As soon as the Ambulance arrived at Adana Airport Merlin was loaded onto the repatriation air ambulance provided by the British Government, and they group were on their way to London. Once there a bed was available at the London Hospital for Tropical Diseases the considered the best place to treat Merlin's aerobic dysentery. Merlin was soon settled into an isolation ward and his treatment regime was now in full swing. Gwaine, Arthur and Balinor had blood tests and put on prophylactic antibiotics. Once they were clear Balinor was taken with Arthur to be debriefed. Balinor would have many more sessions with the foreign office and MI6 about his years in the Middle East and Africa.

Balinor received a full apology told his case was to be looked at to consider compensation. They knew Balinor had a strong case and didn't intend to fight it in anyway, immediately accepting that what had happened was unjust in the extreme. Then Balinor went back to the hospital to meet up with Hunith. Hunith had been taken to the hospital and allowed to see her son, all be it gowned and gloved to prevent her from catching or spreading anything. She was so relieved to see her son, who was awake enough to recognise her. He was very weak and sleepy but pleased to know he was home and safe.

After her visit to Merlin Hunith was shown into a room to meet up with Balinor so their reunion could be private. Hunith was there first and stood looking out of the window her heart pumping, would it be the same after all these years? She had never looked at another man in all that time, Balinor had always been in her heart. As she heard the door open she turned round and looked at Balinor as he carefully closed the door behind him. He stood there and looked at the mother of his child and the love of his life. Except for looking older she would have recognised her anywhere, by the eyes and kind face if nothing else. His face softened and he walked towards her his arms outstretched.

Hunith saw a man that although she could recognise had clearly led a life that had been hard on him, a loner now where he had once been expressive, but a strong willed man who relied on himself. A stubborn man who once he had made up his mind would not change it. When he was kidnapped he had been working alongside her, she as doctor, he as a teacher who had started to work for the Red Cross to help the impoverished people to build new life's for themselves helping them to build wells and sanitation and also to teach them to read and write. Hunith walked towards the man who meant so much to her and into his arms.

The stood together holding one another, just being together after so long apart. Even after all the years apart the couple soon realised that nothing had changed and they still loved each other. They were both bitter about what had happened and the fact that they hadn't been together to bring up their son. Hunith sat and told Balinor all she could about her son, she had also brought photos to show Merlin's father.

"You did a good job, bring him up alone, I'm proud of you both" Balinor told Hunith. "I hope I can get to know both of you better, though I'm worried about what Merlin will think about me"

"He will accept what happened and move on, he will love you as I do, and it wasn't your fault after all. I hope he will stay in the UK now" Hunith said "Will you?" she said hopefully not sure what Balinor's plans were.

"I would like to, I want to get to know you both, in fact I hope you will marry me eventually" Balinor looked at Hunith "I don't know if I will be easy to live with after all this time alone"

Hunith smiled, just how Balinor remembered it and it caught his breath to look at her "You may find me the same, I have got used to my own ways, and Merlin tells me that!"

"Seriously I really want us to work, and I want to get to know my boy, he doesn't even know yet he has been to confused, Gwaine thought it best to leave it until we were back here. He seems a good man"

"He is, he is practically part of the family, almost like a brother to Merlin" Hunith admitted.

"And Pendragon?" Balinor asked

"I don't know he seems a good man, but I don't know what's going on, but I think he rather fancies our Merlin, whether it's reciprocated I don't know" Hunith looked at her fiancé "Merlin is gay, I don't know if you knew that"

"I didn't, but I have no right to question his choices I wasn't there for him, but if your happy with it then I am, although I'm so used to the Middle East attitude it might take a bit of adjusting to, but then so will being a father!" Balinor admitted. "As long as he is happy"

"He is, I've always told him I would love him no matter what and support him in whatever he wants to do in both his personal and professional life." Hunith smiled "He's never let me down"

Balinor observed "Pendragon, I think he works for MI6 not the sort of life I would want him to continue with if he is keen on Merlin"

"With his arm injury I suspect his active days in that job are over, if he does work for them, but he has a reputation as a playboy, he's very wealthy and a Lord" Hunith said matter-of-factly.

"Best wait and find out I suppose, if Merlin doesn't fancy him it don't matter either way"

As Merlin was more with it Hunith decided that now was as good a time as any to introduce Balinor to their son. They were both nervous but so happy to be together once more "I have always told him about you" Hunith told the man at her side. "Tell me why Ah-teen?"

Balinor grinned "To remind me of home, of who I really was, it means Dragon, I'm am Welsh after all"

They both gowned up and then hand in hand walked into see Merlin. The nurse left them alone. Hunith walked to her son's side. Merlin was sat up in bed his ankle propped up on pillows and a drip in his arm, he also had a tube down his nose to his stomach to feed him. He noticed the couple hand in hand and said nothing waiting for his mother to speak.

"Merlin love, I have a bit of a shock for you, the man you know as Ah-teen is Balinor your father. He didn't die or desert us, he was misinformed and told I had remarried when he was found four years after he was kidnapped, he has been helping free other people ever since."

Merlin gave his mother a weak smile "I figured he might be when you walked in." Merlin paused to take a breath "I might be a bit confused and fuzzy headed but it's the first time I've seen you with a man's hand in yours."

Merlin looked at his father "Sorry, didn't guess before" the talking was wearing him out and it showed, he had never felt so weak and helpless.

"Why should you have boy, you have been very ill, once you are better I hope to get to know you, if you'll let me"

Merlin nodded "Sure" then he gave another small grin "Have to if I want to see Mum" he lifted up his hand a few inches.

Balinor took his son's hand and squeezed it, he felt tears welling up and took several deep breathes "It will be an honour son, I have a lot of catching up to do"

Merlin spoke once more saying just two words "Thank you"

Balinor realised that Merlin was thanking him for helping to free him "No thank you Merlin, for looking after your mother all the years I should have, now rest boy"

Merlin closed his eyes once more, but as he did he saw his mother's face and realised that she was still deeply in love with the man beside her. That made his heart swell, she deserved to be happy.