AN: So we are getting there! Only two more chapters after this one (I think) and then I will finally have written my first full fic. I'm really looking forward to seeing how things progress in the next few chapters. I got really into writing this one. Enjoy!

Arthur walked into his apartment to two girls, doubled over on his couch with laughter.

"Morgana, what are you doing here?" He asked. Morgana tried to pull herself together enough to answer as Gwen kept on giggling.

"Telly…at my place…broken," Morgana gasped. It was then that Arthur noticed the television that was playing some romantic comedy. He sighed heavily; this was not the scene he had been hoping to come home to.

Since the day he and Merlin had met Gwen again in the hotel, she and Morgana had become very good friends, as Arthur knew they would. It wasn't really much of a surprise to see them there. He just wished it hadn't been today.

Arthur's feelings for Gwen hadn't diminished over time. If anything, they only grew stronger as she became a more permanent part of his life. He would never dream of telling her though. From what he could tell, she thought of his as her friend and the incident in Paris was nothing more now than a distant memory, like a dream you only half remember upon waking up.

Now, he set down his bag and shrugged out of his coat before going into his bedroom to change out of his work clothes. Just as he was tugging a jumper over his head, his phone rang. A sharp pang of panic shot through him and he bolted out into the living room.

"…really?" Morgana was saying, an unreadable expression across her face. She had the phone to her ear and Arthur prayed whoever had called was not the person he was thinking it was.

"Right, well, thanks Merlin," Shit. "I'll be sure to tell him." Morgana hung up and swung around to stare at Arthur who was now trying to hide around the other side of the wall. "Just when were you going to tell us that you're going to Dubai tomorrow?" Double shit.

"Dubai?" Gwen asked. Arthur had totally forgotten for a moment she was there too. Triple—oh for God's sake.

"Yeah," he said slowly, trying to sound nonchalant. "It's just for a week to finish up the agreement we drew up in Paris. Everyone who was at the conference is going." Morgana kept staring at him a few seconds longer. Then, her face relaxed.

"Well, we should probably help you pack then."

Seven days later, Gwen was sitting with Morgana on the same couch, watching a made-for-tv movie. They were waiting for Arthur to get home and surprise him with a home-cooked dinner. It had been Gwen's suggestion but Morgana had been the one to call the hotel in Dubai to make sure of when Arthur and Merlin would be checking out and what flight they were catching back to London as well as make sure that Merlin would come back to Arthur's apartment first.

Gwen assumed that whatever feelings Arthur might have had for her had now disappeared, but that didn't mean that hers had. She still felt conflicted about the start of their friendship but they were in a good place now, good friends and she was content to keep it that way, rather than risk losing everything between them.

The movie ended and, in the few minutes between the credits and the start of the next one, Gwen flipped through the channels. Celebrity scandal—teen drama—bombing in Dubai—teen drama—. Gwen froze before flipping back up to the news. A huge red bar across the bottom read BREAKING NEWS and there was a video of half a building, on fire, smoke pouring from the black hole in the side of the edifice.

"Panic in the streets of Dubai this morning as a bomb exploded during a diplomatic meeting between multiple parties from Europe and the Middle East. The identity of the bomber is unknown as well as the number of casualties. We will continue to update as more information is released."

The newscaster moved onto something else but Gwen didn't hear what she was saying. A bomb. Dubai. Diplomatic meeting. Her mind reeled at the implications but she couldn't believe it. It couldn't be true.

Morgana came around from the kitchen a few minutes later. Gwen hadn't moved; she remained frozen in her spot, tears spilling from her eyes that she didn't bother to wipe away. Morgana looked at the television which was recapping the bombing and then back at Gwen. Everything tilted. The world shattered.