The residents were still in the dining room when Arthur got into the building. Uther had offered to drive him home, going so far as to offer to take him to Igraine's. Arthur, however, refused. Since he was on call anyway, he decided to stay at the hospital. He could use the showers there and sleep in one of the rooms in the resident's wing. Arthur just wanted to make sure Merlin was all right. Spending time with Merlin would soothe how he felt after today.

Merlin sat at a table with Elena and Vivian. The other residents were scattered around the other tables and none of them reacted to Arthur's entrance. Except Percival, who raised his eyebrows in greeting but did nothing further, instead he carried on eating his apple crumble. Elena was trying to get a little more into Merlin, but she paused as she saw Arthur.

"Hi, are you all right?"

"Yeah, how's everything going here?"

"Not too bad, Merlin has seemed a little out of sorts, he didn't eat much lunch," Elena said.

"How much has he had tonight?"

"He ate most of his fish and chips and he normally likes the crumble."

"Let me have a go," Arthur said. Elena put the spoon back in the bowl and shifted round to the chair on the far side so Arthur could take the space next to Merlin. On Merlin's other side Vivian shoved her pudding around the bowl, easing the topping away from the apple and picking out bits of fruit. Arthur got a small spoonful and offered it to Merlin.

"Just a little more, Merlin."

Merlin opened his mouth enough to comply with Arthur's request. Elena watched with interest, cupping her chin in her hands. Vivian poked a little more.

"Vivian," Arthur said in warning as Merlin took another mouthful. She looked up at glared at him.

"Oh, for God's sake, I just don't like puddings, if you're going to make me have anything let me have cheese and biscuits. I've never liked sweet stuff."

"You don't mind fruit," Arthur said.

"Yes, when it's not been hashed about." She eyed the pudding with distaste.

"She ate everything else," Elena said in Vivian's defence.

"All right, leave it," Arthur said.

"What are you doing back anyway?" Vivian said rudely.

"I'm on call tonight," Arthur said, getting another spoonful into Merlin, with enough of a hint from his patient that any more would have to be force fed. Arthur left it sensing that Merlin, although giving nothing much away, wasn't very happy.

"You don't usually stay," Vivian said.

"I am tonight," Arthur said. "I'll take Merlin back upstairs, since he's a bit unsettled. I'll sort him out, if you want to deal with everyone else."

"No worries, Lancelot has taken an extra shift, so he will be on nights this week and Gaius has upped Olwen's shifts so he can be around during the day."

"Okay," Arthur said. He got up and drew Merlin with him. Merlin stood up and moved with Arthur.

"Gaius is still about, I think he was waiting for you to get back. There are a few things he wants to catch up with you about," Elena said, rolling her eyes in Percival's direction. If Percival was aware of it he gave no sign, he just carried on eating. Judging by where his eyes roamed his only interest was Vivian's discarded pudding.

"Can you let him know I'm back, and just tell him where I am?"

"Sure, no problem," Elena said.

Arthur left them to it, leading Merlin along the corridor to the small lift that had been installed when the building had been converted. It creaked and clanked a little, and Arthur didn't really like using it. Most people only did if they had to, however with Merlin not being entirely co-ordinated it was better that than making him use the stairs.

Upstairs Arthur settled Merlin on the bed and perched next to him. He could feel the tension in Merlin, and as Arthur gently touched his hand he felt the subtle movement. Arthur had taken Elena's advice to leave a sketch pad in the room, so it was easy to get something from Merlin if the opportunity arose.

"What's the matter Merlin? Was it yesterday, you don't need to worry about that now. I'm going to stay around tonight, so you'll be fine, and Lancelot is going to be here as well."

He got the pencil into Merlin's hand and it started to move. Merlin blinked several times, and it seemed more than reflex. Arthur watched him intently, wondering if Merlin was trying to clear his view of whatever he was seeing. As he glanced down at the sketch Arthur blinked in surprise. It was a rough drawing, Merlin was almost rushing to get it out, the lines developing swiftly. But it was still clear what the subject was. Arthur stared down at his own image. It was him, without a doubt.

"What's the matter Merlin?" Arthur said. "What? What about me?"

That just seemed to agitate Merlin further. His hand moved with increasing speed as he started to form a dark image on the paper to the left of Arthur's portrait. It took the entire length of the paper, Merlin's hand sketching up towards the top left hand corner, almost implying that the darkness was leaning over him.

"Merlin, I'm okay, I'm fine, I'm right here. I guess it's just been a bit of a bad day."

He reached out to steady Merlin's hand as the sketching reached what seemed to be a peak of anxiety. As Arthur gently wrapped his hand around Merlin's he stopped sketching. The pencil tilted a little as Merlin relaxed his grip, which could have been nothing more than reflex, except Arthur was fairly certain he didn't imagine the next bit as Merlin's fingers moved, gently brushing against his own. Merlin applied enough pressure to convince Arthur that he really wasn't imagining it.

"Hey, come on, Merlin, it's all right."

Arthur shuffled a little closer, putting his other arm around Merlin and tightening his grip on Merlin's hand. He felt Merlin relax, easing his body back into it's usual state. Arthur hugged Merlin tightly, glancing down at the sketch again. Merlin had perceived some kind of threat to him, but Arthur wasn't sure what it meant. Then again, Merlin had witnessed a murder when in all theory was impossible for him to have done so, and Arthur remembered the story that Hunith had told him about Merlin knowing that Will was seriously ill. That surely made it possible to believe that Merlin knew exactly where Arthur had been.

He didn't really want to bring the subject of Cenred up, not while Merlin was so badly shaken. Arthur didn't feel like talking about him and although Merlin's moods were often easy to read, it didn't really give him much indication of how Merlin felt deep down. It was unsettling to think that Merlin knew where he had been, and probably why.

"Merlin, everything's fine okay. Nothing bad happened."

Merlin's hand tightened in his and Arthur hugged Merlin closer. The other man relaxed against him. Arthur held onto him, his face pressing into Merlin's hair and Arthur heard him exhale heavily.

"I'm sorry Merlin, I just had to go today. I didn't want to upset you."

He still couldn't be entirely sure that was the reason Merlin was upset. All he had to go on was the picture, which he couldn't ignore. Merlin however, seemed to accept the apology. His hand moved, clenching harder against Arthur's and he felt Merlin's body weight press against him.

"I just had to look him in the eyes. Is that how you see him Merlin?" Arthur asked, tilting his head so he could look down at the drawing. "Is that how you retreated?"

He didn't get any answer. Merlin's face was as blank as ever, his eyes remote. Arthur frowned as he pulled back, running his fingers through Merlin's hair. Very slowly Arthur extracted his hand and the pencil from Merlin's grip, sliding the sketch pad off his lap. Then he turned the page and settled Merlin's hand back, giving him the pencil again.

"Is there anything else Merlin?" Arthur asked.

He wasn't surprised when Merlin didn't react to him. Not that it mattered, Arthur thought, as he moved the sketch pad over to his own lap and flipped the page back to look at his picture again. There was no mistaking it was him, which meant that Merlin was aware of him. He turned Merlin's head, his eyes were remaining unfocused but his iris' were a deep clear blue.

"Merlin?" Arthur gently eased up Merlin's right eyelid. There didn't appear to be anything wrong with his eyes, but Arthur decided that, in Merlin's case, didn't entirely mean anything. His contemplation was interrupted by footsteps outside, causing the old floorboards to creak. Gaius appeared in the doorway to Merlin's room.

"Is everything all right?"

"Yeah, I think. Merlin, I need to talk to Gaius, I'm going to be just outside the door, all right, not far away."

He moved Merlin's head back into a more comfortable position, and took the sketch pad with him as he stepped beyond the door, positioning himself in the corridor so he was in Merlin's line of sight. Percival was lingering in the doorway of his room. Arthur frowned as he looked at him.

"Hi," Percival said.

"This is…" Gaius started.

"Percival," Arthur finished. "We've met."

"Of course," Gaius said. "In that case I hardly need introduce you, and you know why he's here."

"Why the hell has he called you?" Arthur asked Percival.

"I've not been around, I had nothing to do with the other investigation, I've been in Spain since March, therefore I am not on anyone's radar."

That didn't, Gaius thought, sound like the entire explanation. It appeared that Arthur thought the same as he scowled.

"I'm just doing a favour," Percival said. "And you know I can do this."

Arthur had to concede that. "True, we really won't have to worry about Merlin's safety."

"Considering his history, why he left the police and his previous career in the army, I've placed him in the register as suffering post-traumatic stress syndrome," Gaius said, not looking entirely convinced that Percival could suffer from the condition.

"I know you were shot in that armed robbery, I don't know the rest," Arthur confessed. Percival shrugged, they all paused talking as Vivian wandered past, halfway though eating a banana, which she waved at Arthur.

"See," she announced. "I'm off to watch television."

"Thank you, Vivian," Arthur drawled as she stalked off down the corridor. Gaius frowned at him.

"She wasn't eating her pudding," Arthur explained.

"Oh."

"I finished it off," Percival said.

"Don't do that unless we know about it, she's on a strict diet," Gaius warned him. Percival watched her retreating figure.

"Why?"

"Because she's meant to be putting on weight," Arthur said. "Although she has stopped hiding stuff and pretending to eat it, but she's let other people finish off things for her and tried to make us believe she's had it."

"Oh, right," Percival said.

"Normally we wouldn't discuss any of this with you, but since you may be here a while you'll find out why each person is here. The general rule we have is you don't discuss any more than the person in question wants to talk about, and not behind their back," Gaius informed him.

"I wouldn't do that anyway," Percival said.

"The main point we wanted to wait to ask you is how much you want to tell Merlin?" Gaius said to Arthur.

Arthur sighed. "Unfortunately, we can't make the mistake of thinking Merlin's stupid, or not paying attention. I might not have told him what I was doing today, but I get the feeling he knew."

Saying that he handed over the sketch pad, with the drawing of himself on it, Gaius raised his eyebrows as he looked at it.

"What's all that shadowing?"

"As far as I can tell, Merlin's perceiving some kind of threat, and that can only mean Cenred. He just must have known, or figured it out somehow, nobody's said anything to him today have they?"

"Not to my knowledge. Elena's been with him most of the time, and I doubt she would have done that," Gaius said. "He knew a murder was going on the other night, we can't consider him knowing your whereabouts inconceivable."

Arthur nodded. "The other thing is we also can't assume that catatonic means stupid. He's aware of us, there is a good chance he'll work out what Percival is doing here. Maybe it's better we tell him."

"It might make him feel better," Percival suggested. "I'll do it whichever way you decide, but it's going to be easier if I can be around him."

"I think we tell him," Arthur said.

"I was going to go with your opinion," Gaius said. "But if you had asked my advice, I would have said to tell him as well."

"Come on," Arthur said, heading back into Merlin's room. Merlin hadn't moved, not obviously, but his head had tilted so he could keep an eye on the door and he blinked as Arthur moved closer to him, crouching down in front of him. Gaius and Percival followed, both of them watching the interaction carefully.

"Merlin, this is Percival," Arthur said, glancing in the larger man's direction.

"Hi Merlin," Percival said.

"He's going to be staying here for a bit, to make sure you're all right, after the break-in yesterday. My father hired him, he's going to pretend to be a patient here so he can keep an eye on things. Okay Merlin?"

There was a pause and Arthur felt Merlin's hand move in his own again, his knuckles brushing against the palm of Arthur's hand. Arthur reached for the sketch pad again, opening it on a fresh page and getting the pencil into Merlin's hand. Merlin slowly started to draw, he was less frantic this time, but the subject of his drawing was one he had covered previously. He drew another picture of the strange indistinct background which Arthur had yet to work out. He knelt on the floor and patiently watched as Merlin's hand moved. Percival and Gaius watched with interest.

"So this is what he's been doing to communicate?" Percival asked. "That's what your father said."

"Yeah, he doesn't always do it, and it's not always clear," Arthur said.

"And he only does it for Arthur. Elena tried today, while he was unsettled and she got no response out of him."

"There's no harm in others trying," Arthur said. "Merlin, is this how you're seeing whatever it is?"

Merlin's hand paused, then his grip relaxed and he released the pencil.

"What does that mean?" Percival asked.

"I think it means he isn't going to bother because I don't understand what he means. Merlin, I don't know what this is."

Percival shuffled sideways so he could peer over Merlin's shoulder. There was a slight shifting in Merlin's tension, Arthur felt it but he got the feeling that Percival didn't realise.

"A background? A place."

"That's all I can guess. It's like he doesn't have all the pieces of the puzzle, or can't put them together. I need to compare this with the other one he did, and maybe ask my father if he can see any connection."

Percival leant in a little closer. "Maybe Merlin couldn't see it clearly."

Arthur moved the pad so he could look at it from a better angle. "I guess."

"Is that like a water tower or something?" Percival asked, pointing to a peak in the landscape. "Or a very strange tree?"

"No, idea," Arthur asked, glancing up at Merlin's impassive face. "What on Earth are you trying to tell me?"

Percival straightened up and shrugged. "Give it time, you'll probably work it out."

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

It had sparked a train of thought in Arthur, which he was still musing over the following Tuesday, while he spent the morning at art class, not really concentrating on what he was doing. They had started working on portraits, and Arthur had, as he had threatened to do so, made Igraine the subject of his project.

He had made her sit on the terrace of the house the previous Sunday and sketched her from every angle, adding in a little background. Once he had finished that he had carefully packed up the drawings to bring into the class.

Now he was trying to work on the main portrait, and Arthur didn't feel like he was getting very far with it. He couldn't decide which angle to use, what sort of background he wanted. By the end of the session he didn't feel as relaxed and settled as he usually did, instead he felt worse than he had when he started. That was something of an unusual scenario. Catrina, the art teacher paused to look at what he had done. Most of the other students had packed up and were on their way.

"It's good Arthur, who is that?"

"My mother," Arthur said. "And what's the but?"

"Sorry," Catrina said.

"When you said it was good, you made it sound like you were going to say 'but'."

Catrina tilted her head, tucking several strands of her long brown hair behind her ears and she stared at the portrait with a frown on her face. Arthur looked at the portrait again, trying to guess what Catrina was thinking. So far he had just sketched in the outline, and a vague section of background. He had thought the honeysuckle that ran up the terrace might be a good feature and he had distracted himself from the main subject by adding in a few bees.

"It's a good start," Catrina said.

"Again, there is that hint you are going to say 'but'."

"And I'm not sure what it is. Technically it's good, I can't ever really fault anything you do."

Arthur paused, still waiting for the 'but'. It wasn't immediately forthcoming, but as Catrina said it, Arthur knew it made perfect sense.

"But, it seems to me that she isn't who you want to draw."

It startled Arthur a little, but he glanced at the picture, and the fact that he had concentrated on the background more than the main subject seemed to be what Catrina was getting at.

"Maybe," Arthur said slowly. Catrina smirked at him.

"You may need to change your subject," she suggested before glancing at her watch and looking around. "Sorry, I need to get ready for my next group. Have a think about it for next week," she advised, gently squeezing his arm before heading off, moving equipment around to make more space, her second class that morning would be bigger. Arthur slowly packed up his things, hefting his bag and tucking the board to which the drawing was taped to under his arm. He headed off out of the building, his mind still clouded with other thoughts as he passed the group of giggling girls who were eyeing him with interest. They didn't even register in Arthur's mind. He wasn't particularly arrogant but he knew he got stared at so he guessed he was fairly good looking, and it always made him feel confident when he registered it.

What was on his mind obliterated anything else as he put his bag on the backseat of his car and propped the picture next to it. Catrina was right, the thought nagging at Arthur. Igraine wasn't who he really wanted to draw. She would have been his first choice, without any doubt, if Merlin hadn't come along. That was who he really wanted to use for the subject. It was Merlin.

Someone whose face never really changed expression, yet he still managed to convey so much. Arthur could already imagine the portrait in his head, which was probably why he wasn't doing very well trying to use Igraine as the subject. He could see Merlin, so pale and vulnerable, but purveying that subtle strength that seemed to come from him. There would certainly need to be a dragon in the picture somewhere as well.

He slammed the back door and opened the driver's door to clamber in, telling himself firmly that he could not use Merlin. It would be entirely unethical to draw Merlin while he couldn't give his consent, even if Arthur could get a sense of Merlin's feelings about it, it still was not a clear answer. It left him feeling angry and somewhat frustrated because he knew that as much as he tried, his mother's portrait would lack whatever it was that gave his work a spark. It was the thing that meant he enjoyed it, there was a life to it which he could just seem to push into whatever he drew. The short sketch he had started after that awful night, while Merlin had slept peacefully, Arthur had thought to be one of the best things he had ever done. Merlin's face as he been so calm and peaceful in sleep made Arthur wonder what lay behind that facade. What had made Merlin pull back, so deeply into his mind to freeze his body so dramatically?

Arthur shook his head and started the engine, glancing at the clock as the radio kicked into life. He had a busy day ahead, he was due at the monthly meeting with Nimueh and Gaius and he wanted time to catch up on some paperwork. He still had his sessions with some of his residents but he had decided for his time dealing with the admin backlog he would either go up to Merlin's room or bring Merlin down to be with him, for just a little while. There was something he wanted to think about when it came to Merlin. The management meeting was the perfect place to start.

It was time to rule things out.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Every month Gaius, Arthur and Nimueh sat down to a discussion about the goings on in the annexe. Arthur and Nimueh had their assigned patients but as the facility was so small things overlapped, they were there for each others patients when necessary, and they sometimes saw things that the other didn't. During the monthly meeting they hashed out the details of the running communication between them. This time it just happened to be that morning, and Arthur could announce what was on his mind.

"That would possibly bring his assessment forward," Gaius warned. Arthur nodded, glancing at both him and Nimueh as they listened to him.

"I know, but considering what has occurred I think we need to start ruling out facts," Arthur said, he looked around nervously, more at Nimueh than Gaius. She was examining the photocopies of the pictures that Merlin had drawn. Arthur had made sure that the latest few had got to his father, with his notes. Merlin was seeing some things very clearly, others looked blurred.

"Considering the circumstances, I don't see why we can't send him for an early brain scan and see the optometrist. Some of these pictures are as if he is not seeing them clearly. Perhaps that is nothing to do with his intuition, and if we are looking at that, then we need to do the brain scan. Most of those are ambivalent."

"It would be a bad idea to cite the reasoning," Nimueh said.

"I know that. We are going to have to write up that he is communicating, some of these pictures are blurred, we could argue we want to check that his eyesight is okay. We don't need to put all the pictures into the report. My father won't allow us some. Besides, we're being left deal with him, we've never been questioned for requests like this before."

"No," Nimueh said carefully stacking the papers. "And don't get me wrong, we cannot deny the fact, he drew that murder when it was happening. I am one to state things as I see them, and that one Merlin put there right in front of us. All I'm saying is we just need to voice concerns for his welfare. An eye check and reactions as such were not done, we are considering it necessary. We tell them no more than that, and see what we get."

Arthur nodded.

"I can phone up to the hospital in the morning," Gaius said, concluding the discussion. "Is there anything else?"

"Yeah, Vivian is complaining about puddings. She has gone to the stage of announcing she doesn't actually like them," Arthur said.

"When was this?" Nimueh asked.

"Only the other day, I haven't seen you since. She actually said she didn't like desserts and would prefer cheese and biscuits."

"So I need to discuss a change of diet with her?" Nimueh said. "Maybe that option."

"Or fruit if it's not been hashed about. I know we still need to make sure she gains weight, and she's fought us every step of the way. Perhaps now it's starting to dawn on her," Arthur said.

"Could be, I'll put that into our next session. The only other thing of note is this."

Nimueh put the small packet of power on the table, almost treating it as if it was an unexploded bomb.

"Where did you get that?"

"Our new security Percival found it tied to one of the bushes. I'll give him his due, he seems to know what he is looking for. You are going to have to talk to Gilli, again."

"I told him this time would be the last time, I'd get him removed."

"Arthur, you have angled at that threat for the last four times this has happened. I am sorry, but I have to insist you crack down on him. He does not want the help we are offering, we have to accept that and get him out."

"I know, but I don't like it."

Nimueh shrugged. "I can do the conversation if you want."

"No, he's down as my patient, I can do it. I just don't have to like it."

"There are times Arthur, when you know you have to just let it go," Gaius said.

"I know, I know. I'll do it this afternoon," Arthur said.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

By the end of the day Arthur really did want to spend time with Merlin. Lancelot brought him down to Arthur's office, complete with Kilgharrah.

"He wouldn't let me take him," Lancelot explained as he settled Merlin in the chair by Arthur's desk.

"That's all right, if he wants to keep hold of him, let him. Are you feeling all right Merlin?"

Arthur got up, moving closer to Merlin. Lancelot carefully retreated. Arthur reached out and took gentle hold of Merlin's forearm. The tension in Merlin's muscles increased.

"I'm not going to take Kilgharrah," Arthur reassured him. "Let me just look at your wrists."

He eased up Merlin's sleeve and looked at the scarring. It was less prominent, but it was something Merlin was going to have for the rest of his life.

"Do you want me to come back and collect him?" Lancelot asked, lingering by the door. Arthur debated that, glancing at the huge pile of paperwork he had to get through. It would have been nice to have Merlin with him while he did it, but he didn't want to start treating him like an ornament he needed to have in the room with him. Arthur glanced at his watch, it was almost three thirty. Merlin was due to have his dinner about six.

"Why don't you come and get him in a couple of hours, he can keep me company, or I can keep him company for a bit."

"Okay, I don't like leaving him on his own either. Percival's done his bit with him this afternoon, they've been in the common room watching soap operas."

Arthur snorted with laughter, Lancelot shrugged. "I need to go out and pick up another batch of medication and Elyan said we need more lightbulbs, do you want anything?"

"Actually you could get some more of this oil, from wherever Gwen got it. We're running a bit low."

"I'm fairly certain she bought a couple of bottles of that, but I'll get some more anyway. Oh, and Elyan is going to bring some of those door alarm things for the fire doors. They're not too noisy but it might help as a minor precaution. He said he'd come down tomorrow to do it."

"Sounds better than nothing," Arthur said. There was a light click as Lancelot left the room and Arthur sat back on his heels, looking up at Merlin. Merlin stared off into the distance. Arthur carefully reached up to move the red material around Merlin's neck to look at the scarring there. Merlin swallowed as Arthur's fingers brushed over the rough skin.

"Sorry," he said to Merlin. "You don't really like being touched there at all. I think we'll not bother trying to use the oil on that, you like the scarves anyway, don't you."

Arthur tided up Merlin's red neckerchief and slowly stood up.

"You don't mind keeping me company while I work? I've got a ton of boring admin to do."

He got no response but Arthur felt that Merlin didn't mind, and that he did actually like spending time with Arthur. Arthur settled himself, talking as he worked. Sometimes he talked about the work, sometimes he talked about Merlin. He knew Merlin wouldn't response, not in the conventional sense anyway, but it might help guide Merlin's sketching, so he could tell Arthur what Arthur wanted to know.

"Your mother said you did that though, sort of passed feelings on to people, maybe that's what you are doing now, I always seem to get an idea of how you're feeling. Everyone does I think. We know when your content, when you're upset, it that what you're doing?"

Arthur finished off working through some of the budget information Gaius had off-loaded onto him and looked up. Arthur wasn't quite sure why he picked that moment but the first thing he noticed was Kilgharrah tilting in Merlin's hands, as if he was going to drop him. Arthur immediately doubted that Merlin would, but he had also lifted Kilgharrah off his lap. Arthur got up, not sure what he was going to do but Merlin's arms moved towards him, handing Kilgharrah to him. Arthur took him, the reaction automatic, but it was one of Merlin's clearest voluntary movements, outside of his drawing. Arthur carefully put Kilgharrah down and picked up his ever present sketchpad, putting it on Merlin's lap. Merlin's right hand went straight down onto it. Arthur turned and scrabbled on his desk for a pencil. The one he found was broken.

"Oh for fuck's sake!" Arthur snapped irritably. In the end he rummaged under the sheets of notes and found a biro. He scribbled on a nearby post-it note that Lancelot had left on there reminding Arthur that Freya had rung and wanted to talk to him about a project for her coursework, getting the pen to work before he handed it to Merlin.

"I dare say that will do, what do you want to tell me Merlin?"

Merlin set off sketching, the pen nib scratched on the paper a little harder than a pencil would. While Merlin worked Arthur carried on his hunt for an unbroken pencil, or a pencil sharpener. After a few minutes of desperate, curse filled, rummaging Arthur concluded both items were sorely missing from his office.

"Sorry, Merlin, you'll have to manage with the pen," he informed him as Merlin continued to scratch the nib against the paper. Arthur sat on the desk, moving Kilgharrah onto the budget file so he had space to perch and watch Merlin work. From the start of the sketch it was obvious Merlin was drawing a person, Arthur waited while he worked, Merlin's hand moving frantically as he breathed heavily almost panting, blinking rapidly as if he was trying to clear his vision.

Arthur waited tensely, speaking encouragingly, but trying not to rush Merlin too much. The boy's face as it developed was Merlin's focus, he wanted the sketch to be recognisable. The pen had made it a little smeary, blobs of ink dotting on the page smudging as Merlin's hand brushed over them. But in the end he got the drawing done, and stopped when he had finished. Arthur took the pen and hurled it into the bin before carefully moving Merlin's ink smeared hand and removing the pad from his lap looking at the picture. Again the youth looked to be in his late teens, the face clear and hopefully recognisable to someone.

"That's good Merlin, let's see what we can do with this now."

He picked up the phone on his desk and dialled, after a moment's tension as the phone rang it was picked up.

"Gwaine, it's Arthur, is my dad there."

"No, he's been out for most of the day, what's up?"

"Merlin's drawn another picture, if I fax it over can you tell me if it's one of the other victims, or is it someone else."

"Yep, send it over now and I'll call you back."

"Right," Arthur said, not even bothering to say goodbye before he hung up, dialled the incident room fax number and ran the picture through the machine. He just hoped that it went through the machine clearly so Gwaine could do something with it. The answer to that was clearly yes as he rang Arthur back within a minute of him sending the fax. Arthur had been handing Kilgharrah back to Merlin, the dragon being the one thing that seemed to comfort Merlin. However, instead of taking the toy, Merlin's hand slid into Arthur's.

It surprised Arthur, but he kept his hand in Merlin's as he put Kilgharrah back on the desk and picked up the phone.

"Gwaine?"

"Got it, and no, it's not a picture of any of the known victims. I'm going to let your father know and fax this to Leon, he's been working on those have you seen this teenager things in the paper, he'll probably be quicker than trying to go through missing persons. If it's recent Leon will know."

"Okay, what if it's not?"

"Then we may confirm your theory, that the six are not the only ones," Gwaine said, and for once, he didn't sound particularly cheery.

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Arthur held Merlin's hand for a little while longer, talking to him and trying to reassure him. When Lancelot came to collect Merlin for his dinner Arthur tailed along like a lost puppy. Common sense told him that he should go home and get changed and settle down for the night, rather than staying at the hospital again, but he didn't want to leave Merlin.

In the end he did realise he was getting in the way so he skulked off back to his office, finished what he was trying to do, and wondered if he was getting a little too involved with his newest patient. Arthur found that he couldn't really help it, he just reacted to Merlin.

Arthur concluded he could wait until Merlin was sleeping and then go home and sort himself out. Which was when his mobile rang, which Arthur answered immediately.

"Dad, Gwaine spoke to you?"

"Yes, he did, Leon got a result."

"Oh," Arthur said, slowly sitting down at his desk, rubbing his forehead. "How recent?"

"Very, he was reported missing yesterday, the station had taken the details and a photograph. Leon went through them after Gwaine passed the fax onto him."

"So, Merlin is seeing this again," Arthur sighed. "What do we do now?"

"This person is going to continue operating, and the only way we can get a lead is by talking to the one person who knows this individual."

"Cenred," Arthur said, trying to contain a shiver.

"I've contacted the prison, and he's willing to have another meeting, there's just one thing."

What's that?" Arthur asked, lifting his head, a cold sensation gently settling into his stomach. Uther gave a short pause, which did nothing to ease the feeling of dread that was mounting in Arthur.

"I got the message about half an hour ago. He says the only person he'll talk to is you."