Merlin felt a fist slam into his lower back then he was spun round and hit several times in the belly and face. All he could feel was pain, he tried to defend himself, but he was too winded to fight back or shout out. As he fell to the floor he curled up to protect his face putting his arms up as he saw a boot coming towards him, as it impacted he felt a agonising pain as he felt a bone crack in his arm. Then something hit his head and blackness descended. It was just as well as the beating continued as he was kicked several times and then as he lay on his belly a foot stamped down on his lower back. His limp body was hauled up right and his was hit several more times. From a window high above a woman saw what was happening from a window and a voice shouted out "What you are doing? I'm calling the police" She got her mobile and dialled 999. As she watched the man ran back towards the road. After giving details she grabbed a blanket of her bed and ran down stairs.

By the time she got down stairs the man was long gone, she found Merlin led among the filth and rubbish that filled the alley. Frightened to move him she put the blanket over the bleeding figure and waited for the ambulance and police. As she knelt there the woman tried to work out if she knew the victim, but what she could see of his face was beaten to badly it was impossible to tell.

Arthur had several meetings that morning and it was eleven when he his PA came into the office "I have the Police here to see you Mr Pendragon"

Arthur frowned "Did they say what for?" it looked like he might not get coffee now. "Oh never mind show them in"

Arthur stood up and held out his hand to the two uniformed officers "Arthur Pendragon, how can I help you?"

"Mr Pendragon I am Constable Williams and this is Constable Brown can you tell us Sir if you recognise this phone" He showed Arthur a rather old mobile it was in a plastic bag

Arthur recognised it straight away "Yes I do it belongs to my fiancé Merlin Emrys may I ask why you have it?"

"We checked on the call list and your name was the most frequently and recently used Sir, it was recovered after an assault, and unfortunately the victim had no identification on him and has been unable to identify himself. Could you give us a description of your fiancé please?"

"He's twenty three, black hair, cerulean eyes, a fraction over six foot, slim, high cheekbones. What more do you need?" Arthur asked now very worried.

"That matches the description. Could you come to the Hospital with us to see if you can confirm his identity? We also need to know his next of kin."

As the words sank in Arthur felt sick "Assault, how bad is he?"

"We are unsure as yet Sir but I'm sure the hospital can give you more details if it is your friend"

"Of course yes, I suppose his next of kin is his brother Mordred Emrys" Arthur looked round and collected his jacket "I can come now"

Arthur walked to the door he looked at his PA "George I am going out I will let you know if I will be back, reschedule my two o'clock please"

Arthur went down to the car and was taken to the accident and Emergency department. The police couldn't tell him anymore as they had just been sent out to collect him. As soon as he got into Casualty he was taken to an office and a doctor and another policeman came in. The policeman said "Mr Pendragon I understand you have identified the phone and description as belonging to a Merlin Emrys. Do you have any idea what he could have been wearing this morning?"

"Look can I see Merlin please" Arthur asked

The doctor spoke "I'm afraid he has been taken to theatre Mr Pendragon as soon as we are sure who he is I will tell you more."

Arthur felt the grip of fear run through him and he nodded. "I didn't see him this morning, but he always wears jeans, t shirts, and if he had a coat it would be a brown cloth one and trainers, rather old and worn."

The policeman looked at Arthur with sympathy "One more question Sir, would he be wearing any jewellery?"

Arthur looked at the policeman ""Yes, Sorry we got engaged Friday, he had a signet ring with my family crest, a dragon in a red background"

The policeman showed Arthur the ring in a polythene bag "This one Sir?"

Arthur went white and started to shake "Yes, now please, how is he? And what happened?"

The doctor spoke to Arthur "Mr Emrys was assaulted at nine thirty this morning, he was badly beaten he is in theatre at the moment but I must warn you his condition is critical at this stage. He has several broken bones, extensive bruising …. he was also stabbed. I'm sorry".

Arthur looked blankly at the police "Did you get whoever did it?"

"Not as yet Sir, there was a witness who called us but she couldn't give a good description. We believe it may have started out as a mugging but for some reason got out of hand"

"He wouldn't have had anything, his phone was ancient and he would have had minimal cash, when can I see him?"

"He will be in theatre for some time, we have contacted his next of kin and he is on his way"

"Merlin has a nine year old niece who lives with him…oh my god poor Freya…. she's an orphan Merlin looks after her" Arthur was trying to think through the fog that was clouding his thoughts.

"Don't worry Sir Mr Emrys's brothers wife will collect the girl out before school finishes"

A nurse came in with a cup of sweet tea and gave it to Arthur. The policeman asked "Sorry Mr Pendragon but one last question, where were you between nine and ten this morning?"

"In my office, they can confirm that….surely you don't think I.."

"No Sir just routine" he was told. "We will leave you to the staff here, is there anyone you would like us to contact?"

"My sister Morgana Knight" Arthur got out his phone and wrote down the number "I don't think I can do it. Oh and he has an elderly uncle, Gaius Wilson"

"Mr Wilson has been informed and will be brought in. As to your sister we will sort that for you, we will speak later Sir …to keep you informed"

Arthur sat there in shock then the doctor took him to a room he could wait for news. "It will be several hours Sir, I will ask the staff to keep an eye on you. If you need anything just go to the nurse station round the corner. I am sorry. Oh one other thing is Merlin allergic to anything or has any illnesses or takes tablets for anything?"

"No, he's fine…normally healthy" Arthur put his head in his hands, he couldn't believe what had happened, who would hurt gentle kind Merlin like that, tears started to fall as the shock hit him.

Mordred arrived within half an hour, he had spoken to the police and the doctors and he looked as bad as Arthur. He walked up to Arthur "Any news?"

Arthur shook his head "Could be hours"

"Kara is collecting Freya, she won't bring her here not yet no point"

Arthur took a deep breath "She can't lose Merlin as well, she just can't" he said no more not trusting himself.

Morgana was the next to arrive she sat down by Arthur and hugged him "I tried to get hold of Leon but he is in theatre. I left a message they said they would tell him."

They sat there in silence no one wanting to say what they were all thinking. The Gaius arrived, he looked like he had aged with the news. He spoke briefly to Mordred and then sat by Arthur. "Awful business my boy"

Then a nurse came out "Mrs Knight?"

Morgana stood up "Your husband has sent a message, he said to tell up he has just been called to go to theatre for Mr Emrys and he will let you know as soon as he can"

Morgana nodded "Thank you" The nurse was back in a few minutes with a tray of tea and left them. During the next hour several others arrived Gwaine, Gwen and Lance and then Elyan. It was six hours later before Leon walked in to see them. He looked totally exhausted "Mr Wilson,Mordred and Arthur do you want me to speak here or privately?"

Arthur spoke first "They all need to know" Mordred nodded his agreement at least this way they wouldn't have to repeat it all. By now Gaius was sat with his eldest nephew.

Leon sat down he looked like he really didn't want to tell them. "I asked to come to tell you, I thought you might rather have it from me. The have been three teams of surgeons operating, some of the other doctors will talk to you later. I know you've been told some things but I will run through the lot then you can ask questions" he paused "It's not good news I'm afraid"

Mordred looked at Leon "I want to know all of it, I have to"

Arthur nodded his agreement "If we know it all know Leon we won't have any more shocks, I know you will be honest with us."

Leon took a deep breath "There's no real way of sugar coating this. Merlin was stabbed in the chest, he lost a lot of blood, the knife punctured his lung and nicked his pulmonary artery, hence the bleeding. He has also suffered multiple fractures to his jaw and cheekbone to the left side from a kick which also fracture his skull. He has several cracked ribs and his back had been damaged and bones broken, but thankfully his spinal cord appears to be intact, but we can't be sure what damage has been caused as yet."

Leon paused and swallowed before continuing he was holding his wife's hand. "Both his arms are broken, it looks like he was trying to protect his chest and face." Leon was clearly finding this difficult "His entire body is one mass of bruising we haven't been able to do anything much about his limbs at the moment, he will need to go back to theatre later. I'm sorry but his condition has meant we can't to continue at the moment. He has had a complete body blood transfusion."

Leon looked directly at Arthur and Mordred "I won't lie to you at the moment he is critical and you need to prepare yourselves. We will do everything we can bit his chances are less than fifty/fifty, he has just too many injuries. He is being transferred to Intensive Care at the moment you can see him soon, but I need to warn you he is a mess. I couldn't recognise him. I'm so sorry but you can't all go in. Just Gaius, Mordred and Arthur at the moment I will take you when we are called."

None of the listeners could take in all what Leon was telling them it was just two horrific. Gaius looked like he was about to pass out and Arthur and Mordred were as white as sheets. Morgana was crying and they others were shaken to the core. It just didn't make sense to any of them.

As Leon took the three man though to see Merlin the others just looked at each other until Gwaine broke the silence "Poor Merlin and poor Freya, the poor girl will be heartbroken. The bastard who did this should be hung"

"But why? Why did the mugger do it, it was clear Merlin didn't have anything much to steal and he wouldn't have fought over nothing, he wasn't the type." Morgana looked at the others "He is to gentle"

Elyan spoke up "Just as his life was picking up as well. It doesn't make sense"

Gaius, Mordred and Arthur were taken into the Intensive Care unit where Merlin was on a bed covered in a white sheet and blankets with some sort of heating devise between the sheets blowing hot air to warm him up. Leon warned them as they went in that there were tubes and machines everywhere and that Merlin had a tracheostomy into his neck, as due to the facial damage he couldn't have a ventilation tube pasted orally. Even with the warnings the men weren't prepared for what they saw. The person in the bed bore no resemblance to Merlin. His face had been beaten so badly and was so bruised and swollen it didn't look like Merlin at all. His arms were resting on pillows, the rest of his body was covered.

Mordred went closer to his brother and gently touched his hand, he turned to Arthur "We can't lose him."

Arthur was at Merlin's other side and he didn't know what to say but he felt a surge of anger "Well you made the past week hell enough for him!"

Mordred's breath hitched "I….."

Arthur looked at Mordred who looked totally broken "I'm sorry I shouldn't have said that" Arthur admitted

"Why not it's true" Mordred said in defeat, then he looked at his brother "I'm so sorry Merl, please fight, please you have to make it. I can't lose you as well."

Gaius's voice butted in "Boy's just leave it, now is not the time or place to fight"

Arthur's legs started to buckle and the nurse came forward with a chair and made him sit. "I'm staying I'm not leaving him!" he muttered. Then he let the tears fall again "I'm sorry" he told the nurse who handed him some tissues.

"No need" came the reply. "I understand"

The others were also given chairs. Leon looked at them "You can stay, but you might have to move if they need to do anything. I will make sure everyone else gets home ok, and I will be back in the morning unless I'm called in earlier"

Arthur looked up at his brother in law "Thank you Leon" Mordred also thanked him. Gaius was to shocked to speak but got up and walked out, unable to stay any longer.

On his way out Leon left a message with the staff to ring him if Arthur needed him. He then rang Kara and told he what he had told Mordred adding "He is staying for now, I expect he will ring you later" Kara didn't say much other than her mother was with her, but Leon could hear Freya crying in the background and his heart went out to the little girl.

Leon was exhausted physically and mentally, he had spent hours operating on Merlin's face fixing his jaw and cheekbone, during the operation he had been able to be objective, but afterwards it had hit him. One of the colleagues had offered to come in and cover when it was realised that Leon was friends with Merlin, but Leon knew he was the best Maxilla-facial surgeon in the hospital and he wanted to do what he could. But now he just wanted to get away and try to forget the mess that Merlin's body had been in. But he knew it would haunt him.

Leon left them and went out to the others. "I don't know about Mordred but Arthur is staying, you best all go home, don't drive unless you feel safe leave your cars here and get a cab. I am"

Morgana looked up at her husband "I should stay"

"No Gana, you're coming home, there is nothing you can do and Arthur will need your support for a long time to come. You are coming home with me" He looked at Merlin's uncle "Come home with us Gaius I don't want you home alone" Gaius nodded to stunned to put up an argument. Then all the others accepted Leon's advice and headed home.

Both men sat by the bed, not friends but joined in grief at what had happened to Merlin. Neither spoke to the other. Every so often the nurse would press a drink into to their hands or lay a comforting hand on their shoulder as she went about her work. After a couple of hours Mordred got up to go to the toilet. While out side he checked his phone to see his wife had been trying to contact him. He rang her back.

"When are you coming home?" she asked

"I don't know?" he replied then told her all of the injuries and that Merlin was critical.

"I know that Mordred and I am sorry but you are needed here Freya needs you, if your brother dies you are all she has left" Kara said "It's hard I know, but you need to concentrate on her, your brother won't know whether you are there or not, she will"

Mordred shut his eyes before speaking "He has a name you know use it!" he said gruffly. "All right I'll come home but I'm not abandoning Merlin, I will come back"

Mordred went back to his brothers bedside and stood looking at him before turning to Arthur "Look after him please, I need to go home, its Freya, she needs me there"

Arthur looked up "Tell her I will stay with her Papa, I won't leave him…" his voice broke and he stopped speaking, but they both knew the words he didn't say. Neither of them were under any illusion about Merlin's chances.