Prompt Arthur finally gets to Merlin

by DrusillaSnaps

SAW/MERLIN crossover. Arthur is PM and Merlin is his sorcerer. They argue and Merlin storms off. Howver, before he can return to Caemlot, he is kidnapped by John Kramer. My first Saw fic amd my first crossover. Let me know what you think please!

WARNING! EXTREMLY DARK STORY WITH LOTS OF EXTREME VIOLENCE MURDER AND CHARACTER DEATH! APPROACH WITH CAUTION. DO NOT READ IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH, DO NOT LIKE GORE, DO NOT LIKE DEATH OR NO NOT LIKE THE SAW FILMS! - YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!

"Do you know what Merlin? I have just about had enough. You had a chance to save that girls life, and you didn't!" Arthur cried. He was sat behind his desk at No.10 Downing Street, looking at the front cover of that days 'Sun'. The headline was entitled 'Left to Die?' and centred around the previous day's events, in which Merlin had been sent to save a girl dying of an unknown disease. Her illness had been unknown to magic's as well, and so Merlin had been unable to do anything but ease her pain. Not that Arthur saw it like that. All he cared about was the bad publicity that his office was getting as a result.

"Arthur, you really are a prat! Did you not hear me yesterday when I told you that there was nothing I could do for her?" Merlin cried his head in his hands. This conversation had been going on for a while, and was really getting to him.

"Well maybe you didn't try hard enough Merlin. You are completely and utterly useless you know that! I don't know why I bother with you, really I don't," Arthur said as he pushed the paper away from him. He sighed and ran his hand through his hair. If he was honest, he was beginning to regret taking on the role as Prime Minister. The stress of it all was tearing him and Merlin apart.

"Well maybe I should just quit then," Merlin said. He didn't wait for a reply; he simply stood up and stormed out of the room. He walked for a long time, not really noticing where he was going or how dark it was getting; all he cared about was calling Arthur every horrible name he could think off. "Cocky bastard, he's the worst fucking prime minister this country has ever had and he's a wanker to boot..." he growled. Each insult dulled the pain inside. Ever since Arthur had become Prime Minister, he had become the most arrogant, egotistical, big-headed person Merlin had ever meet. And yet Merlin still loved him, still stood by him. Sometimes he felt like a total idiot as a result, but his loyalty to Arthur never really wavered at all. He would be back in Camelot by morning, by Arthur's side once again. He just needed time to cool off. Finally, when Merlin had reached the forest borders of Camelot, he decided to turn back, his anger was now long forgotten. He grinned at the idea of the make-up sex that he and Arthur were most likely to have. Make-up sex was always the best.

Merlin had barely taken two steps when he heard the loud 'crack' that pierced the air. "Hello?" he called out into the night. Only silence echoed back. He frowned and hoped he wasn't hearing things again. Last time that had happened, Arthur had spent a week joking that his over sized ears meant he was picking up on every little sound around him. He took another step forward, and again heard a 'crack'. He stopped again, and began to mutter under his breath, a spell that would reveal anyone lurking in the shadows. "Sep..."However, before he could finish, he was grabbed from behind and a damp rag was forcibly placed over his mouth. For a few seconds, no more than three, he struggled with his attacker. However, soon the drugs on the cloth kicked in, and he was over taken by nothingness.

**

"Has Merlin returned yet?" Arthur asked his maid as he returned home later that evening. She took his coat as she answered.

"I'm sorry Mr. Pendragon, he hasn't," she said, her head down as if she had done something wrong. Arthur frowned.

"Bloody idiot! I didn't mean what I said, he should have known that!" he said as he pushed past his maid and headed for the stairs. He threw himself on his bed without bothering to take off his clothes. The whole day had been a nightmare and he had a pounding headache. He just wanted to sleep, to curl up to Merlin and forget the last few days had never happened, at least for a few hours. Still, Merlin would appear in the night, cold, hungry and tired, just like he always did when he and Arthur rowed. And then would come the makeup sex. Arthur giggled to himself at the thought, and then allowed himself to be lulled into a dreamless sleep. (Nights without Merlin where always dreamless.)

**

Merlin awoke alone, tied to a chair, in a dark, dank windowless room. He was gagged, and bound so tight he could not move a muscle. There was something cold and metal around his throat, but he could not move to touch it or to see it. Whatever it was felt like it pierced right through his skin. But that wasn't possible, right? The only things he could see were a TV/Video player and a single lamp, that towered over his head, and shone a light down on him. He tried to call out, but couldn't even open his mouth. He tried to fight against his bindings, but the rope around him did not move at all. Panic began to set in. If he could not speak or move, how was he going to be able to perform magic and escape? He suddenly felt very short of breath, his heart was racing and sweat was pouring from every available pore. Just as Merlin began to lose any hope of escaping, the TV jumped into life. If Merlin hadn't been tied down to the chair, he was sure that he would have leapt up from its seat. For a few seconds, only the grainy black and white fuzz often associated with terrible signal was visible. Merlin stared at it, bewildered. Why on earth would anyone want him to see this? And why did he have to be bond so tight to see it, incapable of doing magic? After a minute of black and white fuzz, the screen focussed in on a puppet. A puppet in a suit with white skin, black hair and concentric red circles on the cheeks.

"Hello Merlin, I want to play a game" it said, its mouth moving in time with the words that were spoken. "You don't know me, but I know you. You spend your life getting out of situations using the easiest option at your disposable. Magic. You use it to save life's, to cure illness's and to bring joy to people who you have never even meet. But what kind of man would you be without the magic? Would you be able to survive without it? What lengths would you go through in order to save yourself, so that you might save others with your gift? I am about to test that theory Merlin Pendragon. As you can see, you are tied to your chair, and you are gagged. You have probably noticed the device attached to your neck. That device is attached to your vocal cords. When this tape stops playing, you will be released. From that moment you will have exactly ten minutes before the device on your neck slits your throat open. All I ask of you is that you find the key. It is easy enough to find. You just have to get past your friend to get to it. If you speak at all, the device around your neck will be triggered, so don't think of using magic. Let the games begin," Merlin's restraints were released as the puppet began to laugh. The laugh was not dissimilar to that of a Halloween decoration. It shook Merlin to his very core.

**

Arthur awoke as his clock flashed out 4am. He groaned and turned over, hoping for another two hours sleep before yet another day began. He reached out for Merlin, hoping that his body heat would help him drift off again. However, he was meet with nothing but cold sheets. Merlin was not in bed.

"Merlin?" Arthur called out lazily, guessing that Merlin was in the bathroom and had fallen asleep on the toilet again. (Something that happened far too often for Arthur's liking.) There came no reply. Arthur groaned and opened his eyes. One glance around the room told him that Merlin had not returned to their room at all that night. Arthur's shoe's were still on his side of the bed. Merlin always put them away when he got home. Always. Arthur pulled on his dressing gown and raced downstairs, hoping that Merlin had just fallen asleep in front of the fire, which he often did after they had fought. However, he was nowhere to be found. He then tried his cell, his last thread of hope dangling on the idea that Merlin was staying at Gwen's for the night. There was no answer. Indeed, there was no answer from Gwen either. "Shit!" he cried as he rung the police, followed by his knights.

By 5am, Arthur and his knights were searching the outskirts of Camelot with the help of the police. Normally, the police didn't investigate missing persons until they had been gone more than 48 hours, but as Arthur was PM and Merlin was Parliamentary Sorcerer they started their search as soon as they were alerted that Merlin was missing.

"Arthur! Over here!" an officer called out at first light. Arthur raced in the direction that the voice came from. There he found a small group of the search party, huddled around a small bush.

"Let me though!" Arthur demanded as he pushed past those in front of him. "What..." but he soon stopped as he caught sight of what was tangled in the bush. A red neckerchief, the letters 'M. P.' sewn into a corner. It was Merlin's.

**

As soon as Merlin was freed, a giant timer came to life above him. '09.59.32' shone out over the room. The seconds began to tick away almost too quickly. Merlin frantically pulled at the device around his neck, but could feel it pulling at the muscles in his neck. He stopped and looked around frantically, deciding to listen to what the puppet had said, and look for the key. He was confused by the clue though. How was he supposed to get past a friend to get to the key? His friends were at home, safe behind the walls of Camelot. Weren't they? As Merlin looked around the room for a second time, he noticed a darkened figure tied to the wall. He was almost tempted to call out, too afraid to approach them, but then he remembered the words of the puppet. While he could have been lying, he didn't want to take the risk. Instead, he moved the light, so that its beam reached the figure in the wall.

It was Gwen. Merlin ran to her as fast as his legs would carry him. Was she alive? Could she free herself? Was she playing some deadly game too? The answer, it seemed, to all questions, was 'no'. Gwen's entire lower half, from the waist down, was covered in a thick metal amour of sorts. It was bolted to the wall on all sides, even going through the tops of her legs, preventing her from escaping. Her arms too, were encased to the shoulder in the same way. Both out in the crucifix position. The bolts this time, went through her shoulder blades. Tears immediately fell from Merlin's eyes. Who the hell was this sick bastard? He wanted to cry out, to scream, to rant and rave, but knew he couldn't risk it. Instead, he settled for silent tears, tears that fell all he stroked Gwen's still warm face.

It was then that he noticed the sword at his feet. It took him only a moment to understand. The puppets words rang in his head once more 'You just have to get past your friend to get to it.' Merlin felt hot bile rise up in his throat. He forced it back down, knowing that opening his mouth for anything would most likely trigger the device around his neck. His captor wanted him to slice open his dead friend's still warm body, so that he could free himself. This was clearly the work of a madman.

08.23.19

The clock was ticking. Merlin had to decide now, what he was going to do. Gwen was dead; there was nothing he could do about that. He was alive and close to death as well. There was something he could do about that. But could he? Could he really slice open Gwen's body in order to save himself. Would the memory not haunt him forever? Was such a life worth living, when every waking moment was filled with the grim memory of such a task?

07.48.27

The urge to scream grew stronger. Once, twice, Merlin raised the sword, ready to slice through his friend in order to save his own life. But he could not find the strength to do it. He would not be able to live with himself. He would not escape the nightmares, the fear and loathing, the shame.

06.57.18

What lengths would you go through in order to save yourself, so that you might save others with your gift? The words rang in Merlin's head, repeated themselves over and over again. If he lived, he could save others! Surely to price he had to pay was worth the life's of so many others.

06.12.54

Merlin's mind was made up. He was going to do it. He was going to get past his friend in order to save lives, even if it meant ruining his own. His raised the sword, taking a few seconds to steady himself, more seconds till to mentally prepare for the task at hand.

05.44.32

Gwen groaned.

**

Arthur paced the waiting room nervously as he waiting for the results. A single grey hair had been found on Merlin's neckerchief and was currently being tested in the lab. The police had suspicions' on who might have taken Merlin, and so were testing their DNA against that found in the grey hair. Although they had given Arthur no names, his mind immediately jumped to the worst conclusion. Jigsaw. Jigsaw was a notorious 'murderer' who kidnapped victims he felt did not deserve the life they had, and put them into 'traps' where the victim determined whether they lived or died. Arthur had been dealing with a lot of shit about this guy over the past few months. He had claimed 5 victims to date. No one had escaped him, and yet he continued to escape capture. The police knew who he most likely was, John Kramer, but until now there had been no evidence to link him to the crimes. Not a single piece of his DNA had been found at the crime scenes. Nor had a single fingerprint. Now all hope rested on the single grey hair found on Merlin's neckerchief. Arthur clung to this one ray of hope, knowing that if Jigsaw was their guy, Merlin might still be alive. If he wasn't... well Arthur would only blame himself. He just had to get into a fight with Merlin, just had to! He drove him away, straight into the waiting arms of some psychotic kidnapper. Arthur would never be able to live with himself if he had let Merlin walk into such peril.

"Sir, we have a match," came a voice from behind Arthur. Arthur span round and came face to face with an elderly man in a long white coat.

"Who's hair is it?" he demanded, fighting back the urge to shake the man by the shoulders.

"John Kramer's," he said. "The police have issued a warrant for his arrest. They are heading to his home now but..." Arthur was out the door before the man could continue.

**

"Merlin?" Gwen whispered as she opened her eyes. Merlin said nothing but simply nodded."Where are we?" she whispered. Merlin shrugged. "I can't feel my body..." she whispered, her voice filled with terror. Merlin bit his lip and looked down at the floor, fresh tears falling from his eyes. The scream came a few seconds later. "Merlin! Merlin, get me down... Merlin please... help me!" Gwen cried out. Merlin refused to look up at her. The sounds that followed indicated that she was trying to break free of her restraints. Each movement caused her to scream out in agony. "Merlin!" Again and again she called his name, until eventually, he looked up. Gwen's face was a picture of terror. A combination of fear, tears and sweat had dampened her face. Her shoulder and leg wounds now dripped with blood. "Help me... please... " Gwen cried, her voice breaking as finally she started to sob. Merlin picked up the sword, and tried to cut through the metal restraints. They weren't even scratched. "Use magic you idiot!" she screamed, thrusting her body forward at the same time. The result of which had her cry out in such a volume, that Merlin had to cover his ears. When she recovered, he pointed at the device around his neck. "You can't speak?" Merlin shook his head. "And if you do?" Merlin drew one finger across his neck. Gwen gulped and nodded. "Do you think... maybe... jigsaw?" Merlin's eyes widened. Jigsaw! Of course! Who else would put together such a cruel and sadistic task? "How do you get free?" Gwen asked, interrupting Merlin's thoughts. Merlin pointed at the keyhole on the device, then at the sword, then at Gwen. "You have to kill me, to get the key?" Merlin nodded. "How long do you have?" Merlin pointed at the timer, now flashing a dangerously low time.

04.24.44

**

It seemed the entire Camelot police force were gathered outside the home of John Kramer. Each was fully armed and covered in protective gear. They were dealing with a madman capable of just about anything. They had to be prepared. Arthur watched from behind a police barrier, hoping desperately that Merlin, or some clue as to his whereabouts, was somewhere within the confines of Jigsaw's home. The chief of police gave the signal, and the men at the front door kicked it in, raised their weapons, and rushed inside. Arthur waiting until the final shout of 'clear' rang through the air before he allowed himself to step inside.

"Is he here?" He demanded the second he stepped over the threshold.

"No sir, every room is empty," An officer informed him. Arthur nodded, gulping back at the same time, the overwhelming fear that was descending over his mind. There was no need to panic. Not yet anyway.

"You guy need to see this!" came a voice from the next room. Arthur raced inside. The men in the room were gathered around a small computer screen. It was clearly a live feed. A live feed of Merlin in a room holding a sword, a jigsaw device around his neck, Gwen on the wall in front of him.

"Dear God, that sicko must want him to kill her to get the device off!" An officer cried. Arthur felt himself go faint. His Merlin, kill Gwen? No... how wouldn't do it! Would he? Gwen was his best friend in all the world! Gwen was the person he went to when things between him and Arthur were bad. Gwen was the woman they had asked to be a surrogate for their child. Merlin could not kill Gwen!

"Why isn't he using his magic?" questioned another officer.

"The thing around his neck... maybe it stops him from talking...." replied another.

"The lady, Gwen... do you see what Kramer has done to her..."

"Can we get an address on the feed?" Arthur said, interrupting the officers conversation before it all got too much for him.

"Any second now," Someone replied, as he attached a small handheld computer to the computer that featured the live feed.

**

"Merlin... kill me..." Gwen whispered after a few seconds of agonising silence. Merlin's eyes widened as he frantically shook his head. Was Gwen mad? He could rather die the most painful of deaths, 100 times over, before he killed anyone, let alone a friend. "If you do not, you will die too. I will die anyway. Jigsaw will leave me here to rot, I'm sure of that," Again Merlin shakes his head. "Please Merlin I beg of you! There is no escape for me, anyone can see that! Even if by some chance I live past this, you will not be able to free me," Merlin moved his hands. "You will not get your voice back in time to save me. What you must do to get the key will kill me," Merlin held his face in his hands. He was so confused, he did not want to kill Gwen, but knew he words to be true. She was doomed, no matter what happened. "Merlin look at the timer, you have but minutes left. You must do it!" Merlin glanced at the timer, and felt what little colour that was left in his drain away.

02.44.06

He shook his head again, his whole body was now being overcome by the immense fight going on inside himself that was holding back his desperate need to sob. "Do it Merlin! Your life means others live as well, you know that as well as I!" Gwen screamed out. Merlin did not move at all. "Please Merlin..." Gwen begged, her voice but a whisper now. It was the last desperate plea of a dying woman.

02.01.45

Finally Merlin nodded. Gwen braved a smile. "Make it quick, the less I suffer the less it will weigh down on you," Again Merlin nodded. He raised the sword, held it out in front of Gwen's stomach. He froze. "Do it!" Nothing. "The time Merlin, look at the time! You must do it, do it now!" Gwen screamed.

01.41.51

Merlin plunged the sword into Gwen's stomach, it went straight through her, and into a gap in the wall behind her. Gwen did not make a sound as the blade pierced her, her expression alone showing how much pain she was in. Merlin shuddered and ripped the sword upwards before he could freeze again. Gwen's head fell limp.

**

"Got it," The officer on the computer cried. He rattled off an address to those on the other end of his walkie- talkie. Arthur recognised the address. It was nearby, an old abandoned warehouse once popular with local kids holding illegal rave's. Before anyone could question his actions, Arthur was racing out the door. All that went through his mind was that if he ran fast enough, he would be in time to save both Merlin and Gwen. This spurred him on, and he increased his pace. Within seconds of his departure, the officers watching the live feed cried out in horror as Merlin finally killed Gwen.

**

Gwen was dead. The wound that ran from her pelvis to her chest had seen to that. The sword had stopped just before her breasts, indicating to Merlin that this was where the hole in the wall finished. He pulled the blade out and chucked it to the floor, collapsing to his knee's after it, his body heaving and shuddering.

01.06.49

Merlin composed himself. He had just a minute left to retrieve the key and free himself. To do that, he had to put his hand through the hole in Gwen's corpse. The thought sickened him to his very core, and yet he knew he would be able to do it. For if he didn't, Gwen's death would mean nothing. He drew in a deep breath through his nose, then plunged his hand into the fresh wound. He closed his eyes and tried to imagine that he was on a hunting trip with Arthur. He imagined that he was putting his hand inside the remains of Arthur's latest kill. That was all. The thought gave him enough strength to feel around for the key. As he did so, he had to again fight the mental images in his head as his hand brushed up against god only knows what organs. Eventually, his hand hit the cold stone of the hidden hole, and soon fell upon the smooth metal key that lay inside. Merlin's eyes snapped open in relief, and caught sight of the timer.

00.14.12

Merlin only had seconds left. He drew in one last deep breath through his nose, and then yanked his arm free. As quickly as he could, he fumbled with the key until it slipped into the lock. He couldn't make it turn, and had to stop to wipe his bloody hands on his shirt. Finally the key turned. Finally the device came free from his next. Finally the timer stopped.

00.00.42

Merlin had been just a second from death. Finally he could cry out, finally he could allow his tears to flow. He screamed out as he collapsed to his knees, pulling at his hair as he did so. "WHY! WHY GWEN... WHAT DID SHE DO TO DESERVE THIS?" He screamed. He curled up into a little ball, as his body had become so over-come with sobs, he could so nothing else. Every now and then, the word "Sorry," escaped from his lips, followed by an inaudible amount of mumbling. He did not notice the door to his left swing open. Nor did he hear his name being cried out. All he saw was Gwen, her facial expression in the last seconds of her life. Filling his ears, where the plea's she had made to him in which she begged him to kill her.

**

Arthur raced around the warehouse calling out Merlin's name. It didn't occur to him that he may he endangering Merlin and Gwen more. All that mattered now, was finding them alive. Minute's past with no reply. Arthur grew frantic. Surely the timer would have run out by now? "MERLIN PLEASE!" He cried desperately. No reply came, however, as he spoke, a door in the building swung open. "Merlin? Gwen?" he called as he took a step towards it. Suddenly a hand was on his shoulder.

"Let us Arthur, you don't know what might be in there," came the voice of an officer. Arthur froze, the most terrible images filled his mind... he nodded.

**

"Merlin..?" Merlin heard the call this time, but ignored it. "Merlin Pendragon?" he sniffed and nodded, but did not look up. "It's okay, I'm a police officer... I'm here to help... let's get you out of here shall we?" Merlin didn't move.

"I killed her..." he whispered. Silence. "I killed her..." he said again.

"It's okay son, we know what happened here.. it wasn't your fault..." said the officer. "Now are you going to come with me?" Merlin shook his head.

"I deserve to rot," he whispered.

"No! No... it wasn't your fault son, really. Now come on, your husband is waiting outside. He's very worried..."

"Arthur?" Merlin asked.

"Yes, now come on now son, let's get you out of here..." Merlin allowed himself to be guided from the room at this point, and into Arthur's waiting embrace. He did not look again at Gwen, but he didn't need to. That image would be burned into his mind forever.

**

Arthur pulled a bloody Merlin into his arms. He had just been informed of what happened in the last few minutes of Merlin's time in the jigsaw trap. He knew that Merlin would need him now more than ever... this would never leave him. It would haunt him until the day he died, and without Arthur, that day would be sooner rather than later.

"I love you..." he whispered the second Merlin was in his arms. Merlin nodded, but remained limp. "You know it wasn't your fault," Arthur continued. Another nod. "I do not see you as a killer Merlin... I promise you... I see you as a survivor," Again, just a nod. "Is there anything I can do?" He asked after the silence between him and Merlin became too much.

"Make it go away..." Merlin whispered. A few tears fell from Arthur's eyes.

"If I could, I would," he promised. "Is there such a spell?" Merlin shook his head.

"The only spell that would help, would erase all my memories' of Gwen," Merlin whispered. "I can't lose her a second time at my own hand," Arthur nodded.

"I will see to it that John Kramer's life becomes a living hell" Arthur assured Merlin, who was still limp in his arms. "And I will make sure you get the best help, okay... I'll make it as better as I can..." Merlin nodded. "I can't lose you... " Arthur cried out, suddenly breaking down too. Merlin wrapped his arms around him.

"You won't, I promise," Merlin whispered.