Gwaine chugged down some beer. "This is so much better than whatever they had The Rising Sun back home. It's richer and better and I cannot get enough of it."

Percival raised an eyebrow. "I'm pretty sure that you're not supposed to drink the alcohol yourself. That's against the rules."

Gwaine snorted. "Yeah? I think it's also against the rules to work here without an- what did they call it? An ID? Whatever the hell that is."

Percival studied the label on one of the drinks. "I still cannot believe you just flirted with the boss lady to get us this job. It's so illegal."

Gwaine smirked, leaning over. "What? Are you jealous?"

Percival shoved Gwaine away. "No. Try terrified. The moment someone realizes that she let two strangers have a job here with absolutely no qualifications, we're out. You're so lucky she actually fell for it. I'm pretty sure we didn't lose our ID's since we've never had one anyway."

Gwaine rolled his eyes, pouring himself another glass. "I'm pretty sure that was the most words I've ever heard you say."

Percival scoffed. "I'm not that quiet. I guess I just don't usually like getting that close to people. I guess I failed seeing how I ended up being friends with you."

Gwaine studied Percival with careful eyes. "Why not? You know, I realized, I don't know much about where you came from. You grew up with Lancelot, yeah?"

"We met when I was around 22." Percival hesitated before speaking again. "I actually had a wife. Got married at 28. Had two kids with her. All three of them died in a fire when I was 36. This was just a few years before I had followed Lancelot out to go help Arthur and Merlin. I guess I tried not to get close to anyone again. To not… not fall in love." Percival chuckled sadly. "I failed."

The words were a bitter reflection of Gwaine's last. Percival could still remember the terror that flooded his veins as he tore through the forest to find Gwaine. He could still remember the broken look on his face when Percival had found him. How defeated he was. Gwaine was the comedic relief for them. In even their darkest quests, Gwaine was always there to lighten things up. But when Percival had crashed to his knees in front of Gwaine, that determined look in his eyes was gone. That determined look that Gwaine had when he looked Percival in the eye and smirked. You know what you said you'd do if you ever found Morgana? The kingdom felt like it was moments away from tearing apart at the seams with their King gone and Morgana still out there. But Gwaine had never lost hope. Well, we've got a good idea where she'll be heading.

His eyes were blank. His head hung down like he's been drained of his life force. It was as vivid as the day it happened. I failed. And no matter how loud Percival screamed his name, Gwaine never woke up.

A hand landed on his shoulder and Percival jerked. Gwaine was watching him with sad eyes. His head tilted slightly to the left. And now, Percival had a second chance. A chance to prove to Gwaine that he didn't fail. A chance for Percival to own up and for once in his life be true to himself.

"Percy. Hey, buddy." Gwaine hesitated, curling his lip into his mouth. Percival's eyes couldn't help but dart to follow the movement. "I-"

Before Gwaine could finish, their manager swooped in. She slid herself between Gwaine and the counter. "Hey there, handsome. You have a job to do. Rush hours at six. You got all the drinks memorized?" She trailed a hand down Gwaine's chest, leaning forward slightly, tilting her their heads together.

Gwaine's eyes fluttered, his body unconsciously leaning into the touch.

Percival shut his eyes and jerked back. "Sorry. I-I have to take a leak. I'll be back."

He pushed himself back, the chair screeching, and turned on his heel, ducking away. His heart pounded in his ears. He couldn't do this again. He wouldn't. He'd spent most of his life back in Camelot forcing himself to stay away from Gwaine. Gwaine, who hadn't had a stable relationship in his entire life. Gwaine, who had someone different in his bed every weekend. Gwaine, the most infuriatingly attractive person Percival knew, and none of it was real. All the flirting and glances and hands on his arm. He would not be one of Gwaine's casual hookups.

He would not fall into that trap. Not again.

-0-o-0-

Lancelot leaned against the building, watching people bustle by without a glance. Arthur had his face buried in his hands, not bothering to even look up. "Maybe if we dance for them? I saw this man down at the bus station that was dancing and a bunch of people gave him money."

Arthur glared at Lancelot. "I am not dancing for money. That's so pathetic."

"More pathetic than sitting here begging for it? We have no legal documents that would allow us to actually get a job. Whatever Percy and Gwaine have is obviously a fluke, alright? We have to try something."

Arthur sighed, dropping his head back against the wall. He was silent for three heartbeats. "Why did you leave?"

"I'm sorry?"

"After we rescued Guinevere from Hengist or whatever. You left before morning. Why? Were you trying to noble and let me have her or something?"

Lancelot was silent. His gaze focused on a point Arthur couldn't quite decipher. He bit the inside of his cheek and finally replied, "I thought it was noble at the time. I'm not sure if it was the right decision, though. You were the prince, Arthur. I guess in comparison to you, I didn't think I had a chance anyway."

Arthur scoffed. "Bullshit. It was the other way around and you know it. Gwen and I never would have married if you hadn't left. I saw the way she looked at you. Even as my queen, as my wife, she's never looked at me the way she looked at you. If was up to Gwen, I never would have stood a chance against you. But you took it upon yourself to not give Gwen that choice."

Lancelot chuckled bitterly. "Yeah. I never did."

"You weren't being noble, Lancelot. You were being selfish."

Lancelot glanced over at Arthur. "It almost sounds like you're angry at me for letting you have her."

"I never had her, Lancelot. Her heart always belonged to you. And my heart, as much as I hate to admit it, never belonged to her," Arthur said, his voice low.

"No," Lancelot agreed. "It belonged to Merlin."

"I could spend hours yelling at you for ruining my life but Guinevere was an amazing queen. I guess that's one thing I could thank you for. I never really let myself be true to what I felt. Guinevere was—" Arthur clenched his jaw, hesitating. "You have a second chance now. We all do. Even though I never truly was in love with her, I realize that I have to let her go. And part of me doesn't want to. She's been with me for so long and at some point, that line between friendship and more became so blurred that I'm not sure what exactly she is to me.

"But I do know one thing. I love her. And I want her to be the happiest that she can be. And you are the only one who can be what she deserves. So go after her. Don't make the same mistakes as last time and don't let her go. She's always deserved so much more than whatever I gave her."

Lancelot's lips curved into a small smile. "Yeah, you never did deserve her. I could say the same for you. I know Merlin doesn't exactly remember you, but that's not an excuse to let him go. He's changed over the years. You never really knew him as well as you thought you did, Arthur. Honestly, I might have known about his magic but I don't think I knew a lot about him either.

"He's always been closed off, especially to those he loves most. He's always thought of himself as a burden. Get to know this new Merlin, and hopefully, when he gets his memory back, you can get to know all of him."

Arthur heaved a sigh. "If he gets his memory back. We don't even know if he can wake up Morgana and even if he does, then what? We have to first figure things out with her and then hope that she can get Merlin back. Would she even help us if she could?"

"I don't know, Arthur. I never really knew Morgana. But you did. Merlin did. Even if he doesn't know it. Given what Merlin has told me, I truly think that Morgana had good intentions. She just….lost her way. And I know Merlin blamed himself for that. We just have to hope that Merlin doesn't make the same mistakes. I mean, it's like you said. We have a second chance to fix things. To fix our mistakes. We can't waste it."

Arthur met Lancelot's eyes for the first time that night. "Yeah. A second chance to do what's right."

Lancelot watched the sun as its rays of red and gold burst across the skyline. "You're not king anymore, Arthur. Forget about all your responsibilities and destiny. Do what you want. Do what you know is right. And everything else will fall in place."

"I'm just scared. What if he never remembers?" Arthur's voice was hardly a breath.

Lancelot turned to face him. "Throughout everything, Merlin has never once given up on you. Never once. Don't give on him. He'll come through. Just wait."

And although Arthur's answering smile barely reached his eyes, it was blinding.

-0-o-0-

Elyan stared up at the sign in front of the shop. Avalon's Coffee Shop. Elyan wasn't shy. In fact, he was the complete opposite of shy when he was with those he loved most. Growing up, he was best friends with not only his sister and Leon but the farmer's son as well as the children of the tailer that Elyan's family always went to. The tailor's wife was the only mother figure he had ever had. His own mother had died of a disease when he was barely three years old.

The point was that Elyan could make friends fairly easily. He had met Merlin through Gwen. He could still remember the day Merlin come to rescue him with Gwen and Arthur. Merlin had instantly gained Elyan's respect when he put Gwen's life before his own without hesitation. When he had pushed him and Gwen outside and told them to go back to Camelot, with absolutely no regard for his own safety. Merlin and Elyan had quickly become close afterward and that friendship only strengthened when Elyan became a knight.

Elyan had always known that there was something about Merlin that was different. He was like a good luck charm, bringing nothing was success and survival wherever he went. He managed to get out of seemingly every impossible battle without a scratch though he never even wore an inch of armor. Finding out that he had magic wasn't really a surprise. He had no idea, obviously, but when he found out, it was like putting together the last piece of the puzzle. It made sense and honestly, Elyan was ashamed he never realized it. Merlin was terrible at keeping secrets but it seemed that the Knights of Camelot weren't as observant as they thought.

Elyan had always known that he wasn't as close to Merlin as Gwaine or Lancelot was. As Arthur was. But this was another life. Another chance. And maybe this time, Elyan could get to know the real Merlin. No secrets. No lies. And he couldn't wait.

The moment the man entered the shop, Merlin knew that they'd met before. Dressed in ratty old clothes and looking entirely uncomfortable in his own skin, he walked with a sort of intent, as if he came here for one thing and he wouldn't leave without it.

"Welcome to Avalon! What can I get for you?" Merlin asked, smiling at the nervous man.

"What do you recommend?" He leaned against the counter, squinting at the menu that was posted above Merlin's head.

"Personally, my favorite is the Caffe Mocha but the Latte Machiatto is also really popular right about now."

"Ah. Which of those is the least expensive?"

Merlin couldn't help but laugh. "The Caffe Mocha. Only $8.99. Would you like one?"

The man nodded, sliding a twenty across the counter. "Would this cover it?"

"Oh yeah. That's more than enough. Would you like anything else?"

"No, thank you." He shoved one hand into his pocket, rocking back on his heels.

Merlin popped open the cash register and counted out his change before dumping it into the man's free hand. "It'll be ready in a couple of minutes. Can I have a name for the cup?"

"Elyan. My name is Elyan." The man shot Merlin a soft smile, obviously still uncomfortable.

Merlin gave him what he hoped was a reassuring grin. "Elyan. It's nice to meet you. I'm Merlin."

Elyan tilted his head to the side and looked at Merlin with an almost indecipherable gaze. "I know."

-0-o-0-