Dr. Muirden was intent on throwing document after document in bag, without a care. The only thing that mattered was to eliminate all evidence and disappear for a while from the country.
"In a hurry, aren't we?"
Edwin turned suddenly, startled, towards the voice, and his eyes widened for a moment, before adopting an emotionless expression again.
"Detective Pendragon, what can I do for you at this late hour?"
Arthur shrugged with disinterest as he slowly crossed the threshold of the office, pretending to examine the degrees hanging on the wall.
"I only came to exchange a few words. Where are you going in such a hurry?"
"Oh, I have a family emergency and I have to leave the country for a few weeks. But before leaving I wanted to fix the office, so that my replacement has no problem finding the documents he needs, especially about the Emrys Children"
Arthur nodded and turned to give his full attention to the doctor. "About those children. Don't you find it incredible how Merlin managed to give birth alone without assistance and without complications, and how the children are so healthy, despite never having been checked up by a doctor?"
Edwin evidently swallowed hard, but his expression did not change. "Indeed it is incredible. I wouldn't know how to explain it. I can only confirm that both Merlin and the children are perfectly healthy. A miracle"
"Yeah," Arthur said softly. He took one step toward the doctor, and then another and another. "But you know what, doctor? I have another opinion about this miracle. Do you want to hear it?" He noticed Edwin was starting to sweat on his forehead. "I believe Cenred hired a doctor to take care of his family's medical needs ... a doctor with a position in the hospital high enough to allow Cenred to enter the hospital undisturbed, to kill good agents and to kidnap Merlin without ringing the alarm…"
Edwin snorted, even though the sweat was increasing, "Interesting theory, detective ... but where are the proofs?"
Arthur grinned, "Proofs?"
Suddenly he was took by the neck with a hand and slammed against the nearest wall, making the frame of the degree drop to the floor. Edwin gasped and when he noticed that he could not inhale air, he tried unsuccessfully to free himself from the iron grip of the blond.
Arthur's face got near his dangerously. "I strongly advise you, doctor, not to provoke me too much. You don't want to experience what I can do to you. Now, you'll tell me where Cenred brought Merlin, and if you try to lie to me, I'll make you pay. Understood?"
The doctor was evidently terrified, but nevertheless tried to pretend to be brave and superior. "Are you threatening me, Detective? I really don't think you can do it. If you don't take your hands off me, I guarantee that your next job will be directing traffic!"
Arthur laughed, "So be it, but if I go down ... you'll come with me!" With that said Arthur lifted the doctor by the neck and dragged him to the nearest radiator, which was emanating immense warmth. He brought the doctor's face closer to the valve. "Now, tell me what you know or other scars will be added to those you already have!"
"You wouldn't dare!"
"Why not? I have nothing to lose"
Arthur was about to open the valve that would make the hot steam come out, when the doctor screamed and peed on himself.
"Okay, okay, I'll talk... please stop!"
Arthur lifted him away from the danger but always with an iron grip, "Speak"
"What you discovered is true. Cenred is paying me handsomely to take care of his family, and he paid me even more to allow him to enter the hospital undisturbed"
"And where is Cenred now? Is there another child involved?"
Edwin didn't even dare ask how he knew about the baby. "Yes, to keep Merlin under control, Cenred took one of the twins away, allowing him to visit him only when he was good. Cenred holds the child in a farmhouse in the woods outside the city. And that's where he brought Merlin, before taking him away from here. Cenred is obsessed with that boy. He is ready to do anything to keep him with him..."
Arthur raised himself, "He is not the only one"
The blond turned to go to the farmhouse. He called the agents to pick up Edwin and take him to prison, when the doctor continued.
"But you may already be too late, detective"
Arthur turned, "What do you mean?"
The doctor chuckled as he was taken away, "Cenred will already know you're coming. There is a spy among you. Someone very close to your chief"
Arthur ran.
000
"Daddy, can you tell me stories about my siblings?" Morgan asked Merlin as the two were cuddling on the couch.
"But of course, my love"
Morgan loved when Merlin told him about his brothers and sister, especially his twin Colin, and Colin returned the same enthusiasm, even though he was forbidden to talk about Morgan in front of others, as Cenred had taught him many times. Needless to say, both children couldn't wait to meet.
And Merlin wanted nothing more for his children to be together.
"... and then your siblings met a brave king. His name was King Arthur, he had hair the color of the sun and eyes like the summer sky and kind as the breeze on your skin. He was brave and strong and with his sword he destroyed his enemies"
Morgan was listening to Arthur's description in awe, always fascinated by knight stories. Then he whispered, his eyes full of fear, "And King Arthur will destroy father one day? And will we be free?"
Merlin smiled sadly and moved hair from his son's forehead as he nodded. "I'm sure" But inside Merlin was afraid it was too late.
All of a sudden, the door swung open, and Cenred quickly entered followed by Morgause. Merlin hated her. She was Cenred's spy inside the police. It was also her fault that no one had found Merlin faster.
Cenred ran to Merlin and took him by the arm. It hurt. "Move. We're leaving here. Your friend Pendragon is coming here. Morgause, take the child away!"
"What? Nooo. You can't take him away from me. Morgan!" Merlin screamed in despair as he tried to wriggle out of Cenred's grasp as he tried to reach his son whom Morgause had taken and dragged to the exit of the house.
"Daddy! Help me. I want to be with daddy. I'm scared" Morgan was crying trying to get back to his father. But his little body could not stop Morgause, who soon managed to drag him out and into the car.
"Noooo. No. No. Cenred, you bastard!"
Merlin broke free from Cenred's iron grip and tried to run after his son, but Cenred took him back.
"You're not going anywhere." But Merlin kept fighting and cursing at him. "Damn, stop!"
"Why should I, you son of a bitch? You just took my son away from me, again... You have nothing to stop me"
"Are you sure? If you don't calm down and don't come with me, I'll call Morgause to kill Morgan and Doctor Muirden to kill the other children."
That stopped Merlin, who looked at Cenred with pure fury. "You can't even imagine how much I hate you."
Cenred grinned. "The line between love and hate is very subtle, my dear. And I have enough love for the both of us"
Merlin was disgusted. "Where is Morgause taking Morgan?"
"Do not worry. Both will join us at my private jet. The jet will take you and Morgan to my private island where you will be safe while I fix this mess here. Once everything is fixed and that Pendragon dead, I will bring you back here"
Merlin knew he had to be silent, but he couldn't help himself. "Don't you dare hurt Arthur!"
Cenred raised an eyebrow in suspicion, "Oh, it's Arthur now, uh? Interesting. Tell me, darling, since there is so much familiarity between you two, have you allowed Arthur to fuck you?"
Merlin raised his head straight, suddenly feeling brave, even though he didn't know why. "No, Arthur is a man a thousand times better than you ever will. But just for the record, if he had wanted it, I would have allowed him to fuck me with joy"
The slap that followed did not surprise him. Much less the threat that followed. "Looks like you've forgotten who you belong to, my whore. When your dear Arthur died by my hand, I'll have to put another baby inside you to remind you of it"
That said Cenred took Merlin's arm and dragged him out of the house.
000
Morgan was crying both from fear but above all from being separated from his daddy. He didn't want to be with the bad woman.
"Shut up, brat!" The bad woman screamed.
Then Morgan heard her curse and stop the car. She and the men got out of the car, leaving him alone. He was too small to see out of the window, so he didn't know what was happening. When he heard the sound of gunshots, he put his knees to his chest and covered his ears, scared. "Daddy..."
After a few minutes the car door was opened and Morgan screamed in fright.
"Hey, Hey, don't be afraid, little one. Everything will be fine. I won't hurt you"
Morgan looked up at the voice and found a tall, blond man in front of him, holding out his hand.
"I'm Detective Pendragon. I'm a friend of your father, Merlin. What's your name?"
Upon hearing his daddy's name, Morgan relaxed and took the detective's hand. "My name is Morgan. Do you really know my daddy?"
"Yes, and your brothers and your sister too. Your father is a very brave and very kind man. I like him" Arthur brought his face close to the boy as if to tell him a secret. "Even if some times he is a bit silly, he never wants to ask for help"
The child chuckled, "it's true. He is silly" then the child looked at Arthur in the eyes and his eyes flew open, and he hugged the blond, surprising him. "You are King Arthur!"
"What?" Asked a confused Arthur that nevertheless returned the embrace.
"Daddy said you are a brave knight and that you would destroy our enemies"
Arthur smiled sweetly, "I'll do it, baby. Where's your daddy now?"
Morgan's eyes became sad. "Father is taking him away in that direction" He pointed to the forest behind them. "Please save my daddy"
"I promise." Arthur called one of his men. "Morgan, this is my friend Gwaine, Sir Gwaine. He will take care of you while I help your daddy. Agree?"
The child nodded and took Gwaine's hand, who accompanied him to one of the police cars, not the one where a Morgause in handcuffs was being escorted by Percival.
Arthur turned and ran in the direction indicated by the child. The last thing he heard was Gwaine offering Morgan an apple.
000
"Hurry up, we have no time"
After hearing the shots, Cenred knew he had to hurry. That's why he was dragging Merlin by the arm across the forest to a helicopter a short distance from there that would take them to the jet.
"Cenred, stop, please. Those shots. Maybe Morgan is hurt. We have to go back..."
"Not a chance. I don't care about the brat. We can have other children. What matters to me is to take you to a safe place, where no one can find you and take you away from me"
At those words, Merlin stopped, refusing to move further. "No children no deal, Cenred, you know that! Let me go"
"NEVER!" Cenred pushed him against a tree, imprisoning him in his arms. "I will never let you go. I love you. And you're only mine"
Cenred bent to kiss him, but was interrupted by a voice.
"I think he told you to let him go," Arthur said, appearing from the trees.
"Arthur" Merlin whispered with relief. "My baby?"
Arthur nodded. "Morgan is fine. He is with my men"
Before Merlin could thank him, Cenred broke in. "Ah Pendragon, what a joy to see you again. I must confess to you, the last few years have been particularly pleasant for me knowing that it was you who was investigating my murders without success ... you made me laugh more than once and I thank you for that. But as much as I liked to play cat and mouse with you, now I have to eliminate you, for daring to think you could have what is mine"
Cenred pointed a gun at Arthur but he showed no fear. But before he could pull the trigger Merlin screamed a loud NO and pushed Cenred's arm so he missed the target.
"You fucking bitch!" He screamed and punched Merlin in the face, who fell unconscious to the ground.
"You bastard," Arthur screamed, and pulled out his gun.
But before he could shoot, Cenred, blinded by fury, charged and both men fell to the ground and lost their guns in the fray. They started punching and kicking each other. Both trained by the police.
"You can't win, Cenred. It's over. Surrender yourself to justice and let Merlin go"
A fist.
"No! He is mine, and mine alone. We are destined to be together"
An elbow in the face.
"What the hell are you talking about? You are crazy. You kidnapped him from the streets for your own perverse purposes. You like him so you didn't kill him. You took other innocent boys for that"
Cenred spit blood from his mouth, "You don't understand. It was destiny. One day I was crossing the street without looking and a car was about to hit me, but then someone pushed me away and saved my life. I fell on my back, with my savior above me. I was stunned, but when I looked up, I saw the most beautiful blue eyes I've ever seen. I felt an energy running through my body and I knew I had found the one. And of course I liked the rest of the package too. Since I was a policeman it was not difficult for me to find out his name and address. I followed him, waiting for the right opportunity to ask him out. The first time it happened it was in a nightclub, he was a little drunk, enjoying his youth with his friends, and he refused me. I did not give up and sent him flowers and gifts at home and asked him to go out a few days later, but he refused me again. So one day I got tired and decided to take him no matter what he wanted. Fate brought him to me the day he saved my life and I'm not going to let him go"
Arthur could not believe how delusional this man was, and how much this delusion has ruined many lives. But he didn't have time to think about it. Cenred was strong. He had been a good agent, an asshole, but he knew his stuff. And Arthur was losing energy quickly.
After a few minutes of fighting, Cenred finally succeeded in kicking Arthur to the ground and Arthur was not quick enough to get up. Cenred chuckled and retrieved his gun. He pointed it at Arthur's head.
"Well, here's how a rat dies"
Arthur closed his eyes when he heard the shot, ready for certain death or unbearable pain in case Cenred missed his head. But he felt nothing.
He opened his eyes and noticed Cenred's confused face. Then Cenred touched his stomach, where blood was pouring out of a hole.
Slowly Cenred turned to look behind him. Arthur followed his gaze and was shocked.
Merlin was standing in front of them, with Arthur's gun still smoking in his hand.
Cenred opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. "M-M-Merlin ..."
The man took slow steps towards Merlin, who did not move and remained expressionless. Cenred reached him as more and more blood spilled from his body.
With a bloody hand, Cenred gently stroked the brunet's cheek. "Merlin, my love ..." he whispered.
Then Cenred collapsed at Merlin's feet and died.
Merlin continued to look at him without flinching and without expression. Then he finally spoke. "Yes, Cenred, here's how a rat dies"
Staggering, Arthur joined him and took his gun back. He cleaned it from Merlin's fingerprints - just in precaution - and covered it with his own.
"Merlin?" Arthur called him gently, noticing he was in shock.
"He is gone. He is finally gone" Merlin laughed and cried at the same time, collapsing in Arthur's arms, who comforted him by stroking his hair and whispering reassurance in his ear.
When Merlin stopped crying the pain of the last few years, he looked Arthur straight in the eyes and really smiled at him for the first time. "Arthur, thank you" He kissed him, a kiss returned by Arthur.
The two giggled like kids when they separated.
"Come on, Detective Pendragon, take me to my children"
"With pleasure"
000
Morgana's heart was heavy as she walked towards the interrogation room. When she entered her heart broke completely at the sight of Morgause sitting at the table with her hands cuffed.
"Morgause"
The blonde raised her head. "Sister"
"How dare you call me sister after what you did?! You used me to spy on the police and help Cenred. You have no right to call me sister"
"You are wrong. What I did was not for Cenred. I did it for you."
Morgana was confused. "What?"
"Sister, how do you think you have become the most efficient police chief in the country? Only with your skills? Oh no. No, in order to achieve greatness you need more than talent. So I made a deal with Cenred. He gave me information about the criminals of the city, information that I discreetly passed to you in order for you to capture them, and in return I covered his crimes from within. Everyone won"
"Won? What about those poor boys, Morgause?" Morgana had wet eyes.
Morgause shrugged. "Minor consequences in order to maintain power"
Morgana couldn't believe it. How could anyone be so cruel? "Did you know that one of them was Mordred? The boy I considered as a son?"
Morgause's gaze showed only disinterest on the subject. That was it for Morgana.
"Morgause Gorlois, you're under arrest. You have the right to a lawyer"
Before Morgana could leave the room, Morgause said, "Are you really willing to lose a sister over this?"
Morgana turned and looked straight into her eyes. "Minor consequences in order to maintain justice"
000
Morgana left the police to find herself again, since she felt like a joke after discovering that most of her successes were only possible thanks to her sister's crimes.
Arthur had no doubt that his sister would return. Morgana always came back, stronger than before.
Meanwhile, Arthur took over and became chief of the police.
000
The children and Merlin's recovery was not easy, but they were all on the right track, especially the children. Merlin had really done a good job in protecting them and they were psychologically well, especially now that they were all together with their daddy and free to play outdoors.
Merlin would never forget the first time Morgan met his siblings. Their joy was infinite. And Morgan and Colin became inseparable from that moment on.
000
Years passed and life went on.
Merlin found his mother, and went back to school to restart the life that had been interrupted so abruptly.
He and Arthur officially became boyfriends a few months after Cenred's death and a couple of years later they became husbands.
Arthur officially adopted Merlin's children, who became Emrys-Pendragon. Needless to say, they worshiped their papa. A feeling fully reciprocated.
Arthur never thought he could be so happy.
"Stop daydreaming, prat. Come here!" Merlin shouted.
"Come on, papa," Colin, Morgan, Freya, Daegal and Alex shouted at the same time as well.
"Coming!" Said Arthur.
He joined his family sitting on the blanket at the park where they were having a picnic in the sun.
His smile widened when he laid eyes on the beautiful blond baby girl Merlin was holding in his arms, their little Ygraine, and on the light swelling of Merlin's belly, where a new life was growing.
Yes, life was wonderful.
The end