Hello my dear readers!

So, another chapter of this story! I hope you are going to like it!

I'm really sorry about the lateness... I think this is a thing now... But I promise I am not giving up!

Special huge thanks to my Beta and all those people who quietly favorite me or my stories! I feel I am not appreciative enough of you all 3

Nothing more to say except enjoy :D!

Chapter 18:

Merlin left the castle's open grounds still feeling shocked. He couldn't understand what had just happened. Alice had apologized to him. And more than that, she had thanked him! Given that after the last time they had seen each other he had been sure she would try to poison him in the near future, it was no wonder he was surprised.

What happened? He kept asking himself. What made her change her mind like that?

Intuition told him that the King and Queen might have had something to do with it.

Still lost in his speculations, he entered the castle and promptly collided with someone.

"I'm sorry!" He immediately began apologizing. "I wasn't looking where… Oh, Arthur, it's you."

Indeed, the King of Camelot was standing in front of him, dressed in chainmail, his sword attached to his belt.

"Were you… Were you going somewhere?" The warlock asked, his guilt spiking at the thought that Arthur would consider riding out without him because of his cold shoulder treatment

"I was just going to train for a bit. Let some steam off, you know." He paused for a moment as if searching for his words. "Listen Merlin, I really wanted to say…I'm sorry for not telling you we were looking for another physician. I know I really should have. It's just that… I didn't want to bother you or make you help to choose between different candidates…"

Arthur looked so uncharacteristically guilty and anxious for Merlin's reaction that the younger man almost laughed. He probably would have, had the subject not been so touchy.

"It's okay Arthur. I understand why you did it. And I have to apologize too. It was hypocritical of me to take offence when I lied to you for years."

Arthur opened his mouth to protest but Merlin's raised eyebrows stopped him.

"Right. Okay." The king conceded a few seconds later. "Let's say we're even then."

"Even." The warlock repeated, extending his right hand for his friend to shake.

The stayed motionless for a moment and then Arthur moved on to carry on his way, Merlin automatically followed him.

"One question thought. Where were you during the council meeting?"

Merlin felt his face flush even if Arthur's tone was nothing but curious and slightly worried.

"Well… Here and there…" He answered vaguely. Arthur just kept his sharp eyes on him. "Alright, I was at Gaius' grave."

Arthur's eyes darkened with sadness. Merlin knew that his friend knew he had never been there. Not after what happened at the old man's funeral.

"Merlin…"

"It's okay Arthur. I'm fine." The warlock cut in.

The king scrutinized him for a long time before nodding in acceptance.

"If you say so." And with that he took the last steps into the training ground and began hitting a dummy under Merlin's watchful eye.

The next day, Merlin woke up early. To his manservant's surprise, he decided to take his breakfast tray up to the physician's chambers to share with Alice.

Sometime during the previous day's dinner with Gwen and Arthur, he had decided it would be a good idea to help her sort Gaius' things.

He had never managed to do so alone even if he had known that it had to be done at some point.

He knocked on the familiar wooden door and waited anxiously. A few minutes later and the door revealed an obviously freshly awoken Alice.

"Merlin?" She seemed surprised to see him there.

"I hope I didn't wake you." He said and lifted the plate. "I brought breakfast."

"Oh thank you. I was actually just preparing my morning tea. Would you like some?"

"It'd be my pleasure." Merlin answered getting in to place the food on the table with practiced ease.

For a moment, they ate in an awkward silence, unused to be in each other's company.

"So." Alice finally said after finishing her food. "I guess you wanted to say something to me and not just share your food. Not that I didn't appreciate it."

"Yes… Hum… I thought that, if you want… I wanted to propose my assistance in helping you settle in. Maybe clean up a bit in here."

Merlin felt his cheeks heat with a blush at how lame he sounded. A shadow passed over Alice's face and her eyes misted over.

"Listen… I'm sorry. It was a bad idea. Just, just forget about it."

Merlin wished for the earth to swallow him. In almost one whole year he hadn't been able to get himself to deal with Gaius' things and now after only three days, he expected Alice to agree to do so.

"No. No. It's okay. I think it's a good idea. We can't live with ghosts forever. Gaius wouldn't like that."

Merlin nodded.

"What about we begin with you explaining to me how things are organized in here nowadays."

The warlock almost laughed. Organization was a big word. Especially here. So he spent the next hour explaining to Alice were the major things she would need were. Prepared potions, dried herbs, books, linens and other various medical instruments.

It was strangely pleasant for both of them to concentrate on the work and learn of each other. However, they both had duties and they separated an hour later, Merlin returning to the responsibilities he had dramatically neglected recently.

For the next week, both of them were too busy to continue with their plan, but finally, the next Wednesday Merlin and Alice found themselves once more in the Physician's chambers.

The atmosphere was heavy but they were both determined and encouraged each other. Soon, boxes began to be filled with what Alice thought she wouldn't need and other things were waiting for their new place in the room.

Merlin climbed the stairs to the stacks which housed Gaius' books and began taking them down so Alice could see if she wanted some to be put in more easily accessible places. His gaze fell on a huge, old and well-known book. He couldn't help but smile softly at the memories it held. He thumbed through it.

He remembered perfectly how happy and eager the old man had been to instruct Merlin. Even if at the time the warlock had just wanted to learn enough to save a child without implicating his mentor.

"What are you smiling at?" Alice' voice interrupted his musing, making him almost jump. She approached him and tried to peer at the book upside down.

Merlin huffed softly, feeling uncomfortable. "It's nothing… Hum…. Just an anatomy book."

Alice smiled at him.

"It looks like more than that." She commented.

Merlin carried the book to the table and sat down.

"It was years ago. I was just newly arrived here. There was this druid boy. His father had been killed and he had been stabbed. He called out to me. I hid him in…In Lady Morgana's chambers." His voice caught briefly, a flash of what the woman was before embracing her inner darkness flashed into his mind. "With her help and Gwen's we tried to treat him but none of us had any real idea of what to do. I tried sneaking out some of Gaius' potions and looked for help in this book. He caught me and thought I was interested in becoming a physician myself so he spent hours and hours teaching me everything about the human body when all I could think was that I had to go back and help the druid."

Merlin shook his head as Alice laughed softly.

"I can definitely see Gaius do that. He always was so passionate about his work. Always willing to teach anyone and everyone. It was him who taught me to cure illness without magic and enchantments. He believed that you should never just rely on them. Just in case."

Silence fell for a moment as they both lost themselves in memories.

"What happened then?" Alice finally asked curiously.

"Well…. Gaius soon understood that I was hiding something from him and ultimately discovered Mordred and cured him. After that it was just a matter of sneaking him out. Arthur helped with that."

Merlin didn't mention that the dragon had told him that Mordred would be Arthur's demise and that he almost let the druid be captured because of that knowledge. Nor did he mention that Mordred was probably on top of the list of people that hated him.

"He seems like a good man."

"He is. Far better than his father."

"You should keep that book." Alice said after another lapse in silence.

Merlin's eyes fell on the leather bound pages, thinking about how weird it was that such a simple object could hold such strong memories and sentimental worth.

"Thank you Alice." The woman patted him gently on the arm before turning around to carry on sorting objects.

Merlin thought that maybe, in the end, things could be alright between them.

So, how was it? You liked it?

Know that I am also thinking about joining Inkitt after reveived to PMs... But I'm still hesitant. I just don't know.

See you soon :)