Hey guys! I just have a few notes and stuff. First, thanks to everyone who reads, reviews or favourites this fic. It really means the world to me. This is my first real fic after all. Secondly, I thought I'd warn you now but I'm not british nor do I know anything about british slang. Please don't kill me for that. Another thing I wanted to add was that many characters are given the names of their respective actors because of the reincarnation factor (ie. Merlin is Colin). Finally, expect about 14 or 15 chapters. I have everything already planned out so don't worry, I won't randomly stop updating. Thanks for reading, enjoy!

Emrys was a range of emotions as he walked down the street. Happiness, shock, panic, relief, those were only the tip of the iceberg. After waiting so long it was odd to feel like he needed more time. Was he ready to see Arthur again? Was Arthur ready to see him again?
It hit him then, stopping in the middle of the sidewalk he looked down at his wrinkled hands. He wasn't exactly youthful anymore. Their reunion was to be special and he wanted to look his very best. Time may have worn down his body, but his heart hadn't aged a day since Arthur's death. A decision had to be made; he knew of a spell that could restore his youth but it came at a high price. It would take all of his magic to perform and he would only get one chance. After the spell was complete he would be virtually powerless for an unknown period of time. It only took a few moments to decide that it was a risk he was willing to take. Making a mental checklist of the ingredients he needed, Emrys headed towards the town's grocery store.

******

It had taken him far longer than expected to gather his materials; the sun was nearly setting. The last stop he made was at the floral shop that had the specific type of rose he needed. Exiting the shop he collided with someone and was knocked on his feet. Looking up from the ground he noticed who the perpetrator was. The waitress from the cafe was gawking at him with worried eyes.
"Oh my goodness, I'm so sorry! Are you okay? I was in such a hurry to get home I didn't even see you," her voice was full of distress.
Offering a hand she aided him to his feet. He sighed, "It's fine, it wasn't your fault. I wasn't looking either. Now if you'll excuse me I have things I must take care of."
Laura watched as he quickly paced away. Taking a step forward she called out, "Are you sure you're okay? I mean, well and truely okay..."
Emrys stopped and glanced over his shoulder back at her. Studying her face he realized her delicate features were sharp and pained. He couldn't recall the last time he met someone who was so concerned with the well being of a complete stranger. His heart sank slightly but he pressed on. Without a word he continued on towards the lake.

******

The lake was a beautiful little place surrounded by the forest. Emrys diverged from the main path and made his own trail to the shore, it would be a pain if someone spotted him. He found a nice patch of sand next to a fallen tree. This area would do nicely.

Setting his bag on the ground he pulled out all the ingredients and arranged them for the spell. None of which were particularly hard to get; the rose, some lamb's blood he got from a lamb chop, and a few smaller items. Next, he took a seat on the log and began untying his shoes. After removing his jacket and pulling off his shirt, he undid his pants. Before long he was naked down to his underwear. The wind kicked up a breeze and a shiver ran up his elderly frame.

The sun had now dipped beneath the horizon; it was time. Gently cupping the materials in his hands he crouched over the shore, the waves tickling his feet. Closing his eyes tightly he whispered an incantation, when he opened them they shone a brilliant amber colour. After lowering the materials into the water he stood up briskly. Drawing a long breath, Emrys took a step and then another and before long he was waist deep.

It was then that he heard a sound; like rustling in the trees. A shaky but firm voice called out to him, "STOP!"

He froze. Oh great...

He already knew who it was before he turned to face her. Laura, the waitress, was at the water's edge. Her hands were reaching out to him and she looked completely distraught. She must have followed him all the way from the floral shop. This was the second time now that she'd surprised him.

He shouted back, "You shouldn't be here, go home."

Appearing more confident now she stood her ground, "You don't have to do this you know! You have options, like therapy or groups or something... I know life can be tough but you don't have to end it..."

The misunderstanding could have been funny if it weren't for the current situation. The spell had already been started and if he had any desire to complete it he would have to act quickly. At the same time he knew there was no getting rid of her.

"Look, I'm not trying to drown myself or anything. Just watch."

"How can I be sure?!" her voice cracked.

"Trust me."

Reluctantly she nodded and he proceeded. It only took a few minutes until he was neck deep, taking a deep breath his head slipped under the water. Laura took a protective step forward, her shoes were now underwater. A second passed and then a few more. A wave of panic and guilt rushed through her; what was she thinking letting him continue like that? Covering her mouth with her hand she muffled a sob. Had she just let a man kill himself?

Just as she was about to go in after him something extraordinary happened. The water where Laura had last seen Emrys began to glow. It was faint at first and then the amber colour grew until she could hardly look at it. Then, it disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared leaving only a light ripple in the water. Almost instantaneously the ripples turned to bubbles and then splashing. A figure emerged and gasped loudly for air.

Flabbergasted, she watched as the man made his way back to shore. Stark black hair against pale skin was the first thing she registered.

What the hell? What happened to the old man? What in the world was going on?

The young man crawled onto shore and in front of her feet. He coughed the water out of his lungs as he balanced on all fours.

He looked up at her with a goofy grin and a twinkle in his eyes, "I told you that you could trust me."

He was beautiful. The smile reached his eyes; they were a wonderful shade of blue. His cheekbones were so interestingly impossible. The wet hair that stuck to his face only added to his unbelieveable image. Laura's head was spinning now. The similarities between the old man and this young fellow were too close for comfort. Was it really possible that they were the same people? Did that light have something to do with it? What if she had just lost it and this was all part of a crazy dream?

The edges of her vision began to blur and before she could think, she had fallen to the ground. Laura had fainted.

The fire popped and crackled as he threw in a piece of wood. He guessed it was a little past midnight but he wasn't tired in the slightest. After everything that just happened he doubted he'd get any real sleep for some time. Besides, how could he when Arthur was out there waiting for him. He also had an interesting dilemma on his hands; the young waitress. When she fainted he decided it was best to let her sleep, besides he really wasn't sure how he was going to deal with her anyways.

Laura was laid out on his sleeping bag with her jacket as a makeshift blanket. The breeze coming off the lake was quite chilly so he he'd set up camp away from the shore. He studied her face intently as if the solution was hidden there.

She shifted and opened her eyes; a pair of blue orbs looked at her from across the fire. Gasping, she sat up and began to panic as she recalled the events that had just unfolded. As she opened her mouth he expected either a scream or a million questions, he was wrong however. She made a high pitched squeak as if she could make no other sound. Taking the opportunity he began.

"Look I mean you no harm," he raised his hands and continued, "I am not forcing you to stay here, you may leave whenever you like. I will gladly show you the way back into town. However, if you leave now none of your questions will be answered. You trusted me once, please trust me again."

Laura nodded with an almost horrified expression, she still couldn't force out words. A smile crept onto his face and he relaxed substantially. It was an odd feeling to be able to share his story with someone, instead of bottling it up. There was almost a hint of pride as he started his tale.

"My name is Merlin, and yes, that Merlin. I'm a sorcerer and my story begins in Camelot roughly 1000 years ago," he spoke each word with an almost practised perfection.

As he explained his history she listened intently. While she was skeptical she never interrupted with irrelevant questions or comments. The fear and shock eventually faded from her face and was replaced by curiosity.

"Then as I was completing the spell you, uh, turned up. After that you fainted and here we are. It's true, all of it. Trust me it is..." finishing up his story he dreaded her reaction. Would she laugh? Maybe she would call him crazy. To his surprise she did neither, she took a deep breath.

"I...can't believe it...magic and Knights of the Round Table. All those myths and stories they teach you as a child are real. I just, wow. WOW."

"Yep."

"Oh God. You've waited alone all this time..." she knew it was probably a sensitive topic so she trailed off.

"Yes I have. Now that he's returned I need to see him, I need to..."

Biting her lip she asked, "Arthur, he wasn't just your king was he?"

"No, he was... my best friend."

She observed his face, it was so full of life now. It was hard to watch as his jaw clenched at an old memory. His aged face had seemed so dead in comparison. It was almost impossible to tell he was an old man in the body of a young man. It reminded her of a toy soldier; frozen in time until his key was wound again.

Without thinking she blurted out, "you can stay with me if you like!"

Looking up at her he questioned, "really?"

"Well, I uh, mean...only if you want to. For a few days at least until you have a game plan."

Laura never ceased to amaze him, "Thank you, I really appreciate everything you've done. But...why are you being so nice to me? I'm just some stranger."

She contemplated this. He was right, Merlin was just a stranger. For all she knew he could could be lying about everything. Deciding she didn't have a proper answer she joked, "back at Mel's you gave me quite a hefty tip. I've got to repay the favour somehow."

He chuckled and looked her in the eyes. There was something in his eyes that screamed nostalgia. He stood up to throw a stick in the fire once more and muttered something he probably thought she wouldn't hear, "thank you Freya..."

Laura was confused, wondering if he realized he had called her by the wrong name. Merlin had explained the spell took a lot out of him, perhaps that was why. In any case she didn't press the matter.

She changed the subject, "I know it's late but we could go back to my house. It beats sleeping out in the woods."

"Alright."

The pair gathered Merlin's things and put out the fire. They eventually found their way back into town and before long, to Laura's house. It was a tiny little place but it was enough. Afterall, it was only Laura, her mother and her brother. Carefully unlocking the door she signaled to Merlin to be as quiet as possible. As soon as they were both in the house and had the door locked behind them a voice was shouting. A portly little woman with hair curlers and a nightgown greeted them with hands on her hips. Merlin guessed it was Laura's mother.

"Laura! Do you have any idea what time it is?! Where in the world have you-" stopping mid sentence she realized Laura wasn't alone.

Merlin swayed awkwardly and gave a little wave, "hi."

The woman looked from Laura to Merlin and then back to Laura and exclaimed, "Well now! Laura have finally gone and got yourself a man? Good for you, I'm so proud!" She leaned in close to Merlin and gave him a nudge with her elbow, "and here I thought Laura would be a virgin forever!"

Laura was mortified, "OH GOD MOM! What is wrong with you?! He's just a friend!"

That seemed to deflate her mother a bit, "Oh. What a shame, he's such a handsome lad. Maybe I can have him for myself. I'm Polly by the way."

Laura blushed hard and fought back, "You are unbelievable! And you wonder why I don't have any friends, you scare them all away!"

Merlin simply watched amusingly at their exchange. Deciding that she'd had enough, Laura grabbed Merlin's wrist and pulled him up the stairs to her room. Polly shouted up the stairs one last time, "Good night then! Be safe."

Slamming the door behind her, Laura growled, "Ugh, that woman!"

Giggling, Merlin piped up, "she seems very nice."

Laura snorted at his comment. Looking around the room he noticed it was also very small. There was a single bed pushed against the left wall and a dresser against the right. The desk at the back wall was covered with books and a laptop. The walls were a navy blue and were lined with the posters of popular metal bands. There was another stack of books at the foot of her bed and he grabbed one off the top; it read The Encyclopedia of Magical Creatures.

"Anything interesting in these books?" he asked her.

"Well after what I've seen tonight I don't think 'interesting' will be able to cut it anymore."

"This is why you were so accepting of me, isn't it. You love this kind of stuff don't you?"

"Yeah I do. I've been called a freak all my life so I guess I buried myself in these books about monsters and freaky crap like magic. It's nice when you can relate to something...wait, no offence or anything! I don't think you're freaky or anything...I..."

"It's alright Laura. I understand what you must be going through. Trust me, I do."

She smiled and nodded. Something caught her attention, "My brother's at work right now so we don't have to deal with him. I know he has some old clothes that don't fit him anymore, wait here."

She left the room and returned a few minutes later with a handful of clothes, "here. I wasn't sure what you'd like. There's also a pair of pajamas if you're tired. The bathroom is at the end of the hall. You can use the shower if you'd like, I left a towel and everything in there for you."

Walking towards the door he stopped and faced her, "Thank you laura, for everything. You've been so kind to me, I won't forget this." He bent down and kissed her on the cheek before heading to the bathroom. Laura stood stunned with her hand over her cheek, her face was bright red.

Laura had made Merlin a bed on the sofa and when Merlin woke up the next morning he was welcomed with the fantastic scent of bacon and eggs. Polly had been making them with Laura's help. Apparently Laura had called in sick to work today. As the three of them sat down to eat it was inevitable that Polly would begin asking questions.

"So young man, what's your name?"

Merlin wasn't asked about himself very often but he knew it was usually best if he didn't use his real name. It only provoked more questions. Laura could see the turmoil brewing on his face and answered for him, "It's... Colin! Yep, Colin."

Merlin was caught off guard to say the least but he played along, "Yes, my name is Colin."

"I see, Laura's never talked about you before and you don't seem familiar either. Are you from out of town?"

"Yes I am. I'm a bit of a drifter, I don't stay in one place for very long you see."

With that another voice joined in, "a drifter eh? Well, you best not go breaking my little sister's heart now." A man in pajama bottoms walked into the kitchen and winked at him. Merlin immediately recognized him as the police officer who had kicked him out of the forest yesterday.

Laura gasped, "Oh my GOSH! He's just a friend." This earned her a laugh from everyone.

Merlin chuckled, "I wouldn't dream of it sir!"

Laura's brother clapped him on the back and then held out his hand for a shake, "Good man. I'm Jack by the way."

Merlin took his hand and gave it a firm squeeze, "Colin."

For the rest of the day Merlin talked with Laura and her family. He never realized how much he craved this human interaction. The lighthearted atmosphere gave him a constant buzz. It had been far too long since he felt like he was part of a family. As Merlin laid in his makeshift bed he realized he could really get use to this. Closing his eyes he got the best sleep he'd had in a very long time.

Lucky enough Laura had the day off. Merlin helped out with breakfast and dishes, then Laura pulled out her laptop. The pair sat on her bed and looked up this Bradley character on Wikipedia. It gave the basics they already knew; his father was a millionair Bank owner, they moved from London to New York when Bradley was 9, and that he'd been adopted. There wasn't anything of much use until they scrolled down to the references page. A fan site was referenced so they followed the link.

Dozens of photos of Bradley's face littered the home page, one could only guess how many were in the 'gallery' section. Clicking on the biography page they were greeted with a wall of information. Apparently he was quite the hot commodity. Being the son of a wealthy businessman and the fact that he was a long time bachelor only added to his appeal according to the site. He'd been called a heartthrob ever since his appearance in some movie. They watched some of his interviews and were astounded. Bradley was a total prick.

Laura turned to Merlin with a confused look on her face, "um, Merlin...are you sure that's the Arthur you told me about..."

Merlin's stomach was in his throat. She was right, this wasn't like Arthur at all. He made up a weak explanation, if only to ease his own mind, "It's probably a cover you know? People might think he was mad if he started calling himself King Arthur."

It really didn't satisfy either of them but neither brought it up again. Instead, she clicked on a link to the site's forums.

Jackpot.

It was teeming with posts about Bradley's birthday. It was a little under a week away and the his fans were going crazy. As it turned out, every year he travels back to London for the occasion. An entire thread was dedicated to the nightclubs he was predicted to visit; one in particular had been his favourite for the past 2 years.

It was definitely a start. Laura gave him a reassuring look as they went downstairs for dinner.

Laura had woken up before Merlin this morning. She had to work all day today and her mother was going out shopping. Merlin was left alone with Jack all day, which he really didn't mind. Jack was a very compassionate person like his sister and was definitely interesting to talk to. He was in late twenties but he lounged around like a teenager.

Laura had let Merlin borrow her laptop so he didn't get bored while she was away. He sat on the couch google image searching his Arthur lookalike. Jack plopped down next to him and turned on the game while he took a sip from his beer. After ten minutes or so he looked over to see what Merlin was doing.

He crooked an eyebrow and teased, "you some kind of celebrity stalker or something?"

Merlin half laughed, "Uh, no."

Jack nodded his head knowingly and continued, "and you don't have have a thing for my sister."

Merlin looked him square in the face, "Honestly, she is a great person, one in a million and anyone would be lucky to have a chance with her. But..."

"You don't."

"Yeah."

Jack threw his head back and closed his eyes, "she's going to be sad to see you go. I haven't seen her this happy in since before our dad died when we were kids. I don't know what you did but she's changed. She smiles more, it's nice."

Merlin looked at him with sympathy and confessed, "I was planning on leaving today while she was at work."

Jack opened his eyes and surveyed his face, "I thought so, I saw you packing your stuff earlier. I know I probably won't be able to sway you but it's worth a shot. You could stay you know, I could find you a job in town. I just don't think I can watch her smile disappear again you know?"

"I'm sorry, I can't stay."

"I figured. Will she see you again?"

"Probably not."

"I see."

Merlin took that as his cue and stood up. Grabbing his things from upstairs he made his way to the door. Jack was already waiting for him there. Slipping a piece of paper into Merlin's hand he began, "just promise me you'll call."

Merlin nodded. Opening the door Merlin stepped out and looked back, "just tell her that everything will be okay, she can trust me."

"She already does, mate."

Merlin took a long pause, "I suppose you're right."

"I'd say see you later, but I guess not."

"Yeah..."

Merlin turned and walked down the steps. Jack watched as he left the yard and disappeared out of view.

His sister was going to kill him.