A/N Have fun! :)

Leon had never really been liked much by anyone, particularly after he had become a knight. Most people believed he had a tough, cold personality, one which didn't care about the people around him.

The problem was that he did care. Too much sometimes. Leon made the hard decisions because he cared about his friends. He cared about them enough to know that it could- no, would break them if they had to make the sorts of decisions that he made day in and out. He may not be overly liked for it, but it was his job. His job was that at the end of the day, the majority of his friends or the lives that he was tasked with protecting came back in one piece. Even if that meant he was shunned aside as cold and unfeeling. Such was the way of life.

So when the argument at the veil started, each knight arguing why they should be the one to step through and sacrifice themselves, Leon took a step back.

That was when he saw him.

Merlin.

Still icy cold, shivering, even with the layers of blankets wrapped around his shoulders, stumbling quietly, but slowly towards the jagged tear between realms.

Leon froze, assessing the situation.

Even if the others managed to come to a sound decision, Merlin was a dead man walking. The cold touch of the Dorocha had already seeped into his bones. It was only sheer determination keeping the younger man going.

Leon's heart panged for Merlin. Dragged along on the latter half of the quest because Arthur had deemed it too dangerous for one knight and a half-dead servant to make it back to Camelot in one piece. So Merlin had suffered the second part of the journey, gently (or as gently as one could) draped over the back of his horse, blankets and cloaks wrapped around him.

Leon doubted that Arthur would have brought Merlin along if he knew what the price for closing the veil was.

All of this went through Leon's mind in a second, but his pause was long enough. Long enough for Merlin to notice him staring him down. The boy looked at him, lips pale blue, eyes sunken down into his greying skin. Leon nodded.

He understood what he was going to do. It was the only way. Merlin was going to die sooner or later, why prolong his suffering?

Leon stood in his place, watching the boy shuffle towards the veil, keeping a close eye and ear on Arthur and his fellow knights.

But Merlin was moving too slowly. By the time, if he even made it, the others surely would have noticed, and stopped him. They wouldn't have the heart to do it. Merlin meant too much to them. To all of them.

The question now was whether Leon could do it. It was one thing to turn a blind eye on the younger man, but could he really do it? Could he help the young man who had wormed himself into the heart of Camelot, who was friends with all but enemy to none, to sacrifice himself to save everyone?

Tears prickled at the corners of Leon's eyes. Yes. Leon was known for making the hard decisions when no one else was willing to. It would seem that Merlin was the same.

Silently, Leon traversed the courtyard, looping his arm under Merlin's shoulders, supporting him. If everyone else was too busy bickering over the sacrifice to see Merlin off, well then Leon would do it.

Merlin sunk into Leon's arms, sending a relieved look his way. The knight closed his eyes. It would seem that Merlin didn't have as much time left as the others thought that he had. But still, they forged onward.

With Leon's help, Merlin made it, stumbling out of his arms, standing straighter than Leon had seen him stand in the last few days. This was it. This was the end. The world grew hazy in the background as Merlin turned round to give Leon a sad smile, tears running down his face, swaying slightly.

"Look after them for me."

A single nod was all it took, "I promise."

Leon was entranced, watching as the younger man turned to step through the veil. The background was nothing more than a dark haze of numbness as Leon stood, watching the events unfold in slow motion.

"MERLIN!"

The scream was torn from Arthur's mouth, and suddenly Leon was aware of his surroundings again, grabbing onto the prince before he could pull Merlin back, struggling against Arthur as the prince reached out to grab at his friend.

Merlin turned once more, an apology written on his face as he looked back at the faces of his friends for the last time. Then he looked at Leon.

Thank you, he mouthed.

The veil closed.