It wasn't long before Alice got out the photo albums and was showing Merlin the photos of Arthur and Morgana when they were younger, embarrassing Arthur in the process. In amongst the photos was a loose one. Arthur picked it up and looked at it.

"Who's this Uncle Gaius?"

Gaius took the photo and it was his turn to look sad. "That's our daughter."

"I didn't know you had any children!" Arthur was clearly shocked.

"We haven't seen her for twenty six years, you probably wouldn't remember her Arthur, you were only four and we didn't see a lot of you then. We had a silly argument and she ran off. She was only seventeen. We spent years looking for her, your father helped. But we still don't know to this day what happened to her." Gaius looked at his wife.

"It was so silly, we blame ourselves, and it would be nice to know what happened, even if she didn't want to see us." Alice looked at Arthur. "We never mention her it's painful."

Arthur was shocked that he didn't know something so important. "I'm sorry Gaius, Alice, have you tried recently; with all the computer search sites it might be easier. Would you like me to try?" Arthur offered, looking at their faces he so wanted to help.

"We haven't tried for several years; we think she must be dead. If only we ….." Alice's voice trailed off.

Gaius looked at Arthur "You're too busy boy, with your new responsibilities but thank you."

"I could try, I'm not back at work yet and it will give me something useful to occupy my mind. Give me her details and I'll give it a go." Merlin offered.

"That's very kind of you, if you're sure. We would like to know, we could have some peace then. I'll get you the poster we had printed and the information we collected for the police before you go." Gaius and Alice both smiled at him. "It's so kind of you."

The rest of the evening went very well with Merlin making a big hit with the couple. They could see how good he would be for Arthur. Merlin liked the older couple and felt at ease with them. By the end of the evening it was hard to believe they had met for the first time that day. As they started to get ready to go Gaius went off to get the details for Merlin. Gaius handed his the envelope.

"There's a picture of Hunith in there. She will have changed I dare say."

Merlin's face went pale. He opened the envelope with shaking hands and looked at the photo. "That's my mum!" he looked at the older couple in shock. Arthur rushed to his side.

"Are you sure Merlin?" Arthur couldn't believe it.

"Of course I'm sure; I've got a wedding photo of her and dad at home. She was nineteen then." He reached into his jacket pocket and took a photo out of his wallet. "That's a photo of them just before dad died." He handed Arthur the two photos.

Gaius and Alice moved forward and took the photos from Arthur with shaking hands.

"She's dead! We found her too late," Alice started to cry and hugged her husband. Gaius looked at Merlin.

"You're her son. Our grandson….oh my boy, my boy." He took his crying wife's hands and moved toward Merlin.

Merlin looked at then unsure what to do. He looked up at Arthur his eyes full of uncertainty. "She cried whenever I asked, she wouldn't talk about them." He then looked at the older couple "You hurt her….I don't know what happened but you hurt her."

He turned to Arthur "Take me home please."

"Merlin I think we need to sort this out love. Listen to what they have to say." Arthur was shocked but he knew Gaius and Alice wouldn't have been completely to blame.

"No, not tonight, take me home please. I can't do this now." Merlin was clearly in shock.

Arthur looked at Gaius and Alice. "I'll take him home, we'll sort it out I promise, and he's not going anywhere, neither are you. I think it's best if you both have some time." Arthur put his hand on Gaius's shoulder and kissed Alice. "I'll ring you in the morning."

With that he took his shocked fiancée home. Merlin took his photo from Gaius's hand as he left. On the way home Merlin didn't say a word and Arthur helped him back into the flat. He put on the kettle, a hot drink might help and anyway it gave him something to do.

"Merlin, go and sort out your bladder, then we can have a cuddle and calm you down." He knew Merlin had to take care of himself first; he couldn't risk Merlin becoming sick again.

Merlin turned and without saying a word went into the bathroom. He was in there for over half an hour before coming back out. He had obviously been crying. He wheeled himself towards Arthur. Arthur helped him onto the sofa and fetched their hot drinks from the kitchen before sitting next to Merlin and pulling the younger man into his arms. He said nothing just held him.

After a while they moved into the bedroom. As Merlin sat on the edge of the bed he took out the photo of his parents once more and started to stare at it. Arthur gently got the other man into his nightclothes and then undressed his self. Helping Merlin swing his legs onto the bed and getting in the other side pulled his lover into his arms, careful not to damage the photo the other man was still holding.

Eventually the couple fell asleep. In the early hours Merlin woke up and went to the bathroom. Even in his shocked state it was automatic for him now to self catheterise once in the night. After he got back to the bedroom, instead of getting back in bed he collected his box of treasures and went to the lounge. Arthur had been awake. He always woke when Merlin got up, but soon went back to sleep as soon as Merlin got back into bed. Realising Merlin wasn't going to come back he got up and pulling on a jumper he followed Merlin picking up Merlin's hoodie as he went. He found Merlin sat by the coffee table with the box open in front of him. In his hand was an envelope.

Arthur walked up behind Merlin and kissed the top of his lovers head. "Put this on love, you'll get cold." He handed Merlin his top and then pulled a throw of one of the chairs and wrapped it round Merlin's legs. He knew enough to know that the other man had poor temperature control and need to keep warm.

"What have you got there?" he asked quietly.

"It's a letter Mum gave me before she died. She wanted to tell me about them….I wouldn't let her, it always made her cry. I remember when I was younger asking her about her family. She always looked sad and cried. She gave me this and asked me to read it when I was ready." Merlin sighed "I guess this is the time."

"Get out the chair and sit with me, come on, I can hold you then." Arthur wanted to support Merlin in the only way he knew.

Merlin moved to the sofa and slid across. Arthur sat beside him and sitting with his back to one of the arms pulled Merlin back so he was sat in front of Arthur his legs on the sofa and his back led against Arthur chest. Arthur pulled the throw over both of them. Holding Merlin round the waist and putting his chin on Merlin's shoulder he waited.

Merlin sat there staring at the envelope in his hands before slowly opening it. Taking out the letter inside, he slowly opened it.