A/N: Well, this is it. We've come to the last chapter. I would like to thank everyone who read this. Without you there's no point in writing. I'd like to especially thank everyone who reviewed. You all made this well worth my time. I had a lot of fun with this story and I can honestly say that I will miss it. But, I've got another idea for another story so I guess that's my silver lining. Now, without further ado, the end.

Disclaimer: I own nothing except Arwen.

Spoilers: Series 3.

/

"You what?" Arthur screamed.

"I just went into labor." Arwen gasped.

Arthur frantically ran his hands through his hair. Merlin was still unconscious and laying across his lap, Cendred's body was in the middle of the throne room, the charred remains of a dozen or so soldiers were circling the room, and now his sister was telling him that her baby was on the way. He was at his wits' end.

"You can't have gone into labor. You have a whole month left before the baby is supposed to be born."

"Well, apparently not!" Arwen said in irritation. No sooner were the words out of her mouth then she grasped her stomach and screamed.

"Make that definitely not. This baby is going to be born now."

Arthur could only nod.

"Do you know where Gaius is?" he asked.

"No. I don't even know where Father is."

"Don't worry about him. I got him out of the dungeons and sent him somewhere safe with Percival."

"Who?"

"I'll introduce you later."

Arwen screamed again and Arthur knew that he had to get her out of here.

"Can you walk?" he asked.

"I think so."

Arthur stood up and draped Merlin across his back. After he had the warlock situated he helped Arwen up and they slowly began making their way to the exit. They had made it down three corridors and were almost to the courtyard when they ran into Gwaine and Elyan.

"Arthur! What happened? We were fighting some of those blasted immortal guards when all of a sudden they burst into flames." Gwaine said.

Arthur looked at Arwen and they both had the same thought.

"Merlin's magic killed all of them."

"Don't worry about that. Help my sister get back to the cave. She's gone into labor."

Elyan stepped forward and extended his arm.

"I'll take care of you, my lady." he said.

"Did you find any other survivors?" Arthur asked as he moved Merlin around until he was holding him in his arms.

"We found the physician. Lancelot is leading him back to the cave. We didn't find anyone else. The town is deserted."

"The people must have fled when the fighting started."

Gwaine nodded.

"Let's get out of here." Arthur said as he began to follow Elyan and Arwen.

"Couldn't agree more." Gwaine muttered taking one last look around them.

The going was slow with Merlin's dead weight, but Arthur wouldn't allow anyone else to carry him. When they finally did reach the cave they saw that Gwen was tending to Uther's cuts and bruises and Gaius was leading Arwen into a quiet, more private corner. Arthur gently placed Merlin on some blankets and after brushing his fingers down his jaw he went to check on his father.

"Father, I've taken back Camelot. Cendred and his soldiers are dead."

Uther looked at his son with haunted eyes.

"The attack was relentless. You were nowhere to be found, I didn't know if you were even alive. The knights were unprepared and without their leader. I did everything I could, but I couldn't protect my kingdom. I allowed Arwen to be taken. I allowed her to be treated like an animal in my own castle. My daughter was collared and chained like a dog in my own home. I could do nothing."

"It's alright, Father. Camelot has been purged of its enemies. Arwen is safe. We can return at first light." Arthur said placing his hand on Uther's shoulder.

"I am no longer fit to be King." Uther said after a moment.

"Father, of course you are. You…"

"No!" he said meeting Arthur's eye.

"I let my people, my family, down. I could not protect them. I am no longer worthy to wear the crown."

Arthur couldn't even think. What his father was saying was unfathomable. Was he really stepping down?

"Father, do you know what you're saying?" he asked. Everyone in the area had stopped and was listening.

"I know exactly what I'm saying. You've proven without a doubt that you are worthy to be King. You've reclaimed the kingdom, saved me and your sister, killed our greatest enemy, and all with only a handful of men. When we return to the castle you will be crowned King of Camelot."

Arthur was speechless. He was really going to be the King.

"I don't mean to interrupt this momentous occasion, but I must insist that you all move outside at once. The princess is in labor and I can't properly deliver her child with all of you standing about." Gaius said after a moment. Lancelot, Elyan, Gwaine, and Percival seemed to come back to life at his order and they awkwardly filed out of the cave.

"Gwen, will you bring that water over here please?" Gaius asked.

Gwen nodded and reached for the bucket. Uther stood and moved to Arwen's side.

"How are you feeling?" he asked while gently stroking her forehead.

"I've been better." she said through grit teeth.

"Gaius will take care of you."

Arwen nodded and Uther kissed her cheek before rising and walking out.

Arthur stood by and watched for a moment before also making his way to his sister's side.

"You'll be just fine." he whispered.

Arwen cupped his cheek and said, "So will Merlin."

Arthur looked over at his lover. He still hadn't regained consciousness.

"I don't know what I'll do if he doesn't wake up." Arthur whispered.

Arwen gave him a smile.

"He will, brother. He promised never to leave you, and I know he's not one to break a promise."

Arthur nodded and returned her smile.

"No. He's not."

He squeezed her hand and then rose.

"I'll be outside with the others. Yell if you need anything."

"Oh, I'll be yelling." Arwen said with a laugh.

Arthur laughed with her and then went to join the other men outside.

/

The night passed slowly as there was nothing anyone could do to block out the screams of the princess. Her labor lasted through the night and into the early morning. Arthur and Uther grew more and more restless with every hour that passed. To make matters worse, Merlin hadn't so much as twitched. Gwen came out every few hours to get more water and to tell the men how things were progressing. Every time she said that Merlin's condition had not changed Arthur's heart clenched a little more. When the sun was just over the horizon the sound of a baby's cries pierced the air. Both of the male Pendragons shot to their feet. They had not taken more than five steps when Gwen came running out of the cave with a smile spread wide across her face.

"Everyone's fine! The princess is exhausted but in perfect health. The delivery went beautifully. The baby is beautiful and Gaius says that it too is in perfect health." she said.

"What is the child?" Uther asked.

"It's a boy, Sire."

Arthur laughed and followed his father into the cave. When they reached Arwen's side it was to see her covered in sweat and looking more exhausted than ever but with the biggest smile on her face. In her arms wrapped in a cloth was her son. He was squirming and healthy and perfect. Gaius was standing off to the side wearing a matching smile.

"He's absolutely wonderful." Arwen said when she looked up at her family.

"Of course he is; he's a Pendragon." Uther said as he knelt to get a good look at his grandson. The boy had chocolate colored hair, fair skin, and when he opened his eyes even Arthur could see that they were a shocking blue.

"What are you going to name him?" Arthur asked.

Arwen looked up at her brother and then glanced at where Merlin was lying.

"I'm not sure. I think something his father would have liked." she said giving her brother a meaningful look.

"You'll think of something." Uther said.

They all stared at the baby for a long while. Finally, when he started to cry Gaius stepped in.

"The boy is no doubt hungry. We should give Princess Arwen some privacy so that she can feed him."

"Of course. We'll pack up and be ready to head back to the city when she's done." Uther said. Gaius followed him out but Arthur lingered.

"Has he shown any signs of magic yet?"

Arwen shook her head.

"Not yet, but he's not even an hour old. I have no doubt that he will though."

"Neither do I. He'll be safe though. Father says I'm to be crowned king when we return."

"I heard."

Arthur looked again at Merlin and then at his nephew.

"I plan on revising the laws on magic." he said.

Arwen nodded.

"It's about time they were changed." she whispered.

Arthur stared at his nephew for a moment more and then he said, "I'll leave you to it then."

He walked out of the cave and began to help pack up the camp.

/

The party returned to the city and by week's end the townspeople had also come back. Uther was true to his word and Arthur was crowned king. The news that Camelot had a new king was received with cheers and celebration. As his first act as king, Arthur changed the laws on magic, just as he said he would. His father was outraged and the council thought he'd lost his mind, but the people were overjoyed and those with magic breathed a sigh of relief. Change was happening quickly in Camelot. It had a new king, a new prince, and it was welcoming a new era. The only dark spot in this seemingly golden age was that Merlin would still not wake. Three whole weeks he had not stirred, and Arthur was sick with worry and heartbreak.

"Arthur?"

Arthur turned and saw Arwen holding her son by the door.

"He's restless. I thought he might like to see his father."

Arthur nodded and Arwen placed the prince in Arthur's arms. The baby looked and saw Merlin and immediately settled.

"It's amazing. He always calms down when he sees Merlin."

"He knows that Merlin's his father. He can feel it." Arthur said.

"His magic must recognize Merlin's."

A few days after the boy's birth he began to move things. Cutlery would fly off tables, cups would be turned over, and other small items would shift. He had indeed inherited his father's gifts. So far Arthur and Arwen had managed to keep the boy's magic a secret, but it was only a matter of time before it got out.

"He needs a name." Arthur said.

Arwen shook her head.

"Merlin will name him."

Arthur sighed. As much as he didn't want to admit it, the fact was that he was beginning to think that Merlin was never going to wake up.

"Arwen, I don't think…"

"No! Don't you tell me that he won't wake, Arthur. He has to!"

"Don't you think that I want that more than anything? It's hard for me to even get out of bed knowing that he's still unconscious. Even thinking that he might not wake up makes it hard to breathe, but we have to face facts. He hasn't moved in three weeks."

"I don't care! He saved us all. He's the only reason any of us are here and I refuse to believe that he won't wake to see the kingdom that he's brought about. I don't care how long it takes I will not give up on him and our son will not be named until his father names him."

Arwen turned on her heel and stormed out of the room before Arthur could respond. All he could do was look down in his arms at his nephew who hadn't taken his eyes off of his father. Arthur sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know what to do, Merlin. I'm lost without you. I know that I have so much to live for, but I don't see the point in living if you're not by my side. Everything we wanted has happened. I'm king and magic is welcome again in Camelot. Arwen gave birth to a son, your son. He's beautiful; he has your eyes. Thankfully he doesn't have your ridiculous ears. You have to wake up, Merlin. You have to see him and hold him. He wants you too. It seems he's only calm when he's near you. He needs you to guide him and teach him and help him grow. He needs you to help him control his magic. If you won't wake for me, wake for your son." Arthur pleaded.

His nephew must have agreed with him because he began to squirm and reach for Merlin.

"You see? He's asking you to come back."

Suddenly, Arthur had an idea. When it hit him he couldn't believe he hadn't thought of it sooner. The baby seemed to only calm down in Merlin's presence, he couldn't take his eyes off of him whenever they were in the same room. He was reaching for him, and yet no one had placed the baby in Merlin's arms. Arthur carefully moved closer to Merlin and held his nephew over Merlin's heart. They baby reached both hands out.

"Is this what you want?" Arthur asked.

He gently placed the baby on Merlin's chest and gasped. A golden light surrounded them both and Arthur had to shield his eyes from it. When it died down he saw the most endearing sight he'd ever witnessed. Merlin was awake and was holding his son to his chest. The boy was looking up at his father and had his tunic bunched in his little fists. Merlin was smiling and stroking his son's head.

"I knew you could hear me." he whispered.

"Merlin." Arthur gasped.

Merlin turned to Arthur and beamed.

"I'm alright." he said.

Arthur grabbed his face and kissed him hard.

"You complete idiot! Why the hell wouldn't you wake up?" he asked.

Merlin blushed.

"In order to save myself I had to use up most of my magic. My magic it's…it's like my soul. If I deplete it too much I become trapped within myself until it can replenish itself."

"This has happened before?" Arthur asked.

"Only once. I was very young. I had broken my arm falling from a tree and healed myself. I was unconscious for two months. My mother was worried sick and cried for days when I finally woke up. I promised her I would never do it again, but I didn't really have a choice this time."

"So how did your son help?"

Merlin smiled and kissed his boy.

"I heard him, when he was born. It was just his cry, but I knew it was him. I called to him every day, and I could feel him when he was close, but I couldn't move so I couldn't reach out to him. When you finally brought him close enough to touch me some of his magic flowed into me and it was enough for me to wake up. I'm still weak, but I'll be alright."

"What about the baby?"

"He'll be just fine. I didn't take that much from him, and he's much stronger than he looks. What's his name?"

Arthur laughed.

"Funny you should ask. You get to name him."

Merlin's eyes widened.

"He doesn't have a name yet? How long have I been unconscious?"

"Three weeks."

"Three weeks and he doesn't have a name yet!"

"Arwen refused to name him. She wanted his father to have that honor. She told everyone else that she just couldn't decide yet, but really she was waiting for you. We both were. I was afraid you would never come back to us, but she never gave up hope."

Merlin looked away for a moment before meeting Arthur's eye again.

"I'm sorry I worried you."

Arthur shook his head and kissed Merlin again.

"As long as you're alright there's nothing to apologize for."

Merlin nodded and kissed Arthur again. After a few more kisses the baby began to cry.

"I think he's hungry." Arthur said.

"Well, then you better get his mother. I can't do anything for him."

Arthur laughed and went to find Arwen. When she arrived she burst into tears and flung her arms around Merlin. They had a heartfelt but short reunion. The baby was indeed hungry and Arwen soon left to feed him. Merlin told her that he would have a name ready by the next day and she promised to return with their son in the morning. After she left Arthur climbed into bed with his lover and proceeded to show him just how much he had missed him.

/

The next day Merlin officially named his son. He was to be Prince Alric Pendragon.

"I thought it would be good to stick with something that began with an A." Merlin said about his choice. Arthur and Arwen laughed and agreed that it was a good name and fit the boy well.

The years passed with more calm than Camelot was used to. There were still magical beasts that caused havoc from time to time, and once or twice there were battles over land with the neighboring kingdoms, but nothing happened that was too dreadful. Arthur was a much beloved king and the people were proud to call him their sovereign. Merlin was appointed the position of King's Advisor. He did his job well, but that didn't mean that Arthur always listened to him. He was still a stubborn prat. Uther died of an illness three years after Arthur took the throne and he took the loss hard. Uther may have been a tyrant, but he was still Arthur's father. Alric grew like a weed. With each passing day he got bigger and stronger. His magic developed and he had learned to control it well, with Merlin's help. Arwen only grew more beautiful with age and she was happy to have someone to look after again. Gwen and Lancelot had a child of their own, a daughter who was as beautiful as her mother. Lancelot was knighted, along with Gwaine, Percival, and Elyan. Gaius had retired and a new physician took his place, but he was enjoying his new life. Merlin's mother, Hunith, came to live in Camelot and was given one of the nicest rooms in the castle. She adjusted very quickly to city life and was happy to be close to her son again. Of course when she learned that she had a grandson, well, to say she was overjoyed would be an understatement.

"Are you happy, Merlin?" Arthur asked one evening as they lay together in bed.

"Of course I am. Why wouldn't I be?"

Arthur shrugged.

"I don't know. I just wanted to make sure you've got everything you want."

"You're king, magic is welcome in the kingdom again, there's no wars going on, my mother and Gaius are well, I've got a son who I adore, and I've got you who I love more than life itself. What's not to be happy about?"

Arthur laughed.

"Well, when you put it like that, I guess nothing."

Merlin leaned up and kissed him.

"Exactly. Now, how about I make you as happy as I am?"

"I think I'd like that very much."

Merlin smirked.

"I thought you might." he whispered as his hand trailed down to grasp Arthur's cock.

Needless to say, Merlin was able to make Arthur very happy indeed.