No Emergency Exit; Merlin Modern AU
Title: No Emergency Exit (Epilogue|The End)
Authors: mydoctortennant
Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana
Warnings: None for this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not real. Despite birthday wishes and night time prayers to Santa (all Hail Amy Pond!) Merlin still isn't mine!
Rating: Previous chapters make it NC17
Summary: Sometimes relationships just don't work in order. Or so they find out when one mistake leads to a life altering experience.
Author Notes: For the lovely noodlesishere; this is a modern AU based loosely off of the Abby/Luka storyline in ER series 12/13. Some medical info I have taken from ER, so it's totally their fault if it's wrong! Other stuff I researched myself, which may not be 100% correct but I tried my hardest =]
Okay, so wow. This is it. This is the last part of this... I hope you like it.
My Merlin Prompts Table
| Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21
Epilogue
Gwen flattened her simple dress against her and let out a nervous breath. She ran her fingers through her loose curls and checked the final position of the flowers she had in her hair. Morgana poked her head around the door with Lexie nestled in the crook of her arm, “Ready?” she asked as the baby beamed and reached towards the woman in white.
“As I’ll ever be,” she ran her fingers over her daughters face and though her mess of curls that framed her face, “How’s Arthur?”
“He’s been waiting for this for eleven years, how do you think he is?”
“Prematurely balding?” Morgana laughed at her and shook her head.
“I think Merlin’s in a worse state,” Morgana looked Gwen up and down, “You look stunning.”
“Thank you, so do you,” Gwen smiled in return. Morgana stood in her floor length emerald green dress with Lexie in her arms in a matching colour in the smallest gown they’d ever seen.
“Come on, they’re ready to go.”
Gwen let out one final shaky breath and smiled, “Okay.”
She was nervous, so much so that he hands her shaking. She barely felt able to relax when her father took her arm in front of the heavy oak doors, “Ready, pumpkin?” she replied with an anxious smile.
The music started. This was it. Eight months ago Gwen had to face the scariest few weeks of her life. It had all worked out for the best; she had her beautiful little girl to show for it.
As the doors opened she didn’t know what it was she was feeling. At the other end of the seemingly mile long aisle before her stood Arthur in full top hat and tails, Merlin dressed to match. She saw the nerves leave his face as a smile spread across his face as his eyes locked on her.
The butterflies in her stomach disappeared as Morgana led the way in front of her towards the two males and the vicar. Gwen wasn’t used to being the centre of attention, but with every free member of staff, Uther, Gaius and all of their friends in the crowd, she had never felt smaller. Her Dad on her arm helped immensely, but she couldn’t help the nerves she felt.
The walk didn’t last as long as she had anticipated.
Tom hugged her and passed her hand to Arthur who willingly accepted it and linked his fingers through hers.
“Okay?” he mouthed down at her; she nodded and smiled up at him, “I love you.”
“I love you,” she mouthed back as the vicar began to greet the congregation starting the ceremony with a prayer. She’d never been religious, but she’d always wanted the church wedding like most little girls do. She’d never gone into that much detail with planning when she was younger, but one thing was clear; she wanted a church.
They didn’t break eye contact for the duration of his speech, oblivious to the world around them. It was the only moment in their hectic lives where they really could stop and think about why it was they were there.
“Into this holy union Arthur and Guinevere now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now or forever hold your peace,” there was a loud cry. Gwen jumped and looked at Morgana. The girl in her arms and unimpressed at being within reach of both of her parents but not being the centre of their attention. The congregation laughed.
Morgana attempted to calm her, and resulted on passing her to Merlin - a trick that usually worked - but even he couldn’t calm her.
“Uh, sorry,” Arthur mumbled his apology and dropped Gwen’s hand in order to take his fussing daughter away from his Best Man. He bounced her slightly before he settled her against his shoulder, which seemed to make her happier, “do carry on. Unless gargling counts as an objection,” he joked creating another ripple of amusement.
“I think we can discount it,” the vicar replied with a smile on his face, “Anybody else?” Arthur looked down at his daughter and she giggled into his shoulder.
“I think we’re good.”
The ceremony continued without another hitch, their daughter now asleep against Arthur’s shoulder. They exchanged rings, with an integrated balancing act from Arthur.
“You may kiss your bride,” Tom stepped forward and took the sleeping child from her father, thankfully she didn’t notice and slept through as her father leant forwards, one hand on Gwen’s and leant down capturing her lips. She looped her arm around his neck and pushed back into the kiss with equal fever. He dipped her slightly causing both Merlin and Morgana to wolf whistle.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with Mr and Mrs Pendragon.”
The commotion that next faced Gwen was the gaggle of women that gathered outside of the church doors. Rice was thrown followed by a few of the nurses chanting for Gwen to throw her bouquet of white roses. She turned and threw the collection over her head. The cheers sounded out and as Gwen tuned around she saw why. Morgana stood next to an awkward looking Merlin with her bouquet in her maid of honours friends, “Take the hint, Merlin,” Arthur laughed.
“We’ll see you at the reception,” Gwen called out as the pair of them clambered into the back of their wedding car. The photographer was happily snapping away as Gwen cuddled into Arthur’s side. She looked up at him with a smile on her face. They shared a kiss again, “We did it.”
“We did,” he grinned and wrapped his am around her shoulders, “How does it feel to be Mrs Pendragon?”
“Quite fabulous.”
Merlin grinned, pleasantly full from the meal he had just consumed, still displaying an embarrassed flush from his speech. He didn’t know how he managed it but at somebody people had been laughing so much they’re cried, “Please welcome to the floor, the happy couple, Arthur and Guinevere Pendragon.”
Arthur, ever the gentleman, led Gwen to the centre of the dance floor and took her waist with his other hand. Over the speakers crackled to life with Gavin DeGraw’s ‘Waterfall’ filling the room.
“Not so much a first dance, more like a first sway.”
“Well after discovering your complete inability to not stand on my toes, it’s probably a good idea,” Arthur teased dropping her hand and pulling her closer to him with his arms wrapped around her.
“Says the boy who had dancing lessons,” she replied with a large grin cracking over her face, “Do you know how amusing that is?”
Arthur rolled his eyes, “You did insist on telling me through your hysteria, yes.”
“I’m sorry, but Arthur, the manly man, had dancing lessons,” she couldn’t stop herself from laughing again just as she had done a month ago when she had discovered the very same fact.
“And Guinevere, the girly girl, didn’t,” he commented with a raised eyebrow. It hadn’t been his decision. His family had attended many a charity events throughout his childhood that he couldn’t avoid, and dancing, or having the knowledge to do so, was a certain must. Incredibly old fashioned of the events but Uther had insisted on it. For Morgana too, but Gwen hadn’t found that nearly as funny.
“Hardly a girly girl.”
“No, I remember,” he removed his hat from his head, having been insistent that he had to wear it until now. With an amused smirk on his face he placed the top hat on her head.
“You’ll ruin my hair,” she complained but made no move to take it off.
“I’ll do more than that, later,” Gwen laughed and leant her temple on Arthur’s shoulder taking in the music and letting the happiness she felt engulf her.
The song drew to an end, with the reception attendees all cheering. Gwen moved to sit down again only to have Arthur grabbed her hand and pull her back to the centre of the floor, “If you would all please stand and make your way to the dance floor, it would be mostly appreciated.”
“Arthur, what’s going on?” Arthur arranged their guests in a large circle, positioning himself between his wife and his sister, “Oh, you didn’t.”
“I think you’ll find: I did,” Another song started up, chirpy and cheerful, “Even you can’t mess up this dance,” she snorted in amusement as the crowd of people started to sing along and mime the actions to the Hokey Cokey.
x
Gwen sat waiting for Arthur. Tom had picked Lexie up from school, like he would usually to bring her back to their apartment straight away, but Gwen had called him, she had something she needed to do first. Being the doting Grandpa, Tom had agreed and had promised to have her home for bedtime.
She could hear Arthur on the other side of the door fumbling with his keys. She let out a deep breathe and stood up.
“Hey, I’m,” he started slightly louder expecting there to be more of a racket, then he noticed that there was only Gwen stood by the kitchen counter, “Home,” he finished at half the volume, “Are you okay?” he then clocked the paper bag on the counter. He frowned.
Gwen chewed on her lip and smiled, “I don’t know for sure, but I, uh,” she pushed the paper bag towards him. With a half baffled, half knowing smile on his face he picked out the box in the bag, “I thought you’d like to be present this time.”
Gwen sat on the edge of the bath with Arthur sitting opposite her on the floor leaning against the wall. He was leaning against his hand looking up at her with the test set on the sink to the side of them.
“Did it take this long last time?”
“It’s only two minutes, Arthur.”
“Feels like twenty.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.”
“Did it drag this much last time?” he rephrased frowned at the white stick he could just see from his seat on the floor.
“I was shit-scared last time. It lasted a lot longer,” her alarm sounded on her phone. Nervously the pair of them stood up, Arthur bounding from the floor. They both looked at the stick. Gwen turned to look up at Arthur with a broad smile on her face. Arthur speechlessly turned to her and cupped her cheek and kissed her firmly on the lips.
“We’re going to have to find a bigger place,” he commented and kissed he again as she laughed.
x
At eight o’clock in the evening the tube carriage was deserted with only two figures sat side by side facing each other.
“Okay, take it slowly,” Arthur said to his six year old daughter. She giggled and tucked her loose, curly, black hair behind her ear.
“A,” she laughed again as she clapped her hands. Arthur copied the movement, “Sai-“ she held up her right hand and her father put his left to it, “The other one, silly,” she giggled again, her laugh infectious and making Arthur smile. He raised his right hand and she high-fived it, “Lor,” she clapped her own hands again, “Went,” she raised her left hand for her father to hit his hand to, “To,” again she clapped her hands together. Assuming her now had the hang of it Arthur raised his right hand only to have his daughter hold up both of her hands to his confusion. He quickly adapted, “Sea,” they clapped hands, “Sea,” and again, “Sea,” and one final time.
“To see what he could see see see,” she guided him through the repeated movements a touch faster than the time before, giggling all over her own words, “And all that he could see see see, was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.”
“I think I’ve got it,” he said having awkwardly finished the rhyme.
“Again, again, again,” she said quickly and started to quickly recite the rhyme and sped up as she went.
The tube pulled into the station closest to the hospital and Arthur picked up her bag, “Come on, Blob,” he held out his hand and she grabbed it as she jumped from the seat, “Mum’s awaiting.”
“And Jammy.”
Arthur smiled, “Yeah, and Jammy. Don’t let go of my hand, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy,” she clutched his hand tightly and jumped out of the open doors onto the platform.
“Please be careful, Blob.”
x
“Lexie, please be careful with your brother!” Gwen cringed as the nine year old ran full pelt down the garden pulling a three-year-old Jamie behind her.
“Yes Mum!” she chirped as they disappeared behind the rose bushes towards the small brook at the end of the garden that she’d been fascinated with since they’d moved three years ago.
“Arthur,” Gwen called back into the house, “Get the first aid kit.”
“What’s she done now,” he said appearing at the door with the box in his hand.
“It’s not what she’s done, it’s what she’s going to do,” Gwen commented. Arthur laughed and placed the first aid kit down on the garden table and edged up behind his wife hooking his chin into the nook of her neck and wrapped his arms around her expanding waistline.
“Well, hopefully Blobby the Third will be the sensible one,” the heat of his breath was replaced with his lips on her skin.
“With you as a father and Merlin as an uncle? Chances of us having any sensible children are slim.”
“Niv tuned out alright and she’s half Merlin,” Gwen elbowed him in the stomach, but his wasn’t the only cry they heard. Gwen swiped the first aid kit from the garden table and ran, as fast as ‘Blobby the Third’ would allow her, towards the cries.
x
The sound of raised voices alerted all the three children, all of which had been previously asleep, that there was something wrong in the Pendragon Household.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” there was a smash as a ceramic late was launched across the room. Lexie flinched and tried to pull her younger siblings away from the stairwell. They didn’t need to see this or hear it.
“I haven’t done anything wrong!” Their father argued straight back.
“No? Who the fuck is she then, Arthur?”
“She’s a patient-“
“Oh fucking fantastic. Had enough of your wife and three kids that you go off with the first patient who wants it! Twelve years of marriage obviously means so little to you!”
“Gwen, for god’s sake, listen to yourself! She was grateful, that’s all!”
“She’s bloody well looked it! What did you do for her, Arthur? She didn’t even have a major problem!”
“Gwen, just listen to me. Nothing happened. She kissed me.”
“And that makes it all okay?”
“Of course not, but not for one millisecond did I think it was okay!”
“’She kissed me, but it’s okay I didn’t enjoy it’.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying, Arthur? Because that is exactly what it sounds like to me.”
“I love you. That’s all I could think about. Was you, the kids, everything we have.”
“Well everything we have is watching us,” Lexie looked down at her parents, and dropped her four year old sister’s hand and stopped trying to push her seven year old brother away. The two youngest took off back towards their rooms when they realised they’d been caught out. Both of them crying but neither said a word.
“Lex-“
She slowly shook her head and turned her back on her feuding parents, slowly walking back to her room.
“We should talk to her.”
“I’ll go,” Gwen stated and stormed past the object of her anger and pushed her way up the stairs.
“I don’t want to hear it, Mum,” their daughter retorted as her bedroom door opened, she was lying with her back to the door.
“I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“I think the whole village heard that,” after a few awkward silent seconds she rolled over on her bed and glared at Gwen, “You’re not splitting up are you?”
“Not today,” she attempted to smile reassuringly.
“Good. I think you guys owe Jamie and Ava a hug and a bit of reassurance. They’re terrified.”
“I’m sorry, Lexie. Parents argue sometimes. We’ve been married for a long time, Lex, we’ve never argued before. It’s only natural,” she reasoned, sitting on the edge of her eldest child’s bed, she ran her hand up her arm.
“But it’s scary, Mum.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” she beckoned her into her grasp and hugged her tightly. There was a soft knock on the door. Arthur slipped in without an invite and moved over to the bed. He took up the final empty spot on the bed and pulled his daughter to him.
“I’m sorry, Blob.”
“I don’t think it’s me you should be apologising to,” she said through her tears.
“Sorry,” he pressed a light kiss to both of their foreheads.
The door cracked open again, the light from the landing revealed their two other children sheepishly standing. Arthur held out his arm and they quietly ran across the wooden floor and jumped into their arms onto the bed and joined in the hug.
“I love you all so much, I’m sorry we argued,” Ava dug her head into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Jamie did the same to his mother, both of which parents kissed the tops of their heads and pulled their three children into a hug.
x
Gwen sat her eldest daughter down on the side of her bed and raised a wipe to her cheek. She gently rubbed it down over her skin. She gave the teenager the wipe and let her remove the cosmetics from her eyes with fresh tears falling down her cheeks.
The thirteen-year-old sniffed, “I just want him to like me.”
Gwen pulled her daughter into her arms running her fingers through her loose curls that were hanging over her shoulders. Her eyes now a deep brown, just like Gwen’s unlike when she was born, “You don’t need all this gunk on your face to make him like you, sweetie.”
“But he likes Nara and she wears it,” she cried into he mothers shirt, her cries racking her shoulders as her nose started to run. She was thirteen, Gwen hadn’t been expecting this for at least another year.
“You’re beautiful without it, Lex, you don’t need it. If he can’t see how stunning you are, chances are he’s not worth it. Or, he’s just shy. It took your Dad ten years to tell me he loved me. Maybe this Gary just needs time.”
“Gareth.”
“Sorry,” Gwen said trying not to laugh at her own mistake, knowing he emotional daughter wouldn’t take it well, “Gareth.”
Pushing the trolley through the vegetable section of Sainsbury’s Gwen hadn’t expected for her normally talkative daughter to suddenly start silently tugging on her sleeve to gander her attention, “Mum.”
“Yes, sweetie?”
Lexie turned her back on the direction they had been walking, planting her feet to the floor, “He’s over there.”
“Who is?” Gwen asked looking over her daughter’s shoulder for somebody she may have known.
“Gareth.”
“Where?” She asked suddenly very interested to know who this kid was to win such affections from Lexie.
“By the grapes,” she mumbled through the side of her mouth looked at her school jumper sleeves that she had pulled over her hands.
“He’s kinda cute,” Gwen commented smirking down at her daughter who promptly hit her on the arm.
“Mum, that’s so wrong.”
“What do you want me to say?” Gwen defended continuing the push the trolley in his direction so she could finish her shopping in under the hour it usually took when she took any of the three children with her, “That he’s smiling at you? Go and say hi,” she urged nudging the girl in the right direction.
“That’s not cool,” Lexie demanded glaring at her mother who ushered her away. She smiled at the boy who as looking in their direction and waved her fingers at him. He flushed back and gave a short wave in response, “Mum! Stop it!”
“Oh, come on, he obviously likes you,” she continued towards with, “His Mum’s saying exactly the same stuff to him that I’m saying to you. Talk to him.”
“No way,” Lexie dropped back, calling after her mother in nothing more than a hush whisper, “No, Mum what are you doing? No!”
“Hi, Guinevere Pendragon,” she introduced herself to Gareth’s mother, holding out her hand.
“Sally Holt,” she laughed returning the gesture, “This is my son, Gareth.”
“Nice to meet you Gareth, I gather you know my daughter, Lexie?” Gwen reached behind her and caught a hold of her daughter’s wrist pulling her toward her.
“Yeah,” he scuffed his foot against the floor, his eyes focused there, “y’alight Lex?”
“Umhmm.”
Sally and Gwen continued on their shop, leaving the pair of teens awkwardly talking to each other, “It’s kinda cute,” Gwen mused.
“He’s been talking about her non-stop all evening,” the boy’s mother admitted seemingly just as amused as Gwen had been.
“She’s been the same. I swear I didn’t have a crush until I was fifteen.”
“Ah, she’s your oldest?”
“Yeah, is it that obvious?”
Sally laughed as she nodded, “Gareth is the youngest of four.”
“Lexie’s eldest of three,” the started up the fresh meat aisle, both looking back at their children and smiling at the coffee-skinned girl laughed at something the pale male was saying.
Gwen wiped the remains of chocolate sauce from her youngest daughter’s chin with a grin, “There you go Ava,” the girl beamed and ran away quietly, much different than both her siblings, being quiet and preferring to have tea parties with her toys over running around like a maniac in the back garden. Lexie appeared with her empty dinner plate and placed it in the sink, “How’s Gareth?” Gwen asked with an intrigued look on her face.
Arthur stopped washing plates in order to eye his eldest child, “Who’s Gareth?”
“Who?” the girl asked nonchalantly as she opened the fridge and pulled the orange juice carton from the door.
Gwen’s jaw dropped, she was most definitely her father’s daughter, “The boy who had you blushing in the middle of the supermarket last week.”
“Oh, he’s going out with Julia,” she said with a shrug.
“Slimball,” Gwen said aghast.
“She liked him first.”
Arthur dried his hands in the tea towel and nodded his head, “I like that rule.”
Gwen shot him a look, “Be quiet.”
“Being quiet,” he turned his attention back to the plates in the rack and began to dry them.
“Whatever. I didn’t like him that much anyway,” Lexie shrugged her shoulders again taking a sip from the carton.
“Get a glass,” her mother ordered reached to open the cupboard, “You were crying over him last week.”
“Whoa, Blob, what?”
“Stop calling me that, Dad.”
“Old habits.”
“Yeah, ancient,” she smirked abandoning both glass and carton on the side to run away as he launched himself after her with the tea towel still in his hand. Gwen rolled her eyes and finished pouring the juice into the container and returning the carton to the fridge.
“I surrender, I surrender!” she could hear her daughter cry out, laughter in her voice, “Daaaad!”
“No more crying over losers.”
“Okay, okay,” she giggled. Gwen saw them on the sofa, Lexie pulled down from standing as Arthur undoubtedly launched his attack on her. He had his arms protectively around her as she laughed and placed a loving kiss to her forehead before letting her go.
Lexie rolled off the sofa, landing in a crouched position on the balls of her feet before she trotted over to Gwen and took the glass from her hands. She smiled sweetly at her and pushed onto her toes to kiss her mother on the cheek, “Love you, Mum.”
“Love you too, sweetie. No amount of love will get you out of doing your homework.”
“Damn, foiled again.”
-
Alexandria held up her hands, “No way, Dad, I’m not getting in that,” she pointed at the death trap that he presented her with.
“It’ll be fun!”
“You’re meant to be the responsible adult.”
“You are no fun, Blobby.”
“They’ll chuck us out and I’ll never get a new room. And don’t call me Blobby.”
“You’ve done it before,” he shot back ignoring her other plea.
She frowned at him, “No I haven’t.”
“Sure you did,” he grinned back and edged towards her with the trolley, “You may not have been born at the time, but you rode in a trolley.”
“Why did they ever let you and Mum leave the hospital with me?”
“Because if they didn’t I’d have them fired,” he beamed back at her with an amused glint in his eye.
“You’re both nutters,” she confirmed. She looped her arms through his and looked up at him sincerely, “Can we please just go in, buy paint and come out again. We don’t even need a trolley!”
“Sure we do?”
“No,” she started to back away, “No we don’t, Dad, come near me and I’ll scream kidnap.”
“Fine. Fifteen years of waiting, you are a let down child. Jamie would do it,” he tried to tempt her, only she was having none of it.
“Then go get Jamie. I’d like to be in one piece when I get home and Mum would kill you if you break me.”
“I won’t break you.”
Slowly she smiled which Arthur took as an agreement, “You’re a bad influence.”
x
Lexie led back in her bed, her mobile phone on her stomach occasionally lighting up alerting her to a new message. She turned the page of her book. The door to her room opened revealing Gwen with an empty box in her hand.
Right; packing. University. Singing.
“Do you ever think that Dad’s a bit disappointed that I don’t want to be a doctor?” she asked her mother as she closed her book and rested it on her bedside table.
Gwen frowned, flattening the duvet before she sat down, “What makes you say that?”
She shrugged, “He just does this thing.”
“What thing?”
“He tugs out the corner of his mouth and looks like he’s chewing the inside of his lip,” she demonstrated and picked up her phone and started to fiddle with it.
Gwen nodded in understanding and smiled, “That’s his thoughtful look,” she corrected pushing her daughter’s fringe out of he face with delicacy, “He told me he would be so happy if you defied everything he ever did.”
She brightened considerably, “Does that mean I can skip uni?”
“I wouldn’t push him that far,” Gwen laughed as she laid her hand over her daughters giving it a gentle squeeze, “You have to at least try it.”
“It’s such a waste of money,” she groaned flopping down into her pillow.
“Darling, don’t worry about that. We want you to try new things. If you don’t get along with it, you don’t have to carry on.”
“I just don’t see the point,” she hadn’t really seen the point back when she’d auditioned for her place at the Guildhall, she’d gone for it to make her Dad happy. The look on his face when he found out she’s been accepted.
“You got in. Try it, if you don’t like it you can come back and rock out with Rory, or whatever it is you two do.”
“Mum,” she started seriously sitting up and taking her hand in hers, “You’re way too old to use that phrase.”
“Oi!”
“Don’t tell me that forty-four is the new eighteen,” she covered her ears with the palms of her hands and started to hum.
“I’m incredibly fashionable,” Gwen pulled on he daughter’s wrists so she would listen.
“In your head, Mum. I love you, but be a Mum. Fuss that my skirt is too shot and my top is too low cut.”
“And your father?”
“Has gracefully accepted his fate at forty-five, and connects with his kids making them watch his ancient Buffy DVDs and programs about dinosaurs if you’re Ava.”
Gwen laughed, her youngest child’s interest into dinosaurs and bones was boarding on obsessive, she watched Jurassic Park on a weekly basis and had watched every single dinosaur film and television series with them in that they had been able to provide, “She won’t be a doctor either.”
“And Benji?” the girl had inherited her Father’s ability to put a twang on any name she ever said, she’d even mastered her father’s rendition of her mother’s name without so much as practise.
“Follows his uncle around all the time. He’s following in our footsteps,” Jamie, or Benji as his sister had taken to calling him over the last few years, didn’t have the attention span to spend an intense amount of time at university, but his heart was in the right place.
“Don’t tell Dad that. Nurses get him excited.”
Gwen quirked her eyebrow and stood suddenly feeling awkward, “And with that I’m going. Good night, Lex,” she headed towards the door.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t play Doctors and Nurses,” Lexie called after her.
“You don’t need to know.”
“You’re right,” Lexie cringed at the mental image she had caused herself and buried her head in her pillow, “Old people love,” she complained, “it’s disturbing.”
Gwen laughed, “Go to sleep, Lexie.”
She sneaked a look up from the pillows to see her mother’s hand hovering over the light switch. She deposited her phone on top of her book and cuddled into her bed, “Night Mum.”
Gwen turned out the lights and shut the door behind her.
Lexie’s phone lit up, buzzing on the softer surface of her bookcover. She grabbed up the device and with a gin on her face read the message.
You know what, Blobby, I think your Dad is a lege.
She groaned, her Dad was such an embarrassment and now even Rory, the guitarist of their small garage band, had started on the nickname.
Screw you, Roooreeee. You’re helping me pack tomorrow. X
A minute later she got her reply.
You decided to go then? Jolly good show young chap. What what. Night x
“Ava, please stop winding up your brother. Jamie, stop winding up your sister and help your father. Lexie, go grab a box, pack the last few things.”
“What do you need me to do, Mrs P?” Rory appeared up the path having placed the last of the filled boxes into the back of the car.
“Call me Gwen, Rory, for starters, then go and see what Lex needs you to do,” she smiled looking for Ava who had just started wailing about something else now Jamie had disappeared.
“Sure thing,” he saluted her, “later Mrs P.”
“Gwen.”
“You’re Blobby’s Mum, I can’t call you Gwen. That’s so weird.”
“And calling her Blobby isn’t?” she asked amused. Eighteen years and the nickname still hadn’t disappeared. Through no fault to trying, just Arthur being incredibly stubborn about it.
“Not at all,” the boy smiled from under his hair, “Mr P does it, thus, it’s cool.”
“Hah!” Gwen glared at her husband who had appeared from the house at what she considered the wrong moment, “You hear that, I’m cool.”
“He didn’t say you were cool. He said the nickname was.”
“Thus, I am.”
“No. Rory?” she looked to the boy for back-up, but he was already half way into the house.
“I’m not getting in the middle of this, Mrs P. Blobs awaits.”
Gwen turned to Arthur with her hands balled on her hips, “If that becomes her stage name, I’m divorcing you.”
“Blobby and the Hobbit?” Arthur asked, highly amused.
“Harsh, Mr P. Harsh,” Rory picked up the box Lexie had sent him back for, “I’ll suggest it,” he grinned running his fingers through his black fringe and heading back into the cottage and up the stairs.
x
The table was set, with twelve place settings with a bottle of champagne on ice in the middle of the table. Merlin and Morgana bought through crockery, with Niv following her parents with as many champagne flutes as she could manage.
Birthday celebrations weren’t something to be taken lightly in the Pendragon household, the entire family got invited, regardless of what you wanted to do as well as. Being Jamie’s eighteenth meant they pulled out all the stops.
Gwen had prepared her son’s favourite meal with his help. Whilst it cooked, however, he’d disappeared on the new motorbike his father had determinedly bought him after his old bike had fallen to pieces. Jamie had wanted to restore it, but the local mechanic had deemed it not a good idea.
He came back, his curly hair slick to his skin. He’d kissed his mother on the cheek as he re-entered the kitchen from outside. She pushed him away, “Shower. Then dinner will be ready.”
“Yes, Mum,” he laughed and trotted away up the stairs.
Arthur stood to pour champagne into all of the flutes. Jamie taking a quick swig from his as if it was his first drink, only to have Gwen bat his arm.
Arthur filled Rory’s glass, his hair now it’s natural blonde, and he accepted it gladly, only when he reached his eldest child was he refused, “Not for me, Dad.”
“No?” Gwen had a sudden flash of twenty-five years ago. All of the parents in the room would have been considerably younger. She smirked and raised an eyebrow at her.
“Mum, Dad, I’ve got something to tell you.”
THE END
Well, well, well, that's it. That's kind of scary.
The final word count was 82,187 words. Which from a prompt of "Gwen pulls on Arthur's tie to kiss him" I think is rather impressive. I've wanted to write a story lke this for a long time and that prompt gave me the chance, so thank you so much noodlesishere for allowing me to do so. I bet you weren't expecting this much XD
I'd like to say a massive
Thank you
to everybody who has read this story along the way and especially all those who have commented. It means so much to me. Thank you all! I really love everybody who has supported me, cheerleaded and given me inspiration in the months that this has been being posted.
I promised to post it all by the time s3 aired, so here it is.
Thank you again to everybody, especially to noodlesishere for the prompt and mustbethursday3 for being so fantastic as a beta and an alpha in the times I needed her support. Also to ella_rose88 and sgmajorshipper for their continual support. I'd thank everybody by name, but my wonderful friends who have all supported me along the way you mean the world to me, thank you all so much for your support and, of course, for reading!
♥
Authors: mydoctortennant
Pairings: Arthur/Gwen, Merlin/Morgana
Warnings: None for this chapter.
Disclaimer: Not real. Despite birthday wishes and night time prayers to Santa (all Hail Amy Pond!) Merlin still isn't mine!
Rating: Previous chapters make it NC17
Summary: Sometimes relationships just don't work in order. Or so they find out when one mistake leads to a life altering experience.
Author Notes: For the lovely noodlesishere; this is a modern AU based loosely off of the Abby/Luka storyline in ER series 12/13. Some medical info I have taken from ER, so it's totally their fault if it's wrong! Other stuff I researched myself, which may not be 100% correct but I tried my hardest =]
Okay, so wow. This is it. This is the last part of this... I hope you like it.
My Merlin Prompts Table
| Prologue | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21
Epilogue
Gwen flattened her simple dress against her and let out a nervous breath. She ran her fingers through her loose curls and checked the final position of the flowers she had in her hair. Morgana poked her head around the door with Lexie nestled in the crook of her arm, “Ready?” she asked as the baby beamed and reached towards the woman in white.
“As I’ll ever be,” she ran her fingers over her daughters face and though her mess of curls that framed her face, “How’s Arthur?”
“He’s been waiting for this for eleven years, how do you think he is?”
“Prematurely balding?” Morgana laughed at her and shook her head.
“I think Merlin’s in a worse state,” Morgana looked Gwen up and down, “You look stunning.”
“Thank you, so do you,” Gwen smiled in return. Morgana stood in her floor length emerald green dress with Lexie in her arms in a matching colour in the smallest gown they’d ever seen.
“Come on, they’re ready to go.”
Gwen let out one final shaky breath and smiled, “Okay.”
She was nervous, so much so that he hands her shaking. She barely felt able to relax when her father took her arm in front of the heavy oak doors, “Ready, pumpkin?” she replied with an anxious smile.
The music started. This was it. Eight months ago Gwen had to face the scariest few weeks of her life. It had all worked out for the best; she had her beautiful little girl to show for it.
As the doors opened she didn’t know what it was she was feeling. At the other end of the seemingly mile long aisle before her stood Arthur in full top hat and tails, Merlin dressed to match. She saw the nerves leave his face as a smile spread across his face as his eyes locked on her.
The butterflies in her stomach disappeared as Morgana led the way in front of her towards the two males and the vicar. Gwen wasn’t used to being the centre of attention, but with every free member of staff, Uther, Gaius and all of their friends in the crowd, she had never felt smaller. Her Dad on her arm helped immensely, but she couldn’t help the nerves she felt.
The walk didn’t last as long as she had anticipated.
Tom hugged her and passed her hand to Arthur who willingly accepted it and linked his fingers through hers.
“Okay?” he mouthed down at her; she nodded and smiled up at him, “I love you.”
“I love you,” she mouthed back as the vicar began to greet the congregation starting the ceremony with a prayer. She’d never been religious, but she’d always wanted the church wedding like most little girls do. She’d never gone into that much detail with planning when she was younger, but one thing was clear; she wanted a church.
They didn’t break eye contact for the duration of his speech, oblivious to the world around them. It was the only moment in their hectic lives where they really could stop and think about why it was they were there.
“Into this holy union Arthur and Guinevere now come to be joined. If any of you can show just cause why they may not lawfully be married, speak now or forever hold your peace,” there was a loud cry. Gwen jumped and looked at Morgana. The girl in her arms and unimpressed at being within reach of both of her parents but not being the centre of their attention. The congregation laughed.
Morgana attempted to calm her, and resulted on passing her to Merlin - a trick that usually worked - but even he couldn’t calm her.
“Uh, sorry,” Arthur mumbled his apology and dropped Gwen’s hand in order to take his fussing daughter away from his Best Man. He bounced her slightly before he settled her against his shoulder, which seemed to make her happier, “do carry on. Unless gargling counts as an objection,” he joked creating another ripple of amusement.
“I think we can discount it,” the vicar replied with a smile on his face, “Anybody else?” Arthur looked down at his daughter and she giggled into his shoulder.
“I think we’re good.”
The ceremony continued without another hitch, their daughter now asleep against Arthur’s shoulder. They exchanged rings, with an integrated balancing act from Arthur.
“You may kiss your bride,” Tom stepped forward and took the sleeping child from her father, thankfully she didn’t notice and slept through as her father leant forwards, one hand on Gwen’s and leant down capturing her lips. She looped her arm around his neck and pushed back into the kiss with equal fever. He dipped her slightly causing both Merlin and Morgana to wolf whistle.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with Mr and Mrs Pendragon.”
The commotion that next faced Gwen was the gaggle of women that gathered outside of the church doors. Rice was thrown followed by a few of the nurses chanting for Gwen to throw her bouquet of white roses. She turned and threw the collection over her head. The cheers sounded out and as Gwen tuned around she saw why. Morgana stood next to an awkward looking Merlin with her bouquet in her maid of honours friends, “Take the hint, Merlin,” Arthur laughed.
“We’ll see you at the reception,” Gwen called out as the pair of them clambered into the back of their wedding car. The photographer was happily snapping away as Gwen cuddled into Arthur’s side. She looked up at him with a smile on her face. They shared a kiss again, “We did it.”
“We did,” he grinned and wrapped his am around her shoulders, “How does it feel to be Mrs Pendragon?”
“Quite fabulous.”
Merlin grinned, pleasantly full from the meal he had just consumed, still displaying an embarrassed flush from his speech. He didn’t know how he managed it but at somebody people had been laughing so much they’re cried, “Please welcome to the floor, the happy couple, Arthur and Guinevere Pendragon.”
Arthur, ever the gentleman, led Gwen to the centre of the dance floor and took her waist with his other hand. Over the speakers crackled to life with Gavin DeGraw’s ‘Waterfall’ filling the room.
“Not so much a first dance, more like a first sway.”
“Well after discovering your complete inability to not stand on my toes, it’s probably a good idea,” Arthur teased dropping her hand and pulling her closer to him with his arms wrapped around her.
“Says the boy who had dancing lessons,” she replied with a large grin cracking over her face, “Do you know how amusing that is?”
Arthur rolled his eyes, “You did insist on telling me through your hysteria, yes.”
“I’m sorry, but Arthur, the manly man, had dancing lessons,” she couldn’t stop herself from laughing again just as she had done a month ago when she had discovered the very same fact.
“And Guinevere, the girly girl, didn’t,” he commented with a raised eyebrow. It hadn’t been his decision. His family had attended many a charity events throughout his childhood that he couldn’t avoid, and dancing, or having the knowledge to do so, was a certain must. Incredibly old fashioned of the events but Uther had insisted on it. For Morgana too, but Gwen hadn’t found that nearly as funny.
“Hardly a girly girl.”
“No, I remember,” he removed his hat from his head, having been insistent that he had to wear it until now. With an amused smirk on his face he placed the top hat on her head.
“You’ll ruin my hair,” she complained but made no move to take it off.
“I’ll do more than that, later,” Gwen laughed and leant her temple on Arthur’s shoulder taking in the music and letting the happiness she felt engulf her.
The song drew to an end, with the reception attendees all cheering. Gwen moved to sit down again only to have Arthur grabbed her hand and pull her back to the centre of the floor, “If you would all please stand and make your way to the dance floor, it would be mostly appreciated.”
“Arthur, what’s going on?” Arthur arranged their guests in a large circle, positioning himself between his wife and his sister, “Oh, you didn’t.”
“I think you’ll find: I did,” Another song started up, chirpy and cheerful, “Even you can’t mess up this dance,” she snorted in amusement as the crowd of people started to sing along and mime the actions to the Hokey Cokey.
x
Gwen sat waiting for Arthur. Tom had picked Lexie up from school, like he would usually to bring her back to their apartment straight away, but Gwen had called him, she had something she needed to do first. Being the doting Grandpa, Tom had agreed and had promised to have her home for bedtime.
She could hear Arthur on the other side of the door fumbling with his keys. She let out a deep breathe and stood up.
“Hey, I’m,” he started slightly louder expecting there to be more of a racket, then he noticed that there was only Gwen stood by the kitchen counter, “Home,” he finished at half the volume, “Are you okay?” he then clocked the paper bag on the counter. He frowned.
Gwen chewed on her lip and smiled, “I don’t know for sure, but I, uh,” she pushed the paper bag towards him. With a half baffled, half knowing smile on his face he picked out the box in the bag, “I thought you’d like to be present this time.”
Gwen sat on the edge of the bath with Arthur sitting opposite her on the floor leaning against the wall. He was leaning against his hand looking up at her with the test set on the sink to the side of them.
“Did it take this long last time?”
“It’s only two minutes, Arthur.”
“Feels like twenty.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.”
“Did it drag this much last time?” he rephrased frowned at the white stick he could just see from his seat on the floor.
“I was shit-scared last time. It lasted a lot longer,” her alarm sounded on her phone. Nervously the pair of them stood up, Arthur bounding from the floor. They both looked at the stick. Gwen turned to look up at Arthur with a broad smile on her face. Arthur speechlessly turned to her and cupped her cheek and kissed her firmly on the lips.
“We’re going to have to find a bigger place,” he commented and kissed he again as she laughed.
x
At eight o’clock in the evening the tube carriage was deserted with only two figures sat side by side facing each other.
“Okay, take it slowly,” Arthur said to his six year old daughter. She giggled and tucked her loose, curly, black hair behind her ear.
“A,” she laughed again as she clapped her hands. Arthur copied the movement, “Sai-“ she held up her right hand and her father put his left to it, “The other one, silly,” she giggled again, her laugh infectious and making Arthur smile. He raised his right hand and she high-fived it, “Lor,” she clapped her own hands again, “Went,” she raised her left hand for her father to hit his hand to, “To,” again she clapped her hands together. Assuming her now had the hang of it Arthur raised his right hand only to have his daughter hold up both of her hands to his confusion. He quickly adapted, “Sea,” they clapped hands, “Sea,” and again, “Sea,” and one final time.
“To see what he could see see see,” she guided him through the repeated movements a touch faster than the time before, giggling all over her own words, “And all that he could see see see, was the bottom of the deep blue sea sea sea.”
“I think I’ve got it,” he said having awkwardly finished the rhyme.
“Again, again, again,” she said quickly and started to quickly recite the rhyme and sped up as she went.
The tube pulled into the station closest to the hospital and Arthur picked up her bag, “Come on, Blob,” he held out his hand and she grabbed it as she jumped from the seat, “Mum’s awaiting.”
“And Jammy.”
Arthur smiled, “Yeah, and Jammy. Don’t let go of my hand, okay?”
“Okay, Daddy,” she clutched his hand tightly and jumped out of the open doors onto the platform.
“Please be careful, Blob.”
x
“Lexie, please be careful with your brother!” Gwen cringed as the nine year old ran full pelt down the garden pulling a three-year-old Jamie behind her.
“Yes Mum!” she chirped as they disappeared behind the rose bushes towards the small brook at the end of the garden that she’d been fascinated with since they’d moved three years ago.
“Arthur,” Gwen called back into the house, “Get the first aid kit.”
“What’s she done now,” he said appearing at the door with the box in his hand.
“It’s not what she’s done, it’s what she’s going to do,” Gwen commented. Arthur laughed and placed the first aid kit down on the garden table and edged up behind his wife hooking his chin into the nook of her neck and wrapped his arms around her expanding waistline.
“Well, hopefully Blobby the Third will be the sensible one,” the heat of his breath was replaced with his lips on her skin.
“With you as a father and Merlin as an uncle? Chances of us having any sensible children are slim.”
“Niv tuned out alright and she’s half Merlin,” Gwen elbowed him in the stomach, but his wasn’t the only cry they heard. Gwen swiped the first aid kit from the garden table and ran, as fast as ‘Blobby the Third’ would allow her, towards the cries.
x
The sound of raised voices alerted all the three children, all of which had been previously asleep, that there was something wrong in the Pendragon Household.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” there was a smash as a ceramic late was launched across the room. Lexie flinched and tried to pull her younger siblings away from the stairwell. They didn’t need to see this or hear it.
“I haven’t done anything wrong!” Their father argued straight back.
“No? Who the fuck is she then, Arthur?”
“She’s a patient-“
“Oh fucking fantastic. Had enough of your wife and three kids that you go off with the first patient who wants it! Twelve years of marriage obviously means so little to you!”
“Gwen, for god’s sake, listen to yourself! She was grateful, that’s all!”
“She’s bloody well looked it! What did you do for her, Arthur? She didn’t even have a major problem!”
“Gwen, just listen to me. Nothing happened. She kissed me.”
“And that makes it all okay?”
“Of course not, but not for one millisecond did I think it was okay!”
“’She kissed me, but it’s okay I didn’t enjoy it’.”
“That’s not what I said.”
“Then what are you saying, Arthur? Because that is exactly what it sounds like to me.”
“I love you. That’s all I could think about. Was you, the kids, everything we have.”
“Well everything we have is watching us,” Lexie looked down at her parents, and dropped her four year old sister’s hand and stopped trying to push her seven year old brother away. The two youngest took off back towards their rooms when they realised they’d been caught out. Both of them crying but neither said a word.
“Lex-“
She slowly shook her head and turned her back on her feuding parents, slowly walking back to her room.
“We should talk to her.”
“I’ll go,” Gwen stated and stormed past the object of her anger and pushed her way up the stairs.
“I don’t want to hear it, Mum,” their daughter retorted as her bedroom door opened, she was lying with her back to the door.
“I’m sorry you had to hear that.”
“I think the whole village heard that,” after a few awkward silent seconds she rolled over on her bed and glared at Gwen, “You’re not splitting up are you?”
“Not today,” she attempted to smile reassuringly.
“Good. I think you guys owe Jamie and Ava a hug and a bit of reassurance. They’re terrified.”
“I’m sorry, Lexie. Parents argue sometimes. We’ve been married for a long time, Lex, we’ve never argued before. It’s only natural,” she reasoned, sitting on the edge of her eldest child’s bed, she ran her hand up her arm.
“But it’s scary, Mum.”
“I know, I’m sorry,” she beckoned her into her grasp and hugged her tightly. There was a soft knock on the door. Arthur slipped in without an invite and moved over to the bed. He took up the final empty spot on the bed and pulled his daughter to him.
“I’m sorry, Blob.”
“I don’t think it’s me you should be apologising to,” she said through her tears.
“Sorry,” he pressed a light kiss to both of their foreheads.
The door cracked open again, the light from the landing revealed their two other children sheepishly standing. Arthur held out his arm and they quietly ran across the wooden floor and jumped into their arms onto the bed and joined in the hug.
“I love you all so much, I’m sorry we argued,” Ava dug her head into his chest, wrapping her arms tightly around his waist. Jamie did the same to his mother, both of which parents kissed the tops of their heads and pulled their three children into a hug.
x
Gwen sat her eldest daughter down on the side of her bed and raised a wipe to her cheek. She gently rubbed it down over her skin. She gave the teenager the wipe and let her remove the cosmetics from her eyes with fresh tears falling down her cheeks.
The thirteen-year-old sniffed, “I just want him to like me.”
Gwen pulled her daughter into her arms running her fingers through her loose curls that were hanging over her shoulders. Her eyes now a deep brown, just like Gwen’s unlike when she was born, “You don’t need all this gunk on your face to make him like you, sweetie.”
“But he likes Nara and she wears it,” she cried into he mothers shirt, her cries racking her shoulders as her nose started to run. She was thirteen, Gwen hadn’t been expecting this for at least another year.
“You’re beautiful without it, Lex, you don’t need it. If he can’t see how stunning you are, chances are he’s not worth it. Or, he’s just shy. It took your Dad ten years to tell me he loved me. Maybe this Gary just needs time.”
“Gareth.”
“Sorry,” Gwen said trying not to laugh at her own mistake, knowing he emotional daughter wouldn’t take it well, “Gareth.”
Pushing the trolley through the vegetable section of Sainsbury’s Gwen hadn’t expected for her normally talkative daughter to suddenly start silently tugging on her sleeve to gander her attention, “Mum.”
“Yes, sweetie?”
Lexie turned her back on the direction they had been walking, planting her feet to the floor, “He’s over there.”
“Who is?” Gwen asked looking over her daughter’s shoulder for somebody she may have known.
“Gareth.”
“Where?” She asked suddenly very interested to know who this kid was to win such affections from Lexie.
“By the grapes,” she mumbled through the side of her mouth looked at her school jumper sleeves that she had pulled over her hands.
“He’s kinda cute,” Gwen commented smirking down at her daughter who promptly hit her on the arm.
“Mum, that’s so wrong.”
“What do you want me to say?” Gwen defended continuing the push the trolley in his direction so she could finish her shopping in under the hour it usually took when she took any of the three children with her, “That he’s smiling at you? Go and say hi,” she urged nudging the girl in the right direction.
“That’s not cool,” Lexie demanded glaring at her mother who ushered her away. She smiled at the boy who as looking in their direction and waved her fingers at him. He flushed back and gave a short wave in response, “Mum! Stop it!”
“Oh, come on, he obviously likes you,” she continued towards with, “His Mum’s saying exactly the same stuff to him that I’m saying to you. Talk to him.”
“No way,” Lexie dropped back, calling after her mother in nothing more than a hush whisper, “No, Mum what are you doing? No!”
“Hi, Guinevere Pendragon,” she introduced herself to Gareth’s mother, holding out her hand.
“Sally Holt,” she laughed returning the gesture, “This is my son, Gareth.”
“Nice to meet you Gareth, I gather you know my daughter, Lexie?” Gwen reached behind her and caught a hold of her daughter’s wrist pulling her toward her.
“Yeah,” he scuffed his foot against the floor, his eyes focused there, “y’alight Lex?”
“Umhmm.”
Sally and Gwen continued on their shop, leaving the pair of teens awkwardly talking to each other, “It’s kinda cute,” Gwen mused.
“He’s been talking about her non-stop all evening,” the boy’s mother admitted seemingly just as amused as Gwen had been.
“She’s been the same. I swear I didn’t have a crush until I was fifteen.”
“Ah, she’s your oldest?”
“Yeah, is it that obvious?”
Sally laughed as she nodded, “Gareth is the youngest of four.”
“Lexie’s eldest of three,” the started up the fresh meat aisle, both looking back at their children and smiling at the coffee-skinned girl laughed at something the pale male was saying.
Gwen wiped the remains of chocolate sauce from her youngest daughter’s chin with a grin, “There you go Ava,” the girl beamed and ran away quietly, much different than both her siblings, being quiet and preferring to have tea parties with her toys over running around like a maniac in the back garden. Lexie appeared with her empty dinner plate and placed it in the sink, “How’s Gareth?” Gwen asked with an intrigued look on her face.
Arthur stopped washing plates in order to eye his eldest child, “Who’s Gareth?”
“Who?” the girl asked nonchalantly as she opened the fridge and pulled the orange juice carton from the door.
Gwen’s jaw dropped, she was most definitely her father’s daughter, “The boy who had you blushing in the middle of the supermarket last week.”
“Oh, he’s going out with Julia,” she said with a shrug.
“Slimball,” Gwen said aghast.
“She liked him first.”
Arthur dried his hands in the tea towel and nodded his head, “I like that rule.”
Gwen shot him a look, “Be quiet.”
“Being quiet,” he turned his attention back to the plates in the rack and began to dry them.
“Whatever. I didn’t like him that much anyway,” Lexie shrugged her shoulders again taking a sip from the carton.
“Get a glass,” her mother ordered reached to open the cupboard, “You were crying over him last week.”
“Whoa, Blob, what?”
“Stop calling me that, Dad.”
“Old habits.”
“Yeah, ancient,” she smirked abandoning both glass and carton on the side to run away as he launched himself after her with the tea towel still in his hand. Gwen rolled her eyes and finished pouring the juice into the container and returning the carton to the fridge.
“I surrender, I surrender!” she could hear her daughter cry out, laughter in her voice, “Daaaad!”
“No more crying over losers.”
“Okay, okay,” she giggled. Gwen saw them on the sofa, Lexie pulled down from standing as Arthur undoubtedly launched his attack on her. He had his arms protectively around her as she laughed and placed a loving kiss to her forehead before letting her go.
Lexie rolled off the sofa, landing in a crouched position on the balls of her feet before she trotted over to Gwen and took the glass from her hands. She smiled sweetly at her and pushed onto her toes to kiss her mother on the cheek, “Love you, Mum.”
“Love you too, sweetie. No amount of love will get you out of doing your homework.”
“Damn, foiled again.”
-
Alexandria held up her hands, “No way, Dad, I’m not getting in that,” she pointed at the death trap that he presented her with.
“It’ll be fun!”
“You’re meant to be the responsible adult.”
“You are no fun, Blobby.”
“They’ll chuck us out and I’ll never get a new room. And don’t call me Blobby.”
“You’ve done it before,” he shot back ignoring her other plea.
She frowned at him, “No I haven’t.”
“Sure you did,” he grinned back and edged towards her with the trolley, “You may not have been born at the time, but you rode in a trolley.”
“Why did they ever let you and Mum leave the hospital with me?”
“Because if they didn’t I’d have them fired,” he beamed back at her with an amused glint in his eye.
“You’re both nutters,” she confirmed. She looped her arms through his and looked up at him sincerely, “Can we please just go in, buy paint and come out again. We don’t even need a trolley!”
“Sure we do?”
“No,” she started to back away, “No we don’t, Dad, come near me and I’ll scream kidnap.”
“Fine. Fifteen years of waiting, you are a let down child. Jamie would do it,” he tried to tempt her, only she was having none of it.
“Then go get Jamie. I’d like to be in one piece when I get home and Mum would kill you if you break me.”
“I won’t break you.”
Slowly she smiled which Arthur took as an agreement, “You’re a bad influence.”
x
Lexie led back in her bed, her mobile phone on her stomach occasionally lighting up alerting her to a new message. She turned the page of her book. The door to her room opened revealing Gwen with an empty box in her hand.
Right; packing. University. Singing.
“Do you ever think that Dad’s a bit disappointed that I don’t want to be a doctor?” she asked her mother as she closed her book and rested it on her bedside table.
Gwen frowned, flattening the duvet before she sat down, “What makes you say that?”
She shrugged, “He just does this thing.”
“What thing?”
“He tugs out the corner of his mouth and looks like he’s chewing the inside of his lip,” she demonstrated and picked up her phone and started to fiddle with it.
Gwen nodded in understanding and smiled, “That’s his thoughtful look,” she corrected pushing her daughter’s fringe out of he face with delicacy, “He told me he would be so happy if you defied everything he ever did.”
She brightened considerably, “Does that mean I can skip uni?”
“I wouldn’t push him that far,” Gwen laughed as she laid her hand over her daughters giving it a gentle squeeze, “You have to at least try it.”
“It’s such a waste of money,” she groaned flopping down into her pillow.
“Darling, don’t worry about that. We want you to try new things. If you don’t get along with it, you don’t have to carry on.”
“I just don’t see the point,” she hadn’t really seen the point back when she’d auditioned for her place at the Guildhall, she’d gone for it to make her Dad happy. The look on his face when he found out she’s been accepted.
“You got in. Try it, if you don’t like it you can come back and rock out with Rory, or whatever it is you two do.”
“Mum,” she started seriously sitting up and taking her hand in hers, “You’re way too old to use that phrase.”
“Oi!”
“Don’t tell me that forty-four is the new eighteen,” she covered her ears with the palms of her hands and started to hum.
“I’m incredibly fashionable,” Gwen pulled on he daughter’s wrists so she would listen.
“In your head, Mum. I love you, but be a Mum. Fuss that my skirt is too shot and my top is too low cut.”
“And your father?”
“Has gracefully accepted his fate at forty-five, and connects with his kids making them watch his ancient Buffy DVDs and programs about dinosaurs if you’re Ava.”
Gwen laughed, her youngest child’s interest into dinosaurs and bones was boarding on obsessive, she watched Jurassic Park on a weekly basis and had watched every single dinosaur film and television series with them in that they had been able to provide, “She won’t be a doctor either.”
“And Benji?” the girl had inherited her Father’s ability to put a twang on any name she ever said, she’d even mastered her father’s rendition of her mother’s name without so much as practise.
“Follows his uncle around all the time. He’s following in our footsteps,” Jamie, or Benji as his sister had taken to calling him over the last few years, didn’t have the attention span to spend an intense amount of time at university, but his heart was in the right place.
“Don’t tell Dad that. Nurses get him excited.”
Gwen quirked her eyebrow and stood suddenly feeling awkward, “And with that I’m going. Good night, Lex,” she headed towards the door.
“Don’t pretend you didn’t play Doctors and Nurses,” Lexie called after her.
“You don’t need to know.”
“You’re right,” Lexie cringed at the mental image she had caused herself and buried her head in her pillow, “Old people love,” she complained, “it’s disturbing.”
Gwen laughed, “Go to sleep, Lexie.”
She sneaked a look up from the pillows to see her mother’s hand hovering over the light switch. She deposited her phone on top of her book and cuddled into her bed, “Night Mum.”
Gwen turned out the lights and shut the door behind her.
Lexie’s phone lit up, buzzing on the softer surface of her bookcover. She grabbed up the device and with a gin on her face read the message.
You know what, Blobby, I think your Dad is a lege.
She groaned, her Dad was such an embarrassment and now even Rory, the guitarist of their small garage band, had started on the nickname.
Screw you, Roooreeee. You’re helping me pack tomorrow. X
A minute later she got her reply.
You decided to go then? Jolly good show young chap. What what. Night x
“Ava, please stop winding up your brother. Jamie, stop winding up your sister and help your father. Lexie, go grab a box, pack the last few things.”
“What do you need me to do, Mrs P?” Rory appeared up the path having placed the last of the filled boxes into the back of the car.
“Call me Gwen, Rory, for starters, then go and see what Lex needs you to do,” she smiled looking for Ava who had just started wailing about something else now Jamie had disappeared.
“Sure thing,” he saluted her, “later Mrs P.”
“Gwen.”
“You’re Blobby’s Mum, I can’t call you Gwen. That’s so weird.”
“And calling her Blobby isn’t?” she asked amused. Eighteen years and the nickname still hadn’t disappeared. Through no fault to trying, just Arthur being incredibly stubborn about it.
“Not at all,” the boy smiled from under his hair, “Mr P does it, thus, it’s cool.”
“Hah!” Gwen glared at her husband who had appeared from the house at what she considered the wrong moment, “You hear that, I’m cool.”
“He didn’t say you were cool. He said the nickname was.”
“Thus, I am.”
“No. Rory?” she looked to the boy for back-up, but he was already half way into the house.
“I’m not getting in the middle of this, Mrs P. Blobs awaits.”
Gwen turned to Arthur with her hands balled on her hips, “If that becomes her stage name, I’m divorcing you.”
“Blobby and the Hobbit?” Arthur asked, highly amused.
“Harsh, Mr P. Harsh,” Rory picked up the box Lexie had sent him back for, “I’ll suggest it,” he grinned running his fingers through his black fringe and heading back into the cottage and up the stairs.
x
The table was set, with twelve place settings with a bottle of champagne on ice in the middle of the table. Merlin and Morgana bought through crockery, with Niv following her parents with as many champagne flutes as she could manage.
Birthday celebrations weren’t something to be taken lightly in the Pendragon household, the entire family got invited, regardless of what you wanted to do as well as. Being Jamie’s eighteenth meant they pulled out all the stops.
Gwen had prepared her son’s favourite meal with his help. Whilst it cooked, however, he’d disappeared on the new motorbike his father had determinedly bought him after his old bike had fallen to pieces. Jamie had wanted to restore it, but the local mechanic had deemed it not a good idea.
He came back, his curly hair slick to his skin. He’d kissed his mother on the cheek as he re-entered the kitchen from outside. She pushed him away, “Shower. Then dinner will be ready.”
“Yes, Mum,” he laughed and trotted away up the stairs.
Arthur stood to pour champagne into all of the flutes. Jamie taking a quick swig from his as if it was his first drink, only to have Gwen bat his arm.
Arthur filled Rory’s glass, his hair now it’s natural blonde, and he accepted it gladly, only when he reached his eldest child was he refused, “Not for me, Dad.”
“No?” Gwen had a sudden flash of twenty-five years ago. All of the parents in the room would have been considerably younger. She smirked and raised an eyebrow at her.
“Mum, Dad, I’ve got something to tell you.”
THE END
Well, well, well, that's it. That's kind of scary.
The final word count was 82,187 words. Which from a prompt of "Gwen pulls on Arthur's tie to kiss him" I think is rather impressive. I've wanted to write a story lke this for a long time and that prompt gave me the chance, so thank you so much noodlesishere for allowing me to do so. I bet you weren't expecting this much XD
I'd like to say a massive
Thank you
to everybody who has read this story along the way and especially all those who have commented. It means so much to me. Thank you all! I really love everybody who has supported me, cheerleaded and given me inspiration in the months that this has been being posted.
I promised to post it all by the time s3 aired, so here it is.
Thank you again to everybody, especially to noodlesishere for the prompt and mustbethursday3 for being so fantastic as a beta and an alpha in the times I needed her support. Also to ella_rose88 and sgmajorshipper for their continual support. I'd thank everybody by name, but my wonderful friends who have all supported me along the way you mean the world to me, thank you all so much for your support and, of course, for reading!
♥