I was in a car crash recently and have been trying (rather unsuccessfully) to get this little idea out of my head since. Hopefully now that I've started writing it out my muse for my other fic will come back!
Warnings: graphic imagery and blood
Disclaimer: Don't own Merlin
This is my first modern AU so enjoy!
"Merlin!" Arthur's exasperated and slightly concerned tone filled the car, "Sit down and put your seatbelt back on."
"Hang on a minute, Arthur." Merlin replied, his boney elbow poking painfully into the blonde's rib cage as he dug through the back seat in search of his phone. "I wouldn't have to do this at all if you hadn't insisted on being such a prat."
"Oh please," Arthur said, rolling his eyes, "I only threw it back there because you were too busy texting to pay attention to what I had to say."
"I'm perfectly capable of texting and listening to you at the same time."
"Sure you are, that's why I had to repeat myself three times before you realized I'd asked you a question, right?"
"Okay so maybe I can't do both at the same time but I was texting my mum, you could have just waited a few seconds until I was done. You certainly didn't have to rip the phone out of my hands and chuck it back here."
At that, a slightly remorseful look flitted across Arthur's face and he had a sudden urge to apologize to his friend but he ignored it, he didn't apologize to anyone, not ever.
"Well, are you almost done? You need to get back in your seat."
"I've almost got it, if I could just…"
"Merlin?"
"There! I got-"
Merlin's voice cut off suddenly as a violent impact shook the car and he was thrown back towards the windshield. Arthur spun the wheel wildly, tires squealing on the pavement as he tried to avoid crashing into the semi truck that had clipped them as it changed lanes.
He cursed as he felt the tires skid ineffectually across the asphalt and threw the wheel the other way, which only served to change the direction of their uncontrollable slide. He had the brake pedal smashed to the floor, holding it down with both feet but it was doing little good and they were once again headed straight for the trailer that had caused this whole mess.
In a last ditch effort, Arthur spun the wheel again, hoping the friction of the tires against the road would slow them enough to lessen the impact if, no when, they hit the other car. What he didn't count on, couldn't have predicted was that the tires on the right side of the vehicle would leave the ground completely, unbalancing the Escalade enough that it tipped over completely, crashing through the guardrail beside the highway and rolling down the hill until it came to a shuddering stop at the bottom of the ravine.
The airbag deployed belatedly, blocking Arthur's vision and filling his nose with the acrid smell of gunpowder. A car alarm was shrilling incessantly somewhere in the distance, adding to the pounding headache that was trying to claw it's way out of his skull. He thought he should probably get out of the car but he couldn't get his arm to move the way he wanted it to; his hand was coated in something warm and sticky that made grasping the seatbelt clasp almost impossible.
He took a brief moment to be thankful for the fact that they had landed upright and tried to call out to Merlin, to ask if the boy was okay, but his voice didn't work. All that came out was a harsh, raw-sounding croak so he closed his lips and reached out instead, feeling for Merlin in the seat beside him.
He pulled back violently as his fingers scraped against, not the soft leather seat as he'd expected, but a sharp, jagged piece of metal. Adrenaline finally kicking in and giving him the strength he needed to push the airbag out of his face, Arthur glanced around frantically.
The front windshield was completely blown out and the hood was crumpled almost to the steering wheel. There was thick black smoke rising from the engine and, as Arthur glanced towards the seat beside him, his breath caught in his throat. The door of the sedan had been crushed in until the passenger seat was wholly obstructed from view, the leather torn to shreds by the large shards of metal that had been sheared from the doorframe.
"Merlin." Arthur whispered, beginning to panic, "Merlin!"
He worked at the seatbelt with renewed vigor, breathing a sigh of relief when the restraint finally gave way and stumbled from the car, barely registering how miraculously unscathed the driver's side had remained. Where was Merlin? He needed to find him right away, he'd promised to keep the younger boy safe.
He was still stumbling around aimlessly, trying desperately to stay conscious and on his feet until Merlin was located, when he heard someone shouting his name from the top of the ridge.
"Arthur! Oh my God, Arthur, are you alright?"
He looked up and saw his girlfriend, Gwen, peering over the mangled rail at the top of the steep hill but he ignored her, Merlin was more important right now. Where was he, he couldn't have gotten far, right?
I am planning on continuing this story but I need some help deciding whether Merlin should live or die. I've got ideas for both scenarios so please leave a comment and I'll write the one that gets the most votes.