A/N: Here we go again! Please let me know what you think!

Disclaimer: Not mine

Ch. 4-His Destiny Arrives…Well Almost

Merlin found that, for all he had pushed himself over the last several days, he couldn't help but pause and admire the view.

Camelot.

It sprawled out before him, lazily and yet contained at the same time. The white stone of the castle gleamed brightly; the bright red flags bearing the Pendragon crest whipping playfully in the breeze. Though he could not see them from where he was, Merlin knew that several guards stood at attention at the open gates. Welcoming and forbidding. Hospitable and warning.

Home.

Merlin could not accurately pinpoint the moment Ealdor had ceased to claim that title, handing it neatly over to Camelot. It was some time after he'd drank the poison for Arthur and the prat-prince had risked his life to retrieve the cure. Definitely by the time he'd asked Kilgharrah to help him help Arthur defeat the wraith. It just seemed as though from one day to the next he had carved out his place (returned to it?) and was no longer homesick.

Because how can one be homesick when they are home?

It was after Ealdor and Will's death that Merlin realized that it was easy to leave former home and at the time he had been surprised at how easy. Now he knew. It was not the place that was important (though never would he mention that Camelot wasn't important anywhere near Arthur) but the people that inhabited it. Sure, he missed his mother, but there was Gaius who he knew thought of him as his son; Gwen, who had been his first friend in Camelot; Lancelot (who would not die!) who had accepted him easily for who he was; Gwaine, his fierce defender (also not going to die!); Percival, Elyan, Leon…

Arthur.

The thought of his friend sent a shiver down his spine so strong his legs nearly buckled. This past week, after making certain that this really was happening, his main focus had been on returning to Camelot. It had practically been his only thought and he knew that he'd worried his mother with his single-mindedness. But he couldn't explain it.

How could he? It shouldn't be possible.

But whomever had taken mercy on him and granted him this second chance wasn't telling (he might have done it, he still wasn't sure), but he was not going to waste it.

But he had to get to Camelot first.

Now that his destination lay before him, he had a hard time making himself move forward. He knew he was at least a day ahead of schedule so perhaps now would be a good time to plan. Plan on getting it right this time. Plan on protecting Arthur.

A loud growl broke through his master planning and he glanced around sheepishly even though he was alone.

Maybe he should plan on eating first.

Not again.

Arthur clenched his leg to still (for the fourth time) the restless tapping that was fast becoming a nervous habit. It was frankly alarming how many nervous habits he was picking up. Leg tapping. Finger drumming. Humming. Tugging on his ears. His. Ears. That was Merlin's habit, not his!

The prince-king could feel a scowl settling over his features. Merlin. It all came down to him. How much longer was he going to be forced to wait? Would it even happen when and how it was supposed to?

He still wasn't entirely convinced this was real despite how it smelled, felt, tasted, looked and sounded.

Despite Uther and Morgana.

The first time he'd had to speak with his father, he'd nearly broken with the urge to hug the man and punch him in the nose simultaneously. How he escaped that meeting without giving anything away was something that still mystified him, but taking some time to examine it and his feelings, they made more sense. Uther was his father…but honestly, he'd never been very good at it. Knowing what he knew about his mother's death, Arthur imagined that Uther not only blamed magic, but Arthur as well.

Oh not openly, never out loud. No, he did do it out loud-just not directly. It never made sense to him before. He had tried so very hard to gain his father's approval (what son didn't?), but nothing, absolutely nothing the prince-king did was ever up to Uther's impossibly high standards. Every attempt offered was shattered at the foot of the throne with how it could have been done faster, smarter, better.

And Arthur…never really took the time to see how that effected him. Oh, it made more sense now that he was living it again (maybe living it again? Still not sure), and accounted for some of his more prattish attitudes. How much of it was naturally Arthur's personality and how much of it was shaped by Uther's constant disapproval?

He may never know.

As for Morgana…not a subject he was yet willing to contemplate.

He knew he had changed after Merlin had tackled his way into his life, but Arthur never really understood how much until he was confronted with those whom he used to…associate with. Arrogant sons of lords whose attitudes made Arthur twitch for his sword so that he might teach them some manners.

Had he really been like that? How had anyone been able to tolerate him? And how, how had Merlin cured him of that?

By being his friend.

The simplest, yet most complex answer to that question. Merlin had done what no other person, not even his father or Morgana, had done. Treated him as Arthur. Not the crown prince of Camelot, heir to the throne, knight and champion of the realm. Arthur.

And that, he knows made all the difference. Who knew, it might be even better this time. If they were actually getting another chance, he still wasn't entirely convinced. Probably wouldn't be until he saw his warlock again.

Aaaaand that led back to the nervous habits. As much as he wanted to see Merlin again (now, no, yesterday preferably) he wasn't sure what he would do when he did. Would Merlin be like everyone else (worst case scenario) and not remember any of what had happened before or (best case) remember like Arthur did? Frankly, the king-prince was worried that he would lose all sense of propriety (not that he ever had much with Merlin) and knock the man-boy over in a hug and refuse to let go for ooooooh at least a week. And wouldn't that just be terribly awkward if Merlin didn't remember?

Ugh. He was turning into such a girl over this.

This was all Merlin's fault.

End Chapter 4

A/N: Hello? *peaks out* Will you let me know what you think? I love your reviews!