I don't own Merlin sadly, it belongs to the BBC.

This is a birthday story for FOREVERCULLEN and is therefore dedicated to her, hope you enjoy your story and your day xx

Summary: When Arthur meets Merlin and falls hard for him he finds himself living a double life and is coping with it until Merlin decides to surprise him at an event...

This will have three chapters, a chapter a day :)

Warnings: malexmale, mpreg at the end, AU. Rated 'M' for swear words

I apologise in advance for any mistakes I may have made

Arthur closed his bedroom door behind him and watched Merlin as the brunet looked around the room. "I have missed you Merlin."

Merlin turned and looked at Arthur. "You look awful, even though you have done yourself up."

"And you Merlin?" Arthur asked as he walked forwards a little. "I know you feel as strong for me as I do for you, use your magic sweetheart, let me see what your magic is hiding."

Merlin sighed and his eyes glowing gold he looked down and heard Arthur gasp. "I only look like this because I haven't been sleeping much, noisy neighbours." Merlin lied.

Arthur walked over to Merlin and lifted his head with a finger under the brunets chin, "to say you have to keep your magic a secret you are a terrible liar Merlin,"

"I obviously haven't learnt from the master." Merlin said, glaring at Arthur as he walked away a little.

"I deserve that, and all that you throw at me."

"Ok." and with that Merlin picked up a nearby book and threw it at Arthur who ducked just in time.

"I meant words Merlin!"

"Be more specific next time then. Why lie to me Arthur? We both have a big secret mine is bigger than yours and yet I trusted you with mine."

"I was scared of losing you."

"I had even more right to be scared Arthur, why didn't you just tell me, if you would have said you are married and very much in love with your wife and are not leaving her then you would have lost me, but if you had just told me how your father was and that you and your friends came up with a plan I would have understood!"

"You don't think I went over and over this in my head."

"You should have told me Arthur, ugh I had to find out in the worst possible way, thinking you and your wife are much in love, that you have a daughter!" Merlin sighed as he sat on the edge of the large bed.

"You do know all of this is going to come out don't you. I mean as far is Uther is concerned, you are happily married to Gwen, Kayla is your daughter, Lancelot is your gay best friend living with you playing Uncle I am Gwen's adoptive brother Arthur and Kayla is his granddaughter."

"He might not."

"Arthur that little girl out there is only four years old, you ever heard of the saying 'out of the mouths of babes'? She will sometime slip up and she won't know what she is doing is wrong bless her."

Merlin stood up. "How are you job and money wise where Uther is concerned?"

"Well he can't fire me, I have tenure, I do so much and I have so much and the house we are in is mine."

"Then why are you still lying to him? Arthur it's isn't fair on that little girl and not on Lancelot having to watch you play daddy when Uther is around."

"We know all of this Merlin and we hate it."

"Then why are you still lying if you are all secure with your jobs and home and money? There is no need to lie anymore."

"If I tell father everything will you still be with me?"

"Of course Arthur I can't just walk away look at the state of me, look what happens when I am not with you, but you can not tell your father for me, you have to do it for yourself and those nice people out there."

For the next week Arthur did nothing but think on how to tell his father the truth, the whole truth, setting all of them free. Merlin and he had talked things through and Merlin had moved into Arthur's house and his rooms, spending all that time with each other both of them had gotten better, eating and drinking more, showering together which always led to more.

Arthur knew if he wanted more of what he had shared with Merlin then he would have to tell his father, and tell him today. He knocked on his father's office door and walked inside. "Father I need to tell you something but ask a couple of things first."

Uther sat back in his chair and studied his son. "Okay Arthur, ask away."

"I just want to understand and make it clear, with me having tenure I can't be fired can I?"

"No."

"And the house I live in, it is mine and Gwen's?"

"Of course it is, it became yours the second you both signed it, I know I bought it but I no longer have any rights over it, it is yours and Gwen's to do with what you will."

"Oh good, I can tell you now."

"Tell me what?"

"Okay. I am gay father. Always have been, Gwen is my friend and nothing more we don't't even share a room, we got married to keep you happy and so that Gwen had somewhere to stay, she helped me by marrying me and I helped her in return for giving her a place to live, Kayla is my goddaughter, her father is Gwen's boyfriend Lancelot, he isn't really gay and me and Gwen are going to get an annulment so she and Lancelot can marry, they live in one side of the house and me the other along with my lover Merlin who you were told is Gwen's brother Arthur only his name is Merlin and the man I love and hopefully one day will marry when we can have kids of our own."

Arthur let out a deep breath. "Father?"

Merlin burst through the hospital doors and saw Arthur sat on one of the chairs with Morgana, Gwen, Lancelot and Kayla. "What happened?" He asked as Arthur stood up.

"I told him it all, I told him everything and then he went pale, he's had a heart attack Merlin."

"I told you to break it to him gently and tell him in bits, not all in one breath."

"Well I don't know do I!"

"I think what made it worse is that before telling father, Arthur here wanted to make sure he couldn't get sacked or lose his home." Morgana snapped.

"Oh Arthur you didn't?" Merlin sighed.

"Well it wouldn't just be me homeless Merlin it would be Gwen, Lancelot and Kayla as well. And I needed to know about my job as I need money to live."

Just then a doctor came walking out. "Arthur?"

Arthur turned. "Gaius, tell me please."

"It was an extremely mild one Arthur. He will make a full recovery and be fine but you must remember a heart attack is still a heart attack."

"Thank you Gaius, I can't believe I caused it."

Gaius frowned. "You didn't cause it Arthur, Uther has been suffering with pains all morning. I would say he was well on his way having one when you came in to talk."

"But he didn't look in pain or anything."

"This is your father Arthur, to him showing pain is weakness. You can all go in and see him now." Gaius said before nodding to each in turn and walking away.

Arthur walked into the hospital room and saw his father trying to sit up and get out of bed, he hurried forwards and stopped Uther from moving. "Father no, you are to stay in here and rest."

"I hate sitting and doing nothing Arthur."

"I hate lying and hurting the people I love but I did it."

Uther sighed. "Why did you do it?"

"Why? I had no choice, I couldn't live the life I wanted or I wouldn't have anything, yes I wanted to be a doctor but who would have taken me on after words from you if you knew the truth."

"Arthur all I wanted was for you to get a great start in life, I pushed for you to get a wife and settle down when I caught you looking at men."

"Father we are in the twenty first century now, I can be gay and be a doctor, I know you couldn't back when you started but that was years ago, this is now, times change, people change."

"Arthur stop having a go he is still recovering." came a voice from the other side of the door.

Uther froze. "Who was that?"

"Merlin."

"Do I get to meet him? Properly this time?"

Merlin walked in and up to the bed and held his hand out. "Mr Pendragon. I am Merlin Emrys, I am in love with your son I hope the feeling is mutual, and we met after he hit me with his car."

"Arthur!"

"No! No I didn't not in the way you are thinking!" Arthur said and turned to Merlin. "Why do you always do that? It makes it sound as though I actually knocked you down." he looked at his father. "The car was parked up and I opened the door as he jogged past."

Uther looked Merlin up and down. "Jogging? Aren't you skinny enough?"

Merlin laughed. "So, what happens now?"

Uther looked at his son. "Now I sit and rest no matter how much it does my head in, you get annulled from Gwen and let her finally be happy and I apologise."

"Apologise?" Arthur said, "you have a minor heart attack and you are a changed man?"

Merlin hit Arthur on the arm. "Behave."

"What? Merlin my father never apologises."

"I know where you get it from then as you are yet to say sorry to your father, idiot thing to do, checking that your money, house and job is safe before telling him the full truth."

"Well where would I live if I lost the house?"

"With me you prat."

"And Gwen and Lancelot?"

"I wouldn't have let them go homeless and neither would Morgana."

"Father why didn't you never tell me the reason behind you pushing me to marry a woman and settle down? I have lost years of dates, relationships, Gwen and Lancelot have had to live a lie, their little girl has had to."

"Actually Arthur." Merlin said, stepping forward. "Just Gwen and Lancelot I want your father to apologise to, who knows who you might be in a serious relationship with now and maybe even married to someone else so I am not bothered about that bit."

Arthur looked at Merlin. "Oh so it doesn't matter that I went for years without a relationship because it meant I am with you."

"Yeah! And don't throw your dummy out of your pram, you never went without, I know I am your first serious relationship as all you did is have one night stands."

"Who- Morgana!"

Morgana poked her head through the door. "He had a right to know who he was committing himself to."

Arthur turned at the sound of his father laughing and saw him shaking hands with Merlin. "Nice to meet the proper you, you remind me a lot of my beloved Ygraine. You will be well for Arthur I believe, keep him in line." he said before turning to his son. "I am sorry son you have been unhappy and felt you have had to lie, I will apologise to Gwen and Lancelot and that lovely girl Kayla." Uther sighed. "No grandchildren."

"You will have soon Father." Morgana said. "No not me, not yet anyway, but Merlin isn't any ordinary man."

Arthur turned and glared at Morgana. "No."

Merlin laughed. "It's fine Arthur." he said as he sat on the edge of the bed and began to tell Uther everything.

Epilogue

Merlin stood outside of the church looking up at it and took a deep breath, he ran his hand down his suit, his hands resting on his stomach when he heard a voice behind him. "Ready?"

Arthur was standing at the end of the aisle and stood up when he heard the music start, he turned and smiled at Lancelot before looking down the aisle and smiling when he saw Merlin slowly walking up it, his eyes never leaving Arthur's as he made his way closer and closer.

When Merlin reached the front he led Gwen over to Lancelot and turning he picked Kayla up and sat down with her and watched his friends get married with Arthur as best man, looking, in Merlin's opinion, the handsomest he has ever seen him in a three piece suit.

"About time mummy and daddy married." Kayla said as Gwen and Lancelot shared a kiss as a married couple.

Merlin laughed, "yes it is sweetheart."

Kayla jumped off Merlin's knee and ran over to her parents where Lancelot picked her up and the three of them made their way out of the church. Arthur looked over to Merlin and saw him looking around the church before plucking a rose and holding it to his nose. "Soon my love." he whispered before making his way over.

Merlin smiled at Arthur when he reached him and gave him a small kiss on the lips. "Let's go and smile for the camera and go and enjoy the reception."

"Let's." Arthur said, taking the brunets hand and leading him from the church.

Merlin and Uther were sat at a table watching people dance while they talked, Uther had taken a real shine to Merlin and got on great with him, at the minute Gwen and Lancelot were dancing and Kayla was dancing with Arthur by standing on his feet and holding on tight to him.

"He would make a great father." Uther said.

"He will," Merlin smiled.

"Will?"

Merlin turned and faced Uther pushing the champagne glass over to the older man. "Yes Uther, will, I can't drink this, more for everyone else."

"Your magic has helped? You really are-"

"Yes Uther, I am not saying the words though, Arthur gets to be told the words first."

"What words?" Arthur asked.

Merlin turned back to see Arthur standing there. "Shall we dance? I will tell you after we dance."

As Arthur led Merlin onto the dance floor Uther picked up the video camera and started to record his son and future son in law dancing, after a few minutes dancing Merlin whispered something into Arthur's ear which made Merlin laugh as the blond picked up his lover and spun him around.

Uther turned and smiled at Gwen when she sat down. "Do me a favour Gwen?"

"Of course."

"Make sure Merlin catches your bouquet."

"Why?"

"Because there is going to be another wedding... Very very soon." he smiled.

The end.

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