A.N: First of all... I suck... I am the absolute worst. I think this is the longest I've gone without an update. Usually by this time I just give up but I actually really want to finish this story. And I just got to part 2... I couldn't give up on it or these characters I love. So I'm sorry. I'm sorry it took so long for an update. But I do have excuses... and they're good ones too! My first excuse is that I was out of the country last month. Yup... went to Germany for 10 days... saw the family... met my new niece (my brother lives there with his wife). And then... I enrolled back in school. I never truly finished and I've got about a year left. So I'm going back. I start the new semester next month. So woooo hooooo! That's probably going to take up most of my time but I promise I am not giving up on this baby. This story will have an ending. I promise you that. We're half way there anyway. Well, I hope you do enjoy this chapter. Even if it sets up what's pretty much inevitable. I told you it would be angsty. And I told you Lance would be a dick before he got better. But he will be redeemed. That is one of my main goals for this story. As always... read... review... positive or negative... all criticism is welcome here. And thank you for not giving up on me or this story. I could never show you how grateful I am. But just know that I am. :)

Chapter 14

Arthur walked into the dark flat in the middle of the night trying not to wake Merlin or Gaius. He was moving the following morning so he wouldn't need to be sneaking around much longer. He'd been doing well so far. He cringed when he bumped into a small table in the hall knocking down a frame. A light came on and he groaned.

"If you're going to be sneaking in and out the least you can do is have the courtesy to be quiet about it?"

Arthur looked up at his friend and frowned. "I was trying to be, Merlin."

"Well, you're terrible at stealth." Merlin shrugged. "I won't ask where you were… I think I already know."

Arthur frowned. "I…"

"Does Gwen know?"

"Merlin…"

"Does Gwen know that you're fighting again?" Merlin asked louder.

"Shhh… keep your voice down… You'll wake Gaius…" Arthur whispered.

"Does she know?" Merlin growled.

"No…! Okay… she doesn't know. She can't know." Arthur answered angrily.

"You have to tell her."

"I can't." Arthur muttered.

"Arthur…"

"I can't tell her because I want to protect her." Arthur frowned.

"From what?"

"From Gwaine!" Arthur groaned.

"Arthur…"

"You don't understand, Merlin…" Arthur shook his head. "He threatened her. He threatened you too."

Merlin leaned against the wall. "Oh Arthur…"

"If I fight, it keeps him away from you both… I'm willing to take a few beatings to make sure that happens. It's an unwritten rule that my opponents can't touch my face so that helps."

"Come on…"

"What?"

"I'm still very angry with you but I also understand. So come on… I'll get the First Aid Kit."

Arthur bit back a smile.

"Stop smiling." Merlin frowned.

Arthur choked on a laugh and followed his friend quietly.


"I haven't seen you around much…" Gwen was saying in the quad at uni. "You're also really quiet today…"

Arthur continued pushing his lunch around in front of him.

"I'm also leaving you for Lance and am having his baby."

"Wait… what?" he sputtered looking up at her for the first time since they sat down.

"I'm glad I finally have your attention." She said with a grin.

"Very funny…" he shook his head. "I'm sorry I've been lousy company… my mind is just all over the place."

"I understand…" she smiled sadly. "How do you like your new flat?"

"It's really nice…" he nodded. "Better than the last place I lived in. Thank you for helping me find it."

"Of course…" she said reaching for his hand.

"I still don't understand how it's cheap enough that I can afford it…"

"Well, you have a steady job now… that helps… and daddy knows some people…"

"I hate that I feel like I owe your father."

"Don't…" she shook her head. "Trust me, he wanted to help."

"I don't understand why."

"He has his reasons." She bit her lip.

Arthur looked up and frowned. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, of course…" she said with a bright smile. "Let's go there after class. Rent a movie… I'll make dinner…."

Arthur leaned forward lifting her hand to his mouth to place a kiss on her knuckle. "I like that idea."

"Should we invite Merlin?"

"N-"

"Invite me where?" Merlin appeared with a grin.

Gwen laughed before mouthing an apology to Arthur.

"Apparently back to mine for dinner and a movie."

"Great! I'll be there." Merlin laughed. "I'll bring dessert. Do you fancy anything in particular?"

"Bring whatever you'd like, Merlin." Gwen answered.

"I'll surprise you." Merlin nodded before standing. "I better go… I have class. See you tonight."

Arthur groaned loudly as their friend walked away.

"Stop…" Gwen chided. "You love having him around."

"Not when I'm trying to spend some time alone with my girlfriend."

"There will be plenty of time for that after he leaves." She smirked.

"Are you… staying over?" he asked.

"I told my father I'll be spending the night at Merlin's so he's not expecting me… if you don't want me to stay, I'll just stay at Merlin's instead… it's fi-"

"No!" Arthur cut her off. "You can definitely stay with me, Guinevere. It's no problem."

She smiled before standing up and leaning over to place a chaste kiss on his mouth. "I'll see you tonight then…"

He blushed as he watched her walk away. Arthur started gathering his things but paused when someone sat in front of him. He glared at Lance who was sitting in the spot that Gwen had just vacated.

"You two seem cozy." Lance said with a smug smile.

"What do you want, Lance?" Arthur growled.

"I just want you to know that I know…" Lance said with a knowing look.

"Know what?" Arthur shook his head.

"What you do at night…" Lance answered with a shrug. "What Gwen doesn't know about."

"You don't know shit, mate." Arthur stood and started walking away when Lance grabbed his arm.

"Be careful, Pendragon… imagine how heartbroken she'll be when she finds out you've been lying all this time."

"Is that a threat, Du Lac?"

Lance shook his head. "Consider it a fair warning."

He turned and walked away leaving Arthur shaking with anger.


"He knows…"

Merlin jumped when he heard the voice next to his ear. "Jesus Christ, Arthur! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

"Sorry…" Arthur mumbled before sitting down and looking around him to make sure no one was listening. "Lance knows… about the fighting."

"How?" Merlin asked.

"I don't know…." Arthur shook his head. "Maybe he followed me once… who cares… the point is that he knows and he's going to tell Gwen."

"Shit…" Merlin scratched his head. "Well, I'm sorry mate… but you're going to have to come clean to her."

"What? No… I can't… you know why I can't tell her…"

"It looks like you have two choices, Arthur… either you tell Gwen… and explain it to her… explain everything… or you watch Lance do it."

"But…"

"There is no but…" Merlin shook his head. "Lance wants her… and this is his way of getting her away from you… you need to beat him to it because if she hears it from him first, she's never going to forgive you."

"Merlin… Gwaine will kill her if I stop fighting."

"Then don't stop fighting…" Merlin shrugged. "But tell her. She deserves to know. And she deserves to hear it from you."


Arthur opened the door to his flat at the first knock. Gwen stood on the other side holding two bags of groceries.

"Help me…" she laughed.

He smiled sadly taking the bag from her and helping her carry things into his small kitchen. "What is all this?"

"Dinner."

"I thought we were just going to order take out…" he frowned.

"No… I said I'll cook and I meant it."

He laughed softly. "You just can't help yourself, can you?"

She gasped before smiling. "No… new kitchen to play in… I couldn't pass that up."

He leaned in to kiss her. "I love you…"

"Mmm… I love you too…" she said with a grin.

"So what's for dinner?" he asked.

"I'm making steaks…" she grinned. "I got three but on the way here, Merlin called…. He said he wasn't going to be able to make it."

"Did he now?" Arthur frowned.

"Something to do with helping Gaius…" she said with a shrug as she started to put things away in his kitchen. "I personally think he picked up on your vibe today and that made him feel unwanted."

"I really doubt that." Arthur mumbled to himself.

"What was that, love?" Gwen turned toward him.

"Nothing…" he shook his head. "Do you want me to open a bottle of wine?"

"Sure…" she smiled.

"Red or white?"

"Surprise me…" she said with a smile.

Arthur frowned at her choice of words. Especially since he knew he had to tell her. It was now or never.