While the ambulance is pulling in to the A&E entrance, the paramedic says to Merlin, "You won't be able to go into the exam room with him. They'll want you to fill out the paperwork." Merlin frowns and then asks, "Arthur, do you want me to contact anyone for you? Your father?"

"No!" Arthur barks explosively, "Not my father." He tries to take a deep breath to calm down, but it turns into coughing. He manages to choke out, "My half-sister, Morgana. Call her. Number's in my phone." He digs it out of his trouser pocket and hands the phone to Merlin. "She's listed under 'The Harpy'."

Merlin snorts. " 'The Harpy'? Are you serious?"

"She can be quite vicious at times, believe me." The ambulance's rear doors are yanked open and Arthur is quickly wheeled away out of Merlin's sight.

§

Merlin scrolls to the contact entry called 'The Harpy.' He presses it to dial the number.

A bubbly voice answers, "Baby Brother, what on earth prompts you to call me? I haven't heard from you in ages."

"Umm, this isn't Arthur. I'm…er, a friend of his and he asked me to call you. My name is Merlin."

"Merlin? Merlin and Arthur? You have got to be kidding-this must be a prank call. Arthur, if you're listening, you must be totally smashed to pull a trick like this. I'm hanging up."

"No, don't!" Merlin's words begin to run together in his panic. There's-been-an-accident-and-Arthur's-in-Hospital. Honest."

"An accident?" Morgana gasps. "What happened? How badly is he hurt?"

"I don't think he's lost consciousness but he did hit his head and was having trouble breathing when the ambulance arrived here."

"Where's here? I'll call Father and we'll come at once."

"St. Mary's. But I don't think Arthur is too keen on anyone calling his father."

"I'll take care of Father. Don't worry about him. Is your name really Merlin? Arthur's not mentioned you to me as a friend."

Merlin quickly mulls over how to answer Morgana's implied question of his relationship with Arthur. He doesn't know if Arthur has told his family that he is gay or not. He seems to be a rather private person from what Merlin's learned in the month they have been just friends. Tonight was to have been their first real date. He decides to be cautious in what he reveals.

"Yes, Merlin is my real name. My mother has a thing for the Arthurian legends. Arthur and I haven't known each other very long. I didn't even know he had a half-sister."

"I'll look for you at St. Mary's then, Merlin. Thank you for calling me."