The Curse

A/N: Morgana, and Merlin Belong to the BBC, and the Other Characters, (including Ashley) whilst are actors, have all been created by me and belong to me.

Has not been Beta read, so all errors are all mine.

I wrote this chapter before I posted the last chapter, and it was what I had planned all along.

AuntieNeenah - OW! That pitchfork hurts! :-(

Chapter 25

Danny felt utterly useless, he swallowed the bile that had begun to rise in his throat, and he knew he had to do something. He grabbed Becker's arm as the creature tossed it away, pulled the sharp weapon from the immobile fingers, and he ran towards the beast as it prepared to devour the soldier.

Danny plunged the double-edged sword into the monsters body many times, and soon the animal lay next to Becker's body.

With tears streaming down her face, Sarah ran to the Captain, clutching his lifeless arm. Kneeling down she checked for a pulse as Danny killed the creature.

Three figures ran through the anomaly and towards them, Cutter, Pete and Connor rushed to their aid.

Cutter took charge and instructed everyone to hurry back through, and for Pete and Connor to carry the injured soldier. Danny followed with Becker's sword in his hand making sure that they weren't followed. Sarah carried Becker's arm in the hope that when he was rushed to hospital the surgeons could somehow attach it.

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-o-o-o-

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As soon as the group ran through the Anomaly; Morgana threw a bolt of electricity from her palms towards the Anomaly, thus locking it.

She spun round quickly and looked over to Jess, the young fairy stood next to Claudia - or rather the older woman cradled her in her arms giving her the support and strength she needed. Tears rolled uncontrollably down her face as she saw blood gushing from Becker's deep wounds.

She clicked her fingers and an ancient spell book appeared in front of her, it hovered in mid-air as Morgana read the open page in front of her. She took a bottle of water from Pete and bent down beside Becker's prone form. Gently she pulled a strand of hair from his head; popping it in the water she muttered an incantation.

"Iachau ..." The water glowed golden before becoming clear once more.

"He needs something stronger to make this work," Morgana muttered and she looked over to the book once more. Morgana knew that this spell could work; she had performed it on Abby saving her life. "He needs blood from a saviour."

"Jess...? You've rescued Becker?" She asked.

"I... I... I rescued him when he had been kidnapped by Christina."

"Yes...! Perfect...! You're the person I need!" She reached for Jess's hand.

Morgana checked the book reciting the incantation, then holding Jess's hand carefully she sliced open her hand making the fairy bleed. The blood ran from the small cut straight into the bottle. She carefully counted out seven drops of blood, and allowed them to drip inside. The water turned red, deep purple, blue, and then black. Once again the mixture bubbled without the aid of heat, and steam strangely rose from the cool serum.

"Abby...? I need some dandelion leaves; can you find some for me?" Morgana questioned.

"I saw some dandelions growing by the edge of the road, I'll get them!" Abby ran towards the entrance and over the road. Grabbing a few from the grassy verge, she returned to Becker's side.

Morgana took the leaves and squeezed them between her fingers making a pale green sap which dripped into the boiling cold mixture. The medication stopped bubbling and turned clear once more. Checking that the remedy was complete, she snapped her fingers and a spoon appeared in her hand.

Carefully she spooned a small amount into Becker's mouth.

There was no reaction from the wounded soldier and Morgana wondered if she was too late. Nevertheless she reached for Becker's lifeless limb and carefully held it to where it had been severed from his torso. Pouring some of the liquid over the upper body she was please to see the appendages knit together and stop bleeding.

However, Becker was still losing blood from his belly. Blood gushed from the gaping wound, and Morgana knew that if they didn't work fast, Becker was going to die. Tearing his shirt open, she poured more of the liquid over his wounds.

Seeing his injuries, Jess sobbed harder than before, and fell to her knees besides Becker's body.

"Is there anything I can do?" She cried.

"Yes... Although I've joined his arm back onto his body, he still won't be able to use it properly, I need someone to hold his hand and encourage feeling to return."

Jess did as she was told, and slowly his injuries began to heal, his more serious internal injuries to his punctured stomach and intestines first, working its way outward.

She dashed the tears from her face, there was something else she could try, something she hadn't thought of until now and she hoped it would work. She placed her hands on Becker's wounds and throwing her head back, she mentally placed his injuries in her heart and she made a wish.

A strange golden glow began to emanate from her core, spreading outwards, and Morgana realised what she was doing.

"Your magic appears to be stronger, what can I do to help?" Morgana urged.

"Place your hand on me and wish; everybody can do it!" Jess replied confidently. She beamed knowing that her fairy magic was working, that she could save Becker.

"Get well soon Becker," Morgana proffered, resting her fingers on top of fairy's hands.

"I wish you would recover soon Becks," Abby murmured as she knelt down and touched Jess's shoulder.

"Get well soon Action Man," whispered Connor as he too touched Jess's other shoulder.

"Come on Becks, we need you more than ever," Sarah urged.

"Come on, Soldier Boy! Stay with us," Danny touched Jess's arm.

"Get well soon," Mo placed her hands on top of Jess's. She had stopped hallucinating, and had recovered enough to walk.

"You can pull through boss, I know you can!" Ashley jostled to find a place to put his hands on Jess's arms and Pete followed his example.

Claudia and Nick held hands as she touched the young fairy's arm.

"Come on Becker, your Great-Great-Great-Grandfather Ryan will never forgive us if you don't recover from this," Claudia whispered.

Connor looked over to the pair, this was news to him and judging by the looks on the other's faces, they didn't know either.

Energy seemed to surge through the fairy princess as everyone made their wishes, it made the young girl glow a brilliant golden colour, and everyone could literally 'see' the glowing energy pass through from their hands, into her body, and then onwards, towards her fingers and into the comatose soldier.

Sighing she leaned back and looking around her thanked the group for helping her. Then very carefully she leaned down and pressed her lips to Becker's arm, then his healing stomach, and finally his lips. Her lips lingered on his soft lips for longer than necessary, warmth had returned to his pale face and as she pulled away Becker's eyelashes fluttered.

He took a deep breath filling his lungs with much needed air.

"My arm...? A future predator came at me... Ripped my arm off..." He mumbled incoherently.

Jess smiled at him, pleased that he had come round, pleased that he was talking, and holding up his once detached limb, she kissed his fingers, then very slowly she ran her hand over the length of his arm, and to the point where it had been severed.

A tingling sensation crept up his arm; as Jess moved her hand over it, and Becker could not only feel the way she kissed his fingers, but he found he could move them too. He looked across to his arm he reached with his other hand and felt the muscle healing, knitting together and he smiled.

Thanks to Morgana, Jess and Abby, he was alive; he had all his limbs and knew that he could continue on his mission to help Cutter and to protect those at the ARC.

"The Artefact – I dropped it!" Becker gasped at the locked anomaly.

"You might have dropped it, but I kinda figured there must have been a reason why you came all that way to find it..." Sarah smiled and from her large bag she pulled a metal object.

Slowly she smiled and then began to chuckle as everyone else smiled and joined her laughter.

The whole team were finally together and with the map of anomalies they could move forwards and onto the last phase of their mission.

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-o-o-o-

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Claudia was happy; she had never seen the mansion filling up with so many people. Pete, Connor, and Ash had all found their key partners; Ryan was back and as soon as he was able could be reunited with his estranged family. Abby had been reunited with her parents and having them all around her Claudia felt happy and played the part of 'The Lady of the House', and a doting hostess to the hilt. She arranged rooms for everyone, and ensured that everyone was comfortable.

Becker was given a room close to his Great-Great-Great-Grandfather, and he decided to go and see him. Knocking on the door he went into the ornamental and sumptuous room.

He was surprised to see Jess with her back to him, leaning over the occupant of the bed. He couldn't be absolutely positive, but he was sure he heard the young fairy kiss the older man who lay in a deep slumber in the bed.

He blinked and tried to process the information in his head.

She obviously loved this man and maybe they were a couple? Surely, if she cared for him she would have told him so?

Looking at her now, he wondered if he had been mistaken by her affection towards him, maybe she was simply extending a hand of friendship?

Since meeting Jessica, she had not made any effort to tell him how she felt about him and now he realised that he did not know how she felt towards him. Maybe he had misread her actions and she felt nothing for him at all. He stood silently at the door not daring to move.

Jess turned around and jumped, she had not expected to see Becker standing there, as she had not heard him enter.

"Becker...?" she paused for an awkward moment. "Come to see your great-great-great-grandfather?"

Becker nodded. Claudia had told him about his weird relationship between himself and Captain Ryan and he had decided to meet the older soldier.

Jess smiled and moved to one side allowing Becker to see the man who lay in the soft bed.
Slowly Becker approached and stood over the man as he slept. Becker felt confused, he had been expecting an old man with lots of wrinkles and a walking stick, this man was supposed to be an elderly relative, and yet he looked like a spritely young man in his thirties!

Unusually his eyes began to sting, this man would be quite capable of being a suitor for Jess, after all she was a fairy and maybe they were even the same age. He sniffed and blinked back the moisture in his eyes.

"I had no idea he would look so young..." He murmured softly.

"Water from the River of Life, it does that." Jess responded, oblivious to Becker's feelings.
He stood for a moment not knowing what to say or do and the silence in the room made the atmosphere uncomfortable.

"Why hasn't he come round yet?" Becker struggled with his words. He didn't know how to tell the fairy how he felt, and maybe now he would never get the chance. He had no idea how old she was, but it was clear that she had feelings for the older soldier who lay comatose on the bed.

"Christina's magic was very powerful and dark and she must have kept him in a dragons' body for a very long time. From what I've been told he was kept like that for over a year - it takes time for the effects of magic that powerful to wear off." Jess paused. "He'll come round when he is ready."

Becker crossed his arms in front of him, he really didn't know how to feel, he had known Captain Ryan during his training at Sandhurst, he recalled a firing range, and being taught alongside the man in front of him, but now he felt he didn't know him at all. The man in front of him was supposed to be his great-great-great-grandfather, and to be standing in front of him was impossible ... Wasn't it?

He blinked and wondered about his parents, his grandparents and their parents and grandparents before them. Were they still alive? And if this 'River of Life' existed, why wasn't its location common knowledge? Why was it kept secret?
Did he have any more relatives hidden away? And where was his great-great-great-grandmother?

The unbearable silence pervaded every nook and cranny within the room and feeling very uncomfortable, Becker excused himself and left.

Jessica sighed heavily, there had been so much she had wanted to say to Becker, but now she would not have another chance. She sniffed... "Oh why...? Oh why did I have to go and fall in love with a human...?"

Suddenly a brilliant white mist filled the room and an older looking fairy appeared. Her white gown shimmered in the dim light of the room and slowly her white wings began to disappear.

"Because you were destined to fall in love with a human, and not just any human, a very capable young soldier who will vow to look after you no matter what happens..." she spoke in a soft voice that sounded like the wind, a light and airy summer's breeze.

"Oh mama..." Jess began to cry as her mother hugged her.

"There now dear, you'll be fine, I'm sure there's a logical explanation as to why he hasn't said anything. Your uncle will be fine, he's as strong as an ox and Christina's magic might be very strong and dark, but given time, he will recover. Do not fret my dear..." she pulled back and held Jess's head in her soft hands, "But you must tell him of how you feel, tell him of your relationship with Captain Ryan, that he is your maternal uncle, and nothing more."

Slowly she walked up to the bed and stroked her brother forehead gently, causing him to stir. Then with a wave of her shimmering hand, she was gone.

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-o-o-o-

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Mo however, was feeling unwell, timidly she approached Claudia to see if there was anything she could do, her healing spells were not working and she wondered if there was any twenty-first century medication she could have to stop her feeling so nauseous.

Claudia was standing outside Abby's bedroom and she was chatting to Morgana. Quietly she told them of her ailments.

"That's weird, Abby's feeling rather sickly too, I wonder if there is something going around, or something that you've eaten?" Claudia pondered as Abby joined them.

"But I'm three days late for my period too." Mo told them.

"Seven days for me..." Abby did some mental calculations.

"Oh dear..." Morgana sighed and reached behind her magically pulling out two Pregnancy sticks.

"I think you might want one yourself..." Claudia told her.

"Why...? I'm fifty-five; I should be going through the menopause!"

"It's the water from the River of Life. If it makes you look twenty-five, you'll be as fertile as one!" Claudia commented.

Morgana's mouth fell open. "You still have periods?"

Claudia nodded.

"At 800 years old?"

"I'm afraid so."

Abby and Mo looked at Claudia and Morgana, and then thinking of the same thing they clicked their fingers and pulled out one pregnancy stick each, and all four women began to laugh at the absurdity of the situation. Morgana took the pregnancy stick from Abby whilst Claudia took the one that Mo proffered.

All four women went into their respective rooms and used the bathrooms.

Coming out few minutes later they met in the hallway.

"Oh no..." Mo muttered as she rejoined the other women.

"Positive?" Abby questioned.

Mo nodded. "How about you...?"

"Positive." Abby mumbled.

"... Here too... " Morgana muttered.

Three women turned to face Claudia who hadn't spoken.

She huffed loudly. "I think all four of us have to speak to the boys about this."

"Can you imagine what Nick's going to say...? I'm 800 years old... How are we going to look after a child at our age?" Claudia groaned.

The women laughed at of the situation they had found themselves in. All four of them were now pregnant.

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-o-o-o-

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It was late evening and Pete was in the library, he was chatting to Nick about the next part of their quest, when Morgana walked in.

"Sorry to disturb you like this but Lady Claudia would like to see to in your chambers." Morgana told Nick.

Nick frowned, he knew that it was late, but surely whatever Claudia wanted could wait until later.

Morgana shook her head. "She said she needs to see you now..."

Nick excused himself and left.

Pete carried on studying the maps in front of him; and wished that he could read them like Connor could, the way he knew exactly what he was looking for, which time periods and locations made him ever so slightly jealous. He sighed as Morgana sat down next to him.

"Pete... Have you ever thought about children?" she pondered out loud.

"Not really haven't thought about them to be honest." He paused for a moment and looked at her. "Though if I was wolf at the time, would they be human or cubs?" he smirked at his joke.

Morgana's mouth fell open, the thought had not crossed her mind and she began to worry.

"I hope I'm not carrying cubs."

Pete however, heard her telepathic rambling, his eyes widened at the notion.

"You're pregnant...?" A huge grin erupted on his face and Morgana knew that he would make a wonderful father.

Pete pulled her across so that she sat on his lap facing him; he kissed her so passionately and tenderly that Morgana had trouble breathing.

The maps lay forgotten as Pete carried her to their room; he told her telepathically exactly what they would do that night.

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-o-o-o-

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Hope you enjoyed that...

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