A/N: Thank you GuestM and Buckhunter for reviewing the last episode!
Chapter 1
Merlin snagged the newspaper off the bar counter and began tearing it into strips to practice his latest magic trick.
"I wasn't finished reading that," Gaius groused.
"I'll give it back whole," Merlin said with a grin.
The old bartender harrumphed and went back to stocking his shelves.
Merlin separated another page and was just about to rip it in half when one of the headlines caught his attention. He quickly laid the page flat and started reading, his brows climbing higher with each line. St. Augustine's Orphanage was getting shut down. There weren't many details in the article; it mostly focused on the orphanage's history and how it had been taking care of orphans for over fifty years. Merlin couldn't believe they were closing their doors.
Surging to his feet, he abandoned the magic trick and hurried for the door.
"Hey, you said you'd fix my paper!" Gaius called after him.
"Sorry!"
Merlin went out to his bike and climbed on, then rode off to the orphanage. It looked just the same as when he'd lived there, save for maybe a bit more worn in places. The roof did look more patchy and the exterior looked as though it hadn't seen a paint job since Merlin was a kid. Still, it brought back memories of home, such as it was.
He made his way inside and was greeted with the familiar scent of fresh bread baking in the kitchen. Merlin smiled and headed down the hall. Clanking utensils and sounds of chatter emanated up ahead, and he poked his head around the corner to find a group of kids helping clean up the explosion of flour and eggs that was the typical outcome of a group baking lesson.
One of the kids saw him and froze. "Sister Martha."
An elderly matron in nun's robes turned from the sink, her sleeves rolled up to her elbows and hands covered in soap suds. Her eyes immediately lit up. "Merlin!"
He beamed. "Hello, Sister Martha."
She snatched a towel off the counter and hastily dried her hands. "Come here and let me see you."
Merlin stepped into the kitchen and stood for inspection. Sister Martha looked him over and tutted.
"Still so skinny." She pulled him into a hearty hug. "It's so good to see you, my dear. I've seen you in the paper, you know. I'm so proud of what you and those Pendragon's Knights do, even if you do dress like a Hell's Angel."
Merlin shook his head fondly. "It's good to see you too, Sister Martha. I'm sorry I fell out of touch."
She waved a dismissive hand. "It's the circle of life. The young-ins grow up and make their way out into the world and I shepherd the next group." She turned and smiled at the kids who were only half focused on cleaning while curiously watching the matron with the strange young man. "This is Merlin. He grew up here once upon a time."
"Not that long ago," he exclaimed with a laugh. But then his mood sobered. "Actually, I came by because I saw the article in the newspaper. About the orphanage…" He glanced at the kids.
Sister Martha's expression fell. "Ah yes. Children, please finish up cleaning. Rachel, you can take the bread out when the timer goes off." She then held her arm out for Merlin to step out of the kitchen.
"What's going on?" he asked out in the hall in a low voice. "Why is St. Augustine's closing?"
Sister Martha sighed. "We've been struggling with funding for several years now. And now some business tycoon has come along and wanted to buy the property, and the Church agreed."
Merlin's brows shot upward. "Just like that?"
"I'm afraid so. He's going to tear down the orphanage and build a shopping mall."
Merlin was appalled. "What about the kids?"
"They'll be sent to group homes, foster placements…some detention centers if there's no room at the first two," she said sadly.
"That's unacceptable."
"I know, dear, but what can be done? I've prayed and prayed, but it seems it's God's will that these doors close." She gave Merlin a wan smile and placed a hand on his arm. "He has a plan."
Merlin pursed his mouth unhappily. He didn't like this "plan," if it was even what God wanted, which Merlin didn't buy for a second. This orphanage had helped so many kids, including him. He couldn't let it go down without a fight.
He spent a little more time catching up with Sister Martha, even stayed long enough to have a slice of that homemade bread. But then he went back to The Apothecary to tell his friends what was going on.
"I can't just let this happen," he fumed. "I have to try to stop this."
"Didn't you say the sale had already been made?" Gwaine asked.
Merlin scowled. "I don't know if it's finalized or in escrow, but it doesn't matter! This guy is essentially throwing a bunch of orphans out onto the street!"
"The orphanage has been there for decades, right?" Leon spoke up. "Maybe we could look into having it declared a historical site. Then it can't be torn down."
Merlin straightened. "Yeah?"
"I know there's a bunch of requirements that have to be met, but I can help you find out what those are, see about what paperwork you'd need to file with the city."
Merlin's heart swelled with gratitude for his friends. "Okay, yeah, let's do that."
He and Leon headed into the back office to use Gaius's computer. Merlin was grateful for Leon's help; he really had a knack for navigating massive government websites that did not make it easy for people to find what they needed. But Leon did. He printed the necessary forms and helped Merlin fill them out. He then even volunteered to head down to City Hall to file them.
"Thank you so much," Merlin said again. "I have to tell Sister Martha."
They headed out to the parking lot to their bikes, then went their separate ways, Merlin back to the orphanage. Sister Martha was out in the garden and heard him ride up.
"Two visits in one day," she said. "Did you come back for more bread?" she teased.
Merlin grinned, but not about the bread. "I'm working on getting the orphanage declared a historical landmark. That way it can't be torn down. And if this business guy can't build his mall, he'll either drop the sale or maybe just let the kids stay!"
Sister Martha looked reservedly hopeful. "Well, that's certainly an interesting approach I wouldn't have thought of. When will you know if it's successful?"
"I'm not sure. My friend went to City Hall to file for the status, and then there will have to be a hearing with the City Council. Hopefully it'll be soon, given the imminent demolition."
Sister Martha smiled. "Then I have something new to pray for. Along with your safety. I know you Knights have an image to keep up, but Merlin, that thing looks dangerous."
He glanced over his shoulder at his bike and rolled his eyes. "I'm careful," he assured her.
"Or you have overworked guardian angels."
Merlin smirked. "So I was thinking of staying and helping with dinner tonight, and then afterward I could put on a magic show for the kids."
Sister Martha's eyes lit up. "Are you still doing those? Oh, that's wonderful. They were always a delight when you were here."
"I'm much better at them now too," he said with a grin.
Sister Martha grinned back. "Well, come on, then. Lots of mouths to feed."
They headed inside, and it was like coming home.
It was late and Gwen really should have been getting to bed, but she was absorbed in sketching her latest design ideas. A bit more practice and she might start advertising the service, put together a portfolio to have up in the shop where current customers could see.
The raucous rumble of motorcycles rolled up the street outside, and she paused in her work. It was far too late for Arthur to be paying her an unannounced call. Her brother, on the other hand, she wouldn't put it past. Of course, it could also just be someone passing by. Cenred's gang roamed this neighborhood.
There was the sound of breaking glass, and Gwen stiffened, listening. More glass broke and she finally leaped to her feet and scrambled to put her Converse on, then darted downstairs. An eerie orange glow was filling the air, and it wasn't from the street lights. Gwen's heart lurched into her throat as she rounded the corner and found the windows of her shop broken and flames flickering from inside.
She ran to the side door and fumbled with her key to get it open, then barreled inside to find several broken bottles on the floor and flames whooshing out from them and the rags stuffed into the bottlenecks. One had landed near her shop rags and had quickly caught them on fire. Gwen bolted for the fire extinguisher and yanked it off the wall, turning to spray down the flames before they could spread too far.
A few more Molotov cocktails sailed through the broken windows and shattered near her feet. She screamed and jerked away as the flames exploded. One tongue of fire lapped at her ankle, almost catching her pant leg. She yelped and aimed the extinguisher nozzle at it, snuffing it out before it could burn her. More flames kept surging up all over, and she couldn't keep up with them all. Smoke was rapidly filling the space and clogging her nose and throat. Tears ran down her cheeks, mixing with grime and making her eyes sting.
Finally, she gave up and turned to find the exit. For a split moment, terror flooded her veins when she couldn't see, but she knew every inch of her shop, and once she bumped against the tool cart, she knew where to orient herself toward the door, and then she blindly barreled toward it.
She burst out into the open air and immediately doubled over with hacking coughs. Stumbling away from the burning building, she struggled to get her phone out of her pocket and dial 911.
"911, what is your emergency?"
"Fire—" Gwen broke off with another round of coughing.
The dispatcher recited the address her phone's GPS was transmitting and asked if that was correct.
"Yes," Gwen choked out. "My house. Please hurry."
"Just stay on the line, ma'am, fire and rescue is being dispatched."
Gwen stood in the middle of the street as the air glowed orange. She heard the revving of engines and looked up the road. In the distance, a group of bikers sat on their rides, watching. Then they slowly turned and left before the police could arrive.
Hot tears stinging her eyes, Gwen broke down into sobs as her whole life went up in flames before her.