Always Maybe

I'm Here

When Arthur got to the hospital, he haphazardly parked his car in the car park and sprinted through the double doors. He got to the waiting room and frantically searched for Hunith, Gwen, and Gwaine. He found them in the same spots they'd been sitting in when he left, only there was an old man that Arthur recognised as Gaius that had joined them. Arthur rushed over to them, his breathing hard, his forehead sweaty. 

"Merlin," he said, "I need to see Merlin."

Hunith looked at him in disbelief for a moment before she nodded. "He's in the same place," she replied.

Gwen smiled at him, happy he'd decided to come back. She got up from her seat and hugged him. "I'll go with you," she whispered in his ear.

The two pulled away, both beaming. Arthur's heart raced with the thought of seeing Merlin. His Merlin. The boy he loved. The boy he decided he couldn't go on without. 

The two walked down the long hallway to Merlin's room in silence. Arthur counted the tiles underneath his feet. Gwen bit her lip nervously. It was still awkward for her to be with Arthur. She had gotten over him, but she would never be able to forget the moments they had once shared and the love they had. They had kissed so many times that it had almost become a habit for the two to just make out when they were in each other's company. Gwen was still slightly attracted to him because he was an attractive sort of guy, but it was different now. Kissing him would make him mad, not happy. He was gay. He had a boyfriend. 

"He fell asleep an hour ago," she said. 

Arthur didn't say anything.

"The nurses said to let him rest, but I know that you need to talk to him. I don't think they'll mind, actually. They seem to bend the rules for him."

They both reached for the knob of Merlin's room at the same time. They both blushed slightly in embarrassment and pulled away.

"Gwen, uh, before we go in," Arthur stuttered, looking at his feet. "I just wanted to, um, thank you. For everything. You've been such a good friend to Merlin and--"

Gwen smiled. "It's nothing, Arthur. I love Merlin just as much as you do," she said.

"It means a lot to me. And him. I know it means a lot to him."

She nodded slightly. "Yes, well, let's go in."

Arthur opened the door and let Gwen in first. She walked into the room, followed by the blond. He shut the door behind them.

Merlin looked better than he had when Arthur had last seen him. There was a discarded tray of picked at food on the table next to his bed, and a half full glass of water next to it. Merlin looked a bit brighter and less pale, which made Arthur happy. Improvement, he thought. That's good.

"He had some food when he woke up," Gwen explained in a whisper.

"That's good," Arthur said. 

At the sound of Arthur's voice, Merlin stirred in his sleep. He thrashed a little bit before whimpering. Gwen and Arthur looked at each other before both promptly rushing to his side, Arthur on his right and Gwen on his left. Arthur took his hand in his and looked at him with wonder. He wondered what was going on in Merlin's subconscious mind. Arthur wondered if it was a nightmare. It looks like a nightmare.

"Arfur," Merlin mumbled, sweat dripping down his forehead. "Arfur..."

Arthur squeezed his hand reassuringly. "I'm here, Merlin," he promised. "I know I left but I'm here now and I won't ever leave you again."

Merlin settled a bit in his sleep before his eyes fluttered open, taking in the light from the hallway and the lamp on the table on the other side of the room. His eyes adjusted to the light and he looked at the two figures on either side of him: Arthur on his right, and Gwen on his left. 

Arthur. He fixed his eyes on the gorgeous prat. His prat.

"Arthur?" he asked, his voice weak and feeble.

"I'm here," Arthur cooed.

Gwen slowly backed out of the room, leaving the two alone. She tried not to do a typical fingirl squeal in the hallway.