Merlin and That Old Feeling don't belong to me.

Can't Stop Falling In Love With You

Guinevere Smith hung up the phone and sat back in her chair. Lance, her fiancé, soon to be husband, had been abrupt. He'd never spoken like that to her before but she imagined that he was stressed about the upcoming elections.

Lancelot Bennington-Jones Junior was running for Senate. His grandfather had been a senator and his father was a senator. Lance was expected to follow in the footsteps of his father and he was on track - all that was missing was marriage to the right kind of girl.

When Guinevere had met Lance at the Camelot Club one evening six months ago she had been more than flattered by his interest in her. He was polite and courteous and handsome and…normal. She couldn't really believe that he was interested in someone with a background like hers. Pretty soon they were dating and then he'd proposed. He had a schedule, he told her, he had to been married at least six months before the elections, he would need a wife to take along to convince the voters; "imagine how nice the pictures will look," he'd said on more than one occasion.

Guinevere Smith came from a family of actors, her father Tom was a stage actor and had been King Lear at the Royal Camelot Theatre for so long and had done the part so well that it was almost impossible to think of any other actor playing Lear. Felicity Devine-Smith, Guinevere's mother was an actress but her stage was the silver screen. Elyan, her brother was also in the family business and he had recently landed a role as a young detective in an upcoming TV series.

Guinevere was the normal, non-artistic one and her parents had quite despaired of her. She was a teacher a local secondary school and Lance had told her on many occasions that if nothing else her job would help him land the job; although he'd told her that once he was in the Senate she would have to give up her job. In fact, he had once hinted that she could just denounce her family then everything would be peachy between them.

That was what their conversation had been about today. He'd called to tell her to tell her parents not to attend the wedding. As if. Guinevere had never been so angry with him and at that moment she had thought of calling it off; but she couldn't, she really loved Lance and apart from his obsession with his career he was the perfect boyfriend and fiancé. Mostly though, she couldn't break it off because she didn't want to be as flaky as her parents; who did things at a moment's notice.

Tom and Felicity had split up two months ago. It had made the news of course. Pictures of her parents at every newsstand and on very TV screen, their 'friends' selling their story to the tabloids and then to make matters worse, Arthur Pendragon, that sneaky photojournalist who always seemed to know where Felicity was, was in her face. Taking pictures of Gwen, asking her for quotes. Honestly, she'd never met a more annoying man in her life.

Tom met a new woman, a young aspiring actress, Sophia Day, and in a few weeks, two to be exact, they were engaged, seemingly not to be outdone, Felicity had announced her engagement a few days later to a younger man, Gwaine Lee; the newspapers and TV had had a field day and once again, to Gwen's dismay her parents were news again which is why Lance had been calling her, he didn't need such people in his life now, everything he did was being carefully scrutinized and his wife-to-be was to be above reproach.

And to top it off the wedding was now less than a week away. Gwen was troubled to say the least, she couldn't talk to her parents' they were both busy with their work and new loves and Elyan was away filming in Istanbul. She stood up and went in search of Morgana, her flat mate.

Morgana had never liked Lance and she had told her friend a number of times; but she was supportive of her and if Gwen was determined to marry the man, idiot though he was, then Morgana would be there for her.

"He said what?" Morgana asked. "Gwen, surely this is a sign that the marriage can't take place."

"I can't not marry Lance," Gwen replied.

"You love him," Morgana finished for her. She'd heard that story before. Many times.

Gwen nodded. She did love Lance and for once in her life she was beginning to think that maybe he was right about her family. Why did her parents love being in the news so much? Why couldn't they be like other parents?

"Okay," Morgana knew when to back down. "But surely you're not going to ask them not to attend your wedding."

"Of course not," Gwen replied, "and I couldn't even if I tried, I've trying to get in touch with them since the news of their new relationships broke but I've failed."

"Good," Morgana said. "What say we go out for a walk?"

000

Gwen wasn't surprised when both her parents showed up at the country club where the wedding was to take place on her wedding day. She was in her room with Morgana getting ready when she heard a knock and opened the door to reveal Felicity in a golden off-the-shoulder dress.

"I know, I know, I'm late," Felicity said, hugging her daughter, "but you knew that I wouldn't miss this for the world. My daughter getting married although I can't stand Lance."

"I'm glad you're here," Gwen told her.

"Of course you are," Felicity replied, "you'll never guess who I run into on my way here."

As if on cue, the door opened to reveal her father.

"My darling girl," Tom told her. He hugged her close. "You look great, doesn't she Lis?"

Felicity smiled at her daughter, "the dress fits perfectly; I told you it would."

Gwen was wearing her mother's wedding dress. Lance's mother hadn't liked it, it was old and plain, she'd said, trying to convince Gwen to wear a designer gown but Gwen had refused; she'd always loved her mother's dress. She'd loved it from the first time she'd seen their wedding pictures.

Elyan had flown in just for that day and he'd been on standby to give her away if the parents didn't show. Tom and Felicity both insisted on walking Gwen down the aisle and as they walked down towards the minister and vicar she was dismayed to spy Arthur Pendragon among the paparazzi taking pictures, she had told Lance that she didn't want him among the approved journalists and he'd agreed, obviously Arthur Pendragon had somehow managed to get himself on the list. She shook her head slightly; she would not let him spoil her wedding day.

Pretty soon, Gwen and Lance were walking arm in arm to the gardens for the reception. It was a beautiful day, bright and sunny, and the gardens were breathtaking. She smiled at the people she recognised and then noticed that her parents and their receptive new beaus had been seated together at a table for four.

"Do you think that's good idea?" she asked Lance.

"They'll behave," he assured her. "And you have to admit they've been doing a pretty good job of it so far."

Gwen nodded. Her parents had been surprisingly subdued; she hoped they would keep it up for the rest of the ceremony. It was weird; she thought to herself, she was worried about her parents' behaviour instead of enjoying her wedding. Still she couldn't help asking, "I thought I saw Arthur Pendragon taking pictures?"

"Oh yes," Lance replied, "I wanted to ensure that our wedding got the coverage it deserved."

"But I asked you to make sure that he wasn't here, today of all days," Gwen reminded him. "You know what he did to my mother." Felicity had been through a phase a few years ago and she had started taking drugs; it bad been a very bad time and Arthur had somehow managed to get photos and videos of her at her worst and they'd been published and even gone viral on the internet. Felicity had been livid and soon after she had put her life in order but she hated Arthur Pendragon for what he'd done to her. Obviously Arthur didn't know that or he didn't care because from that time on you could count on Arthur Pendragon showing up wherever Felicity Devine-Smith was. It was weird but somehow he could always found her.

"He took some pictures of her," Lance shrugged, "it's his job and you must admit it did help your mother."

"Lance!" Gwen couldn't believe what she was hearing.

He turned to her and lifted his hands to her face. "I didn't tell you earlier because I knew it would upset you but his pictures always end up in the best magazines and he's a great photographer." He kissed her softly, "forgive me?"

Gwen stared at him and then nodded slowly. She could understand why he'd done it although she didn't like it and her mother seemed okay. "Yes, of course I do."

"Good," he took her hand, "let's enjoy our reception."

The reception went well until they asked the father of the bride to give his speech. Tom had just begun to tell a story about a teenaged Gwen when Felicity stood up, and walked over and picked up another mic and begun to speak.

"I think I should tell the story," Felicity said, "seeing as I was the one who was actually at home at that time while you were so busy playing Lear."

"Lis, please," Tom begged her, "can we do this another time?"

"When?" Felicity asked him, "Do you think our daughter is going to have another wedding?"

Tom didn't answer, he stood staring at Felicity.

"Do you think she's going to be like you?" Felicity asked, "that she'll leave Lance for a man half her age, for a child young enough to be her son?"

"You're one to talk," Tom replied, "How old is that boy toy of yours?"

"This isn't about Gwaine and you know it," Felicity replied.

Elyan stood up, he had to stop their parents from ruining Gwen's wedding; the journalists had been filming since Tom and Felicity had begun talking and he was sure it would make the news very soon. He could see Gwen and the rest of the guests staring at them in shock. As if in slow motion he saw Gwen stand up slowly and begin to walk towards their parents; Tom and Felicity looked from Gwen to Elyan, they were the only other people standing in the whole party and then they looked at each other.

"Oh Lis," Tom said, "what have we done?"

"Tommy," Felicity replied, "my dear, Tommy."

They looked at their children again; Gwen and Elyan were still making their way towards them, and they looked at each other and to everyone's surprise Tom and Felicity began to kiss. Gwen and Elyan stopped walking and stared at their parents; in fact it seemed as if time had stopped, the only people who weren't shocked were the journalists and the videographers.

Tom and Felicity were kissing each other furiously and then they stopped and looked around and then looked at each other. 'Sorry,' they mouthed at their children and then they held hands and ran out of the gardens.

000

"I can't believe they did that to me," Lance said. They were standing in the gardens, Tom and Felicity's departure had somehow signaled the end of the celebrations and most guests had left soon afterwards leaving only Lance's parents who didn't want to talk to her, in fact they were thinking of ways of having the marriage annulled, and Sophia and Gwaine who were shocked at what had happened. Elyan had also left, Morgana with him - he had told Gwen that he was going to find their parents. Morgana would help him while Gwen went on her honeymoon.

"Did that to you?" Gwen asked him, "they are my parents and this was our wedding. They didn't do that to you, they did it to us."

"Do you think it will hurt my chances?" he asked her.

"Chances?" What was he talking about?

"At becoming a senator," Lance told her.

"You know what?" Gwen replied, "I couldn't care less."

"You don't mean that," Lance told her, "you're just tired, not thinking right."

Gwen took a deep breath and then nodded. "You're right. We have to leave."

"You can't leave," Lance told her, "it's our wedding day."

She shook her head. "I have to find my parents."

"They're your parents," he told her, "they're old enough to look after themselves. Besides Elyan and Morgana are already out there looking for them."

"So you're not coming with me?"

"Do you know how much damage your parents have already caused me, my parents and my chances of becoming a senator?"

Gwen run off to the suite they'd had booked and picked up her handbag, she made sure her car keys were in it and run out of the room to her car. It was totally blocked by Lance's parents' cars and she couldn't face them yet so she run to the reception, they would get her a taxi.

"You need a ride somewhere?"

Gwen turned and saw Arthur Pendragon. He was driving a small white convertible Benz.

She considered it for just a second and went over to the passenger side and got in.

"Let's go."

000

Happy 4th of July