Mega thank you to all the people who have reviewed/favourited/followed this story already! I'm happy readers think as I do about this! :D

The conversations and such are not going to be exactly the same as in the episode because a) I don't want to watch that depressing episode again to get them word for word and b) I'm trying to shape this into my version of the story, although it is following the same storyline! :)

Enjoy!

Chapter Two (MERLIN'S POV):

"Stay away from me!"

He didn't know what he expected.

For Arthur to laugh and tell him to stop joking?

For Arthur to look at him in awe and thank him for saving all of Camelot's lives?

No matter what, from the look on his face, Merlin knew that his (though he would never have admitted it) once close friend was now scared of him.

"No – Arthur – you don't have to be scared of me – I'm -"

"I said leave me!"

Arthur pulled his arm away while Merlin could no longer keep back the tears that flowed.

He tried once more "I help you, I use magic for good!"

It was no use. Arthur was frantic, hurting himself more than necessary to get away from Merlin.

Merlin slid back a few inches, giving him room to breathe. When Arthur attempted to get up, Merlin stretched a hand out to tell him to rest, as he did every other time his friend had been wounded, but the fierceness and slight fear in the king's eyes stopped him.

He realised with his hand stretched out, he looked like he was going to cast a spell. Dropping it back to his side, he whispered "I wasn't going to do anything…"

Arthur was still staring at him like he was a complete stranger. "Get away from me or I'll...I'll kill you!"

Seeing no other solution, Merlin got up and put his hands in front of him, backing away slowly. "Okay, okay I'm going. I'm sorry."

He escaped through the foliage, wiping his eyes, but he couldn't stop the flow of tears, and stumbling into a large rock, he collapsed against it.

Arthur knew.

Arthur knew and now he hated him. A sorcerer in the midst of Camelot for years, going against everything the King stood for!

He wouldn't want to see Merlin ever again. He would exile him, maybe execute him for lying to him all those years!

The time had come to reveal himself, and it had gone terribly wrong.

Feeling exhausted but knowing he had to get to Camelot on time, he got to his feet.

The sight of the palace of Camelot looming before him did not fill him with joy as it once had. He needed to find Gaius without being seen.

The sight of the king's servant would bring up questions which Merlin was not in the mood to answer.

Where is the king? Did you abandon him again? You should be by his side always, why weren't you there during the battle?

Merlin could only think of one answer.

I'm a sorcerer and Arthur hates me.

Shaking his head to stop himself dwelling over those thoughts, Merlin hurried through the empty marketplace and up the steps into the palace.

Surprisingly, no one was around to stop him.

This lent him speed and it was only a few seconds later when he burst through the physician's chambers.

"All right, all right, I said I'd be there...!" Gaius exclaimed before realising it was Merlin standing there, not a royal knight.

They both stared at each other, not daring to speak until Gaius broke the silence with an excited cry "Merlin!" and a hug.

Merlin allowed himself to be hugged but did not return it.

Gaius pulled back and looked him over, searching for any wounds, before smiling "You did it, Merlin. You saved us. I'm so proud of you, my boy."

Merlin couldn't speak. He felt as if a hole in the ground would swallow him up if he dared congratulate himself while his life was on a dangerous track at the moment.

"Gaius..." Merlin looked away from those fatherly-love filled eyes, which quickly turned to concern when he added "It's Arthur..."

"Where is he? Everyone who survived the battle is being accounted for in the Throne Room, where I should be right now. Arthur has yet to make his appearance since last night."

Merlin trembled slightly but began to recount the events of the night before, including the part of finding the wounded king, but paused, not wanting to announce that Arthur knew his secret. After the trouble of hiding it from him for all these years...

Gaius knew he was hiding something. "If you're not ready to tell me, Merlin, I'm sure you have a - "

"Arthur knows I have magic!" Quick and short, it escaped from Merlin's mouth before he could stop it.

Gaius' head tilted back slightly, trying but failing to hide his shock. "How - how did he find out?!"

"I...told him. It seemed right..." Merlin earnestly looked up at the wiser man's face, desperate for comfort that the words 'that was the right thing to do' would bring.

Gaius remained silent for a moment, before patting Merlin's shoulder. "Return to the king, make sure his condition doesn't worsen, and I'll be there after gathering the necessary supplies. I don't have time to go to the Throne Room now. Besides, they will all want to know where you are."

Merlin nodded and turned back to the door, eyes downcast, but before he reached it, Gaius called him back and hugged him again.

"If you believed it was the perfect moment to reveal yourself, then I believe it was the right thing to do."

Wondering if Gaius could read minds, Merlin left the chambers a while later feeling slightly more upbeat than when he had entered.

Please review :) I hope they're all in character.