A/N: I probably shouldn't start another multi-chapter fic... But oh well. Here's the first chapter. Tell me what ya'll think of it, and maybe I'll continue.

This is pre-"Rose" Ninth Doctor and post-"The Crystal Cave" and pre-"The Coming of Arthur." There will be headcanons.

Disclaimer: I don't own the cast or setting.

Eventually he got tired of talking to himself in his empty TARDIS. Sure, he had a fun new accent, but he soon grew used to it and tired of hearing himself talk. It was time to stop sulking and be the Doctor again.

He liked how he had changed the interior of the TARDIS. It was like coral now, and it gave it a less mechanical, more living kind of feeling. The controls had changed very little.

"Well, old girl," he murmured, "where to this time?"

Meanwhile in the Middle Ages, there was another somebody talking to themselves.

"Maybe one day they'll all just grow tired of ordering me about," the dark-haired boy said to nobody in particular. "Clean my boots Merlin, muck out the stables Merlin, and then after all that it's Gaius and his I need some more herbs Merlin." He kicked a thick branch, partly to clear his path and partly to vent his frustration. "Not that I'm complaining," he added, sighing. "But maybe I should stop talking to myself."

He had wandered far; he could barely see that castle from here. What herbs did Gaius ask for again? Blast, he'd forgotten. Yarrow? Possibly? He'd look for yarrow; at least he'd come back with something, even if it was the wrong thing.

That was when he heard the noise. A wheezing noise, but loud like the wind; like a creaking door mixed with the beat of dragon wings. He looked around for the source of the sound.

His jaw dropped.

There was an enormous blue box, fading in and out of existence, just through the trees. He stood still, stunned, until the groaning stopped and the box was solid. Remembering himself, he shut his mouth and took a tentative step towards it.

It had to be magic. There was no other explanation. It was extraordinary magic, but still, it was very loud magic, and anyone else who heard that sound would surely come to investigate soon, and if the magician in question were to be discovered... No, Merlin had to go help. He took another step towards the blue box.

If it was a magician. He stopped again. What if it was a magical creature? Some portal-box, like the Manticore had.

The box had several panels, and a kind of lantern on the top. There were words accross the top that read "POLICE PUBLIC CALL BOX." He wasn't sure what a police public call was. There was also a sign on the door, and if Merlin stepped closer he could read it more clearly, but the words that stood out on the bottom read "PULL TO OPEN."

Perhaps it was meant to be opened, he thought. He took a step closer. But then, so are a lot of dangerous things, he reasoned, and paused again.

Before he could decide what to do, however, the door opened, and a man stepped out.

He was about Merlin's height, with closely-cropped hair and large ears— not unlike Merlin in that aspect. This man's skin was far more tanned than Merlin's, though. He wore a leather jacket, a little like Arthur's hunting jacket, but darker in color. Merlin just blinked at him.

"This isn't the twentieth century," the man complained, turning back to his blue box and folding his arms. "Where've you dumped me off now?"

"Um," Merlin spoke up, mastering his body once again and waking to stand beside this mystery warlock. "I'm sorry, what are you doing?"

The man looked at Merlin, a little surprised for a moment, the smiled and said, "Could you tell me what year this is?"

Merlin didn't have time for this, and most likely, neither did this poor idiot. "You're in Camelot, and if anyone finds you with this magic box—"

"I'm in Camelot?" The stranger grinned. "Never been to Camelot before! This should be exciting. But then, who's on the throne? Arthur?"

"Ah, no, not yet anyways," Merlin answered. "And if King UTHER was to catch wind of this—"

"Ah, Uther," he frowned. "There's a complicated story." he smiled again, eyes wandering around the forest. "Well, might as well explore for a bit. New feet, new soil, perfect match, don't you think?"

"Wait, wait, wait," Merlin stumbled after the stranger, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Camelot," the man looked back at Merlin with an innocent smile.

Merlin gaped. Did this man have no fear? "Who do you think you are?"

"I'm the Doctor," he held out his hand in greeting.

"You got a name?" Merlin asked.

"Nope," the Doctor replied happily.

"Just the Doctor?"

"Just the Doctor." That smile was starting to get annoying. "You got a name?"

"Do you want to get yourself killed?"

The Doctor tilted his head in thought. "I'm pretty sure that's not a name."

Merlin groaned, exasperated. "I'm Merlin and you're gonna get caught."

The Doctor's eyes widened. "You're Merlin? The Merlin?"

"The only Merlin I know," Merlin looked around anxiously. "And you might want to hide that magic box of yours and get out of here?"

"Magic box—?" The Doctor leaned to the side to look behind Merlin. "Oh no, that's the TARDIS."

Merlin shook his head. He didn't know what a tardis was, but it sounded magical to him. "I don't care what it is, if the king finds out he'll have you executed."

The Doctor scoffed. "I'd like to see 'im try."

"Yeah, well, I wouldn't," Merlin insisted.

The Doctor looked at him curiously, the way Gaius looked at en experiment that was ending unexpectedly. "You've known me for less than ten minutes, and you still care whether or not I die?"

Merlin didn't like being looked at like that. But he stood his ground, his expression turning into a determined glare. "Yes."

The Doctor smiled. "Oh, I like you, Merlin." He leaned against a nearby tree in a relaxed way, as if he had all the time in the world. "So, you're the expert 'round here. Where to?"

Merlin stood still for a moment, surprised that the Doctor was actually going to listen to him. He hadn't expected that. "Well, if you're not going to get back in your Tardis-box and go home—"

"Haven't got a home," the Doctor said this so casually, but in his eyes Merlin could see all the pain he expected to come with such a statement. "Not anymore, anyway." He brightened up again as if nothing was wrong. "'Sides, I want to explore. See what there is to see in Camelot."

Merlin sighed, "Well, I can't help you there, I've got work to do."

"I'll come with you then," the Doctor suggested.

Merlin's jaw dropped. "What are you, a stray dog?"

"Yup, that's me, a beagle in a leather jacket," the Doctor smiled brightly.

Merlin thought about it. If this man really was a doctor, Gaius could use his help, and Merlin would have a little less work to do. But that put two sorcerers in the same wing of the castle, and if Uther found one he'd likely pick up the scent of the other. Then again, as he'd learned, the closer you are to danger, the farther you are from harm.

And the Doctor seemed to know who he was. He appeared from a magic box that he insisted wasn't magic and knew Merlin by name— and by his actual name, not this Emrys enigma the Druids stuck to him. The Doctor was a puzzle, and Merlin's insatiable curiosity was peaked.

He shook his head and sighed. "Alright, follow me."