A/N: ok, so my muse forced me to write this, I still don't know how it's going to end or anything, I am writing this as I go along. So… yeah chapter 4 of whatever this is…
Arthur had a hard time concentrating. It was late at night and he got stuck on the graveyard shift at the hospital. It was only him, and a few nurses including Gwen. Being a registered nurse meant that Gwen was still there after everyone left. Gwen and Arthur were together all night long in the trenches, taking care of the late night emergencies. Hence the reason Arthur couldn't concentrate. He was standing there, fixing the stitches on a guy who came in with a large gash on the side of his head, and all he could think about was Gwen. She was right by his side, giving him exactly what he needed, when he needed it. Arthur immediately thought of Skye's comment about Gwen being Mother Teresa and he silently agreed. She was so sweet, attentive and passionate with each and every person. Even if they were boozed up or just plain crazy. Arthur tried his best to focus and finish up the stitches. Anything to keep his mind off of Gwen, and the sweet scent that was floating off of her. When did he become so enamored by any woman to care about what she smelled like? Arthur thought. Gwen's perfume was so flowery. Like if you were walking through central park in the spring time. The air musked with the scent of growing tree leaves and an arrange of flowers in full bloom. "Focus Arthur... Focus."he said to himself.
He finally managed to finish up the man's head, and let Gwen take over with the wrapping. It was close to 3am and Arthur was ready to go home and dream about the girl who rejected him a week ago. Throughout Arthur's life he had been 'rejected' a total of 3 times. The first one was in high school. Her name was Britney and she was the head cheerleader. Arthur was the starting quarterback, so naturally he thought they would fit well together. He asked her out and she gave him the icy-est. "NO" he had ever heard. But he ended up going to prom with her and then he took her virginity that same night. The next was a woman he met while vacationing in Miami. She was a sight for sore eyes. Literally could put supermodels to shame. Light and shiny blonde locks, long legs and spelled her name Kandy' with a k. He was practically begging her to go out with him. Her words still haunt him in the back of his mind. "First of all I'm gay, but even if I was straight I wouldn't go out with you... Did you really think a girl like me would anyway?"Arthur fought the memory away and focused back to reality. Gwen was the third woman to say no to him. And usually Arthur would just sit back and wait for her to come to him. Like Britney did senior year, and like lesbian Kandy did with her girlfriend, the night before Arthur left from Miami. But there was something about Gwen that Arthur couldn't let go. He wanted her. And for once, it wasn't only one time sex and awkward stares- no. he wanted to know her, to see what she was like outside the eggshell covered walls of the hospital.
Gwen was in her office after the amount of patients died down. Arthur took off his lab coat signifying another job well done. He smoothed down his V neck black shirt and exhaled. He wasn't going to just let her go. His plan was to ask her out again. With a refusal of any sign of no. He knocked on the open door and she looked up from her computer. She had on thick black glasses, which would be an automatic turn off, if it was any other woman. Arthur didn't make passes at girls who wore glasses. But Gwen looked like a sexy school teacher. And he was more than happy to oblige in the fetish and be her attentive, but very bad student.
"Dr. Pendragon is there something you need?" she asked.
Arthur came in and closed the door. With a smile he said "please... Guinevere Call me Arthur."
"Arthur..." Gwen began. Arthur could feel his pants tightening by the way she said his name. So sweet, yet an underlying flirt in her tone. "Is there something I can help you with?" she asked again.
"Yes. Actually. I was wondering if you would like to go get some coffee with me?" Arthur said ever so bluntly. He wasn't one of those men who liked to talk around the subject. He got what he wanted, Period.
"Oh I could use a steaming hot cup of coffee right now." Gwen said chipper as ever. Arthur perked up immediately. He knew she couldn't resist him for long. Not many could.
"Except I can't. Sorry Dr... I mean Arthur." she finished. Arthur's smirk faded... She was rejecting him again. But he wasn't going to be deterred. He wasn't leaving without a yes.
"Ok... How about tomorrow?" he asked.
"Like I said... I can't." she got her coat from the chair and put it on. Grabbing her purse she headed for the door. Arthur followed her making sure she didn't get too far away. He was admiring her hips swinging in her black highwaisted skirt as she floated down the hall. Arthur admitted to himself that he liked her way better out of work clothes. Before she could go anywhere he grabbed her arm gently turning her around.
"Gwen... What's the problem? Why won't you go out with me?" his forwardness showing once again.
Gwen looked like she wanted to be anywhere but here with him standing before her, looking like pure sex in his tight v neck shirt, his messy blonde hair and dark jeans. Gwen silently admitted to herself that he looked way better out of work clothes. She couldn't help but take in his scent. He smelled like spring soap and something else she couldn't place. She chalked it up to the smell being uniquely him. His hand never left her arm, waiting for an answer.
"I said I can't... Can we just leave it at that?" she pleaded for him to let this go. It was bad enough that after their first meeting Gwen couldn't get him off her mind. The thoughts were pure at first, nothing to ride home about. Then they became kinkier, downright freak-nasty. And that's the moment Gwen decided she was going straight to hell.
"Give me a reason why you can't..." he said, holding her tighter. "Are you not attracted to me?" his voice almost cracked. He feared a no.
"I'm... I don't know." Gwen admitted. All the while her mind was saying "yes. Yes I am. And that's why I'm going to hell."
Arthur's mouth formed a wicked smile. She definitely wanted him.
"Gwen... I won't give up... Not until you give me at least one date." he pulled her closer, letting the space between them close.
"Please..." Gwen said feeling his breath near her lips. She backed him away from her. "Just let it go. Ok?"
As Arthur was just about to come closer once again, a man with dark curly hair and an olive skin tone came up from the elevator. His smile was wide as he saw her. He picked her up from behind in his arms and then twirled her around so they were face to face. She gave him two sweet kisses and a solemn hello before he put her down again. They detached from each other long enough for the man to see Arthur standing there. Jaw clenched and foot tapping.
"So who's this?" the man asked.
Gwen looked between the two men and let out a breath that could reveal a deep sigh. "Arthur... This is Lance, my fiancé."
Gwen went home after a very long day. Her father was sitting at her table with two bowls of soup. One in front of him and the other sitting at a different end the table. She took off her shawl and sat down across from him. Feeling her stomach growling she started to devour the soup. Her father gave her an inquiring smile, inviting her to tell him about her day.
"You've been working hard for Morgana lately. I barely see you anymore... How are things?"
"It's alright. Morgana is not all I thought she was. She's more... Humble than I realized." Gwen said through slurps.
"I figured you would have a change of heart, I'm glad you are getting to know her. As beautiful as she is she seems lonely. I was hoping that you two would become friends."
"It's still early father... But if it makes you happy I have little complaints. The Pendragons are very nice... If you exclude the king."
Gwen's father laughed in agreement. The king was a personality not many commoners liked. But they all respected him.
"Good. I'm glad you're happy with your new job. And with the Pendragons." her father got up and took their plates to the sink. Gwen sat back and bit her lip. She wanted so bad to tell her father about Arthur. About how he makes her feel and how his intentions are nothing but pure. She wanted to tell him that right at this very moment she was supposed to be meeting him in the forest doing god knows what with him. She fought back the thoughts of him and hers lips moving together, creating music as they swayed in the nighttime.
Gwen's face was now hot and she felt sweat forming on the back of her neck. 'Those damn impure thoughts' she said to herself.
She was trying to wipe the sweat off her collar when her father turned around. He saw her fidget and asked "Guinevere... Is there something wrong?"
Gwen abruptly said "No father."
He sat back down and looked at her warily. He could tell there was indeed something wrong. "Gwen... What's going on with you?" he was worried. Gwen's face was flushed and her hands were red.
"Father... Do you ever think about... Romance?" Gwen asked. No time like the present...She thought as she settled down.
He fought back a smile. "Gwen... Why are you thinking about that at this time a night? What brought this on?"
"I was just thinking earlier today that I am a woman now and I was wondering if I should consider... Love?" her father's smile faded as he imagined his only daughter falling in love with some man who obviously didn't deserve her. In his mind no man would ever be good enough for his Gwenie.
"Guinevere... Are you trying to tell me, you've fallen in love?"
"Heavens! No father." Gwen said blushing. "I just thought that maybe it would be good for me... To consider a mate?" her doe eyes looked into her fathers. She could tell by the look on his face that he didn't agree.
He took her hands and smiled. "Gwen you will always be my little girl, but I have eyes and I see you for what you are, a strong woman. If you wish to fall in love then by all means fall, but make sure whomever you give your heart to deserves everything you have to offer." Gwen couldn't stop the huge grin on her face if she wanted too. She got up and went over to her father giving him a bear hug. He chuckled then begged her to release the tightness.
"Alright, I think I should retire for the night... What about you?" her father asked.
Gwen stood there, heeding her father's words and made a choice. She was going to fall. Give her heart to the prince Pendragon and hoped he return the same feelings that were rising in her.
"Actually I'm not the least bit tired. Can I go for a night stroll? I'll be back before you know it!" Gwen asked. She didn't need his permission. But it would feel good having it.
"Sure, goodnight sweet daughter." he kissed her head and then went to sleep. Gwen took her shawl off the hanger and exited. There was no turning back for her now, it was all or nothing.
Arthur stood there at the borderline of the forest waiting for Gwen for what seemed like days. He was starting to think she wasn't going to come. I mean why would she? There was so much in there way, their social classes and his hierarchy versus her servitude. She probably doesn't want all the drama.Arthur thought to himself. His inner thoughts ate at him and finally he gave into them. He was just about to walk away when he saw her. A beautiful vision in pink with a shawl draped over her to keep out the spring's chill. He smiled and grabbed her hand and then they went deeper into the forest together.
He took her to a spot high in the mountains, but not too far away from Camelot. They wordlessly lay down together under the stars. Not a word was said until they were comfortably lying next to each other, shoulder to shoulder.
"I honestly thought you were not going to come." Arthur said to her, looking up at the stars.
"I wasn't. I still think this is not the right thing to do..." she said to him.
He turned to his side to look her in the eye. She noticed and decided to do the same thing.
"What part of this is not right? Me being a prince?"
"Yes, and I'm Morgana's maid. A woman who I've seen you admire once or twice." she admitted with a trace of jealously.
"Morgana means nothing to me... Granted I will not sit here and say she isn't beautiful and I do care for her, but... Once I met you everything seems so different."
"How is it different?" she wondered.
Arthur moved closer and brought his palm to her jawline, caressing it before he spoke again. "You're so pure Guinevere... So beautiful. I feel as if we've met and fallen in love a hundred times over. Everything in my life used to be about what I or my father wanted. I admit to being a foolish prat. But when I'm with you... I feel like I'm on air, by gods Gwen I want to be a better man just so I can see you smile." he moved closer to her to close the gap between them. He looked into her eyes affectionately and pushed a curl back to behind her ear.
"Arthur... What this is, it's too rash and unadvised. There are things in our way, which will make it impossible for us to ever to be together. No matter what you or I feel now. Nothing could ever happen between us." Gwen didn't want to say the words but they came out anyway. She wanted so badly for this to work; she wanted to fall, hard and deep for him. But reality set in and she figured that they could never be. Gwen needed Arthur to know that. She needed him to hear her. Arthur seemed like he didn't care about her words as he was creating light circles around her face.
"Arthur are you listening to me?" Gwen shot up and waited for him to respond.
He smiled simply and said "Yes I am... Nothing could ever happen between us." he repeated her words so nonchalantly.
"Exactly." Gwen added. He pulled her back down until they were side by side again. Then he interlocked his fingers with hers. She sighed because her smaller hands seemed to fit so perfectly in his. "Then all we have is now..." Arthur stated.
Gwen looked over to him and nodded. He pulled her in closer so she was lying on his chest. "Only now..." Gwen says. Only now.