Welcome! Welcome! The second chapter is where the action starts. This here is the background for this fic because my drabble collection, Fractions, was where I came up with 'Uncle Merlin'. So the drabbles below are arranged in chronological order and the next chapter is an extended version of three of them.

Oh, and Fractions Readers: Hello! I've added new ones so there's a few you haven't read :)

Right, so just so we're clear, the only ones to die in the finale were Morgana and Mordred. But this is an alternate universe so I can do whatever I want. And that means ignoring the finale completely.

Pretend with me!

One

.

A lone figure paced restlessly outside the King's chambers. Biting his nails, muttering, and running his hands through his hair- altogether unbecoming of the court sorcerer. One who was worrying himself to pieces.

He was saved though when the door opened to emit a beaming Arthur. Merlin took one look at his bright eyes and his own became inexplicably teary. They strode to each other and Arthur spoke to his precious bundle and placed it in Merlin's arms. "Say hello to Uncle Merlin," he smiled.

Merlin stared at the sleeping son of Arthur and Guinevere.

"...You should name him Merlin."

Two

.

Arthur's glare was unlike anything Merlin had experienced before.

"Why is it, Merlin? That my son seems to like you more than me?" Arthur asked dangerously.

Merlin looked down at the baby sitting happily in his lap. A hundred comments floated in his mind but he wisely kept quiet. "Maybe because I call him by his true name?"

Unfortunately, one squeaked past the weak filter. Arthur's face turned the colour of a tomato and Merlin was grateful for the cooing infant in his arms.

"I swear, if he starts answering to Merlin, Merlin, I will kill you."

Merlin grinned hopefully.

Three

.

"It's my turn now, Merlin," Elyan had his arms crossed over his chest.

Merlin scowled at him and leaned his body away to partially cover the baby in his arms. "No"

"Well I get seniority over you anyway."

"I think not," Merlin said scandalized in a perfect imitation of Arthur.

"Gwen's my sister! You're not Arthur's brother." Elyan held is hands out. He wasn't surprised when Merlin remained still.

"Blood doesn't matter, I'm still his-"

"I'm the one who's related to Gwin."

"Merlin," Merlin corrected, "and he likes me better!"

"His name is-"

"Again, you two?" Queen Guinevere asked long-sufferingly.

Four

.

"Merlin," Arthur said, pretending to be wounded. "You're abandoning me."

Merlin glanced at Arthur before turning his attention back to tickling the cackling prince. "Well he's much nicer than you." Merlin grinned and began singing off key to the toddler.

Arthur laughed and sat on the floor beside Merlin. Gwin saw him and began the arduous process of getting up. "Get your own nephew. Gwin come here." Merlin held his arms out.

"He's my son, Gwin don't listen to him."

Gwin stood confused but was saved when Guinevere walked in. "Gwindir!" He gladly ditched the two men for his mother.

Five

.

Arthur stared down at his three year old son. "Gwin, did you steal Uncle Merlin's cloak?"

The boy was clearly taking lying tips from Merlin because he wouldn't look at Arthur. "Gwindir..." Arthur said in a low voice.

"Yes," the prince pouted.

Arthur knelt down sighing. "Why?"

Big blue eyes looked up from dark lashes. "Want him to stay," Gwin mumbled. Arthur could practically hear Merlin's heart break.

"He'll come back Gwin. Why don't you go say goodbye?"

Gwin then ran to Merlin who engulfed him in a hug.

"I'll be back soon." Merlin ruffled the prince's hair and disappeared.

Six

.

Arthur looked up at the sound of running feet nearing the council chambers. The door opened and a panicked Gwin dashed through. The king sighed and got out of his chair, the knights around him clearing away for the prince.

"Another nightmare Gwin?" He knelt down to his son's level and stared into his tear filled eyes. "You know your mother and I are-"

"The lights in my room are gone!" Gwin gasped.

Arthur's heart plummeted. "...Merlin's lights?"

Gwindir nodded frantically.

The door slammed open and Sir Gwaine came running breathlessly through. "Arthur, you have to come quick, it's Merlin!"

Seven

.

Merlin woke up slowly, trudging through the fog in his head. He blinked at the ceiling of his chambers, glad it was dark.

"Finally, we thought we lost you Merlin." Merlin looked at Arthur, sitting beside his bedside and looking weary.

"Sorry," Merlin croaked. He felt a familiar warmth beside him and looked down to see a sleeping Gwindir. "Was he worried?" Merlin continued hoarsely.

"Stop talking. And yes, he's spent the last two weeks crying. Shut up." Arthur narrowed his eyes as Merlin tried to exclaim surprise.

Merlin then closed his eyes, comforted by Arthur and Gwin being there.

Eight

.

Arthur grinned wickedly, knowing how to stop a pending tantrum. "Alright, do you want to play our favourite game?" Arthur asked his son who was on the verge of tears.

"Yeah!" Gwin yelled cheerfully.

Merlin who was nearby scowled at them. "I'm busy doing your reports," he told Arthur who ignored him and gathered the crumpled balls of old documents. Merlin grumbled but carried on.

"Okay," Arthur whispered to Gwin and handed him the ammunition. "Aim for his head."

Gwin giggled and took one, throwing it at Merlin. He laughed harder when it bounced off his nose.

Both Pendragons cheered.

Nine

.

"Mother!" Gwindir tore into the throne room with a devastated expression. Gwen immediately got up and hugged her son.

"What's wrong darling?"

"M-my swords t-turned into flowers ag-again!" He wailed, comfortable crying in his mother's arms.

They did not hear Merlin's snort but Arthur did and he glared at the warlock. "Merlin."

Gwindir gasped and climbed atop Merlin's lap. "Please fix them Uncle Merlin!"

"...I don't know," Merlin began, "will you stop using me as target practice?"

Gwindir nodded. "Alright." He stood up and carried Gwindir out the door, completely ignoring Arthur and Guinevere.

Everyone knew that Gwin was lying.

Ten

.

A hooded figure slunk through the castle hallways, making its way to Arthur's chambers.

Gwindir giggled from under the blanket, sitting on Merlin's shoulders and pulling his ears. "We're invisible," he whispered to the smiling guards as they snuck past. Merlin set Gwin on the ground and handed him a pouch.

"Careful, this isn't practice."

Gwindir grinned and found Arthur's crown, sprinkling the powder in the pouch over it. He crept back to Merlin who ran them out of the room.

Arthur didn't need to hear their snickering the next morning to know who was responsible for his itching scalp.

Eleven

.

"I said no Merlin," Arthur stated impatiently.

"So? You're not my mother," Merlin declared.

"I'm your king."

"So? You're not my mother."

"Merlin!"

"What now?" Gwen asked, walking into the room, behind a prancing Gwindir.

Both men started talking at once until Gwen silenced them. "I need a vacation!" Merlin burst out.

Arthur rounded on him. "You call going to fight an evil sorcerer a vacation?"

"Don't tell them that!" Merlin hissed.

Arthur looked at the only person who could talk sense into Merlin. "Gwin tell Merlin why he can't go."

"Cause father is the boss," Gwin said, "...right mother?"

Twelve

.

You have to spar with me Uncle Merlin!" A seven year old Gwin frowned. He mimicked his father's pose when dealing with a stubborn warlock and had his hands on his hips.

Merlin was in the process of making a potion he said would save the world. Arthur expected that it would wipe all turnips from existence as Merlin had got the idea from Gwaine yesterday. "I'm busy."

"I command you to spar with me!" Gwin ordered.

"...Later."

"Leave it Gwin," Arthur said. "Merlin can't listen to orders."

"Because of his mental affliction?"

Merlin glared at the grinning Arthur. "Exactly."

A/N- Now I'm probably just going to mark this story as incomplete so if I ever do any more Uncle Merlin stories I can just plug them in here. Would everyone like that, or should I do separate stories?

Oh and the next chapter is an extension of five, six, and seven. Enjoy!