It was the next morning. Merlin had been getting better and better through the night and when doctors concluded that there was no immediate danger anymore, they allowed him to go home early in the afternoon. At least if the doctors of the royal family would continue to monitor him once he's been back home, which Balinor of course reassured.

And now, the complete security team, Mercian media team and the Mercian royals were having a meeting about how and when Merlin should depart from the hospital.

Meanwhile, Merlin and Arthur were inside Merlin's hospital room, sitting on the hospital bed with Merlin in the v of Arthur's legs.

"I'm glad you're okay." Arthur said, giving Merlin's hand an extra squeeze. More for reassuring himself that his boyfriend was really there.

Merlin merely nodded. He hadn't quite wrapped his head around everything that was happening. Not only was this the second attempt on his life in just a short amount of time, he couldn't believe that his own family was behind it.

Arthur must've sensed something was wrong because he turned to his boyfriend. "Are you though?"

Merlin nodded once more. "Just… it'll take me a while to be okay with it."

"I understand," Arthur said just as the door opened and Merlin's parents came in and his mother taking a seat at the end of bed. His father kept standing.

"We have decided that you will exit from the main entrance, because the people became restless and wanted to see how their prince is doing." His father explained.

Merlin just nodded his head. Facing a ton of people wasn't quite high on his list right now, but he knew, he understood that this was his life now. He was supposed to be in the limelight even if he didn't want it.

"We'll make it as fast as possible." Hunith said, reaching out for her son's hand. Merlin merely gave her a lopsided smile.

"Are you okay to leave in a few minutes?"

"Sure." Merlin supplied.

~oOoOo~

Flashes were everywhere, Merlin could barely see the path in front of him because of it.

"Prince Merlin, over here…"

"Prince Merlin, how are you feeling?"

"What are your thoughts about your cousin Mordred, prince Merlin?"

Merlin kept his head a bit low. He was all too happy that Arthur was at his side, trying to shield him as much as he could from the journalists, but even he knew that it wouldn't make a ton of difference. They would be getting pictures of him one way or another.

And now he was all too happy to see the car door coming into view. Tom quickly opened and closed it and Merlin breathed a sigh of relief.

"You okay?" Arthur asked for what must've been the hundredth time today.

Merlin gave a nod of the head. He just wanted to close his eyes and get into their house as soon as possible. Thankfully that it didn't take too long. And it hadn't escaped him that Tom drove a different route than normally, trying to evade the Le Fey residence as much as possible. Merlin gave him a curt nod when he exited the car, feeling quite thankful that Tom did that.

~oOoOo~

"Okay," Merlin said to his own reflection in the mirror. "New day, new chance."

It had been two weeks since everything went down, and although the doctors had cleared him a week ago, he couldn't bring it to himself to go to school again.

But he knew that day had to come sooner or later… well, sooner it is.

He wasn't quite looking forward to it. He was afraid everyone would treat him as the victim. Granted, he very much was so, but that didn't meant that he wanted to be treated as one!

His mother came into his room after a knock on the door, and Merlin turned around. Hunith gave him a big smile. "There you are. Are you ready?"

Merlin shrugged. "Ready as I will be, I guess."

"It'll all be fine, hunnie. Don't you worry."

"I know," Merlin gave a huge sigh. "I just hope everything and everyone will be normal from now on. I've had enough shit these past months already."

Hunith's eyebrows rose slightly at her son's choice of words but her eyes softened not long after and she closed the distance between her and her son. After a kiss on his forehead, she gave him a reassuring smile.

"Well, if I can face the world with an unplanned pregnancy, I'm sure you could face some professors and peers."

~oOoOo~

His first day back went by as good as it could get, Merlin thought. A lot of side-glances were thrown his way from fellow classmates and a there were a few that came up to him to ask how he was, but overall most people left him alone… just as he hoped.

And he found himself in his close-knit group of friends again: Will, Percival and of course Arthur. He still felt a bit tired here and there, and a few times his breath seemed to catch in the back of his throat, but he mostly felt like himself again. Like he was a before everything went crazy.

"You ready to go?" Arthur asked him and Merlin snapped out of his thoughts, blinking a few times.

"Err, I actually need to do something."

Arthur's brow creased.

"I want to see Freya. And Gaius."

"Ah," Arthur answered and gave a peck on his cheek. "Just text me when you're getting home again. We could have pizza tonight if you want too."

Merlin smiled. "Sounds good."

~oOoOo~

Merlin found himself in front of the familiar department store. The memory of him hiding in there to escape the paparazzi seemed a lifetime ago, but it was one of his best decisions in Mercia.

With a deep breath in he nodded to Tom who held the door open, it gave a short buzz and Merlin saw his old friend's blue-grey eyes soften once he saw who entered. Merlin quickly went up to him and give him a hug.

"I've missed you." Merlin said.

"And I you." Gaius said, taking a step back to overlook him. "You're well?"

Merlin nodded. "Some minor problems here and there, but I'll live." He rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled uncomfortably, but he saw his old mentor not laughing at his little joke. If only, his eyes carried even more concern. "Really, I'm fine."

Merlin took a look around the store, he was still looking for someone else.

"She's upstairs in the café."

Merlin turned his head back to Gaius, giving him a small smile. "Thank you, Gaius. I'll go and find her."

The old man only gave him a nod back and Merlin headed to the lift which took him quickly to the upper floor. The little café was empty and he didn't saw Freya either, she was probably in the back doing inventory.

Merlin turned to Tom. "Can you stay here for a few seconds? I'd like to see Freya alone."

After getting a nod back from his security detail he headed through the swing doors and found his friend holding a clipboard and the pencil stuck between her lips. It fell out of her mouth as soon as she saw Merlin standing in front of him.

"Merlin!" She nearly yelled, dropping everything and jumped in his arms. Merlin was quick to catch her.

"Oh my god, what are you doing here?" Freya asked as she stood on both feet again and dragging Merlin to the small table.

"I wanted to see you. I know you wanted to visit me in the hospital but couldn't get a plane ticket. I would've sent you a plane if I had known earlier."

Freya gave him a light slap on the arm. "Merlin," she scolded. "You were… you were unconscious! Don't be silly. I'm just glad to see you now." Freya moved forward to give her friend a tight hug and when she sat back she looked him up and down. "You are right?"

Merlin nodded once again. "Don't worry, I'm fine."

"Can I get you anything? A chicken sandwich perhaps?" Freya asked with one corner of her lips lifting up.

"How can I ever say no to that!"

"I'll be right back." Freya said cheerily and moved through the swing door, only to be back again in a second, holding a neatly wrapped chicken sandwich.

~oOoOo~

It was nearly 8 pm once Merlin strolled back in Drakon Manor. Arthur was lying on the couch in sweatpants and told him that Percy and Will were playing a card game in their room. Arthur then sat up once Merlin came further into the living room and patting the seat next to him. Merlin flopped down with a small groan.

"Long day?" Arthur asked and Merlin nodded.

"Can I get you anything?"

Merlin shook his head.

"Something wrong?" Arthur asked with a small frown.

"Freya told me something."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, she said that Gaius used to be some kind of advisor of my grandparents."

"Oh?" Arthur answered a little more surprised. "I didn't know that."

"I didn't either." Merlin said, sort of sulkily. "I don't know what to think of it. Has he always been friendly to me because he knew or was it all Gaius himself?"

"Merlin," Arthur began, placing his hand on Merlin's. "I'm sure Gaius would've treated you the same either way."

Merlin shrugged.

"At least, from what you've told me about Gaius, I don't think he has a bad bone in his body."

Merlin pursed his lips, thinking. "I know, and Freya told me he left once Gaius learnt how my grandparents treated my mother. But, I would've like to know, you know?"

"I understand." Arthur answered, "But don't take it the wrong way. Maybe he wanted to leave the past right there… in the past."

Merlin inhaled deeply and let it back out. "I suppose."

"Perhaps it's better if you do too, okay? Or talk to your parents about it?" Arthur squeezed Merlin's hand a little bit and stood up. "But, now I'll turn the oven on for the pizza. I'm starving."

Merlin chuckled. "You always are."

Arthur turned around, his mouth slight ajar. "Are you calling me fat?"

Merlin quickly stared at the ceiling until a pillow hit his face. "Oi!"

"That's for calling me fat."

Merlin mock-gasped. "I didn't!"

"Yeah, yeah." Arthur threw over his shoulder before closing the door.