This story had been languishing on my hard drive for several months. I'd written the first 500 words and I knew how I wanted the story to proceed, but I just couldn't seem to get anything decent down on paper. Then, MoonFox gave me some excellent suggestions and really helped me flesh out the story. Then, when I had a question about herbs and herbals, MoonFox, Wil1969 and crshore kindly came to my rescue. Thanks so much, ladies! Finally, this has been wonderfully beta'ed by sarajm, who went above and beyond in and attempt to wrangle my verb tenses into some sort of order.

For reference, this story takes place about 6 months or so after Merlin first arrives in Camelot.

Gaius had been struck down by a fever and Merlin was worried.

The elderly physician had been working himself to the bone, between helping Camelot's residents through a particularly difficult - and deadly - bout of influenza and trips to some of the outlying villages to provide what aid he could to those who had been afflicted with the same disease. Merlin had tried to assist the physician, but it was still early in his training and, unfortunately, there was not much he could do except try to keep the sick hydrated and comfortable. The brunt of the work fell to Gaius, so in the end it was no surprise that he succumbed to the same illness he'd been battling for weeks.

For the past two days, Merlin had sat at his mentor's bedside, doling out remedies and trying to keep the fever in check by the use of cool cloths and what little bit of healing magic he knew. So far, though, both his remedies and his magic had been unsuccessful. Gaius' fever was still rising and it looked like the illness was reaching a crisis point.

And now, in his delirium, Gaius had begun muttering under his breath. He wasn't speaking any spells, thank goodness; it was almost as if Gaius was trapped in his memories for he spoke of people and events that seemed to be long past.

Racking his brain for anything that would help, Merlin recalled the times he'd been ill and how his mother had always been there for him, making sure he had whatever he needed and whispering endearments that always managed to calm him.

Merlin settled himself more comfortably on the chair beside Gaius' bed – the same chair that in the past few days had become Merlin's whole world. The only time he left Gaius' side was to either prepare a new remedy or use the garderobe. He'd even taken to sleeping in the chair, with the result that Merlin was convinced he'd never get the kinks out of his neck anytime soon!

Gaius began tossing his head side to side so in an attempt to calm the man, Merlin placed a gentle hand on his mentor's forehead, and, though he felt rather silly doing so, began crooning one of his favourite childhood songs; the same song his mother used to sing to him when he was ill.

I hope this helps, thought Merlin as he gazed down at his patient in despair. His attempts to soothe the older man when he became agitated were semi-successful at best and he was becoming frustrated by his inability to help. At times, he even found himself fighting back tears of frustration.

It took a while, but when the physician finally quieted under Merlin's gentle ministrations, Merlin took the advantage and stepped away from the patient bed. His back was stiff from all the sitting and he needed to replenish the water he was using to cool down the feverish man.

Standing by the worktable, stretching and twisting in an attempt to work the kinks out of his spine and ease the pain in his neck, Merlin eyed the various remedies spread across the table top trying to decide which fever remedy to try next. The infusion of coriander had not proved effective, so the next thing to try was St. John's Wort. If that didn't work, Merlin was out of ideas.

The young warlock shook his head and berated himself. "It will work; it has to," he whispered as he unstopped the small vial that held the green liquid and pour a few drops into a mug of water.

Merlin was just about to return to Gaius' side when a quiet rapping sounded at the door and Gwen poked her head into the room.

"Am I disturbing you?" she asked, with a look of concern on her face. "How is Gaius today?"

Merlin sent a small grimace in his friend's direction and said, "He's no better, Gwen. In fact, I think he's getting worse. I don't know what to do anymore." Gesturing to the bottle in his hand, Merlin added, "This is my last hope. If this doesn't work …." The young man's voice trailed away as tears welled in his blue eyes.

Gwen took one look at her friend and rushed over to his side. Taking the bottle from his hand, she returned it to the work table while at the same time gently encouraging Merlin to sit down on the bench. He looked so defeated and drawn that Gwen's heart seized in sympathetic pain.

She, too, was worried about Gaius. She had known Gaius all her life; he and her father were good friends. When her mother had passed, she had felt lost and it was the Court Physician who had helped take her out of herself. He had convinced Tom that Gwen had some talent for healing and took her on as an assistant. While she was too young at that time to become a true apprentice, she was a quick study and soon learned some of the simpler draughts and remedies. Best of all, despite her young age, Gwen had an innate talent to calm even the most agitated patients – a talent that had come in very handy over the years.

However, it became clear to Gaius that Gwen would never become a true healer, in part because of her deep sympathy for his patients. She was often unable to maintain the detachment that was so necessary when dealing with the ill. So, when Morgana arrived at Camelot, a quiet young girl hurting over the loss of her beloved father, who better than Gwen to become her lady's maid and, hopefully, a friend and confidant? After having spoken with Gwen, Gaius approached Uther and recommended that he assign Gwen to Morgana. After all, Gwen's mother had been a lady's maid herself so the position would not intimidate her.

Yet, though her first responsibility was always to Morgana, Gwen still managed to help out the old physician on occasion and remained the best person to have sitting beside a sickbed.

Now, however, Gwen's attention was not on the ill man lying restlessly on the bed. Rather, her attention was focused on the young man sitting beside her with his head in his hands, drawing in ragged breaths.

Gwen shifted closer to Merlin so they touched from shoulder to knee and placed her hand on his back, rubbing in small circles, like one would sooth a small child.

"Merlin," she said in a quite tone, "don't fret so. I know you're worried, as am I, but between us we'll see Gaius through. Now, I want you to do something for me," she added in a firmer tone.

Merlin sighed and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.

Picking up the bottle of medicine, Gwen said, "What is this?"

"It's an infusion of St. John's Wort; it should help with the fever but …"

"This is what we're going to do. I'll help you dose Gaius and then you are going to get some sleep."

Merlin opened his mouth to protest, but Gwen gave him a steely stare. "I don't want to hear any argument from you. You are running yourself ragged and soon you'll be sick too. I'll sit with Gaius for a little bit; Morgana knows where I am and she said she wouldn't need me for a while. She's worried too, Merlin; so much so, she told me to come. So, I'll stay with Gaius while you get some sleep and I'll be sure to wake you if anything happens."

As Gwen spoke, Merlin unconsciously leaned into her warm embrace. It was comforting to be able to simply let everything go, even for just a moment. He knew that Gaius would be in good hands with Gwen. To be honest, she was the only person Merlin would entrust to take care of his mentor while he got some much-needed sleep.

Merlin opened his mouth to say "thank you" when a loud gurgle came from his stomach. He immediately turned beet red while Gwen began to giggle.

"Merlin, when was the last time you ate?" she asked as the two got up from the bench and began gathering the items they'd need to dose Gaius.

"Um … yesterday?"

"Are you asking me, or telling me?" questioned Gwen as she picked up a clean cloth from the pile on the end of the table.

"Telling you?"

"Merlin," sighed the young woman as she gave her friend a fond look. "After we get this medicine into Gaius, you're going to sleep for at least 2 hours and then you're going to eat something. Okay?"

"Okay, Gwen," responded the weary warlock. He leaned over and gave the dark-haired girl a kiss on the cheek. "Thank you," he added before he turned towards the patient bed.

As his attention was focused on Gaius, he didn't see the slight blush that coloured Gwen's cheeks, or the hand she raised to her cheek to lightly touch the spot where she'd been kissed.

"Would you please bring me a cloth, Gwen?" said Merlin from his position beside Gaius. He had one hand on the old man's forehead and the other was lightly holding his hand.

"Cloth … yes … cloth. Oh, um, right! Sorry, Merlin," stuttered Gwen as she quickly covered the three steps to the bed and handed over the cloth. Merlin didn't say anything, but he did glance curiously at Gwen.

Everything seemed fine, so he simply said, "I'm going to hold his head up and open his mouth so you can pour down the infusion. Put the cloth under his chin so he doesn't get wet."

Functioning as well-oiled machine, the two young people got the infusion into Gaius and then re-settled him on the bed and covered him with a light blanket.

Gwen seated herself in the chair so recently vacated by Merlin and shooed him towards his room. "Don't worry, Merlin. He'll be fine. Go get some rest. I'll wake you in two hours."

Merlin plodded up the small set of stairs towards his room. He was just so tired; his legs felt leaden. As he turned to push closed the door to his room, he looked back at his friend and his mentor. Gwen was now sitting on the edge of the bed, holding Gaius' hand. She had placed a fresh damp cloth on his forehead and was murmuring softly.

On seeing the care Gwen was taking with Gaius, Merlin smiled for the first time in days. Gwen truly was a wonder. With a sigh of utter exhaustion, Merlin collapsed onto his bed and was asleep before he even managed to remove his boots.

Merlin was still deeply asleep when the door to the physician's chambers opened and one of the kitchen girls came in, carrying a large tray covered with foodstuffs. "From Prince Arthur," said the girl as she placed the tray on the table. Gwen and Nina spoke for a few moments as they laid out the food.

"Thank you, Nina," said Gwen as the girl picked up the now-empty tray.

"You're welcome, Gwen," said Nina with a smile. "It's nice to be out of the heat of the kitchens for a little bit." With one last, concerned look towards Gaius, Nina left the room, quietly closing the door behind her.

It was the murmuring of the girls' voices that, in the end, roused Merlin. He lay on his narrow bed, blinking blearily in the bright sunlight that filled his room, and for a moment couldn't remember why he was napping in the afternoon. Then it all came back to him and he sat up with a jolt.

"Gaius," he breathed.

He scrambled out of bed and then got the surprise of his life when his bare feet hit the ground. Merlin sat on the edge of his bed, staring at his feet and wiggling his long toes. He was pretty sure he hadn't removed his boots when he collapsed onto his bed, but his mind was still a bit fuzzy from lack of sleep, so he couldn't be too sure … and now he couldn't find his footwear.

His brown boots were not haphazardly sitting against the wall beside his small table, as usual. Now the young warlock was beginning to become concerned. Had he been sleepwalking? Again? It wouldn't have surprised him to find out this was the case. It had happened in the past, mainly when he was both completely exhausted and deeply worried. If Gaius' continuing illness was not a perfect example of his sleepwalking trigger, he didn't know what was.

A light rapping sounded on his door before Gwen pushed it open and entered his room.

"I thought I heard you moving around, Merlin," she said. Taking a close look at her friend she added, "The sleep has done you some good, I can see. You actually have a bit more colour in your cheeks. If you're awake enough, there's food in the outer room. Gaius is asleep right now, but we do need to talk about what to do next. I'll have everything set out on the table by the time you get your socks on."

"Um … about that. Where are my boots? For the life of me I cannot remember taking them off, but as you can see …", said Merlin as he gestured towards his bare feet.

Gwen giggled and said, "Your boots are at the end of your bed Merlin, out of the way. And don't worry, you're not going crazy. Just after you pushed your door shut I heard a noise. I called, but you didn't answer, so I took a look to see what had happened. From the position you were in, I guess you must have been asleep before you even managed to lie down! Your feet were on the floor, but your body and head were on the bed. So, I pulled off your boots … and remind me to knit you a new pair of socks, yours have holes! Anyway, I removed your boots and socks and swung your legs up onto the bed so you wouldn't wake up all twisted up in pain. You were so deeply asleep you didn't even so much as twitch when I manhandled you onto the bed!"

Merlin felt his cheeks flush with heat during Gwen's description and he ducked his head in embarrassment. "Sorry about that," he whispered.

"Merlin," said Gwen fondly, "it was my pleasure to help you. You do so much for everyone that it was nice to be able to return the favour for once. Now, splash some water on your face, get your boots on and come eat something."

Merlin watched the girl as she made her way down the stairs and towards the worktable-cum-dinner-table that dominated the room. "You're a good friend, Gwen," he called as he tried to pat his sleep-ruffled hair back into submission.

Once Merlin had done as Gwen instructed, he rushed out of his room and made his way immediately to Gaius' side. The elderly man did not look any better than he had earlier that day. Merlin sighed deeply as he took a good look at his mentor. He knew he had been hoping for a miracle, but no miracles today. Gaius was still flushed with fever, his skin was looking waxy and his hair lay limply on the pillow. His breathing was raspy and hands still continued to twitch where they lay on the counterpane.

The only good thing was it seemed that the fever had not risen again, but neither had it abated. Merlin gently clasped Gaius' shoulder and, with a catch in his throat, whispered, "Gaius, please, you've got to get better. I don't know what to do anymore."

If Gwen had heard Merlin's plea, she said nothing as he sat down at the table and stared at the riches laid out in front of him. "Whaaa?" he said, rather inelegantly.

Gwen grinned as she handed Merlin a goblet filled with cool, clear water. "Would you believe this is all courtesy of Arthur?"

"Nope, not at all!" responded the dark-haired youth as he began piling fruit, bread and cheese onto his plate. It took a few seconds for him to realize that Gwen had not said anything. Looking up and seeing her features holding a look of combined exasperation and surprise, he said, "Really? Arthur sent all this?"

"Yes, Merlin, he did. He may be a bit of a bully at times, but he does care deeply for Gaius. I thought that would have been obvious since he's told you to stay with him until he's better."

A thoughtful look crossed Merlin's face and then his eyes widened in understanding. "I thought he was just looking for a way to get rid of me for a few days. Apparently I couldn't have been more wrong! I know he cares for Gaius; I've seen it for myself. Ah, well, I'll be sure to thank him for this."

Looking over at the occupied patient bed, Merlin added, "No change?"

"I'm sorry, Merlin, but no change. I've replaced the cloths on his forehead several times but they don't seem to be doing much good. I know the fever hasn't risen in the four hours you were asleep, but it hasn't fallen either. What else have you tried, other than the St. John's Wort?"

"Four hours! You let me sleep four hours!" said Merlin indignantly.

"Merlin," snapped Gwen, "you needed the sleep. I tried to wake you earlier like you wanted, but you didn't hear me. Besides, Gaius was fine, relatively speaking."

Abashed, Merlin apologized, "I'm sorry Gwen. You're right, I know you are. I feel much better for the sleep and the food, but it's just that … I'm scared. I'm so scared."

The fear was evident in his voice as he continued, "I've tried willow bark tea and infusions of coriander and St. John's Wort, but they haven't worked. I've been going through Gaius' Herbals, but some of these treatments are far beyond my knowledge. I don't want to try something new only to mess it up somehow, or even poison Gaius by accident."

Gwen's sympathy was palpable as she stretched her arm across the table and grasped Merlin's hand. "I know you're trying, Merlin. No one can fault you for your dedication to Gaius, but I think the time has come to call on some more help. It is possible Rhys, the apothecary, may have some ideas. Why don't you go speak with him? I'll stay here with Gaius until you get back."

At Gwen's suggestion, the faint pinprick of hope appeared in Merlin's eyes. "Gwen, that's brilliant! I was so worried about Gaius that it didn't even occur to me that Rhys may be able to help. I'll go see him right away. You don't mind staying with Gaius a bit longer?"

"Of course not, Merlin. I'm happy to help out in any way I can."

Merlin stood from the table, but before rushing off to find Rhys he stepped to Gwen's side and pulled her in for a tight embrace. "Thank you," he whispered in her ear, "for everything."

"You're very welcome, Merlin. Now go, before Rhys heads home for dinner."

A bang of the door heralded Merlin's departure. Gwen looked at the food still on the table and with a fond smile and a quick glance towards Gaius to ensure that he was still resting comfortably, she began packing away the remains of their meal. Arthur had kindly sent enough foodstuffs for a couple of days, so that was one thing they wouldn't have to worry about. Now, they would just have to hope that Rhys would have some useful suggestions.