The wind nipped at his skin as he ambled through the street, long white beard tangled up with leaves. It had been years since he had died- Arthur, that is. Now he was stuck searching for a king who may or may not rise again. The old man sighed. He had no idea where he was, so searching for Arthur wouldn't be the best idea right now.

He made his way down the block, his blue eyes darting around. Children ran around on a playground across the street. Cars whizzed by carelessly. In front of a gray stone building, a couple ran to one another, the man sweeping up the woman in his arms, planting a passionate kiss on her lips. Merlin grinned. Young love, these days, seemed to be everywhere. He pulled the blue hood tighter around himself as a second gust of wind blew through, chilling him to the bone. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the young couple holding hands, the woman breaking into a light jog, pulling the man along behind her.

As he neared them, he was able to make out their features. The woman had a round face, with her black hair cut short around it. Her eyes seemed to laugh along with her mouth, and Merlin was suddenly filled with longing, a slight burning sensation in his chest. Whether it was heartburn, due to the age of his body, or sadness the wizard couldn't tell.

"Excuse me, are you okay?"

Merlin looked up to find the young woman staring at him, her brown eyes filled with concern. The young man hovered by her side, the wind playing with his short golden-brown hair. Glancing back down, he unclenched his fingers from his coat, his knuckles turning white from his grip. He didn't realize he had been holding on so tightly.

"Y-yes, thank you…" he said with a wheezing cough, his breath a thick white cloud as he exhaled. The two people exchanged glances.

"Maybe you should warm up?" the woman suggested, turning to her partner, "he can stay with us, can't he?" The man gave her a confused look.

"Mary, I don't know," he said, "I mean, he probably has a home to get to himself-"

"Oh, don't be so rude," Mary cut him off, then to Merlin, "if you need someplace to rest, you're welcome to stay with us. Is that okay with you?" Merlin opened his mouth, faltering as he shut it again. To be offered with a place to stay right as he walked into town was better than expected. Besides, he thought, I may never get another offer again. He nodded, picking a stray leaf out of his beard.

"Thank you, Miss," he said, "but are you sure it wouldn't be too much trouble?" Mary shook her head, pushing her black hair out of her face.

"No, it's fine!" she said, pulling her lips into a smile. Merlin looked to the man with her. He looked reluctant, but soon agreed with Mary.

"Of course," he said, "If Mary Margaret says it's okay, then it's fine by me." He held out a hand, "I'm David, by the way." Merlin took his hand, wincing at the strong grip of his fingers. It felt like lightning had cracked through his body, his knees buckling with weak joints. Before he knew it, he had fallen to the ground, panting heavily as the fire in his chest blossomed into an inferno. He felt David pull him to his feet, slipping an old arm over his shoulder.

"Oh, shit!" he heard Mary Margaret cry out and he chuckled- up until this point, she looked extremely delicate, incapable of uttering a single swear. David pressed his fingers to his neck, checking for a pulse.

"Call Emma!" David instructed her, "he's burning up!" He watched with bleary eyes as she pulled out a black box, flipping it open and pressing a bunch of things- whatever it was, he hoped it was helpful, because the inferno was spreading, licking his veins like molten lava, slow and steady as it burned brighter and brighter.

"Emma!" Mary Margaret sounded ready to cry, "Emma, please come quick-"

Looking around, Merlin noticed a crowd starting to form, and he smiled. It reminded him of when he had challenged Arthur to a duel, when he had first arrived in Camelot…. David's voice broke through his thoughts.

"Help is coming, sir," he said, falling to his knees, careful to to injure the old man, "it's going to be okay…." Blackness shrouded his vision, creating a thin tunnel in his line of sight.

A second later everything was black.