First things first: I'm really sorry! It's been too long since I've posted another chapter, and I don't know why; I really love this fic and enjoy writing it!

The reason I've decided to finally post another chapter is because, today is my account's first birthday! I've been doing this whole fanfiction thing for a whole year! :D

You can't have a Merlin story with an apple that doesn't include a bit of Gwapple shipping here and there, so I've sneaked a bit of that in, and I also don't know why this story was a Hurt/comfort and Humour genre... I'll change the Humour...

And on with the story!

Slowly, Merlin bent down and slipped his boots off, while Arthur did the same.
The two boys were both nervous as they stood back to back while Gaius surveyed them with a raised eyebrow.
Merlin had grown even smaller and quieter over the past few minutes to the point they all wished it was a strange dream, but after a few long seconds Gaius spoke up,'I'm afraid, you have defiantly shrunken quite substantially, my boy.' By now it was plain. Merlin turned to face Arthur. A worried expression on his younger face, he was almost half a head shorter.

Arthur didn't quite know what to think, his best friend had been poisoned and was suffering the consequences, he should have eaten that apple! He felt Merlin turn away from his back so Arthur turned to face him. Merlin was about half a head shorter than Arthur now, he looked scarily younger too. Arthur wondered if this must be what Merlin looked like before he came to Camelot. As the Prince of Camelot looked at his man servant, he felt more like a big brother to Merlin than he ever had before, as well as feeling responsible for poisoning him. Merlin now looked shockingly younger, at least a year younger than when he had arrived in Camelot. He was paler, with bigger puppy dog eyes and larger ears too, Arthur wondered how someone could ever say no to that adorable face.
He shook these thoughts out of his head instantly: this was Merlin! Merlin's always fine!
Arthur just opened his mouth to reassure Merlin that he would be fine when the door burst open. No knocking, and only two people had a constant reputation for never knocking and one of them was standing next to him.

'Gwain?'

'Princess!' Gwain spread his arms wide, a stupid grin plastered on his face- he had already succeeded in infecting the gloomy room with his druncken happiness.

'Why are you not training Gwain?' Asked Arthur, folding his arms.

'I may ask your highness the same question,' said Gwain, gleefully, carefully dodging Arthurs question.

'Merlin's getting a bit careless!'

'What?' Arthur had no idea what Gwain meant, had he not noticed Merlin standing right next to him? Yes, a slightly different looking Merlin, but recognizably Merlin all the same. Arthur instinctively moved in front of Merlin, keeping himself between his servant and Gwain. He watched Gwain stride across the room, drop down under the table and reach across to grab the apple. When he resurfaced, he was smiling even wider than he was before. Gwain looked at his audience, obviously unaware of their wide eyes and frozen positions and lifted the apple to his twinkling eye.

'Had a few bites from, I'll give you that, but you should never let a good apple go to waste!' Gwain began to bring the half eaten apple towards his mouth when, before anyone could do anything, Merlin dodged passed Arthur and stumbled towards Gwain, intending to snatch the apple from his hand but instead, losing his balance and falling into him and almost instantly crumpling into a dead faint at Gwain's feet.

Gwain brought the apple away from his mouth and knelt over Merlin, 'Merlin?'

Finally Arthur and Gaius came to their senses, rushed over to Merlin and dropped down beside him. Gaius rolled him onto his back and lifted his eyelids, expertly examining his eyes. He then checked Merlin's pulse and leaned back to look at Arthur, 'We need to take him to my chambers immediately'.

'Of course,' agreed Arthur, who lifted Merlin's limp body over his shoulder with ease and began hastily making his way towards and out of the door with Gaius on his heels, having entirely forgotten Gwain's presents.

Meanwhile, all of a sudden becoming confused, apple in hand, Gwain decided to follow as a surge of worry for Merlin fueled his steps. What had happened to him? Had Merlin looked different, or had it just been Gwain's imagination? Why had Merlin made it desperately clear that he was not to eat the apple?
Gwain glanced back down at the shining green apple. It still looked delicious, despite there having been a few bites taken from it and despite the fact it had been on the floor. Gwain really did like apples.

He pushed the thought away and strode behind Gaius, Arthur and the unconscious Merlin, hoping that his friend would be alright, what ever had happened to him.

Maybe it was Arthur? Maybe Arthur could have over-worked Merlin again?...

Gaius emerged from Merlin's bedroom with a well-hidden expression of worry, but Arthur could still see it.

'Will he be alright?' Arthur asked, but he already knew the answer.

'I'm afraid I cannot tell, Sire,' Gaius explained. 'He's asleep now, I think he needs the rest.'
'

Of course... May I still see him?'

'I don't see any problem in that, Sire.'

But just as Arthur began to walk over to Merlin's bedroom, he heard the look on the door behind him click into place.
He turned back around to see Gwain holding that wretched apple with an expression of both worry and...sort of anger on his usually cheerful face.

'Gwain...'

'What is up with Merlin?' He demanded, spinning the apple around in one hand.

'Gwain...' began Arthur. 'Just leave it.'

'No! I think I deserve to know why one of my best friends, who actually has a habit of getting his skinny little butt into trouble, happens to look slightly different for no seemingly apparent reason- not to mention incredibly sick, even paler than he usually is- Arthur please don't tell me you've been overworking Merlin to the point of unconsciousness?! I happen to like Merly. I was aware that you had a tendency to show your kindness towards him by your special way of making him do too much work, but I had no idea that you could be that harsh!' Gwain strode across the room and slammed the rest of the apple onto a table, full of rage.

Arthur couldn't believe it though, he was aware that he did over-work Merlin sometimes, but it was madness that someone like Gwain would see Merlin looking ill and immediately assume that it was his own fault. He felt yet another pang of guilt for Merlin and vowed to himself to lighten some of his servant's load in the hope that he didn't become any more known for over-working Merlin like he apparently already was.

'Gwain!' said Giaus. He, too was astounded, but instead he was surprised at how rude Gwain had been to Arthur.

'Look, Gwain. Calm down.' Arthur began. 'I did not over-work Merlin that much, I wouldn't dream of it. Merlin is one of my best friends too! And I am incredibly sorry for what has happened to hi-'

'-what happened to him then?' Gwain interrupted.

Giaus and Arthur shared a glance. 'I think it's fine that we tell him, Sire. In any case, with a sorcerer of that power at large in Camelot, we will have to alert more people anyway.'

'Well, what happened to Merlin?'

The three of them stood there in a triangle in silence for a few long seconds. Gwain was still fuming, waiting for either Arthur or Gaius to answer. Arthur and Gaius were waiting for the other to answer.

'He was poisoned.' They both said to Gwain, in synch.

Gwain nodded and sighed, 'sorry about... Thinking it was you, Arthur.'

'No worries, Gwain.'

'So, would I be right in guessing it was the apple?' the knight said, gesturing towards the apple on the table.

Arthur nodded.

'Shame, I like apples.'

'I know.'

The three of them stood there for a few more long, silent seconds. It was Gaius who spoke up first.

'I must continue to research my findings of the poison, Sire.'

'Of course. I was going to check on Merlin.'

Arthur turned and walked to Merlins room, his entire being filled with worry, guilt and frustration as a sullen Gwain trailed behind him.

Everything was dark. It was dark and it hurt. It hurt a lot. His entire body was in some sort of strange pain that he had never experienced before. His bones ached, his head hurt, he couldn't open his eyes.
He could hear things going on around him. At least he thought he could. Arthur. Arthur, he was back! A surge of happiness flooded Merlins body, against all the strange pain and the dull aching that was consuming him, the prospect of Arthur made him feel safe.
What felt like almost an age ago, Arthur had picked him up and carried him here. He assumed he was in his bed.
Then he had left and it had been him and Gaius. He loved Gaius like a father. The man had healed Merlin of countless injuries and cured him of countless illnesses, if there was anyone that could make him better, it would be Gaius.
But, like Arthur, Gaius had left him alone.
But now Arthur was back and Merlin knew the he could try.
Merlin himself tried with all the strength he had left to open his eyes. To twitch a finger. To make a noise. Something to show that he knew he was there.
Another voice. As the sound reached his ears, his head filled with so much unbearable pain, he could not process what had been said.
He could recognise the voice though.
Gwain.
Gwain and Arthur.
There was a hand around his.
Something brushed hair away from his forehead.
The voices were saying things.
His head was burning.

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