CHAPTER 16 : NO LASTING CONSEQUENCES
A doctor came towards him and said, "Been falling off kerbs again? Remember me? I'm Brian Forbes. Was that your friend Arthur who was just stabbed?"
Merlin nodded as he recognised him from his previous visit. "He came with me so he could sit with me while we waited and now he's gone…heaven knows where."
The doctor didn't seem perturbed as he pulled over a chair and said, "He'll be in one of the examining rooms, surrounded by doctors and nurses. Once they've done the preliminary examination, they'll decide if he needs to go to theatre or if they can work on him on this floor. He'll get immediate attention. He'll be as right as rain in no time. Come on! Merlin, isn't it? We'll get to you soon and then we'll track down Arthur for you. What happened to you?"
Merlin said, "You won't believe it…I was chained in a cupboard and when the chap who was just carried out of here in restraints, undid my arms I fell forward but my feet were still tied down and I pulled my calves and hurt my knees."
The doctor jotted down a few things on his clipboard and then said, "Was it some sort of game?"
Shaking his head Merlin said, "No! About as much fun as being pushed off a kerb into the road! I'd been held in the cupboard for nearly two days."
"Did you recognise Arthur's attacker?"
"The same charming character who has orchestrated lots of things during this academic year. However, I have a feeling his time at Oxford will be short lived." He went to turn in his chair and he winced.
Brian said, "How about we see to your legs and then join you up with your friend."
He was soon sitting on an examining table in one of those cute little hospital gowns as the clothes he had been wearing were filthy.
"Do you have any other bruises, pains or problems?" Brian asked.
Merlin shook his head as the nurse cleaned the abrasion on his face where he'd hit the floor. The examination of his calves really hurt as they were poked and prodded. He was told that time would heal all his ills and given a pain prescription as well as a muscle relaxant and told to take it easy for a few days. His knee was rewrapped and as a precaution, he was told to use crutches.
He asked about Arthur and Brian said, "All in good time, I'll check on him but first the police are here and would like to ask you a few questions," he added before leaving.
Merlin answered the polce as best he could but he was a little preoccupied with Arthur's injury. He thought, 'You don't go to the A&E with someone who is hurt and expect to get stabbed yourself.'
The police asked if there was someone they could contact for him and he said, "No, thank you!" The Porters and college security knew that he was in the hospital and he didn't want anyone frightening his mother and Gaius by calling at this time of night…or morning or whatever it was. Then he remembered Laurence and asked to have someone call him, asking him to come to the hospital. Laurence would know what to do…
The police left and he waited, finally a nurse returned and gave him two pills which she waited for him to take, then told him he could get dressed and handed him his backpack. "Your College will be notified that you were discharged, as you were sent here by them..." she said handing him a paper to be signed, she flicked a page and read, "...due to an accident on school property."
'Nice way of putting it!' thought Merlin as he signed the discharge paper.
He was glad Arthur had included a selection of clean clothes in his backpack, he shoved the others in the bottom of his bag. He was just about to contemplate a balancing act to get on his slacks and socks, when a volunteer came back to say that he had a visitor and Dr Forbes had said that it was all right to let him into the cubicle. Merlin looked up and Laurence was there.
"Arthur left a garbled message that he'd found you but you were on your way to the hospital. Here, do you need a hand with those?" Merlin nodded and Laurence helped him with his socks and his slacks and while he zipped them up, got his shoes and knelt before him on the floor to put them on and did them up, saying with a grin as he sat back on his heels, "So, where's your Knight in Shiny Armour?"
Merlin didn't answer immediately and Laurence looked at him again and repeated, "Merlin, where's Arthur?"
"Baxter escaped from the nurses and doctors and arrived in the waiting room looking for me...and Arthur…"
"Go on!"
"Arthur moved in front of me and Baxter stabbed him with a scalpel he'd taken from somewhere."
"So where is he now?"
"They are working on him but Brian, I mean Dr Forbes said that once he has been seen to, I could go and be with him."
Laurence left the cubicle and wandered to the nurses' station and asked about Arthur. She had no information so Laurence said, "He was stabbed in the waiting room maybe an hour ago."
"Oh, one moment…" she glanced at her papers, "...one male patient taken upstairs for surgery, right? Who is his doctor?"
Laurence was about to yell that if he knew he wouldn't be asking her but decided that would be counter-productive and not get him the information any sooner. So he offered what information he had, "His name is Arthur Pendragon, he lives in Oxford and is a student at Magdalen."
The nurse went back into receptionist mode and said, "If you would like to take a seat over there, I'm sure someone will speak to you when they have time." He heard his name being called and Merlin approached him being wheeled along by a young man.
"Laurence, this is Dr Forbes and he has some news about Arthur!"
Dr Forbes told them that Arthur was out of surgery and resting peacefully. He was still under the effects of the anaesthetic but they expected a full recovery. The scalpel had been so sharp there were no jagged edges, however he was on antibiotics. He was lucky as if the assailant had put more force behind the thrust it might have reached his heart.
"If you want, you can wait around until he comes to but he will be in hospital for at least tomorrow and you my young man, should be going home and resting those legs of yours."
Merlin first glanced at Laurence then said to the young doctor, "Doctor, I think I'd like to see him just so he knows that I'm all right, then I'll go home."
Brian understood that Merlin probably wouldn't settle tonight without knowing that Arthur was out of danger. He nodded, "When you get to his floor, you can pick up his phone and his wallet. We took his information from his driver's license, just check with the nurses's station that all information is up to date."
-0-0-
They sat and waited.
Finally another doctor came out and said, "Mr Emrys?" Laurence stood up and pushed Merlin forward in his wheelchair. The doctor smiled and said, "Mr Pendragon came through the procedure with flying colours, he is still a little groggy but I think that he would benefit from some company no more than ten minutes and you can see him again tomorrow during regular visiting hours."
He pointed through a door and they were in a ward with beds, curtains and some visitors. It was very quiet and a nurse was at the desk in the centre of the room.
Laurence said, "Pendragon?"
The nurse said, "He's in bed number six and has only just woken up, he'll be a little disoriented but able to hear you, even if he doesn't talk. Ten minutes only and can you come by here before you leave so that I can check on information for his file."
He led them to Arthur's cubicle and said, "Arthur, you have some visitors!" He pushed Merlin's wheelchair closer to the bed and said, "Hold his hand so he'll know someone is there and if he puts pressure on it, squeeze back gently."
Merlin reached forward and let his fingers entwine with Arthur's. He said quietly, "Hello, Arthur, it's me…Merlin." He felt pressure on his hand and bent over and kissed their entwined fingers.
Arthur's voice was raspy but he managed to say, "Love you!" He then looked up surprised to see Laurence and said, "Take care of him..." he mumbled something that sounded like condo and his eyes closed and he was once again fast asleep.
"I think we should leave him to sleep it off. Don't you?" Laurence said before adding, "Have you got your pills and did they give you a prescription for a repeat?" Merlin nodded, patting the backpack which he had on his lap. "Well, let's get you home after we've checked with the nurse on the way out."
-0-0-
When they got outside Merlin was surprised to see that it was light. Merlin checked Arthur's watch which he had on his wrist for safekeeping and said, "It's breakfast time!"
Laurence smiled, "I guess you're hungry, how about we stop at Costa's? They open at six-thirty…"
"I'd give anything for a chai latte and a mushroom, eggs and grilled tomato panini."
Laurence laughed, "Your wish is my command. Stay in the car and I'll be right back." In no time, he was back and the delicious aroma of chai tea filled the car. Merlin couldn't wait, so he tucked in right then and there.
It wasn't until they finally got into the condo that Merlin realised that Laurence had bought four lattes explaining that they could have another one for their second breakfast whenever they woke up.
Looking at his watch, Merlin said, "Laurence, it's gone seven o'clock. I can't stay in bed all day as I need to go back to see Arthur. Maybe they'll let him come back home later today. I'm going to sleep until one and then plan to phone Toby to let him know I'm alive. On second thoughts, I'll talk to him now so he can make my excuses to the tutors."
"Just try to get some sleep. If I don't hear from you, I'll wake you around one. Honestly, the two of you will have me an old man before my time."
"Do you think Baxter will be released soon?"
"I have a feeling that you might have seen the last of him for some time. The hospital will report his actions to the police and he will be charged with assault with a weapon...Merlin, your eyes are almost closed, go to bed before you fall asleep on your feet! Can you managed by yourself?"
Merlin nodded and ever obedient, shuffled down the hallway on his crutches, smiling at the Gormley painting before saying, "Goodnight, Laurence, and thank you for coming to the hospital to get me."
"Good Night, Merlin, try to get some sleep."
-0-0-
Merlin was exhausted but he spoke to Toby whom he had caught coming out of the shower. "Tell the others that I'm all right and make my apologies to whomever I should be having tutorials from today. Talk to you later."
He went into the bathroom and brushed his teeth hardly able to keep his eyes open. He took another pill and finally looked at himself in the mirror, he looked like a zombie, he needed a shower and a shave. However, he had neither the inclination nor the energy to do anything about it. Arthur would have made some crack abut kissing a baby hedgehog. He smiled, Arthur was going to be all right and hopefully without Baxter around he'd enjoy the rest of the term.
He lowered himself carefully to the bed and waited for sleep to claim him…however it didn't. His body was ready but his mind was not. He couldn't shake the memory of Arthur moving in front of him to shield him and then Baxter advancing with something in his hand and Arthur collapsing on the floor at his feet.
He glanced at the clock and saw that it was already gone eight o'clock. He tried to settle again and decided to think only of positive things, he had survived a kidnapping, he had not broken any bones, Arthur had saved him and…
Suddenly an unwelcome thought entered his mind…Uther!
Arthur's father would have to be notified of the stabbing but then again, maybe he already had been as the hospital would have notified next of kin. Maybe he was on his way right now and would be banging on their door at any moment.
Merlin slipped out of bed and got his backpack off the floor. Arthur's wallet was inside so he checked the section for Next of Kin/Person To Be Informed In Case of Emergency and saw his own name. He breathed a sigh or relief.
His father would have to know, he knew that. It was difficult as how was Arthur going to explain to his father that he had stepped in front of his boyfriend to save him from being attacked and received a stab wound himself? In his eyes, Arthur had been a hero but he doubted that Uther would see it that way. For one thing, he didn't even know of his son's relationship with another man and the fact that Arthur had never told him in the three years that they had been together, didn't give Merlin any confidence that he was going to be welcomed with open arms, regardless of whether a stabbing had been involved or not.
First thing he was going to do tomorrow was speak to his Mum. He would not mention the kidnapping but mention that he had been to A&E because his knee was acting up. Of course, he intended to tell her all about Baxter but not until he saw her face to face and she could see for herself that he hadn't sustained any awful injuries.
He wondered if Baxter was still in emergency or if he had been moved to the mental care unit. There had been something seriously wrong with his behaviour after he had attacked Arthur as he had just lain on the floor crying.
His thoughts were getting fuzzier and he felt sleep claim him and for once, he was dead to the world and never dreamed.
-0-0-
Arthur woke up to a bright room and humming machines as he'd been moved to a four bed post surgery observation recovery room. He saw that he was still on a drip. He felt refreshed and relaxed. Maybe he was on something but he certainly didn't have a care in the world. He let his mind wander, he remembered Baxter yelling and then a sudden pain in his chest and what sounded like people screaming and that was all.
He vaguely remembered seeing Merlin and Laurence. He turned to Merlin in the next bed but was surprised to be looking at a complete stranger.
Merlin had been there as he had spoken to both him and Laurence. A nurse drifted by and said, "Feeling better, Arthur? You're doing well and if the doctor agrees, you will be released later today."
"Nurse, what day is it?"
"It's Thursday. You were in surgery on Tuesday over night and were brought in here yesterday around midnight. It's just after nine in the morning. I would expect your visitors to be back once visiting hours start and you might even be going home with them this afternoon. Do you have anyone to keep an eye on you at home?"
Arthur nodded, "I've got friends from college."
"Good, but how about someone just for a few days, while they are at lectures. You deserve to be pampered and the doctor will expect you to be cared for, no trying to do things for yourself, such as, hauling water and chopping wood."
Arthur laughed, she was being funny but it made him think; his cleaning lady Molly might be willing to put in a few extra hours until he was certain he could cope by himself. He decided to run it by Laurence and if he agreed, he'd contact her. He'd make it worth her while and she didn't even have to cook as they could order takeaways for lunch. He'd only need her while Laurence was out of the condo and he knew she'd work out because he liked her and she had experience with sick people as she'd nursed her husband through his last few months with cancer.
In himself, Arthur was feeling a little better. The pain of the incision was lessening but it still caught him if he made any sudden moves and getting out of bed had been excruciating. Today, he was expected to spend most of the time in a chair near the window but appreciated a hand when he needed to stand up. He also walked with assistance in the hallway surprising himself by being so cautious and certainly conscious of other walkers and doorjambs.
Dr Forbes came to visit him and checked the sutures and smiled. "If you promise to keep a watch on them and see your own doctor if any puffiness or redness occurs, I believe you can go home later today. You will keep taking the antibiotics but I think the blade must have been clean.
"Arthur, you do realise that if he had used the scissors with the longer blades, it might not have been the same story. The surgeon found a nick, well more like a scratch on your rib. If that had been one of the major blood vessels there..."
"We might have been arranging my funeral?"
Brian nodded, "Arthur, you were very lucky. For some reason your assailant didn't put all his weight behind the thrust..." he paused before continuing, "as if you were not his primary target."
Arthur's face dropped, Brian had realised what he had suspected, "Where is Baxter now? I need to be able to tell Merlin when I see him that he is no longer in any danger."
"I can't discuss your attacker's medical condition but let's say that he is safe and unable to hurt himself or anyone else. I'd better be getting back to my rounds. Look after yourself and make sure Merlin rests that knee."
"Thank you, Doctor, I appreciate it..."
Brian nodded sayings as he left Arthur's curtained alcove, "And I don't expect to see either of you back here in the near future, unless it's just a social call."
-0-0-
Later that afternoon, the chap in the bed beside him, graciously allowed him to use his phone. He called Merlin leaving a text that he was free to go but he was waiting for his discharge papers and would need someone to accompany him home.
He laughed when the text came back,
As demanding as usual, I see!
Be there around four. Dragon
He handed the phone back and said, "Boyfriends! They all think that they are comedians. I'll be glad to get out of here, I accompanied a friend here who had been hurt and then I was subsequently stabbed by someone in the A&E."
"So, you're the person! We heard that there had been a problem and my girlfriend was all for leaving but I was the one in agony so I said that I'd stay and take my chances."
"Well, I survived but the next time one of my friends says, 'You'll be better off in the hospital!' I'll beg to differ…"