Arthur led the short ride back to Camelot silently seething in fury. But that lack of explanation had long been Merlin's code to please stop looking for answers he couldn't give. He'd learned along the way, that while Merlin was quite a capable liar, he wouldn't do it until he had to.

Still, as much as he wanted to respect Merlin's request for time and space, he couldn't risk his friend's health. Something was wrong. That was as plain as day.

He slowed his horse until Merlin caught up to him. One last try.

"Merlin, please. Let me take you to see Gaius. Something is wrong, you have to see that," Arthur pressed quietly.

Merlin bowed his head, taking a deep, shuddering breath. It was building again. So much stronger than last time. The pain washed over him in waves, each one worse than the last. He had no choice. Arthur was right.

He nodded his answer, letting his horse fall back again to gain some distance. He was dismayed, however, when it didn't help.

Arthur sighed in relief when they reached the stables. Gaius was only moments away. He grabbed Merlin's arm, helping him down from his horse, concerned when Merlin wasn't able to take his own weight.

In fact, he seemed to be getting worse with each hurried step.

"Gaius!" Arthur called, using his boot to kick in the door since his hands were full of the barely aware servant.

"Arthur! What happened?" The physician demanded, helping to ease his ward to the patient bed by the fire.

"I don't know! Something's been wrong for weeks."

Gaius nodded sagely. "Yes, I've noticed, but he wouldn't talk to me. Did he…?"

Arthur shook his head in frustration. "He wouldn't talk to me either. Gaius, he's having problems breathing!"

Of course the experienced medicine man had already noticed and was trying to sit his patient up. Arthur moved in to help, and both were shocked when Merlin let out a cry of pain and with more energy than they thought possible lurched across the room, away from both of them, gasping for air, his hand trying to dig its way into his chest.

Not again, Merlin winced as he felt the bond stretch, could feel it's desperation to be complete, to be whole.

"Merlin?" Gaius asked, concerned as he watched his ward's face crumple in pain. "Merlin, what is it?"

Both jerked as suddenly Arthur was moving and caught his servant as his knees collapsed under him. "Merlin!"

The second Arthur touched him, Merlin couldn't stop the agonized cry that was ripped from him. He felt the bond stretch further, crashing against the barrier Merlin had long ago put up between himself and his Prince. Beyond that barrier lay the truth. A truth that would destroy them both even as it completed the bond to his other half. He couldn't allow that to happen.

"What's wrong with him, Gaius?" Arthur demanded, feeling the strain as Merlin weakly struggled to get away from him.

"Gaius…" Merlin gasped. "Arthur…"

Gaius glanced at the Prince, immediately understanding Merlin's unfinished demand that Arthur needed to go- now!

"Sire, perhaps some water…"

Arthur hesitated for only a moment before easing his friend into the waiting arms of the older man. Merlin was curled into himself now, as though trying to hold something in, something that was killing him even as he refused to let it go.

"Of course."

He was half way to the door before he felt something inside him- shift. There was no better way to describe it. He knew suddenly, with a certainty he'd never experienced before, that if he left now, Merlin would die. That same part of himself stretched back toward the young man currently gasping for breath as the physician held him helplessly, not knowing how to help the young man, or even where to start looking.

Neither of you will ever truly be at peace until your connection is made whole, a remembered voice whispered in his mind.

He knew that voice. It was the same voice that had whispered logic and reason to his betrayed heart when he'd needed it most. That day in the caves below his father's dungeons seemed so long ago now.