A.N: I know right?! I can't believe it either! I'm updating again. And it didn't take forever! I'm kind of proud of that actually. I have to admit, it's because of you all. Your lovely reviews inspire me in ways you can't imagine. That and my beautiful friend, who made the trailer you've all no doubt have watched already, has been so supportive of this story from conception. I really couldn't find the strength to keep writing without her kind and encouraging words. I see you all adding this to your favorites and following this story and I swear it makes me giddy inside. I like that the interest is there. It's easier to write a story people want to read, rather than one no one is reading. I thank you all for taking the time to read and review. In this chapter, you'll get more insight into Arthur's family with some teases as to who they are. The Pendragon name is one people know. But no one really knows about the young Pendragon son who is studying with a scholarship and not his father's money. Also, you'll see more of Lance's jealousy and the ugliness that will bring out in him throughout the story. The lengths he'll go to in order to win Gwen back. His heart's in the right place, but his actions are not always good. He truly does love and care about this woman. And he wants to protect her at all costs. Then there's Vivian, who you will also see more of from here on out. I know on the show she was an annoying mean girl. But this Vivian is a much more vulnerable version. Kind of like enchanted Vivian was. And you'll be surprised to learn who brings out that vulnerable side in her. So as always, please read and then review. I love reading them. They make me want to write at a quicker pace for you. Of course, I'd never rush this story... but still... it makes me long for my laptop when I'm at work working long hours so I can work on the next chapter for you all. This story is mapped out already in my head. It's going to be six parts. We're getting to the end of part one soon. Probably just a few more chapters to go. That means that Gwen and Arthur are getting closer and closer to getting together. Oooooh I know right! It's only been six chapters! But trust me when I say their first real kiss is coming soon. Sooner than you think. ;-0)

Also, one of my reviewers, Myra, asked me about the fight in chapter 4 and who Arthur's opponent was. I would have written you privately but since you are a guest reviewer, I couldn't. Thank you for reviewing by the way! Arthur's opponent at the end of that chapter was written after Annis' champion in season 4, episode 5 "His Father's Son". Percival and Tristan are the two detectives who arrested Arthur in the first chapter and appeared in chapter 2. They are both returning in the next few chapters as well. So that should be fun!


Chapter 6

"Mr. Pendragon…"

Arthur stopped walking toward the theater room and rolled his eyes. He stifled a groan and turned toward the voice. "Chancellor Leontes…."

"Do you have moment?" the Chancellor asked. "I have something I need to speak to you about regarding your… situation."

Arthur nodded. "Yeah, okay…"

He followed the Chancellor to his office and watched as the older man closed the door to his office.

"Please, have a seat…"

Arthur did as he was told and tried not to remember the last time he'd been in this room. "What did you have to speak to me about?"

"Your probation…" the older man smiled. "It's coming to an end."

Arthur nodded. "It's been a few weeks…"

"The musical will go on stage in a week and on that night; your job will be complete. Have you thought about what you're going to do when it ends?"

Arthur shook his head.

"Well then…" he sighed. "I'd hoped you'd found some new friends to associate yourself with. Friends that could inspire you to be better than what you were the day you walked into my office."

"Who says I haven't?" Arthur asked.

Chancellor Leontes smiled. "That's good. There's good in you, Arthur. Don't waste it."

Arthur stood up with confusion. "Thank you, sir…"

"Go on then… I don't want Gaius to have my head for keeping you too long…" he smiled.

Arthur nodded his head slightly turning toward the door. He turned back toward the Chancellor. "When you first forced me volunteer with theater group…"

"I'd hardly think I forced you, Pendragon… I merely gave you another option. It was probation and volunteering or jail. You chose wisely."

"Fine, when you first made me choose…" Arthur watched the chancellor shrug. "Gaius called you Leon…"

"He did."

"But your name is Leontes. It says so on your plaque." Arthur pointed. "Why the nickname?"

"Gaius and I have been friends a long time…" Leontes smiled fondly. "That old man practically raised me and my siblings. Why do you ask?"

"Because I have a friend named Leon too." Arthur shrugged. "I've known him since childhood. And he reminds me of you. Says a lot of the same things."

"Maybe all Leons are destined to be wise." Leontes smiled smugly. "He sounds like a good friend. You should keep him around."

"I will." Arthur said. "Thank you, sir… for giving me options."

"Just don't waste them." He said. "Now go… you're going to be late."

Arthur walked out of the office and headed in the direction of the theater room. He walked inside and noticed everyone was already there. They were standing in front of the last set piece he'd completed the night before. With the new set piece done, they were officially ready for the show.

Gwen turned around and caught his eye. She grinned brightly before turning back around to speak to the blond girl he recognized as her friend, Vivian.

"Someone looks really proud of their work…"

Arthur shrugged. "I am, Merlin." He turned toward his friend. "It's the first time I've ever actually finished anything. It feels good."

"Good enough… to celebrate?" Merlin asked.

"What did you have in mind?"

Merlin shrugged. "The group is going to dinner. The next time we see each other will be for dress rehearsal the night before the show… and then after that… our semester ends. So now is the only time we'll have free for the next week before everyone leaves uni for the summer. We'll all be taking exams or catching up with other classes the next few days though. I know you're busy with your nightly duties… but do you want to put them on hold for tonight? Gwen will be there."

"So will Lance." Arthur growled.

"Yeah, but she did ask me if you would be there…" Merlin grinned. "She wants you there, mate. And so do I."

"I haven't booked a fight this week." Arthur shrugged with a smile. "I wanted to finish this piece. I guess I can stop by for a little while."

"Great! I'll let Gwen know." Merlin said with a smile. "By the way, I've noticed you haven't spoken to her since we talked in your flat."

Arthur shook his head. "I can't tell her how I feel about her. Not yet."

"Why not?"

"Because I'm not worthy of her…" Arthur said. "But maybe one day, I can be."

"Oh… mate…" Merlin shook his head. "When are you going to stop treating yourself like you're worth less than everyone else?"


Arthur walked into the small diner Merlin had told him about earlier. He found the large group in the corner taking up a few tables and booths. He strolled over to them and waved with a smile. The group greeted him with smiles. Everyone except Vivian and Lance.

Merlin waved him over. Gwen was sitting next to him in a booth. Merlin squeezed in and pulled Gwen into him. "Make room for Arthur, Gwen."

She slid closer to Merlin, leaving a small space next to her. Arthur sat down next to her and smiled tightly. He wanted to glare at Merlin but he figured she'd probably notice.

"We waited for you to order…" Merlin announced. "Tonight is on me, okay."

Gwen rolled her eyes. "Merlin is treating us to dinner. Not sure why. I told him I could pay for myself."

Arthur tried not to frown. "It's not necessary, mate… I'm not really that hungry…"

Merlin rolled his eyes. "None sense! Get whatever you both want. This is Uncle Gaius' money anyway. He says thank you by the way, Arthur."

"Really?"

"Yeah… it looks like you may have grown on him the last few weeks. He no longer warns me to stay away from you so that's progress."

Gwen shook her head before turning to Arthur. "Want to share something?"

"Uh…"

"It's okay if you don't… you just said you weren't that hungry…" she shrugged.

"Yeah… yeah we can share." He glanced over her head to find Merlin giving him a smug smile with a wink. He glared.

"Something wrong?" Gwen asked.

"No." he snapped his gaze to her. "Get whatever you want. I'm okay with anything."

She smiled. "Okay."

She looked at the menu for a few moments and placed her order with a nearby waitress with a smile.

"Merlin said you'd needed to tell me something…"Gwen said getting his attention.

Arthur looked at her with confusion. "Uh… not that I know of."

She shrugged before leaning in to whisper. "He's been acting strange the last few days."

"Stranger than normal?" Arthur asked with a smile.

Gwen blushed. "Yes…"

They were both right up against each other in the small booth. This was the closest they'd probably ever been to each other.

"Hey, Gwen…" Merlin called her, making her turn from Arthur. "I was telling Arthur about how hectic our week will be now that the musical is coming up. He didn't believe me."

Gwen laughed. "Unfortunately, that's true. I'll be locked in my room for the next few days studying for my exams or running my lines. Sadly…"

"But the day after the musical…. The semester will be over and we'll all be free…" Merlin continued. "I was thinking the three of us should take a trip somewhere."

"That sounds like fun!" Gwen said.

"I can't…" Arthur was saying.

Gwen glanced at him.

"I have a prior engagement." Arthur clenched his jaw. "I've already told Merlin."

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Gwen said sadly. "Maybe later in the summer."

"Maybe." Arthur smiled.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "I still think you can get out of that."

"Not really… it's kind of my job."

"Where do you work?" Gwen asked.

"It's… not a big deal… it's not steady work or anything. I just need to be available when they need me."

She nodded in understanding. "It's alright. I'm sure you'd get out of it, if you could."

The trio didn't notice the pairs of eyes on them. Vivian sat next to Mithian with a glare on her face. Lance sat in front of them with his body turned toward Merlin, Arthur and Gwen.

"Doesn't she have any sense of propriety?" Vivian snarled. "There she is squished up against two men… one whom she barely knows by the way… and she doesn't even care what people might say about her."

"I don't really think anyone else has noticed." Mithian took a sip of her drink. "Except you two that is… what is wrong with you? Both of you? Are you angry with Gwen?"

"No!" both Lance and Vivian snapped turning toward the brunette.

"I'm just worried about her…" Vivian pouted. "It can't be good to be so close to the likes of those two."

"I agree." Lance rolled his eyes. "Everyone knows about Merlin's… past. And that Arthur no one really knows much about… not even her."

"He looks nice enough." Mithian shrugged with a smirk. "It sounds to me like you're just jealous, Lance."

He turned and scowled. "I am not. I am just worried. She's your friend too, Mithian. You can try and act more concerned."

"I just don't think there's anything to be concerned about." Mithain said with a glare. "Gwen's a big girl. She can take care of herself. She doesn't need you to be her knight in shining armor."

Lance glowered. Vivian glanced between the two of them. "Stop it! Both of you! Gwen is our friend. And we've accepted her friendship with Merlin… but we know Merlin… I think we need to find out more about this Arthur."

"I agree." Lance said looking at Mithian with a smug smile.

Mithian rolled her eyes. "Whatever the both of you are planning, count me out. I don't want any part of it."

"Done." Lance answered. "And when we find out the truth that Pendragon liar is hiding… you'll be angry with yourself that you didn't help us uncover it. I bet he's just like his father. They're all liars. I'll bet that Pendragon bitch didn't disappear. She probably ran away from the family she'd been given. They're all nutters."

"Lance!" Mithian warned. "Arthur clearly doesn't like talking about his family. Gwen told me that he doesn't bring it up. Ever. Not even with Merlin. You may not like him, but you do need to respect it."

Lance rolled his eyes. "We'll see. He's hiding something. I can tell."

"Well, then…that's his business… we all have our secrets." Mithian glared. "Don't forget the secret you both made me keep from Gwen."

"That happened one time, Mithian." Vivian piped in. "Hardly worth the mention."

"If Gwen ever found that that the two of you were together behind her back, she would be devastated." Mithian said. "It's the only reason I kept your secret."

"And if you ever mention it now, she'll be angrier with you for lying for us." Lance said smugly.

Mithian sighed. "I should have said something then."

"But you didn't." Vivian sighed. "Can we please forget it?"

Lance nodded. "I barely remember it anyway. I drank more than enough that night."

Mithian eyed them both with a glare and turned toward Gwen with Arthur and Merlin. "Just leave them alone. Please…."

"You already asked to not be involved, Mithian." Lance said. "We'll keep you out of it. But you can't tell us what to do either."

Mithian sighed. "You're going to ruin your friendships with her. I can already see it. She's not going to run into your arms, Lance. And she won't be grateful to you, Vivian. You'll destroy her happiness."

"Maybe that's what I want." Vivian muttered.

"I don't believe that." Mithian said with a gasp.

"She doesn't mean that." Lance quickly cut in. "Right, Viv? You love Gwen too."

She nodded sadly. "Of course."

Mithian glanced between the two of them. "You're both delusional."

"And you're not going to say anything." Lance scowled. "Got it?"

Mithian nodded before slipping out of the booth. "I've suddenly lost my appetite. Goodnight."

Lance and Vivian watched her go.

"What if she's right, Lance?" Vivian asked softly.

Lance turned toward her with a grin that made her smile. "She's not. We know what's best for Gwen… don't we, Viv?"

"Yes." Vivian nodded with a smile. "I'll help you any way I can, Lance."

"Good…" Lance said turning back to the three in the other booth. "Because the first thing I need you to do is sleep with Arthur."