Disclaimer: I do own the Merlin or Doctor series.

The Return

Merlin opened the door. If his mouth could reach the floor, it would have.

"Hello, I read you had a room for let," the man in front of him said.

Merlin could not believe his eyes. It was Arthur, but it was not. His hair was a bit darker and maybe a couple of years older than he had been when he died.

"I what?" he asked. The person that looked so much like Arthur handed him the ad that he had been holding. "So I did."

However, Merlin did not remember advertising for a lodger.

"Do you mind if I have a look around?" the look alike Arthur asked.

Merlin had to shake his thoughts away. He wanted to take Arthur in his arms, but this Arthur did not know him yet.

"Not at all," Merlin said, letting Arthur in.

"I'm Ben by the way," he replied, extending his hand for Merlin to shake it.

Merlin's heart sank. Not only did Arthur not remember who he was, but he had different name as well.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Jethro," Merlin said, taking Arthur's hand.

This was the Doctor's doing. Merlin just could not figure out how he had done it.

xxx

Ben was soon moved in.

"So, you needed some extra money?" he had asked Merlin one day.

Merlin thought for a moment. He would be accepting money from Arthur. It was all very strange.

"It doesn't hurt. What about you?" Merlin asked.

"I had to get out of my sister's place. Well, half-sister," Ben said.

Merlin would be lying if he had said he was not shocked to hear this. It had not occurred to him that others might be make as well.

"What?" Merlin asked, noticing the look Arthur was giving him.

"There's something about you, Jethro. I can't quite put my finger on it," Ben said.

That had been the exact thing Arthur had told him after they had fought for the second time when they first met.

"Yeah, I can say the same," Merlin said.

It was hard for Merlin to act like he did not know Arthur, or as he was calling himself, Ben. If only he could remember.

xxx

It was now a couple of months later, and the pair had become more comfortable around each other. Merlin and Arthur sat on the couch as Arthur placed the pizza box on the coffee table.

"Pizza, booze, and crap telly," Arthur said.

"What have I created?" Merlin asked as he laughed. A couple of hours and a few beers later, Merlin was surprised when Arthur yawned and placed his head on his shoulder. Arthur began to breathe heavily. He had fallen asleep. "You'll remember. You have to."

He carefully got up to go to the kitchen. That's when he heard the familiar sound of the TARDIS.

"Hello there," the Doctor said as he stepped out of the TARDIS.

"Doctor," Merlin replied.

"Jethro… or should I say Merlin," the Doctor said.

Merlin looked to see that Arthur was still asleep.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"Just thought I'd pop in for a visit to see how you were doing," the Doctor told him.

Merlin took notice that the Doctor was not looking so good himself.

"Good. Very good actually," he replied. "Better than you by the looks of it."

The Doctor did not offer any reasoning for his look.

"Could it have anything to do with the man on the refrigerator?" he asked as if the comment had not even been made.

"That's Arthur," Merlin said.

The Doctor took notice of the sad tone in Merlin's voice.

"He doesn't remember anything, does he?" he asked.

Merlin shook his head.

"No. He calls himself Ben," he said.

"You have to take the good with the bad right now," the Doctor told him.

"I didn't want to lie to him anymore," Merlin said.

It shocked him as the words came out. He had lied to Arthur for so long about his magic in Camelot, he had not realized how much he wanted Arthur to know wholly.

"I know. You won't have to for much longer," the Doctor said, and left.

xxx

Merlin had left Arthur sleeping on the couch, not wanting to wake him up. He stripped down to his boxers and fell to his bed. He had not been asleep for long when he felt a body joining him.

"Move over," the voice beside him said.

Merlin's eyes opened in shock. It was Arthur. Getting into his bed.

"You have your own bed," Merlin told him.

"Nightmare," mumbled Arthur.

Merlin rolled his eyes and finally moved over.

"How old are you? Five?" he asked.

"It felt real," Arthur said, sounding more awake than he had been before.

"Fine, since I'm now awake. Want to talk about it?" Merlin asked as he sat up.

Arthur turned, still lying down.

"I was a king I think," he said. "There was battle, and I died. Run through with a sword."

Merlin could not hold it in any longer. He had to tell Arthur the truth.

"You're remembering," Merlin told him.

"Remembering what?" Arthur asked.

"You're past life as King Arthur," Merlin said.

Arthur gave Merlin a look. Finally, he sat up as well.

"It was just a dream," Arthur said as if he had not been frightened a minute earlier. He then gave a small laugh. "And we've been drinking."

"Arthur…" Merlin began, he his mouth was covered my Arthur's hand.

"If I'm this King Arthur, who are you?" he asked.

Arthur lowered his hand.

"I'm Merlin," he said.

"Prove it," Arthur replied.

Merlin thought for a moment. There had to be a way to make Arthur remember.

"Ok," Merlin said, taking a breath. Merlin's lips met Arthur's. As they kissed, memories started coming back. Merlin looked at Arthur carefully when they parted. "Say something."

"I remember," Arthur replied.