CHAPTER 18 : THE NINE ELEVEN TO GENEVA

As the train reached the slightly mountainous areas, Merlin watched out the window. Arthur was in the front half of the coach and if Merlin stood, he could see him. They'd met up in the section near the luggage racks for a chat halfway though the journey but hadn't been able to do better than that. The train pulled into le Gare Cornavin and Merlin waited on the platform for Arthur.

Merlin phoned the number given to him and was surprised to find out that his flat wouldn't be available until Sunday but that he'd been booked into the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in the financial area. Arthur laughed, "This would suit you as you could roll out of bed into the office in no time."

They took a taxi to the hotel and went to the room, pleased to see that it overlooked the Rhone. "Better enjoy it while you can, doubt that your flat will be as luxurious. I'll treat you to supper downstairs tonight."

Merlin just laughed saying, "Arthur, with the raise I'll be getting, I can well afford to treat you…"

"Maybe we could talk about that later this evening," said Arthur with a smile. Merlin leant in for a kiss… The room was already getting dark by the time they were ready for supper.

When they were back in the room after an excellent meal in one of the hotel restaurants; Arthur said, "Tomorrow night we'll try the Chinese buffet." Then took out the city map and found Rue Nantes. "It's not too far away from here, look. We can use the hotel's complimentary transit passes to get there."

Merlin leant across Arthur's shoulders to view the map. "Maybe tomorrow we could find the office and the flat and then you'll be able to see where I'll work. In the afternoon, I think we should treat ourselves to a leisurely stroll along the lake." He ruffled Arthur's hair and kissed his ear.

"…or a leisurely afternoon in bed!"

"Do you ever think of anything else! I don't want to remember my first day in Geneva as confined to a hotel room with one over-demanding partner." He looked at Arthur then said, "Well…maybe not the whole day…!" Arthur smirked and walked toward him and Merlin sank on the bed.

"Hey, I thought you would have put up a fight?"

"Had second thoughts…" Merlin felt Arthur stretch out beside him and prayed that this would be the first of many weekends when Arthur would be able to join him in Geneva. He had intended to figure out how many weekends before he would be able to go back to Paris but Arthur's lips and hands interfered with his thought process.

-0-0-

Saturday after breakfast, they left the hotel and walked to the lake. There were quite a few tourists around and Merlin with his camera around his neck could have passed as one. The fountain in the lake was great but the area around it was wet depending on the direction of the wind. The French mountains across the lake were misty but turning east they could see along the lake in the direction of Lausanne. Taking a bus which they were assured would take them into the financial district, they drove past the IntVest building and then to the flat on Rue Nantes. The area seemed pleasant and satisfied, they wandered around checking on shops and restaurants.

"I think the company building is more modern than Paris or Zurich. If they have an observation deck you might be able to get a great view, even as far as Les Dents du Midi and Les Rochers de Naye."

"How come you know so much about the area?"

"When I was eleven, my father didn't want me home during the holidays so I attended an international summer camp in Montreux."

"Lucky you, not about not being wanted but about travelling. Back home, when I was eleven, I was allowed to bicycle twice a week with my friend to a local riding stable for lessons. Best summer of my life."

Merlin had a far-away look on his face and he was smiling sweetly, Arthur gave him a hug saying, "One day, Merlin, you and I will visit my father and take advantage of the horses at our place to go riding. That is…once I get up the courage to tell him about you and me." A cloud crossed Arthur's face but Merlin made no comment just slipped his arm across his shoulders and held him.

"Ready for lunch yet? Let's try that place over there; it might become my local take-away."

Arthur smiled and they were both back into the present. Merlin realised that Arthur spoke seldom about his father unless it was in relation to Pen-D. Merlin had looked up Uther on the web but apart from business information there was little just one reference to a deceased wife and his heirs a son and a daughter. Anyway, it was Arthur he was in a relationship with not Uther. He thought of his own mother, there was so much love in their family. He could not imagine her and Gaius ever deciding that they didn't want him around over the holidays. He knew one day in his own time Arthur would tell him all about his family life. However now they just talked him about the Swiss towns beyond Geneva and how they might visit some of them on their weekends together.

-0-0-

Back in the hotel, Merlin sat in one of the chairs with his feet on the bed. They had walked back to the hotel and he was tired. Arthur smiled at him, he seemed quite relaxed. He put his head back and was woken by Merlin as he put on the TV for the news. They watched the BBC news from London and then wandered downstairs for supper.

For a while they watched the lights across the Rhone and then decided to turn in. Merlin felt emotional, this would be their last weekend together. Merlin needed to settle in and they had decided to wait a few weekends before Arthur visited again. Merlin thought, 'Unless, I can't stand being away from him and I make a mad dash back to Paris.'

Merlin turned toward Arthur and snuggled into him, telling him that he was by far the luckiest man in the world to have Arthur as his friend. "I'll miss you so much…"

"Merlin, give Geneva a chance… I'm sure it's a great place to live and you'll make friends and I will be back the first weekend in April and as for Easter which is late this year, well I have a surprise planned."

Merlin perked up, "Tell me, Arthur, don't keep a secret from me."

"Sorry regardless of what you do, I'll not tell you, it is special and telling you would spoil it."

"Is it in England?"

"Merlin, I'll give you that, it's not in England."

"Is it in Switzerland…Germany…France….Belgium?"

Arthur was laughing as Merlin accompanied each word with a kiss. He finally said, "I love you, so much. Paris won't be the same without you, you made getting up in the morning so worthwhile…"

Merlin gave him a grin while raising his eyebrows. "So, I noticed..."

"I don't mean that, which is nice in itself, I mean facing each new day is so easy with you at my side. Work is great and I have someone to share with me all the goings on in the office but better than that, our lives are together."

Merlin ran his lips down Arthur's neck. He kissed along his collar bone and grazed it with his teeth. Knowing that he would leave a mark, he exerted a little more pressure than normal.

"Hey, that's not fair."

"Arthur you always wear a suit to work and a shirt and tie in the office. No one but you will see it and when you do, think of me." Merlin made a matching mark on the other side of his chest.

Figuring that two could play that game, Arthur left Merlin with a similar mark. Merlin smiled as he said, "Arthur Winston David Pendragon, I love you with my heart, my mind and my soul."

Arthur smiled sadly saying, "Merlin, know that I will be yours until the day you decide that you no longer want me."

"As if that is ever going to happen…just look after yourself in Paris. Don't be sad and remember to allow Gawaine to feel useful by watching out for you. Now, how about showing me how much you really love me…"

Arthur smiled into the room lit only by the city's brightness. Merlin had come a long way but Arthur had never demanded anything of him. At the moment they were both satisfied with the love they offered each other but Arthur knew that one day he wanted to take Merlin where he had never been before and he wanted it to be as special as their first kiss in his kitchen in London.

-0-0-

Following breakfast Merlin settled the bill for their stay in the hotel. Loading their bags in a taxi, they made the fifteen minute drive to Rue Nantes. The flat was on the third floor; they dumped their bags inside the door and explored the place. As it had a separate bedroom, Arthur was satisfied that Merlin would be comfortable, so he said, "Well, it looks all right. Furniture is clean and our bedroom is quite nice. Come on unpack some of your own things and make it look like home."

"It's bright and the windows are large. Look if you stand here, on tippy toes, you can see the lake."

Arthur checked and it was true. "If you hadn't have pointed it out I might have thought it was someone's sheets on a line. Look, there are metal shutters on all the windows."

Merlin was reading a card on the door. "The laundry facilities are downstairs and parking is on the street." He noticed a sentence stating that the number ten bus would take him to the station but he said nothing. He'd make it the first thing he'd try by himself in Geneva once he's seen Arthur safely on the train to Paris.

Together, they unpacked a few odds and ends which Merlin had brought with him. Arthur deftly caught the little Union Jack pillow which Merlin had brought putting it on the couch. With great flourish, he brought out a framed photo of the two of them and placed in on the bedside table. "Every night before you go to bed, I expect you to look at me and remember how handsome, smart and perfect I am. Don't worry I have one for my bedside table and I'll remember that you are the one and only one for me."

Merlin turned to look at the photo and smiled Gawaine had taken it one lunch hour and the city of Paris was spread out behind them. It was a perfect memento. He walked over and pulled Arthur against him. "I'm so happy you decided to come on my first weekend. Now you have been here, I can remember you in here and the place will feel less lonely."

Arthur threw himself on the couch and posed, "Come on Karsh, get out your camera and then you'll have photos of us as well. Merlin unpacked his tripod and set it up in the middle of the room and attached his camera. He set the self-timer for repetitive shots at fifteen second intervals and hurried onto the couch next to Arthur. They smiled happily at the camera and then Arthur grabbed him turning his head and kissed him hard. Merlin was slightly conscious of the camera clicking but he was far more interested in what was happening on the couch.

Finally, out of breath Merlin said, "Is this a pull-out?"

"Why, do you intend to have your wicked way with me?"

"No, I just thought that if it was then we could have room for someone to visit without them having to sleep on the floor."

"Merlin, forget the guest accommodation, I think we should progress to the bedroom, the bed looks good-sized and I have no intention of leaving until I've shown you why you will be awaiting my return in April."

Grinning, Merlin followed Arthur into the bedroom, they had to remove his cases from the bed but that didn't worry them. It was a warm day, so Merlin opening the windows and closed the shutters.

"So you think your neighbours across the way will figure what we are up to?"

"Arthur," Merlin said grinning, "Ask me if I really care…"

-0-0-0

Too soon, it was time to call a taxi to go to the station to get Arthur onto the six thirty train. They stood on the concourse with their arms around each other. There was nothing to say as they'd said it all. As it was announced that the train was ready to board, Arthur gave Merlin a peck on the lips. "Look after yourself, you're very precious!"

Merlin blushed, "My grandmother in Belfast used to say that to me. She must be watching over me right now. You look after yourself too." He walked Arthur to the platform and said, "Take care! Give my regards to everyone and phone me once you get in."

"Merlin, you should have an early night, I'll phone you tomorrow."

"No, Arthur, tonight! I'm sure that tomorrow will be an easy day. Anyway, what with all the excitement I probably won't be asleep."

"You will, just think of me and in no time you'll fall asleep." They stood together as long as they could and when the announcement was made for final boarding, Arthur turned as he climbed onto the train and said, "Love you, Merlin…"

Merlin stood and watched him as he made his way to his seat on the other side of the train. The force of the idling engines increased and the blue and white train slowly pulled out of the station. Merlin felt as if his heart was being wrenched from him but he put his hand into his pocket and fondled the key to Arthur's place, now his place in Paris and walked out of the station.

He caught the bus and stared out the windows being careful that he got off at the take-away restaurant where he had noticed a bus stop. He bought some curry and returned to his apartment. Someone had left tea and coffee in the cupboards, he decided to watch TV, tidy up a bit and wait for Arthur's call.

Arthur sat watching the lights from the suburbs flash by. He said a silent prayer that Merlin would be safe and then put his head back and tried to sleep as he had a three hour trip to Paris. He couldn't sleep so he let his mind replay all the wonders which were Merlin.