A/N: Here we go, the last real chapter. It's a monster, even longer than the last one. THERE WILL BE AN EPILOGUE so don't tune out completely after you're done with this one. I wrote the epilogue months ago, but have obviously been waiting to publish it. Thanks for sticking with this story, even through the super infrequent updates, the weird plot, the plot holes, the stuff I put in that you didn't want and the stuff you wanted me to put in that I didn't. I really do appreciate it.

Enjoy this last chapter.

Merlin counted his heartbeats as he waited to arrive back in the future-past, steeling himself for whatever he would find on the other side.

One. Breathe. Two. He could do this. Three. He could. Four-

All at once, he was back, and the light of the portal melted into the dimness of the cave. It took his eyes a moment to adjust, but once they did, he came face to face with his younger counterpart, who was staring at him in mixed panic and relief. Le Fey's hand was at the scruff of his neck, and she looked as though she'd been hauling him toward the portal when his older self had suddenly reappeared.

"Merlin!" Arthur said.

"You." Le Fey spat, breath stirring her veil. Even through the dark curtain, Merlin could practically feel her glare.

Merlin realized that Morgana hadn't expected him to return. He didn't understand exactly what had motivated her to send him through the portal first. Perhaps it was a sick curiosity, experimentation, or perhaps just a wish for him to be out of the picture. Notwithstanding, whatever she thought might happen, she hadn't intended for him to be back.

Merlin's mind had only seconds to figure out what to do. He had his magic back, yes, but only in part. He wasn't sure how long it would last him, but he needed to something now, something big, before Morgana could stop him. Looking away from Morgana and to the staff, still hovering in its place, he yelled,

"Áflíegung!" The staff flew out of the lock with an arch of energy, and clattered to the cave floor.

"NO!" screeched Le Fey, throwing Merlin down to the floor and rounding on Emrys. Prince Arthur rushed to aid his servant, whilst the king stood watching the two sorcerers, trying to find a good way to help if need be.

"Cymþ!" Morgana said, palm held open. The staff leaped into her hand, and almost immediately, she turned it and, with a wordless scream, knocked Emrys off his feet with a shockwave. His head cracked hard against the wall, and he fell to the ground in a heap. She left him there and whirled around in a rage, not hesitating a second before she took the staff in both hands and blasted a shot of lighting at the king.

"My kingdom will have to wait with the portal," She said, striking another blow. It sizzled the air, and Arthur screamed when it grazed his arm.

"Arthur!" Young Merlin screamed, even though the Prince was at his side.

"But you, you will finally die. Fir!" fire shot in a lava-like stream at the king, who was holding his injury and scrabbling against the stone.

"I will be rid of you," She was crazed, complete and utter madness spitting at the back of her veil, "gicel!" This time, ice. It hit his side, then his ankle, binding him to the cave wall.

"I will reclaim my birthright!" she raised the staff again, and slammed it down diagonally across the space in front of Arthur. His head slammed sideways, as if hit. "Ceorfsæx!" He was hit again, and Arthur screamed, unable to move. Blood appeared on a cut across his chest. "Swingel! Dolg! Néadhád cwealm!" With each word, Le Fey swung the staff against her half-brother, magic slamming against him in a relentless torrent. The first few times, he'd screamed, but now his body was in too much shock to respond. "Cwealm, cwealm, cwealm!" She swung again, and again, and again.

The onlookers could hardly move. Merlin was desperately calling to Arthur, although he might not've realized it. Prince Arthur was holding him back, because he knew she would kill him, but he couldn't draw his eyes away from what was happening to his future self.

Off to one side, Morgana was watching her lady with a look of terror, of confusion. She glanced at the king and tried to school her expression into something sinister, something satisfied. Her eyes flashed with uncertainty and panic.

Emrys was unconscious where he'd fallen. Merlin cast glances between his older self and the dying king, and eventually, threw all caution to hell and threw Arthur off his shoulder.

"Merlin!" The prince called, but Merlin was charging up to Le Fey, placing himself between the bloody king and his attacker.

"Bordrand!" He yelled, splaying his hands out in the air. When his eyes glowed gold, he wouldn't give a thought to the fact that Arthur would see. Le Fey's spell hit and shattered against Merlin's shield, but Arthur could see his servant wince. It hurt him. Even through his shield, Merlin's time was limited. Arthur had to do something. He looked over at Emrys, who was still lying motionless on the floor. He looked up at Morgana, to the face that he'd once known, now growing darker than he knew. He wanted to scream at her, or to cry, he wasn't sure. He glanced between her and her older self. But she didn't know, he remembered. She didn't know who it was that was beating him to death, threatening the lives of Merlin and the Future King.

Not thinking much beyond that point, Arthur threw himself at Le Fey in a flash, hands going for her head, finding purchase in her thick veil. He ripped it off in a heave that sent him rebounding to the floor. She screamed in rage, and when Arthur rolled back onto his feet, she was there, wild black hair like a lion's mane over a murderous, insane glare.

Inexplicably, silence filled the room as she stalked closer. Le Fe didn't seem to care that she'd been exposed, that Morgana had recognized her, but Arthur had to look over at his father's ward. Morgana was staring in horror, breathing hard, because she'd suddenly realized. She looked at Le Fey, and back at the king, and to Merlin, who looked fit to collapse after exerting himself for the shielding spell. Her eyes inevitably found Le Fey again, and her expression was making strange movements. Now shaking her head, now lifting her chin, now swallowing, now looking for a place to run.

"You," Le Fey hissed, gripping the staff in her hand with a force that made it sizzle. "Little brother," She spat, and shook her head as if that was the only charge she had to muster to condemn him. She raised her staff against him, as she had with the king.

Of course, Merlin had to be an idiot again.

"NO!" And he was suddenly there. "Bordrand!" Hands out in front, and from the protected side, now, Arthur could see the shimmering sphere that had appeared around him. In a sudden and untimely realization, Arthur remembered the spell he'd used – 'bordrand' – it was the same word that Emrys had said the night they'd been kidnapped, the night he'd lost his magic again. Merlin had shielded him the whole time, Arthur realized, just as he was doing now.

Merlin's scream brought him out of it. The servant was crumpling, but his shield didn't falter.

"Merlin, stop it!" Arthur said, worried for a his friend, unnerved by magic, and, for the first time in the time in their friendship, powerless to protect.

"She'll kill you, you know that." Merlin gritted out, falling to his knees at the next blow. The sound of Le Fey's screaming was muffled through the shield, and it made it all so much more unnerving.

"She'll kill you, Merlin, for god's sake, stop it!" He was screaming, because Merlin was his friend. He'd gotten in Merlin's face, although Merlin couldn't see it with his eyes squeezed shut. Sweat dripped down his face, and after another blow, the protective shield around them flickered and fell, just for a moment. Merlin moaned in pain before forcing it up again.

"No," He said, stronger than Arthur had ever heard him, "No. Have to…" the staff slammed into the barrier, and he screamed. "…protect…" he opened his eyes, and although he hadn't meant to stare into Arthur's eyes, that's what happened. The Prince was shaking his head, not sure what to protest first. Merlin's shield disappeared again, this time just before a blow. Not moving from Arthur's, Merlin's eyes changed into a look of terror and apology as the staff came down.

Acting instinctually, Arthur grabbed Merlin and threw the servant behind himself, spreading his arms protectively, even without a weapon. Morgana didn't care who she was hitting now, and brought the staff down again with a scream. Arthur winced.

"ÁLYNE!" And just like that, the magic hum in the room was sucked away. As Le Fey brought the staff down, it clattered uselessly against the floor. After a moment of pure shock, Arthur looked up. Emrys had hauled himself to his feet. His face was half covered in blood, hair sticky from where he'd hit his skull. It was beginning to fall down his neck and stain his collar, but he was obviously doing his best to ignore it.

Arthur was too busy staring to see the real and fear that came into Le Fey's eyes, but Morgana saw it, and froze as well. Then, the anger came welling back in a tidal wave, and Le Fey turned her wrath on Emrys, screaming. Emrys actually stepped into her assault, hand extended.

"Álynest," he said, "Ic béo þín ágend; cume!"

Seemingly of its own accord, the elder staff wrenched itself from Morgana's hands and flew into Merlin's waiting palm, where he gripped it tight and breathed in, his head going up and jaw setting in a powerful way Arthur thought would make the greatest of kings shudder.

"No more," he said, voice low and commanding. "No more, Morgana," he was shaking his head.

Le Fey, hair a mess and seems ripped in her clothes, was seething, staring in anger and shock at her enemy. "Emrys," She hissed, unable to do anything. "Emrys!" She yelled, and Arthur realized that she had tears running down her face." Emrys looked back at the King, and then at Merlin and Arthur. Simultaneously, they both heard his voice in their heads.

"GO."

Merlin shot away in Le Fey's distraction, exhausted as he was, and ran to King Arthur. The Prince was entranced by the confrontation, and took longer to go over.

"Come on, come on," Merlin was muttering over the king when Arthur got there. "Come on, you've got to wake up," Merlin was moving his hands and saying strange words over the king, his eyes an odd color, but Arthur hardly noticed, because he was watching Le Fey and Emrys face each other. One was covered in blood, the other in tears. Arthur could see Morgana still standing unmoving at the back of the room, watching in what he could only describe as complete shock.

"My kingdom!" Morgana screeched at him. The ground shook. "My birthright!" She tossed her arms, and the walls shook, this time.

"Come on, come on!" Merlin said at Arthur's side.

"I will change my destiny!" She screamed.

"No," was Merlin's rebuttal, surprisingly calm in the moment. "No, Morgana, you can't." Saying her name was a knife to them all, because her younger self was standing not far away. "You cannot change the past."

"I can," She insisted. "I will. I must!"

"But you can't!" Emrys yelled. "You can't, Morgana. For the love of heaven, Morgana, don't you think I would have changed it already if it were possible?!" Arthur suddenly realized that Emrys was nearly as emotional as Le Fey was. "I would have! I wanted to! I would have died to!" He drew himself in. "But you cannot toy with time, Morgana, not without paying a horrible price." His eyes flashed with severe pity as he regarded her. She'd gown even more insane for her trip into the past, even farther gone, even more pained and hurt.

She was twitching, chest heaving, head shaking. "No." She said. "No." "You are weak. You are unwilling to taste true power in all magic, Emrys, I have no such fear. I will conquer destiny itself."

Merlin was shaking his head at her sadly, and it enraged her.

"Uhrrmmn," King Arthur was coming around under Merlin's healing spells, and he lifted his head just in time to see his half-sister reach toward the sky and scream. There were words, too loud to understand, and the room began shaking.

"Morgana!" Emrys yelled, reaching for her. In a flash of light, Le Fey was gone, and Emrys with her.

"Merlin!" The ground continued to tremble beneath them, and it spread to the walls, the ceiling. Rock crumbled down.

"It's coming down around us," the King told himself and his younger friend as they hauled him up between them, even as tired as they all were. "We have to get out of here, now."

"What about Merlin?" Merlin asked.

"Just go!" The king yelled to hide the fact that he was worried, too.

They hauled themselves up, supporting the king between them, and moved as fast as they could to the exit. Nearly there, light flashed through the cavern. The Prince did a double take, realizing that Emrys had reappeared, but was not following them. Le Fey was nowhere to be seen. The King saw his younger self look back, and he twisted his neck around as well.

"Merlin!" He shouted over the rumble, "Merlin, come on!" Rubble and boulders were falling around them.

Inside Emrys' head, the world was muffled except a rising ultimatum of conscience. He was staring at the place where Le Fey had been, her last words echoing in his head, words that only he had heard. She was dead. Slowly, as if through something thicker than air, his eyes drifted up, and he saw Morgana, young, terrified, confused Morgana. The room was collapsing. She wasn't moving. He was so, so tempted.

He was Emrys. He could make this earthquake stop, if he wanted to. He could halt time itself, he could walk over and take her by the hand, he could take her with them, apologize, warn, teach, forgive. He could redeem her. He could, if he wanted to. He was Emrys, and he held the elder staff imbued with magic from the Crystal cave. He was a time traveler, now, and he knew the course of destiny. He could, couldn't he?

…Should he?

"Merlin!" the familiar voice sounded muffled, and he paid it only peripheral attention. "Merlin, it's going to come down, we have to get out now!"

"Things must be as they have always been, and will be,"

"Merlin! Get out of there!"

"Bad things happen to those who meddle with time, Merlin."

"You can't do it, Merlin!"

"He's in the madhouse, now."

"You can't change the past!"

"I'm sorry."

"MERLIN!"

A huge CRA-ACK broke through Merlin's consciousness, and when he looked up at the collapsing ceiling, he was looking through the tears that had begun to fall down his face. He was out of time. Suddenly wanting to sob, he looked back to Morgana. "I'm sorry," he told her, though she couldn't hear. Using what energy he had left, he used magic to push her away, past the danger of the cavern room and into the tunnel that she'd entered from on the other side. Rocks fell in a cascade in front of him, and Merlin finally turned and ran.

They found a comfortable hillside to rest on not too far away from the cave. The sun was rising outside, and all of them seemed disoriented, because it hard to keep track of passing time whilst in a dark cave. Emrys especially seemed out of wits, but it wasn't the sunrise that was bugging him.

He saw to all their wounds with what magic he could coax from the depleted staff. His own magic was run nearly dry, as was Merlin's, but he managed enough to heal the King so he could walk, and to get his own head wound to stop bleeding. As he moved his hands over Arthur's injuries, the King watched him quietly.

"I thought I'd lost you there, for a second."

"I could've shielded myself form the rocks," Merlin said plainly.

"That's not what I mean, and you know it."

Merlin looked up to him, and realized that Arthur had seen into his thoughts, known what he'd been considering when he watched Morgana across the cave. He blinked back his emotions and turned his attention back to Arthur's wounds. "Where did she take you?" Arthur asked.

Merlin stopped his movements, and glanced back to where Arthur and Merlin sat a ways away. They were wrapped up in treating their own wounds, too busy to eavesdrop.

"Camlann," he said quietly, "where she died." Arthur looked shocked, but he said nothing, and let Merlin continue. "When I killed her the first time, she didn't die right away, that's what she told me. She was able to get away. Use magic, the darkest of dark magic, to heal herself. She found slivers of Eoran's research and used it to travel through time, to us, and then back here."

"Why go back?" Arthur asked at length.

Merlin wouldn't look at him. "She realized that it was over. She knew I'd come with her." It took him a moment to say, "She made me kill her, Arthur."

"Made you," Arthur tried to keep his voice accusatory. Merlin's face contorted, like he was trying not to cry.

"She was weak. Drained. She could barely move, she'd been living on dark magic so long, she was nearly gone, but not dead. She had a knife… she… she was going to end her own life. I-" He had to stop and collect himself. "I was trying to stop her, I grabbed her hand..." He had to stop again because his gut was trying to make him sob. "She was waiting for it. She put my hand on the dagger and pulled, made… made me do it." He was biting his lip. "She said I was no better than her, trying to change destiny. And she was right, you know." Merlin said. "After all this… I've killed her after all." He really did start crying then, slowly, tearfully, then all at once. His back started to shake and he couldn't stop. Emrys brought a hand up to his mouth and hoped that the younger men wouldn't realize that the great sorcerer was crying because he'd failed to do something he knew was impossible anyway.

Burned, aching, and tired, Arthur didn't care about tears or potential eavesdroppers, and sat up to put an arm around his friend. "I'm sorry," he said. "I'm so sorry." Merlin didn't cry for too long, but let Arthur hug him anyway, because he thought he needed it. Eventually the king let him sit back up and Merlin wiped at his eyes and nose, looking anywhere but at Arthur.

"What made you turn back?" Arthur asked softly.

"Advice from an old friend," Merlin told him, and chuckled despite everything. "A very old friend."

Arthur didn't know what he was talking about, but he wasn't inclined to ask. "Well, whatever it was," Arthur said, nodding slowly, "I'm proud of you, Merlin."

Merlin only sniffed, and nodded. This all had already happened, he told himself as he wrapped Arthur's worst burns and cuts that wouldn't heal all the way. All this, the cave, the portal, Morgana, Le Fey, it had all already happened, whether they remembered it or not. Arthur and Merlin would make it back to Camelot, they would grow up to understand each other. They would create Albion. He and his king would live out their lives as they should. It had already been written down in the annals of destiny. It had already happened. Morgana would escape from the cave. She would find her way back to Camelot. She would fulfill her destiny, pitiful and horrible as it was. She would die.

It had already happened, Merlin told himself. It was his comfort and his curse.

They rested through noon. After the day's events and toll on his magic and emotions, Emrys fell into a nap. When he woke, King Arthur was there tending a fire that had a spit set up above it.

"Ah good, you're up. You're far better with seasonings than I."

"…Seasonings?"

"Yes, your young self has somehow managed to magic up some spices. Arthur's found a stream nearby teaming with trout, and has promised us a good hearty luncheon. Although, I can't actually remember if I was good fisherman back then… er, back… now. He might need your help."

"…Oh," was all Merlin could think to say. In the end, Arthur didn't need any help. He and Merlin came walking up the hill together sometime later, two large trout slung over Arthur's shoulder. It didn't really hit Merlin that the younger two were talking with each other until he was nearly hallway through with his lunch.

Arthur knew about Merlin's magic. He'd learned about it from Emrys, and seen it through his own manservant. Emrys knew he had.

Emrys suddenly wondered if they'd talked about it at all, maybe while they were down by the stream together. What had they said? What did Arthur think, now? He could only imagine. In the present, Prince Arthur, having finished his own portion, was grabbing at Merlin's unfinished meal and Merlin was trying to keep it away. A squabble followed, but the older men watching knew Arthur was smiling. Merlin looked away from the scene, and odd feeling in his chest, and glanced back towards the King. The older Arthur looked almost humbled, and met Merlin's look with a small nod. Something calm settled over Merlin's troubled center, and he nodded back.

After lunch, it was time to find a way back.

"Can't you just… I don't know, zap us back to Camelot somehow?" King Arthur asked as they walked together. Merlin sighed at him, walking with the staff in hand.

"No. Normally, yes, but my magic is nearly gone again, and M…." He paused, struggling with the name. No one mentioned it when he couldn't say it. "…she took just about all the juice out of this," he shook the staff for emphasis.

"I'm feeling alright," Young Merlin said helpfully, "maybe I could."

Before either Arthur or his servant could look to hopefully, Emrys cut them off. "No, you couldn't. I'm sorry, Merlin, but teleportation magic is extremely dangerous, and you haven't even seen the right spell yet, much less tried it. It'll take you years to learn to teleport yourself, let alone a company of four." Merlin looked slightly put out, but not really hurt. They walked in silence for a bit. After a while, King Arthur asked,

"...Do you even know which way Camelot is from here?"

"Of course, but we're not going there yet," Merlin told him.

"Where are we going, then?"

"The Crystal Cave. We'll need to recharge this staff in order to go home."

The word changed the mood of their trek. Home. He meant Camelot, of course, but two different Camelots, from two different homes. Their journey was nearly at its end.

Reaching the Cave took them nearly to nightfall. Arthur would've thought they'd be farther away from Camelot, but apparently Morgana had been hovering rather close to her former home ever since she'd arrived here. It didn't take too long to replenish the staff's magic, but it did take a fair bit of coaxing and eye-rolling for both Arthurs to get their respective Merlins up and off the grassy knoll and stop babbling about how wonderful it was. Prince Arthur was a bit bewildered by the experience, but King Arthur only shook his head and hauled Merlin along by his arm, because he'd learned long ago that the Crystal Cave could reduce even the most dignified sorcerers into giddy lunatics.

"Alright, alright," Merlin said annooyedly, shooing the king off after a while. He adjusted the elder staff in his grip. "Next stop, Camelot."

"You don't think we should rest for the night?" Prince Arthur said, casting looks at the dark skies around them.

"No need. Gather around, and hold on to my arm."

They all did as told, and Emrys wrapped both hands around the staff and held it straight. His eyebrows came down suddenly in a frown, and he glanced at Prince Arthur at his elbow. "Arthur, you get motion sick easily?"

"Uh… what?"

"Well, I suppose we'll find out," Emrys shrugged. Arthur was frowning, now.

"What does that have to do with anyth-"

They disappeared in a whirl.

They reappeared in the throne room of Camelot, in the middle of what looked like an emergency council. The king and his lords were dumbstruck by the sudden arrivals, perhaps more so because Emrys' eyes were still gold with magic, staff buzzing with energy.

"Merlin!" Gaius stood to his feet first, smiling with relief.

"Sorcery…" Uther stood, slowly. Gaius shot him a look and suddenly had the sense to be scared for his ward.

"You… you are a sorcerer!" Uther raised his voice. "Merlin Emrys." The king turned his gaze from Emrys to the young Merlin, his eyes flashing first with disbelief, and then accusation. Suddenly blanching because his nightmares were coming true, Merlin turned to his older counterpart for help.

Emrys was looking down at his younger self with a triumphant, almost mischievous glint in his eyes. Merlin couldn't understand why he was smiling. Then, his own older voice echoed in his head. "I'll let you have that victory on your own time. But for now, take my arm again." Merlin did as he was told, and Emrys backed up a step away from the Prince and grabbed King Arthur's arm.

He didn't deign to answer Uther, and nodded instead to Gaius. "Thank you, Gaius, for everything. He smiled at the physician, and nodded. "I'll see you back home. And Arthur…" He turned toward the prince and trailed off. He wasn't sure what he could say, should say. It would all be said eventually, on their own time. "Well," he shrugged, "you should've figured it all out by now." The Prince smiled at him, and nodded. Emrys smiled back, and then, before Uther could lunge for his sword, King, Sorcerer, and servant disappeared in a flash.

They reappeared in Emrys' visitor's quarters. They could hear a ruckus echoing from downstairs, Uther's voice chief among the squabble. The alarm bells began to ring.

"Arthur, could you guard the door?" Merlin asked. The king nodded, drew his sword, and stepped outside. Merlin turned and looked about the room. "Now," he said, "where is that journal?" He brushed around the room, and his younger self watched him curiously for a moment before pitching in.

"Here it is," the younger told the older, producing the small book from where it'd fallen on the floor.

"Ah, yes, thank you." Merlin took it and held it carefully, patting it almost fondly. He looked at it silently for a moment, remembering Earnan. Young Merlin spent the moment studying his older face.

"You're going to make us forget, aren't you?"

"Hmm?" Emrys looked up, and saw the worry, the disappointment in Merlin's eyes.

"When you leave, back to your own time, you'll make us all forget you were ever here, won't you?"

Older Merlin sighed and pursed his lips. "I'm sorry," he said. "I have to."

"But why?" Merlin asked desperately.

Emrys thought, and let out a laugh. "Because it's already happened."

Merlin sighed and fiddled with his fingers, not looking up. Emrys' eyes softened, and put a hand on his younger, slimmer shoulder. He tilted his head to see around to Merlin's eyes.

"You don't want him to forget," he said quietly. "You want him to remember; your magic, you." Merlin had looked up to meet his own eyes, and of course he couldn't hide it form himself. He nodded softly. "And he will, Merlin. In time. Like I said, it will be worth it."

"I'll forget everything you've said, you know," Merlin told him.

Emrys nodded, taking the point. "Yes, but one day, you'll be me, and you'll understand that everything you don't remember me saying was true. You want to know how I know that?"

Merlin looked up at him, eyebrows twisted in a questioning and sad expression. Emrys mustered a kind smile.

"Because it's already happened." He said, gently. He gave his own shoulder an encouraging squeeze, and straightened up. He tucked the journal into a pocket and took up his staff again. He glanced to the door, where the noise was growing louder. "We need to be off," he said. "Merlin… thank you."

Merlin smiled wryly despite his sudden melancholy. "Isn't that a bit self-serving?"

Emrys shrugged. "Can't be that bad for you. Arthur's still kicking, isn't he?"

Merlin laughed, and Arthur appeared to say, "I heard that. Now come on," he gestured, "we need to go now, before they find us. They're fanning out through the castle as we speak."

Emrys nodded. "Right then, Merlin. This is goodbye."

"For now, obviously," Arthur added. Emrys smiled, and winked. Merlin tried his best to smile back.

"You'll need to find someplace to hide until the dust settles," Emrys told him. "And now, I'll have to ask you to go. It won't be good if you stay in here when we leave." Merlin nodded, headed to the door as his older self fished through his pockets for the spells Earnan had given him. After one last look, he left and shut the door softly behind him.

Emrys took his staff in both hands, and began to recite the first part of the spell. A familiar portal appeared, this time in the center of the room, a glowing door floating in the air. Stepping into the reach of its power but not quite into it, Merlin quietly said the memory spell and raised his staff. Hesitating, just for a moment, he brought the staff back down to hit the ground, where an invisible wave shot out in all directions. The warning bell stilled, the noise outside suddenly fading.

"They've forgotten," Arthur murmured.

"Come on," Emrys said, beginning his spell again, this time for their destination. Arthur listened to Merlin put the right words in the right places. He cast a look about the room, feeling strange. "Ready?" Merlin asked when he was done, and Arthur turned to see his friend looking at him expectantly.

Arthur nodded, and stepped into the portal with Merlin. They fell through time, and the portal hissed closed silently behind them.

They reemerged in the same castle they'd come from. This one was older, and largely in rubble. They both looked around, suddenly feeling rather dazed to be back home. Although they couldn't read each other's thoughts, both wondered simultaneously whether they'd just dreamed the whole thing, the time travelling, the journal, Morgana, meeting themselves. Then they looked at each other, and saw the battle scars and the worn clothes. Merlin's hand went to his pocket to feel the bulge created by Eoran's journal.

"Home," Arthur said, quietly. Merlin nodded at him.

"Home."

Apparently they'd caused enough disturbance to be noticed, because a young voice called from around a littered hallway,

"Daddy!"

Merlin's heart leaped and a huge weight of worry flew away. "Balin! Thank the stars," He said, turning a huge smile and open arms to his son. Balin was followed quickly by Freya and then Guinevere, who, pregnant belly and all, ran up and threw herself on Arthur.

"I was so scared, we couldn't find you, we couldn't find either of you anywhere," she said, and Arthur wondered how long it'd been since they disappeared. The king tossed Merlin a look, but the sorcerer's face was hidden because he was hugging his wife and his son. Raina suddenly appeared to hug Arthur's waist, and he stroked her hair with his free hand. He saw some knights beginning to congregate around them, drawn by the commotion and smiling now that they saw their returned king and sorcerer. Gwen pulled away. "Where have you been?" She demanded, wiping tears away to show that she was angry. Arthur looked at Merlin again, and this time, his friend looked back. A thousand words passed between them, and they looked back to their family and friends as one.

"I don't think you'd believe us if we told you," Merlin said, smiling.

Not too far away, but rather long ago, Merlin was wandering the halls, looking for Arthur, not exactly sure what was going on. He could've sworn the warning bells had been ringing… had he been running? He must've been on his way to Arthur's chambers.

Arthur was looking for him too, apparently. "Merlin," the prince scowled, rounding a corner, looking pointedly displeased with something. Probably me, Merlin thought. "Where have you been? Gaius has been worried sick all day, something about you sneaking out." He got in Merlin's face, hands on his hips. "Been at the tavern again, have we?"

"I, uh…" Merlin looked around, and then back at Arthur, still confused by his foggy memory. "sorry, what?"

Arthur rolled his eyes to heaven. "You really are the most hopeless idiot I have ever had the displeasure of meeting. Come on, Merlin," Arthur grabbed Merlin by the upper arm and hauled him along.

"Ow! Ow, Arthur, stop it, put me down!"

"You're such a girl, Merlin, even when you're drunk."

"I'm not drunk!"

"Yes, and I'm ruler of the faeries."

"They'd never stand for the likes of you, you know," Merlin quipped, rubbing his sore arm.

"Shut up, Merlin. And for god's sake, try to at least look sober for Gaius."

Merin muttered darkly to himself as Arthur bullied him back to Giaus, who was strangely in the council room. (for reasons no one but Merlin seemed to find strange) Merlin would wake up the next morning with a large bruise forming where Arthur had grabbed his arm. Scowling, he'd put salve on it and wonder how on earth he'd gotten landed with this wretched job. Destiny my arse, he'd think.

Oh well, he'd tell himself eventually, in a tone he thought he'd known forever but had actually only learned recently, one day, it'll be worth it.