Disclaimer: IDOM

Hey, guys! I'm updating on time! *cheers* Firstly, I really, really, really want to thank all of you who're following and reviewing and favoriting. Seriously, guys, getting all those emails... It was amazing. Twenty-one reviews, fifteen favorites, and forty-eight followers. It really made my day getting all those. *massive hugs to all*

Secondly, and because I forgot to do this in the last AN, can we just take a moment to appreciate the book cover for this fic? That's it... go ahead... click on it; it'll get bigger. See that bundle of awesomeness? Well, ladies and gents, that was made by the one and only ErinNovelist here on FF. (Also whenthestormisthrough on Tumblr) So go check her stuff out too. ;) She's a brilliant photo-editor.

Thirdly, I just recently made a Tumblr myself. :D It's, of course, carinims01. So feel free to follow. ;)

Fourthly, and while I'm recommending things, I've been kinda having a non-stop binge marathon of this show that is absolutely astounding. It's got time travel, holograms, angst, whump, friendship, bromance, and every single episode brings in something new, and no, it's not Doctor Who. It's Quantum Leap! Really, guys, this show... If you like Doctor Who, you're bound to like this. Go watch! :D

Fifthly, I should warn you, since it's a modern fic, I will be incorporating my own likes/dislikes into the characters. It really can't be helped, actually, since there isn't any canon for it yet, and I have to add some quirks and things to everyone. ^_^

Okay, that's it, and I honestly think that has been my longest AN so far, so, honestly, thanks for reading it, because I'm sure it probably bored you to tears. xD

*over exaggerated bow* Enjoy!

Chapter 2: Partners

"What?" Arthur nearly yelled, irritation filtering through his voice. He pulled his hand back from where it had crashed down on Chief Inspector's desk and instead ran it agitatedly through his golden hair while he let his other hand rest on his hip. Arthur saw his superior's blue-grey eyes flash with impatience and a more carefully hidden annoyance.

"You're getting a new partner," he repeated.

Arthur shifted his feet and let his arms fall to his sides in exasperation. "But I don't need -"

"Nonetheless -"

"But, Father, I don't need a new partner."

Uther looked up from the manila folder he'd been looking through and set it on the desk before folding his hands in front of him, anger underlying his voice. "It doesn't matter, Arthur. These orders come from the Commissioner himself. I have no say in it."

"But you're Chief Inspector."

"That doesn't matter right now," he said, and Arthur could hear the frustration filling his voice in regards to the situation, "but you need a partner. You can't just go by yourself on these missions."

"I've got my team –"

"An odd number, Arthur. You need your own partner."

Arthur put his hands on his hips again, resisting the urge to pace the length of his father's large office. "I hate partners; they're all bootlickers."

"And they all say you're impossible to work with; that's why they all asked for transfers."

"But -"

Uther finally held up his hands. "What's done is done, Arthur."

The inspector let out a frustrated puff of air before compressing his lips into a thin line. "Fine."

The Chief glanced at his son and nodded in farewell. Arthur turned and walked towards the exit, first seeing his team out the window of his father's room before he grasped the handle, turned it, walked out, and let the door shut loudly behind him like a petulant child.

"So," Leon started as he walked up, "how'd it go?"

Arthur put his hands on his hips again and rolled his clear blue eyes. "I'm getting another partner," he whined.

Gwaine nearly spat out his coffee as he laughed, and Elyan handed Arthur his own fresh to-go cup from Starbucks. "Really? Who's it this time?"

The Inspector leaned against his desk. "He didn't say, just that he would be here at noon, and that we're all to meet him in the Commissioner's office. Apparently, the two are old friends."

"So, wait," Percy piped up, confusion in his eyes, "how old is this guy?"

"Young," he answered. "Younger than any of us."

Elyan's brow furrowed. "So he'll be inexperienced?"

Arthur took a sip of his coffee, pulling it back when he scalded his tongue. "That's what I thought, but he's also said to have a lot of experience in the field. The Chief said that he'd read my 'partner's' folder. He's supposedly worked with the Commissioner in the past on some cases, medical things among the more 'secret stuff,' and he's not actually going to be an inspector, or anything, just a consultant."

Gwaine snorted. "A consultant? What'd we need a consultant for?"

The Inspector shook his head. "Beats me."

Leon flicked his elbow, enough to pop his sleeve up from his wrist and reveal his silver watch face. "Well, it's ten now, so we've got time to kill. Eh, bad choice of words."

Gwaine snorted into his coffee again, and Elyan grinned. "So we've got two hours and no cases so... what do we do to waste time?"

Gwaine immediately perked up. "I say that we go… 'stake out' that new market on Third Street."

"Why?" Percival asked animatedly.

"Because it's market day, and they have fresh apples in."

"And Katherine," Elyan quipped comically, receiving an immediate punch in the arm from Gwaine.

Arthur's eyebrows scrunched with amusement, the argument with his father forgotten. He threw up his hands up and glanced at the floor as if in submission. "Fine, you go do whatever you want, but be back here at noon."

Gwaine grinned broadly. "Perce, you coming?" A nod. "Elyan?"

"Yeah, I'll go. Better than sitting around here."

"Leon?"

"Nah, I'll hold down the fort."

"Arthur?"

"Not this time. I'm not being held responsible for whatever trouble you get into."

The sergeant flicked his keys off his desk. "The market it is then! Let's get going!"

Arthur stared at the three retreating backs of his friends, mind spacing and eyes glazing as if trying to catch some distant thought or memory. He let his eyes rove the large room, and they settled on his father, who was leaning over his desk in his separate room and signing papers before switching his attention to the computer on his right. Leon's voice as he asked a question suddenly sounded far off, and while his eyes continued to lose focus and colors smeared and dulled, his father's disembodied voice flashed through his mind like a long forgotten memory.

"You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Prince Arthur's manservant."

"Arthur."

Leon's voice finally broke through Arthur's trace, and he looked up towards his friend's stubbly face. "What?"

"This new partner of yours, do you think you'll keep this one?" he asked, brow scrunched in slight concern for his younger teammate.

"I don't know," Arthur replied truthfully, glancing at him and then at his coffee whilst whatever remained of his daydream was snatched from his mind, leaving him with only a vague feeling of annoyance, but also a strange, sudden longing and unexplained sadness, some of it even ebbing into his voice. "Depends on whether or not he's a bootlicker."

Leon smirked at him, writing off his tone as frustration towards the situation, and stood up to his full height. "Well, I'm going to the workout room, wanna come?"

The Inspector glanced at him, lips drawn in a smile while his cerulean eyes danced. "Nope, I've got something I need to do."

Seeing the hidden meaning behind his cheery tone, Leon grinned. "Okay then, I'll see you around."

Arthur gave him a farewell smile before walking off.

Guinevere shoved her cell phone into her purse and slung it across her black-leather rolling chair. She rolled over to the computer and typed in her information to log into Scotland Yard's computer system. Then she leaned back in her chair and tucked a lock of long, curly brown hair behind her ear and jumped when Arthur suddenly appeared from behind the corner, two coffee cups in hand.

"Good morning, Guinevere," Arthur said, smiling wistfully.

Gwen smiled, and her chocolate coloured eyes danced with pleasure. Arthur handed her a cup of her favorite coffee, and she closed her eyes as she breathed it in, feeling goosebumps crawl up her skin from the warmth. "Good morning," she repeated. "Thanks for the coffee."

"Mint chocolate verrazano with whipped cream," he smirked. "Just how you like it."

She smiled at him gratefully and set her coffee on the desk beside where Arthur was already sitting. Her smile faltered, though, as she noticed a hidden tenseness in his face and his body and the way his eyes had changed from cheery and free to hesitant and guarded. "Arthur?"

His blue eyes snapped up and met her brown ones. "Hm?"

The worry and concern was clear in her eyes, and Arthur wondered what had happened to put it there. "What's wrong?"

Oh, that. "It's nothing," he placated. "I'm just getting another partner."

"Another one?" she asked as her eyebrows shot up with surprise. "Won't this be your third this year?"

Arthur grinned sarcastically. "And it's still early."

The secretary pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. "When's your father going to learn?"

Suddenly, Arthur's eyes were dancing teasingly, and he leaned down as a genuine smile pulled at his lips. He grabbed her hand and leaned into her face. "As soon as he learns about us."

Gwen giggled and pulled her hand out of his hold, smiling. "So, never?"

"Pretty much," Arthur said, smile gone. "I mean, I know he means well; he wants to know I'm protected and everything but…"

"…but he doesn't trust anyone to take on that responsibility?" Gwen suggested.

Arthur nodded.

"He cares for you, Arthur, very much, and he doesn't want to see you get hurt. I can understand what he's going through… sort of anyway. I mean, it must have been what my father felt about Elyan and I after our mother passed. And I know that the Chief isn't very good at expressing what he's feeling -"

"-except for his disapproval-"

"-but he does feel it, Arthur. He's proud of you," Gwen finished.

Arthur sighed and looked at the coffee in his hands. "Thanks, Gwen."

She nodded, smiling. "So, got a name for this new partner?"

The Inspector huffed. "Leon asked me the same question, and no, no name for mystery man. All I know is that we meet him today at noon."

"Well, don't forget to bring him around. I'd like to meet him too."

"I will, but I don't know how long he's going to stay."

Gwen clucked her tongue, adjusting her purple, knee-length jacket. "Already doubting him?"

"Not doubt; experience."

"Maybe this one'll be different."

Arthur looked towards the ceiling, blue eyes slightly humorous, slightly ponderous. "Maybe he will."

The secretary took a drink of her mint flavored coffee. "Where're the guys?"

"Leon went to get some time in the gym, and Gwaine, Elyan, and Perce all went to the market."

"The market?"

Arthur nodded. "Yep, apparently they've got fresh apples today -"

"And Katherine," Gwen added laughingly.

Arthur rolled his eyes and looked at her questioningly. "Who is Katherine? Elyan mentioned her too."

Guinevere scoffed lightly. "No one special; just Gwaine's latest muse."

"Ah," Arthur sighed, pointing an eyebrow. "Shoulda guessed."

The secretary smiled at him and glanced at her computer, which had logged her in a while ago. "Well, I have work to do, so…"

"Fine," he replied with mock-offence. "I can tell when I'm not wanted."

Gwen laughed again as he walked off with a smile on his face. He looked at the clock and saw that he still had an hour and a half to waste. He released a sigh of boredom and decided to meet up with Leon in the gym upstairs, briefly wondering what the others were up to.

"Seriously, they're the best," Gwaine promoted, holding up a half yellow, half red apple.

Percy picked up his own cherry red apple from the fruit stand as other shoppers shuffled around them, searching for whatever was fresh. "Red are the best, Gwaine."

The sergeant only shook his head. "Nope, Gala are the best; red apples just dry out your mouth."

Elyan screwed up his face. "Gonna have to agree with Gwaine on that one, Percival."

The taller man just smirked good-naturedly and took a bite out of the apple whilst handing the stand owner a few coins for the fruit.

Suddenly, Elyan nudged Gwaine just as he bought his own multi-colored apple. "Hey, look, there's Katherine."

Gwaine perked up and his long brown hair flashed in the sunlight as he spotted the tall brunette a few stands down. He grinned mischievously through a mouthful of apple and swallowed thickly. "Excuse me, boys." He ran a hand through his hair and adjusted his light grey cashmere coat.

As he walked off, Elyan and Percy shared a skeptic and amused look before glancing at Gwaine just as he sauntered up to the smiling young woman, spoke with her for a few moments, and then walked back towards them, a sullen look on his face.

"So what happened, ladies-man?" Elyan teased.

Gwaine leaned against a flower stand next to them and took another bite out of his apple. "She has a boyfriend," he sighed.

Percy rolled his eyes and huffed a laugh, feeling no amount of remorse for his mock-grieving friend. "Gwaine, you're impossible."

He grinned. "I know."

"What's got you so perky allva' sudden?" Elyan asked.

"Well," he grinned. "There's always Margret…"

"Margret Hemmingsway? From our last case? Gwaine, are you kidding me?"

"Nope."

Elyan sighed. "I swear, Gwaine, you're just asking for trouble."

"Fine!" he responded, throwing his hands up. "I'll just be a bachelor all my life."

"Might be better that way," Percy muttered under his breath.

Either way, both caught the jab, and Gwaine hit Percival in the arm, laughing with Elyan and Perce all the same.

"So now what do you guys wanna do?" Gwaine asked.

"I don't know… head back to the station?" Elyan suggested. "It's nearly eleven."

Percy nodded. "Might as well pick up some lunch."

"Tavern!"

"No," Percy and Elyan said simultaneously. Then just Elyan, "You know, Gwaine, it's almost hard to believe you actually made sergeant."

"I'm surprised myself," he grinned.

Percy laughed and walked off, the others trailing him towards the car they'd brought before piling in, Elyan driving.

"So," Gwaine began as Elyan started the car, "what's for lunch, and who's paying?"

Elyan rolled his eyes. "Me, I suppose. You can pay me back later. As for what's for lunch, Gwen'll probably want Subway."

"Sounds good to me," Percy threw in.

Gwaine grumbled something in the backseat, but neither Elyan or Percy caught it. Then, louder, "Fine."

By the time they got there, ordered, and left, they had just enough time to get back to Scotland Yard and eat their lunch. They all ate as a group -Arthur, Leon, Elyan, Percival, Gwen, and Gwaine - like they usually do, around their grouping of desks. They didn't talk about anything particular until Arthur's new partner was brought up.

Gwen slapped Arthur's arm with mock scolding in her eyes. "Arthur, be nice."

Arthur swallowed and took a drink. "What?"

"You should give him the benefit of the doubt," she answered. Elyan hummed in agreement, and Arthur shot him a thanks-agree-with-her-so-you-don't-get-in-trouble- too look through narrowed blue eyes. "At least he's agreed to be your partner."

"Probably hasn't read his file," Gwaine quipped with amusement.

Arthur scowled.

Gwaine's grin broadened. "It's gotta say somewhere in there that you don't play well with others."

"Well I haven't dumped my drink on you yet," Arthur commented. "'Yet' being the key word."

Leon and Percy sniggered, and Elyan took a step away from Gwaine.

"Thanks, mate," he told Elyan playfully, "leave me defenceless."

"I wouldn't say that Gwaine," Gwen giggled. "I mean, you've got your hair, right?"

Arthur snorted and nearly spit out his drink as everyone laughed. Then Leon bumped his arm. He turned towards him to see his right hands eyes grinning with amusement and followed his eyes to the clock on the all.

"Just about noon guys," Arthur informed them.

"Hm," Gwen said, swallowing her food, "and I'd better get back to work."

She wrapped up the remainder of her sandwich, grabbed her drink, and smiled in farewell as she walked back to her desk a few stations down.

"So, why do we all have to go when he's your partner?" Gwaine whined.

"Because, Gwaine, he's going to be a part of the team, so the Commissioner wanted us all to meet him at the same time," Arthur explained, wrapping up his own sandwich.

"Eh, I didn't like any of your last partners, who's to say I'm going to like this one?" Gwaine grumbled.

"You didn't like Jefferson because he was allergic to apples, Gwaine," Elyan provided.

Percy grinned. "And then you didn't like Michael because he thought you were immature, which I'm inclined to agree with."

Gwaine sneered and Leon shuffled them towards the lift. "He's the immature one; going by the book all the time."

"That's what you're supposed to do," Leon said.

Gwaine laughed. "And how often do we actually do that?"

No one answered, and slowly, the lift carried them up to the next floor. The bell finally dinged, and the door slid open. Leon was the first out, then Arthur, Elyan, Percy, and finally, Gwaine. The former walked right down the hallway and stopped at the Commissioners secretary's desk.

"Hello," he said politely. "We're here to see the Commissioner."

She smiled up at him and looked at the rest of the group before saying, "Why?"

Arthur stepped forward and leaned against the side of the desk. "Come on, Morgana, let us in."

She quirked her eyebrow and rolled her emerald eyes, amusement filtering through them. "Fine." She leaned towards the phone beside her computer and pressed the intercom button. "John?"

A resounding buzz and a small crackle of feedback. "Yes?"

"Arthur and his team are here to see you," she said.

"Perfect, send them in." Then the crackling faded and Morgana nodded at them to go in.

They started to walk off until her voice called them back. "So, what trouble'd you guys get into this time?"

"None," Leon answered with amusement. "Arthur's getting a new partner."

"And he's in there?"

"Yep."

"Oh my, dear brother," Morgana purred, eyes showing tresses of remembrance and amusement. "Make sure your nicer to this one, eh?"

Arthur just rolled his cerulean eyes and pushed the doors open just in time to see the Commissioner stand and smile at the team, and just in time for a tall man with a mop of ebony hair, dressed in denim jeans, and a hip-length black jacket to turn around, his stormy blue eyes widening with surprise and shock.

*hides behind shield* I know... cliffie. Guys, really, if you aren't an author, you really don't know how much fun it is to write these. We authors literally take pleasure in our reader's suffering. We're all a bit mad like that. ;)

I hope you liked it, though, and please leave a review. :) Suggestions and lots of feedback is always appreciated.