The next day, and I slouched into tutor late, because I hadn't wanted to come in at all. Mr Lee shook his head at me, but said nothing as I slumped in my chair beside John, who looked slightly surprised. "Thought you weren't coming in today" he said, and I shook my head.

"I'm supposed to keep an eye out for you, aren't I?" I said, and he smiled.

"Thanks. I know that without you I would get lost" he said, and I felt a smile tug at the corners of my mouth. He needed me. So this was what it felt like to be needed. I barely had time to process this when the bell rang. John stood up at the same time I did, and glanced at me. I rolled my eyes, and beckoned for him to follow me to science. "Just a warning... he's... crazy" I said, just as Mr Doherty, our nutter of a science teacher, let us in, wearing his bright red labcoat as usual. John sidled up to the desk nervously. "Um... I'm John Watson, I'm new" he mumbled, and Mr Doherty gave him a wide grin. "Yes, yes, I remember. John Watson. Right. Spare seat at the back, next to Sherlock. Actually, whilst we're on the subject, Sherlock, come here" he said, and I strode past John to the front desk. "Sir?" I asked politely, raising my eyebrow. He shook his head.

"Where's your labcoat?" he asked.

"At home" I say innocently. "You see, I didn't think we would need them today, so I didn't bring it"

"Don't give me that tone. And since you haven't been here for a whole week, tell me about noble gases" he said, and I grinned, before giving him a lengthy explanation about gases.

"Show off. Alright, get to your seat. Keep an eye on that new kid" he said, grinning. I winked at him, and he laughed as I went and sat down. Out of all of my teachers, Mr Doherty was the only one I could have a good conversation with. He never cared about me talking back at him. In fact, he loved it because he rarely got to have discussions with anyone like me. John looked at me as I slid into my seat. "In trouble?" he whispered, and I shook my head.

"Nah. Doherty's practically the only teacher that thinks I'm great" I replied.

Unfortunately, the day went downhill from there. The next lesson, I got into an argument with Mr Mason the maths teacher. I stood towering over him, shouting at him that he had made a mistake on the board. He bellowed back that he hadn't made a mistake and I should sit down, shut up and stop telling him how to do his job. "Get to HODs. NOW!" he screamed in my face, and I picked up my bag and sauntered out the door without a backward glance. It was Mr Doherty on duty, luckily. He raised his eyebrows at me. "Oh dear, Sherlock. In trouble again? What did you do this time?" he asked. I shrugged. "Argued with Mr Mason" I mumbled.

"Again? That's the second time now" he said, and I shrugged again, taking my seat. I was in for three hours of silence, with break and lunch in the middle. Great.

Half way through the lesson, and a familiar figure passed through on his way to the office. I groaned inwardly as he stopped at my desk. "Sherlock? What have you done this time?" my brother asked. I grimaced. "Argued with a teacher. What do you think I did? Why else would I be here?" I snapped. Mr Doherty looked up. "Oh, hey, Mycroft. Nice to see you" he said, and Mycroft smiled.

"And you, Sir. Keeping an eye on my brother again?" he asked, and Mr Doherty nodded.

"'Fraid so" he replied, returning his attention to his laptop. Mycroft turned to go, but I caught his sleeve, and he turned back in surprise.

"Tell John I'll meet him at lunch" I said, and he nodded.

"Sure" he said, walking away. Mr Doherty watched him go, and looked at me.

"Nice boy, your brother. Not much like you. He's much more polite" he said. I snorted.

"Yeah. Nice and polite. That's why he chased me up a tree yesterday" I said, and he laughed.

"I'm sure you deserved it" he said.

At lunch, after my three hour silence. John was waiting for me in the canteen, and had saved us a table. He grinned as I flopped opposite him. "Hey" he said.

"Hi John" I said, picking up an apple and turning it over in my hands. I had no intention of eating, and instead watched John bite into his cheese sandwich. A shadow fell over us, and we both looked up in surprise. The apple was plucked out of my hands. "Awww look at you too cute lovebirds. When are you going to make the announcement?" a lilting Irish voice asked. John blinked.

"We're not a couple" he said, and the boy laughed.

"Yes you are. At least you will be. You just don't see it yet" he said. He held his hand out.

"James Moriarty. You can call me Jim" he said. John shook his hand, but I refused, staring as he carved the apple with a blunt knife from the canteen. He grinned, and handed me the apple. "Not long now, Holmes. You'll see. I owe you. And you won't like what it is that I owe you. It will ruin your life" he said, sauntering away. Carved into the apple were the letters IOU. John stared. "What was that all about?" he asked. I shook my head.

"Moriarty's been saying stuff like this to me since the start of term. It doesn't mean anything" I said, even though I was certain that it did mean something important. I just couldn't figure out what.

A couple of months later, it was my fourteenth birthday. And like every other year before it, Mother made a special tea and demanded I invite I friend. So I invited John, my only friend, to come, and he turned up at three in the afternoon, his grin lighting up the hallway. "Happy birthday, Sherlock" he said, handing me a present. I grimace slightly. I hated receiving birthday gifts, because I could usually deduce what they were easily and then pretend to be surprised when I opened it. "Thanks John" I muttered, leading the way into the dining room where the table was spread with a variety of food. Mycroft looked up, and nodded to John. "Hi John" he said, before returning his attention to his book. "Hey" John muttered back. I decided I may as well get on with it, and tore the wrapping off the present. It was a framed photo of me and John, taken on a trip last week. John looked happy and was grinning at the camera, and I looked bemused and with a forced smile because I hated having my picture taken. I smiled up at John now though, a pure, genuine smile. "Thanks John" I said, and he shrugged. "It's not much, sorry" he said, and I shook my head because he would never know how much this picture meant to me.

"It means a lot to me that you want to be my friend. And I'm not really a big fan of gifts, but this is nice. I like it" I told him, and he grinned at me, and after a second's hesitation I grinned back.

Mycroft laughed when I was made to sit at the head of the table and Mother put the 'Birthday Crown' on my head. "Suits you. King Sherlock" he said, before laughing again. I smacked his head. "Yeah, well, when you wear it you look like Queen Mycroft" I snapped, which shut him up. John was sitting nervously, and I nudged him under the table. "You ok?" I asked quietly, and he nodded.

"Sure, I'm fine" he replied. Something was worrying him, I could see it. I wondered what it was, but then, even I if I did know, I wouldn't be much help because I was crap at dealing with human emotions, especially my own.