Gwaine took over looking after Arthur once he was on the ward. Merlin went to see the supervisor to tell him the identity of the John Doe, after all now they knew who he was they ought to be telling his relatives. As he knocked on the door Edwin called him in. "What do you want Emrys?" he demanded.

"I've come to tell you about the John Doe that was brought in earlier with the bleed" Merlin started to say.

"What was all that about? Wasting time doing microsurgery, there's no intensive physiotherapy here, do I have to keep telling you to be careful with resources? It seems I do, we are here to provide basic surgery to save lives nothing more" Muirden glared at Merlin.

"I'm here to do the best I can for people, repairing major blood vessels and making sure someone can use their arm again should be important, I can do it so I did!" Merlin continued before the other man could stop him "Anyway in this case I'm sure you'll be pleased, I recognised the man, he's donated a large amount of money to the charity his name is Arthur Pendragon. I think you should let his family know"

Edwin Muirden looked surprised, that was a name he recognised. "How would you know Lord Pendragon? And why would he be in Syria. You must be mistaken."

Merlin started to walk towards the door "I met him just before coming here he was at a fund raiser I was asked to go to. As to what he is doing here I have no idea" with that Merlin walked out.

Edwin sat there in shock for a moment before smiling to himself. He was close to getting a job in the London office with Agravaine De Bois and he was Pendragon's uncle. This could be just the final lever he wanted. He decided to use this to his best advantage. But to get the best out of it he would also have to make sure he got the full praise and not Emrys.

Back in London Morgause's team had been following the tracker since Arthur had set it off in Jordan, they had been not totally surprised when it showed he had crossed the border into Syria. But for the last few hours it hadn't moved. Using their combined information they found that Arthur seemed to have stopped in the hospital run by Doctors without Borders. Morgause arranged for an agent to go on the next supply convoy for the hospital, it was difficult as they didn't want to compromise the neutrality of the charity, But she had to find out what was happening. Then Morgause received a call from an agent saying that the hospital had contacted Agravaine De Bois to say his nephew had been injured and operated on, and needed to be repatriated. Morgause arranged for De Bois to believe it had been done via the British Embassy but her people were in fact on their way. Arthur Pendragon agent for M16 would soon be on his way home or debriefing.

Agravaine was surprised to say the least when he heard that his playboy nephew had been shot in Syria. But when Edwin Muirden had contacted him he immediately arranged for Arthur to be brought back. After all then Arthur would be beholden to him, and if he didn't survive than he, Agravaine was Arthur's sole relative as far as he knew and would come into a not inconsiderable fortune. Edwin Muirden was on the short list of applicants for the post as one of Agravaine assistants, the man was known to him and would fit in well. Edwin had told his future boss that he had heard of a European being injured and had arranged for him to be picked up, recognising him as Lord Pendragon he had ordered the best surgeon they had for that type of surgery to operate immediately. It was clear to Agravaine that he owed Muirden a great debt and he could now make sure he got the post. As Edwin's present posting was up in a week or two Agravaine asked that he come back with Arthur on the earlier transport. After all although Edwin was working in an administrative roll he was a trained doctor so would be ideal to travel back to keep an eye on his nephew.

The morning after he had operated, and not knowing what had gone on before Merlin went to see his patient before starting operating that day. Gwaine was once more looking after Arthur, as he had also worked in plastic reconstructive surgery in the past. "How's my patient?" Merlin asked.

"Awake but dozy, he's just had some more morphine. All his observations are stable and the circulation to the arms good" Gwaine reported to his friend.

Merlin looked down at Arthur "How are you feeling Lord Pendragon?"

Arthur looked up thought the haze of the morphine and frowned "Do I know you?"

Merlin grinned "Yes we met briefly at a fund raiser in London, you gave us a large cheque" Merlin paused and looked at Arthur shoulder "How does your arm feel?"

"Numb can't fell anything below the shoulder. Shoulders sore" Arthur was after all used to giving reports.

"Your shoulder will hurt, I had to do a lot of work on it, and your arm will be numb for several months as I had to repair two major nerves, but with time, hopefully, full feeling will return. Once your back in the UK you will have further treatment." Merlin looked at Arthur "You were lucky I'm not sure why you are in Syria but you were found quickly and so we could stop you bleeding to death, the bullet hit an artery. Now get some sleep, I understand repatriation is being organised" with that Merlin went on to check on his other patients from the day before.

A bit later when Arthur was more awake he spoke to Gwaine "That was Merlin Emrys I saw earlier?"

"Yeh, you're a lucky man, not only having one of the few surgeons who can do micro surgery in this place, but also being found by the parents of one of his patients. It seems you stumbled into the house they were sheltering in, while their son is in here. They were so grateful to Merlin when they saw you were a fellow European they dragged you carcass in here, any longer and you would have bled out. Merls a great paediatric surgeon, but he was just going for a break when you came in so he stopped the bleed then operated." Gwaine smiled "He also recognised you after the operation and told the management so they could arrange to get you out of here"

Arthur grimaced "Only after?"

"Yeh, I think he was too busy saving your neck before. Now rest up and let me look after my other patients, alright Princess, no private wards here I'm afraid." Gwaine kept an eye on all his patients, including Arthur until the end of his shift.

They received information that Arthur would be shipped out the next morning and that Edwin Muirden would be going as well. It was the later that caused the most cheer. He was almost universally disliked. Merlin checked Arthur the next morning before he went to theatres and said his goodbyes. Arthur looked at the younger man, who had it seemed, had saved his life "Next time you're in London let me know Doctor, you to Gwaine, I owe you both." Then looking at Merlin "I knew there was something special about you when I met you in London, don't know what it is but I want to find out"

As Merlin walked away Gwaine grinned at Arthur "Trying to pull, and in your condition, I'll tell you this much if you do and you hurt him you'll have me to deal with, he's like a brother to me"

"If I'm lucky enough I won't hurt him you have my word, he's special I can tell that" Arthur gave a weak smile before closing his eyes once more.

The supervisor was unaware that Merlin and Arthur had spoken to each other, but he was making plans of his own. He had packed the night before, no one brought much with them anyway. But he needed to cover his tracks from some of the less known of his activities. But as he had already been planning to leave shortly he didn't have much left to do. He had already selected Merlin as his fall guy, he had hated the younger man when he had worked with him before, he was just too popular and talented, and all the things he felt he had the right to. Now all that was needed to make sure Emrys couldn't clear his own name. Edwin had been approached by one of his Syrian contacts the evening before and he only had one thing left to do. By the time anyone was any the wiser, Edwin would be on his way to Turkey and a fight home to England.

Timing it carefully he walked out of his office as Merlin was going towards theatres "Ah Emrys just the man, I've just had a report in of a child caught in a collapsed building. It appears she will need an onsite amputation to get her clear, there's an ambulance outside waiting for you" he handed Merlin a bag "I have just got this retrieve bag for you, get going and good luck"

Merlin grabbed the bag and ran, Treating people at the site of an event was something they sometimes had to do and was always an emergency, the bag he had been given was one prepared with everything he would need and saved the doctors having to collect together stuff in a hurry. As Merlin reached the door he jumped into the waiting ambulance, more like a van really but the best they had, and the driver set off through the streets.

Just after Merlin had left the transport arrived for Arthur and Edwin Muirden. They were soon loaded and heading for the Turkish border. Within hours they were on a plane back to Britain.

Merlin meanwhile suddenly realised they appeared to be heading for the outskirts of Aleppo "Where is this child exactly" he demanded of the driver.

As Merlin spoke a voice came from the back behind him, in Arabic Merlin was told. "There is no child, you are needed for another purpose. Keep quiet and stay still and you will not be hurt."

They travelled deep into the hills and eventually Merlin was made to get out of the ambulance and they started to walk. After about an hour they reached some caves and Merlin was pushed inside. Another man came towards Merlin "You are the doctor?" he demanded

Merlin looked at him and decided it wasn't worth taking chances. Everyone he had seen so far was heavily armed. "I am"

"Come" the man led him deeper into the caves until they came to a man lead on a makeshift bed, blood over rough bandages wrapped around his chest. Merlin was pushed towards the man and his bag thrust into his hands. "Save him"

"You brought me all this way, why not bring him to us it would have been quicker, we treat without question all who attend our hospital. He could have had better treatment there" Merlin glared at the man who had shown him the way.

Merlin was hit around the face. "Save him or die"