Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin!
Thankyou to those who have made E for Excalibur a favourite, followed the story or reviewed it. Again if I have got something wrong please tell me, I appreciate constructive comments! This is my first fan fic.
Without further procrastinating here is chapter 6 hope you enjoy it!
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Chapter Six
After the boys had all slept til the early part of the afternoon they all met up and headed out to see the damage to Excalibur in the daylight. It took their collective breath away.
As they knew half the port outer engine was blown away, there was also dents in the fuselage and the rudders where bits of the engine had hit. There were a few bullet holes in the fuselage towards the rear but these had not hit anything of importance.
"We were lucky." Arthur said as he looked at the damage, making sure he was out of the way of the ground crew who had already started the repairs.
"That's for sure." Gwaine said looking around and seeing a couple of places where Lancaster's were yesterday but were now empty.
Merlin had to agree with them, he had already looked at the damage and had just moved up to the nose to look at the image there just under where Arthur sat. It was just as Freya had said there was an arm holding in its gloved hand a sword which was pointing straight up with the word Excalibur proudly printed underneath. At the moment a member of the ground crew was painting a bomb under this to record all the trips they would do.
Arthur came up to Merlin "What do you think?" he asked.
"I like it," replied Merlin "But you know what is written on Excalibur don't you?"
"No" Arthur said shaking his head.
"On one side it says "pick me up and on the other cast me away." Merlin looked at Arthur with a raised eyebrow.
"Don't worry Merlin, I intend to keep Excalibur for our full tour." Arthur said with a smile.
"Just make sure you do Skipper." Lance said as he and the rest of the boys joined them.
After a while they decided to head back, the talk turned to what they were going to do that night.
"How about we all go to The Rising Sun?" asked Percy.
"No thanks I won't be going boys." Arthur said with a smile.
Elyan looked at him and the penny dropped, "You're going out with Gwen aren't you?"
"Do you mind?" Arthur asked.
"Not at all, although you hurt her and officer or not I will hurt you sir." Elyan informed him.
"If I hurt Guinevere I'll let you hurt me Elyan." Arthur told him.
"Ok so what about the rest of you?" Percy asked.
Merlin shook his head "Sorry I'm going to the pictures with Freya." He said with a bashful grin.
"Somewhere nice and dark quick work Merlin!" Gwaine slapped him on the shoulder.
"What about you Gwaine, going to ditch us for a lovely nursing sister." Percy asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Alas the fair Morgana has to work tonight, one of the other nurses is sick, so boys you will have to put up with me!" Gwaine bowed as he said this everyone laughed.
The boys decided The Rising Sun was the place for them that night.
Arthur thought this was ok as he had already picked another place to take Guinevere. It was a night club so he thought they could have a nice meal, some dancing and most importantly of all get a chance to talk and get to know Guinevere. He could not wait.
Gwen came off duty and got back to her room in the WRAF's block as quickly as she could, they had had a bad day, tending to the injured from the previous night's raid, and the only thought that got her through was she would see Arthur tonight. She showered and got changed into a nice lavender dress and a pair of small heeled shoes – so much nicer than wearing Halls duty shoes. She decided to wear her hair down so it sat just on her shoulders. Morgana came in to her room just as she was putting on her lipstick – just a touch.
"Almost ready I see." Morgana said still in her pyjamas as she had tried to get some sleep before doing the night shift.
"Gana I'm scared." Gwen told her, a worried look on her face.
"Why for goodness sake?" Morgana looked at her.
"What if we don't get along and end up not liking each other. He is Elyan's skipper he might make life awkward for him." Gwen said.
"I don't think he would do that. Besides they are a team they rely on each other. From what I have heard about P/O Pendragon he would not hurt anyone who is not directly involved in any problem. "Gwen you like him yes?" Gwen nodded, Morgana went on "He likes you or else he would never have asked you out." Morgana smiled at her. "The way the two of you were looking at each other this morning I don't think there is any problems to be seen, but if you could do a little bit of digging for me about Gwaine I would be very grateful." She winked at Gwen, gave her a hug and with a "Have a lovely time." walked out the door.
Gwen looked at the mirror "Right Gwen pull yourself together, he is a lovely man who you have recently met. What is the problem of going out with him to get to know him? Nothing, so go out and have a good time." She looked at her watch 1840hrs – time to go, she picked up her purse, keys and wrap and went out the door.
It had been a slow afternoon for Arthur waiting to get ready to go out. He had showered, a nice close shave, hair combed to perfection. He looked at his watch 1845hrs time to go. He picked up his wallet, cap and car keys, went out the door and headed to the car park, hopped in his car, turned the ignition and headed towards the main gate.
Gwen reached the main gate about 1850hrs, she signed the register to leave the base when she got out onto the road there was Arthur leaning up against the bonnet of his MG. when he saw her he smiled and walked over to her.
"Hello Guinevere, you look beautiful." He said as he bent down and planted a chased kiss on her lips.
"Thankyou Arthur, you look very dashing yourself." She told him, he was in his uniform with his cap pushed back.
"Thankyou, shall we?" he raised his hand towards the car, when they got there he opened the passengers door for her.
"Of course Arthur." Gwen smiled at him as she got in.
"It's a lovely car." Gwen said as they drove along.
"I bought it as my graduation present from Oxford." He replied.
"Where are we going?" Gwen asked as they headed towards Lincoln.
"Ah well where else would Arthur and Guinevere go but to Camelot!" he grinned at her.
"Really?"
"Yes the Camelot night club it's in Lincoln." He told her.
"Oh I've never been to a night club before, am I dressed alright for it?" she asked looking at her dress.
"Guinevere you are dressed perfectly for it, but then you would be if all you were wearing was a sack!" Arthur looked at her and smiled. "Oops sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable." He took her hand and kissed the back of it.
"Thankyou Arthur, and no you did not make me feel uncomfortable, I just get self-conscious." She smiled and turned his hand so she could kiss the back of it.
When they arrived they found a parking spot close by, Arthur got out and opened Gwen's door for her, once she was out he stood beside her and offered her his arm with a smile which she happily accepted and placed her hand around his bicep. He looked down at her and said "Thankyou for coming out with me Guinevere I have wanted to take you out since the first time I met you."
"You are very welcome Arthur and thankyou too!"
They headed into the club where they checked Gwen's wrap and Arthur's cap.
"Would you like a drink?" asked Arthur.
"That would be nice."
Arthur took her hand and led her to the bar, when the barman got to them Arthur turned to Gwen "Champagne?" he asked smiling down at her, Gwen nodded.
Arthur nodded to the barman "Two glasses please."
"Certainly sir, I'll bring them out to you." The barman said.
Arthur found a table for two that was far enough from the dance floor that they would be able to talk when they were not dancing. He pulled out the chair for Gwen to sit. Shortly afterwards the barman arrived with the champagne and poured the first two glasses, Gwen had a taste and smiled at Arthur "This is the first time I've tried champagne." She said.
"And what do you think?" Arthur asked.
"I like it!" Gwen laughed.
The waiter came with the menus, they both decided to have corned beef and vegetables.
After the meals arrived and they enjoyed them, they sat for a while. Arthur took both of her hands in his.
"You know Guinevere when we were getting ready to go yesterday I knew I would come back because I was not going to miss going out with you!" he rubbed his thumbs over the backs of her hands.
"I know what you mean Arthur, we were very busy today with the injured from the raid and I had two thoughts that got me through it, firstly thank God you and Elyan got back safely and secondly that I was seeing you tonight." Gwen had been looking down at their hands as she spoke when she was finished she looked up into his deep blue eyes and smiled a smile that would have melted Arthur's heart if it wasn't already hers.
"Would you care to care to dance with me Guinevere?" he asked.
"I'd love to!" Gwen said thinking how natural it sounded when Arthur used her full name, he could turn her knees to jelly just by saying her name!
He came around the table and escorted her to the dance floor, noticing with pleasure the admiring looks Guinevere was receiving from other men while she looked just at him.
As they got to the dance floor the band started to play a slow song, Arthur took Guinevere in his arms loving the feeling of being able to hold her close to him. He looked down at her as they slowly swayed in time with the music. Guinevere had one hand on Arthur's shoulder and the other at the nape of his neck and her head was resting on his chest. They both had the same thought "Perfect." The song ended and the band started a quicker tune. Arthur looked down at her and asked, "Would you like to sit down?"
"Yes." She said, they left the floor arm in arm.
After they got back to their table and Arthur poured them both drinks.
Arthur asked, "I know you have a brother Guinevere, tell me about the rest of your family please."
"Well yes of course you would know I have a brother, Elyan is two years younger than me. My Dad works in Sheffield where he is a manager of one of the foundries making shell cases amongst other things. My Mum died of cancer when I was ten years old, so I helped take care of Elyan when we were younger." She told him "We are very close because of it."
"I know when he ran back to you the day we met I thought and so did most of the crew, that you were his girlfriend." Arthur told her "I'm so glad we got it wrong." He said with a smile.
"Yes I had an idea it was something like that, especially Gwaine, and I'm glad too." Gwen said, "by the way I am supposed to do some digging about Gwaine for Morgana, I think she might be sweet on him."
"Ok I'll see what I can tell you about Gwaine." Arthur started and told her everything he could think of about their rogue Irishman, educated at Dublin University where he got a first in economics, wealthy family but trying to make his own way in the world and definitely has an eye for the ladies.
"Thankyou Arthur I'll for warn Morgana about him," Gwen looked at Arthur, "What about you Arthur, could you please tell me about your family?"
"Where to start, like you I just have my father, my mother died after giving birth to me. My father is a QC, so I had a string of nannies when I was young. He sent me to boarding school when I was seven. We are not close. I went to Oxford and studied law so I could join his chambers, when I graduated we had an argument because I had signed up. He told me I just waisted all that time and money getting my degree if I was going to throw it away and join the RAF. I told him I could not be a hypocrite and be standing in a court of law defending somebody if I could not defend my country. We have not spoken since that day, the next day I went and bought my MG – my mother left me a large trust fund, so I like to think she brought it for me," Arthur said, "Sorry about that but it still gets me."
"How about we have another dance?" Gwen asked him noticing how upset he was.
"Guinevere I would love to." He stood and came round the table, took her hand when she stood up and said "Thankyou I've never told anyone that before." And kissed her fully on the mouth, they broke apart when they heard the cat calls.
They danced again and it felt so good, like they were never meant to dance with anyone else.
When they went back to their table after about five dances one quick and four slow Arthur looked at his watch it was 2200hrs Guinevere was working in the morning. Their time together had gone by so fast.
"Guinevere," he asked her at the table holding both of her hands in his, "It's almost time to go, but I have one question to ask you before we go back to the base – will you please go out with me again, I have never felt so comfortable with a girl before, I have told you things I have never told anyone before, in short Guinevere I think I love you." He looked ashamed for saying it all on their first date but he could not deny the truth and looked pleadingly into her eyes.
"Arthur I would love to go out with you again, I also have never so comfortable with any boy and I think I might be falling in love with you too!" she pulled his left hand to her and kissed the back of it.
"Oh Guinevere, you don't know how happy that makes me feel," his voice was deeper, his smile reached his blue eyes, he looked like he glowed with pride. "We had better go, you have to work in the morning don't you?" he asked, she nodded.
"I want to see you every day Arthur." Gwen told him after they had collected her wrap and his cap.
"I'll make sure that happens." He offered his arm to her, she took hold of his bicep again, and walked out to his car. When they had reached it Arthur turned Gwen to him and kissed her fully on the lips, her mouth opened giving him the encouragement to explore her mouth with his tongue, when he withdrew Guinevere's tongue followed his back to do some exploring of its own. They only broke apart when they had to come up for air.
'Oh darling Guinevere I love you." Arthur said before kissing her again. When they came up for air this time he placed her in the car, got in, started it up and turned around towards Hawkridge, Gwen took his left hand when he was not changing gears.
They arrived back at 2230hrs, after they had signed back in Arthur drove her over to the WRAF's block- he would not hear of her walking back.
Before Gwen got out Arthur kissed her again wanting it to last forever when they broke apart he said 'I'll see you tomorrow after your shift is finished if that is OK with you?"
"That would be lovely, you could walk me part of the way back to the block- can't have you getting a reputation for hanging around the WRAF's quarters can we?" she said laughing.
"No your right, but I can watch and see that you are safely back Ok?" he asked.
"Fine by me Arthur." She grinned.
"Goodnight my lovely Guinevere." Arthur said and planted a chased kiss on her lips.
"Goodnight my darling Arthur, see you tomorrow!" Gwen said and got out of the car before they brought any attention to themselves.
After Arthur had made sure she was safely inside he drove to the Officers car park and walked back to his room- his feet barely touching the ground.
Both found it took a long time to get to sleep that night every time they closed their eyes they saw the others face and could not help but to smile.