Even I didn't think I would ever get back to this, but here it is!

The first thing Gwen noticed when she woke up was the silence. Total, calmingly blissful silence. She was just allowing herself to drift back into unconsciousness when she noticed something else: the silence.

Morgana was not quietly preparing breakfast in the next room and Arthur's spot beside her was vacant, and there was no baby screaming or crying to be removed from the crib. She was completely alone in this apartment in a way that seemed less than wholesome and safe.

Leaping out of bed, she called Arthur's cell phone which went straight to voicemail.

As she headed to Mordred's bedroom, she called his office, and a chipper female voice picked up. Probably his assistant.

"Albion corporation, Grace speaking," she said.

"Is Arthur Pendragon there?" Gwen rushed. "This is his wife."

"He's in a meeting and can't come to the phone right now. Can I take a message?" Her voice sounded annoyingly mechanical, and Gwen had to take a deep breath of air before she was able to calm herself enough to reply.

"Please just get him for me. This is an emergency." She was staring down at an empty crib.

"Of course. One moment." There was a click as the line went silent and static filled her ears. When she tried to call back, it seemed that it had been disconnected. She threw her phone against the wall, trying to think of any next move she could possibly make. Her husband and her nephew and her best friends had all disappeared; all the heroes had disappeared, and she wasn't sure how to be one herself.

~oOo~

As his eyes adjusted, the figure Merlin recognized standing in front of him turned his veins to ice.

"I thought you were dead," was all he could bring himself to say.

"You should be less surprised considering how many supposed-to-be-dead people live in your apartment, yourself included," Uther chuckled.

"What do you want from me?"

The former king rolled his eyes. "God, you are so thick sometimes. I don't want anything from you."

"Then why the hell am I here?"

"Well I couldn't have you running off to save your precious family and just ignore your prince."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, that the world needs Arthur more than ever, and it's one of the first thing ever written in the stars that Morgana and Arthur cannot be in harmony. While one thrives, the other must suffer. While one wears the crown, the other must bow. While one lives, the other must die. Arthur must lead the world back to Albion, and Morgana cannot be around for that."

"You can't just kill her," Merlin pleaded. "They're alright now. They're getting along. We all want to see Arthur succeed."

"You don't understand, as usual. It's not their decisions; it's in the stars. Like you were forged to protect the prince, she was designed to destroy him. It's in her nature, and nothing will stop her. He's the same way. There can be no peace."

"I don't believe that."

"Which is exactly why you're not leaving this room." Uther slammed the door on his way out.

~oOo~

His intern, Grace, returned to the conference room with a cup of coffee for him as all departments began giving reports.

"All three targets have been secured. The first target will receive her punishment tonight, and number three will be watched very closely."

Arthur took a sip from the steaming mug as he asked, "What about the second one? How's he doing?"

"He's being contained for the prince's safety. As soon as we get the go ahead, we'll let him free."

"Perfect. Hey, I thought the big boss was supposed to be at this meeting."

As if on queue, the solid oak doors flew open, and a tidy old man in an expensive suit sauntered in.

Arthur stood, in respect or shock, but he couldn't make his mouth form words. He couldn't even make his brain string together cohesive thoughts.

"Well that's no way to greet your father," Uther scowled.

~oOo~

When Morgana woke up again, she was in a bright conference room with windows covering two full walls and a basket of fruit as a colorful centerpiece. In front of her was a small bundle, with dark curls just coming out from the blankets.

"Oh my god, Mordred!" She picked him up gently, holding him to her chest and rocking and soothing him although he was not crying. She felt her face and realized that she was.

"My baby, it will all be okay. I am here."

~oOo~

Gwen rode the elevator to the twelfth floor where she knew Arthur's office was and begin opening door after door in a futile search for her husband. Why did he have to work somewhere so damn huge. She could spend hours and open hundreds of doors and there'd still be more to search. With each slam she grew more hopeless. Every single room was empty.

At the end of the first hallway, she came to a locked door, something she wouldn't consider strange in an office building, except that every single other door had been open.

She knocked on the sturdy wood.

~oOo~

Mordred startled at the rattling of the locks and hinges of the thick door and began crying.

~oOo~

That sounded like a baby.

~oOo~

The rhythm and volume of the knocking increased until Morgana could tell it was deliberate. There was someone outside trying to get in, violently now. A voice was crying out, but she could not distinguish the words or tone, whether it was an angry captor or someone coming to get her out.

"It's Gwen. Let me in; it that Mordred?"

Morgana looked down and her hands were shaking. She was so close to getting out of here, of getting Mordred to safety. She couldn't let it slip away. She had to save Mordred. She had to save Mordred.

She had to save-

~oOo~

Gwen was thrown back as the door flew in pieces from its frame, leaving an opening, and in it standing a nearly hysterical Morgana who rushed towards her, wrapping the arm not holding her baby around her best friend.

"Thank you." She let out between ragged breaths, finally taking a step back from Gwen.

"I've been so worried about you. And Mordred. When you didn't come home last night. And then everyone was gone this morning. Where have you been?"

"Here. Wherever this is. I don't know. I went out with that friend from work and next thing I knew, I was stuck in some basement and then this morning, Mordred and I were in this conference room. I think there's some sort of sleeping spell happening."

"They cast it on Merlin too. Now we need to get some answers from Arthur because we are in his building right now, and this is all becoming a bit too complicated, and I'll be the first to say that I have no idea what's going on.

~oOo~

"W-why are you here?" Arthur stammered. "I don't understand."

"Wow, you and that servant boy really do fit together quite well. Quick recap: lots of dead people are no longer dead. I came back, started a company, hired you to run it, then used it to take down the threats to your kingdom."

"Wait, I thought I got this job because I'm a good leader."

"That's because you're naive. Don't worry though; I'm here to train it out of you."

"I don't need your help father."

"Don't be so ridiculous. You're living with the two people who killed you last time, and if you're not careful, you won't have time to enjoy your second life before they take it from you as well."

"I trust Morgana."

"You can be stupid, but you're not that dense. Just think about the time since you came back. Think about that nagging discomfort around her, the uneasiness, the rage. You don't trust her or forgive her, and you never will."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that neither one of you can rule while the other lives, and somewhere, you know that. You know that to be the prince we need, you need to kill Morgana."

Before Arthur had the chance to respond, Morgana and Guinevere stumbled in, ruffled but dignified with righteous anger burning in their eyes.

Uther laughed as if this is what he'd been planning all along. "Now it's a real family affair. How's that grandson of mine," he smiled at Mordred and Morgana tightened her hold. "Now, now, no need to get defensive."

Arthur made a move to the door. "Murder is not power father. Maybe if you'd known that, you could have been a just and strong ruler. Instead, you were a tyrant and your kingdom quaked in terror. I will not take advice from you."

As they stormed out the door, he called out to the scrawny assistant, "Let the second target out. All is well."

~oOo~

As Arthur, Morgana, and Gwen stalked out of the building, Merlin ran to catch up.

"Is it crazy that I only feel normal when we're under attack on all sides?" He asked, and the others laughed, chuckles full of fear and relief and familiarity.

"That's good because we've got a lot more battles to face," Arthur responded.

"Stars to rewrite," Morgana added.

"Babies to raise," Gwen pointed out, and Arthur turned a shade whiter at the use of the plural.

"Are you-?"

"I think so."

Merlin patted his friend's shoulder gently. "All in a day's work"

I didn't think I would ever end this, but look, it's over. I'm sorry that was so cheesy, but endings are supposed to be, so get over it :)

Thank you so much for sticking with me through all of this. I never would have gotten this far without your favorites and follows and reviews. I love you all!