Chapter Text
Merlin walked down the pavement holding the Catha Staff while Mordred pushed himself along next to him.
"What's going on, Dad?" Mordred asked. "What's with the Staff?"
"We're tracking down Marcus's parents," Merlin answered as he continuously scanned the neighbourhood.
Mordred frowned. "I remember him mentioning once that they were cruel and he no longer spoke to them. That he protected his siblings."
Merlin nodded. "Protected them, raised them, helped them move forward. All the Kane kids carry scars, but none more than Marcus. He doesn't discuss it, and I'm not going into further detail."
"Understood," Mordred agreed. "Is there a reason we aren't using the car?"
"They aren't far, and you miss things while driving," Merlin explained. "Do you need to go home?"
"I'm fine," Mordred assured him. "Checked my vitals about an hour ago. 119 over 72 with a heart rate of 74. I'll check again when we get home. You still haven't answered about the Staff."
"You are going to learn how to do a controlled memory wipe," Merlin declared. "Typically it is done through touch, but I doubt we can get them close enough to let you touch them. So the Staff is acting as an extension."
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Mordred wondered. "Last time I held that thing, I planned to kill Sarcette and ended up in a three-month coma that left me in a chair."
"None of which is the Staff's fault," Merlin corrected. "If anything, it stabilised you long enough for Marcus to find you and help. Do you remember what I said about intent when using it?"
Mordred nodded. "I have to focus my thoughts. Otherwise, I end up killing my opponent, which is a last-resort option because the Staff is designed to kill."
"Good," Merlin praised before stopping in his tracks, looking at two people sitting on a bench in the neighbourhood park, looking straight back at them. "Found them. Something's wrong, though."
He handed the Catha Staff to Mordred. "Stay twenty feet behind me. Do not use the Staff until I tell you. Do I make myself clear, son?"
"Loud and clear, Dad," Mordred confirmed as he took the Staff.
As they got closer, Mordred felt something profoundly wrong with the elderly couple. "Dad?"
"What?" Merlin asked.
"They don't have heartbeats," Mordred warned.
Merlin stopped in his tracks and looked at his son. "What do you mean?"
"I mean they're dead," Mordred said. "Every movement we see is mimicry. If I had to guess, they've been dead for at least four days."
"Possession?" Merlin guessed.
"Maybe, or revived for a purpose? Perhaps Shades?" Mordred figured.
Merlin looked around, tracking all the people in the park, counting a total of 34 kids and 18 adults. All in danger. "Okay, new plan. I need you to focus as safely as you can and scan everyone in the park. Find who doesn't belong. Leave the Staff with me. When you find who's out of place, stay calm. Do not give away that you know."
Mordred nodded as he handed the Staff back to his father before pushing himself further into the park.
Merlin calmly walked over to the dead couple and sat down on the other end of the bench, holding the Staff upright as he rested it against his shoulder. "You two are dead."
"We live through The Mother," Marcus's father spoke. "We will have the eldest under control again. His insolence has gone on long enough."
"And who is The Mother?" Merlin asked, ignoring the part about his best friend.
"The Mother knows all and sees all," Marcus's mother answered.
"What has she told you?" Merlin probed.
"That our son is a disgrace. Captured by the enemy only to escape and cripple himself, forcing him into a kitchen," the father replied, disgust bleeding into his tone. "He has tainted the name of Kane by consorting with witchcraft and denouncing God. He has ceased his ability to die. He is unnatural and must be brought back under control."
"So the fact that he's a war hero means nothing to you," Merlin figured. "Or that during his service he saved 1,358 lives over the course of four years. How about how our restaurant is run on donations so struggling families can eat for free? Maybe you'd like to hear about his volunteer work at the hospital. In the past fifteen years he has helped saved a total of 9,243 lives. Every year on his birthday he goes to London and spends the day at the children's hospital reading to the kids dressed as a superhero. Maybe the fact that he has trust funds set up for the children of his fellow soldiers that he watched die while they were all in captivity. Here's a fact you'll love, he has never once raised his voice or hit a child. He is everything you never were."
"Why tell us this, Emrys?" Marcus's mother demanded.
"Because you are dead and need to let go," Merlin said plainly. "But first, tell me more about The Mother. Who is she?"
"The Mother trades life for life. She took ours to bring two lives back," Marcus's father explained.
Merlin pursed his lips and nodded. "Okay. How did she know about your son's service and partner?"
"She sees all; past, present, future. She knows Paul Kassian has sacrificed his mortality. That Death hunts someone close to you," Marcus's mother said.
"Whose death?" Merlin probed.
"We do not know," the parents said in unison.
"Who is she bringing back?" Merlin pressed.
"The Black Witch," Marcus's father replied.
"The Rigid Traitor," Marcus's mother answered.
"Okay, I think I have everything," Merlin said, standing to face them. "You have cursed the living with your presence. You have shattered the peace of a hero. You will now enter the Other World, where you will face punishment in the Prisons forever, with the knowledge your children will not mourn you and are better for humanity than you ever were."
His eyes flashed gold as he pressed the glowing staff against each of their foreheads, watching as they slumped over, falling to the ground.
Before he had a chance to breathe, a scream broke through the air.
"SOMEONE CALL 999!"
Without a second thought, Merlin dropped the staff and took off running toward a crowd forming in the park, where several people were already on their mobiles.
"MOVE!" Merlin ordered as he pushed through the onlookers. "I'm a doctor!"
The warlock nearly froze when he saw his son lying on the ground, his wheelchair toppled over. He quickly knelt down next to Mordred and started checking him over. "Someone relay to the ambulance service that the patient is prone to cardiovascular collapse and suffers from muscle atrophy of the legs. He's twenty-six years old, name Elliot Smith. Bleeding from a minor cut to the head, half an inch long."
"How do you know all that?" someone asked.
"I'm his cousin and a doctor," Merlin swiftly answered as he pressed two fingers to Mordred's neck. "Fuck. Relay that his pulse is fifty-seven." He tapped his hand gently against Mordred's cheeks. "Hey, kid. I need you to open your eyes for me. Can you do that?"
Mordred groaned, his eyelids fluttering halfway open. "Tired... Snap them down... Nim... Sleep... sounds good... right... right now."
"You can't sleep yet," Merlin warned as the distant wail of sirens began to fill the air. "You need to stay awake for the medics."
Hitchton Sacred Care, Emergency Department:
Liz ran over to Arthur, who was sitting at a computer terminal charting his latest patient. "Arthur, we have an incoming."
Arthur stood up immediately, ready to follow the attending nurse. "What do we know?"
"Cardiovascular collapse, patient is twenty-six, name... Elliot Smith," Liz relayed, her voice dropping. "Arthur... it's Mordred."
Arthur paled. "Ho—how long until they get here?"
"Less than a minute out," Liz answered.
"Resus Three is open. We can move him there. Webber and Jarrick need to be called. He—he's going to need three percent saline fluids, B12, electrolytes, norepinephrine, an ECG, a CT scan, possibly a plasma transfusion. If that doesn't work, whole blood," Arthur began to rattle off.
Liz rested a firm hand on his shoulder. "We know what to do. We will stabilise him. Your job as a consultant today is done. Your only job right now is to be a father. Call Marcus and Sam. They need to know."
Arthur nodded mutely just as the bay doors flew open, followed by the heavy rattle of a stretcher and paramedics shouting information about his son.
4 hours later, 2:00 PM:
Merlin stared at the cardiac monitor, watching as the numbers slowly ticked upward. Right now it was sitting at 64 BPM with a BP of 111/59.
He turned his head slightly to glance at his husband, who was pacing relentlessly from one end of the private room to the other. "Arthur, my dear, you need to sit before you end up in a hospital bed yourself."
"Like I'm taking advice from you," Arthur snapped, not stopping his stride. "You risked our son's health for petty revenge."
"He assured me he was fine," Merlin shot back, keeping his voice a harsh whisper. "And he was fine. Also, it was not petty revenge. I was protecting our family while trying to teach him how to safely harness his power. The lesson didn't even happen. Marcus's parents were already dead long before we got there."
"Yeah, well, look at what happened. Lesson or not, you risked our son," Arthur stated, letting his absolute terror manifest as pure anger.
"This is not my fault!" Merlin exclaimed.
"Then whose fault is it?" Arthur demanded, stopping to glare at him.
"The Mother. Or, as she is better known to us... Nimueh," Merlin answered, turning his attention back to the monitors, leaving his husband to simmer in the heavy silence.
He watched the screen flicker to 65 BPM before sighing and standing up, knowing he couldn't handle being trapped in the room any longer.
"Where are you going?" Arthur questioned, his voice fracturing into a mix of anger and sudden worry.
"To find Marcus," Merlin said, before walking out into the corridor.
Hospital Chapel
"You know, this is the last place I'd ever think to find you in," Merlin said as he stood in the doorway, looking at Marcus, who was bent over in one of the pews.
The medic sighed as he sat up. "I told you not to kill them."
"And I didn't," Merlin defended gently. "According to Mordred, they had been like that for at least four days. All I did was release them from the magic that was using them."
"How did they die?" Marcus asked.
"They gave their lives so two could return from the Other World," Merlin answered. "Whoever they are, I doubt we're going to like it."
"How's the kid?" Marcus asked, shifting the topic away from his parents.
"111 over 59, with a heart rate of 65," Merlin relayed. "Jarrick is running 30 minute checks and Webber is on her way in. She was out of town when we called, but she'll be here within the hour."
"He was stable before you left, I checked myself," Marcus said. "What happened?"
"Nimueh," Merlin answered. "Mordred reported feeling a snap before he went down. Best guess is she knew we were onto her and used magic to trigger a collapse. Though Arthur would rather blame me."
Marcus let out a dry, short laugh. "Took you two too long to finally fight."
"We've fought before," Merlin stated. "We fought when I first claimed Mordred. He couldn't comprehend the love I had grown to have for the kid despite everything that happened in the past. I think he got it shortly after that argument, because he actively started trying to let go of the trauma of Mordred killing him at Camlann in 537. Point is, we still fight. But we usually talk it out afterwards once the anger fades. His anger isn't fading anytime soon. I doubt it will until Mordred is more stable and awake." He paused for a second. "Where's Balin? I saw you come in with him."
"Sam took him and his sisters home," Marcus answered. "Daycare reported that Mithian and Andrea were also developing fevers."
"You're about to have your hands full," Merlin casually quipped as he sat down next to his best friend. "Almost makes me glad to only have one. Though he's about as stubborn as three toddlers."
Marcus nodded in agreement and held the silence for a few seconds before speaking again. "Do you and Arthur ever think about trying again?"
Merlin sighed and looked up at the ceiling, remembering the nursery they had just finished when the dreaded call came in. "Not right now. The grief is still too raw. I think a small part of Arthur still blames me for the accident. Probably why he's blaming me now."
"You had no control over the drunk driver," Marcus pointed out. "Arthur doesn't blame you. You both decided that with the due date closing in, it was safer for her to be around people instead of living alone."
"You know, we still don't know the gender," Merlin said quietly. "We wanted to be surprised. She knew, but we didn't." He fell silent for several seconds. "They would have been 5 now. We'd probably be planning another kid."
Marcus rested a quiet hand on Merlin's shoulder, knowing no words could bring comfort. Only presence was needed for the both them.
Back at the House
Paul was stepping out of the kitchen when the lights flickered briefly, followed by a blinding white light that filled the front entryway. As the light faded, a woman stood before him, wearing a dress that looked as though it were made of black rags. Her hair was a wild, tangled mess, and her eyes were wide with fear.
She looked around, looking completely lost, before locking eyes with Paul. "Where's my family? Where's my Guinevere? Gaius? Hunith? Drew? My family? They were just here. Where are they?"
"Okay," Paul spoke softly, taking a cautious step forward. "I know exactly who you're talking about. My friends talk about them often. You know the names of your family Do you know yours?"
"Morgana," she answered. "How do your friends know my family?"
"My friends are Merlin and Arthur," Paul answered, taking another slow step. "How about we sit down so I can check you over?"
"Who are you?" Morgana asked. "How do you know my friend and brother?"
"My name is Paul," the nurse replied. "Merlin and I have been friends for years. We met one day while he was working. Now come, let me check you over. Your heart is racing."
"Heart?" Morgana questioned, resting her hand over her own chest. "I have a heartbeat? I'm alive? Why am I alive?" Tears started streaking down her cheeks. "I'm not supposed to be alive. I'm supposed to spend eternity with my queen. My Guinevere. We just bound our souls. Where is she? Can you bring her to me?"
Before Paul could answer, Morgana's eyes rolled into the back of her head as she fell forward. He moved quickly, catching her and picking her up with ease. He quickly carried her into the living room and set her down on one of the armchairs.
"What's going on?" Alix asked, sitting themselves up enough to get a better view.
"I don't know, honey," Paul answered honestly, pressing two fingers against his first patient in four years' wrist. "She just appeared asking for her family, and I assume her wife... Pulse is pushing past 100. She's in shock."
He pulled his hand away and rubbed the back of his neck. "I need medical supplies, but I have absolutely nothing here. Marcus's kit is locked in his car, and on top of that, neither of us have mobiles yet. Mordred keeps his room locked to keep the toddlers out. And their first-aid kit is next to useless for treating shock."
"Does Merlin still have a home phone?" Alix asked.
"Hon, you know what Emy and Arthur are like," Paul noted with a sigh. "They're old souls. Emy has a laptop, but he takes it with him or keeps it in his room which is also locked."
"Are any of the kids here?" Alix asked.
Paul shook his head. "No. They're at the cinema trying to keep from worrying about Mordred."
He sighed, hanging his head as his medical brain tried to think of something. Suddenly, his head snapped upright as his eyes flashed silver—a memory not belonging to him played clearly and vividly in his mind.
He saw a much younger Merlin standing next to an older man, who was showing him the exact combinations of proper herbs needed to treat profound shock and fever.
As the memory faded, he looked through the window out at Arthur's meticulously kept garden, immediately recognizing that the former king grew exactly what was required.
He stood up straight and looked over at their spouse. "I'm stepping right outside. I am not going far. The door will remain open so I can hear if you need anything."
"Okay," Alix nodded.