Disclaimer: Yeah, you guessed right. Still don't own any of the characters below. I own only the plot.

Firstly I really must thank pachysam, for all your wonderful suggestions in your reviews. I won't be using the pieces of dialogue you posted, because I believe they are yours, however some of the ideas you have are brilliant and I hope to encorporate them into future chapters. So - thank you, very much! :)

Sorry about the previous cliffhanger, the end of this chapter isn't so bad... but please... don't hate me too much for it. :S I'm still hoping everyone is in character (i.e. Arthur... :S) and that you enjoy this. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed and alerted and favourited so far - you guys are brilliant! :) So please enjoy and don't forget to review! :P

Six

The Doctor and Arthur had followed Gaius to the location of the latest disappearance."So this is the place then, aye," the Doctor said, more of a statement than a question, as he swiftly pulled his glasses on. It was a rather empty alleyway just around the corner from the blacksmiths (apparently), but it was the location nonetheless.

"And this is the eighth disappearance?" Arthur asked.

"I'm afraid so, Sire," Gaius replied solemnly.

"How long ago did this happen?"

"It would have happened early this morning," Gaius said, causing the Doctor to frown and pull out what looked like a small metal wand.

"What is that?" Arthur asked sternly.

"It's… it's a new scientific contraption. Just became available, isn't that right, Gaius," the Doctor swiftly answered.

"I… I mean yes, of course," Gaius told the Prince, cottoning on. "I've already ordered mine."

"Good man," the Doctor grinned. "Now…" he trailed off and began using the "metal wand", which he knew as his sonic screwdriver.

"What is it doing?" Arthur asked, with a creased brow.

"Searching for signs of Residual Teleport Energy, of which… there is plenty. My god – this place has enough R.T.E to power the whole of the Whitonien Galaxy. There was definitely something powerful here. But what…"

"Powerful? As in sorcery?" Arthur questioned, quickly.

"No…" and the Doctor trailed off again, distracted by the sudden arrival of what appeared to be a statue of a weeping angel. He pointed his sonic screwdriver at the stone and the metal device instantly went berserk.

"What does that mean?" Gaius asked as he took a step back.

"That's what's been creating that energy,' and the Doctor pointed to the statue, keeping both eyes on its seemingly harmless stone frame.

"You can't be serious?!" Arthur protested. "It's just a statue. How could that create any… energy or whatever? I don't understand."

"Oh, there are a lot of things you don't understand," the Doctor told him, not caring if he was being rude or insulting. "I hope that Merlin can teach you a few things for your own sake."

"For my own what!?"

"Keep your eyes on that," the Doctor pointed to the angel state, ignoring the incredulous looks Arthur was shooting him. "Take your eyes away from one second and…"

"What will happen?" it was Gaius sounding a lot more calm than Arthur.

"You disappear," the Doctor told them gravely. "It's the Weeping Angels, or Lonely Assassins, either way," he gave a small shrug, as though the current situation wasn't as dangerous as he had previously made out. And, in hindsight, it was probably his feigned casualness which set Arthur off.

"If you're serious about all this being caused by a statue," Arthur said the last word mockingly, "let's just be rid of it!" And he drew his sword in a flash.

"Arthur, Sire. No!" The Doctor protested. But he could only watch in vain as the young Prince swung his sword around with the means of slicing the statue in half.

The sword, despite Arthur's strength, simply ricocheted off the weeping angel's bodice; a force which sent Arthur flying backwards.

"You really need to get a hold of Excalibur," the Doctor muttered, with a sad shake of his head. He turned to help Arthur up, muttering a brief apology as he did. And in those mere seconds, when his back was turned, the weeping angel moved.

"Doctor!!" Gaius shouted as the angel moved towards him, its arms outstretched, terrifying teeth bared. In less than a second it had grasped him and Gaius knew, deep down, that this would be the end. He would be the ninth disappearance. "Doctor, I think I blinked."

The Doctor spun around, at hearing his name and his face fell as he caught site of the physician's predicament. "Gaius, oh, Gaius. I am so sorry," the Doctor was able to mutter, before both the statue and the physician began to fade.

"Arthur, tell Merlin I…" Gaius' last words echoed along the alleyway.

And he was gone; before Arthur was even able to register Gaius had mentioned his name.

"Nooooooooooooo!" The Doctor screamed in frustration and anger. He'd only just met the man, but knew how good Gaius was. And now he was gone, just like that. In a flash. The Doctor had lost someone else. He kicked his shoe into the ground, ignoring the dust which floated up and into the air around him.

Arthur turned away. "He knew, Gaius. Merlin knew," he murmured, in response to the physician's final wish. And it suddenly dawned on him that Gaius was gone. The physician who had brought him into the world and who had always been there was gone. He couldn't even imagine how he'd begin to tell his father. He knew they were close.

Neither of them was sure how long they stood there, each of them bearing their pain alone, yet together. It was only when they heard the sound of rushing footsteps, did they look up.

"Doctor!" Rose yelled, through her panting. "We heard screams, what happened?"

"Arthur?" It was Merlin, his tone serious. "Arthur, where's Gaius?" Merlin repeated, glancing around in vain hope of catching sight of his carer.

"Merlin... I..."

"Gaius was taken," the Doctor told them. "I'm sorry, but... he's gone."

"Oh God..." Rose trailed off and turned to Merlin, who was staring at the Doctor with a look of disbelief. "Merlin?"

"No."

"Merlin, there was... I'm sorry... It happened so...," Arthur muttered, but Merlin only heard fragments of sentences, as the world threatened to dissolve around him. Gaius couldn't be gone. This was just some sick joke, in which everyone was such good actors.

"No," the young warlock repeated bluntly, coming out of his trance-like thoughts. "No, he can't be gone. No!"

"Merlin..." Arthur took a pace towards him, reaching out in comfort.

"No!" Merlin shouted again, his voice now bordering on hysteria. "Get away from me," he stepped back from Arthur's embrace. "All of you!" He turned, flashing looks at the Doctor and Rose.

"Merlin, there was nothing we could do," the Doctor told him, mournfully.

"He's right," Arthur confirmed. "It... it all happened so quickly. There was nothing anyone could have done."

Merlin ground his teeth. If only he had been there. He would have had the power to stop it. He could have saved Gaius. It was his fault. Blinking against the sting of tears, he turned to look at Rose as she spoke up.

"Merlin," her voice was soft. "Trust me when I say there was nothing anyone could have done. Even you," she added pointedly, implying that even his powerful magic couldn't have prevented this.

"I don't believe it. I don't believe you!" was his only reply, before he turned and ran, so suddenly that no one had the chance to stop him.

"Merlin!" Arthur shouted after him, after wiping away a lone tear from his cheek. He turned to face Rose and the Doctor, by a simple means of explanation before running after him.

"Arthur," the Doctor called and the Prince paused. "Tell him there was nothing that could be done. The Weeping Angels are faster than lightening. It only takes one blink. And tell him what his last words where," the Doctor nodded slowly and Arthur understood.

The two of them watched as Arthur continued on and the Doctor wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders. Hoping that Arthur would find Merlin and could comfort him, Rose turned to fully embrace the Doctor. She smiled sadly into his shoulder as she felt his arms wrap around her, making her feel slightly more at ease.