(A/N: Wise Owl, I smiled when I read your review. Mr. York is no one. He has no significance to the story. He's just some random visitor for Cedric to see.

And on to the story! I own nothing!)

Sofia tossed and turned in her bed. Despite a busy day, sleep eluded her.

A laugh sounded. Sofia shuddered slightly. Despite Violet saying she would talk to Mrs. Nettle about the disturbances, they never seemed to let up very much. In fact, they seemed to get worse, especially during the middle of the night.

The laugh sounded again, much more maniacal than before. The sound of a door opening and closing nearby drew Sofia's attention. She sat up and went to her door. Sofia stepped out into the hallway and turned towards the sound the laughter had come from. She didn't see anyone.

Sofia was about to return to her room when she noticed a candle sitting on the floor in front of another bedroom door. She quietly stepped over to it and grabbed it. As Sofia extinguished the candle, she noticed a lot of smoke coming from under the door. Taking no heed to whose room it was, she threw the door open to see an occupied bed caught on fire.

"Mr. Sebara!"

Sofia ran over to the bed and tried to wake up her employer by shaking his shoulder and calling his name but Mr. Sebara didn't stir. A fire stricken piece of cloth broke off from the bed curtain and landed on Sofia's hand causing her to gasp in pain and shock. She decided to wait on waking him. The smoke had already gotten through to him, making it harder to wake him up.

Sofia spotted the ever present vase of flowers. She pulled the flowers out, ignoring the pain as leaves and thorns brushed her burned hand, and threw the contents onto the fire, some of the water splashing Mr. Sebara's face, startling him awake.

"Merlin's mushrooms," Mr. Sebara sputtered.

Mr. Sebara noticed the flames engulfing his bed and jumped out quickly. He grabbed a curtain that hadn't been lit on fire and used it to snuff out the remaining flames.

Mr. Sebara stared at the blackened bed before turning to face Sofia.

"Are you alright, Sofia?" he asked.

"Yes, Mr. Sebara," Sofia answered. "But you were nearly burnt in your own bed."

"What happened?"

"I heard a laugh in the coridoor and followed it here," Sofia said.

"You followed a laugh here? Did you see anything or anyone?"

"I didn't see anything except a lit candle right in front of your door," Sofia said.

"I imagine you recognize the laugh though," Mr. Sebara said.

"I did," Sofia said. "I think it was Mrs. Nettle. She laughs in that way."

"Posieden's pumpkins," Mr. Sebara muttered. "I've told her cut back on the drinking. Accidents like these do happen more easily after drinking. I'll have to have a word with her about that."

Mr. Sebara stood up and walked to where Sofia was. He held his hand out to her to help her up. Sofia took the offered hand and as she was pulled into a standing position, Mr. Sebara's fingers brushed her burn, earning a small gasp of pain from her. Mr. Sebara looked at the hand closely when he heard the gasp.

"Merlin's mushrooms," Mr. Sebara said. "Is this from the fire, Sofia?"

"Yes Mr. Sebara," Sofia replied. "And there were some thorny roses in the vase of water. It'll heal quickly, I'm sure."

"Hmph," Mr. Sebara muttered.

Mr. Sebara let go of Sofia's hand and went over to a chest at the foot of his bed. He opened it up and pulled out a small vial. He pressed it gently into Sofia's uninjured hand.

"Use this twice a day until your hand heals," Mr. Sebara said. "It's an old remedy my mother would use for small wounds like this."

"Thank you Mr. Sebara," Sofia said.

"I'm the one who be thanking you," Mr. Sebara said. "Fire is a painful way to go."

Mr. Sebara was about to say more but then the same maniacal laugh sounded.

"Neptune's nettles, is she still not settling down?" Mr. Sebara muttered. "Sit down a moment, Sofia, and don't make a sound. I've got to go get her settled down before in her drunken madness, she does something else."

Sofia nodded numbly before sitting down on the couch. Mr. Sebara strode over to the door and paused before opening it.

"Wrap yourself in my cloak if you get cold and remember, no sounds," he said.

Sofia watched as her employer opened the door and stepped out. After a couple moments, she grabbed the cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders.

The time slowly passed and Sofia started to fall asleep. The sound of the door opened and closed again, waking the young governess. Mr. Sebara stepped in the room, visibly annoyed.

"She hopefully won't be doing anything else tonight," he said.

"Why do you keep her around if she does such things?" Sofia asked.

"It doesn't matter," Mr. Sebara replied. "When she's not inebriated, she serves the household well."

"But-" Sofia started.

"Sofia, you're the only one who knows what has happened here tonight," Mr. Sebara interrupted. "Say nothing about what has happened here. What truly happened here needs to stay between you and me. I will account for what has happened here."

"Of course Mr. Sebara," Sofia said.

Mr. Sebara sat down close to Sofia. Slowly, as if unsure or nervous, he took Sofia's uninjured hand. Sofia's breath caught in her throat.

"You saved my life," Mr. Sebara said. "I owe you a great debt. Somehow, simply saying thank you doesn't convey my gratitude enough."

"There is no debt, Mr. Sebara," Sofia said. "I'm just glad I happened to be awake. Besides, I don't think anyone can repay a saved life."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Mr. Sebara shrugged. "Either way, I owe you, now and forever more."

A grandfather clock chimed in the room, indicating it was three o'clock in the morning.

"And now, I really do need to send you off to your room," Mr. Sebara said. "Servants will be up in an hour or two."

Sofia nodded. As she stood up, so did Mr. Sebara. Sofia took the cloak off of her shoulders and handed it over to her employer.

"Goodnight Mr. Sebara."

"Goodnight Sofia."

Sofia quickly went to her room. As she walked over to her bed, she smiled softly and kept gazing at her hand.