The gang goes for a ride in a hot air balloon, modern or historic.

"Merlin, you should see this view!" Gwen exclaims, tilting her face into the breeze, her long dark curls blowing away from her face.

"No. Not looking. Honestly, I don't know why I let you guys talk me into this," Merlin says from his position, huddled on the floor of the balloon basket, hugging his knees to his chest.

"Well, perhaps you should have told us you were afraid of heights before you agreed to step in," Arthur says, walking up behind Gwen and wrapping his arms around her waist. Her hair blows into his face, but he doesn't care. He just closes his eyes and enjoys the feel of it on his face, the

scent of it in his nose.

Gwaine plops down beside Merlin and slings his arm around his shoulders. "Yeah, mate what would Freya think if she saw you like this?"

Thankfully for Merlin, Freya was on a cruise ship somewhere in the Caribbean with her parents. On the surface of the planet. Where people belong.

"Oh, she would cuddle up to him and console him and likely make him forget he was even suspended in midair," Leon says, grinning.

"You're such a girl's petticoat," Arthur scoffs. Gwen swats him on the arm. He captures her fingers and kisses them.

Right, thinks Merlin. He wants to go there, we can go there. "So Arthur, did you ever tell Gwen about that time we went camping and I found this cave…"

"All right, let's stop picking on Merlin," Arthur says suddenly, interrupting him.

"Yes, and start picking on Arthur!" Gwaine declares, gleefully rubbing his hands together. He leans his head down on Merlin's shoulder. "Tell me about the cave, Uncle Merlin."

"It seems our big, brave King Arthur there has a bit of a phobia of his own, that's all," Merlin says before Arthur can stop him.

"Merlin! You promised!"

"Hey, fair's fair, Dollop Head. Besides, I at least got in the balloon. You walked two steps into the cave and bailed."

Gwaine and Leon laugh now. Gwen smiles at him indulgently, as is to be expected.

"It's just not right. I mean, who's to say that the thing won't collapse on our heads! Then we'd be trapped! Forever!"

"Arthur, it's all right," Gwen says, stroking his hand. "I don't think any less of you, and who cares what they think, right?"

"Thank you, Guinevere," he says, looking down his nose at the others. "To tell you the truth, this balloon basket is a bit small for my taste," he mutters.

"Shh," she shushes him, kissing him.

"People belong on the surface of the planet, not hovering above it in a basket suspended under an overgrown children's toy," Merlin grumbles.

"Yes. On the surface. Not below it," Arthur nods. "Or in very small closets," he mumbles.

"I mean, you complain that the cave could collapse. What's to stop a flock of very large birds to come along and peck bloody great holes in this balloon?"

"Thank you, Merlin."

"Nothing! And then we'd plummet like a stone and be nothing more than five greasy patches on the ground!"

"Thank you, Merlin!"

"Um… why don't we… head back…" Leon says, no longer looking out at the view.

"It's not so much the plummeting that worries me, it's the landing," Merlin says quietly.