I don't own Merlin.

Arthur's POV

Gwen groaned and pushed me out of bed. "He's your son," she grumbled before she rolled over, cocooning herself in blankets.

Of course. When it's convenient for Gwen, he's my son. Whenever any of my children do something wrong, they are my children, but when they are acting like little angels, they are her children. Oh the injustice. I might have told Gwen that, but she was at a stage in her pregnancy where I didn't want to irritate her more than necessary.

I sat up, pushing off the cold floor to get to my feet. I stretched and groaned. "Merlin!" I yelled, trying to sound stern, but not entirely able to mask the affection in my voice.

I heard a small giggle from behind the curtain. The kind of giggle only a small boy could make. I couldn't keep up the stern look on my face. Sure, he woke me up at an ungodly hour, forcing my very pregnant and hormonal wife to push me out of bed, but I just couldn't stay mad at my son. It was impossible.

"Hmmm…" I said. "I wonder where my son is." As I walked closer to the spot by the curtain, I could hear his giggling increase.

I pushed aside the curtain, exposing my four year old son. He was smiling up at me cheekily. I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. He had Gwen's hair, but my eyes. I eyed him suspiciously. "Where's your brother?" I asked him. Those two were rarely separated, preferring to wreak havoc on the kingdom together rather than separately.

"Where do you think he was?" I heard a tired voice behind me ask. I couldn't help the chuckle that escaped me.

I turned to see Merlin standing there, his hair disheveled and his eyes still full of sleep. In his arms was a giggling four year old, identical to his twin brother.

"I just wanted to see my Uncle Merlin," Elyan said in an innocent voice.

"I'm sure you did," Merlin said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. You could see the love and affection in his face. He loved my children almost as much as I did. He turned to face me. "Your children are such miscreants," he teased me.

I rolled my eyes at him. "I wonder who they learned it from," I told him sarcastically. They have seen Merlin use his magic to cause so much mayhem. It fascinates them.

Merlin's eyes widened in mock innocence. "I know you're not implying that I, Merlin, would ever corrupt your children," he said.

"I'm not implying anything. I'm saying it straight to your face," I told him amused.

Merlin opened his mouth to say something back to me when he was distracted by a little four year old sneaking up behind him and tightly wrapping his arms around one of Merlin's legs.

Merlin put Elyan down who immediately ran over to me, giggling like he got away with something. Merlin gently picked up the toddler clutching his leg. When he realized he was being picked up, he loosened his grip around Merlin's leg.

"Hey Mer," Merlin said affectionately, ruffling his hair. Of all my children, Merlin had a particular soft spot for him. I can still remember the day he was born.

Smiling, I clutched Guinevere's hand. She was moaning and screaming. Gaius and Merlin were preparing for the baby that was coming. Usually a midwife would have delivered the baby, but Gwen wanted Merlin to do it. She trusted him and she knew if something went wrong with the baby or with herself, Merlin would be the best person to help.

I was so excited. I was going to be a father.

I saw Merlin wince as his hands went to where the baby would be coming out. I knew he was extremely uncomfortable with Gwen's request, but once Gwen and I joined forces, he agreed. "I see a head," he told Gaius.

"Watch where you're looking," I muttered to him.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Why don't you deliver this baby?" He asked sarcastically.

Anything I was going to say back was thrust from my mind as Gwen seized my hand and squeezed harder than she ever had before. She let out a scream that sounded like a strangled animal.

"I know it hurts my lady, but you have to keep pushing," Gaius warned. He dabbed at her sweaty forehead with a damp washcloth.

Gwen's face scrunched up and one glorious scream later and a new scream entered the world. A new scream that meant a baby was born. I looked over at the baby, in awe of what I saw. "It's a boy," Merlin told me. I couldn't focus on what Merlin was doing. I could only focus on the child, my son. The heir to Camelot.

Suddenly Merlin handed the baby to Gaius and looked back at Gwen confused. His eyes widened. "You're not done yet," he whispered. I looked at him confused. What did he mean.

Gaius looked at Merlin. "Impossible," he said, shaking his head.

"Gaius, I'm telling you, there's another baby in here," Merlin told him. "Gwen I need you to push. This is going to be hard and I know you're tired, but I promise you, I will heal you when it's done. But for the baby, you have to do this."

A determined look crossed Guinevere's face. She scrunched up her face. It seemed like hours passed, but I know it was only a couple of minutes before Merlin's face broke out into a grin and another piercing scream filled the room. "Another boy," Merlin said. He quickly handed the baby to Gaius who began to clean him off. My other son was already clean and neatly wrapped in a small blanket, lying in a bassinet. I looked at Gwen fearfully. Her breathing was becoming ragged and her eyes were closed.

Merlin closed his eyes, put his hand on Gwen's stomach and started chanting. He spoke for almost a minute and when he finished, he opened his eyes in time for a flash of gold to flash through them. I couldn't see the changes happening to Gwen, but I could see the look of relief that fixed itself on her face. Her breathing evened out.

After a moment, she opened her eyes. "Thank you Merlin," she said in a tired voice.

I knew tears were streaming down my face, but I couldn't help it. Twins weren't unheard of, but they were rare. The mother's never survived. This was a first.

I held Gwen's hand tightly as I looked at our sons.

"You're going to have to refrain from any strenuous activities for a while," Merlin told Gwen. He glanced at me briefly and winked at me.

I could feel my face flushing as I picked up a book from a nearby table and hurled it at him. He stopped it in midair. "What?" he asked me innocently.

I rolled my eyes at him. "Sire, have you thought of any names?" Gaius asked me.

I smiled at Gwen softly. "We had decided if it was a boy, we were going to name him Elyan," I told him. "But for the other boy…"

"Arthur, you begged and begged and I told you it would be fine for our second son," Gwen reminded me. Her voice was still weak, but that was probably normal for someone who just gave birth.

"Merlin," I said.

"Yes my lord?" Merlin asked.

"No. His name will be Merlin," I said.

I turned in time to see the tears filling Merlin's eyes as he took in my words. He looked down at the small bundle in Gaius's arms. "Hi Mer," he whispered.

"What in the world are you smiling about?" Merlin asked me.

I shook my head, coming back to the present. "Nothing," I lied.

Merlin rolled his eyes. "Right. And I'm not a sorcerer," he said sarcastically.

"Guys, I love you both, but I'm going to kill you if you don't leave," Gwen's grumpy voice came from our bed.

I chuckled. I knew it was an empty threat. Gwen would never leave the warmth of the bed to try to kill me.

She threw a pillow at me. I dodged out of the way, scooping up Elyan in the process. "We're leaving," I promised her.

"Don't come back without breakfast," she warned.

Merlin and I carefully left the chambers. The second the doors were closed behind us, we burst out laughing.

"Daddy, why is mommy mad at you?" Elyan asked me at the same time that Mer asked Merlin, "Uncle Merlin why is mommy mad at daddy?"

Merlin chuckled. "That would be because your father is-" Merlin started to say.

"Going to make us all breakfast," I interrupted. I didn't care for Merlin to insult me in front of my children. True that he usually sticks with cabbage head in front of them, but still.

My children wiggled out of our hold and ran towards the kitchen giggling.

"Does this mean I should go wake up Elaine?" Merlin asked me amused.

"Are you kidding?" I asked him incredulously. "She's worse than her mother."

Elaine was my three year old daughter. She was a terror if she was woken up too early.

"But not worse than her father," Merlin said jokingly.

"I am not that bad," I protested.

"I remember you throwing many heavy objects at my head when I woke you up," Merlin pointed out.

"Well, you were annoying," I told him.

"Well you were a clot pole," Merlin retorted.

I glanced at Merlin and we burst out laughing again. Some things never change. And I'm okay with that.