I'm so sorry about the wait. I was volunteering and then other stuff got in the way, but here it is.

Both made it through the airport with little trouble as they carried no bags, except for Merlin's computer, and their pockets were empty save for the cell phones that they each carried.

When they arrived at 4:30 AM, the plane was still four hours away from boarding, so Merlin and Morgana settled down to wait. The airport was cold, both in temperature and feeling, with white tiled floors and pale gray walls. The chairs they sat in were made of a shiny silver metal that seemed to radiate the ice, and the area in which they were sitting was empty except for them.

After their clash of wills in the car, both were silent, watching the other for some sign that it was alright to resume conversation. Neither received that sign.

At 6:30 AM, Merlin stood. "I'm going to get something to eat. What would you like?" His tone was obedient and rehearsed, reminiscent of his time working for Arthur, and Morgana rose beside him.

"I'll come. You're not the servant anymore." She said it with a small smile dancing on her lips, attempting to end the awkwardness.

Merlin, not bothering to look up to see the smile, began walking to a fast food place as he nonchalantly replied "I'll always be the servant, Morgana."

She thought this remark through as she mindlessly followed him towards the food court. He was the servant, but whose? Arthur's? Hers?

The woman serving food greeted them with rehearsed warmth. "Hi, welcome to McDonald's, what can I get for you today?"

Merlin, having ordered already, looked to Morgana who was still lost in thought, pondering the meaning of Merlin's words. "Morgana, what do you want?" He asked, swiftly but gently.

She looked up, snapped out of her daydreams. I'll have a number five without pickles, mustard, or ketchup and a small vanilla shake."

Both Merlin and the woman looked at her in surprise. "That's exactly what I ordered," Merlin said with a smile in his voice.

Morgana smiled back, saying nothing more than "Oh".

The McDonald's worker looked at them, also smiling. "You two are so cute together; you're like the perfect couple," she said, handing them their food.

Neither Merlin nor Morgana corrected her to say that they weren't a couple.

~oOo~

Two hours later, the plane was ready to board. Morgana and Merlin chatted amiably as they got on, their conversation never reaching beyond simple small talk, which Morgana happened to be very good at.

"So what have you been doing in the past thousand years?" Morgana asked casually as they took their seats.

"Nothing much," Merlin's youthful smile returned in full as he spoke with Morgana. "A lot of traveling and running around. I went back to Avalon every year on the anniversary of your and Arthur's deaths."

Morgana already knew this, but she nodded, deeply interested, as if the story meant so much more coming from Merlin's lips. "Why?" She asked.

"In a thousand years, it's easy to forget things: the sound of Gwen's laugh, the way Gawain's eyes lit up when he argued. I didn't want to forget you or Arthur ever."

The plane was quickly growing crowded, but Merlin and Morgana did not notice, immersed in a world made up of only the two of them and a few almost faded memories of a time when things were different.

Morgana nodded again. "I haven't been to Camelot since I've been back."

This time, it was Merlin's turn to be curious. "Why? I'd have thought you'd want to see your old home."

Morgana gave him a long, sad look. "Camelot-" Morgana was cut off mid-sentence as the plane took off. She clung on to her seat for dear life as her face grew pale in terror.

Merlin couldn't help but chuckle to see the great Morgana Pendragon paralyzed with fear at something as commonplace as an airplane. "Morgana?" He asked with both amusement and genuine concern, "Are you alright?"

Her face didn't relax at all as she responded "don't mock me Merlin. I've never been on a plane before".

Merlin attempted (and failed) to stop his goofy smile. "It's just that you've flown on dragons Morgana. What's so different about a plane?"

"Dragons are natural. This is not." She shot him a look, dripping with ice.

"Okay, I can accept that." He said, reaching over to clutch her small hand within his larger one. She clung on to it as if letting go would mean sudden death.

Well that was fluffy... I'll make it up to you in the next few chapters. I'm going through a little internal debate about the next chapter, but I'll decide shortly. As always, make sure to review and follow.