A/N A huge 'thank you' and lots of huggles to everyone who reviewed this fic, I love you all, I really do!! Final Part...

Roommates

Part 20

The Beginning.

The hardest battle you're ever going to fight, is the battle to be just you. Leo F Buscaglia.

A knocking woke Merlin from his peaceful slumber, it was insistent, demanding to be answered. Groaning he pulled clothes on – wondering how on earth it was possible that Arthur hadn't woken – and pulled open the door.

He certainly wasn't expecting to see the face that was standing the other side of the threshold. He wanted to slam the door shut, or to shout insults, or to, honestly, punch him. The pair glared at each other, Merlin holding the door half way between open and shut, so that the other man could not see Arthur's form lying on the floor barely meters away. He suspected the other man might punch him if he saw; he wasn't convinced he wasn't going to do just that, anyway.

"Merlin," he began. Merlin wasn't surprised the other man knew his name, although the tone, a calm, almost friendly inflection, was intriguing. Merlin thought the other man hated him. "Is Arthur here?"

Merlin nodded, not sure why the words wouldn't come to him, unsure why he was even being honest.

"Can I talk to him?"

"One minute," Merlin stated, and pushed the door closed, panic rising from somewhere in his chest. He moved over to where Arthur was lying, and began to shake his roommate. "Arthur, Arthur you need to wake up. There's someone here to see you."

"Huh, what?"

"Clothes, take, wear," Merlin stated grabbing items that looked at least vaguely clean, uncrumpled, and presentable. "And take the dopey grin off your face, you really don't want to be looking all fucked out right now" he almost hissed the last part, really hoping the man on the other side of the door couldn't hear them.

It was only the work of a minute, but Arthur looked almost civilised, when Merlin pushed him out the door. He froze, when he saw who was there.

"You haven't been answering my calls."

"Is there anything left to say?"

"Yes, there is. How about I take you both out to dinner?"

Arthur looked at Merlin, Merlin looked at Arthur; a tiny nod passed between them, and Arthur returned his gaze to the other man. "Ok, then."

Uther Pendragon, for it was Arthur father who had been at the door, took them to a nice, and obviously expensive, bistro-style restaurant. They started in silence not one of them knowing what to say, pouring over menus and wine lists like they were the most interesting things on earth. Merlin and Arthur were sitting next to each other, with Uther on the other side of the table, and this seemed to compound an 'us' and 'him' mentality. Both Merlin and Arthur hand their hands above the table, but their legs were pressed tightly together - a gesture of support from Merlin which did a lot to comfort Arthur.

The waiter came, took drink orders, and left them still pondering over food. When he returned with the drinks - glasses of red wine for the two Pendragons, and white for Merlin - Arthur was almost relieved, taking several large sips from his glass before giving his food order. The waiter had left again, but the time they began to talk.

"So, Arthur, Merlin, how are your studies progressing?"

"Yeah, alright, it's not that bad, work load wise, you know, and... ow!" Merlin turned to glare at Arthur, who had kicked him under the table. Father won't appreciate you rambling on, Merlin. He received a small smile for his pains, sorry, but you don't know him like I do and his eye brows quirked up OK, I'll take your word for it.

"And you, Arthur?" Uther interrupted their silent conversation, not letting his voice betray the fascination he felt, watching them. A distant part of his memory reminded him that he had been in love, once.

Arthur just nodded, and then added, "Not bad." He didn't do that much work, but he didn't need to. Besides, his plan for his degree had always been to doss around for 3 years, get some letters after his name, and see where that left him.

"Are you looking forward to Christmas?" Merlin's and Arthur's answers on that subject differed, radically. Merlin wanted to go home, see home for a while. Arthur didn't want Merlin to go anywhere, and had nowhere to go, himself.

Merlin gave his answer first. "Yes and no." Arthur was partially surprised at the answer, and looked at his boyfriend. "Well, I want to see Ealdor again, be at home for a bit, see mum, you know, it's been months since I was back there, but it's not like I want to run off and leave you." The last part was, of course, directed at Arthur.

Arthur smiled, impressed by Merlin's dedication, although he tried not to doubt it. Merlin wasn't sure why Arthur was looking at him like that, when had he ever said he wanted to run away the second term ended? He waited, patiently, for Arthur's answer.

"I'll enjoy the break." Arthur's reply was noncommittal, his words answering something akin to a 'yes', but Merlin knew Arthur far too well; Arthur was not looking forward to Christmas, not if it meant being on his own. Which was really rather stupid of him, Merlin would drag him to Ealdor if he had to, he knew he'd be more than welcome, and he certainly wasn't going to be spending the Christmas holiday alone.

"You do realise I'm bringing you home with me, right?" Merlin decided to voice his thoughts; they had sort of descended into a private conversation, anyway; so wrapped up in themselves that Uther was all but forgotten. His hand found, and squeezed Arthur's, and the blond man gave a nod, a smile already forming.

Their 'moment', however, was interrupted by the arrival of their starters, and they began to eat like only students can - quickly and feverishly.

Conversation did not resume properly until their plates were cleaned of every scrap of food that had been placed on them. The food was delicious, and they enjoyed it, even though the mood was still stilted and tense.

"Did you have plans for Christmas, father?" Arthur thought it was only polite to initiate the conversation, and the waiter's enthusiasm to top his wine glass up was certainly helping relieve his nerves, somewhat.

"I am going to the country house, as usual."

"And will anyone be accompanying you?"

"I do not yet know what Morgana's plans are. I am certain she will tell me, as soon as she knows them herself."

Arthur nodded. He didn't know Morgana's plans either, although she had mentioned something about skiing.

They managed to keep up polite conversation, about inconsequential subjects, until after they had eaten mains and puddings, and the free flowing wine had loosened tongues and minds enough, that their words became increasingly honest, and frank.

"Son," Uther began, before pausing, and Arthur's surprised eyes met his fathers, waiting, slightly confused, for the continuation of that sentence. His father hadn't called him 'son' even before their falling out. It was the last word he had expected to hear.

"Son, I have been a fool." Arthur was becoming increasingly more and more perplexed - had he consumed so much alcohol that he was hallucinating, now? "I was irrational in my anger toward you, my," the older man hesitated again. It was clear that these words were not easy ones to say. "My treatment of you was wrong. I can see that, now. You are two men who are very much in love, and, and... I am sorry."

Arthur could not speak, could not find any words that made sense. He didn't quite understand what this meant.

"Merlin, I feel I owe you an apology, too."

"Thank you, Mr Pendragon." Merlin returned polite niceties, and a smile, managing to keep his shock under wraps.

"You mean this, father?" Arthur sought clarification.

"I do. And I would be honoured if you and Merlin would join me, at the house, for a time, during the Christmas holiday"

"We'd like that." Merlin had to answer for a dumbstruck Arthur, completely at a loss to understand his father's reversal. Finally, he found words that he could speak.

"Thank you, father."

From nowhere, a smile came to light up Uther's face, showing, clearly, his love for Arthur. "You have no need to thank me, son. I should not have treated you this way, I know that now. I'm so proud of you. And you, Merlin. You make my son happy, happier than I have ever seen him. Thank you for that."

Merlin made a small nod, and from Uther lifted his glass; "To Merlin and Arthur. May you always know this happiness."

"We're not getting married, father."

"So…"

"Yeah…"

"That was a…"

"Surprise."

"You can say that again."

"That was a surprise."

"Oh, very funny, Merlin." But Arthur was smiling through the sarcasm.

Merlin's hand reached for his, flingers sliding into each other, as they walked back from the restaurant. There was a week left of term, and then the Christmas holidays – time just to be them. And then came the New Year, new chances, new opportunities, new experiences; it almost felt as if this world was new. In a way, for them, it was.

The End.