Disclaimer: IDOM

Firstly, before I apologize, can I just say that I'm freezing? Literally, my fingers are so cold. Have you ever tried typing when your hands are cold and you just keep having to slam the backspace button because you keep screwing up? Yep. That's where I'm at. It also doesn't help that the are where I live hasn't been above the freezing point in a few weeks. According to my iPod, (which I just bought from a friend for $35 and I am sooooo happy I did because it's amazing and fantastic and I can connect to the internet and things and reasons...), it's 28 degrees right now, which actually surprises me since we've been below 10 degrees for the past week... Oh, yes, the high for Monday is 3, and the low is -6. Fun.

Anywho, I really am sorry (well, sorta) for updating late. It wasn't very kind of me (well, I don't really regret it because...), but my excuse is that, last minute, I went to a friend's house and watched the Doctor Who Christmas Special "The Time of the Doctor." Guys, I have never cried so hard for this fandom. I don't want to give away too much for those of you who haven't seen it, but for those of you who have, the part where Amy came down and said, "Goodnight, Raggedy Man,' I was bawling my eyes out. Thankfully, my friend was sobbing with me, so it wasn't as bad as it would have been had I watched it alone. I didn't even cry that hard when Rose or Donna left. And then Clara! UH. I love her so much. She's so amazing. Really.

Cari, stop emotionally compromising your readers. :P

Last bit, for the last... twelve chapters or so, I've been using song titles/lyrics to title my chapters. Why? Because they hold more depth and emotion than random words that come out of my mouth. ;) If you're interested where any of them came from, feel free to PM me, and I'll be happy to tell you what song/artist it is. :) This one, "Some Kind of Home" is from the band Thriving Ivory. I love this song to bits. It's pretty angsty and deep and reminds me of Merlin's situation... Yep.

Sorry. I hope you guys enjoy it!

Chapter 22: Some Kind of Home

The ambulance disappeared down the road, lights reflecting off building windows and sirens disappearing into the distance. A light mist floated above, and that only seemed to amplify the lights and sounds that engulfed Guinevere. Elyan's embrace grounded her, and love rushed through her as she remembered that he knew. He knew everything that he was. He remembered everything that happened. She tightened her grip, letting one last tear fall into his jacket as Leon barked at a junior officer.

"We're all from Scotland Yard, thank you very much. It was a hit and run incident. That's it. If you don't believe me, that's your problem, isn't it?"

"I still need statements from each of you."

"I can promise you that you'll get them, eventually. Right now our friend needs us. Leave it."

After that, Gwen saw Leon storm away from the startled young man and walk towards them. The former-queen pulled away from her brother, and he set his hand on her shoulder, brown eyes questioning and soft as they looked into her own.

"It's alright. I'm fine," she smiled softly, both thinking about the last time they had truly seen each other.

Just as Leon reached them, Gwen pulled Gwaine into a tight hug, placing a sisterly kiss on his neck as he hugged her back.

"Good to see you, Queeny," Gwaine breathed next to her ear, using the nickname he'd given her after her coronation.

Smiling, she tightened her grip once before pulling back and taking in his rugged features. "And you, Gwaine." She could see, behind the love for his friends from the returned memories, images playing through his mind: memories of his last moments, how he died, and how he felt before he died at Morgana's hand. Percival had told her so long ago that he had felt like he had failed his best friends. Gwaine had been heartbroken, vengeful, depressed, tortured, and his death had been meaningless. Gwen tightened her hold on his arm before stepping away and hugging both Leon and Percival while the knights had their own reunion.

"God, when did...?" Elyan started.

Each of them, grouped in a small circle, swallowed thickly. They all knew what he meant.

"Only a few months after you, mate," Gwaine answered first. Elyan opened his mouth again, and the former-knight, anticipating his question, said shortly and with hidden knowledge, "Morgana." Elyan nodded with understanding, and Gwaine turned to Percy. "So what about you, big fella?"

"Battle. Only a few years after you."

Leon bobbed his head sadly, looking at Percival with regret. "Same. I had wondered..."

"And you, Queeny?" Gwaine smirked, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Elyan suddenly tensed and folded his arms across his chest, fierce protectiveness running through his curious eyes. "What did you in, hm? I bet you looked in the mirror and keeled over at the sight of your beautiful face."

Gwen flashed him a small smile and lightly elbowed him in the ribs, grateful for his stabling arm. After a moment, though, she looked towards the ground. "It was poison."

"But Merlin—" Leon started, face full of anger. His anger was not directed towards Merlin, but towards the offender. They each looked as if they were about to reach for their non-existent swords, but Guinevere's firm voice focused them.

"—couldn't do anything," she reassured them all. "He tried. God, he tried. I thought he was going to kill himself with all the work he did."

Gwaine let out an audible sigh, rubbing his face tiredly with his hand and ignoring the sight of the curious Londoners and flashing lights and the sounds of quiet chatter and sirens. "But how does he fit into all this? Since when does he have magic? How the hell are we back? What's going on?"

"He's always had magic, Gwaine," Percy offered quietly.

Brow furrowed with confusion and hurt ebbing into his eyes, the sergeant searched for words. "Always? That whole time he was with us in Camelot?"

Gwen nodded solemnly. "I'm still not sure how we're back. There was a prophecy, but it... He didn't mean to hurt us, Gwaine." And they all knew she didn't mean only physically. "He only wanted to protect us."

After a moment, Gwaine smiled and pulled Gwen closer to his side. "Of course he did," he laughed. "The idiot."

Guinevere turned to her brother to make sure that he, too, understood. His eyes met hers and Gwen knew that Merlin trying to save her was reason enough to trust him for now.

"But what happened to them? Arthur and Merlin, I mean? And Morgana and Mordred?" Elyan asked. "I mean, I don't know anything..."

The former-queen took her brother's hand and tightened her grip on Gwaine's waist. She didn't think this would be easy. It certainly hadn't the first time around.

"Arthur was wounded at Camlann. That was the final large battle for Albion," she added for Elyan's sake. "It was Camelot against Morgana, Mordred, and the Saxons. Merlin told me later that Mordred..." she swallowed. "Ran Arthur through, and Arthur, him in turn. Merlin was the one who found him." She quickly explained how his magic had helped and why he hadn't been at the king's side the whole time, as well as how Morgana had taken his magic from him.

"Taken?" Gwaine fumed. "She stole his magic?"

Guinevere nodded, promising to explain more later and continued her story. "He and Gaius treated Arthur the best they could, but it wasn't enough. Merlin had to take Arthur to the Lake of Avalon to heal him. Gaius returned to Camelot with Arthur's seal." Blinking to clear her head, she skipped to the more vital part of the story, waiting until later to explain it fully. "Morgana intercepted them on their way—"

"Thanks to me," Gwaine cut in.

"It wasn't your fault, Gwaine," Percy said, nudging him. "You were tortured."

"Tortured?" Elyan shouted, eyes growing in alarm when he realized how loud he'd said it. He looked around to make sure no one saw him and leaned forward, quietly saying, "She tortured you? That little—"

"Guys, we really don't have time for this. Can we please discuss this on the way to the hospital?" Gwen interrupted. The sudden urgency in her tone stopped the others thoughts, and their faces sobered instantly. One of their own was bleeding, possibly dying, in the hospital, and here they were explaining things that seemed trivial in comparison. She looked around, eyes floating over their surroundings. Being the sole ruler of a kingdom had taught her many things, one of them being how to make a plan. "We're only a few minutes from the flat. Let's get there, get the car, and go."

Leon and Percy nodded approvingly while Gwaine and Elyan looked slightly surprised at the firmness in her voice.

"You should have seen her and Merlin after everything," Percival smirked softly at them, newfound memories floating through his eyes. "I'd've never thought..."

"What about my car?" Leon asked.

"Morgana saw it," Gwen said, "and mentioned it. I don't think she would have left it unharmed, and I don't' want to waste time trying to see if it works."

They began walking towards their building, making themselves as small as they could in their group of five. They were immediately cast in shadows as they rounded a tall building, and, with their current situation, the darkness only made the tension around them lower substantially Guinevere relaxed a little more, feeling a bit more free now that she wasn't being scrutinized.

"What happened to Merlin?" Gwaine asked suddenly, voice deep and sober.

All eyes turned to Gwen, who had been the last to see him and the first one to get her memories back. She hung her head as they walked, looking at the pavement with her fists in her pockets.

"Gwen?"

She glanced up, eyes hardened and cold. Gwaine felt, once more, like he didn't know everything he needed to. "I don't know."

His voice sounded accusing. "But how could you not—"

"Gwaine."

Leon's warning voice stopped the former-knights inquiries as they crossed a nearly empty street, and it was a few more moments before Guinevere tried explaining herself.

"Gwaine, nothing happened to Merlin," she said quietly. She never met his eyes or even tried to look at him, but her voice expressed all the emotions needed: regret, confusion, remorse.

"Then what...?"

"He never died."

"What do you mean he never died? He must've of; he's here isn't he?"

Suddenly, Gwen stopped, the rest of the group doing the same as the former-queen finally looked at Gwaine. Her eyes were passionate, even in the dim streetlight, and they all, without even realizing it, focused in on her voice. Leon and Percival already knew everything there was to know, really, but even then, they were still drawn into it.

"Merlin never died, Gwaine. He never does. When Morgana took away his magic, he was hopeless; he felt useless, so he went to get it back. That's why he asked you to take him to the Crystal Cave. He needed to get his magic back if he wanted to help Arthur. It had always been there, inside of him; it needed that extra kick, but there was a price."

She refused to wipe away the building tears and clenched her fists in her jacket. No one dared so much as breathe, waiting for her to finish. "To get his magic back, to help Arthur, he had to fully accept his destiny; he had to fully become Emrys. In Welsh, Emrys means immortal." She snorted humorlessly. "But we didn't even find that out until years later. God, he didn't even know what his full destiny entailed, but he was so focused on serving Arthur that he..."

Shaking her head, Gwen let out a slow breath that smoked in the cold air. "He has never died. Not fully. He has been alive and alone for over fifteen hundred years. I've seen his magic save him from death twice, and that was only in my lifetime. Only God knows what he's been through in fifteen hundred years. Tonight... Tonight is the only time I have ever seen his magic fail him, and now I don't know what's going to happen."

A soft breeze ruffled Gwaine's hair, moving a few strands into his now-serious face. Guinevere thought that the last time he had seen him look so... hurt was when they found that his girlfriend had been working for Morgana back in Camelot. But no, this was worse. The girl... he had only known for a few weeks. He'd fallen in love with her, yes, but they would never be as close as Merlin and Gwaine were. They were brothers.

"Well, then," Leon started, putting a hand on Gwaine's shoulder. "Let's get going, eh?"

Gwen sniffed and looked around. She hadn't even noticed that they were across the street from their building. She looked upwards, looking in vain for her window. "Leon, pull the car around. I need to run up for a second." The former-knight looked at her with soft, questioning concern, and she nodded with reassurance. "I'll be fine."

"I'll go with her," Gwaine offered.

She looked up towards him and nodded, dismissing the others with another bob of her head. A short thought ran through her head that she shouldn't do that anymore, but she had been queen for too long to not have old habits to kick in, and each of them had been knights for too long to not listen to their queen.

They walked through the front doors, passing through the brightly lit lobby without so much as a glance at the other occupants. Guinevere thought they must be a sight, covered in dirt and even blood in some places.

She jammed her finger against the button for the lift, and it opened with a soft ding that, with everything that had happened, felt so out of place. The doors closed behind them, and there was a moment of silence before Gwaine spoke.

"Sorry, Gwen, about what I said. I didn't mean to..."

The former queen smirked at him, her eyes telling him that it was already forgotten. "It's okay. I know you were just worried, and I don't blame you, really. It's just..." She brought her hand up to cover her mouth, clenching her eyes shut.

Gwaine pulled her into a hug. "I know, Queeny. I know. He'll be alright. I know he will. He always is, isn't he?"

She let out a small chuckle and pulled away just as the doors opened for their floor. "I suppose. I just hope it's the same now."

The former knight followed her off the lift as she walked towards Merlin's flat. He reached forward to open the door, only to find the lock holding the door shut. "Well, isn't that dandy? Does he have an extra key somewhere, or—"

Guinevere wrapped her fingers around the handle and twisted, smiling softly as the door slowly creaked open when she pushed outward. "There we go."

The look of utter confusion on Gwaine's face would have made Guinevere burst out laughing if the situation weren't so serious. "How?"

"Magic, remember?" she placated, flicking the lights on. "It recognized me."

"Recognized you? How can magic, of any kind, recognize you?"

Guinevere sighed as she grabbed Merlin's old canvas bag from off his dining room table. "Merlin's magic...is an extension of him, in essence. It is him."

"Wait, what?" Gwaine asked, following his friend into the warlock's bedroom.

She shoved a clean shirt and a pair of trousers into the bag. "Merlin doesn't have magic, Gwaine. He is magic. That's what makes him so special. He was born with it. And so, if he puts some of his magic somewhere, in lock form, like he has on the door, then the only people that can open it are the one's he's allowed to do so."

"Why would he need to lock his door? We're the only ones on this floor, and even if someone else came up-"

Guinevere plucked a large stone from the warlock's dresser, showing the knight each side of the ovular rock. "See this? Looks like a rock, right? Plain, old, simple. You'd think so, but it actually holds an enormous amount of power. This rock has more magic in it than most of the druids from Camelot. God knows how many more magical artifacts he has in this flat, and it would be a disaster if anything got in the wrong hands."

"Um..." Gwaine bit his lip. "Okay, let's leave it there for now, eh? What about the door? It recognized you, but it didn't recognize me."

Guinevere opened the door to Merlin's walk-in closet, stepping in and rifling through the hangers before she called back, "Because Merlin didn't set it so that you can open it."

"Why?"

Coming out, she tossed Gwaine a thick blanket for him to hold. She tapped his forehead, smiling. "Because you weren't you. Yet."

He laughed and followed her out, taking note of how she made sure the door was shut.

"The magic lock won't re-engage if the door's not shut completely," she explained. "He set something up very similar back in Camelot in his tower."

"His tower?" Gwaine echoed.

Guinevere handed Gwaine Merlin's canvas bag before she, on her tippy toes, fingered the ledge to Arthur's door. Her fingers brushed something cool, and she plucked the key off the ledge, opening her boyfriend's door easily.

She grabbed one of his sports bags from his room, and, like she had done earlier, started packing a few clothing items: shirt, trousers, a sweater, a pair of socks, and a fresh pair of trainers. "Yes, tower. After he returned to Camelot once he had buried Arthur in Avalon, I made him my Court Sorcerer and gave him his own tower."

"So... did Merlin really have magic that whole time?"

The hesitation and meekness in Gwaine's voice caused the former queen to pause. She looked up from her packing, giving him a small sympathetic smile. It was so easy to forget that Gwaine hadn't known. "Yes, Gwaine, he did."

"But why didn't he...? I mean, I thought we were best friends, and he never said a word. Sure there were... times when magic came up, but he never acted..."

She stood, tightening the drawstring on the bag. "I know. He didn't tell anyone, though. Not even Arthur, until the end. Imagine, my friend, having to hide who and what you really are because you've been raised in a world where people like you, people who are special, are killed, murdered, for their talents. Merlin was terrified. Not only for himself, but for us as well. Imagine what would have been done if Uther knew we were friends with a known sorcerer. He would condemn us just the same. Merlin led a lonely life, and it was his own... love for us that prevented him from telling us the truth."

"And how was he after the truth came out?"

A smile pulled on her lips as the rubbed the rough material of the shoulder strap. "He was happy. Truly happy. Yes, he was grieving for you and Arthur, but he could be himself doing it. He didn't have to hide anymore."

"Good. The lad was always carrying too much on his shoulders," Gwaine grinned lightly. "Now we know what."

Guinevere nodded, throwing the bag over her shoulder. "I'm sure Merlin will be more than happy to explain everything if—"

"—when—"

Letting out a small chuckle that released some of her remorse, she continued, "—when he recovers. But not a second before. C'mon, let's get to the hospital."

Also, sorry that there was no Merlin in this chapter. My beta had to learn that the hard way... But you did get to see some of my major headcanons! :D

OH. TWENTY SIX. There're twenty six chapters of this story. I finished the epilogue Tuesday, so RM is officially all written. I met my goal! :D Whoop! Whoop!

But, um, I think that's all I wanted to say. I hope I covered everything...

Alrighty, goodnight, everyone! ;)