Hey, guys! It's been a while. I hope you're all doing well! I'm proud to finally bring you the sequel to "Remember Me." Updates will be infrequent, but thankfully, I have most of it written already. It's been a long time in the planning, it's just taken a while to get it down on paper. I hope you like the first chapter!

Prologue

A half crescent moon cast its pale moonlight upon the small parking lot of the local library in the outskirts of Boston, Massachusetts. A small breeze gently tugged at the colorful leaves of the tall oak trees and the crickets sang their soft chours. The song was interrupted, however, as the solid glass door of said library was violently pushed open in the professor's untamable excitement. The ebony bag he carried, much like a medical case, bounced as he hurried much faster than expected from an elderly professor.

"Will you slow down?" a woman's voice called. The library doors opened once more, revealing a young woman struggling to put her dark coat on as she tried to catch up to her mentor.

The man barely slowed as he yanked his keys from his pocket, attempting to find the right key from among the multitude on the metal ring. "No time, Rylee. I need to pack. The flight leaves in the morning."

Rolling her eyes as she finally caught up with him, the student slid into the passenger side seat of the car. "I know, I know."

Richard inserted the key into the ignition, hearing his small car roar to life. He flashed the headlights, the bright beams glaring into the dark forest like a beacon.

"What's this big rush anyway? And don't tell me it's because some university there is looking to hire you. I'm your secretary, more or less; I see all the mail that comes to the school for you."

"It's hard to explain, Rye."

"Story of your life, as of late, hm?"

Richard had the mind to look sheepish as they pulled out of the lot. His pale eyes softened as he glanced to his right, taking in the weary look on Rylee's features. "I'm sorry, my dear, but if I tell you you'll..."

She narrowed her eyes at him curiously, brushing a strand of her long hair behind her ear. "I'll what?"

The professor adjusted his hands on the cold steering wheel, eyes flickering to his rear view mirror before he looked back at her. He ran hand through his chestnut hair. "Think I'm mad."

Rylee let out a small laugh, shaking her head before she yawned widely. Her delicate makeup had faded after a long day at Harvard Medical and her eyes were glazed with exhaustion. "More than I already do?"

A comical smile pulled on the professor's thin lips. "Yes."

"Try me. I have three brothers, remember? There's nothing I haven't heard."

Richard swallowed, turning on his turn signal a few moments before they stopped at a red light. He felt that piercing anxiety churning in his stomach; the same one he'd felt when he had learned the truth and the same one he'd felt so many times before. "I am fairly certain you haven't heard this one."

"Richard," she pressed.

There was a moment's pause as the professor gained his courage, licking his lips as he followed the curve of the road. Boston was only a few short minutes away and the bright multitude of lights climbing towards the sky was very visible in the dark night. "Fine. Rylee, I'm looking for my nephew."

"Your nephew? I didn't know you had any family. I mean... well, you know."

Letting out a dry laugh, Richard nodded. "Yes, I do know. Quite honestly, I haven't seen him for a very long time. I'd forgotten, but then a few months ago..."

Concern clouded Rylee's eyes and she reaffirmed her hold on her long-strapped purse. "What happened?"

"I had a dream," he said cautiously. "Now, don't give me that look-this is why I didn't want to tell you. He was in that dream and I had the strongest feeling that he was in trouble. I had to find him. I've spent the last several months looking for him."

"And who is this mystery nephew of yours, hm?"

Feeling relief that she was, at least, humoring him for now, he answered, "His name is Colin Jones. He lives in London now."

Rylee blinked in sudden understanding, rubbing her pale eyes. "How did you find him? There must be millions of people in London."

"Oh, billions. I found him online a few weeks ago. He and his friend Bradley," though Gaius knew that wasn't his true name, "work for Scotland Yard and have topped the record of successful cases."

The professor would be the first one to admit that when he'd seen his Merlin, his heart had nearly given out on him then and there. He looked exactly the same: his deeply blue eyes, his high cheekbones, his dark, unruly hair, and his ridiculous ears. Richard hadn't been able to stop the rush of fear and protectiveness that had urged him to find his nephew, no matter what the cost. After that, it was as though a veil had been lifted; everything was new and he couldn't stop comparing this new "modern" world to that of the one he called his home at heart while he looked for his long-lost great nephew.

"Well, that's kind of a fluke, huh?"

"Indeed," he agreed. Though, one might have also believed it to be Destiny. "So, still think me mad?"

Rylee chuckled, glancing out the window as they entered the brightly lit city before smiling at her professor. "Always."

Months had passed since the others remembered and so much had happened within those months. Merlin had slowly healed, though, even with his magic focused on the wound. There would forever be a small, pink scar on his left abdomen from where the bullet had ripped through his flesh, and the warlock often found himself staring at it with both wonderment and sorrow as he dressed. It would be the first permanent scar he'd ever had, and it represented a major turning point in his life.

His mentality, however, was another story. The puffy scar was a physical reminder of all he'd endured, and Arthur worried that the warlock might never truly recover from brushing so close to Death after fifteen hundred years of not being able to die.

Nightmares were still a common occurrence; and more than once, the once-king. His wife, or one of the knights found themselves sleeping on the warlock's couch, just in case, when there were severe storms in the forecast. Merlin, though slightly embarrassed about his night terrors even after Arthur had scolded him and told him he had no reason to be, was extremely grateful. And of course, the ancient warlock still had his down days, too, where he just sat at home and watched television until his heavy mind pulled him into blessed sleep. During these dark days, Arthur did everything he could to stay with him, but if he couldn't, there was a queen and a handful of knights who readily offered their services. Even then, the once-king had gently demanded that Merlin call him should he need any help with anything.

The pair excelled at Scotland Yard. After Arthur had gotten his memories back, the warlock and he were closer than ever before, and it showed in their work. They worked perfectly together, using both Arthur's knowledge and intuitiveness and Merlin's lengthy experience and cleverness, the two had built up a lofty reputation for themselves. To date, they had the highest number of cases solved and the best track record in the field. Both of them had done interviews explaining their process-though Merlin often shied away from the dark news cameras and prim reporters and the onslaught of questions about the most currently caught criminal. Arthur, though, made sure that the warlock was beside him during the interviews, even if he didn't want to talk. The detective often pointed out the critical things that Merlin had done during the case and "If it wasn't for Colin, the criminal might have never been caught" because even if Merlin said he didn't need the recognition or the appreciation, the once-king gave it to him anyway. He deserved it, and there had been more than a handful of times where the warlock's centuries of knowledge and experience in both detective work and the sciences had dramatically helped solve the case.

Besides that, Arthur knew now just how many times someone else had taken the credit for Merlin's endless hard work in Camelot, and he wasn't about to let that happen again. This time around, Merlin would get the credit and recognition he deserved.

It was the least Arthur could do to pay back for everything Merlin had sacrificed for him.

That was their lives now. Solving mysteries and catching bad guys. Together. As it should have been.