Hye there, I'm back. I love all the follows, favorites and reviews I'm getting from you guys! It keeps me wanting to update this (If any of you are reading my other story, no worries that one will be updated soon as well!)

Here is part 2 in the story Looks! (It seems as if my presumed one shot collection is turning into a two shot collection :D)

Stay tuned at the end, I will tell you the next prompt I will do. If any of you have any ideas, prompts are always welcome!

Looks part 2

Slowly Gwen walked into Gaius quarters, it seemed Gaius wasn't there. Gwen felt unsure again. Arthur had told her to talk to Merlin and she wanted too, but now she was here alone and unprotected. She knew she had to speak to Merlin alone, she couldn't spill his secret to anyone, but she had hoped Gaius at least would've been in the other room. When she walked closer to Merlin's room she heard Gaius voice, so he was here, determinant to set through with her talk, she raised her hand to knock.

'Am I? You didn't see the way she looked at me.' She heard Merlin say. Was he talking about her? 'She was my first friend here in Camelot.' Gwen got tears in her eyes when she listened to Merlin; he had saved her father and in stead of thinking of himself and finally sharing his secret, he had still tried to protect her.

'But when she looked at me today, she did judge me, she looked at me as if, as if I was a monster.' And at that moment Gwen felt disgust towards herself. She had hurt her friend and even though Merlin had practiced magic, she felt like the monster. Gaius next words broke her heart entirely. It hadn't been the first time Merlin had thought of himself as a monster. Somewhere in her head a voice yelled that Gaius was a traitor too, for harboring Merlin, but she tried desperately to ignore it. Wait, had she heard correctly? A cure? Had Merlin used his magic to cure Arthur. When she heard the two saying good night, she turned around and quickly walked away, first she had to grasp all this new information.

'Rise and shine!'

Arthur turned around in his bed. It was way too early to get up and it hadn't helped he could barely fall asleep last night after Gwen's weird behavior. For God's sake he had been dying this week, couldn't Merlin be perceptive enough to let him rest for a day... or two. When his covers were pulled of a second later he got his answer. He could have known.

'Merlin, go wake up someone else or something. Can't you let me sleep, I've literary been dying this last week.' He grumpily said.

'You've been laying in bed all week yes, missing all your duties which you have to catch up to today, so get up.' Merlin answered. Arthur groaned and sat up. 'I'm not the only royal here, Merlin, I'm sure Gwen has dealt with most of...' He didn't miss Merlin's flinch when he mentioned Gwen. Once again he found himself trying to figure out what had happened. 'Have you and Gwen talked yesterday evening?' He asked. Merlin confusedly looked up. 'Talked?' He said before he could stop himself. Arthur sighed inwardly. He loved Gwen with all his heart, but first he couldn't know what this was all about and now he found out she outright ignored his suggestion to talk to Merlin.

'Yes, talked. She told me... something had happened and I told her to go talk with you, because ever since I woke up you two have been acting all awkward around each other.' When Arthur looked up to Merlin, he found his servant staring at him with open mouth.

'She told you?!'

'I guess I can take this as proof you haven't talked to her yet. Yes, she told me something was up, and no, she hasn't been giving me any details, which is in fact ridiculous, but I need this whole mess cleared up so I can finally forget about the last attack on my life, so you are released from your morning duties. You. Talk. To. Her. Hopefully you're better at following a sincere suggestion from me for this once, so I can leave this mess behind me.

Still dumbfounded about the fact Arthur had actually noticed something was going on and the fact Gwen had refused to tell Arthur what, Merlin actually did what was asked of him for once. Slowly he walked to Gwen's chambers. Suddenly a thought occurred to him. If Arthur had told Gwen to talk to him, why hadn't he seen here. Was she really that afraid of him? Maybe Gaius was right and it would be a good idea to take the first step and talk to Gwen, but did he dare? He knew he had to, but when he stood before Gwen's doors it took him a lot of effort to knock. When he almost thought she wasn't there and turned around, her voice called.

'Come in.'

When someone knocked on her door, Gwen was startled from her thoughts. She still wasn't sure what she thought. Or in fact, she did, but she wasn't sure if it was the right path to take. Merlin couldn't be evil. He just had made a mistake when he wanted to save his friends from harm. First with her father and now with Arthur, his mistake was just that he was too loyal to his friends, but Gwen could make him see magic wasn't the answer. That magic would corrupt even him, just like Morgana. Her only problem was that Gwen was afraid to talk to Merlin about this, what if she was wrong; what if he already was corrupted? No, she just couldn't believe that, he had saved Arthur, that had to count for something. Merlin had risked magic to save her father and her husband, she was willing to take a risk for him now. She would do everything in her power to save him. Then she remembered the knock.

'Come in.' She called, when she turned to the door and saw who was coming through, her breath hitched. 'Merlin, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Arthur?'

'He, eh, told me to talk to you.' Right, perceptive Arthur, she had forgot about that. When she looked at Merlin and saw how he was avoiding to look at her, she made her decision. There was now way an evil corrupted sorcerer could be so nervous. When she walked up to him, she ignored his fidgeting and hugged him. She felt Merlin tense up.

'Thank you Merlin, I know you saved Arthur and I'm not going to report you to anyone.' She said, Merlin somewhat relaxed. Gwen inwardly sighed; now for the hard part, and she drew back from the hug. 'But Merlin, as grateful as I am, you can't keep doing this.' She tried to look him in the eye. 'Magic will corrupt everyone and I won't let that happen to you.' She saw him tense up again and clench his fists. Unconsciously she took a step back. Had her judgement been wrong after all and had Merlin already turned for the worse?

'Merlin, please listen, you're my friend and I am really very grateful Arthur is save, but I won't let you fall pray to magic. You can still stop. It may seem like it's harmless, like it's helping you save your friends, but eventually it will corrupt even you. Same as it did with Morgana.' She felt awful for mentioning their old friend, but maybe Merlin would understand her point now. Merlin still didn't speak.

'Merlin, please say something.' Gwen said, getting a bit nervous now. Merlin just stood there not moving at all, only shaking his head slightly, as if he wasn't even aware of doing it. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but than he closed it, looked at Gwen, turned around and almost ran away. Gwen was left dumbstruck in her rooms, and she would never forget that look Merlin had just given her.

'He, eh, told me to talk to you.' Merlin had never felt so out of place as right now, turning awkwardly around someone who had been one of his closest friends for so long. He couldn't even look at Gwen's face right now, afraid of receiving the same look as yesterday, the one he was so desperately trying to forget. And suddenly he found himself in a hug. Not expecting that he tensed up.

'Thank you Merlin, I know you saved Arthur and I'm not going to report you to anyone.' And just like that he could breath again. 'But Merlin, as grateful as I am, you can't keep doing this.' Wait, what? 'Magic will corrupt everyone and I won't let that happen to you.' Gwen thought he had chosen magic, he still had to explain everything to her, and what if she had only hugged him, because she thought she could fix him. She still thought all magic was bad, even though it just had saved Arthur. Unconsciously he clenched his fists. Why couldn't people see magic for what it was. He saw Gwen take a step away from him and he quickly unclenched his fists. He didn't want Gwen to be afraid of him, he wanted to explain everything.

'Merlin, please listen, you're my friend and I am really very grateful Arthur is save, but I won't let you fall pray to magic. You can still stop. It may seem like it's harmless, like it's helping you save your friends, but eventually it will corrupt even you.' Merlin wanted to speak up, but before he could Gwen continued. 'Same as it did with Morgana.' Merlin lost his words. Morgana. That was why Gwen thought everyone with magic could be corrupted. If he could have saved Morgana, if he would've helped her properly... He knew Morgana had made her choice, but it still felt as his mistake.

'Merlin, please say something.' Gwen said, but Merlin was lost in his thoughts. When he returned to the present he opened his mouth to try and explain, but no words came out. His mistakes had made Gwen afraid of him. First with Morgana and now with the door. His throat was feeling closed and he couldn't speak. Maybe his magic has caused more problems than solutions. Without his magic, maybe he could have been a true friend for Morgana, helped her properly. Maybe Gwen was right and should he just stop. He looked up at Gwen and vowed to talk to her that afternoon, but for now he needed some time alone first. To evade her calling him back he quickly turned and ran.

After some time, Merlin found himself somewhere in the forest surrounding Camelot. He was breathing heavily and sat down against a tree. It had all been so clear to him until now. Without his magic he was nothing. He needed it, he was magic. But what if all that wasn't true. Without his magic he could still be Arthur's servant. He would still live with Gaius. Nothing would change, except he wouldn't have to lie any more, keep things from everyone. He had wanted to help Morgana, but the fact that he had magic had made him careful. Maybe that was why he'd failed in the first place. He had been selfish, rather than fully helping his friend, he had thought about his own secret.

The longer Merlin sat against the tree, the more convinced he got. Him having magic hadn't been a gift, it had been a curse. The dragon had only told him it was a gift to regain his own freedom, Gaius said it because he didn't want to hurt Merlin. His mother had told him, because she didn't want him to be afraid of himself. But now Merlin had made up his mind. Every curse could be broken, or at least he had to believe that. He had to believe he could break his curse.

Gwen hurried towards Gaius chambers. When Merlin had turned around and ran, she had been to stunned to move, but she had to finish their conversation. She had been in Arthur's chambers and the court yard already, now going to Merlin's chambers seemed the only option left. As soon as she entered the physicians quarters she saw Gaius.

'Gaius, is Merlin here?' Gaius looked up and slowly shook his head. 'Isn't he with Arthur?' He asked warily.

'Arthur send him to me... to talk.' Gwen was hesitant to give Gaius the full story, but she remembered he had known about Merlin using magic. 'I.. I don't know why, if it was something I said, but he suddenly just ran away. I've been trying to find him ever since. I know you know Gaius. I overheard your talk the other night.' She added. Gaius seemed stunned for a second, but Gwen couldn't be sure.

'What did you say to him?' Gaius asked persistent. Gwen was lost for words. 'Gwen, what exactly did you say.' 'I.. I thanked him. For saving Arthur. And...' Suddenly a loud crash could be heard that shook the whole castle.

'What was that.' Gwen asked, completely abandoning the topic of Merlin. Gaius didn't even have time to answer to answer her before a man came into his chambers. 'Your presence is requested physician. Something happened in the library and there is reason to believe your ward is involved.' Without another word the man disappeared and Gaius and Gwen looked at each other both with different emotions. Gwen wasn't sure to be afraid or feel guilty, because somehow she knew it had to do something with her conversation with Merlin. Gaius only felt worry.

Merlin sneaked into the library, carefully making sure Geoffrey didn't notice him. Slowly he made his way to the section about curses. It was at the back of the library, not being used that often since magic had been banned. Probably only there as a safety measure for if someone important got cursed. Not someone like him. But he had decided and he needed to go through with it now. So he searched the books until he found what he needed. In his head he started to read the chapter, it seemed not all that hard. With Gaius herbs he should be able to get trough the recipe.

'Merlin! What are you doing?' Suddenly a loud voice boomed into his mind. He couldn't have a conversation with Kilgharrah now. He couldn't have a conversation with Kilgharrah ever again. 'Merlin! Answer me. You can't do this.' Merlin still tried to ignore the voice in his mind, but the dragon kept roaring.

'Leave me alone!' He thought. The dragon's response was immediate. 'You can't go trough with this. You have a destiny.' 'No.' Merlin just said. He had thought about it, he had made up his mind and he didn't need to go over it again. Kilgharrah kept roaring at him. 'Kilgharrah stop this!' Merlin tried to put up block around his mind but it didn't work. Even though he should be able to command Kilgharrah to stop, the dragon kept roaring. Merlin grabbed his head. 'Kilgharrah!' but nothing seemed to get through. Suddenly a bookshelf fell down just before Merlin's feet. His eyes grew wide but before he could do so much as utter a word, more shelves caved, knocking him down. Feeling he was about to pass out he yelled for Geoffrey, but he didn't stay awake long enough to hear if the librarian had heard him. He didn't even notice the bricks landing on top of the fallen shelves a minute later, blocking him from the outer world view.

As Gaius and Gwen arrived at the library they saw Arthur and Lancelot already there, the first one yelling orders to several knights to help them. It seemed as if they were trying to dig something out of the big pile of debris that lay in the back of the library. Gaius and Gwen simultaneously came to the same conclusion. If Arthur was this erratic and even helping to remove the debris, and the man had said Merlin was involved... Gwen's hand flew to her mouth immediately. Gaius walked closer to the pile.

'I didn't even know he was in here.' Geoffrey was saying to no one in particular. Gaius stood next to him. 'Gaius, I didn't know he was here. When I heard the first shelf cave I was relieved no one was in the library, but than I heard someone call out my name. I tried to reach him in time, but I just could catch a glimpse of him before the rest of the shelves came falling down. I immediately send someone for you.' Gaius just nodded.

'I see him!' Someone suddenly yelled. Arthur and Lancelot hurried to help carry the shelves away and within minutes Merlin had been pulled free. Arthur didn't waste a second and picked up Merlin as careful as he could. Gaius turned around and walked together with Arthur and his ward back to his chambers. Gwen quickly followed, feeling only guilt at this point. She had the feeling this was somehow related to her and Merlin's conversation and now Merlin was hurt. The knights kept trying to clean up the mess in the library.

No one noticed Lancelot glancing at the paper that had been in Merlin's hand. He picked it up and his eyes grew wide. Why would Merlin be looking at a recipe to cut someone off from their magic?

When Lancelot entered Gaius' chambers he was met with quite a sight. Merlin was laying on the cot, Gwen was cleaning the cuts, while Arthur was bandaging the cut on Merlin's head and arms. Gaius was seemingly preparing a draft of some kind. Lancelot waited until Gaius was ready and had given Merlin the potion to relieve him of most of his pain, hopefully. When Gaius returned to the table, Lancelot stepped close to him and put the paper on the table without saying anything. He didn't want Arthur or Gwen to see it. Gaius looked at him and at the paper. 'Where did you get this?' He whispered sounding shocked. 'Merlin had it.' Lancelot answered. 'What is going on?'

'Lancelot I need you to come and help me with something. Arthur and Gwen, can you please stay here with Merlin for now.' Gaius spoke up. He waited for the nod from Arthur and walked out. Lancelot following him closely. At a long enough distance from his chambers he stopped. 'I don't know why Merlin was looking for a way to cut of someone's magic, but I do know Gwen has found out about Merlin's magic. They talked, but I don't know what they talked about. It hardly seems as a coincidence though.'

Lancelot didn't know what he had expected but it wasn't this. 'Lancelot, I don't know what Gwen said, but yesterday Merlin was devastated by the fact Gwen had looked at him as if he was a monster. For him to even consider cutting of his magic. I don't even know if he would survive. He doesn't comprehend it, but doesn't just have magic, he is magic.'

'I'll talk to Gwen, we need to explain this to her. For now Merlin will not be making any potion, but we need to make sure it never happens. What did happen in the library though? If Merlin was secretly looking for a way to cut of his magic, he wouldn't cover himself in bookshelves.' Lancelot said. Gaius shook his head. 'Maybe Merlin can explain that when he is awake.' Lancelot sensed the distress of the physician and put his hand on his shoulder. 'We will make sure Merlin will be all right Gaius.'

Gwen made her way to her quarters. She was exhausted. She and Arthur had stayed with Merlin for the rest of the day. Arthur had tried to get her to talk and she shuddered when she remembered their argument.

'I'm not attacking you! The only thing I know is that you and Merlin have some kind of problem and after I send him to you to talk, the next time I hear of him, he is buried under bookshelves and stone! I have given you your space to solve this, but this seems hardly a problem you can fix on your own.' Arthur had yelled. Gwen had refused to answer, which had only angered him more. Eventually Arthur had given in. 'Gwen, he could have died in there. If he hadn't called for Geoffrey no one would have know he was even in there. I want to help you. Both.' Gwen had wanted to tell Arthur, but this was about magic. She couldn't. She couldn't look Arthur in the eye any more so she left him alone with Merlin and Gaius. As soon she entered her room she wanted to collapse on her bed, but there was already someone there.

'Do you know why Merlin was in the library?' Lancelot said. When Gwen shook her head, he continued. 'He was looking for something to break a curse, to cut of someone's magic.' Gwen couldn't believe it. She hadn't thought Merlin had actually agreed with her to stop using magic. She had gotten through to him. 'His magic is not a curse Gwen. It's a gift.' Wait, Lancelot knew about Merlin's magic and had accepted it? He even called it a gift.

'Lancelot, magic corrupts people! How can you say it's a gift.' 'He saved lives with it Gwen!' Lancelot retorted. 'For which I'm grateful, but magic isn't the way. He should never have begun with it. No. I know he saved my father with it, but he shouldn't have.' Gwen stopped Lancelot.

'Gwen you don't understand.' Lancelot tried. 'I understand perfectly well. He wanted to help, but he should have never chosen magic to do it with. he...'

'Was born with it.' Lancelot interrupted. Gwen lost her words and stared at Lancelot. 'What?'

'Merlin didn't choose magic. He was born with it. He told me he could make things move with his mind before he could even talk. He never chose it, he's always had it and he only uses it for good. Magic isn't corrupt, it's the people who wield it and Merlin isn't one of them. Gwen he is magic, if he would cut it of Merlin would... He would die.'

Gwen dropped down on the bed. Lancelot sat down next to her. 'If what you say is true, I caused this.' 'Gwen that was not what I meant.' 'No, Lancelot, I didn't let him speak. I just thought if I could get through to him. To stop him from using magic. I could save him. And now you're telling me, I didn't reject his magic, I rejected him. I heard him talk to Gaius the night before. He was devastated I thought he was a monster and I told him I only thought his magic was wrong. Which basically means I said he was wrong.'

'Gwen, you can still make amends. When he is awake, talk to him. Let him tell you everything. And please stop him from what he was about to do.'

Merlin slowly woke and all he felt was pain. He groaned and tried to sit up right. 'Merlin! You're awake, you should keep laying down.'

'Gwen? What happened?' He asked, laying back down.

'You went to the library... To find a potion to cut of your magic.' She hesitantly said. Merlin's eyes shot open, he remembered. 'I will do it Gwen, just don't tell Arthur.'

'Merlin...' Gwen's voice broke. 'Merlin you can't.'

'No Gwen, I will, I swear.'

Gwen had tears rolling down her cheeks. 'I'm so sorry for what I said Merlin. I didn't even think to let you speak.' Merlin was lost. 'Merlin, Lancelot told me. He told me you were born with magic, that you only use it for good. He made me see magic isn't evil in itself. How can it be if you've had it all this time. You can't cut of your magic Merlin, you wouldn't survive it. Please promise me you won't. Your magic is not a curse Merlin, whatever I said or did to make you believe that, I was wrong.'' Gwen was openly crying now and Merlin was almost too. Gwen accepted him. With magic. Because she didn't think him evil, so magic couldn't be evil in her eyes too. She never saw him as a monster. She only thought what she was taught: that magic was evil.

'Lancelot said you would tell me what you did with it. Please tell me Merlin.' And Merlin did, he told her about his magic, his destiny, about all the times he had used it for good. And Gwen smiled at him and suddenly his pain didn't seem that important any more.

'Please forgive me for ever doubting you Merlin.' Merlin just smiled at Gwen and she carefully hugged him. 'What happened in the library though?' Merlin looked at her. 'I think.. a friend stopped me from making a mistake.'

They had talked for hours and their friendship never had been this strong. Gaius and Lancelot had been told what had happened. Arthur had dropped by and had been obviously content about the fact his wife and friend had talked properly. He still didn't understand, but seemed okay with it for now. Merlin had promised Gwen he would one day tell Arthur. Maybe soon, but that was something to think about. When Gwen and Arthur left he had called out to Kilgharrah.

'What did you do to me in the library? Why couldn't I stop you?' He asked.

'I heard you reading the recipe, young warlock. I'm your kin, I would and could never allow you to kill yourself. Most certainly not when you weren't even aware of it. You might be a dragon lord, but a dragon can always save his kin, no matter what kind of power they held over each other. My measures seemed to be drastic, but at least it got you away from that recipe.'

'You already seem to know I've changed my mind about it now.'

'I kept an eye on you Merlin, I always do.'

'Thank you.' Merlin had answered sincerely, before his eyes closed again and he fell in a peaceful slumber.

And? Did you guys like it? Please give me a review, I'm addicted to them. Again sorry if there are any weird mistakes, I do try to keep them out as much as possible, but there probably always is this one sneaky one I miss...

The next prompt was send to me in a PM so I'm not sure if I can name him/her, at least I can tell you the prompt: Merlin leaves Arthur... but why? Stay tuned, because I hope to update this in the near future! A hint: It has something to do with Druids and Destiny...

Rosie out!