Disclaimer: If you're reading this, then you've probabaly got some idea of how much I don't own the below characters. Only the plot is mine. :)

I do apologise for the lateness in update. I've been up to my eyeballs in uni work and readings etc etc. However, I have actually managed to finish writing this. :D Below is the second last chapter and the last chapter (epilogue) will be posted a couple of days afterwards.

Thank you to everyone who gave their opinion on the M/A slash matter - all will be revealed in the last chapter. :P And thank you, as always, to my unofficial beta, Obwohl. Thanks must also go to robson3010 who asked for the inclusion in this chapter and gave me the idea to write it. Hope it's what you had in mind. :)

I'm (once again) unsure of the IC-ness of everyone in this... :S And I'm not entirely happy with the farewell/ending of this chapter. I think I'll blame uni. Hope you still enjoy, however. And don't forget to review, too. :P

Eighteen

"Where exactly are you headed to?" Morgana asked the Doctor and Rose as the six of them meandered along, slowly getting closer to the TARDIS.

"Oh you know," the Doctor replied with a grin. "Here, there."

"Everywhere, anywhere," Rose continued.

Arthur opened his mouth to reply, but was distracted as Merlin stopped beside him; his eyes staring intently into the forest on his left.

"Merlin?" Arthur questioned his manservant's actions, placing a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I... I thought I just..."

"What is it?"

"Merlin?" Gwen asked, following his gaze.

"I thought I just saw... Gaius," the young sorcerer whispered causing the other five to exchanged glances.

"Merlin..." Rose began softly before trailing off.

"Merlin, Gaius is -"

"I know," Merlin cut the Prince off. "But I also know what I saw and I know it was him."

Arthur looked at Morgana who simply shrugged.

"There!" Merlin suddenly cried out, pointing into the forest. "Did you see him?" he asked, turning quickly to look at the others as tears stung in his wide eyes.

"I'm sorry, Merlin, but we didn't see anything," the Doctor said gently.

"You just weren't looking hard enough," Merlin retorted and before anyone could stop him, he ran into the forest.

"Merlin!" Arthur cried out and without a seconds thought he raced after his servant.

"Come on, then!" the Doctor headed after them, quickly followed by Rose and Gwen.

"You want me to run?" Morgana called after them incredulously. "In this dress?"

"My lady," Gwen's voice echoed amongst the trees.

"Oh, ok," Morgana muttered, lifting her skirts in a well practised manner. "I'm coming."

Merlin kept on running, ignoring the fact that Arthur was just behind him and calling out. He had seen Gaius, the warlock was sure of it. He blinked and felt the wetness of tears. It was Gaius. It had to be. Merlin slowed as he came to a clearing, not unlike the one where he left the angels. With the back of his hand he wiped his cheeks and realised the clearing was not as clear as he had previously thought.

A slightly raised stone platform rested in the ground in the centre of the clearing. Moss had grown on it and a sprinkling of leaves covered it from last fall.

"Merlin!?" Arthur's voice sounded panicked and close as Merlin stepped forward toward the stone.

"Here Arthur," Merlin called back, surprising even himself with the contentedness in his voice.

"Merlin?" Arthur entered the clearing, his eyes locking instantly onto his servant. "What did I say about not worrying me again?"

"Sorry," Merlin muttered, not turning to look at the Prince.

"Merlin? Arthur?" the Doctor, Rose and Gwen entered the clearing, followed moments later by Morgana who was no longer scowling at having to run in her dress.

"Merlin, what is it?" Arthur asked when the manservant didn't reply again.

Merlin responded by falling to the ground, kneeling in front of the stone platform, hidden from the others. Slowly he brushed a hand across it, clearing the leaves and revealing the writing beneath.

'Merlin!" Arthur's tone now had a hint of anger in it.

Tears streamed down Merlin's face as he drowned out everyone else. He had found it. The stone platform. It was a gravestone.

"I found it," he murmured out loud. "I found him."

"Him? Gaius?" the five others stepped forward to gather around Merlin and the gravestone.

"Oh..." Rose's mouth opened in surprise.

"I knew I'd seen him," Merlin whispered and Arthur knelt down beside him, a comforting hand once again resting on his servant's shoulder. Silently and slowly they all read the gravestone, each too wrapped up in their own feelings and thoughts to speak.

Here Lies Gaius

Court Physician to Camelot and it's King

1142 – 1223

May he Rest in Peace

"I will always watch over you"

And Merlin suspected the final engraving on the headstone was meant for him. Not bothering to blink back his tears, Merlin looked again at the dates carved. He had no idea how they fit in with his disappearance and returning to the past, but somehow he knew that they didn't need to be questioned.

Suddenly through all the tears, Merlin broke out into a contented, yet joyous smile. He was kneeling at his father-figure's grave and yet somehow everything in the world felt right. The young warlock couldn't even begin to explain it. He'd found the grave and his link to Gaius in the small clearing and suddenly he felt lighter somehow.

"Merlin," Arthur's husky voice broke through the servant's thoughts and he turned to look at his Prince; still grinning through the tears.

"Arthur, it's fine,' he reassured. Turning to the others and their saddened faces, he smiled until he received smiles in return. It was then he knew they should be moving on; or rather the Doctor and Rose should be moving on. Merlin, himself would be back to visit the gravesite and clear it, giving Gaius the respect he deserved. Even in death.

* * *

Barely fifteen minutes later, the now dry eyed group of six found themselves standing outside a large wooden blue box; known to two of the group as the TARDIS.

"Well, this is where we must leave you," the Doctor announced, thrusting his hands into his pockets.

"What? Here?" Arthur frowned; confused.

"Yup."

"But..." Morgana joined Arthur in his confusion.

"You mean the blue box, don't you?" Merlin said. "That's how you're leaving."

Rose glanced sideways at the Doctor and cocked an eyebrow. "You're certainly smarter than you look, Merlin," the Doctor told him with a large grin.

"You're telling me," Arthur muttered under his breath, coughing slightly when Morgana elbowed him.

"But... Forgive me for asking, but how is that possible?" Gwen asked, cutting in before Merlin could respond again.

"Oh, um..." the Doctor trailed off. "It's... it's really rather complicated."

"Trust me, it is," Rose added. "Even he doesn't know half of it."

"Rose!" the Doctor said pointedly, as though he had been meaning to sound impressive to the four others and she had just ruined it.

"Sorry."

There was an awkward pause, during which Arthur, Merlin, Morgana and Gwen merely stared at the TARDIS, trying to work out how this meant the Doctor and Rose were leaving.

"Anyway," the Doctor commented. "Must really be off."

"But, we don't understand," Arthur repeated.

Rose and the Doctor merely smiled this time. "You'll see," the former told them.

"But, firstly," the Doctor began again, "thank you, again. Thank you, all of you," and the smile he gave them this time was not large and cheeky, but sincere and appreciative.

"And secondly," Rose put in, as though the whole conversation had been rehearsed between the two of them. "It was wonderful to meet you all. You really don't know how... wonderful."

"Come on, Rose, no spoilers. You know the rules."

"Spoilers?" Morgana frowned.

"Thanks for the loan of the clothes," Rose replied, completely ignoring the question as she gave the King's ward a brief hug. Rose then moved on to hug the remaining three Camelot residents, murmuring her thanks to them once again. And to Merlin she murmured her good luck.

"She is one for the hugs," the Doctor told them fondly.

"And he is one for the waves," Rose retorted cheekily, getting a laugh from everyone. "Trust me."

"But now we really must be off."

Arthur nodded, not bothering to try and understand anymore. "Thank you, Sir Doctor and Dame Rose. You won't be forgotten here, I give you my word."

The Doctor nodded and gave them a cheery wave (eliciting a laugh from them all) before he and Rose quickly slipped into the wooden box.

"What do you think they'll think?" Rose asked, referring to others outside when the TARDIS door was closed firmly behind her. "Not sorcery?"

The Doctor shrugged. "What, you think they'll go to Uther?"

Rose thought about it. "No. Besides he wouldn't be able to do anything about it anyway."

The Doctor nodded in accord. "You want to watch their reactions?" Rose didn't need the cheeky grin which followed to convince her to join him at the console by the TV screen.

* * *

"There surely can't be that much room in there!" Morgana exclaimed. "No wonder Rose wanted to borrow some of my clothes. She wouldn't have room to have any of her own."

"You think they live in there?" Arthur asked.

"Well, why else would they-" Merlin was cut off as the blue box began to whirr, sending fallen leaves flying.

"It's disappearing!" Arthur shouted over the noise as the box began to dematerialise.

Seconds later, the four of them stood in an empty clearing, the air still as it had been before. The sound of the universe had long faded.

"Do you think it was sorcery?" Arthur asked no one in particular, as he turned and they began the long walk back to the castle.

"No," Gwen, Morgana and Merlin replied in unison.

"I think I was science," Merlin continued and his thoughts turned once again to Gaius.