When Hunith returned she smiled at her two boys. Merlin was asleep and Arthur was looking at her son holding his hand. "It went well I take it?" she asked quietly.
"I think so, but it's so hard all I want to do his hug him." Arthur told her. "I wonder if his memories will return."
"Who knows Arthur, but just be thankful he's alive, I am. I know he remembers me but even if he didn't it would still be worth it" Hunith pointed out. "Are you coming back this evening?"
"I am, listen he's asleep why don't we go and get something to eat together" Arthur asked his mother in law.
"I suppose I could, it would give us chance to talk." They went off to a nearby restaurant and had a meal before Arthur set off home to shower and change.
Hunith headed back to the hospital. Her son was awake when she walked in he had eaten a small amount of food and was looking out of the window. His nurse had just taken his observations. He was clearly still worn out and not very sociable bit Hunith sat and talked to him about all that had happened in the past two years hoping to spark Merlin's memory.
"Mum, I've got a headache" Merlin complained after awhile.
"Sorry, do you need anything for it? Shall I get a nurse" she asked him concerned that he was in pain.
"No I just want to rest" he told her.
Hunith sat quietly allowing her thoughts to roam when Arthur walked in. This time instead of his suit he had on his red shirt and casual slacks a combination he knew Merlin had said looked go on him. He walked up to the bed but Merlin didn't stir.
Arthur touched Merlin's hand and rubbed this thumb on the inside of Merlin's wrist. Merlin stirred and looked up to see Arthur gazing at him. "Are you watching me sleep?" he asked.
"No I've just got here. I wanted to see if you were asleep or resting your eyes." Arthur told him. "Your mums asleep"
Merlin looked across to his mother "Get her to go home and not come in tomorrow, she won't listen to me, if she's been ill she can't do this every day."
"That was a while ago but I'll see what I can do. How are you?"Arthur asked him
"Tired I don't want to keep talking, I know that sounds ungrateful but I want to sleep"
"I understand, look I'll wake your mum and take her home, then I'll pop back for awhile and just sit here. I won't wake you again."
Arthur got a half hearted grin from Merlin "Your creepy, watching me sleep."
"Perhaps but your beautiful, even with your funny hair style, I will be glad to see it re grow." Arthur told him before he shook Hunith's shoulder "Come on Hunith let's get you home" As he promised he managed to get Hunith to agree to having a day at home, telling her that Merlin would need her more when he was feeling better. He went back to the ward after and sat with Merlin, deep in thought. At nine he went home feeling even more despondent he had made a special effort today and Merlin hadn't even noticed.
Before he left he spoke to the nurse looking after Merlin and was told he was being moved out of the Intensive care and into the High Dependency area in the morning. Arthur arranged to come in saying that Hunith was getting some rest. He popped into the office first thing and told his PA before heading to Intensive Care. Merlin was clearly unsettled by the move and Arthur was glad he was there for him. He was in a room with just one other person, an older man who appeared friendly enough. Arthur did ask that when it was possible could Merlin be in a single he was happy to pay privately. The nurses took note and said once he was moved to a general ward that that would be arranged.
Arthur thought Merlin seemed pleased to see him, but there was still a distance between them. Once Merlin was settled Arthur left promising to visit straight after work. Arthur was soon back at his desk, but finding it hard to concentrate. It wasn't helped by his Uncle coming to see him. Since the will Agravaine had taken a far stronger interest in the company and seemed to be making an effort to know the business. But the man irritated Arthur. This time Agravaine was asking a series of questions on procedural matters.
"Look Uncle I appreciate you want to know these things but I suggest you find someone else to ask. I haven't got the time, I'm trying to fit in work around visiting Merlin as it is." He snapped. "Ask my PA I'm sure if he can't help he knows who can."
"I'm sorry Arthur of course, have the police had any luck finding the woman who pushed your husband into the road?" Agravaine asked hoping to find out what was going on.
"No they haven't! Now if you'll excuse me" Arthur practically shouted at his uncle. Agravaine left Arthur's office practically smirking, it was clear that Arthur was finding life difficult at the moment and that was no way for a CEO to keep his head above water.
By the time Arthur had started to get ready to leave work he received a phone call from the hospital, Merlin had taken a turn for the worse. It seemed he had a high temperature and as yet the doctors had been unable to find the cause. It was clear he had an infection of some sort and antibiotics had been increased. Unfortunately with his spleen removed Merlin was far more susceptible to infection. Arthur rushed to the hospital only to find the doctors in with Merlin. His dressings and casts had been removed to check all his wounds and any open area had been swabbed. They were just replacing everything.
Mr Baynard came out to see Arthur. "We believe we know what the problem is. I have commenced some specific intravenous antibiotics and ordered some tests. A microbiologist is now involved and Merlin is being transferred back to ICS. It seems he has meningitis a strain caused by Pseudomonas."
Arthur turned to the doctor "Why wasn't this spotted earlier?"
"The nurses did note a rise in temperature and informed us, but his condition changed rapidly. With his reduced immune response from losing his spleen the infection spread quickly. But at the same time we caught it early. Once we have transferred him you can see him but we need to get him sorted. He won't need ventilation but intensive monitoring. You can visit him just follow the simple rules the nurses give you."
It was an hour before Arthur and by then Hunith got to see Merlin and with the antibiotic and other drugs on board he was looking better. It was another setback, but nothing they couldn't beat together of that Hunith at least was certain. The first few days where the worse, they didn't know if Merlin would life or if he did if he would suffer any further disabilities. It was a long week for Arthur and Hunith before they were told Merlin was once more recovering, due to the rapid action of the doctors the treatment prevented any longer term problems although they were warned it was know even less likely that Merlin's memory would return. He was in ICU for a week before returning to High Dependency. It was a week that Hunith and Arthur would never forget.
The whole situation had made Arthur temper suffer and he was becoming unbearable at work. He did however listen when Morgana told him he needed to chill. She spent more and more time supporting him and helping him to cope; she was doing the same for Hunith. Without Morgana's influence the situation could well have got out of control. Morgana surprised Leon as she was normally very bossy and controlling but in this situation she was able to act as a buffer between Arthur and the rest of the world that allowed Arthur to function and continue work. This break from the hospital was necessary; Arthur was finding Merlin's condition very hard to deal with. He was used to sorting problems but in this case there was nothing he could do, he was in the hands of the medical professionals.
It was once Merlin was getting back on the track to recovery that something his uncle had said came back into his mind. One evening while at Morgana's and Leon's for a meal he asked Leon a question. "Have the police made any progress with the case?"
"No they looked at CITV and found nothing to help them, witnesses weren't any better it all happened so quickly." Leon told him.
"Do they know anything about the person? anything at all?" Arthur persisted.
"No sorry Arthur he or she was white and they presume young, due to the rollerblades but that's all accept for a rough size and shape. The person had baggy nondescript cloths and sunglasses on with a hat covering their head." Leon went on to explain.
"Then why did Agravaine ask me if they'd caught the woman?" Arthur asked.
"He did when?" Morgana asked.
"The day the hospital phoned me about Merlin getting ill. Agravaine came to the office wittering on and then asked if they'd managed to find the woman who had pushed Merlin into the road." He paused "I forgot all about it until earlier and then for some reason it come back to me."
"But the police have never suggested it was a woman more than a man. In fact if anything they thought it might be a man. Rollerblading in the area seems to be more of a male preserve. They also think it was an accidental bump rather than a push." Leon said "so I have no idea where he got that from."
Morgana suddenly sat up straighter "Didn't Morgause used to skate?" she asked. "It can't be that different, you don't think….."
Arthur went pale "You think it might have been her?"
"I don't know. I hope not" Morgana said shakily "Leon could you arrange for us to see the CITV tapes"
"I don't know, but even if we did it would be proving it and realistically that wouldn't be easy."