A/N – it's finally here! I have read, re-read and re-re-read it. I've agonised over every word and ever letter and every puncutation mark, but it's finally here – the 9th and final chapter.

This was really difficult to write, because this is where the aftermath of the story is nothing like what happened in the Supernatural episode his fic is based off. I'm sorry it took so long – broken memory sticks and all sorts of trouble. But I hope you like it, and I hope it was worth the wait. 3300 words. Lots of... oh, just read it!

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"Arthur!" Merlin screamed, rushing towards him.

Struggling to breathe through the pain, Arthur lifted his head, his eyes flickering open.

"Arthur, wake up! Arthur! Are you alright?" Merlin asked frantically, checking the King's pulse in his neck.

As everything slowly began to pull into focus, Arthur became aware of the ropes pulling at his wrists, holding them in place above his head, and the ache in his shoulder and neck.

"Merlin..." he mumbled, his voice grainy and weak. Smiling, scarcely able to believe it, he muttered, "I was right."

Merlin's entire body breathed one huge sigh of relief as he looked into Arthur's eyes, "I thought I'd lost you!"

"You almost did." grunted Arthur, wincing as Merlin carefully pulled a long, thin fang from the artery in his neck.

As the slow flow of venom stopped, very slowly, things began to become clearer and the crushing weight pushing against his head began to ease up. Merlin fumbled around with the ropes above his head, untying him quickly.

Then something appeared behind him, and Arthur scarecly had time to croak, "Merlin!" before the Djinn grabbed his manservant by the shoulder.

Merlin turned round, gasping as he looked up at the huge and terrifying monster, currently crushing his shoulder with a powerful grip. But as its eyes began to burn a brighter blue, and it extended its other hand to touch Merlin's head, the boy's eyes also lit up – a bright gold colour. The Djinn was thrown back, crashing into the cave wall several feet away.

Arthur squinted as the world continued to spin and he desperately tried to pull everything into focus. Yanking heavily at the already loosened ropes above his head, trying to free himself, Arthur squirmed, as he watched an impossible battle unfold before his blurry eyes. Two figures – one substantially larger and bluer than the other were moving frantically about, attacking each other. A bright light burned, flashing suddenly as though appearing from nowhere, consuming everything in Arthur's vision for several seconds, and he had to close his eyes to shield himself from it. When it subsided, and he opened his eyes again, things were a little clearer now – the Djinn was lying on the floor, no longer glowing, but looking, for want of a better word, drained. If he didn't know better, he'd say it was dead. But he was hardly able to believe Merlin could defeat such a beast single-handedly with no apparent weapon.

Still dizzy and unable to collect his thoughts, he stopped thinking about it when one last tug on the ropes freed him and he went crashing to the ground.

"Arthur!" Merlin suddenly called, "He's alive!"

Arthur looked up to see Merlin busy untying the blooded peasant boy from his dream. As he took the young boy in his arms, straining a little under the dead-weight, he nodded towards the light at the end of the cavern. Reaching down, he offered Arthur his shoulder, and the King took it, leaning on it as he pulled himself clumsily up. Then, both unsteady on their feet, but determined, they made their way through the passageway and eventually out into the light of day.

There wasn't much light left in the day as the sun was already setting, and with two severely injured in their company, Merlin knew he'd have to set up camp somewhere close. All the same, after spending however long they'd been trapped there, in almost total darkness in that cave, any hint of direct sunglight, however dull, was momentarily blinding to Arthur.

Raising his arm to shield his eyes and squinting, Arthur mumbled, "Merlin... we need to get to safety, find somewhere to set up camp..."

Merlin nodded, "There's a place down by the stream. It's pretty sheltered, and there's fish – we need to eat."

Arthur nodded in agreement, and as they headed off towards the sound of running water, stumbling slowly through the foliage – Arthur still dizzy, and Merlin carrying the young peasant boy in his arm, Arthur turned to Merlin. "How long was I gone for?"

"Almost a day and a half. Camelot's Knights should come looking for us soon. They were expecting us back this morning, they'll know something was wrong. I'm just glad I found you alive!" Merlin replied, setting the boy down by the roots of a large Willow tree as they reached the stream's edge.

Arthur nodded, "Thank you." he said, before his whole world began to spin again and he collapsed.

Arthur awoke to the crackling sound and warmth of a fire. Sitting up suddenly, taking heavy, laboured breaths, he looked around.

"Are you alright?" Merlin asked.

Arthur looked to see him sitting up, the other side of the fire. The injured peasant boy was lying next to him, and Merlin held a stick with a poked fish on the end over the flames. Arthur nodded, sighing heavily.

"Don't get up," Merlin said calmly, just glad to see him awake, "You need to rest, Arthur. The Djinn's poison is powerful, and it's going to take some time to wear off. We shouldn't move until Camelot's Knights come. A patrol should be here by tomorrow morning. Until then... you need to eat."

Nodding in agreement, Arthur lay back down, leaving the food Merlin offered him lying beside him, untouched. He couldn't eat right now. He couldn't sleep either...

The night wore on, and eventually, as Arthur began to feel his strength return, he sat up. Merlin was still awake, watching over Arthur attently all night it seemed. Arthur couldn't help but smile as he stared into the flames. He was glad to have Merlin – the real Merlin back. But everything else, everything he'd lost...

"Are you sure you're alright?" Merlin asked again, looking deep into Arthur's eyes, his face painted with worry.

Arthur nodded slowly. Then, eventually, he took a long, deep breath and spoke. "I was dreaming you know. I don't know how long for, but in there… it felt like it was days. The Djinn didn't grant my wish, it just made me thought it had."

"So you were living in your wish?" Merlin looked down for a moment, absorbing this revelation quietly to himself. "How did you get out?"

"I killed myself." Arthur answered. When Merlin looked at him with wide eyes, Arthur continued, "I realised it was just a dream, that I was really held captive to the Djinn and needed to wake up. And when you die in a dream, you wake up, right? So I figured…"

Merlin nodded, and seeing how difficult the King was finding this, he tried, "You did the right thing, Arthur. And I'm glad you did. I don't know if anyone else would have had the strength to pull themselves out."

Arthur nodded slowly, his mind somewhere else. Eventually, drawing a deep breath, he turned to Merlin with tears in his eyes and said, "You should have seen it Merlin. My mother was alive, Camelot was in peace, Guinevere and I were about to have children! Morgana was here – you two were engaged!" he exclaimed. "Although… we didn't really get on."

Merlin raised an eyebrow. "I thought it was supposed to be a perfect world?" he ventured.

Arthur shook his head, "It was just a wish… something I never even said aloud. It was perfect to me because it was the world I'd always wanted. I wished that my mother had never died, that I could have grown up with her, that I could have had a real childhood and someone who loved me with all their heart and… well, I suppose I can't have both you and that." He sighed eventually, laughing a little as he said it.

Merlin smiled in return, but the expression soon faded and concern once again took over. "Well I'm glad we do get on. Because you're my friend, Arthur. You're like a brother to me. And I don't know what I'd do without you. I'm glad you had the strength to let it go."

The King nodded, "I'm grateful for your friendship Merlin, and your loyalty. I'm glad we do get on." Merlin nodded, but Arthur stood up and turned away, looking out into the dark forest. Then he turned back to look at Merlin, and he could see tears swimming in the King's eyes. "But you should have been there, Merlin. I mean… we've suffered so much. I've lost so much! I've lost my father, I lost Morgana, I never even knew my mother! But there, everything was different. We had peace, Merlin!" then he added, "Magic was free, you know…"

At this, Merlin perked up, and his brow furrowed in confusion as his eyes darted about, searching for some explanation.

Seeing his reaction, Arthur nodded and continued, "I suppose if my father never lost Igraine, he never banned magic… there was no war, no hatred, no executions. There was just peace and prosperity. I had a family, I had my sister back…"

Merlin nodded slowly, now beginning to feel a twang of pain in his chest at the idea of this world that could have been. A world with peace; a world where he was free to be himself, where he had everything he'd wished for too, even Morgana! Eventually, he looked up into Arthur's eyes and spoke. "It wasn't real."

"But I wanted it to be!" Arthur replied, throwing his sword down by the fire as he sighed heavily, seating himself once more. Rubbing the tears from his eyes, he stared into the flames as he spoke. "I wanted so desperately to stay. It was how things should have been. And it's not fair that my mother was taken from me before I even had a chance to know her! I've done everything I can, Merlin… I've always followed my heart, tried to do what I believe is right. But still… everyone around me dies. Everyone leaves in the end." he finished, defeated. Rubbing his eyes, he sighed heavily.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Merlin replied quickly, looking up and catching Arthur's gaze.

A faint smile began to emerge on Arthur's face and Merlin returned the affectionate gesture. Whatever could be said about the world that could have been, the world he wanted… he was glad Merlin was here, and back to his old, usual self. But as Arthur thought more and more about the Merlin he'd known in that other world, his brow began to furrow and he felt his voice get caught in his throat as he tried to speak.

Clearing his throat, he began again. "Merlin… did you love Morgana?" he asked.

Merlin raised his eyebrows, a little taken aback by the question. Eventually he nodded, "Yes. I did… and I'm responsible for who she is now, Arthur, not you. I could have… I should have helped her. She trusted me and I let her down in ways… I should have been there."

"Why weren't you?"

"I… I don't know, I was scared I suppose." He eventually mumbled, now fighting back his own tears.

"You were engaged you know – she was totally besotted with you." Arthur replied, choosing his words carefully as he struggled to voice them, struggling to make sense of this. "And you… you were a nobleman."

Merlin sat up a little straighter, a bemused look on his face, unsure of quite what to make of that information. "Well… I suppose that explains why she fell for me!" he joked.

Then Arthur looked up, staring Merlin deep in the eye, and held his gaze as he continued, "You were the Court Sorcerer, Merlin." Dead silence fell and he watched as Merlin's breathing increased. Now fighting back tears, Arthur continued, "How did you defeat the Djinn back there, in the cave?"

Shifting a little uncomfortably, Merlin paused for a moment, before changing the subject, averting his gaze. "So, in this dream of yours… where I was a sorcerer…"

As his voice trailed off, Arthur took up the thread. "We didn't get along, we hated each other! But it wasn't because of your magic, it was because I was an ass and I never treated you well. A world where magic wasn't outlawed, Merlin, and everything was the same. Morgana still had magic, only she used it for good. Guinevere was my wife. But you... you gave my mother an enchanted necklace to protect her. You told me your father was Balinor, the Dragonlord… so I have to ask myself, Merlin… why, when everything else was the same as it would have been, were you so different?"

Avoiding his gaze, Merlin replied, "I don't know, sire." Smiling, attempting to brush it off, he said, "The Djinn manipulated you into believe all kinds of things. You were dreaming, Arthur; none of it was real."

Nodding slowly, Arthur fell silent for a moment. He could still feel the tears welling up in his eyes.

Merlin stood up, as though about to head off and mumbled, "We need more firewood."

But Arthur caught him before he could turn away, saying, "All those years ago, you told me you'd never met your father. When we went to find the Dragonlord, you found Balinor in the cave and he helped me. And when he died you were distraught. I've never seen you cry like that before, for anyone…"

Merlin eventually shifted his gaze and when met with Arthur's, he could see it – like he was begging Arthur not to ask, begging him not to bring back that hurt or keep digging to find the truth. Some truths were too much to bear…

Arthur swallowed hard. "Was Balinor your father?"

Turning away, desperately trying to push down the tears threatening to spill over, Merlin took a deep breath. "Arthur… I was upset because he was Camelot's last hope…"

"Yes," Arthur pryed, "Because no weapon we had could even touch the Great Dragon, nothing was poweful enough. And you told me – the other you, in this dream – that the Dragonlord magic was passed from father to son. So suddenly I'm wondering why when the entire army of Camelot couldn't bring down this creature, with every strength of arms we could muster, it miraculously disappeared. You told me I dubbed it a mortal blow with my spear…" Shifting himself where he sat, drawing himself up as though suddenly becoming taller, Arthur asked again, "You didn't answer my question, Merlin… was he your father?"

As a tear escaped his desperate, crumbling defences, Merlin, still looking away, unable to match Arthur's gaze again, nodded slowly. After a lengthy pause, without turning to look at the King, he said again, "We need more firewood." and then he was gone.

Arthur sat there, sighing heavily as he watched Merlin disappear, engulfed by the darkness of the forest. Had he just scared him off? What was he supposed to do now? What do you do when you find out that someone you love, someone you care about that much, someone who's been there for you everytime you needed them, even when you didn't want them... what do you do when you find out they've been lying to you all this time?

Did he even have a right to pry? If Merlin truly was a sorcerer – an explanation Arthur wanted so desperately to deny, but as hard as he searched, he couldn't find any other way around this truth, no other explanation for everything that had happened – what was he supposed to do? He wasn't about to execute his closest friend! Could he blame him for keeping his secret? Law stated he should be executed for his crimes. He lived with that every day...

No, Merlin was his friend... he should have told him. He should have been honest. The magic, maybe he could find some room for it, some room to forgive, some room to expand his horizons and see the world in a slightly different light. But the lies... that was too personal. That cut deep deep into his heart and tore him apart inside.

For what felt like an eternity, Arthur sat there, staring into the flames, watching them rise as they devoured the wood, turning it all to ash and dust. Trying so desperately to clear his head, to make some sense of it all, he suddenly looked up as he heard movement ahead. He breathed a sigh of relief and surprise as Merlin appeared from the darkness, carrying several logs of wood. He looked exhausted, and Arthur could tell he'd been crying.

Arthur even braved a smile as their eyes met for a moment before Merlin placed the wood down, feeding the fire as he sat himself once again, perching in the same position as before, as if nothing had happened. It was a small smile, but it was there, for a second. He hadn't even been sure if Merlin would come back.

They sat for some time in silence, each avoiding one another's gaze, until eventually, Arthur looked up and spoke. "What would you do, Merlin, if you found out that someone you've known for years, someone… someone you care about a lot, wasn't who you thought they were?"

Merlin took a deep breath, then looked up into Arthur's eyes and spoke in a deep but weak voice as he fought back more tears. "I think that some secrets are best kept hidden. Sometimes people keep secrets because they have to, they don't have any other choice… sometimes secrets keep us safe."

Arthur nodded slowly. He swallowed hard, then after a long pause he looked deep into Merlin's eyes and said, with genuine regret and compassion, "I never meant to make anyone feel unsafe…"

Merlin braved a small smile. "I know, Arthur." then, after a pause where the atmosphere was so thick he could have cut into it with his sword, Merlin spoke up again, adding, "I'm sure those… who feel… unsafe with their secrets are just waiting for the right opportunity. They never meant to keep anything from you… they never meant to hurt you, Arthur. But when the time is right, when you're ready to see the truth…"

Nodding knowingly, Arthur wiped away the tear on his cheek.

"I'm sorry, Arthur." the words left Merlin's lips as the conversation came to its end and as he had nothing left to say, Arthur just looked back at Merlin. As their gaze met and they shared an intense and emotional moment, they knew the didn't need any words; they didn't need anything else.

Tearing his gaze away from Merlin, Arthur eventually cleared his throat and, laying down amongst the roots, he said, "We'll travel back to Camelot at first light tomorrow morning."

Merlin nodded, wiped away the tear stains on his cheeks, and followed suit, bedding himself down on the soft earth. Still in shock at Arthur's revelation, and the unspoken truth that now lay between them like a barrior as tall as Camelot's great walls, Merlin closed his eyes and sighed heavily. But he couldn't help but feel, amongst all the uncertainty, the confusion and shock, a sense of peace. He'd looked into Arthur's eyes; he's seen past the clever words, all the banter and all the defences he usually put up. He'd seen him. And there was hurt and shock in those eyes, yes; but there was something else there too. Amongst all the confusion and pain, there was hope also...

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A/N – thank you all so much for reading this story. I've never managed a long, multi-chapter story like this before, and you'll all been so supportive and complimentary! It's been wonderful writing this, and I *really* hope you like this final chapter. Please let me know what you think and leave a review!

Gentlemen... it has been a pleasure writing for you!