Sherlock went and sat in a more comfortable position on the coach, barely glancing at John who was sitting worriedly on his chair. Sensing that John had questions, and guessing most of them, Sherlock continued.

'The second time was in high school. I was never very popular, preferred studying on my own, and the other children sensed that. I was often teased, bullied. I knew why...' His voice trailed off, lost in thought.

A small tear traced the line around his nose and dropped onto his satin dressing gown. He never felt much love towards his teenager years.

'They had a game they would play. Find out when my exams were, take my books the night before and hide them in the most inventive places possible. The girls toilets. On top of the filling cabinets in the teachers staffroom. In the cage with the mice kept for Biology.'

'It was the night before my final Chemistry exam. They had done it again, and.. I didn't know what to do. Then he walked into the classroom. He was wearing the same thing, jacket, bow tie, braces. Scuffed army boots. He strode over to my desk and placed all of my books onto it. Every single book I had ever lost and never found since juniors. Then he smiled and turned to leave, again. It was all I could do to whisper 'Who ARE you', but when he spun back again and replied 'I'm the Doctor. Here to help', I felt more confused than ever. And you know me John. I'm not easily confused.'

'There were several other times too. At my high school prom, my graduation. I never spoke to him, but he was always there, in the distance, never changing. The ginger girl was there sometimes too, but after about the third time, she no longer accompanied him. From then on, he grew darker. His eyes, tired. Even though he was the most confusing man I had ever met, I knew that something was going to happen.'

'I finally spoke to him while walking home from the Yard about two years ago. He was standing by the street corner, darker and more hallowed than ever. I.. all I could say to him was 'Why are you here', which seems, now, a stupid question.'

John got the sense that Sherlock would have wanted to say more, and he was right.

'If only I had spoken to him more.'

The tears were coming think and fast now, and Sherlock had given up trying to hide them. He manage to keep his voice steady though. As John sat down beside him on the sofa, he continued.

'He replied, 'You fascinate me Sherlock. You are brilliant, like, seriously brilliant. I'd call you a genius, but I'm here so...' and I remember his sly smile like I saw it yesterday. He told me about how he had been following me through my entire life, making sure I was always where I needed to be, I never got hurt. When I inquired why, he simply said that it was because he was the Doctor, and he was here to help.'

The last thing he ever said to me was, 'Sherlock, I'm proud of you. Amy thought I was crazy, following you through your life. But I said 'Amy, I know a bright star when I see one'. I've gone through my life for too long Sherlock, seeing people who could have been so much waste away to nothing. I'm going to die. Soon. I want you there with me'. And I never heard from him again. Until today.'

Sherlock grew silent.

The evening was a quiet one. Sherlock became more resigned than ever, John had difficulty getting him to eat anything. John knew that he wouldn't be able to get anything more out of Sherlock, so he decided it would be best to settle in early for the night, leaving Sherlock on the coach downstairs. He would come to bed when he was ready.