A/N: Hi everyone! Thank you once again for the response to previous chapters. I greatly appreciate any feedback. Hope you all enjoy Chapter 10! Let me know what you think :)

Chapter Ten.

Arthur stared at Merlin. He was staring back, wide-eyed and pale-faced. The dark-haired man's jaw hung open. A mirror image of Arthur's expression he presumed. That was it. His servant had never been the most sensible man but now he had lost it.

"Don't be ridiculous Merlin," Arthur said. Merlin was shaking his head again. Arthur had never seen him like this. He didn't know what to make of it or how to comfort his friend.

"You died Arthur!" Merlin shouted again. "I tried to save you but I wasn't quick enough. I was late and... And..." He trailed off suddenly, averting his gaze from Arthur.

"And what?" Arthur ventured.

"You left me," he uttered it so softly Arthur was unsure if he'd actually heard it. Merlin never lost control of his emotions. Not to this extent.

"Merlin, you're being an idiot," Arthur said in an attempt to lighten the situation. "I can't have died. I'm stood right here," he shot a smile in Merlin's direction but it went ignored.

Merlin was running his hand through his hair. "You don't understand,"

"You're right. I don't," Arthur crossed his arms over his chest. He wondered briefly if Merlin was the one that had lost his mind. What he was saying definitely did not make sense.

Merlin was watching him again. "I know it seems ludicrous. But you need to hear me out,"

Arthur looked around. Whatever story Merlin had to tell was obviously important even if it was a load of rubbish. Arthur cast his mind back to the day of the battle. Memories were fragmented. The last clear memory was of Mordred's face. After that everything was a little hazy and dreamlike. Merlin was there, by his side. Like always. There were other things too, absurd things that did not make sense. Arthur presumed they were hallucinations, brought on by the pain and whatever concoction of herbs Merlin had used to dull it. Arthur was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of his companion's voice.

"Mordred's blade was not ordinary. It was magical; forged in a dragon's breath. The only hope you had was to bathe in the waters of the lake. But I was too slow," his voice was low and serious. Arthur realised with a jolt that there were tears in Merlin's eyes. Merlin took a breath and continued. "But then again, you are not a normal man. It was prophesised that you would return once more to reunite the lands,"

Arthur bit back a retort about how ridiculous Merlin was being. There was something about the man's expression and his voice that told Arthur that this was not a laughing matter. If Merlin had finally lost his mind, Arthur needed to be careful.

"What happened to you?" Arthur probed.

Merlin shrugged. "I waited for you to return,"

Arthur couldn't help but snort. "Now I know you're making it up,"

Merlin's cool gaze cut Arthur's laugh short. "I know you don't believe me. I wouldn't either if I hadn't lived through it. You just need to know that since the battle of Camlann a lot has changed. That is why I am telling you now. So you don't do anything stupid,"

Arthur was slightly insulted by being called stupid but said nothing. It seemed that Merlin really did believe he was telling the truth. Merlin had spun some farfetched tails in his time. Arthur chose to ignore the little voice in the back of his head stating that though Merlin's tales were often farfetched they were also often true.

Getting Arthur home had been a hassle. Due to the time of night, not many people were about but Arthur kept spotting things that he wanted to investigate.

"There will be time for questions when we get home" Merlin had snapped several times throughout the journey. He knew Arthur did not believe a word Merlin had told him in the forest. Arthur was adamant that they had set foot in some far away land that embraced sorcery and therefore had access to all kinds of things that were not available in Camelot. Like a horseless carriage for example. Merlin had thrown caution to the wind and took Arthur in a taxi. Arthur was both excited and repulsed by the whole experience. He grumbled loudly about the speed they were travelling and upon reaching their destination fell out of the car looking rather green around the gills.

"What is this place?" Arthur asked, his eyes wide as they approached the tall building in which Merlin lived.

"This is where I live now," Merlin explained while tapping in the code to unlock the door. He could feel Arthur's questioning gaze on him once more. This was going to be every bit as difficult as he had imagined. Maybe even more so.

The pair ascended the stairs, Merlin ever so slightly in front. Arthur followed, his head turning this way and that as he tried to take everything in. Merlin knew that it was a lot for Arthur to take in. Not just the fact that Arthur had died and then miraculously came back to life centuries later. There was also the fact that Merlin was a powerful and immortal sorcerer which would obviously need addressing once Arthur accepted fact number one. The fact that Arthur, and by extension Merlin still had a destiny to complete. Not to mention how different everything was now. Time had marched on; their friends and families were gone. Virtually everything was different. There was no wonder Arthur was reluctant to accept the truth.

After several flights of stairs, Merlin turned down a corridor, coming to an abrupt stop in front of a door half way down. He fumbled in his pocket for a second before pulling out a key and unlocking it. He pushed the door open and stood aside, allowing Arthur to enter.

Arthur cast an eye around the room. It wasn't as grand as anything he was used to and it was certainly different to any room he'd ever stepped foot in. He supposed it would do for the time being.

"Make yourself at home," Merlin said, pulling the door closed behind them. Arthur found it hard to read Merlin's face. He did at the best of times; though Arthur often joked about his manservant being simple, he was aware there was an underlying complexity he could not begin to fathom. Merlin's lips formed a smile but there was no twinkle in his eye.

Arthur strode across the room and sat on the bed. "Where are you sleeping?" Realising it was the only one. Arthur pretended not to notice the light pink flush that crept up Merlin's ears.

"Err..." Merlin faltered. "I didn't think of that,"

"If you think for one second we're sharing a bed-"

"Who's being ridiculous now?" Merlin cut across Arthur's words. "I'll sleep on the settee,"

"Fine," Arthur huffed, folding his arms once more. Merlin was already rummaging through a nearby cupboard, pulling out an assortment of blankets.

"You should probably get some sleep. We will talk more in the morning," Merlin said, nodding towards the bed.

Wordlessly, Arthur climbed into bed. He didn't bother to remove the clothes that Merlin had loaned him. A comforting feeling had washed over him within the last few minutes. Despite still being highly confused, Arthur now felt warm and safe. Probably the soft blankets on Merlin's bed, he mused. Within moments, Arthur had drifted into a peaceful slumber.

Light snores were coming from the bed where Arthur lay. Merlin curled up on the settee, draped in blankets, watching the lump on the bed that was Arthur. Merlin could not fathom his emotions. He should have been happy that he was finally reunited with the Once and Future King and to an extent he was. He felt guilty for his earlier outburst, realising now that he could have handled better. He felt betrayed and upset that Arthur did not believe him, but then again when did Arthur ever believe him? There was also the anxiety that constantly fluttered in Merlin's stomach, anticipating the conversation they would have in the morning. Even if Arthur did accept the truth, where would they go from there?

He screwed his eyes shut, attempting to block out everything. Block out Arthur's snoring, the first rays of sunlight that were persistently shining through the thin curtain and most of all Merlin's own thoughts. Absent-mindedly, Merlin ran his thumb across the scars marking his wrists. Would Arthur have come back, if Merlin had succeeded in his attempts to die? It wasn't worth thinking about now. What mattered was that they were both here, now. Together.

Martin followed the now familiar route to Arthur's hospital room. In his hand, he carried a small box of chocolates; a get well soon present. It had been Brenda's idea. Martin had nodded and smiled, thinking that the young man may appreciate the small token. It was something to show that someone cared. Even if he was still just a random stranger that had been in the right place at the right time. He arrived at the door at the end of the corridor and pushed it open slightly. He popped his head around the corner, beaming. The smile slowly faded from his face as he realised that Arthur's bed was no longer occupied. Instead a nurse was busy tucking clean sheets into place.

"Where's Arthur?" Martin asked, trying to keep his voice soft.

The nurse shrugged. "It seems he discharged himself in the night,"

Martin sighed, remembering the events of the day before. The strange man named Merlin and his urgency to get Arthur out of the hospital.

"Thank you," Martin muttered and turned away.

Something strange was definitely going on with Arthur and his friend. There was something that just didn't quite fit. It left Martin with an uneasy feeling. Worst of all was that the hospital staff did not seem to care. Now Arthur was off of the property, he was no longer their problem.