I'm not as pleased with how this one turned out, but it was requested so up it goes anyway. It's a good idea, just not one I feel I did justice. Oh well. Many thanks to Rachel (Guest) for the prompt, as well as to all readers/reviewers- you guys have been so nice, it's absolutely made my day. :)

Quick Info- Pretty much picks up after the show's end/ modern day.

Drabble 13- Return to Avalon

With a sigh, the old man looked out across the lake. Even after all the years that had passed, Merlin remembered his time in Camelot vividly. His years since seemed a blur, but Gwen's laugh or Arthur's smirk had not yet been forgotten.

When they'd first passed on, he'd avoided the lake like a plague. There were too many memories, and despite destiny's promise, the Once and Future King showed no sign of returning. As time progressed, however, he felt himself drawn to the lake. It was the only area he knew of that had been untouched in the years passed, and in an odd way, he found some off sort of peace there that his apparent immortality otherwise lacked. Here, he could pretend that the castle was just over the horizon behind him, and he was still twenty-one and in Arthur's employment.

Suddenly, he dropped his bag to the ground. His wallet and cell phone soon joined the pile. A flash of gold, and suddenly the man was twenty-one again (or at least, he appeared as young). In his many years, Merlin had mastered his magic many times over. There was next to nothing he could not do- except, of course, bring back Arthur, but it wasn't for lack of effort.

One of these skills included the ability to control his age and appearance. Though he preferred to appear around sixty (he had no desire to repeat high school again, thank you very much), when he was alone he often returned to the age he'd been when he'd lost Arthur. At one point he'd spent a few months as a thirty year old again, but he found catching his reflection in the glass fronts of various stores and vehicles to be too painful. He'd much rather hide behind unrecognizable wrinkles and gray hair.

The aches melted off of his sore muscles and joints with the years, and soon the warlock was once again empowered by youth. Wadding into the water up to his hips, he gave himself a moment to adjust to the cool water before diving in.

In recent months, he'd enjoyed coming to the lake to swim and think. There were rumors of a World War 3 on the horizon, and Britain was the main target of the other nuclear strongholds. (At one point, he'd hope the world wars might prompt his friend's return. Now he didn't even dare to hope.) It was nice to escape the panic in the cities and relax in the countryside.

Floating on his back, Merlin watched the clouds slip back in a nostalgic silence. He was just on the verge of drifting off to sleep when something hit his ankle. His heart lurched and he spluttered upright, trying to get his bearings. To his surprise, drifting just a few feet away from him was… a gauntlet? What the-

He never got to finish the thought, because at that moment something hit him from underwater with quite a deal of force. Too surprised to even think of using magic, Merlin floundered for a moment, trying not to inhale water.

Just when he thought he'd gotten his bearings again, he saw something that made him freeze, stunned. A familiar head of wet blonde hair was emerging from the water a few feet away, followed by chainmail and a cough…

"Arthur?" Merlin asked, barely daring to hope even as his heart raced and adrenaline pumped through him for the first time in years.

"Wha- Merlin!" Arthur grinned, spotting his manservant for the first time.

Just as it was all starting to click in the warlock's head (It's happening oh gods it's really happening he's back he's back he's back) he found himself once again shoved underwater as Arthur tackled him in a huge hug.

"You idiot," the king laughed as they resurfaced, Merlin trying to wipe the water from his eyes and Arthur holding the servant by the shoulders at an arm's distance to look him over. "Are you-" he trailed off as he realized Merlin's eyes weren't watering with lake water. "Merlin, you absolute girl, none of that!"

With that his dark haired friend gave a happy laugh, smiling from ear to ear as he gave Arthur a hug of his own.

"I can't believe it, you're back," he kept repeating, before noticing that Arthur was starting to shiver. He'd forgotten the water was a little cold, and it couldn't be good for the newly alive to get hypothermia.

The duo got out, and Merlin quickly started a campfire right there by the side of the lake. Sitting by the fire, it was almost as if nothing had ever changed.

"You've missed so much," Merlin babbled, as if he stopped talking Arthur would vanish again. He told Arthur about the war and cell phones and cars and planes and everything.

"I owe you an apology," Arthur admitted suddenly, breaking into Merlin's tirade about some book about a hairy wizard (the dork, of course he'd read about wizards when he is one). "When I… found out… about your magic, I didn't react that well. But I've had a lot of time to think-" here he gestured vaguely towards the lake- "and you've always been my best friend. I should've heard you out, or at least tried to understand. But I think I understand now, and-" here a deep breath- "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Merlin smiled. "People now days don't believe in magic anymore, anyways. It doesn't really matter."

"Well, we'll have to change that," the king declared. "You deserve to live in a world where you're accepted."

"What about the war?"

Arthur hesitated. "Okay, fine. We'll restore world peace and all that, and then get you the equality you've earned."

"Deal," Merlin laughed. It didn't matter; with the King and his warlock back together, they could do anything, and they had all the time in the world.