Hi there Merlin fans and to my amazing awesome lovely followers, you are my lovelys, and thank you for all the lovely awesome reviews, keep the reviews coming, they make my year :-) :-) :-) :-) this chapter has Quinn and Merlin all alone, what is going to happen? ;-) Happy reading to ya.

Darkness within a heart. Part 1.

This is not what Quinn had in mind when she said she was going out.

She had no other clothing beside her own that would fit Arthur and the other three knights, so she had decided to go out and buy them some. But she expected to go alone, but Merlin had been pretty persistent.

Arthur and the knights had been convinced to stay behind, which was not easy, but Quinn had somehow managed it saying that 'King Arthur would be much safer in her apartment, and only if his most trusted Knights stayed with him to guard him' they agreed.

Merlin was looking around at the city. He had asked plenty of questions, and she had answered them happily.

At first when Merlin said he was coming along she thought it would be completely awkward, in fact, this wasn't awkward at all, it was actually surprisingly comfortable.

It was as if they were still back in Camelot, looking at the moon and stars, or exploring the castle, like nothing had changed.

But she knew it had. Quinn was perfectly aware of her feelings, she won't hide from them nor will she deny them, she knew damn well she was falling in love with Merlin, no, that's not the entire truth, she had already fallen in love with him, who to blame her?

Merlin was smart, brave, kind-hearted, and he had the most biggest heart she had ever seen. How he can forgive, and love, and never hate others.

There is no denying that she is drawn to him like a moth to a flame, and she won't hide it, instead she had decided to let the flames surround her.

But she was still unsure of Merlin's feelings for her. The guy had been hurt so many times, and he had lost people he cared about, but she wanted to be his salvation. Quinn wanted to show him that it would be different this time, that if he would let her in she could almost heal the scars that was left behind, if only he would let her she knew she could heal the scars upon his heart.

Yes, she knew about Freya, who doesn't? But she wanted to make it clear if he got close to her she would go nowhere, even if he would refuse to see her nothing more but a friend, if that is the case, then she'll be happy just to be by his side.

Her mine drifted back to when they almost kiss before they left Camelot, That is, until Arthur interrupted them. She still slightly burned with irritation because of that. But was that moment exactly the way she remembered it? Or was she just fooling herself?

Quinn had been in relationships before, none of them ever worked out though, maybe there was a reason for it, perhaps she was meant to be Merlin's all along, maybe they were like two puzzle pieces that fit perfectly together.

Her heart started to pound at the thought. Now, to see how he feels about her.

Quinn seen the way he looks at her, the way he smiles, the way he insisted to come along with her when there was no need. She knew she wasn't fooling herself, she just had a feeling that he feels the same way, and she's going to get him to admit it.

Quinn had changed into blue jeans and a red sweater, she's slightly missed the flowing dresses back in Camelot, the clothes she was wearing now seemed to be hard to move in.

The noise of the traffic of the city that never bothered her before was getting on her nerves, she missed the solitude and the harmony of Camelot, there all she heard was birds in the forest, wind rustling through the trees, there it was relaxing, here it was noisy and stressful.

She wanted to go home, home to Camelot, and to leave this city far far behind her and never look back.

But she can't, something was telling her at the moment this is where she needed to be, perhaps there was a reason for it.

'You must return and guide the one who will change your world for the better, for that is your destiny, you are the guide, the light that is within the darkness, the light that will lead the way'

The great dragons words echoed in her head. She had been thinking about those words ever since she heard them, and she was trying to make sense out of them.

'The guide, the light that is within the darkness, the light that will lead the way'

She didn't understand, and honestly it was keeping her up at night. Merlin's destiny was simple, keep Arthur alive, but her's seems to be more complicated, especially since she had no idea who she was supposed to guide.

Yes the Great Dragon said that she would know when the time came, but how in the earth would she know that time came? It will be a miracle if she's not insane after all of this.

Quinn seemed to be deep in thought, Merlin didn't want to disturb her so he remained quiet.

He wondered what she was thinking about? If he were to hazard a guess it would be about her destiny.

Merlin planned on telling her how he felt when he had decided to tag along, but now that the moments here he couldn't think of a single thing to say. He could almost hear Arthur's laughter.

Quinn's beautiful red hair was tied back in a braid, to be honest he preferred it down, he loved the way her hair draped over her slender shoulders.

The city was noisy, and he didn't really fancy it, but Quinn was beside him so he can endure.

Merlin was in love with Quinn, might as well accept it, but what's her feelings towards him? Should he ask her? Or should he-

He was broken out of his thoughts by Quinn taking his hand. His heart started to pound from pure bliss from the touch.

A strange warm sensation bloomed within his heart, as if Quinn lit a fire within him, a flame he wishes to never go out.

He held her hand in return. He never wanted to let go of this moment.

Merlin never thought that he would love another again, but he has. Even if she decides that they would be nothing more than friends he'll still remain by her side, being close to her was enough.

"Merlin" Quinn said quietly as they stopped to wait for what Quinn said it was a 'stop light' Merlin was quite interested and just couldn't resist asking more about it.

Quinn said it was for safety because of the 'cars' the loud looking things, that people write in instead of riding horses. He found the thought kind of odd.

"Yes?" He asked, meeting her gaze.

"I know you've been hurt before, but I want you to know that I'm not planning on hurting you, I don't want to create any more scars than you already have on your heart, do you understand what I'm trying to say?"

"Yes. .no"

"Merlin" she's stepped slightly closer to him. "What do you think of me?"

He was blindsided by the question, that wasn't at all what he was expecting her to say.

He thought a moment, choosing his words carefully. One wrong move and he could ruin whatever is between them.

He brushed a strand of hair that came loose from her braid behind her ear caressing her cheek softly, as he reply to her question.

"I think you're a kind-hearted person. and there's a light about you, a light that burns like a million flames within the darkness of the night, and that light burns brighter than any fire, even brighter than the sun"

"And?" She smirked. "Is that all?"

"I love you- your eyes, they're beautiful, stunning, breathtaking even"

"My eyes? Oh you mean the two different colored eyes. You might be the second person in my life that said that about my eyes"

"Second?"

The light on the stop light had turned green, apparently in this world means that it was safe to go.

"Yes, you are" Quinn continued linking her arm with his, as they walked across 'the street' "His name was River, he was a boy I knew, we were in the same foster home"

"What's a 'foster home?' " He asked.

"It's a place for kids that don't have any families to go, they give them a home" she explained. "But the people I was sent to live with wasn't exactly the nicest people in the world, they were cold-hearted and bitter, full of anger and hatred that they usually took it out on us" Quinn's voice was quiet but he could hear the bitterness and the anger in her voice.

"Us?"

"There was only two of us in the foster home, me and River. The Smiths was cold hearted people that had no souls, and only had blackness where their hearts once had been. All they cared about was money nothing more" Quinn's gaze seem to be drifting back into the past as she spoke. "I lived with the Smiths for two years before I ran away. I pleaded for River to come with me, but he refused"

"Why?"

"Don't know. I never saw him again, I never knew what happened to him."

"What did you do after you left?"

"Found a job and moved into the apartment where the king and knights are currently at"

"I'm sorry"

"What for?" She asked, resting her head on his shoulder.

"For not having an easy life"

"Neither have you. Hiding who you are from your best friend hurt much worse than my life has hurt me. You lost so much, but. ."

Her grip tightened slightly on his arm. "I promise that you won't lose me"

They stopped, then their gaze's met.

Her eyes was filled with a wisdom way beyond her years, and he knew no matter what she would stay by his side, and he would do the same.

in that moment he wanted to do anything to keep her safe, to keep her near and to protect her always.

"Let me ask you something" she said, placing her hand on his cheek.

"What is it exactly you feel for me? do you feel the same way I do, or is this completely one-sided?"

"No, it's not one-sided"

"Oh?" She raised her eyebrows suspiciously. "That so? How about you show me?"

Merlin was about to do as she wanted, when he felt it. He knew magic when he felt it. And by the look of Quinn he wasn't the only one.

"Quinn?"

An unfamiliar voice behind them spoke, they turned to see a young man close to Quinn's age staring wide-eyed at the woman who stood beside him. What happened next was not at all what Merlin was expecting.

With all the love to you all.