Disclaimer: I don't own this. If you recognize this, I didn't create it.

AN: Second chapter in one day because you are all dears and dolls for being so patient with me. Squishy Lucan/Dagonet alert!

Chapter Thirty-Eight

He'd been having problems breathing all night and around dawn, he took a breath and didn't expel it again. Chaos erupted. Trying to keep calm, the young healer sent a panicking Galahad for water, trying to get him out from underfoot, before focusing all of her attention on Gawain. It was a harrowing couple of minutes, but at last he breathed again. Morgaine sat back on her heels, with a great sigh of relief.

Morgaine had been teaching Lucan the Latin language when the blond Knight had stopped breathing. It had scared him deeply, though what frightened him most was seeing tears in his beloved aunt's eyes. He ached when she hurt. She had played with him as a child, and invented silent games to distract and entertain the boy when the Romans had gone raiding and ravaging through their village. He had remembered those games in Marius' dungeons, occupying himself with the quiet pastime to take himself away from everything he feared.

After Gawain was sleeping easily again, Morgaine used her wrist to push back a lank strand of hair and turned toward where she had left her nephew, only to find him absent. She found him ten minutes later in an abandoned corner of the infirmary. Pulling up her skirts, she crouched in front of him. Her eyes were kind as she touched his knee. "Lucan?" she asked quietly, worried about him.

Lucan looked up, seeing the tear tracks on her cheeks. "You were crying Aunt."

Morgaine nodded, brushing ineffectually at her tears. "Yes, I suppose I was." Holding out a hand, she helped the trembling child to his feet. "Walk with me for a moment. You're distressed. I think your lessons are done for the day. Maybe we'll find Dagonet."

Lucan nodded, gripping her hand tightly. Morgaine patted his hand gently with her fingers, before she turned to look at her husband. "I'm going to go and take a walk with Lucan, Gal. Are you going to be okay?" she asked quietly, trying not to wake the sleeping men.

Galahad looked from patient to patient, nodding once. "I'll be fine. Take your time," he assured her, with a small smile.

Morgaine nodded, blowing him a kiss, before leaving the infirmary with Lucan. They were silent as they climbed the steps up out of the basement and emerged into the sunlight. Finally, Morgaine looked down at her nephew. "What is it Lucan? You've seen men die. What scared you?"

Lucan nodded, looking at the ground as they walked, before looking up at her. "Why were you crying? You never cry."

Morgaine smiled, letting their hands swinging between them. "Gawain is very dear to my heart, Lucan. I love him very much. And to come so close to losing him….it pulls at my heartstrings."

Lucan nodded, letting his eyes wander the streets. After a moment, his whole countenance brightened and a large smile curved his lips. Morgaine knew, without even looking, that the boy had seen Dagonet. "Go on, Luc. I have to get back. Galahad is capable at watching….not tending."

Lucan nodded, letting his aunt's hand drop and rushing across the street. Morgaine stood, watching him to be sure he got to Dagonet safely. "Dag!" he cried happily, lunging around the milling crowd.

Dagonet turned from where he was talking with Bors, and allowed a rare smile to lift his lips. He dropped to one knee, his arms open to catch the boy as Lucan went hurtling into them. He stood, Lucan wrapped securely in his arms. Dagonet saw Morgaine over his shoulder and nodded solemnly. She smiled, and scooped up her skirts, hurrying back toward the infirmary and her patients.

Dagonet squeezed him close for a second more, before swinging the six year old up onto one shoulder. Lucan giggled, his eyes wide. Bors chuckled at his friend, clapping him on the arm. "I have my own boys to be looking after, Dag. I'll see you and Lucan later."

Dagonet nodded, turning away and heading for the open field, Lucan still on his shoulder. Lucan wiggled and Dagonet set him down, watching as the little boy's energy sent him hurtling through the tall grasses. Dagonet walked after him, a small smile lighting his face. Seeing the gentle giant walking slowly, Lucan came dashing back and grabbed his hand, pulling him along. "Come on, Da."

Dagonet's heart seized up. This boy he loved had called him "Da," just like a son would call a father. If the Saxons returned at that moment, Dagonet of Sarmatia would die a happy man.

Getting himself under control, Dagonet nodded. "All right, Luc. Lead on."

Lucan's eyes got wide with happiness and he raced ahead, the big man loping easily at his heels. At last, they stopped by a patch of juicy berries. After the little boy had filled Dagonet's leather cap with berries, he joined the Knight under the shade of a tree and the two ate the sweet treat together. Lucan was rolling a berry around between his hands when he looked at Dagonet solemnly. "I almost saw a man die today."

Dagonet immediately felt his heart seize up, but in a painful way this time. Gawain was the only man that was so close to death. Seeming to understand that the boy needed to talk about it, he asked quietly, "Which man?"

"The blond man that Aunt Morgaine always fusses over. She said she loves him."

"As she should. Your Aunt is a fine woman, Lucan. She genuinely cares for all of us. She saved our lives on that field and we'll be forever indebted to her for it."

Lucan popped the berry into his mouth and chewed quietly, before asking, "Dagonet, is it okay that I call you Da?"

Dagonet turned to look at the boy, curious. "Why do you ask that?"

Lucan replied soberly, "My dad was one of Merlin's sons. I barely remember him; he was killed when the Romans raided our village when I was three. Morgaine raised me for most of my life. I remember that I loved my father, but that's all."

Dagonet waited patiently for the boy to go on, feeling as though his heart would burst with the anticipation. Lucan looked up at him, with bright tearing eyes and a tremulous smile on his lips. "Can you be my father, since I don't have one?"

Dagonet's heart swelled and he pulled the boy close. Closing his eyes in happiness, he nodded against the boy's hair. "I would be honored, Lucan, to be your father. I have been meaning to talk to you about it. Morgaine asked me if I wanted to raise you as my son. I will ask her today if she would allow me to adopt you as my son. I want nothing more than that. "

Lucan's smile was wide and brilliant, as he threw his arms around his new father's shoulders. Dagonet crushed him close, tears of joy and love brimming in his eyes. "You are as dear to me, Lucan, as any child could be to its father," he confessed in a comforting whisper, still holding the boy close.

Still hugging his father tightly, the little boy's eyes filled with happy tears. At last, he had a real father and an extended family, comprised of the Knights. When Dagonet loosened his grip, Lucan situated himself in his father's lap and curled close, falling asleep in the gentle leviathan's arms. Dagonet lifted him close and carried him back to the Wall.

After he arrived home, he shifted the boy slightly and determined that the best thing to do would be to tell Morgaine. Going down the steps to the basement, he felt his heart soar higher with every stair. Stopping in the doorway of the infirmary, he waited for Morgaine to notice him. Sensing someone watching her, Morgaine looked up from re-bandaging the wound in Tristan's upper arm. She smiled at the sight presented there, returning her attention back to Tristan. Whispering softly in his ear, she touched his head gently as he nodded. His eyes closed and Morgaine rose to her feet, approaching Boy and Giant. Laying a tender hand on the child's back, she met Dagonet's eyes joyfully. "He's yours, Dag."

Dagonet grinned with relief. "Thank you, my Lady."

"Anything to make him happy, Dag. Anything at all." Morgaine assured him, her fingers tracing nonsensical designs over Lucan's shoulder blade for a moment, before returning to her patient.

Dagonet stood for another moment where he was, watching her tend to his friend, and then turned to the dormitories to set up a cot beside him….for his son.