Arthur got up from the chair but was hardly able to stand. Leon held his elbow followed the doctor into see Merlin. Kay remained behind he would need to speak to the doctor again but at the moment the family members came first.
He couldn't remember a case of such abuse and the details had shocked him. It made him even more determined to bring the people involved to justice. He felt sick after what he had heard and felt a great deal of sympathy for the family. He needed to arrange some sort of protection as Merlin was the only witness and they had no idea how many other perpetrators were still at large. If Merlin were too die, and that looked likely, they would have a murder enquiry on their hands. He wasn't looking forward to looking at the photos later.
Arthur was trying hard not to break down; he couldn't comprehend how much Merlin must have been through to end up in such a state. Leon was also devastated, Arthur's husband had become a very good friend of both himself and Morgana, and he wasn't looking forward to telling her Merlin's condition.
He also knew Gwaine would be devastated, he was very protective of the man he considered a younger brother and had been the most affected of the young man's friends when Merlin had been kidnapped.
As they entered the lobby leading to the side ward they were asked to use the alcohol spray and put on gloves and gowns to reduce infection risk. Leon noticed Arthur taking a deep breath as if to prepare himself for what he was about to see.
They went though the inner door and their eyes were immediately drawn to the small figure on the bed surrounded but tubes and machines. The form in the bed was so slight that there was hardly a bump where Merlin was lying. The nurse stepped back for the bedside as the two men entered.
Then Arthur saw Merlin's face. He gasped in shock. It was like a bare skull with a tube into the mouth and another up the left nostril. He couldn't believe that it was Merlin. Tears started to fall and he shook as he put out his hand to touch his husband's cheek. He bent forward and put a kiss on the sick mans forehead.
"Oh my love I'm so sorry, this is my fault, please be strong, I can't live without you"
Two years of worry and stress caught up with him and Arthur broke down sobbing. He was shaking uncontrollably. The nurse pushed a chair up and Arthur sat down like he was pole axed. He took hold of Merlin's right hand as gently as he could; it was all skin and bone and there were heavy bandages around the wrist.
He just sat there and stared into Merlin's face as if he could hardly believe it was Merlin in the bed. He was glad to see his husbands once more. But at the same time he was horrified at his condition, it was worse than he than he could have ever imagined, in his worst nightmares.
Leon stood back not knowing what to do or say, he slowly moved forward and put both his hands on Arthur's shoulders as if to hold him steady. Merlin's appearance shocked him more than he would admit; it was hard to believe that someone could do this to another human being.