A/N: I don't own Merlin. That was the luck of the BBC.

…Hello there.

I am so sorry I've been gone almost two months with no word. This chapter has taken ages to write, so I hope people are still wanting to read this story, and I hope you'll stick with me through the sequel as well. Andyou know how I said this would be the final chapter? Well, I realised I can't cram everything left in the story into one chapter, so they'll be a couple more.

What can I say? I'm inconsistent.

They'd not lingered a moment longer in the courtyard, as Merlin's suppressed groans of pain were becoming more and more apparent. Gaius had let go of his ward and led the way back to his chambers, Merlin reluctantly leaning on Arthur and Gwaine for support having realised he'd never manage all those stairs under his own steam.

Though Merlin had tried to shrug the king off when Pellinore approached them, the knight suggesting he call a council meeting and they discuss just what had happened to Arthur and how to get the kingdom back to full working order by sundown. Arthur had flat out refused, informing the other knights that he and his men were far too exhausted from the journey home; that they'd be retiring to their rooms for much needed sleep.

Arthur had spoken the truth. Mostly. He'd never felt so tired, the severity of their time away from Camelot weighing heavily on him. However, the main reason was that he was unwilling to leave Merlin's side. The king had barely been absent from his servant since their capture, aside from his time spent in the cells and when he'd finally grabbed some rest in Redferran. He knew Merlin's condition could turn at any moment, he'd had to restart the boy's heart for god's sake, and he would not be away from him for a second he was in danger.

The journey to Gaius' quarters had never taken so long; the stairs seemed never-ending and so much more tiresome than Arthur could remember. Then again, he wasn't usually carrying a semi-unconscious manservant up as he went. Elyan, Percival and Leon had dispersed to their chambers, stating that they'd let Gaius look over them later, especially as there was little wrong with them. The redness around their chafed wrists had all but disappeared thanks to Petch's salve, and they all knew Merlin needed far more treatment than any of them.

"Put him down over there." Gaius motioned to the bed in the middle of the room, which Arthur and Gwaine laid Merlin on carefully. "Can you hear me? Merlin?" Gaius eyed the warlock, his worry speaking for itself.

"I'm dying, not deaf." Merlin grumbled, though the words were disappearing on his lips.

"You're not dying, you idiot." Arthur snapped, though it was worry, not anger, clouding his eyes. Petch had done his best to treat Merlin, but what if the infection had taken too much of a hold? What if his heart stopped again? What if…?

"Gwaine?" Gaius' voice broke Arthur out of his 'what ifs'. "I need you to go find Gwen and get me some fresh water from the kitchen as well as some more honey." The physician's tone directed at the knight was one of an order, not a request, though Gwaine looked suitably conflicted about leaving Merlin.

"See you in a minute." Gwaine nodded at Merlin, a reluctant sigh escaping his lips, before grudgingly heading out the door.

"Merlin, let me see." Gaius instructed, gesturing for the poor boy to remove the ill-fitting shirt.

"It's not a very pretty sight." Merlin's speech was becoming slightly slurred again, and his vision wasn't quite focussing on the two familiar figures in front of him. He wasn't quite cross-eyed, but there was a general blurriness to Arthur's face, though Merlin thought if nothing else it improved the king's features somewhat.

"Merlin, shirt." Gaius asked, this time with a much softer tone than before, and Merlin hesitantly pulled the worn shirt from his body and let it drop to the floor. He doubted he'd be wearing it again anyway.

"Don't feel too good." Merlin groaned as he rubbed at his forehead, his vision beginning to blur. "Gaius…" He managed to mumble before his eyes rolled shut and he fell back onto the bed, unconscious. Gaius was quick to check Merlin's pulse and assure both Arthur and himself that he was merely out cold.

"It's probably just exhaustion." Gaius nodded, as if reaffirming it to himself, reluctant for it to be anything more serious. "Arthur, calm down."

"I need to do something Gaius." He'd begun nervously pacing around the room. "I can't just watch him-" He stopped himself from going any further, but ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Well, you could start by telling me why in god's name Merlin is lying in that bed right now." Gaius was trying to refrain from unleashing his anger on Arthur. Mostly he was angry at whoever'd put Merlin in that position, but there was a small part of him that was still mad at the king, mad at him for needlessly bringing Merlin on patrol. He knew Arthur, and whilst he'd never admit it, he knew that Merlin was the one the king wanted out on patrol with him. However, it was still no excuse for dragging him into dangerous situation after dangerous situation, even with the added safety of Merlin's magic. Though Gaius had wondered if his magic was one of the reasons Merlin so often came home with cuts and scrapes, that he was so focussed on protecting Arthur, he stopped protecting himself. "I need you to tell me everything." Gaius softened his tone slightly, but kept his face stern whilst he worked. He paused for a moment, then looked at Arthur, reiterating: "Everything."

Arthur nodded, growing quiet for a moment as he pondered over the words in his head. He wanted to make that Gaius new everything, even if it meant admitting to one of the few father figures in his life just how badly he'd messed everything up.

"We were captured by a man named Drin, his people somehow managed to overpower us. He brought us to a tower where we were imprisoned. It was then they took Merlin."

"What did they want him for?" Gaius took a breath, unsure of what would come from the king's mouth.

"They tortured him." Arthur looked away, squeezing his nails into his palms slightly, the horrific memory refusing to leave.

"Why?" Gaius shook his head, and Arthur remained silent for a moment. "Arthur, what did they want with Merlin?" Gaius could feel his stomach sink, worry beginning to take control.

"His magic." Arthur blurted out, unable to keep hold of it any longer.

"You- you- sire…?" Gaius almost stumbled backwards, his mouth agape at the king's confession. Arthur knew? Arthur had known the entire time they'd been in this room, with Gaius treating Merlin, and he'd not said anything? "You know?" He gasped out. "Of Merlin? And yet you still brought him to me?"

"I do. I've had time to ponder the subject, and a number of harsh words from Gwaine. I've come to realise that warlock or not, he's still my friend." Arthur looked up at Gaius, and gave him a small smile, to ensure that the physician knew he was completely serious.

"My god sire, I can't believe it." Gaius looked like he was about to cry, but refrained, limiting himself to a long awaited light laugh and visible relief in his eyes. Arthur glanced towards the shelves, keeping his gaze fixed on the familiar jars and books as he continued his tale.

"Drin demanded Merlin help him, the man was determined he'd have Camelot's throne, certain he could use Merlin's magic as a weapon and it would make him unstoppable. Merlin was, as Drin put it, discourteous."

"Merlin." Gaius groaned, looking down at him. Why had he done that? Why did he have to be his usual, provocative self? "This man, Drin, he was the one who tortured him?"

"With a knife." Arthur winced as he nodded, feeling himself turning pale at the memory. "And he chained him up with magic supressing manacles. Merlin didn't stand a chance."

Gaius began checking over some of Merlin's more serious injuries, namely the deeper cuts and the stab wound, slowly peeling back the bandages adorning Merlin's torso. He shuddered as he caught sight of the damage done to his ward, then turned to his workbench, preparing various solutions. He was also rummaging through his drawers for a needle and thread, all the while muttering various injuries of Merlin's and how he planned to treat them, something which Arthur assumed was to keep the physician calm and level-headed.

"You escaped though? I heard the knights talking as you came into the castle, they spoke as if they just happened upon you."

"Yes, it's… complicated. I'm still not sure I understand what happened. Drin was about to kill me, had me on my knees with the sword lined up and everything. Then Merlin, he just started… laughing. Taunting Drin, telling him he underestimated him. There was this kind of earthquakes, and Merlin wasn't chained up anymore, neither were we, and he almost choked Drin to death. Gaius, if I hadn't made him leave, I don't know what would've happened." Arthur rubbed at his eyes, and let out a sigh.

Gaius said nothing, he simply continued to assess Merlin, though he frowned as a thought entered his head.

"He's bandaged up. Someone treated his cuts?" He asked, perplexedly.

"Sort of." Arthur shrugged. "I washed and covered them as best I could when we were in the woods," Gaius tried to stifle his surprise and slight amusement at the idea of the king cleaning his servant's wounds, "but we found a village in the lowlands, a place named Redferran, have you heard of it?"

"I can't say I have." Gaius shook his head after a moment.

"Their physician, Petch, he treated Merlin's wounds better than we could, though he himself didn't have many supplies. We owe Merlin's life to him, and his villagers." Arthur didn't know if he'd ever repay the man for what he did. "Petch told us he's got infected cuts on his upper body, and a heavy wound on the back of his shoulder blade, his rib is displaced, and he's been in and out of a fever since we escaped."

Gaius nodded, his mouth drawn into a thin, grimacing line.

"The bruising seems to be healing on its own, so I'll leave that be." Gaius noted as he removed each of the bandages.

"Petch used something on them. Arnica, I think?"

"Good." Gaius nodded. "It should help the repair process a bit." He began to dab a cloth smothered in a gooey, umber liquid across Merlin's infected cuts. "I'll let that work for a few hours, then these will need stiches once they've calmed down a bit." Gaius paused. "He'll have some scars." He lamented quietly. The wound on his shoulder wasn't too infected, but was clearly quite deep and would need dealing with as soon as possible, once Gaius had checked over the rest of him.

"His heart stopped." Arthur blurted out suddenly. He wasn't quite sure why, but he wanted to tell Gaius, as much as it might upset him. Perhaps he wanted to prove that he'd do anything to keep Merlin alive, that he shouldn't be considered a threat to Merlin, though he hoped Gaius would never consider him a threat. "I mean his heart completely stopped, I thought he was dead, but I- I restarted it."

"Impossible." Gaius shook his head. "Unless you…"

"I hit his chest, like you explained to me and my father when Sir John collapsed all those years ago."

"You do listen." Gaius breathed in amazement. "I can't thank you enough Arthur." Gaius' eyes shone with genuine gratitude and admiration.

"I can't lose him." Arthur sighed. "I had to at least try and keep him alive. I'd have never forgiven myself if I hadn't done something."

"So I can expect you down here for herbology lessons of an evening, can I?" The old physician joked, easing some of the tension building up in the room.

"I'll leave the medical stuff to you two." Arthur let out a small laugh. "I reckon it was pure luck I saved Merlin."

"Perhaps." Gaius murmured to himself, so quietly Arthur would not hear him, a small smile across his lips. "Perhaps nothing more than the toss of a coin."

Once again, sorry for the wait. I'll try to get the next one up as soon as I can.