Fight For Me

Chapter 13

"We have to find them," Gwen remarks, firmly. "We have to."

"But how?" Morgana reasons. "How do we do that?"

"Do you have a sort of... tracking spell thingy?" Gwen asks Aimee. "Something that could find them."

Aimee is silent. She doesn't stir, doesn't move, doesn't go to speak. She simply stands there, distant, thinking.

"Aimee?" Gwen calls, trying to bring her attention back to them. She places a careful hand on the woman's shoulder, making her jolt, eyes glowing gold, pushing Gwen back without even touching her.

"Gwen!" calls a distressed Morgana, hurrying over to her.

"Oh, gods, sorry!" Aimee apologizes. "You scared me."

Gwen is fine, if a little shaken, so Morgana helps her up so they can continue their conversation.

"It's fine," Gwen assures her. "Now, about Merlin and Arthur--"

Gwen trails off as she studies Aimee's face. They don't know each other well, but something's wrong. Gwen's always been good at reading people.

"Are you okay?" she asks.

Aimee nods, slowly.

"What's wrong?"

"I'm not sure..." She is sure. She does know. She just doesn't want to tell them what she thinks has happened, because it would break them.

But also, how could it be possible that Emrys is dead? His name means eternal; he is immortal. He can't be... Maybe he's only near death. Maybe he's fine and she's misinterpreting something. That should be it. A misunderstanding, is all.

And what would happen with Sigan? Would he take over for good, or would he be forced out? Aimee only wishes for some form of clue, some help so that she'd know.

She had sensed Merlin's fading life before, quite near. She can sort of sense him now, if she reaches out. She closes her eyes, and lets her magic reach out, seeking the magic of another.

And then she feels it. Merlin.

She draws her magic back in, opens her eyes, and walks quickly to where she believes the young warlock is.

"Wha-- Where are you going?" Morgana demands, following her, along with Gwen.

"To find Emrys," she whispers, breaking into a jog.

***

"Merlin?" Arthur whispers, his voice riddled with tears.

Merlin stands before him in Arthur's room, alive, and not just in the physical sense, but alive as in happy, as in energetic. As in Merlin himself, before this whole Sigan thing.

"Is it..." Arthur hesitates, fearing the answer, because if this isn't real, then that means something horrible is. "Is it really you?"

"Of course it's me, what kind of question is that?" Merlin laughs, his face carefree.

Arthur rushes to meet him, pulling him into the tightest embrace ever. "Don't leave me. Never leave me again."

"Arthur--" Merlin chuckles, returning the hug. "What's going on?"

"Please, gods, let this be real," Arthur whispers, his face dug into Merlin's chest. The desperation in him is clear. He wants this to be real. He needs it to be.

"Listen to me, Arthur," comes Merlin's voice, but so serious that it can't have come from this Merlin. The voice is weak, hardly even an echo. "Listen. I know you find it hard sometimes, but I'm not dead."