The room was quiet as Marfusus spoke his words. The sea of faces turned towards him. To his right, he could see John's friend turn his face ever so slightly to observe him. He could see no expression in the face, but he had no doubt that he had attracted his interest.

He cleared his throat and began to speak.

The event was as clear in his head as if it had happened yesterday. But it had been nearly twenty years since then…

The winter had been hard that year. Frost froze his fingers and turned his trembling lips blue. He was crouched over leaves, dark red diseased leaves that quivered against his shaking body. Through his half closed lids, he could see the village lying beyond the trees but he dared not approach it, the thin cloak he had on did nothing to hide his strangeness…

Footsteps on snow, drawing near. Then a child's voice sounded first in his head, then getting louder, and nearer…

"Are you all right? Can you hear me?"

Hazel eyes looked back at him, and he stared at them, their owner crouching over him, holding a blanket in his hand. A boy, older than him, though not by much, smiling at him.

"I saw you from the road. Mama says not to go near people like you, but I think you're cold and I thought I should get you a blanket." Sudden warmth enveloped him, and he shivered as the boy stood up again, the blanket gone from his arms.

"You look better now. You shouldn't sit here, you'll catch a cold. Why don't you come outside?"

He had shook his head, terrified then, remembering the beatings and the stones, afraid even of this strange kind boy. He wasn't supposed to trust anyone, Victor had said, but Victor wasn't here now, he had lost Victor in a blizzard and he was alone…

The boy's tone had softened when he spoke next. "If you're afraid, then you don't need to go there. But you can't sit here. Here, come with me."

He remembered being pulled to his feet by a firm hand, and led away from the cold. He remembered collapsing on a cold wooden floor which was atleast warmer than the leaves outside. And then the blanket was drawn over him again and he lay shivering.

"This is a storehouse that we have." He heard the boy whispering. "Nobody ever comes here so you will be fine. Don't leave because if someone sees you they'll try to lock you up." He sat up and said matter of factdly. "I think it's because you don't look like us. But that's fine. I have a friend who can't walk properly because his legs are funny and everyone laughs at him but I don't think that's right. Its not his fault his legs are funny. Mama says we should always help such people. So I'm helping you." His tone was cheerful now. "My name's John. Whats yours?"

Through chattering teeth, he managed to stutter out his name. "Marfusus."

"Really? That's-" A cry sounded from outside. "Johnnie!"

"That'll be Mama. I have to go now. Its my turn to help her today." He got to his feet. "Stay here, alright? I'll be back today with some hot milk for you." Marfusus heard the pattering of footsteps as the boy left the room.

John. He murmured the name in his head. John, and hazel eyes. He would remember. He wouldn't forget. An angel who came to save him.

That night, there was a bowl of milk left for him. He remembered drinking it eagerly, the hunger making him greedier. But, even as he licked up the last drops he heard a faint howl in the distance.

Victor. Victor was alive.

It was time to leave.

The food had given him new found strength. He climbed out of the window and staggered into the forest eventually gaining speed. Once, he stopped and looked back at the gathering darkness and the tiny pinpricks of lights in the houses…

I'll remember you, John. I won't forget. And when we meet again, I'll be the one to help you.

And then he ran.

Twenty years later, he found a name, when researching about this Master, who had taken his brother away. The Master had been in the army, he knew that. And in a list of names he found :John Hamish Watson.

And then he knew.

The room was quiet when Marfusus finished. He stared straight ahead at the wall, his mouth dry of further words. From the corner of his eye, he saw Edgar view him with deep skeptiscism. Elizabeth looked nearly tearful. Echidna was expressionless, though her mouth twitched upwards in what Marfusus assumed to be approval.

And John's friend sat there with an unreadable expression in his grey eyes, still and quiet. And nobody else in the room moved.

And then little Elsie ,in the front row, gave a small nod with her head. Acknowledgement, her dark eyes seemed to say. Marfusus returned the gesture.

The atmosphere in the room relaxed.

***************************************

Holmes sat in the room given him, and thought.

That was an interesting story he had just heard.

So, Marfusus had met Watson before, had he? Interesting. And Watson had saved his life.

That was very…typical of Watson. Dependable, at every point of need.

He closed his eyes, and the image of his friend's body swam up in front of him, collapsed on the floor, blood triclikng dowm from the side of his mouth-

No!

He would not remember that now!

There was a sound beside him., then a hiss. "Do you wish to east ssssomething, Mr. Holmesss?"

Ah. Echidna. There was a clink as whatever she was carrying was put down on the floor. Then the slither once again.

He opened his eyes. "Wait."

Echidna turned around. "Yessss?"

"There's something….I need to ask."

Echidna eyes, snake like, flashed once and she gave an eerie smile. "Yessss. I know."

A/N: I'm afraid my updates are going to be really slow this year, what with school and all. Thanks to everyone who stuck up with me till this chapter!