A/N: Hey! Have you seen The Empty Hearse yet? Don't worry, this account will stay spoiler-free until all three episodes have aired in the UK, US, and everywhere else. After then, I'm hoping to write another Sherlock fic. Here's the next chapter!

"James," a familiar voice called out. James was fast asleep, unable to discern what was reality and what was his nightmare.

"No," James mumbled, flipping around in his sleep. "Stay away..." He was running, running from monsters that wore his parents' faces and wouldn't stop screaming at him.

"James, I'm not trying to hurt you!" There was the voice again. It wasn't his parents. "I won't hurt you, James."

"You're lying!" he whined softly. James threw his arms out blindly, not knowing who or why he was attacking. All he knew was that it didn't matter what people said; they would always end up hurting you. Always.

"James, it's alright. You don't have to wake up yet. Or attack me," the voice chuckled softly. James simply rolled over again and groaned. "Shhhh," the voice hushed. "It's fine. You're fine." A sudden warmth enveloped him, blocking out the frigid tunnel air. James sighed and let the heat wash over him. He sank into a deeper sleep, not so much as stirring when he felt something lift him up. James just curled into a tighter ball to ward off winter's chill.

SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHS

It was the sliding of curtain rings and the bright glare behind his eyes that eventually forced him awake. James sat up simply and casually as if he had woken up in his own bed. He hadn't, of course. The beige wallpaper with thin brown stripes, the polished wooden floors, the wooden lamp with a giant lampshade standing on the end table – it was all new to him.

He was in a small room already, but a room divider concealed a cozy kitchen with a tiny table and clean counter. The coffee machine was on, spilling black coffee into a white mug. A box of donuts was propped open on the counter, open for all of its splendor to be seen. James absent-mindedly ran his fingers over the yellow covering on the futon where he was laying. It may have been a bit lumpy, and the pillows under his head were slightly scratchy. But it was still much more comfortable than the floor of the homeless network. James yawned.

The homeless network.

"Hey!" James cried. He bolted up in shock, the blanket that was covering him in one hand and the other hand raised above his head in a defensive fist. "What the hell?!" Quick, rushed footsteps padded through a hall adjacent to the room that he was in. The door opened, and-

"James," Greg smiled. "You're awake." James's jaw dropped, eyes blazing. An unbelievable anger welled up in his chest.

"Why did you bring me here?!" James screamed suddenly. Greg blinked, stepping back instinctively.

"I had to-"

"You didn't have to do anything!" James yelled. In one swift motion, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the salt shaker that he had taken from home. Before Greg could say anything, the salt shaker was flying across the room, missing him by a hair's berth. It shattered against the wall and salt rained down like confetti at a parade.

Suddenly overwhelmed by dizziness, James sat back down on the futon. It was a stupid idea to scream so loudly and throw the salt so hard. Still, it was strangely satisfying. Greg stood still, staring uncertainly at the pale boy.

"Better?" he inquired. James shot him a dirty look, panting. This was all too much to take in at once. It would be difficult enough to wake up on the cold floor of a homeless network and think, 'hey, my parents threw me out yesterday!'. It was a completely different story to be kicked out of your own home, go to sleep on that cold floor, and wake up in a complete stranger's apartment.

"You," James began, throat raw, "are rich. Why are you not living in a mansion?" Greg frowned, thrown off my the turn in conversation. He sat down beside James, a short chuckle escaping his lips.

"I'm not actually rich," he said. "My parents have a lot of money, but I'm not rich."

"You could be better off," James said, pulling his knees up to his chest. "You have a really expensive watch. So your parents obviously want to give you some of that money. I bet you could be living in a big house." Greg bit his lip and stared at the boy, brow furrowed and eyes inquisitive. Noticing this, James rolled his eyes and huffed, "Wow, I'm clever for my age. How did I ever figure that out all on my own?"

"Well..." Greg coughed and decided to ignore that last bit. "I'm proving a point. That I don't need my parents' support to live a good life."

"You call this good?" James looked around, one eyebrow raised. As if to prove his point, the coffee maker went off with an annoying and shrill beep.

"Excuse me," Greg scoffed, standing up and moving to the kitchen. He knocked the white shutters open so he could continue talking to James. "I think it's very nice."

"Of course you do," James said as Greg gripped the handle of his coffee mug.

"By the way," Greg said, blowing softly on his coffee. "Can I call you Jim?" He dropped a few sugar cubes from a bowl into his mug.

"No," James said immediately. He frowned and remembered that he was supposed to be angry, not striking up conversation. "How do you know my name?" His voice was gruff now, and as intimidating as he could make it.

"It was stitched in the back of your coat," Greg took a sip of his coffee. "James M." James pursed his lips and nodded, subdued by other thoughts.

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Because you're a kid, and you were alone, and you were crying." Greg spoke sincerely. Sympathy was laced into his every word.

"But how did you find me?"

"I wasn't going to leave until I found you." Greg shook his head and smiled to himself. "I can't believe I missed the turn you made. It took me a long time to find you."

James stared down at his feet, eyes lingering idly. Why would someone even go looking for him? His parents had told him enough – he wasn't wanted. He wasn't needed. He wasn't special. There was no reason for anyone to chase after him. The way that Greg casually explained his actions by saying, 'you're a kid, alone, and crying' confused him terribly. He couldn't decide whether it made James hate him even more or like him just a bit. James couldn't even decide where he stood now.

Greg set his mug down on the table, eyes glancing to James.

"Do you want breakfast?" he asked. James shook his head.

"I'm not hungry."

"Did you eat anything last night?" Greg asked. James's mind wandered back to the night's meal. The meal that he had missed because he asked a stupid question. The meal he had missed because the truth had been exposed.

"Yeah," James said, eyes stinging. "I ate."

"You sure?" Greg opened a cupboard and took a frying pan out. "Eggs and bacon. And doughnuts."

"I said I'm not hungry." James spat through his teeth. "Now shut up." Greg complied and didn't answer. Instead, he turned the heat up on the oven-top and cracked a few eggs.

James refused to cry. He absolutely resented crying. Adults had always told him that crying was bad. He could vaguely recall one night where his parents were out and hired a babysitter. James was upset because they hadn't told him about them going out, and was hoping to tell them about the test he aced in maths. He cried then, and the young woman who was hired kicked him until he stopped. Since then, he only cried at night when no one could see him. Better yet, he tried to keep from crying altogether.

James bit his lip and took a deep breath to calm himself. If he was calm enough he wouldn't cry. Instead, he watched Greg as he pulled out two plates and filled them with eggs and bacon.

"I told you I'm not hungry," James said.

"I know," Greg replied. "Now, do you want a chocolate or a regular doughnut?"

"I-"

"Oh, what the hell?" Greg gave him one of each. James didn't protest when he was handed the plate and a fork.

A/N: Sorry it's such a short chapter. Winter break is ending soon, and I may/may not have been procrastinating on all my homework. I promise to you that future chapters will be longer! I promise you that other characters will come in very soon. Please drop by a review if you can. I always want to know how I can continue to improve and what you want to see next! Love you guys! xoxo