Chapter 9

Merlin was sure he broke every speed limit in the book as he drove toward the hospital. In his head, his mind was playing through worst case scenarios. It went to his mother falling and breaking her neck to a small cut.

Unbidden, his mind it went back to Arthur. The hour he spent with Arthur had been the best in his life. He had felt more relaxed then than he did in a long time. In any other world, Merlin could see himself in a relationship with Arthur. They had similar tastes and he liked being around him, even for that short of time, but Merlin lived in the real world and knew that he and Arthur could never be together. Arthur was a rich trust-fund baby and Merlin was barely scrapping by. There was no way they could be together.

He saw the ambulance lights before he reached the hospital. He pulled up right in front of the entrance and ran inside. He found Freya waiting anxiously in the waiting room.

"Freya!" he called and she looked up in relief at the sight of him.

"Merlin, thank God!" she said getting up running toward him. "I didn't know what else to do. She just collapsed so I called for an ambulance. They wouldn't let me in with her since I'm not family, and won't tell me anything for the same reason, but I told them you'd be coming soon…"

Merlin interrupted her because he could hardly make out what she was saying. "Freya, calm down, you're rambling. Take a deep breath."

Freya did and explained.

"Hunith was in her room napping and I was in the living room studying for my exam. I heard a crash in the kitchen and ran into find Hunith collapsed on the floor. I called for an ambulance and called you on the way to the hospital."

Merlin sighed and nodded. He knew Freya did everything she could and didn't blame her for anything. He was just worried about his mother. It had been four years since she got sick and they were still paying the medical bills for those. If she got sick again than there was no way they could pay for it, but Merlin refused to let his mother die. He would find a way to take care of her if it was the last thing he'd do.

"Hunith Emrys?"

Merlin turned to the doctor at the front of the waiting room door and walked up to him.

"I'm Merlin Emrys, her son," he said. "Please, tell me what's wrong with my mother."

"My name is Doctor Harper," said the doctor. "For now we're sending some blood work to the lab to test. It says she had cancer four years ago."

"Yes, but that's gone. She's in remission. What can you tell me is wrong with her?"

"She's running a slight fever and her blood pressure is slightly elevated. There's also slight bruising on her kidney and liver areas. We've asked her where she gotten them but she couldn't remember. Do you?"

Merlin shook his head. "No, this is the first time I've heard of it."

Harper nodded. "Well, we'd like to keep her overnight for observation. We'll know more when the blood work is done."

Merlin nodded. He understood the reason for overnight observation, but he didn't like it. Since his mother got sick, he was always scared that he would come home and find her dead on the floor. Merlin swore he'd do everything he could to stop that from happening.

"Can I see her," he asked.

Harper looked hesitant before nodding.

"But only for a few minutes," he said. "It's way past visiting hours and she should be resting."

"Of course," said Merlin and went into the room they put Hunith in.

Walking into his mother's dimly lit room he was shocked to see how much Hunith had changed since he saw her before going to the banquet. Her face was so pale she looked like a ghost and there were black bags under her eyes. The only sign of life was the beep of the heart monitor and the slow rise and fall of her chest. Walking up to her he took her hand into his.

"Mum, it's Merlin," he said softly. "You have to get better, Mum. If you get sick again, I don't know what I'll do."

He took a deep breath to calm himself.

"I met him, Mum. Excalibur. I met him and he's Arthur Pendragon. He's my boss's son. What the hell am I supposed to do now? When we talked, it was so easy. It was like it was online. It flowed. Like when you said it was like with Dad. How easy it had been to talk to him.

"But he doesn't know it's me. He doesn't know that I'm Merlin Emrys. He thinks I'm some rich guy that drives a Porsche and party every Friday night. He doesn't know who I really am and I don't know what to do."

"Get him to know you."

Merlin looked up in surprise to see Hunith away and looking at him with dazed eyes but still fully awake. He sat up in surprise.

"Mum! Should you be awake? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Merlin, I'm fine," she said waving his concern in dismissal. Merlin sighed in partial relief because Hunith was awake and coherent. "Now, tell me what happened tonight and start at the beginning."

Merlin did, starting with how he met Excalibur a couple months ago online to meeting him that night and finding out he was Arthur Pendragon. He ended the story to when he ran out of the banquet after receiving Freya's phone call.

"Is this the same Arthur Pendragon you've been griping about for the last four years?" she asked and he nodded. "Well, he doesn't sound like such a bad boy."

Merlin sputtered in shock.

"But, Mum, he's my boss's son! If I start a relationship with him, that'll be the end of my life!"

"Or maybe the start of it," she gave him a sad smile. "Baby, I know you put your life on hold because of me. I never meant to get sick, but I never wanted you to make taking care of me your only priority. I want you to go out and find someone. I want you to fall in love and live."

"Even if that someone is Arthur Pendragon?" asked Merlin.

"If he makes you happy, then yes."

"I can't. His father is a homophobic prick. If Arthur's found out, then Uther's going to kill him. I can't do that to him."

"A parent should love their child no matter what," she said. "And if you have a chance on love, Merlin, take it before it's too late."

"Let's get you well first," said Merlin. Hunith groaned.

"Merlin…"

"After you're well, then I'll tell him."

"You're stalling."

"I'm prioritizing." She gave him a look and he laughed. "I'll think about it, okay?"

Hunith yawned, the drugs taking effect on her again. "Okay, now go home. You must be exhausted."

"I will. Just till you go back to sleep."

"Okay," said Hunith and closed her eyes.

Merlin sat at the end of the bed to wait for her to sleep, and stayed long after sleep claimed her.

XXXXXX

"I wonder where Merlin ran off to," asked Will as they packed up their equipment.

"I don't know," said Gwen. "I saw him by the dance floor and the next, he was gone."

"You think he met up with Excalibur?"

Gwen smiled softly. "I hope so. He was so nervous about meeting him. I hope he's a nice guy and not a complete arse like Arthur."

Will smirk humorously.

"Didn't you have a crush on Arthur at one point?" he asked and received a painful smack on the arm. "Ow!"

"Shut it!" said Gwen annoyed but smiling.

"Pardon me?"

Gwen and Will turned to see a woman dressed in a black dress walk up to them. Her brown hair was done up in a fashionable bun with jeweled pins keeping it in place and diamonds hung on her ears and around her neck. The white mask she had been wearing was currently in her hand and she smiled at them in a friendly manner which showed the slight gap in her teeth.

"Hello," she said. "My name is Helen Mora. I'm CEO of Mora Production Studio."

Gwen and Will gaped at her.

"Mora Production Studio?" said Gwen coming out of the shock first. "Number one in music production in England?"

Helen smiled at them.

"Yes, I believe so, though we try not to boast about it," she said. "I love the music you sung here and was wondering if you'd like to work for me."

Both Will and Gwen was in shock. Mora Production was the best music label in England and here the CEO was asking them to let her produce them.

"Hi, I'm Gwen Smith," said Gwen coming out of her shock. "Actually, we just sing for fun, but our friend, Merlin, does want to be a song writer. He wrote a lot of the songs I sung tonight."

"Really?" said Helen interested. "Where is he? I would like to speak with him."

"I'll call him," said Will. "See where he is."

Helen nods.

"Of course," she said. "I'll wait."

Will pulled out his phone and dialed Merlin but it immediately went to voicemail. He tried several times before giving up.

"It's going to voicemail," he said worriedly. "He only does that when it's important or an emergency."

"I hope everything's all right," said Helen, also sounding concerned.

"I saw him talking to Gwaine and Percival a bit ago," said Gwen. "I'll ask him if he's seen Merlin."

"In the meantime, can you give him my card?" Helen handed Gwen a card that had Helen's name and phone number on it. "I would love to schedule an audition. I'm always looking for new songwriters and I believe I can use his."

"Yes, of course," said Gwen. "I'm sorry he couldn't be here to meet you. I know he wouldn't have left if it wasn't important."

"I completely understand," said Helen. "Unlike some people here, I'm not all business all the time. That's what I want with my employees as well. Tell your friend I'm more than looking forward to hearing from him."

"Of course," said Will.

With a final smile, Helen walked away. Gwen and Will watched her leave for a moment before getting excited.

"Helen Mora, can you believe it," said Gwen.

"Merlin's going to freak!" said Will. "His songs are finally getting recognized. This was what he was waiting for since he first picked up a guitar."

"I know. Isn't it amazing? Wait until we tell him." She looked around the ballroom. "We just have to find him first."

"Let's go talk to Gwaine," said Will and they walked over to their friend.

"Will, Gwen, great show," said Gwaine. His arm was around Percival who gave them a curt nod in greeting.

"Hi, Gwaine, Percy," said Will through Gwen's attention was stuck on the third member of their friends' party.

"Gwen, Will, This is Lancelot Lake," said Gwaine. "Lancelot, this is Gwen and Will, Merlin's friends."

"Pleased to meet you," said Lancelot shaking Will's hand and kissing the knuckles of Gwen's, startling her out of her daze.

"Thanks," she said tugging her hand back. "Gwaine, have you seen Merlin?"

"Yeah," said Gwaine sadly. "He borrowed my car. Hunith's in the hospital."

"Oh God, that's awful," said Gwen. "And he was really looking forward to meeting Excalibur."

"Merlin was meeting someone tonight?" asked Percival.

"Yes," said Will. "Some guy who goes by Excalibur. We lost him in the crowd and didn't see if he meet anyone or not."

"That's weird," said Lancelot. "Arthur was supposed to meet someone here too. Said his name was 'Wizard'."

Gwen and Will looked at each other in shock.

"You don't think…" said Gwen.

"Frigging small world," finished Will.

"That's what we said," said Percival.

"Wait, wait, wait," said Gwaine. "Are you saying that Merlin is Wizard?"

"Yes," said Gwen. "He was so nervous about meeting Excalibur tonight. We practically had to drag him here."

Percival looked over at Lancelot.

"You owe me a tenner," he said. Lancelot grumbled and handed over a ten pound note.

"You guys bet on Arthur without me?!" said Gwaine in a hurt voice.

"Yes, because you cheat," said Percival giving his boyfriend a stern look. Gwaine pouted, obviously hurt.

"There's just one problem," said Will. "Merlin hates Arthur's guts. And I'm pretty sure Arthur thinks Merlin is pond scum."

Gwaine laughed.

"I saw those two," said Gwaine. "If that's what hate looks like then I'll be surprised to see what love looks like."

"Does Arthur know about Merlin?" asked Gwen.

Lancelot shook his head.

"I'm not sure Merlin gave Arthur his name," he said. "Just described him."

"Why would he do that?" asked Will.

"Nerves, probably," said Gwen. "I'm going to call Merlin and see how Hunith is."

"If he's in the hospital, his phone will be off," said Lancelot.

"I'll still leave a voicemail," said Gwen and dialed. As Lancelot said, his phone was off. "Merlin, it's Gwen. Gwaine told Will and me about Hunith. We'll be at your house waiting for you. See you later."

She hung up and turned to Will.

"Come on," she said. "Let's get to Merlin's and wait for him."

"Call us on what Merlin knows on Arthur," said Percival.

"You too on Arthur," said Gwen and both friends left.

"Stubborn, the both of them," said Gwaine.

"But they really do go together," said Lancelot.

"Thinking of playing matchmaker, Lance," said Percival giving his friend a sly look.

"If I need to, plus it'll get me close to Merlin's friend."

Gwaine laughed.

"Always an ulterior motive, Lance," he said. Lance shrugged.

"It's not fun if I don't get something out of it," he said.

Gwaine continued to laugh and Percival shook his head.

TBC