Yay! New chapter, new year! 2014, here I come.

Morgana found an old t-shirt of Merlin's and some flannel pants for herself, then started searching through his closet for something that would fit Gwen or Arthur. She'd barely even been here before, but it felt like home, every corner filled with him.

She couldn't go back to her own Boston apartment. It was so cold and empty. It didn't smell like him. Or feel like him. His pictures didn't decorate the mantle, and his food didn't fill the fridge. Here, she could still believe that he was coming back.

She glanced at the papers he'd left on the counter: students' essays. She had forgotten what he had left. He had a job, a life. What were they going to tell people about him?

Gwen found her there an hour later, staring at the papers silently.

"Are you alright?" She asked kindly.

"What are we going to do? He has a life here? What are we going to tell the people?" Her voice was dull and monotone, but it was filled with more emotion than a little bit of inflection could express.

"We can figure that out tomorrow, but it's late, and you've been through a lot."

Morgana crept into Merlin's bad. It seemed big and empty without Merlin to share it with. She could hear Gwen and Arthur arguing in the other room, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Had it really only been a few days since they had left?

~oOo~

Gwen was completely exhausted, but she had always taken care of people, and there was still a lot left to do. They would need new clothes and some food, and Morgana was right about Merlin's life. What were they going to say?

She'd observed this world from Avalon, but it was completely different to be living in it, and she knew that she and Arthur would need to adjust. She was good at that sort of thing, but she feared what Arthur might do if unsupervised. He was sort of set in his ways.

And Morgana had a life too. How was Gwen going to get her back into it? There was so much to figure out and do.

She started with calling the school. Although it seemed much later because of their adventure, it was really only 3 in the afternoon. People would be there.

"Hi, I'm Merlin's sister," she started, already planning an excuse.

"Oh, Merlin didn't mention a sister," the voice on the other end replied.

"Yeah, well I've been in England, but a family emergency has come up, so he's not going to be able to come into work." She knew that it was stupid to try and keep his job open for him, but a part of her couldn't help but believe that he was coming back.

"Okay, do you know how long he's going to be out?"

"Indefinitely," Gwen answered, hanging up.

Arthur watched from behind, looking conflicted. He didn't know what to do any more than Gwen did. Maybe less actually. Gwen knew this, but still she waited for him to do or say something that would make this easier.

"Say something," she told him.

He blinked. "I don't trust her. After everything she did to us. How do you know she won't try something again?"

"You were with me. You watched everything she did to redeem herself. You told her to come back, Arthur."

"I know," he muttered. "But I can't forget what she did before. She tried to kill all of us. She hurt you and brainwashed you!"

"Arthur, you know as well as I do that everything she did because she wanted to be accepted," Gwen snapped.

"That's not a problem anymore then," Arthur replied.

Gwen gave him a look.

"Isn't it?" She asked.

"What do you mean?" Arthur yelled quietly, aware that Morgana was sleeping in the other room.

"You don't seem very accepting."

"Of course I accept her. Proceed with caution is all I'm saying."

"Merlin trusted her-" Gwen started.

"Which is weird by the way!" Arthur interrupted. "Merlin and Morgana. Together. It's just not normal."

"Merlin trusted her," Gwen restarted. "And so should we."

Arthur looked a little huffy, but after some more arguing, he decided that as usual, Gwen was right.

"She's your sister, Arthur. And she needs you," Gwen said. "Just try to be understanding."

~oOo~

Merlin tried to listen in to Arthur and Gwen's conversation, but when it all came down to it, all he could focus on was Morgana. She was sleeping now, but she even in her dreams, she seemed so sad and small.

This was the great Morgana, and she'd become small for him. He didn't want that. He wanted to see her strong again.

Gaius stood watching him watch them. He hadn't left Merlin's side since he'd arrived.

"Gaius," Merlin asked. "Is there a way I can walk in someone's dreams?"

"It's possible, but are you sure you want to?" Gaius responded. "It can make things far more difficult."

"I just want to say goodbye."

~oOo~

Morgana blinked open her eyes. She was in Camelot, alive and bustling like it used to be. She knew she was dreaming, but she had no fear. It was so happy, so right. She wasn't sure that she ever wanted to wake up.

A tap on her shoulder prompted her to turn around to see Merlin's childish face, grinning ear to ear.

"Hi," he started shyly.

"I'm dreaming," she responded matter-of-factly, not allowing herself to think or hope anything.

"I know. But it beats where I am." He chuckled to let her know that he was joking, but her face didn't change.

"Avalon's a nice place," she told him.

"I haven't noticed. I've been too busy watching you."

"Merlin, why are you here?" She asked.

"I couldn't say goodbye. I love you Morgana. And I wanted to tell you that I'm going to find a way back to you."

"I love you too," she said, her eyes beginning to burn with tears. "And I wish you the best of luck. I really hope you succeed."

"I know I will."

And Camelot went black.

~oOo~

Morgana woke up in the real world, snuggled comfortably in Merlin's sheets. The pillow beneath her head was wet with tears from the night, but her eyes were now dry. She had a new hope that could keep her going until Merlin's return.

~oOo~

Nothing really exciting happened for the next few weeks as Morgana got back to work and Gwen and Arthur adjusted to their new lives.

Gwen got a job as a nurse at a local hospital with the help of a few fake degrees and references courtesy of Morgana's magic. It was actually a lot easier than it looked.

Arthur, born to be in charge, was somehow hired to manage some business firm with no help from Morgana. When asked how he managed to acquire such a job, he just said "I was king once."

Although everything wasn't perfect between them, Arthur and Morgana were beginning to get along better. They'd agreed to put the past in the past and start fresh, and that seemed to be working out well.

Except for the gaping hole left by Merlin, things were going well.

~oOo~

All the stuff that they had left on the table was shoved to one of the four seats as Morgana, Gwen, and Arthur crowded around the other three for dinner. At first, they had left it empty for Merlin, but it had been nearly a month and he still wasn't here.

No need to leave a place out when they really had no idea if and when he was showing up.

Gwen opened the bottle of wine, pouring a glass for herself, then Arthur. Morgana stopped her before she got to her.

"This is a week now Morgana. You used to love wine. If I didn't know better, I'd think you're pregnant," Arthur joked, but the room went silent.

Morgana's heart was pounding a million beats per minute, and she glanced compulsively at Merlin's empty seat. A table for for four with only three.

"Wait Morgana," he said as if anyone was going to start speaking. "Are you?"

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