Hi readers. First of all, I wish to all of you a happy 2016, filled with smiles and joy!

Now, this chapter is BIG, about 2,5K words. There is a twist I believe most of you expected. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin.

Enjoy!

The next morning Morgana woke up first. She didn't get out of bed, just stayed there admiring Merlin's sleeping form. It was usually him who woke up early and didn't want to wake her. She relaxed at watching his chest gently rise and fall at the slow rhythm of sleeping. She turned to look at the window and started thinking about what they were on for today. She had promised Uther that they would pay him a visit to resume their previous conversation. They would also have to see how Arthur was faring. He didn't seem at all okay when he had left the room the previous night. And then, there was Mordred too, Morgana thought. He would never forgive her if they let him in the dark about what had happened. Did she love Uther, at least only a little? This was the question that had been troubling her ever since she heard him say he was sorry. She didn't expect it, but it seemed as if a part of his frozen heart was intact. He had confessed to his crimes to Arthur. It took a lot of courage to do that, yet he did it. The man who she had always accused of hiding in the shadows and killing in cold blood. It all was so very contradictory. But if Uther proved to be kind once again, would she find the strength to forgive him? Would they then have to face Gorlois and Agravaine? Because even if Uther had repented for his crimes, Gorlois certainly hadn't. And apart from those concerning her and Vivienne, there was Merlin's father too. Another crime they had not been questioned for. They would have to plan all this. As Uther would be certainly be doing now. And Merlin should have the chance to speak too. She hadn't been very kind last night, confronting Uther all by herself. But just seeing him made her so angry and thirsty for vengeance that she couldn't help it. She had missed Merlin's mother, too. The time they had spent together was something she had treasured greatly. Perhaps when all of this was over…she and Merlin would get married…Mordred would have graduated…Morgana's thoughts became more and more confused. Slowly, the world around her started getting blurry. The thoughts of Uther, Merlin, Mordred and the others became distant. After a while, Morgana drifted into sleep again.

"Morgana wake up, it's almost noon"

Merlin came to the bedroom and gently shook Morgana, for what was like the tenth time, that morning. She usually grumbled a bit, but finally woke up. Now, silence was her only reply. He shook her again, a bit more intensely and eventually took of her blanket.

"Hmm, I don't feel well" Morgana grumbled to him.

"Morning sickness?" Merlin asked her with a soft smile.

Morgana shivered underneath and turned her face to him. His face fell. Then was when Merlin realized something was very wrong. Her face was pale, almost white and when he touched her forehead, it was ice cold. Her eyes, usually bright green and bright, now seemed cold, like there was a glass between her and Merlin.

"Morgana, love, what's wrong with you?"

Morgana slightly raised herself on her elbows and opened her mouth to reply. Her voice was weak and trembling.

"It hurts" she said and then closed her eyes tightly.

Merlin hadn't imagined that sometime he could have to deal with an illness. He sat next to her and took her in a hug. He knew absolutely nothing about treating people and the state Morgana seemed to be in made it clear that she needed something, soon. It was obvious she was in pain. Merlin stroked her hair and re-covered her with the blanket.

"Stay here, I'm going to call a doctor" Merlin whispered to her and she nodded in reply.

Merlin hurriedly got out of the room and started thinking. Gwen, how could have he forgotten about her? He just hoped she was in town. He grabbed his phone from his jacket, which was lying on the kitchen table, right where they had left it last night.

"Please answer. Please answer." He said on the phone before Gwen answered. He wasn't sure she would be able to as now she would be on shift at the hospital.

"Hello?"

"Thank god, Gwen is that you?"

"Yes, Merlin. What's wrong?"

"It's Morgana. She woke up like this today. She looks terrible"

"Looks like she's down with the flu?" Gwen asked.

Merlin stopped to think about it. "Hmm, not really. There nothing of the coughing thing, I think."

"Oh. Merlin, I'm sorry but I'm not really trained to identify illnesses. I could come and have a look but it would be best if you took her to the hospital."

"Right. Okay. To the hospital, then it is."

"I'll come and help. I think I can get a twenty minutes break." Gwen announced and hung up.

"Okay. Thank you, Gwen."

Merlin went running to Morgana's room, taking his mobile with him. Morgana was silent for the time being and Merlin sat beside her.

"Gwen is coming" he told her reassuringly. Morgana opened her eyes and cast a look at him.

"Good" she said and tried to smile. "Can I go to the bathroom, Merlin?" she said after a while. "I feel like I'm going to throw up."

Merlin instantly went to help her. She leant on him as they walked slowly to the bathroom.

"I feel terrible." Morgana mumbled to him when he was done. "I probably look the part too."

Merlin chuckled. "Don't worry." He said. "You look fine."

"Yeah, green suits me, I know"

Merlin burst into fits of laughter at her stingy comment. He was not supposed to be laughing at a situation like this, so he mentally kicked himself and turned to her. She was still smiling weakly and he hugged her and helped her reach the sofa and lie on it.

The bell rang just in time and Merlin sat up to answer it.

A concerned Gwen appeared, in her nurse uniform.

"Morgana!" she ran and knelt in front of Morgana. "How are you?"

"Hey Gwen" she answered. She looked and felt loads better than when she had woken up.

"Let's get going then' Merlin urged them, worried about Morgana's condition.

"Come on, Merlin. I guess it's just some kind of the flu" Morgana tried to stand up. She felt guilty for worrying Merlin like this. Perhaps it was just her imagination, the pain and all this. Or stress. Nothing to worry about.

Morgana stood up and looked around. "I'm fine, see?" Then everything went dark.

Merlin was able to catch her before she hit the ground.

"That's definitely not fine." He said more to himself than to Gwen.

"Can you carry her?" Gwen asked him "I'll get the car."

Merlin got Morgana on his arms bridal style and kicked the door in order to open it. Gwen was waiting there, with the car ready. They laid her on the backseat and drove their way the Central Hospital, where Gwen worked.

At the reception was the same smiling lay that had assisted them when they were searching Morgana's birth certificate.

A couple of apprentices who were on break turned to greet Gwen but when they saw Morgana lying unconscious on Merlin's arms they came running to their aid.

"What's wrong with her?" they asked.

"No idea" Merlin replied. "Can you do something? Tell us where to go?"

"I guess it would be good to get her to the emergency center." The red haired doctor told the blond one. Gwen left to explain to the woman at the reception.

"I guess so too."

"But we have to have something to tell the doctor. What's wrong with her. You know what I mean."

"What symptoms has she indicated?" the other turned to Merlin.

"I don't really know. Can't we get her to a doctor?" Merlin said, starting to get irritated by them.

"Of course we will get her to a doctor. Stop worrying so much, will you?"

"I will go fetch…" the other started saying.

"Don't even think about it. I can carry her" Merlin said sternly. "Which way?"

The red haired guy pointed to a door at the right. Gwen joined them along the way.

Se opened the door for Merlin and they placed Morgana on the bed. The doctor, a middle aged man with square spectacles and a stern expression waved them to leave.

"You stay" he told Gwen. She gave Merlin a reassuring look and closed the door behind her.

Merlin could not stop pacing not even for a minute. What was wrong with his beloved Morgana? Was it his fault? Had she not been eating enough lately? Had she not been dressed properly? Had she been experiencing too much stress? Would she ever recover from it? His thoughts as time passed became scarier and scarier. How would he cope if she didn't make it? Did she suffer from some gruesome disease that she hadn't told him about? When he came to think about it, he realized there was much he didn't know about her, not because she had concealed it but because he hadn't thought to ask her. He decided to call his mother to calm down but in the middle changed his mind and closed it. They only thing she would achieve would be to stress him more, he thought.

"Mr Emrys" a voice called from the corner. Merlin literally ran to where he had been called.

The doctor was there waiting for him and Gwen was beside him.

"Have you found what's wrong with her?" Merlin started asking, frantically "Is she going to be alright? Is it my fault?"

Gwen smirked at the last question.

"As a matter of fact, yes" she winked.

Merlin just stood there, not understanding at all what they were talking about.

"What?" Merlin asked.

"Mr. Emrys, are you the companion of Miss Le Fay?"

"Eerm, yes" Merlin replied, wondering where this conversation would lead.

"Then you have the right to know, that you are soon going to be a father."

"What?" Merlin knew he should be kinder in the presence of a doctor but now had other things on his mind.

"Miss Le Fay is with child."

Merlin said nothing.

But now it wasn't worry or guilt that kept him from talking. It was immense joy. So much that he thought that is he opened his mouth to speak he would start singing and dancing around the hospital. He was having a baby with Morgana. They had managed to create life.

"Can I see her?" he asked impatiently.

"Yes, you can. I'll check if she is awake." Gwen replied and left.

The doctor extended his hand.

"So, congratulations." Merlin shook his hand.

"Thank you" His smile was now wide enough to reach his ears. Gwen appeared from the corner.

"She's sleeping now, but she should be awake any time now. You can come."

Merlin followed her.

Morgana was lying on a bed, covered with a blanket. Her slow breathing indicated that she was still asleep. He took her all in, her facial features, her black hair spluttered across the pillows, making the perfect contrast. Her lips where slightly open and her chest was going steadily up and down, in sync with her breathing. He took a chair and sat next to her, cautious not to wake her.

"Merlin?"

She was now wide awake. Her eyes were open and she fluttered her eyelids at the light of the room. She was obviously confused. She seemed healthy though and her sea green eyes were bright and brilliant once again.

"Hello, beautiful" Merlin smiled at her.

"Where am I? What am I doing here?" she started asking after taking in the surroundings. The last thing she remembered was Gwen in their living room.

"Morgana, you are pregnant!" Merlin was planning on telling her the news more smoothly. But seeing her in such a worried mood while he was over the moon with happiness seemed unfair to him.

"Oh" Morgana said, her expression unreadable.

"Just oh? Aren't you happy?" Merlin asked her.

"Don't be silly. Of course I'm happy. Just shocked that's all."

Morgana sighed with exhaustion and lied again on the bed. A baby. It seemed so out of this world. And then again, so inconvenient. She made the thought but when she realized what it was she cursed herself for it. It was life they had created, that surely was something to be happy about. But what would their life be from now on? There would be complications. A world full of scandals, with maniacs trying to kill her and all the nonsense that they had been going through the past months, it was not how she wanted her baby to grow up. And then again, the thought popped up in her head, you are still unmarried.

Merlin was still talking. "A baby, I can't believe it. I wish it has your eyes, they are so beautiful. Oh, our baby will definitely be beautiful. I have to call mum and tell her the news. You need to phone Mordred and Draco. They will be so happy. A baby.."

Morgana had thought about going back to sleep. She was tired and her belly hurt. But after hearing Merlin talk like this for a minute or too she reopened her eyes and let herself relax. He turned to her and smiled the largest smile she had ever seen in him. His eyes lighted up and she felt immediately proud of being able to give him such a feeling. It was infectious. Morgana felt the edges of her lips turning up without her consent. She placed her hand on Merlin's. He turned it over so that they could hold hands.

"Thank you" he whispered to her again and again.

"We will manage, won't we?" she asked him in an uncertain voice.

"Of course we will manage." Merlin smiled at her. "Stop worrying, we will be fine."

"We will be fine" Morgana repeated dreamily.

Merlin was still smiling that boyish grin that melted her heart every time. She looked at his face. He had the most beautiful blue eyes, she thought. They were so blue, and deep and full of emotion. She could live a million lives and never deserve him. He was so kind and gentle and good with her. She started realizing how exactly lucky she was.

Determined to throw every negative feeling to the wind, she raised herself on the bed and crashed her lips on his again and again, desperate to be consumed in the happiness and kindness Merlin radiated in waves.

Sooo, what do you guys think?

Drop a line and send me your thoughts. There is nothing better for a fanfiction writer to see notification in their inbox