AN: Well, I'm really cranking out fanfics this weekend. Here's another one! It's a modern sort of AU. I tried to make it fit into the real world as well as possible. Just a warning, ending is very sad.

Contains character death.

It had been so many years that, when he saw her, he almost didn't know why his heart skipped a beat. She was simply sitting there, curled in the window seat of a small bookstore and reading a fairytale. He wasn't sure what it was, but something pulled him inside.

The bell over the door jingled cheerily, and he was hit immediately with the smell of gently used books that had been read cover to cover to many times to count. It was a sort of musty smell, but it was also sort of nice. She didn't look up, she simply continued to read, turning a page softly.

"Can I help you?"

He glanced up at the friendly voice to see a young woman at the desk, probably here to work her way through University judging by her age and the large textbook that sat at the edge of the desk. He shook his head, declaring that he was just looking.

He drifted toward a bookshelf, browsing it halfheartedly as his eyes continuously flickered to the person still reading fairy tales silently. It seemed he looked away for only a moment, but by the time he'd looked up again, the bell over the door was jingling and the two girls were waving goodbye to each other. He frowned and grabbed a random book from the bookshelf, bringing it over to the girl at the desk and saying he'd decided to purchase something after-all.

"By the way," he swallowed, trying to figure out how to state his question. "That girl, she…"

"Morgan," the girl at the desk grinned. "Too many have set their sights on her. Don't even ask, you'll just become another broken-hearted bloke."

"No I- I think I recognize her, and now I'm sure. Morgan, yes, I used to know her, I think. Is there any way I can find her?"

"Now listen here," the girl at the desk frowned, slipping the book into a paper bag. "I don't know who you are-"

"My name's Colin," he told her quickly.

"Colin," the girl at the desk laughed quietly. "Well, she does attend the University in town with me. If you really want to find her, look there."

"Thank you," Colin grabbed the bag and headed out, the bell jingling yet again. It wasn't until he was halfway down the street that he realized he'd bought a book about Morgan Le Fey.

He soon found himself walking the corridors of a London University, heading purposefully toward the literature department. His mind was spinning, and he was so concentrated that he didn't notice the plump old man until he'd practically smacked into him.

"Hello," the little old man declared, taking off his spectacles and rubbing them dutifully. "Watch yourself there, young lad."

He had what one might call a BBC accent with a hint of the northern isles. He smiled at the young man as he arranged his scarf and handed him back his book.

"Morgan Le Fey," the old man smiled. "Are you interested in the old legends?"

"I actually know an awful lot about them already," the younger boy grinned slightly.

"Ah, you should be in my class then. Professor Braith, professor of Arthurian Legend here at the university. A pleasure to meet you, young scholar," the professor extended a hand, which the younger man shook quickly.

"Nice to meet you. I actually need to find someone, so if you'll excuse me-"

"Who do you wish to find? Perhaps I may be of assistance. I know many of the students in the literature department," the professor smiled easily, and Merlin sighed.

"A girl, her name is Morgan."

"Morgan, of course, she's an avid reader of Arthurian legends- says she feels a connection with them. You won't find her here today, I'm afraid. Only has classes every other day, she does."

"Oh," the younger man looked crestfallen, however the professor offered him a smile.

"Don't worry yourself, my lad. Should you wish to find her, she'll be here tomorrow. Any particular reason you so need to find my student?"

"I think I used to know her, I'd like to meet her again," the young man replied vaguely, and the professor nodded.

"I see. Well, she'll be here tomorrow, I'm sure. Now, I'm off to have a cup of tea. Which book do you have by the way? Oh that one, not very accurate to tell the truth. I have much better recommendations if you want to know the true legend. That one claims that the king's magician was a young man who at one point was in love with the infamous Morgan Le Fey. I recommend this title, it paints a much better picture of the infamous witch and her difficult interactions with the elderly Merlin."

The young man laughed lightly and casually took the slip of paper offered to him, thanking the old professor. With a sigh, the young man left the university and headed back toward his flat where he curled up in his window seat and proceeded to read the most accurate description of the legend that he'd ever gotten his hands on.

The following day, the young man found himself once again back at the university. He had perused the library for about a half hour, searching for interesting novels, when the dark haired girl entered. Once again, the young man's heart skipped a beat and he slowly made his way toward her. Eventually she sat down at a table, and with a swallow, he sat across from her. After several beats, he cleared his throat, and she looked up.

"You're reading about King Arthur," he whispered, and she nodded.

"It's for Professor Braith's class," she explained, returning to her reading. After a moment, however, her eyes flew up and she stared hard at him. "Do I know you?"

The young man's face shone, a smile quickly spreading across his face.

"You might, from a long time ago?" he told her quickly, and she nodded.

"Oh, I remember now. I saw you in the bookshop yesterday. Not that long ago," she told him, and his face fell.

He nodded, pulling out his own Arthurian book and placing it on the table. Slowly, her eyes were drawn to the book.

"Professor Braith doesn't like that one," Morgan commented causally. "Says is isn't accurate."

"Have you ever read it?" the young man asked, and Morgan shook her head. "You should, I think it's quite good. Here, you can have it!"

"I can't take your book," Morgan shook her head, however the young man simply smiled and left it on the table, standing up and leaving the library.

The next day he found himself once again sitting at the same table, and before long Morgan was sitting across from him, a smile on her face.

"Did you read it?" the young man asked hopefully, and she nodded once.

"It's nothing like we learned in class," she told him seriously. "However, it was an interesting interpretation. It's sad, though, that in the end she so destroyed him, despite his love for her."

"It is," the young man looked away quickly, folding his hands neatly.

"I never caught your name, by the way," Morgan smiled, and the young man glanced up quickly.

"It's… It's Colin," he told her. "My name is Colin."

"You don't sound too sure about that," Morgan grinned, and Colin laughed lightly. Suddenly, both Colin and Morgan glanced up to see the librarian glaring down at them.

"Sorry," Morgan blushed. "We'll be more quiet."

They sat in silence for a moment, before Morgan stood.

"I'm going to the student cafe to get some tea, care to join me?"

"Sure!" Colin smiled, and he scrambled to stand up and hold the door open. The two walked the halls, chatting cheerfully until they reached the cafe where they both purchased some hot tea and situated themselves in the plushy purple armchairs in the back corner of the room.

"So, I haven't seen you around. How long have you been a student here?" Morgan asked, and Colin thought quickly, scrambling for an answer.

"I'm actually just now planning to apply," he informed her. "I'm interested in taking literature classes here. Right now I'm working part time as a tour guide at the Tower of London."

"That's a bit dark," Morgan shuddered, and Colin nodded in agreement.

"I'm the youngest guide they have," Colin told her, picking up his herbal tea and allowing the cup to warm his hands. "But they tell me I bring a little bit of light to the place."

Colin smiled easily, and Morgan laughed, nodded and taking a small sip of her pumpkin tea.

"It's a lovely university," Morgan told him. "I highly recommend the literature department, even if Professor Braith doesn't agree with your Morgan Le Fey book."

"Why do you like them- the legends?" Colin asked suddenly, and he seemed to take Morgan off guard. She hesitated, taking a few sips of tea and arranging the lacy pillows before replying.

"I always have," she told him. "I don't know why. I've always just… found them to… To connect with me. I know how that sounds, but really, I've always liked them, ever since I was a little girl. My father would read them to me and he always made the knights sound so exciting, and the romances so dramatically sad and yet beautiful. Why do you like them?"

Colin hesitated for a long moment, before he shrugged, swallowing his tea in a single gulp.

"Perhaps I'll see you in the library again tomorrow," he told her, and then he hurried away, placing his cup on the counter to be cleaned.

Day after day, Colin went to the library and was soon joined by Morgan who told him stories of Professor Braith's class. They'd travel to the cafe, and there Morgan would weave stories about King Arthur and the knights of Camelot. Most of the time Colin merely hummed and nodded, though sometimes he spoke up with agreements and arguments about the professor's beliefs.

"You certainly know a lot about the legends," Morgan told him, and Colin found himself laughing and telling her he simply loved the legends, just as she did. Then he usually bought her another cup of tea to fit the season, which was now sharp as the peppermint in her drink.

By the time that Colin was buying her red velvet cupcakes and a new year had bloomed, Colin and Morgan had begun to occasionally meet for dinner to talk about their love of books and legends. They tended to frequent a small Thai restaurant near the campus- a hole in the wall with delicious food and a constant aroma of curry and noodles.

"Are you ever going to sign up for the university?" Morgan asked him one day, and he nodded adamantly.

"If not this one, then some university," he told her, and she smiled.

"Sometimes I wonder," she told him. "I think universities are very important, you shouldn't wait. What do you plan on studying, still literature?"

"Or music," he told her. "I've always wanted to play an instrument."

"I like the piano," she told him, and he nodded in agreement.

"Me too! Here's our Pad Thai and I'm hungry. Let's eat!"

Soon, the snow drifts disappeared, and Morgan found herself sitting beneath a tree on a crisp spring afternoon, Colin holding a picnic basket and a red checkered blanket.

"I made us peanut butter sandwiches, your favorite!" He told her, and then they spread out the blanket and began to nibble on their lunch.

"You know, if you think you know so much about the legends, why don't you write a book?" Morgan asked him. "I don't know if anyone would believe you, but why don't you tell the world how you really thought it was?"

"Oh, I don't know," Colin laughed, however Morgan nodded adamantly.

"I think you should. From what I've seen, you really do have a way with words when you care about a subject!"

"I do care about the legends, I just don't know if the world would want to hear what I think of the stories. They're used to the old man in the funny robe who could weave magic into anything and who Arthur saw as an old fuddy duddy who could read the stars."

"I love your versions, I think they're much more interesting," Morgan told him. "They almost seem real- realer than the original. I can so imagine the castle and the lower town- the smell of the bread baking and the children laughing in the streets. I can so imagine a young prince Arthur leading his men into battle, a timid Merlin following behind- a Lancelot with a heart of gold and a Gwinevere who had such a capacity to care about others that in turn made people care about her. I can appreciate why Morgana, your Morgan Le Fey, turned against that which she'd held dear. She isn't evil, the same as in the original legends, instead she is simply following the wrong path."

"Do you understand her?" Colin asked suddenly, his eyes searching hers. "Why? What do you see in her?"

"She couldn't help what happened to her. She held magic, and the King could never appreciate what that meant. What would you do, had you been in her shoes? Allow yourself to be trampled on? Live in constant fear that one day you might be burned at the stake?"

"That's what Merlin did," he pressed, however Morgan shook her head.

"Despite his good heart, he was wrong. He should have acted before Morgana could get so carried away, perhaps he would have then been able to prevent Arthur's death."

"But he couldn't!" Colin suddenly cried. "He did what he thought was right! He was young, and no one would give him straight answers! He couldn't kill King Uther, he would never be a murderer!"

"No, I suppose it was against what he stood for in your stories. What does it matter though, Colin? They're just stories, no need to get so worked up about them."

"Of course," Colin nodded. "They're just stories. That's all they are, just stories."

Spring turned into summer, and Morgan informed Colin that she'd be staying at the university. Colin told her that he planned to register for the next year- he was to study literature.

"I'm glad," she told him. "You so love reading and storytelling, I don't see why you haven't registered already. I'm going to be graduating this year, and I don't know what I plan to do. I might move away from England, actually, I might go to America. Is there something on your mind, Colin?"

"Nothing important, really," he told her. "It's just, America? Why would you leave here? Why would you go so far?"

"I don't know, perhaps for a change. It isn't for a whole year, and I might change my mind. Haven't you ever wanted to leave?"

"No, I'm never going to leave. I always plan to stay at least in Great Britain. It's my home, and I need to stay with it."

"You know sometimes I think I know you, Colin, and then I wonder if I know you at all," Morgan gave him a small smile, which Colin returned before he looked away and wiped at something in his eye.

School had started again, and Colin and Morgan went to their favorite Thai restaurant. Colin was to learn a dialogue from Shakespeare about loss and it's meaning. He performed it for Morgan while they were in their cab, and it made her both smile and wipe at her eyes.

"I don't know why you don't go into acting," she told him truthfully. "I feel as though I too am feeling great loss when you recite your lines. I think you should."

"Acting isn't for me, I don't like all the attention," he told her, however she only smiled and encouraged him once again. "Maybe someday I'll go into acting, just for you- just like someday I'll write the 'real' Arthurian legends."

Colin chuckled at his generally sarcastic remark, and Morgan shook her head at him, pressing a kiss on his cheek. He looked over at her, shock plastered to his face.

"What was that for?" he asked, touching his cheek.

"I figured it was about time one of us tried it. Here, we've arrived, come on Colin," Morgan hurried toward the restaurant, and Colin followed behind, a tiny smile lighting his entire face, his hand once more pressed to his cheek.

Once again, autumn tinted the leaves, and it had been a year since he'd met her. They went back to the bookstore for an anniversary, and though Morgan said she was sure neither one could remember the exact date, Colin was fairly certain that he'd gotten the date right.

Someone new was at the desk, and he smiled to see the happy couple sitting on the window seat, their hands intertwined in a subtle embrace. Quietly, Colin read her some stories about King Arthur which he had written, and as usual, Morgan complimented him on both his creativity and realism.

"You've never talked about him having a father before," Morgan told him, and Colin blushed slightly.

"I thought he should, even if for only a short time."

"I'm glad he got to meet his father," Morgan told him. "I'm glad he got to have a little bit of happiness with him. You know, so many of your stories are about Arthur's friend, Merlin, you should call yours the Merlin legends, or Merlin adventures, or something."

"I just like writing about Merlin, that's all," Colin told her, and she nodded gently, squeezing his hand.

"You know, you write very few stories about Morgana after she meets the evil witch Morgause. Why is that?"

"I don't like to think about what might have happened to her," Colin looked away quickly. "I've written some, and shared them with you. You say you understand her, you understand why she did what she did."

"But you never let me see the full story, you never let me know exactly what she became."

"I just don't like thinking about it," Colin snapped shut his notebook. "Let's go get some tea, I'm sure they'll have pumpkin at this time of year. Remember, that's the first tea you had when we were together. We were in the college cafe."

"I'm sure you got herbal tea, it's what you always get."

"I don't like the new flavored teas as much, and herbal is so calming," Colin explained, and Morgan laughed lightly, pressing a kiss to his cheek.

"You don't need to explain yourself to me, you Merlin expert," she told him, and then they walked out into the biting autumn air, their hands still entwined and warm despite the chilly wind.

That December, Colin was sitting silently in the library when Morgan ran in with a newspaper, showing him the front page with a saddened frown. A famous musician from Liverpool had been shot in New York the day before. Despite the fact that the band had been broken up for about ten years, there'd been some hope that they'd get back together. Now that hope was gone.

"It's so horrible," Morgan told him. "The violence in this world. I wish there was no violence."

"I wish there was no violence as well," he told her, and then he turned to look at his notebook which was open to a new story he was writing about Morgana. When Morgan wasn't looking, he clicked it shut with a mere glance from his eyes, a tear leaking down his face.

The winter was bitter cold, and Morgan talked again about going to America. Colin pleaded with her not to, to stay in England with him, however she kept threatening to leave so that she could bring the Arthurian legends to America and teach them about their greatness.

"Please, why can't you become a teacher here?" he begged her. "Please don't leave!"

"I'll come back," she promised, however he shook his head.

"No, you don't know that. Just stay here! You like it here, why would you leave? Why would you leave me? I thought that…"

"I'm not leaving you," Morgan smiled gently. "And besides, you can always finish your education in America!"

"I cannot leave the British isles, you know that," Colin reminded her, and she sighed, nodding.

"Perhaps I will stay," she told him. "I still have a little time to decide. Let's not dwell on this, let's go to the park and look at the snow. Tomorrow is New Years, do you want to come to my friend's party? She was the one at the bookshop, remember her? Sue?"

"I remember Sue," Colin nodded. "I'll come to the party."

The next night found them under the mistletoe, staring at each-other with love-struck eyes as the house erupted with cheers and outside fireworks crackled.

"Happy 1981," someone told Colin and Morgan as they passed by, and smiles were interchanged.

"Happy 1981," Colin whispered in Morgan's ear, and she smiled at him before once more pecking him on the cheek.

Spring crept up slowly, the trees growing slightly pink and regaining the leaves that had disappeared all winter. Ice still coated the ground, and the sidewalks were slippery, but holding hands could make sure one wouldn't fall; or both would fall together in a tangle of laughter and smiles. Colin was passing his literature classes with flying colors, and Morgan was ready to graduate. She didn't tell him her plans for the future until one warm May night.

"I'll be graduated in just two weeks," she told him. "And I've come to a decision."

"Yes?" he asked her, glancing up from his beloved notebook.

"Colin I'm… I've found a short term job in America at a college- Cambridge, actually. Professor Braith knows some people, and he's arranged for me to help teach a class about King Arthur legends. It's only a year long, but from that class I might be able to make further connections. Such an opportunity is not to be wasted, surely you see that?"

"I…" Colin hesitated, staring hard into her eyes. "I see."

"You understand, don't you?"

"I understand," Colin snapped shut his notebook. "I need to head home."

"Colin, wait!"

"I'll talk to you soon," Colin told her, and then he disappeared out the door, shutting it quietly behind himself.

Morgan didn't see Colin at all the next week. Morgan visited the library, the cafe, the park, even their favorite Thai restaurant, but Colin wasn't to be found. Professor Braith said he was skipping classes, and he'd best show up soon since finals were but a week away. Still Colin was missing.

Morgan visited his flat, his neighbors hadn't seen him. She visited the Tower of London, he'd stopped working there some months ago, and they hadn't seen him. Morgan was going to give up, when she passed the old bookshop and saw Colin sitting on the window seat, his notebook folded in his lap.

Morgan hurried inside and told Colin she'd been worried about him. She asked him what was wrong, and he'd given her the vague answer that 'nothing' was wrong. She told him she knew otherwise, and that he'd best open up.

"We have but a few days left together before I must leave. Please, tell me what's wrong!"

"I wish you weren't going, but I understand completely. I'm happy that you got this opportunity, don't waste it."

"Colin, I don't mean to leave you-"

"You're not leaving me, you'll come back, and when you do, maybe I'll have a real job. Maybe I'll have even written a book."

"I'm sorry," she threw her arms around him, but he simply laughed.

"About what? You have the chance of a lifetime. Don't waste it."

"Do write your book while I'm gone. Promise me your talents won't go to waste."

"They won't, maybe I'll even join drama club."

Morgan let out something between a laugh and a sob as she buried her head in his shoulder.

"I love you, Colin," she told him, and he swallowed hard.

"And I you."

Morgan left for America soon after, and she frequently sent him letters. She told him that she was to be in America for most of the summer, until August when she was to visit some various Asian countries with the professor she was working with in order to learn about some other cultures. The class she was helping to teach would be comparing legends from England and legends from China. She told him in early August that he would not hear from her for some time because she'd be in China until September. Colin's heart ached, however he told her he looked forward to her next letter and then he joined drama club where he proceeded to learn more about that which Morgan had told him he excelled at.

Soon September had arrived, and Colin had not heard back from Morgan. He sent her a letter, and then he waited for two weeks before the red flag of his mailbox was raised in a familiar salutation.

With a smile, Colin grabbed the letter and ripped it open. He was confused when his own letter met his eyes.

Frowning, Colin examined the envelope, and his heart dropped.

He ran inside, ruffling through old newspaper and letters, before a roar escaped his lips.

Her flight, flight 103, had crashed in mid August. There had been no survivors.

Drama club was without a lead actor the next day, and try as they might, no one could find him. He wasn't in class, and the neighbors wondered why his newspaper went untouched.

Eventually, the university gave him up for lost, and took his name from their roster, erasing the evidence that there had ever been a Colin in Professor Braith's third period class of Arthurian Legend. Professor Braith wondered what had happened to the bright young lad, for all he had left of him was a small spiral bound notebook full of imaginative, ridiculous stories about Merlin the magician, which Professor Braith filed away to look at another day. The cafe missed the herbal tea drinker, and the bookstore missed it's most faithful visitor. Even the librarian commented on the noisy lad's disappearance. No one really questioned it, though. He'd always been a bit of a mystery. He'd shown up from seemingly nowhere, and gone away just as quickly.

No one knew what became of Colin, and when a baby was found sitting on the doorstep of the Morgan's house in Armagh, Northern Ireland with a name tag attached to his basket five years later on the first of January, no one could make any connections. Who would connect the two Colins? Morgan's Colin had faded away like a ghost, perhaps writing stories to himself somewhere. And Colin Morgan, well he grew up to be an actor and tell the story of King Arthur in the way which he saw fit.

AN: So, what did you think? Please review!

Also, just wanted to say that flight 103 was a real thing, and it crashed killing 110 people in 1981. R.I.P. This fic is dedicated to the passengers and crew on that flight.