Another chapter for all my amazing followers (and favorites and reviewers). And this one is rather long, a lot longer than most chapters so please enjoy it. More in the ending note, so for now, please enjoy and tell me what you thought of it!

X

Merlin stared with shocked eyes at the man in front of him, a warm smile spread over Will's lips next to him. He felt how joy rose in his heart as tears jumped to his eyes. 'Father!' He screamed again as he almost jumped in his father's arms.

Balinor chuckled softly as he embraced his son. 'It's good to see you again, Merlin.' His voice was soft and gentle, and what he later realised, it was fatherly.

He pushed slightly back, eyeing his father before he turned back to look at Will. 'Am I
dead?' The two other men stiffened slightly, looking at each other before Balinor let out a deep sigh... It definitely wasn't reassuring. 'I am dead, aren't I?' His voice was calm, but his mind screamed.

Oh god, oh god! He couldn't be dead, not now, not when he hadn't seen his children!

Tears jumped to his eyes, he didn't want to die yet! He felt Will's reassuring arms around him, trying to calm him down. He leaned into his friend's arms, searching for the familiar warmth he knew from his youth.

It was his father who answered. 'You aren't dead... yet...' The last word he said with slight hesitation. 'We're currently at the place between life and dead, you can still go both ways.'

He blinked at his father. 'S-so I can go back home? Which way do I have to go?'

Balinor shook his head. 'That's not for me to say, I don't even know which way it would be, you have to figure that out yourself.' He took his son back in his arms. 'Things will just happen as they happen.'

X

Arthur's head snapped upwards as he heard Gwaine's way to feminine scream. His eyes widened in shock, Gwaine was with his babies, without a moment of hesitation he jumped up, rushing away from Merlin's side towards his children.

But he stopped as he stood in the door opening, staring slightly startled at the scene in front of him, a small smile spread over his lips.

Gwaine was hanging upside down in the room, his hair a bright pink as he was struggling to get back to his feet,- which definitely wasn't happening-. 'Get me down, get me down!'

His eyes shifted to his children and he chuckled as he saw Will's golden eyes. He quickly walked towards the crib, taking Will in his arms and immediately the golden eyes turned back to blue.

Gwaine groaned as his body hit the ground, - his hair was still pink-, and quickly climbed back to his feet.

'What have you done?' He asked his knight as he rocked his baby, his eyes shooting for a moment to Kay, but the other child was still asleep.

'I have done nothing!' Gwaine breathed out as he crossed his arms. '... I just wanted to play with him.'

Arthur smiled softly. 'Apparently he thought that this was playing, he's Merlin's son after all.'

'And he's your son.' The brunette whispered before he threw his arms in the air and stated. 'Fine you can play with them.' Gwaine quickly walked towards the door before he turned back. 'Bye my babies, will play with you later.'

Arthur watched him disappear before he walked towards the chair, slowly rocking Will in his arms as he sat down. Somehow Will had always wanted more attention from him than Kay, the older twin had just been so silent ever since he was born.

'Arthur?'

He looked up as he heard his name and stared at Gwen's soft smile. 'What is it?'

'The council needs you... Don't worry it won't take long.'

He sighed but nodded as he stood up, carefully placing Will back in the crib and he brushed his thumbs over both their cheeks before he walked with Gwen out of the room.

X

Merlin hung in his father's arms, still crying softly as Balinor rubbed his back. It felt save in his father's arms, something he had longed for since he was very little, his wish only to be granted in dead.

'... Please son, you have to stop crying now, there are more important things you have to do, we don't have long.'

'W-what do you mean?' He frowned as he looked from Balinor to Will, both staring with slightly concerned eyes at him.

It was Will who answered. 'Merlin, we can't stay long in this place, we belong in the world of the dead and our time here is limited.'

He felt another tear roll over his cheek, he knew that they were dead, but he hoped that he could at least talk with them a while longer. 'How long?'

'A few minutes.' Balinor whispered and Merlin felt another sob rise in the back of his throat. 'It will be your own choice which way you go, you can go with us or you can go back to Arthur and your children...' Balinor had barely said those words or a smile crossed his lips at only the thought of his grandchildren. 'I must say that they're beautiful, I'm so proud of you.'

'I want to go back to them.' He stated, it was the only thing he knew for certain, they needed him, he needed them.

'Than you just have to follow your heart.' Balinor stated. 'It's your biggest chance of getting home.' A sad smile crossed his lips. 'Can you do one more thing for me? Can you tell your mother that I love her and that I'm sorry for leaving her behind, I tried to do what I thought was best for her.'

'She knows that and I promise you that I will tell her when I get back.'

'Thank you.' A tear rolled over Balinor's cheek. 'Merlin, I love you so much and I'm sorry that I haven't been able to be there for you when you were younger.'

'It's alright.' He breathed out a he tried to give his father a smile. He should be glad that he at least had known his father for that short amount of time and now, that he at least could have talked to him... and to Will. 'Can the two of you forgive me, I was the one that caused both your deaths.'

'Will you just give that a rest already!' His head snapped back to Will, who was glaring at him. 'We died for you, because we love you.' Balinor nodded that he agreed with the other man's words. 'We lo-.' Will's mouth snapped close, his eyes growing with sudden fright.

'What is it?'

Balinor and Will shot each other another glance before his father answered. 'Our time is almost over, we have to leave now.'

'No, no you can't, not yet, please!' Merlin begged as he fisted his hands in his father's shirt, not caring that more tears slipped from his eyes.

'We have to go, Merlin.' Balinor's voice was gentle as he wrapped his arms around his son, Will soon joining in.

Merlin never wanted them to leave, to let go of him, never to break their embrace, but way to soon they released him. He wanted to scream, beg, but he knew it wouldn't make a difference.

'Bye Merlin.'

'Goodbye son.'

They whispered those words to him before they turned around and started to walk into the darkness.

He stared frozen at them as they slowly disappeared from his sight, their lights slowly dying out. It was then that he couldn't take it anymore, his feet moving on their own as he screamed. 'No, don't leave me, I don't want to be alone!' And he meant it, every word of it. He didn't want to be alone in this darkness anymore, he wanted to stay with them, he needed to stay with them!

Big tears rolled over his cheeks as he ran, his feet taking him further into the darkness. It felt as if he ran for hours, but his feet stopped as sudden as they had started. His eyes fixated on two lights in front of him, staring down at him from a distance. 'Dad, Will?' They didn't answer him.

He reached for them, wanting to step forwards, but he could feel a soft barrier push him slightly back, he could break it, but... did he want to break it? It would mean that he could be with his friend and father, the idea was tempting.

... Was there even a reason to not do it? He didn't know anymore, he knew that he was forgetting something, but what was it... he couldn't remember.

So he stepped forwards, through the barrier and immediately he could feel a cold darkness run over him, but he didn't care for that, he was so close.

He took another step, more darkness and-...

He didn't take a third step, instead his head snapped around, frowning softly as he tried to focus on the sound that he heard. It was a loud piercing sound, but at the same time still soft and faraway.

He tilted his head slightly to the side, why was he so interested in the sound... why did he care so much. Merlin looked back to two figures in front of him, they were slowly disappearing into the darkness.

Merlin didn't know what to do, he wanted to go to Will and Balinor, but... he just felt concern rise in his heart as he heard the sound, almost as if his instinct took over. He took a slight step backwards towards the sound.

The frown on his face grew deeper as he recognized the sound, it was the sound of someone crying... No.. no, it was a baby crying!

'Oh god!' His mind screamed, his babies!

Without a second thought he took off, again stepping through the barrier, but this time to the other side.

He didn't even notice the relieved laughs that the two figures let out before they disappeared.

He ran as fast as he could, the air around them turning lighter, but he didn't care for that, he just knew that he had to get back to his children, he wouldn't let anyone hurt them, he wasn't going to abandon them. He felt how his body became light and he gasped as a blinding light spread around him.

...

A gasp left his lips as he shot upwards, his eyes snapping open. He barely registered the bed he lay in and threw the sheets of him. He quickly stepped out of bed, ignoring his pounding head and the piercing pain in his stomach as he followed the loud scream, it was heartbreaking.

He quickly crossed the hallway and walked into his children's room. His instincts took over as he reached into the crib, glancing once at the silent black haired boy before he took the screaming blond in his arms.

The blond haired boy immediately fell silent, his blue eyes staring up at his father and it was almost as if relieve was spread in them.

He felt how a proud smile spread over his lips, staring at the boy he knew was his son before he looked at the other boy, they were without a doubt his children, he could feel it in their energy.

It was then that he felt his legs go unsteady and he quickly sat down in the chair. He hadn't realised that he was so tired, but he tried to ignore it as he rocked the child in his arms, carefully as he felt the small heartbeat against his own chest, it was the most incredible feeling he had ever felt.

X

Arthur let out another irritated hiss, his heart longed to go back to Merlin and his babies, but his mind knew he had to do this, his kingdom needed him.

'Go back to them.' He was slightly startled as he heard the whisper in his ear. His head snapped to the side, starring at a concerned looking Leon. 'You have done what you needed to do here, I will finish it.'

The knights and Gwen had tried to help him as much as they possible could, knowing that his heart was broken by the current events.

He nodded. 'Thank you.' He whispered back before he turned to the council. 'Sir Leon will take over from me.' And with those words he just left, not caring what they thought, he just couldn't take it for much longer.

He gulped as he walked through the hallways, his mind on the conversation he had just before the council with Iseldir, it wasn't a good one.

Arthur quickly made his way towards the council, not wanting to be longer away from Merlin and his kids then he had to, but he was soon startled out of his thoughts. 'My lord, could you spare me a moment?'

'Of course.' He answered with slight hesitation.

Iseldir didn't immediately answered him, first he let out a slightly concerned breath. 'I wish to talk to you about Emrys' situation. He has been asleep for too long, I fear... I fear that he won't wake up anymore. It isn't the first time I have seen something like this happen, people falling into an endless sleep, in the end they will just die...'

'No, no, no!' He screamed, not wanting to hear those words, even though he feared they were the truth. 'He isn't going to die!'

'My lord...' The druid started before he fell silent for a moment more. '... We will talk about this later, just... promise me that you will think about it.'

Arthur didn't answer, he just ran off.

He breathed deeply in as he tried to shake the conversation out of his mind. He knew Iseldir's words were the truth and it scared him, he didn't want to lose Merlin... He wasn't even sure if he could bring Will and Kay up without him.

Arthur walked towards his and Merlin's chambers, wanting to check up on his lover before he would go to their kids.

He reached for the door and immediately he froze, seeing how the door was partly opened, nobody would leave it open, right? He frowned softly as he felt concern rise in his heart and he threw open the door, immediately his eyes shot towards the bed... His heart sank.

Merlin wasn't there!

Panic spread through his mind as his eyes shot through the room, trying to find his lover, but the man was nowhere in sight.

He turned right on his heels, his children. They were save, right?

But he froze as he stood in the doorway, the panic slowly fading away as a gentle smile crossed his face.

Merlin was sitting in the chair next to the crib, Kay in his arms and he was gently rocking the baby.

He slowly made his way towards Merlin, kneeling down next to his husband. 'Merlin.'

The raven looked slowly up, his eyes partly closed as it was clear he was tired. He blinked several times before he asked. 'Arthur?'

'Yeah, it's me, my love.' He said with joy, he wanted to scream and yell in pure relief, but knew he shouldn't, not wanting to scare his lover and babies. 'You have been asleep for a while, do you know that?' Merlin only hummed in reaction and Arthur added. 'They are beautiful, aren't they? I'm so proud of you.'

Merlin chuckled softly. 'Yeah, they're really beautiful... tell me, who is who?'

'You're holding Kay, he's the oldest and the other one is Will.' The last saying as he looked towards his youngest son in the crib.

'I see...' Merlin breathed out and it was a while before he added. '... Kay was crying so I came to calm him down.' He looked back up at Arthur. 'Can you take him, I really want to go back to sleep.'

Arthur felt panic rise again, he didn't want Merlin to go back to sleep, but... the man looked so tired. So he nodded with slight hesitation, taking Kay from Merlin's arms as he tucked the baby back into his bed.

He turned back to Merlin, who almost had fallen asleep again. He smiled as he placed a gentle kiss on Merlin's lips, the raven returning it before the warlock settled back into the chair, sleeping.

'Thank you for waking.' He whispered before he lifted Merlin up and carried the man back to their bed.

X

A/N: Yeeyy, I didn't give you people another cliffhanger, aren't you guys proud of me? And people are you satisfied with this chapter? Merlin is still alive and awake. (sorry if I aren't making any sense, it's rather late for me and tomorrow I have school again...).

Even so I must tell all of you that the next chapter will be the last one. Still... I have a sequel to this story in mind (actually two, but that doesn't matter now). A story that will take place when Kay and Will are around twelve years old. So would you people like to see that one?