Her voice had slithered into his ear and even the next day its ghost sent shivers through his body. Merlin silently trod along the sterile corridor towards Gaius' lab, trying to ignore the feeling. It was still early, so the place was mostly quiet and he hoped the old man would be asleep at home. Turning the corner the glass doors to the lab shone with welcome and Merlin quietly ran Gaius' key card through the slot on the wall. The red light flashed green and the doors hissed open.
Slipping into the lab he passed machines for gas chromatography, mass spectrometers, microscopes and digital displays. At the side was a safe which held the current case's evidence. Kneeling down he turned in the combination, the tumblers disengaging and letting him open the heavy metal door.
Inside the small confinement were boxes sectioning off the evidence. Dipping his hand into one he rummaged until his fingers tingled. Grabbing what they had touched he stared at the rusty red leather scrap through its plastic bag. He folded it carefully and tucked it into his jacket pocket, locking the safe again.
'How about we have lunch? Friday?'
'That sounds great.'
'I look forward to seeing you then, Merlin.'
Taking the evidence was a precaution. Morgana was dangerous and unpredictable; Merlin couldn't risk leaving it where she could find it.
'Merlin. What are you doing here?' Gaius' voice shattered the secrecy Merlin had strived to preserve. Hiding how he'd jumped by standing up in a dramatic manner he plastered on a deeply thoughtful expression.
'Looking for you,' he lied, putting hands on his hips. 'Have you made any progress in discovering what's killing these people?'
'Sadly not. If I believed in such things I'd say it's magic.'
'Seriously?'
'It's not magic, obviously, but it still remains a mystery and the best in their fields can't work it out either,' Gaius said tiredly.
'Is there any hope, then?'
'There's always hope, Merlin. Always,' he said sternly, before a more light hearted expression rippled across his face. 'Is that all you wanted to ask?'
'Yeah, sorry to bother you,' Merlin replied and made for the door.
'Not at all, my dear boy,' Gaius said, preparing some test tubes. He paused and looked up to Merlin. 'Oh, I don't suppose you've seen my key card?'
'No,' Merlin drawled. 'You've lost it?'
'I have, yes. Luckily they let me in without it, but it really is such a hassle,' he complained while keeping his sight fixated on Merlin.
'I'm sure it is,' Merlin said and forced a sympathetic smile. 'I'll see you later.'
'That you will.'
Merlin scurried to the exit and left into the corridor. He'd gotten the card from Gaius' coat once Gwaine had left, and now he held it with guilt. He pulled the plastic coated card from his pocket and dropped it. Then he picked it up again and left it on the floor closer to the wall of the corridor. It was a ridiculous way to be rid of it, but he didn't need the extra worry. Letting out a long breath he left to put the fabric somewhere safe.

He saw the dark, long, curls and swallowed down any and all trepidation. Merlin entered the cafe and took his seat at the table opposite Morgana. At the back of the cafe, she'd ensured privacy and no prying eyes. She welcomed him with a dazzling grin and a hello. He returned the niceties. A waiter took their orders and then the sounds of cutlery and chatter swelled above everything else.
'What is it you want to talk about, Merlin?' she inquired, tilting her head to the side.
'The jacket,' he answered, keeping his eyes set on hers.
'Not that again,' she said with a sigh and rolling her eyes.
'There's evidence placing that jacket at the first crime scene,' he elaborated, keeping his back straight and hands folded together in his lap.
'Is there now?' she pressed, eyes flashing with new interest. They fell momentarily silent while the waiter returned with their food. When he'd left, Morgana poked at her salad. Merlin didn't touch his sandwich. 'Are you guarding it?'
'Yes,' he said.
She let out another exasperated sigh and took a tomato into her mouth. After swallowing it she watched Merlin unreservedly. 'What good will come of you accusing me for that poor girl's death?'
He didn't even take a breath before he replied, 'Justice.'
'No one will believe you. Surely you know that. Not even Arthur,' she said, the gentle tone in her voice bordering on concern for him. 'Accuse me, and he'll turn his back on you. Gwen will do the same. Everyone will. Even Mordred.'
'You're wrong,' he said, fists clenching under the table.
'Believe what you want, Merlin. A new age is dawning and only the fittest will rule. People like you, people like Uther, Arthur, you'll all be irrelevant,' she said, taking another carefully selected bite of her salad. Sipping some water she savoured the moment, eyes closed. Flicking her lids open she smiled lightly. 'Disposed of.'
Merlin's hands relaxed and he stared at with horror. 'Are you hearing yourself? You sound insane.'
'To you,' she muttered. 'Don't get in my way, Merlin. Drop any brave ideas you might have.'
'Never.'
'Have it your way,' Morgana said softly. Leaning across the table she pulled his plate to the side.
'What are you doing?'
'Letting you be brave,' she sneered. 'Look at me.'
Circles of fire roared into life in her eyes. The ice melted away and Merlin felt it stabbing into his mind. The cafe was being blotched out by a darkness which spread like disease.
'What are you-'
'Be. Brave,' she mocked while his consciousness was whipped out from under his feet. The last things he knew was the pain of his head hitting the table and Morgana's burning eyes.

'Merlin!'
'Pour some water on him.'
'You don't think that's a bit disrespectful?'
'He's the idiot who had lunch with an evil witch of a woman.'
'Gaius.'
'Don't pretend you don't think the same.'
'I can hear you,' Merlin mumbled and groggily lifted his head to see K and Gaius. 'Where's Morgana?'
'Gone. I got Kilgharrah here and we may have followed you. You're really quite a terrible actor, you know,' Gaius said, giving him a dubious look over. 'What did she do to you?'
'I have no idea,' he said, rubbing his forehead disdainfully.
'You need to stop her, Merlin. No matter the cost. You need to stop Morgana,' K ordered, his ancient appearance looking out of place in the modern cafe.
Arthur. Uther. Disposed of.
His heart began to beat heavily in his chest. A sickening realisation set in and Merlin took a gulp of water. Slamming the glass back down onto the table he jumped to his feet and barged past them and out into the street, marching to the hotel the Met's conference was taking place in. Where Arthur would be helping with preparation. The perfect prey.
Running through the lobby and into the maze of hallways he checked every room for Arthur. Uther and Morgana as well, but if he found Arthur first he'd be able to relax. Dashing past another corridor he quickly reversed his steps and saw Morgana's fine silhouette heading to the door at the end.
'You drugged me!' he exclaimed, walking towards her.
'I did a lot more than that. No hard feelings I hope,' she said, facing him with irritation.
'Please, Morgana. Stop whatever this is. You're not a killer.'
'That's exactly what I am! I'm proud to admit it. Rather a killer than a monster.'
'They're the same thing, aren't they?'
'Not in my world. Uther was a monster. Arthur . . . I thought he was different. Seeing how he treated Cenred changed all that.'
Merlin paused. 'Uther was a monster?'
'Leave, Merlin,' she warned him and carried on towards the door.
'Where are you going?'
'To stop Arthur from becoming a monster,' she said, her voice low and on the verge of a growl.
'No,' he whispered when it became clear what she was going to do. 'Morgana, stop this, please. Don't do this!'
Merlin ran at her. From her belt she pulled out a handgun and pressed the tip of the cold barrel against his forehead. Right between his eyebrows. The heat flared to life in his body and he snatched her arm out of the way, twisting it behind her. The gun dropped into his hand and he aimed it at her.
'Shoot me or let me go,' she told him, starting to turn and continue on to Arthur. A memory he didn't know barged into him, freezing and filled with the anguish of loss. The sense of danger and panic overwhelmed him.
'Shit,' he hissed and after what seemed like a long breath he pulled the trigger. It was silent apart from her yelp and gasp of surprise. Leaning down she clutched at her calf where blood was beginning to pool and trickle out. 'Sorry.'
He stepped forward and swung the butt of the gun up. It knocked her out. Her thin frame fell to the floor, leg bleeding and a gash on her temple.
'Drop your weapon!' a voice barked at him. He jumped with shock but before he could turn a large body tackled him to the ground. The gun went flying from his hand while a heavily built man yanked his arms back. The click of handcuffs around his wrists and Merlin's stomach wrenched violently with dread.
'You're under arrest for the murder of Uther Pendragon and assault of Morgana Pendragon,' the man said and pulled him roughly up to his feet.
Merlin could barely breathe. 'What?'
An entire team of police officers swarmed around him, one checking on Morgana, another reading him his rights. At the end of the hallway the door opened and Arthur emerged. His eyes grew impossibly wide as he took in the scene. Then he saw Merlin. In handcuffs. Being hauled away by police.
'Arthur,' Merlin choked out, dizzy with the madness of what was happening.
'What's going on?' Arthur demanded, eyes still cold and now filled with a fury of a different kind. A kind Merlin hoped wasn't aimed at him.

'State your full name and address,' the police officer questioned. Merlin wriggled uncomfortably in the chair, never having experienced the other side of police work. The officer was young, like him, and her black hair was cut short. Her lips were tight and posture rigid. He remembered why he was there and realised why she seemed so on edge. They thought he was a murderer.
'Merlin Owain Emrys. Gibson Road - Look, the details are on the Met's database,' he said, receiving a glower but she did seem to fetch up the information after she tapped at the keyboard and moved onto the next question.
'Date of birth?'
'Twenty third of May, nineteen ninety one,' he recited, and thus the onslaught of questions continued. They searched him, took his finger prints and picture, although he was sure the Met would have had a record of the latter two already as well. Over an hour later and he found himself sat on a thin mattress in a tiny cell, shoeless, beltless, and waiting to have his one phone call.
Groaning he fell back down onto the mattress, covering his eyes with the palms of his hands. Uther was dead. Morgana had killed him. He'd shot Morgana. They thought he'd killed Uther. He wanted to blame himself for the ridiculous situation he was stuck in, but if he hadn't done what he had, would Arthur be alive? Would Arthur have had the chance to look at him with such a terrible culmination of confusion and scorn? Groaning again he rolled over onto his side and curled up into a frustrated ball. The stress of everything had successfully drained him of any momentary volition so Merlin laid there in silence. He contemplated how he was going to stop a psychotic and psychopathic terrorist organisation from destroying both his own life and those of others. To think, he was only two weeks into the job.

'Do you want breakfast?' an officer barked at him on the other side of the door.
'No,' he yelled back. He knew how poor and grisly that meal would be and he wouldn't chance it the way his stomach felt. He'd called K of all people. He said he was going to sort it all out. He hated not being able to do anything. To be trapped and accused of a crime he didn't commit. Even attacking Morgana made sense if you realised that she was about to put a bullet in Arthur's head.
'Merlin Emrys, you have a visitor,' someone alerted him and he heard the door unlock. Standing on the other side was Gwen, eyebrows pinched together with worry. 'Stand up.'
He got to his feet and turned around, the officer putting on the handcuffs. Then he was led, and slightly pushed, into an interview room. Opposite his seat was Gwen's. She was in uniform.
'Merlin,' she greeted.
'Gwen,' he reciprocated and sank down, the chain of the handcuffs jangling and clinking down onto the metal table. The door shut and they sat in silence, Gwen staring at him for a minute.
Her formal and controlled form fell away and she said with brutal honesty and confusion, 'What the hell is going on? They say you killed Uther.'
'I didn't,' he said immediately.
'And Morgana?'
'That part's true,' he answered, quieter than before. Not out of shame or guilt. Quieter because he couldn't deny it and he didn't want to estrange Gwen who seemed alarmed at his state and at the news.
'Why?'
'She was going to kill Arthur.'
'What?'
'Do you believe me?' he asked her, begging and willing with his eyes that she did. She had to.
She didn't say anything, looking down at the table and dropping her hands into her lap.
'It's alright if you don't, Gwen,' Merlin said quietly, noticing her discomfort.
'I do,' she concluded after a minute's contemplation. 'I'm not sure, but Gaius was talking about evidence that proves you didn't do it. Merlin, Arthur . . . he thinks you did it. He's been spending a lot of time with Morgana at the hospital and who knows what she's been telling him.'
'Why do you believe me?' he pressed
'I've read your file,' Gwen admitted sheepishly.
'You've what?'
'Also the psychological report,' she added. 'You're not a liar. Not with this sort of thing anyway.'
'There's a psychological report?' Merlin said in surprise.
Gwen nodded. 'On all of us. Kilgharrah issued them a few months ago. Looks like he knew you were going to join our team for a while.'
'No wonder he was acting so weirdly when we met,' he mulled, leaning back against the chair as a new puzzle piece revealed itself.
'I'll do my best to convince Arthur,' she assured him. 'But he's been erratic lately. I don't think this case is good for him.'
'It's exactly what he needs. He's the warrior type, Gwen. In comparison to Old Religion, your past cases have been a little tame,' Merlin said with sharp honesty.
'Merlin,' Gwen gasped.
'Arthur wasn't meant for peace,' he elaborated, leaning forward and putting his elbows on the grey metal. 'He's supposed to fight against the worst things imaginable and win.'
'Did they beat you?' she asked, brows drawn up and together in worry. 'You're talking nonsense.'
'I-I don't know,' he said and slouched slightly. 'Sorry. Just . . . Keep away from Morgana, Gwen. Gwaine told you about the situation, right?'
'Yes. It's mildly terrifying,' she remarked softly. He saw the affliction carved into her face but it flashed when she looked at him as well. It hadn't died away, still as strong as it had no doubt been when she and Gwaine had spoken.
'Is, isn't it?' Merlin murmured. 'How did you get in here to speak with me?'
'I'm supposed to be questioning you,' she replied with new vigour, glad for the topic change. 'Why you did it, all of that.'
'Who sent you?'
'Uther's temporary replacement. At least I hope he's temporary,' Gwen said, her index finer tracing patterns on the table.
He frowned. 'Wouldn't that be Kilgharrah?'
'It's the new DCS Agravaine.'
'Agravaine?' he repeated, the name new to his tongue but decidedly unpleasant.
'He's ruthless,' she said with disdain, 'but he's the best option they have on such short notice with Kilgharrah refusing the position.'
'Great.'
'I'm so sorry this has happened to you. Being blamed for what she did.'
'It's okay. The charges won't stick. The truth will out, right?'
She stretched her hand to him and grasped his hand reassuringly. He forced up a poor excuse for a smile.
'Oh, if you get out in time we're having a New Year's Celebration at Gwaine's,' she recalled.
'Wow, do you guys ever solely work on a case?'
'Work hard, play hard,' she said with a shy grin.
'They can't keep me over Christmas can they?' He couldn't help but wince inwardly. He worked for the bloody Met Police and had asked such a ridiculous question? Whatever Morgana had done, he could swear it was still affecting him. Inside him.
'They've done it before. If they have reasonable cause,' she answered kindly, overlooking his clear embarrassment.
'Right. Well, if I'm out in time, it sounds like fun,' he told her as he rose, the chair scraping against the ground.
Gwen got up and headed to the door, knocking for a guard to open. 'See you later, then? Don't let anyone interview without getting a solicitor, please?'
'I know. Bye,' he muttered, left alone in the dim room when Gwen slipped out.