A/N: Make note, major time jump between the previous chapter and this one! And thank you all for your lovely response! IDOM...

Chapter 2: Scavenger

8 January 1978

A lone figure stood at the edge of the cliff. His face was almost completely covered by a thick woollen scarf and black hood. Only two blue eyes and a strip of skin were visible in between making it hard to guess his age. So close to the edge the icy wind yanked sharply at his clothes but the man hardly noticed. The patched-up uniform trousers and old pilot jacket protected him from the worst of it but, when he had to tug off his gloves to undo the knots of the rope he'd been carrying his fingers turned red in no time.

Across of him, two miles out and almost half a mile lower, an odd structure nestled securely against the steep cliff walls. The rather convenient shape of the plateau he was standing on had protected the building from the most destructive storms. The ragged C-shape cut out in the landscape gave the castle-like construction safety from three sides. From his position on higher ground it looked rather small but climbing to the watchtower would take him a minute running on full speed.

That was the only place above ground that was more or less permanently inhabited. The other outer buildings were empty, stripped from all useful items excepts those that could be stocked in open air. All the glass windows had been shattered before he was born after all. Underground, in the former labs, storage rooms, utility areas and a maze of corridors, that's where home was.

The very existence of the former factory and research centre was considered a miracle or a lucky happenstance depending on who you asked. When the earthquake hit and tore the land apart the whole site was near perfectly preserved, just half a mile lower than before. The damage was minimal and so was the loss of life. From the original thirty-five men, women and children who were there at the time only two died instantly.

In the last twenty-five years the small settlement had expanded and shrunk continuously. Other survivors had been found or found their own way to the former buildings of Project Pendragon. Babies were born of course and due inexplicable luck the great fires bypassed them. However some people left after a while anxious to find their families. They never came back so no one knew if their search had been successful or not.

They didn't escape the worsening weather though which caught those outside by surprise forcing them to live mostly underground after that. Nor did they escape the sickness which killed many of all ages twice, once in 1962 and the second disastrous time in 1970. Fatal accidents also happened though not very often. And every loss of life was mourned heavily. The graves were lined against the cliff so that the worse winds bypassed the little graveyard as the dead were buried instead of burned. Wood was too sparse to use.

Growing food themselves had varying success depending on the year and it was never enough to feed everyone for long. So the ruins of nearby towns had to be stripped of every edible or other useful thing like matches, petrol, tools, medical supplies, warm clothes and so on to survive. After some time that meant travelling further and further away. And then in 1974 a group of four went missing when they were out to scavenge for essentials. Ever since then capable volunteers to venture outside had dwindled into single digits.

By now the man had tied the rope to his backpack and the small metal trunk he'd been carrying and carefully lowered the bundle down the cliffs. He used a protruding rock to anchor himself straining his muscles to make sure the descend went as smoothly as possible. As the rope passed through his gloved hands however he eyed the fraying edges with worry, already making a note to find more on his next scavenger hunt.

Suddenly the long rope slackened which was good news actually since it meant he wouldn't have to swing the supplies in order to find a resting place halfway down. Well, halfway was an exaggeration, he'll probably end up lowering the load two more times before hitting the plain below. After a quick glance making sure they were laying someplace stable, he tied the other end of the rope to his belt, gave the protruding rock another kick to make sure it was still secure and climbed over the edge.

"Sir?"

Uther Pendragon, owner and manager of Project Pendragon until 1953, looked up from the mess of maps scattered across his desk. After the earthquake he had become the de facto leader of the survivors in this settlement which had been fondly coined 'the Citadel' in the months after the disaster.

He suspected Geoffrey of letting his imagination run loose. Just looking at the maps the old archivist had drawn up – after the old ones were proclaimed useless – confirmed that theory. Naming a particularly foul looking wasteland north of here the Perilous Lands was rather redundant while simultaneously being perfectly unambiguous.

Uther motioned Leon to enter with his right hand while clenching his walking-stick with his other until the knuckles of his fist were bone white. It was a nervous habit he had picked up fifteen years ago ever since he had been forced to use it. That he was sitting down didn't impede the habit. After all, he had to have it within reach. And that he had been anxious and on edge since yesterday morning only strengthened the force. Did he dare hope for good news?

"The lookout spotted Arthur climbing down towards the plain. He was already halfway to the bottom so he'll probably arrive within the hour." The young man offered immediately.

Uther sighed deeply not bothering to hide his relief. He rarely let others see his emotions but matters concerning his children had always been the known exception. The only time he had been really tempted to shoot someone was when Vivien threatened to take Morgana away from the Citadel. The woman had turned mad with grief after losing Gorlois and her son to the sickness in 1962.

They had a hell of a fight near the graves in front of everyone where everything was revealed. That earned him a well-deserved slap from his wife who then took a crying Morgana and very confused Arthur back inside. In the end Vivien couldn't be dissuaded and she left taking her oldest daughter with her.

He should probably have forced her to stay or at least forced her to leave Morgause behind, but at that time – and only then – he had been relieved she left. Morgana forgave him eventually though he did find out how stubborn a six-year-old could be when holding a grudge. And a seven-year old and an eight-year-old. Those were long years of often sleeping in his office.

In the end it was more Ygraine's and Arthur's easy acceptance than anything he did to try to appease his daughter which finally earned him her forgiveness. That and the fact Morgana grew up to be a level-headed young woman – most of the time. Because they never did hear anything of Vivien and Morgause again. The thought that he nearly lost Morgana as well still gives him nightmares.

When the sickness came for the second time it was cruel irony that made him lose Ygraine. Arthur thought it was karma and hated him for it.

"Thank you, Leon. Do intercept my son and tell him I want to see him immediately."

The young man nodded and had already turned away when Uther called him back, "And Leon? As always, you can call me by my given name." He reminded the young man yet again. He assumed Leon forgot it on purpose every time. If only others were this polite while being wilfully defiant…

Uther massaged his temples after Leon left already dreading the upcoming talk with his errant son. He reminded himself that Arthur's absence wasn't a rare occurrence, quite the opposite in fact, and that the boy had no idea what was going on. Scolding him would do no good and have no effect whatsoever on his twenty-year-old son. In fact the talk would serve no purpose at all except to see his boy.

Arthur had been such a sweet and caring young child while growing up, so much like his mother, all smiles and with a head filled with imagination. Forcing Arthur to grow up quickly was something he sincerely regretted at times. It seemed necessary then but Uther dearly missed the evenings where Arthur begged for yet another bedtime story. Or came to bother him in the middle of something important just to show him his growing penmanship.

These days he never bothered Uther anymore. In fact Arthur tried very hard to ignore him and had so for years. But regardless of their tempestuous relationship now, Uther knew that if given a second chance he would still demand Arthur to excel, to push his limits because the boy had in fact faced so many dangers during the past years. The world was an unforgiven place after all.

But despite all those hardships and against all odds his boy was still alive. More than that, he thrived. The truth was that Uther had sacrificed everything for that goal including the affection of his son. But while cold respect was a poor replacement the sacrifice didn't seem that huge when Arthur was yet again safely on his way home.

Finding your way to what once was only jokingly called the Citadel was rather easy. After crossing the wide plain which looked broader than it was and a lot flatter from a higher vantage point you only had to skip stones to cross the narrow stream near the building. This was a lot easier now than in summer when the waterfall running down the cliffs grew tenfold and most stones disappeared below the water level. Once upon a time it used to be a quiet brook.

Arthur had a hard time imagining this as he skilfully stepped from rock to rock. Even now the fast running water splashed up underneath his feet. Once inside the sheltered walls of the complex he pulled his scarf down and brushed his hood back. The gesture made his short blond hair stick up a bit.

In the Citadel itself there were only two doors left above ground. One led towards the watchtower which used to be the factory's chimney when it was still operational. Clever redesigning had made it an excellent viewpoint and Arthur had spent many comfortable days and nights manning the post. Ever since he was a child he had enjoyed the wide view and could often be found there instead of underground, keeping whoever was actually guarding the place company.

The other door was actually a slanted hatchway made of very thick steel that looked completely out of place in the deserted corridors of what could only be described as dull office buildings. However it was underground that the real business of Project Pendragon had occurred something his father and the other former employees were keeping mum about.

Years ago, when he was a great deal more naïve, Arthur had imagined they used to build rockets down there like the one in Verne's Around The Moon. The door certainly looked like it came straight out of the novel. It even had a turning wheel as a handle. Once opened he flicked the switch in the hallway repeatedly but the bottom of the stairs remained dark. He used the daylight for now to carry the trunk down, his eyes already growing used to the lack of light.

As he hurried back up to close the hatchway again Arthur fumbled to find his dynamo-powered torch. He had put it somewhere in his backpack, no doubt at the very bottom, when an amused voice startled him.

"Need a light?"

Arthur looked down and answered relieved, "Leon, yes, your timing is spot on as usual."

The man was a few years older than him and utterly reliable as he demonstrated just now. His friend walked up a few steps and raised the oil lamp so Arthur could seal the door hermetically. The sound of the latches and mechanisms falling into places echoed down the hallway.

"Your father wants to see you immediately." His friend also didn't beat around the bush.

Arthur groaned and pulled the backpack to his front resuming his search for his own source of light. He should have been expecting this. Well, he had been expecting this just not so soon. Leave it to Leon to track him down the second he returned to the Citadel.

"Are we back to torches again?" He asked instead of reacting to Leon's message.

"For now." The other man said, "Electricity failed this morning. Tom says it's nothing to worry about. You know how it goes, he and Olaf are trying to find that one broken lamp again. It flickered on and off the first hours but I guess they found the problem and are fixing it now. Robbie's been running around all morning of course after being roped into playing their messenger boy."

"Like you have been." Arthur remarked dryly as he readjusted his backpack once more and put the small torch inside his pocket for later use.

"He was rather insistent." His friend stated without specifying who they were talking about. After all, it was pretty obvious.

"Of course he was." Arthur muttered quietly to himself. That was the main reason he went out so much. Already planning to stall as long as possible he crouched down and clicked the metal box open. Leon helpfully held the lamp closer while Arthur unnecessarily checked if everything was still packed safely.

"I can't believe you snuck out again." Leon started but Arthur turned and raised his hands in defeat, "Not you as well, Leon. My father's lecture will have to suffice."

"Fair enough." The other man relented before frowning as he noticed what was lacking, "Don't you usually carry a sword when you go out?"

"I lost it." Arthur said failing to sound petulantly. He had liked that sword.

"What do you mean you-"

"Look, I'll go speak with my father as soon as I can." He said bending the truth a little as he rose up again, "And if you could take these samples to my sister you'll save me fifteen minutes." Arthur said knowing very well he had to resort to drastic measure to distract Leon from inquiring more. He handed his friend two plastic sacks with dirt in them before the latter could protest. Almost invisible amidst the earth were two tiny saplings.

"Any idea what they are?"

"None whatsoever."

"It looks promising. She'll be pleased." Leon remarked, "Just not with you." The man added and gave him a look that told Arthur without a doubt that they weren't done talking about this losing-his-sword-incident even if Leon seemingly let it go for the moment. Well, Arthur considered it a win for now. After all he wasn't planning to keep what happened a secret. He just preferred telling it only once.

"Better me than Morgana sneaking out." He raised.

"Careful with that. If she hears you…" Leon trailed off before casting worried glances in every direction as if expecting Morgana to suddenly appear. Arthur knew when he was being mocked however and punched Leon's arm.

"One time she disarms me." He said and emphasized, "One time and nobody ever lets me forget that."

"It was rather spectacular." The other man said grinning at the memory. Since ammunition was scarce most of the younger generation carried a sword as protection. Swords, daggers, battle axes, even crossbows were all things that Arthur's father had collected once upon a time so they had still plenty of those. Wasting a bullet to teach someone to shoot accurately was just that: a waste.

The first years after the earthquake the weapons had been sitting in the vault downstairs collecting dust amidst ancient books and other antiquities Geoffrey had convinced his father to collect. Not that the man needed much convincing. Apparently amassing so much old stuff you could start your own museum was the thing to do for well-off businessmen and part of converging with the upper-social echelons. No doubt Uther had planned to donate some of his collection to a museum one day, trading it for a gold-plated plaque with his name on and the chance of being at the centre of a grand opening night.

"Since you're determined to keep going on about my sister…" Arthur said as he started to smile rather unnervingly.

"I'm not!" Leon spluttered feebly, which Arthur ignored and just went on, "When are you going to drop on one knee and pop the question?"

"Never," He sighed, "Morgana finds marriage a masculine yoke designed to squash freedom and romance while giving it the illusionary appearance of being just that."

"Wow, really?" Arthur asked impressed.

"Yes, she's clearly against it." Leon said sounding positively miserable and it took some self-discipline on Arthur's part not to laugh.

So with a completely straight face he clarified, "No, I meant: really you memorized what she said? That's actually kind of sad."

Okay, so maybe the corners of his mouth did tug upwards, Arthur conceded when Leon glared at him. The other man didn't take the bait though. Instead Leon sighed again, "Even if she agreed your father would kill me."

"Dramatic much?" Arthur actually scoffed, "He likes you. Have you forgotten he has known you since you had like only ten teeth and wobbly knees? And believe me, at this moment he prefers you."

"Just because you never do what you're told." Leon stated easily. Arthur shrugged not bothering to deny the truth and picked up the trunk again as they started to walk side by side towards the end of the corridor. Great and smaller pipes along the right wall and ceiling showed the way.

"Even so, if I have to listen to one more '…and Leon would never…' monologue of his," Arthur's impersonation of Uther's disapproving tone of voice was eerily correct, "I might need to trip him down the stairs."

"Arthur!"

"Or knock myself unconscious. It's a toss-up." He added sounding completely serious while mentally laughing at Leon's indignant expression.

"It's not a joke." His friend said shaking his head disapprovingly.

"It is, just a poor one." Arthur grinned.

"Explain to me how it's possible that Gwaine's rubbing off on you while you continuously go out of your way to avoid him."

"That's not my fault. He avoids me as well which suits me perfectly as I happen to like how I look. Don't need Gwaine to rearrange my face again…" Arthur muttered that last part nearly wincing at the memory.

"To be fair, you did knock him out first." Leon pointed out.

"For a good reason." Arthur reminded him. Even knowing the consequences he would do it again in a heartbeat.

"We all know that. On some level even Gwaine knows that. Just give him some more time to admit it."

"It's been almost four years already." Arthur remarked unnecessarily as Leon had been running interference all this time and knew perfectly well how bloody long it's taking Gwaine to forgive him.

"Well, nobody's claiming Gwaine's not stubborn. You could almost say it's a common trait around here." Leon shared this observation freely as they stopped at the spot where the corridor split up in two directions.

Again Arthur knew he was being mocked, but before he managed to find a suitable retort Leon startled him by giving him something between a hug and a slap on his shoulder. It was quite awkward as he was still carrying the metal box and Leon almost smashed the lamp against his head.

"By gods, Arthur, I'm glad you're back safely." His friend exclaimed after pulling back, looking and sounding uncharacteristically emotional all of a sudden. Yet again, before Arthur had a chance, Leon hurried to add and promised, "We'll talk later, better get these plants to Morgana before they wither…"

With that he left and Arthur watched his friend's retreating back in the growing darkness. With a sigh and not sure what to make of that ominous parting, Arthur took out his torch. The familiar winding sound of the dynamo accompanied him as he turned into the opposite direction.

Great, he wasn't even back for fifteen minutes and already the world outside made a lot more sense. That was no longer true though, Arthur reconsidered as he turned another corner. This latest scavenger hunt had proved that irreversibly.

A/N: From now on I'll be introducing more characters including some OC's to inhabited my barren world. Just consider them the extra's we saw in Merlin… As well as revealing what happened between The Day and our current date. I'm planning to do it slowly as to make it as comprehensible as possible but if you have questions don't hesitate to ask. I'll clarify it with pleasure if the plot allows it : )

Also most of the characters don't act like they did in canon. However they do have valid reasons for being who they are. For example Uther will hopefully be a much more likeable character who even in the show loved his son (discounting 5x03 and really, did they had to make a bigger caricature of him by destroying his only redeemable characteristic?) because he never started the Great Purge.

Any thoughts? Likes, dislikes?