them to see that the beast didn't move. Grey smoke left the unmoving body and it didn't even look like it was breathing.

Morgana was first to appear from her hiding place and she went forward confidently, the first familiar thing in years now before her. Arthur was quick to join her and they were both approaching the beast slowly, his knights following with their swords drawn. "What is it?" Arthur asked.

"That's the beast that got me home …" Morgana replied quietly and she fell to her knees as they all realised it was dead since it wasn't attacking them. "This was the only way back. He's … stuck there." A sob escaped her lips and Gwaine was soon by her side, holding her in his arms as she wept for the first time since she got back. Arthur didn't know what he felt right then. On some level he knew that Merlin would never come back, that when he'd gone to get Morgana, he hadn't intended to come out of it alive. However he'd somehow managed to convince himself that there was a chance he might make it. That one day he'd turn up with that goofy smile and say he survived because he wanted to see Arthur again. Now Morgana said there wasn't another way to get back … he just felt numb.

"What's that?" Gwen asked and everyone turned to see her pointing towards a small blue flower on the ground. Morgana looked last and then a small gasp left her lips, quickly followed with her crawling across the ground in her wedding dress to pick it up.

"I gave …" her green eyes looked at something out of sight because of the wing belonging to the beast and suddenly she was attempting to push the wing up. "Help me! NOW!" Men sprung into action at her orders and after a few pushes, they managed to get the wing away enough to reveal a large claw. One that had a opened human hand stuck out of it where the flower had been held. "Merlin!"

Arthur didn't hesitate in helping her pry the claws open and as they opened the last one, he felt his entire world come crashing down. It was Merlin. He didn't wear the cloak he used too, there was so much dirt covering him that you could barely make out his pale skin, the clothes he wore were in ruins and he looked dead. However Arthur already was bending down over him and cupping his face, staring down at him in amazement. He couldn't decide whether Merlin looked older or younger then he remembered, after so long, the image of him was beginning to fade a little every day.

"Merlin, wake up." Arthur pleaded and Morgana grasped Merlin's open hand in her own. "Don't make me order you to wake up. You made it home. Morgana's safe. Everyone's here." He dreaded to think he'd have to wait a long time for Merlin to wake up or to discover him dead, however two large blue eyes suddenly stared up at him in wonder. "Hey there," Arthur said softly.

Merlin blinked a few times and then relief seemed to wash over him, "You got old."

"I did not! How dare you say-"

"I'm kidding," a raspy voice said in return and then a cough followed. Merlin rolled onto his side as he coughed and then pushed himself up, his arms shaking in fatigue. "Can I-" he started but was interrupted when Arthur pressed a kiss to his lips forcefully and the sorcerer pressed against his chest with his hand to make them break apart. "What are you doing? There are people looking." There was a faint blush on the warlock's cheeks.

"I don't care. If they have a problem with it, I'll execute them. I can do that now," Arthur pulled Merlin to his feet and brushed the hair from his face. "Lets get you inside and cleaned up, you have a lot of explaining to do." He turned and looked at a couple of the knights, "Can you find some servants to draw Merlin a bath? Thank you."

Except when he turned around, Merlin wasn't stood there smiling at him, he was passed out cold on the ground.


Merlin opened his eyes slowly to find himself in dark cave where there was only the light coming from the entrance to let him know where he was. Every bone in his body ached and there was a high pitched ringing in his ear for some reason.

"You shouldn't move," came a dark low voice and he turned his head to the side to see the beast, who regularly stalked him, sitting on the ground nearby. "Your body is still recovering. Unless you wish to undo all the healing I've done, remain where you are."

"You can talk," was the first thing that came to mind and was said.

"Yes. I studied you over the years and began to pick up on your language. Thought it might come in handy one day. Tell me, why did you not use your magic to soften your landing? You could have died."

"Why aren't I dead?"

"I saved you. I caught you on my back as I leapt into the air and brought you here to heal you. You broke a lot of your bones I'm afraid, you won't be able to move for quite some time."

"How did you heal me?"

"I have a few tricks of my own warlock, now rest. You have a long journey ahead of you."


"You should be in bed," Arthur said as he walked out onto the balcony and wrapped his arms around Merlin's waist from behind. "The physician said that your body needs to rest after everything you went through and he's always right. Now come back to bed."

"I feel so confined in there," Merlin admitted and leant back into the warm body heat that he had greatly missed. "After almost five years of being over there … sleeping inside feels so unnatural. I fear that I'll have nowhere to run if something attacks."

"Nothing is going to attack you. Well, nothing except me." He was pulled by the waist backwards and soon found himself back in the soft bed which he feared he'd never get used too. Arthur got into bed the other side of him and smiled like a fool, apparently the King was happy to have him back. Whilst he had been away, Arthur had even managed to get Merlin's bed taken to Camelot and put in his chambers. Supposedly it was a lot comfier then his own.

"You don't have to stay here with me. I'm sure you have many Kingly things you should be doing. I don't need a babysitter," Merlin pointed out and turned on his side. "Although I'm not minding all the attention."

"My jobs can wait until after you're feeling better. I've finally got you back, I'm not wasting a single moment doing meaningless jobs when I could be here with you." Arthur turned onto his own side and gently traced the faint scar down Merlin's face. "What took you so long to get back?"

"It seems that the beast picked up quickly what I was trying to do and quickly began to avoid me every month when it appeared. It took me a long time to track it down, let alone find a way to get on its back and up to the portal."

"How did it die?"

"I don't think it was meant to come through the portal but when it saw me going, it tried to grab me again. Last thing I remember is those claws wrapping around me as we went through. Then I woke up to see you." Merlin smiled and shuffled over so their faces were mere inches apart. "I missed you," he quietly admitted after a few minutes of silence and he watched the King smugly grin.

"I should think so. I'm a missable person," he teased and Merlin frowned. Hadn't Arthur missed him? Rolling over, he stared ahead of him and clutched the quilt in his hands. "Merlin, I didn't mean to make you upset. Look at me." When he didn't, Arthur pulled him onto his back with a firm hand and moved so he was hovering over him. "I missed you too."

His head dipped down a moment later and their lips met in a tender kiss, neither wanting to rush anything. After all, they had all the time in the world. As they broke apart, Merlin sighed in content and sank into his pillow, his eyes never leaving Arthur's. "Stay here with me," Arthur told him and Merlin looked away a little. "I know you'll probably want to go back to your village of sorcerers and what not, but I want you here. With me."

"But the people-"

"Have known for a very long time that I'm in love with you," Arthur admitted and Merlin tensed. "I'm not afraid of my feelings for you anymore, Merlin. You are who I want by my side as I rule over this Kingdom."

"You could have anyone you want though."

"I made my choice a very long time ago. I choose you."


The End


*sobs in corner*

It's over! I hope everyone enjoyed the last chapter and it was everything you wanted. I know people who hate slash stories probably hated it, but oh well! I warned you it would go that way.

Anyway, I have enjoyed writing this SO much. A HUGE SHOUT OUT to Acheron Blake who gave me the idea for the beginning of this story. I would have never thought of it myself.

THANK YOU to all you reviewers, people who favourite and put this on story alert. Every email I got is treasured.

Please review if you haven't had a chance yet =] I like to know if people enjoyed the ending and the entire story. It will only take a few minutes of your time. If I can, I plan to respond to every review I get for the last chapter.

Thanks for reading! xxxx