Arthur didn't know what to think. He missed Gwen. He missed the knights. He missed Camelot, too, with a fierce ache that threatened to pull him apart. And, as strange as it may seem, he missed Merlin as well. Although he was still standing right next to Arthur- where he belonged- something seemed off. His smiles did not come as often, nor as brightly. There was a fragility about him that had not existed before. Then again, Arthur thought to himself, it has been a very long time.

A thousand years. The thought was mind blowing, and he could barely wrap his head around it. The even scarier prospect however, was that Merlin had lived through it all. Survived through it all. Arthur imagined living that long, imagined enduring as everyone around him slowly walked to their graves, and being so powerless to stop them. He couldn't fathom the strength that it must have taken.

And why was Arthur here, anyway? Despite the details of his life remaining as clear as cut crystal, the dying bit was a little fuzzy. He was dead, though, he was sure of that. So how was he alive now, then?

It was all so confusing, as was as this strange, strange world he had awoken to. He was currently waiting for Merlin to finish packing up all of his stuff, before travelling to a town called Knighthallow, where Merlin had an apartment. He said that it wasn't too far- only about 2 miles. He might as well have been speaking in another language, the sense it made to Arthur. He hated this new '21st Century'- everything was alien, and infused with magic. Chariots moved without horses. You could send your voice across the world. And nobody had swords. Was this even the same planet?

He asked Merlin that very question, and received only a grin in response. "Course it is."

"Does everyone accept magic, then?" They must do, Arthur decided, to let it be so in control of their lives. Yet Merlin was looking as if he was in another time, staring into nothing, with an archaic sadness etched across his face.

"Er, Merlin?" Arthur reached out to give Merlin a small shove, and startled him from his stupor.

"Arthur... there is no more magic."

A stunned silence followed. "But... of course there is."

A slow shake of his head destroyed the remains of Arthurs broken beliefs. Camelot had fallen- a loss that would stay with him forever. Gwen was gone- yet was waiting for him, so he could not mourn her. But magic? His long standing enemy, gone. Yet it wasn't his enemy, was it? If Merlin had magic, then it couldn't be evil. But nonexistant? He had so often been told of its ability to endure- indeed, Gaius had once told him that it was woven into the very fabric of the earth. The very last foundation of everything he thought was real, and untouchable, had shattered.

"But... what about you?" Merlin quickly pulled tight the last drawstring, then it joined the small mountain stacked in front of his ramshackled hut.

"Done. Let's get out of here." Instead of using his magic, he'd shoved everything into the mouth of a metal monster that he insisted was tame, and not a monster at all.

"Its called a car." He said for the seventh time.

"How does it move though?"

"It like... an engine, powered by fuel, turns the axle, which turns the wheels, and basically hey presto."

"...right."

Merlin waved a hand towards the 'car' and it rolled forward a few feet. Arthur blindly followed Merlin until he was standing next to it, then waited impatiently, not knowing what else to do. Merlin took a deep breath.

"Beorn." His voice was deep, and seemed to thrum with an other-worldly power, as he raised a trembling hand. Without the slightest sound, flames shot from his hut, pouring from the building in red-gold rivers, and instantly obliterating the place Merlin called home.

Arthur let out a shout, leaping forward as if there was something that he could do. He looked wildly at his companion, unable to believe the hatred burning within those gold eyes.

"Merlin! What the hell!? That's your house; that's your home!"

Bitterness was evident on Merlin's face as he stared into the fire. "No." He said, with quiet, contained fury. "That was my prison."

Arthur exhaled sharply, then, at a loss, placed a hand on his shoulder. Once again, Merlin's loyalty amazed him- to have waited for that long, unable to leave him, unable to join him. It was loyal to the point of stupid. Of course he was hurt. Of course he was angry.

"You're free now." Arthur said softly. "You're free now."

Somehow, a small smile found its way onto Merlin's lips, and he returned the gesture.

"C'mon," Merlin tried for a grin, didn't quite make it, so settled for a half-hearted grimace. He clambered into the side of the car with the wheel thing sticking from it, then signalled for Arthur to get in the other door. An incredulous laugh made its way from Arthur's throat, which trailed off as he realized there was no joke in Merlin's expression.

"You cannot be serious."

"Oh yes." Merlin was laughing now, as he teasingly stamped on a pedal, and the monster roared. Yelling, Arthur unsheathed Excalibur, and launched himself into a battle stance, his feet spread apart, his body crouched low. Merlin laughed so hard, his head hit the wheel thing, and a sound like a trumpet rang out, scaring Arthur again. He only laughed harder as Arthur angrily shoved Excalibur into his belt, and stomped his way over to the door, his face burning. He got in, barely pausing to admire the odd material, or the lights glowing without torches.

It was strange, he thought as he snapped at Merlin to shut up. Merlin's voice was choked, and scratchy, as if he'd forgotten how to laugh- or at least it had been a very long time since he'd tried it. Arthur clammed up then, not letting his surprise- or his rigid fear- show, especially as the monster rumbled into motion.

"It's not funny, Merlin." He muttered.

"Of course not, sire." Somehow, Merlin managed to remain totally deadpan, until he glanced at Arthur's glowering face, and cracked a grin out of the corner of his mouth.

Arthur couldn't resist rolling his eyes and folding his arms across his chest as he let out a grumble. "Just...do whatever the hell it is you're meant to be doing."

Merlin smiled. "Oh, I've missed you, clotpole." A comfortable silence reigned for a few moments, both men just happy to be.

"So..." Arthur asked, not quite sure how to phrase the question. "What the hell have you been doing for the past thousand years?" Meh. It'd do.

"Hmm? Oh, this and that." Arthur stared in disbelief.

"For a thousand years, you've been doing this and that?"

"Oh, ya know. Tried settling down a couple of times. Travelled a bit. Fought in a few wars. Accidentally started a war." He scratched his head, looking a little awkward.

"You accidentally started a war?" Arthur echoed, his shock palpable.

"It was an accident!" Merlin defended. Arthur stared at his friend for a moment, then let out an incredulous laugh, and relaxed against the seat.

"Only you, Merlin."

"What do you mean?"

"Only you could piss someone off that much."

"Thanks, sire." Merlin chuckled, shaking his head slightly. There was a companionable silence for a few seconds, until Merlin gasped loudly, and yanked the steering wheel to the side, the wheels protesting as he did. Arthur let out a yelp, and threw his arms across his face in a futile attempt at protection. The vehicle flew from the road, span as it connected with the embankment, teetered on the rim of it's wheels, then settled to the ground with a crash. Still upright, Arthur opened his mouth to start shouting at his useless driver, but Merlin had beat him to it. His thin fingers were already on his chin, frantically searching for a pulse.

"Are you okay?" He was yelling, his face twisted with gut-wrenching terror. "Oh, gods, are you okay!" Arthur swatted away Merlin's fluttering fingers, and growled at him.

"I'm fine. Ge'doff ge'doff!" Merlin let out a shaky breath, then backed slowly away, not taking his eyes off Arthur. He shook his head, as if to throw off some recurring nightmare, then scrambled from the car, and leapt up the bank with a grace that hadn't existed previously. Bewildered, Arthur followed suit, clambering up the ridge after Merlin. The sight that greeted him stopped him clean in his tracks.

His heart beat erratically. His breathing shortened. I was done with it. He though to himself. Done with all the death. But death wasn't done with him.

Merlin was on his knees in the middle of the road, a body pulled across his lap. It was a middle-aged man, nothing special, a wedding ring gleaming on his fourth finger. He was undoubtedly dead. But that wasn't what had Arthur wanting to throw up in the nearby bushes. What caused his gorge to rise was the darkness pooled like blood around his head, and the perverse, delighted smile plastered across his face.

~~~~~~~

Hey, id just like to thank everyone who's actually read and voted and commented on this fic. Means a lot, guys. Keep voting!