Disclaimer: Still do not own... And I'll let you know if that ever changes. :)

Firstly, I must apologise for my lack of updating. My USB flash drive which had the remainder of this fic on it (yes, I had in fact finished writing it) died on me and I lost everything, including this. I have therefore had to re-write everything from memory. And so far, I've only re-written this chapter. In addition to this, I have recently moved out of home to live closer to uni and have had little time to write.

However, here is Chapter 12. I hope it is still up to my previous standards and seems to flow on from before. The next couple of chapters contain a lot of planning and scheming etc etc, which couldn't really be excluded. But please, enjoy and please leave a review. Encouragement is always nice. :)

Twelve

Merlin entered the Doctor and Rose's chambers the next morning, bringing a breakfast of fruit and another apology from the King.

"Are you alright, Merlin? I mean... the King is still... and you're..." she trailed off, not quite knowing how to put it.

"I'm fine," Merlin gave a weak smile. "I can mourn when this is over and the angels are gone."

"Good man," the Doctor approved with a head nod.

"Actually, I was wondering if I could ask you both a favour?" Merlin asked after a moment.

"Of course, sit down, have a chair, have a grape," the Doctor replied cheerfully and Merlin complied with a smile.

"I still want to help with this, but," he paused slightly, "I don't want the others, Morgana, Gwen, Arthur... especially Arthur, to find out about my magic."

"Merlin, if they are your friends, then they will understand," Rose reassured him, just like she had previously in the stables.

"But what if they don't," Merlin worried, "Morgana is Uther's ward and Arthur... he's his son! He's bound to serve Camelot and its people. And he is so dedicated to them, even as Prince. He'd have to turn me in, it's his duty and I'm just his manservant. I don't want that to happen and I wouldn't want him to choose between me and his people," Merlin finished, rattling it off so quickly it was as though it had been rehearsed.

Rose exchanged a look with the Doctor, who gave a slight shrug. Turning back to Merlin she said, "Merlin, Arthur is going to find out," and the sorcerer looked up, startled. "When the time is right, he'll find out, or he'll be told. That's what I mean." Merlin nodded slightly. "But he's not going to find out today," Rose concluded.

Merlin smiled at her and she smiled back. Watching them, the Doctor couldn't help but think of what the Vorkey had told them. Rose was so compassionate and so much better at this than he was. He certainly did choose his companions well.

"So, uh, how will we get Arthur out of the way?" Merlin asked, breaking into the Doctor's reverie.

"He's not going to want to simply sit this out," the Doctor replied. "No one is."

"I could knock him out," Merlin suggested, much to the shock of the others.

"What!?" Rose exclaimed.

"I've done it before," Merlin stated matter-of-factly. "Knocked him out, that is. With a piece of wood."

"Seriously?"

"And he believed you did that?" The Doctor asked and Merlin nodded slightly.

"Well, I don't think anyone is going to take well to being knocked out," Rose concluded.

"She has a point," the Doctor added in and Merlin's face fell, as though he were disappointed at not being able to hit Arthur.

"Then what do you suggest we do?"

"We'll think of something," Rose assured him again. "Or rather the Doctor will." Her last sentence, however, was slightly drowned out by a loud knock at the door.

"That'll be Arthur," Merlin muttered.

"Come in," the Doctor called out in a sing-song voice, making Rose stifle a snigger.

Merlin's prediction turned out to be correct and the Prince entered, followed by Morgana and Gwen. Everyone said they usual morning greetings to each other, before they all subconsciously decided to sit at the table together.

"So, do you have a plan yet, Doctor? Or are you still working at making it up as you go along?" Arthur asked, stiffly.

"Oh, Arthur," the Doctor sighed, mockingly disappointed. "How could you lose hope in someone like me?" He grinned cheekily and straightened his tie importantly. Arthur rolled his eyes, while the girls who had arrived with him giggled. "However, to answer your question, I do have a plan."

"You do?"

"Yup."

"What is it?" Gwen asked, before backtracking slightly. "If you don't mind my asking, that is."

"He never minds," Rose smiled at the shy maid.

"I can disable the angel's telepathic field with a setting on my soni...metal wand and they will be rendered harmless."

"It's that simple?" Arthur asked, sceptical.

"What?" Rose frowned. "You never mentioned this before. I thought you said..." she was silenced by the Doctor's pointed look and wink.

"Oh... yeah... I remember you telling me that now," Rose managed to recover, knowing that the Doctor would have another plan up his sleeve.

"Anyway, I'll need you guys to draw the angels in, so I can do the disabling," the Doctor continued. "Here..." he stuck his hand into his pocket and started rummaging around. Only Rose knew the pockets were actually bigger on the inside. After a moment he pulled out three sonic screwdrivers and after fiddling with them all for a second he handed them out.

"What about Merlin?" Arthur asked with a frown. "Doesn't he get one?"

"He won't need one," the Doctor stated, continuing before Arthur could speak again. "Right, now here's the plan. I've set each of these metal wands to setting 699. When you press this button," he showed them, "it will send out a telek-"

"We don't need the science behind it, Doctor," Arthur interrupted and the Doctor swallowed forcefully before continuing.

"Ok. Well, when you press the button it will," he paused trying to think of a non scientific way of describing the process. "It will, draw the angels in because it interferes with their alien telepathic fields. They will automatically be drawn in to the source. That is – your own metal wands."

"Then what?" Morgana asked. "What happens when these angels reach us?"

"That's where I come in," the Doctor grinned. "I can use my own, much more sophisticated," Rose nudged him with her elbow. "My own metal wand to actually fully disable their telepathic fields, while you three get to safety."

Arthur frowned. "Don't you mean the four of us?"

"No, three," the Doctor replied evenly. "You, Morgana and Gwen will head back into the castle and-"

"And?" Arthur cut him off, "what about Merlin?"

"Merlin will be staying with us," the Doctor said in a tone which suggested there was nothing Arthur could do about it.

A look of shock appeared on the Prince's face as he realised what was going on and what the Doctor was saying. "No..."