A/N: Update if anyone cares. I've really been struggling with mental health issues recently and writing this is pretty comforting so I'm still going hahaha. If you start getting bored just stop reading at a point that makes sense. I'm planning other work, too. I hope you're all enjoying and that you're all well. :)

Chapter 41

"Thank you so much, Elyan," Merlin said as he pulled Arthur out of the car at the hospital's emergency entrance and then grabbed Leon's arm to stop him from walking away.

"I'll get Gwaine to speed if I have to," Elyan promised, "Someone will be here soon."

"It's ok. I'll manage."

"Call as soon as you know."

"I will. Go home to your family, Elyan."

Elyan nodded, "See you soon."

Merlin took both Arthur and Leon by the arm and led them into the hospital. They were barely two steps into the emergency department when Belle ran straight at them and jumped into Leon's arms. Her eyes were red and puffy and flooded with tears.

"Is this your daughter?" a woman dressed smartly approached them.

"Yes," Leon said, putting his hand on Belle's cheek.

"I'm from social services, I was looking after Belle until you arrived."

"Th- thank you- thank you so much."

"Leon, go and sit down," Merlin said, "Arthur, you too. I'll find out what's happening, I promise."

"Uncle Merlin, I'm scared," Belle said.

"Here, it's ok." Merlin picked her up and held her on his hip, "We'll go see what's happening, ok?"

There was a huge queue at the desk so Merlin joined it and looked at Belle, "Have you told a doctor what happened?"

She shook her head.

"Can you tell me? Someone needs to know so they can help."

"Luke and I wanted to make lunch for mummy because she isn't well. We've seen her made soup before and we thought it would be easy. She just cuts up veggies and puts them in the pan. And we knew we're not allowed to use the big knives so we tried to use our ones that are different colour and we eat dinner with. But they didn't work they kept breaking. So I told Luke to go and ask mummy to help us while I watched the hot pan because I didn't want him to get hurt."

"Ok," Merlin stepped forward in line and glanced back to check on Arthur and Leon. They were talking to each other quietly.

Belle sniffled, "But Luke got confused. He thought I meant ask mummy if we could use the knife not ask her to come and help us. So he took the knife upstairs," she started sobbing and Merlin had to bounce her a bit to calm her. "And she got angry with him, I heard her shouting. And they started coming back downstairs but mummy started screaming and they fell. I didn't know what to do so I called daddy."

"That was the right thing to do," Merlin told her, "Good girl."

"Luke had a knife in him," Belle cried.

"The doctors will look after him," Merlin said, "Belle, this is really important, ok, are you listening?"

She nodded.

"When you were cooking and you had the gas on, then mummy fell, did you turn the flames off?"

Her lip started wobbling, "I don't know."

"Can you think for me?" Merlin was now one place behind the person at the desk.

"I don't know," she repeated.

"Ok, that's ok. When the people came to help mummy and Luke did anyone go in the kitchen?"

"No."

"Ok." Merlin spoke to the person at the desk who promised to have someone come and find them as soon as possible. Then he carried Belle back over to Leon and handed her to him. "I'll tell you in a sec," he promised. "Arthur, give me your phone."

"Why?"

"Phone. Now."

Arthur handed it over.

Merlin called Lancelot's number, very glad they all kept a spare set of house keys in the office, "Lance? Yes. Are you on your way? No, that's good. Can you stop at Morgana's house? Just will you check that the hob's been turned off? It might not be, no. But better to be safe than sorry. Thank you so much. And make sure Vilia's ok. Thank you. Yeah. See you soon."

"Merlin," Leon sounded more like himself, "Do you know what happened?"

Merlin told them what Belle had explained.

"Daddy," Belle whispered, "Did I kill mummy?"

"No," Leon assured her, "This isn't your fault, darling. You did so well."

"Is mummy going to be ok? And Luke?"

"I don't know, I need to talk to the doctors."

When the doctor did find them she explained that Luke had been lucky and they'd taken the knife out in theatre but he was going to be fine.

"What about Morgana?"

"We had to deliver the baby early."

"What?" Leon's jaw dropped, "But she's not even thirty weeks along."

"Can the baby survive being born that early?" Arthur asked worriedly.

"The chances are slim but not impossible. We had no other choice, I'm so sorry."

"What happened?"

"We're lucky your daughter was so good at giving us information," the doctor said which wasn't much of an answer, "Otherwise we wouldn't have known about the shooting."

"Is it because of the shooting that this happened?" Leon demanded.

"Yes. Her uterine wall was damaged when she was shot and now the baby's bigger, it caused it to rupture. The baby was in her abdomen, not her womb. We're lucky the baby didn't suffocate. If it had taken any longer he wouldn't have survived and the internal bleeding could have killed Morgana too."

"You hear that, Belle," Merlin said to her in a lame attempt to cheer her up, "You saved your mummy's and both your brothers' lives today."

She smiled a little bit.

Leon hugged her tightly, "Who can I go to see?"

"I'll call up to peds and see if they're ready for you."

"What about Morgana?"

"Give her a couple more hours to wake up."

"I'll go," Arthur offered, "Divide and conquer usually works best in our experience."

"I'll sit with Luke," Merlin suggested, "So you can go and meet baby."

Leon nodded gratefully, "Belle, do you want to go with Uncle Merlin and see Lukey?"

"Can't I stay with you?"

Leon glanced at the doctor who shook her head apologetically.

"I'm sorry, darling, no. But I won't be long and I'll come and find you." He hugged her again as tightly as he could and put her on the floor so she could take Merlin's hand.

Merlin kissed Arthur, "You ok?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Pain?"

"Four out of ten."

"Tell someone if it gets worse."

Arthur nodded.

Merlin took Belle to the paediatric department and found Luke on one of the bays. He was in a room with other young boys and was looking around fearfully despite being with a nurse. Keeping a firm grip on Belle's hand, Merlin approached the bed and smiled at the nurse.

"Are you Luke's dad?"

"No, his uncle. Leon's gone to the baby."

"I heard what happened, I'm sorry."

Merlin smiled and let Belle climb up onto the bed to give Luke a cuddle. "Is he ok?"

"He'll be fine. All that's left is a lovely scar he can use to boast to his friends."

"Thank you."

"I'll let you stay with him. Probably needs a familiar face."

Merlin nodded and sat down on the edge of Luke's bed, "Hey, buddy."

"Where's mummy?"

"Mummy and daddy are with the doctors," Merlin said, "But I'll sit with you until one of them is here."

"Can I have a cuddle?"

"Come here," Merlin sat Luke on one of his legs and Belle on the other. He wrapped an arm around each of their backs and let them lean against him.

"Can we play a game?" Belle asked.

"What do you want to play?"

"I spy!" Luke suggested.

"No!" Belle complained, "That's boring."

"Luke gets to choose, Belle, he's not well."

"Not fair! You said I saved his life, I should get to choose!"

Merlin sighed, "What would you want to play?"

"I don't know."

"Ok, well until you think of something, we'll play I Spy for Luke. You can go first, Belle."

They sat and talked for a few hours while Merlin happily held them on his lap. Then, Merlin lifted Luke back onto the bed carefully, "Settle down, mister, you need to take it easy until you're better."

"I want daddy," he whined.

"I'll see if I can find him," Merlin promised, "Belle, can you be a really good girl and do a super important job for me? Will you sit with Luke until I get back and make sure he behaves himself?"

"Yeah."

Merlin stood up but then bent down a bit to whisper to them, "Did Eira tell you about when she was in hospital and the fairies brought her presents because she was so brave?"

Belle and Luke nodded.

"Shall I see if they're around today for you too?"

They nodded even more vigorously.

"Ok. But you have to be really, really good otherwise they won't come. Can you do that?"

"Yes."

"Good. I'll be quick."

Merlin left the room and quickly called Lancelot. "Have you left yet?"

"Yeah, we're about ten minutes away. Why?"

"Can you stop off somewhere and grab a few things?"

"Sure, what do you need?"

Merlin finished his call with Lance and went through the hospital to find Leon. Eventually he found him in the café area while he nursed a mug of tea.

"How're you doing?" Merlin asked kindly.

Leon shook his head, "The baby's perfect. Looks like he's stuck in a cage."

"What did the doctors say?"

"He's weak and tiny and underdeveloped. He could have a multitude of disabilities. But he's alive and he'll look up at you through the incubator with the biggest eyes I've ever seen."

Merlin smiled and sat down, "He sounds amazing."

Leon blushed a bit, embarrassed, and then looked up sharply, "How's Luke?"

"He's fine. Desperate to see you, though."

"I'll go as soon as I've drunk this."

"Gwen and Lance are nearly here. We can all regroup and make a plan."

"I need to see Morgana."

"Arthur's with her. It's ok for now."

"Did Lance check the hob?"

Merlin nodded, "It was still on. Apparently you have a ruined pan and some charcoal where vegetables used to be but no fire. The cooker isn't damaged either."

"That's something then, I guess."

Merlin smiled, "It'll be ok. We'll help you."

"You'd better after everything we've given for you."

Merlin grinned, "What are the kids' favourite chocolates?"

"Why?" he asked suspiciously.

"The fairies need intel."

Leon rolled his eyes, "Don't give them a sugar rush."

"I'm on it, don't worry."

Lancelot and Gwen appeared in the hall and approached their table. Merlin filled them in on everything.

"I don't know whether to congratulate you or give my apologies," Lance said to Leon.

"I don't know what I want you to say," Leon said, "Come on, we need to go and see them."

"I'll go back to the kids," Merlin volunteered, "I'm fine with them."

"We'll go to Morgana," Gwen offered, "Send Arthur over to Merlin and give Leon a chance to be wherever he wants to be."

"Arthur and I can't stay long," Merlin said, "He needs rest."

"We'll cover it," Leon said, "Thank you for getting the story out of Belle and thinking about the hob and sitting with them and-"

"It's ok," Merlin smiled, "Lance, did you get the stuff I asked for?"

When Arthur came into the ward Luke was on, Merlin was reading a story to Belle while Luke slept.

"Uncle Arthur!"

"Hey, hero," Arthur picked Belle up and hugged her, wincing at the effort it took and the pain through his chest.

"Look what the fairies brought me!"

Merlin vanished to the toilet while Belle excitedly showed Arthur everything she'd been given.

"Where's mummy?" Belle asked, "Is she ok?"

"She'll be fine," Arthur said.

"Can I see her?"

"Maybe in a little bit. Daddy will take you later."

"Will mummy be cross with me?"

"Why would she be cross with you?"

"I feel bad. She got hurt."

"It wasn't your fault, Belle."

Her mind was soon taken off things by the entrance of Leon. She charged over to him and jumped higher than Arthur ever could have imagined her to jump to get into his arms. Arthur felt bad to be leaving when Merlin came back.

"We'll be back tomorrow," he promised his brother-in-law, "Call if you need."

"Thank you both so much."

Everyone hugged each other several times before Merlin and Arthur left. They called a taxi and waited in the reception area.

"Do you need painkillers?" Merlin worried, "How's your chest?"

"Tolerable until we get home."

"Sure? It's over half an hour to get home."

"Now I understand why you used to get so annoyed at me for babying you," Arthur teased lightly as he kissed Merlin's nose.

"Shut up, you were always worse than me with the worrying and babying."

"You were always hurt more than me."

"You got shot in the heart! I'm allowed to ask if you need a paracetamol."

Arthur held up his hands in surrender, "Ok. I'll take one."

Merlin went over to the water dispenser to get him a cup then handed him the packet of pills he had in his pocket.

"Thank you."

"How're you feeling?"

"Merlin, I told you, it's not too bad!"

"I didn't mean the pain! Your sister nearly died, your nephew was born ten weeks early and your other nephew was stabbed. Are you ok?"

Arthur deflated a bit, "Yeah. It was just a lot to deal with very quickly. But they're all ok for now."

Merlin took his hand, "They'll be ok for longer than just now."

"If that baby dies-"

"He won't."

"He might. Eleven weeks early, Merls. That's not- the chances are-"

Merlin squeezed his hand, "How many times has someone in our family been on the brink of death and all it's taken is a little bit of hope to help bring them back?"

"It's taken more than faith."

"Faith has still been important. Come on, Arthur, this baby's been born into the strongest and best family in the world. We have to believe in him. He's a part of the mini team, remember?"

Arthur nodded, "The taxi's here."

The next couple of days were stressful, sleepless and terrifying. Luke, Belle and Vilia were staying with Merlin and Arthur. Lancelot picked Belle up every morning to take her to school because Arthur still wasn't permitted to drive. Luke had a few weeks off school so spent most of his time in his pyjamas on the sofa with the dogs. Every day when Belle got back from school, she would get changed, they'd all take the dogs out for a walk and two or three times a week, they'd go to see Morgana.

"Uncle Merlin, uncle Merlin!"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Will you help us make a card for mummy?"

"Another one?"

Belle nodded eagerly.

"Of course I will, let me just take this up to Uncle Arthur."

Arthur was gradually getting better. It was crazy how long it took for him to get back on his feet given that there didn't seem to be anything too seriously wrong. But as the doctors had told them multiple times if something went wrong with his heart, he could be dead in a matter of minutes. They had to take it easy. Merlin enjoyed spending his time through the day with Luke downstairs. They played games, drew pictures, read stories, baked, cooked. It was great fun.

"When can we meet the baby?" Belle asked one evening at dinner while they were all sitting around the table.

"Baby's really sick, sweetie," Arthur said carefully, "He has to stay in hospital."

"But mummy's in hospital. We can see her."

"It's different. Baby's only tiny and remember we told you he was born too soon? Well that means he's not big and strong enough just yet. He needs to be with the doctors where they can look after him. And if too many people go to see him, we might give him some of our nasty germs that he won't be able to fight off. We've got to keep him safe."

"What if we shower before we go?" Luke said, "We'll be clean then."

Merlin smiled, "I'm sure he'll be really excited to meet you when it's safe."

"When can mummy come home?"

"Hopefully not too much longer."

"Can we see her tonight?"

"We're going tomorrow, remember?" Arthur said, "So you can stay longer in the day."

"I want to go tonight!" Luke said.

"You can't, I'm sorry."

He scowled and started crying, "But I want to!"

"Luke," Merlin said gently, "You can see mummy tomorrow."

"Now!"

"Luke," Arthur's voice was slightly more stern.

He stood up, threw his plate at Merlin and ran out of the room. Belle screamed and tears sprung out of her eyes. Merlin wiped a piece of broccoli off his face and his fingers moved to where there was a piece of broken crockery in his jaw.

"Leave it," Arthur said as he moved closer to Merlin, "Belle, stay in your seat, sweetie, just in case there's something sharp on the floor by your feet."

They heard the front door open and close. Arthur swore and stood up, "Leave that until I get back, I'll help you get it out."

"Ok, go and get him."

"Killi," Arthur called, "Come on, come and help me."

The dog appeared in the doorway and Arthur rushed to get his shoes and a coat.

Merlin stood up, being careful of where he was stepping, and lifted Belle up. He took her up to Merlin and Arthur's room and they sat down together on the bed.

"Why did Uncle Arthur tell you to leave the plate in your face?"

"Because I can't see it properly and if it breaks when I try to take it out, there might be tiny pieces left behind. So I need him to help me wash it."

"Is it dangerous?"

"No, not at all. I just don't want your brother's dinner stuck in my face forever."

Belle giggled a bit, "Why was he so angry?"

"He's hurt. And he hasn't been in school or at home for a long time, he hasn't seen mummy and daddy properly in a long time. You know what it's like to see mummy at the moment because she's not well. It's scary. He's scared and upset."

"Will Uncle Arthur find him?"

"Of course he will, they'll be back in no time."

"Are you going to tell him off?"

"A little bit. But not because he's scared or upset. Just because he should have talked to us instead of throwing things and running away."

Belle hugged him, "I miss mummy."

"I know. But it won't be long. You can sit with her all day tomorrow."

Belle nodded, "When mummy comes home with the baby, will daddy still have time for me?"

"What?"

"Well mummy was sick and the baby was sick and Luke was hurt. So daddy has to look after them. But there's nothing wrong with me so will he still look after me?"

"Of course he will! It's going to be difficult for a bit longer when everyone is allowed to be back at home. Daddy's just as worried and scared as you and Luke are and he's all grown up so he has to deal with it all. You know how much he loves you, though. And Uncle Arthur and I will help. It'll all be back to normal soon."

"Even with the new baby?"

Merlin nodded, "Even with him. He's your little brother, just like Luke is."

"Daddy said he might be different. What does he mean?"

Merlin sighed, "Baby was meant to stay in mummy's tummy for a little bit longer so that he could grow properly. It just means that his brain and his body might not be like yours or Luke's or anyone else's."

"Why is that important?"

"It's not. Not really. It just means he might need some more help when he's growing up."

"Oh."

The door opened to reveal Arthur holding Luke on his hip as he cried.

"I have an idea," Merlin said as Arthur approached the bed and all four of them settled down together. "Why don't we all tell each other something we're upset about and everyone else can try and cheer them up."

"I'll go first," Arthur said, "I'm upset because I haven't been at work for a long time and I miss seeing everyone every day."

"Why is that sad?" Belle asked, "You get to stay here with Uncle Merlin all day and not worry about doing work."

"But I like my job," Arthur said.

"It'll still be there when you go back. That's what mummy always said if I was sick and couldn't go to gymnastics."

"You're good at this," Merlin ruffled her hair, "Do you want to go next?"

"I'm upset because everyone got hurt in front of me and baby might die."

Merlin's heart melted and he shared a grave look with Arthur, "Who told you that?"

"Nobody. But isn't that why we're not allowed to see him? In case he dies. So we won't get sad?"

"Is he really going to die?" Luke asked.

Arthur sighed, "He might. But no one knows for certain."

"Will mummy and daddy be sad if he dies?"

"Yes. But it'll be ok."

"Promise?"

"Superheroes don't lie," Merlin said, "Luke, what about you, why are you upset?"

"I want to go home and for everything to be like it was. I'm sick of it here."

Merlin and Arthur smirked a little bit before Arthur said, "I know it's boring and that we're not mummy and daddy. But it's important for you to be here with us until mummy and daddy can look after you again. It won't be forever."

Killi padded into the room and jumped up onto the bed.

"How about this," Arthur suggested, "Tomorrow we can go and see mummy and spend all day with her but then on Sunday we can go wherever you want and have a really nice day together. You can choose where, we'll do whatever you want. In the morning, it's Belle's choice and in the afternoon, it's Luke's. What do you think?"

"Anything?" Luke asked excitedly.

"Within reason. You and me aren't back up to full health yet, little man, we can't go too crazy."

"Can we stay in here tonight?" Belle asked.

"Of course you can. Go on, get your pyjamas."

As always, there was a mad scramble before bed when everyone was overexcited and the dogs were crazy. Arthur watched from bed as Merlin chased the kids around the house. All four of them were in fits of giggles and out of breath by the time Merlin threw Luke onto the bed. It was extremely crowded on the mattress already with Arthur, both children and all three dogs.

"You'd better leave space for me," Merlin warned, "I'm going to lock up."