A/N:

Pat 2 of 'Concussion' is finally here! Thought I would take the chance to do some more while I was off work, having done more damage to my back.

Have fun!

I've checked a couple of times, but alas – I do not own Merlin.

CHARACTERS: Arthur & Merlin

RATED: T

GENRE: Hurt/Comfort and Angst

WARNINGS: Possibly graphic description of a head injury, that's about all.

Merlin takes a tumble during a hunt and hits his head. Featuring bromance, because we all love it.

THE ADVENTURES OF MERLIN

Concussed II

The young Warlock regained consciousness slowly and painfully. His limbs where leaden and as much as he tried, he could not move his head more than a few centimetres without a knife of agony tearing through his addled brain, threatening to take him under once more.

His mouth was as dry as a desert and he licked his lips a few times to sooth the bloody splits he found there.

'Arthur?' Merlin rasped pathetically, taking in their temporary shelter with half lidded eyes. Firelight danced upon the cave walls, casting flickering shadows across the stone. How the King managed to find even a tiny bit of dry wood in the downpour, Merlin will never know – but he was grateful for the small comfort in Arthur's absence.

Arthur's absence?

Panic clenched at his heart as his eyes roved around the shelter, searching for a glint of armour or a flash of golden hair that signify the King's presence – but he found no signs.

The youths breath hitched, and he slowly inched himself into a sitting position, trying to ignore the wave of dizziness that overcame his senses.

Slowly...easy does it...

Came a voice inside his head that sounded suspiciously like Gaius. Merlin ignored it and using the wall of the cave as support, he clambered to his feet.

He took barely a step before his knees crashed to the ground and he was heaving into the dust, tears of pain mingling with sweat as bile burned his throat.

'You idiot, why on earth did you do that for?' Came a gentle voice from beside him. A large hand splayed at the small of his back in support as Merlin convulsed – still trying to rid his stomach of everything so he wouldn't have to vomit again.

Arthur was by his side again – he could sense his closeness and strangely enough, his intense concern. It radiated from him like an aura, washing over Merlin like a wave. It left him reeling.

'Where were you...was worried,' the young man panted, allowing the King to lift him from under the arms and get him to his feet.

Arthur scoffed and rolled his eyes.

'I had to pee,' he replied dryly, but his gaze never lost its worry for the boy. At least he was conscious now. It was a good sign. 'You on the other hand, should not be up. You bashed your head pretty good.'

Merlin gave the King a shaky smile, to convey that he was alright, but Arthur had a knack for reading him like a book and shook his head. 'You most certainly are not alright. You've been out cold for hours.' He berated, lowering the young man back to his makeshift bed.

'Were you worried, my liege?' Merlin chuckled softly, then winced as the movement of his facial muscles sent black dots reeling across his vision.

'Don't be stupid Merlin. Of course I wasn't worried. You have no brain to damage, so you'll be back to your irritating self in no time, I'd imagine.' Arthur retorted, carefully untying the neckerchief and peeling in from the wound. It wasn't bleeding any more, but the skin around the gash was red and swollen – which meant their night was about to get much worse.

'What is it?' Merlin asked, noticing the furrow on the King's brow. 'It's getting infected, isn't it?'

Arthur nodded grimly before retying the makeshift bandage. 'Just get some rest, alright Merlin?'

The boy nodded and closed his eyes. He would need all the sleep he could get, because in a few hours he would probably feel much, much worse.

*~*M*~*

Arthur woke abruptly, silently cursing himself for falling asleep when he was supposed to be keeping an eye on his friend. The fire had burnt to embers, but even in the dim light he could tell something was amiss.

At the opposite side of the cave, Merlin uttered a long groan and the King scramble d over on hands and knees to check on him.

Merlin's dark hair was plastered to his brow by a sheen of sweat and he thrashed beneath the woollen blankets that Arthur had so carefully wrapped him in hours earlier.

Jaw clenched in worry, the King rested the back of his hand against Merlin's cheek and winced at the heat he found there.

Things had most definitely taken a turn for the worst.

'Damn it Merlin, you just had to go and injure yourself, didn't you?' He murmured, pulling the blankets away and frowning at the boys slim frame. He made a mental note to ensure Merlin was fed better when they returned to Camelot, though he had a feeling that his malnourishment had less to do with Gaius not being able to afford food and more to do with the fact that his manservant was an imbecile.

He was snapped from his reverie when Merlin let out a harsh grunt, his spine curving upwards and lifting from the ground in some kind of spasm. Arthur jumped back, bewildered as the young man began to seize violently; his limbs flailing from the intensity of the fever.

The King swallowed heavily, ignoring the tears prickling at the back of his eyes. He was no Physician and with only the most basic of medical training, namely battlefield triage – he had no idea what he should be doing. His instinct told him that the last thing he should do was hold him down. It was when Merlin's breaths; tenuous to begin with, had slowed to a strained puff every couple of seconds, that the King was spurred to action. He gripped the still shaking boy firmly by his shoulders and turned him onto his side, sighing in relief when Merlin's breathing seemed to ease. Arthur remained by his side as the convulsions abated, but his fingers, which had found their way subconsciously to the boys raven mop, continued to stroke long after he stilled.

He hoped to the gods that Merlin did not remember a second of this, because he was acting like the biggest girl's petticoat in the five kingdoms.

Now alert, Arthur alternated between sitting with Merlin and checking the sky outside – which had cleared of the storm and was beginning to lighten. He had little choice but to carry the young man back to Camelot, but he didn't have a clue as to how he would get Merlin down the side. He scratched his head and paced for a bit before an idea struck him. It wasn't very sound, and it could easily go wrong, making matters worse – but he had to try. The alternative was racing back to Camelot, fetching a horse and riding back. He doubted Merlin had that kind of time. So he carefully divested Merlin of all his blankets and proceeded to craft a knotted rope from them in which he hoped to lower Merlin down the rock precipice and safely to the ground.

It took him several minutes to make the rope and a couple more to ensure the knots were sound before he fastened it securely around Merlin's waist – panic spiking when he didn't reacted to the jostling.

'Alright then dollophead, lets get this over with, shall we?' Arthur muttered, lifting the youth with ease and exiting the cave. He situated the boy at the ledge and took a deep breath, holding the blankets tightly before nudging Merlin off the edge with his foot.

The youth dropped a couple of inches before Arthur tightened the slack and began to lower him inch by inch to the muddy ground below.

It didn't even take five minutes, but it felt like hours to Arthur – who dropped to his knees in relief when Merlin hit the ground gently with no further injuries. Now he just needed to get him back to Gaius.

They made it back to the Citadel by noon that day, Arthur sore and weary from hefting Merlin across half the country side and Merlin, unresponsive since the last time they spoke the previous night.

The King was beyond concern now, only nodding at Guinevere when she met them at the stairs. His only focus now was Merlin and getting him some medical treatment. His legs took him through the bustling corridors of the castle itself but he ignored the questioning looks as he traversed the familiar route to Gaius's chambers.

The door was slightly ajar when the King arrived, and he nudged it the rest of the way with his hip; startling the old man, who was carefully pouring some kind of viscous liquid into a potion vial.

He immediately ceased is actions when he saw his young ward cradled in the King's arms, pale and unconscious.

'What on earth happened Sire?' The physician demanded, clearing his cot and stepping aside so Arthur could put him down.

'He fell Gaius. It wasn't far but he hit his head.'

The old man peeled Merlin's lids apart and tutted gently before hobbling to his shelf of medicines and selecting a couple of vials.

'Has he been concious at all?' He queried, puckering the boys lips in order to pour a purple concoction down his throat.

'Several times. He lost conciousness briefly on impact, but he was really out of it when he was awake. He developed a fever during the night and had some kind of fit but he's been unresponsive since then.' Arthur explained, his heart plummeting at the furrow on Gaius's brow. 'Will he be alright?'

The physician sighed, drawing the blankets up to Merlin's chin. 'Only time will tell, My Lord – but you know Merlin. He's as stubborn as a mule. You can be certain he's fighting.'

Arthur knew he would be. Deep down he was certain that Merlin would pull through. All they had to do was wait – and the King did wait.

He fell asleep on the stool by Merlin's side and when he awoke sometime later that night, Merlin was smiling tiredly up at him, clearly under the influence of some very strong pain medication.

Arthur smiled back and gently ruffled his hair.

'It's good to see you, old friend,' He murmured, not caring in the slightest if he was inadvertently admitting his concern.

'It's good to see you too, clotpole.' Merlin retorted and the King sighed.

Some things never change.

There you have it. Part two! Stay tuned for the next chapter – I'm still trying to gather all my prompts up again for use (I lost the originals) So there is a possibility that the next one will be from a plot bunny that's been bouncing around in my head for about a week; featuring Merlin with appendicitis. Let me know if its something you'd like to read and I'll be back, hopefully sooner rather than later!