A/N: I can't seem to put this down. Another update for you darlings.

Four.

.

The floorboards creaked as he made his way up the narrow stairs, Morgana in tow. A door opened to the attic chamber, Merlin fumbled for a light switch, as they both stumbled and staggered over things scattered over the floor. Merlin's room was the one facing the street, she recognized the shape of the window sticking out from the roof.

Inside, the light went on, revealing old wooden floorboards and various pieces of furniture - each one of them from a different set; boxes with things that no one had any use for or had used for a long time. And books, a staggering amount of books, stacked in tall shelves against the walls that weren't slanted. In the corner: a bed, a desk and an armchair. A piece of a sofa, too small to sleep on.

'Uhm, sorry fir the mess,' Merlin reeled visibly at the sight and quickly switched to the desklamp instead, casting a more favourable, buttery light on the scene. 'I haven't been here for a while... Didn't know it was that shabby up here.'

'It's alright.' Morgana stepped around the boxes, which he then, hurriedly, shoved aside. Apart from the obvious disuse, the place felt homely, with sheepskin rugs and patchwork blankets, pictures and newspaper cut-outs covering the wall. At a closer inspection, she realized posters facing the window looked faded, the calendar dated several years back. This was a room of a young boy, not the man he was now.

Merlin just stood there, scratching the back of his head, as if her presence had suddenly caused the room to shift and turn into something small and unfamiliar.

'So, you live here with your parents?'

'Lived.' Merlin corrected. 'The house belongs to my great aunt and uncle. They took me in after my parents died.'

'I'm sorry to hear that,' Morgana found the fact quite horrifying, but Merlin shrugged it off with a small 'thanks' and continued to clean up the mess of things stored there during his absence.

'It's nice in here. Cosy.' Morgana assured, tracing the backs of the books, medicine and cooking, some odd occult literature, then shelves filled with textbooks, astronomy and philosophy. Since their meeting earlier that day, she had not once imagined him as a student or anyone with a normal life out there somewhere. She should have. No one is born to the road they travel. Then, sounds from downstairs.

'Someone's home.'

To say his aunt was pleased to see him, was an understatement. Soon enough, though, Merlin managed to free himself from her embrace to take a step back and introduce his new friend properly.

'June, my aunt Alice. Alice, this is June, we... uhh met while travelling.' Morgana felt Merlin's hand on her back gently nudge her further into the kitchen, towards the aunt.

'Hello June.'

The woman was wearing a knitted shawl over a night hem, her long gray hair braided to one side. Years had done their work on her attractive face but her eyes were sharp as ever and studied her keenly in a way that was not unkind. She flashed a genuine smile, making Morgana feel like the true fraud she was, and desperate to fit in. The woman squeezed her hand, firmly, before returning her attentions to the prodigal son.

'My dear boy. I wish you had let us know that you were coming. Your uncle is away till tomorrow, at the antique fair. You know how much he wanted to see you. Well, come on both of you, you must be starving... Just look at you. When did you last have a bath?' His aunt kept half-teasing, half-caressing his clothes and hair, which he tried to wave off, embarrassed.

'Alright, alright, I get the message.'

Merlin had disappeared to take a shower, leaving Morgana alone with his aunt. She held the steaming cup of hot tea between both of her hands and took a sip. She could identify most of the ingredients: catnip, chamomille and a touch of honey. Morgana hummed in appreciation.

'My evening blend.' Alice commented. 'Helps me sleep.'

Morgana just nodded, too distracted by being here, of all places. Much like the rest of the house, the living room was small and cozy, an open hearth, walls dotted with pots and decorative plates, dried herbs hanging from the ceiling.

'A hobby of mine,' Alice supplied, noticing her wandering eye. 'We keep a small garden of herbs, to experiment with natural remedies. Cal can show you around in the morning.'

'How long have you been living in here?' Morgana asked as a polite conversation.

'My husband and I bought this cottage a long time ago, back then it was nothing more than a shack. Cal moved in later, which was nice, for we don't have any children of our own. A precious boy, he is... Very smart, and kind. But so restless.'

Morgana nods. An image of young Merlin, running around, getting into trouble, unable to concentrate, pops up in her mind with no effort. Even at the time of Camelot, Merlin was constantly on the way from ot to somewhere, running errands for Arthur and Gaius alike.

'I am much in your debt, Morgana, for bringing him here. The boy needs to rest.'

'I'm pretty sure it's the other way around,' Morgana countered, feeling quite undeserving of the gratitude.

Alice shook her head and smiled, 'Cal had been gone for nearly three years.'

Back upstairs, Morgana waited, curled up on the sofa, eyes growing heavy in the warmth that was now filling the room. The loss of sleep was beginning to wear down on her.

At last Merlin came out, carrying two extra towels. He had changed into a black t-shirt, his still wet hair dripping to his forehead. He had also shaved his stubble, suddenly looking much younger than he had at the station. 'Sorry it took so long, the shower didn't work, so I ran you a hot bath...' He stopped to stare at her, as if just realising something.

'Uhm, right. Of course.' He went downstairs and returned with a pile of clothes. There was a long gray sweater, a knitted shawl, pair of mens slacks, a white blouse. 'This should do, I mean - if you find anything that fits, that is...'

'It's fine,' she heard herself say, the umpteenth today. Indeed. Why wouldn't it be fine?

Instead, she went and picked up some clothes, the slacks and the shirt. Taking some things from the purse she had with her, she stood and hugged the pile close to her chest, meeting his eyes again.

Why wouldn't it be fine?

Merlin just stood there, water gathering on his forehead.

On an impulse, Morgana reached out and wiped it away, noticed how it see ed to unravel him a bit. She had seen the look before, but that was before she became the runaway and he his protector. Surely, all unease should have faded by now. Or is he remembering now?

Frightened by that idea made her pull away. Merlin looked away and mumbled something, ears turning bright red.

Something stirred within her. A sadness that wasn't quite from this time. Something she'd long since forgotten, when things had turned from bad to worse. But the thing between them, it was still there. After all that time. And that frightened her.

'Thank you, Cal.'

She took the towels and left the room.

Morgana sat in the bath till it went cold, resting her head just slightly above the water, thinking, thinking, and thinking... About Uther and his terrible secrets, Arthur's undying resolve to find her, the young man nextdoor, her destiny and her doom, in who's bath she was presently soaking, in the small cabin on the edge of town.

Was it so wrong for her to wish for a reprieve, just one moment to escape her insane reality and take one long breath and forget it all?

Was it wrong to stay just a while longer?

When she emerged, he saw Merlin was already fast asleep on a spare mattress laid out on the floor. The bed was freshly made for her - Morgana had missed the chance to argue about the fairness of the arrangement. So, after one last look at him, she climbed into the bed between the fresh sheets and the heavy duvet and switched off the light.

At night, their past came to life again. As real as ever. Flames of magic rippled through the ground and soaked it crimson red. A lance had torn through the right side of Arthur's armour, his own rune sword discarded, and the land was silent. Empty.

Merlin kneeled with her over the fallen king, their feud forgotten. He despaired, rebelled and tried, but the limp body remained unmoved. In his last hope, he turned to Morgana, asked if she knew anything that could help save him.

Morgana bent down, lowered her hood, and tasted the salt on his tear-stained cheeks... She felt the wind change.

'Avalon.'

.

Morgana awoke in the darkness, strangely relieved to see Merlin's dark shape on the floor, and thought about her dream, and how odd it all felt to see him there.

'Merlin.' She whispered into the darkness, expecting no answer. But then he stirred, and just as she closed her eyes he sat up and looked at her. Morgana lay motionless, pretending to be fast asleep.

With a sigh, Merlin connected with the mattress again. Then, all grew quiet.

The next morning, when she opened her eyes, Merlin was already up. The mattress was gone, her clothes neatly folded on the table. On top of it she found a note. Left to get some things from the city. Enjoy your breakfast. BRB, Cal.

Morgana wrapped the gray shawl around her shoulders and ventured downstairs to the kitchen. There was some bacon and eggs, an empty cup and a plate. Having overslept, the food was hopelessly cold. Besides, the idea of eating alone had no appeal to her this morning.

Unsure what to do, Morgana silently walked around the house. It was empty. Deserted.

Looking outside to the back yard, she spotted the familiar sight of Merlin's aunt. Alice.

Heaps of soil and dried herbs were littering the lawn. They smelled ancient and familiar, though many of their names were lost to her through time. Alice was explaining that she was clearing up this patch to plant some new ones in the spring. Armed with a pair of gardening gloves, Morgana helped to hold the stems while the other cut.

It felt nice: the smell of earth and late autumn, having something useful to do. In fact, everything so far had been nothing but sighed, brushed a wayward curl off her face and, for a moment, rested her arm on her knee.

'Are you going to tell him?' Alice asked, not once removing her eyes from the task at hand.

Morgana froze, felt her heart stop for second. The she gathered herself quickly, remembering to act cool. 'Tell him what?'

Who she really was? What she was running from? Or how they had met each other many times before?

The list was endless.

She knew from the start she should not have stayed here.

'Don't look so frightened, Morgana. Gaius and I had plenty of years to forgive and forget. There's no need for fear, my child.'

Morgana's mouth opened and closed. How did she know her name? And did she just say Gaius?

But of course. Of course.

She was still to come up with an answer, but Merlin's shout cancelled that thought. A familiar friendly face popped out through the door.

A/N: More to come soon, hopefully. Thank you for reading and reviewing : )