AN: I know this story is going a bit slow – but it should pick up once everything is explained to Sherlock and John. Hopefully I've managed to capture the Doctor's characterization correctly as I'm not accustomed to writing him.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock Holmes. That honor belongs to John Watson

For the next thirty minutes Mycroft answers John's numerous questions. He tells him about Sherlock first few days as human and how he coordinated everything to create false memories.

He tells John about a man, well Time Lord, called the Doctor who brought Sherlock to Earth. He's one of the remaining Time Lords and he found Sherlock as a stowaway on a Dalek ship.

Daleks apparently being some strange machine-like aliens with very violent tendencies. He explained the inherent feud between Time Lords and Daleks that no one really knows the origin of and the fact that the Doctor was attempting to disable their ship when he spotted the dark haired teen and rescued him.

"And how did Sherlock end up on the ship?" John questions.

"Even the Doctor doesn't know. Sherlock refused to tell him." Mycroft answers, thinly concealing the exasperated fondness in his tone. Really it's so like the Sherlock they know.

"But it's of no consequence really. After they escaped he brought Sherlock to Earth." Mycroft continues.

"Why?" John inquires. He would think that being the last of their kind, they would hang close.

"He gave us Sherlock to protect him from those who would seek to destroy a surviving Time Lord. Earth is one of the last places anyone would think to look." He explains.

"But The Doctor has also long acted as a protector for our planet against extraterrestrial threats. He thought it would be advantageous if we had "live-in" protection so to speak. Certainly more convenient than gambling on his presence at the right time and place." He finishes with a dismissive wave of his hand.

"Oh. Right. So you were meant to train him up for it then and whenever we had the need you'd give him the watch and he'd what? Don a cape and save the day?" John questions, finding himself growing angry at Mycroft's callous tone.

"That's a bit theatrical, Dr Watson." Mycroft reproaches.

"Well you are a bit ridiculous. He's not some weapon to activate when you please and then put back in storage when you're done with him. He's a human being!" John argues heatedly.

Mycroft raises a dubious eyebrow at John's finishing sentence and inquires smoothly "Is he?"

"Yes! By association." John argues. Then realizing it sounds a bit ridiculous he amends "Just because he isn't human doesn't mean he's not a person."

"Ooh, I like him." a new voice suddenly breaks in from the doorway. John starts and whips his head towards the door to find a tall skinny man in a suit leaning against the casing.

"Who the hell are you?" John demands, standing swiftly, on alert.

"Good question that. One people have been asking for a while. To keep it simple though, just call me the Doctor." he answers with a quirky smile.

Mycroft has stood as well and makes his way over, hand extended. "Pleased to see you again Doctor. Though I was under the impression that we wouldn't meet until tomorrow evening." He says, briefly clasping and shaking his hand.

"Yeah, well so was I. But the Tardis had other plans. Dropped me on your doorstep just a few moments ago." he explains with an amiably shrug.

"Tardis?" John questions. "My ship." The Doctor answers with a fond smile.

"Oh. Right." John says with a nod, drinking it all in. "Tea?" he offers after an awkward moment.

"Oh please!" the Doctor accepts with another silly smile.

"Oddly cheerful man." John thinks to himself as he bustles about the kitchen.

"I haven't told him yet." Mycroft says as he and the Doctor move into the living room and he takes a seat on the couch.

The Doctor shrugs. "No matter. Might be easier to sort out with me here anyway. Where is he?" the Doctor inquires as John hands him a freshly brewed cup.

At that moment they hear the front door bang open and a succession of quick steps upon the stairs.

His steps near as he slips into the flat saying "So John, what did the obese aggravation known as my br-" and cuts off his sentence with a sharp glare when he realizes Mycroft's presence.

"Please don't stop on my account." Mycroft drawls with a feigned smile.

"Actually I was taking a moment to scan my inventory of insults to find something worse." Sherlock quips back.

He then catches sight of the Doctor. "And you are?" he inquires, scanning him for clues.

The Doctor grins "Who do you think I am?" he tosses back and Sherlock accepts the challenge with a smile.

"Well initially I'd be inclined to say you're a colleague of my brother however you have none of the characteristics of the bureaucratic dunces that frequent the political world, therefore you must be an outsider. You've been traveling recently and from a long distance. You present a jolly front, however you're very concerned about something and you've come to us seeking help. By 'us' I mean me of course, as your eyes has trailed my every movement and you straightened slightly when I entered the room. However you're not a client as you're more interested in engaging me in an intellectual challenge than telling your own story, something that's very unusual."

John finds himself grinning just slightly. Sherlock is still exactly the same as he'd always been. Even with his newfound knowledge John can't see him in a different light. Of course that might change when he opens the watch.

The Doctor gives an approving nod. "Right on all accounts. But what does that tell you about me? What am I?"

Sherlock allows a grin to overtake his features. "Something different. Something new."

"Interesting." The Doctor answers with an enigmatic smile.

"Sherlock, now that you've decided to return, perhaps we can continue with our business." Mycroft requests, with a facsimile smile.

"Actually I was thinking of going out again, seeing as you've decided to further taint the flat with your presence." He shoots back with a glare. "You're welcome to join me, sir" he offers.

"Call me the Doctor" the Doctor corrects and Sherlock's eyebrows quirk upwards in further interest. "Ah, well then you're welcome to join me Doctor" he amends.

Mycroft responds shoots him a venomous glare and hisses out "Sherlock Holmes."

Attempting to defuse their animosity John steps in, taking one of the paper sacks from Sherlock's arms and comments with a light chuckle "You actually went to the store? I can't believe it."

Sherlock throws him an exasperated glance. "That's where I said I was going." he grumbles.

"Well yeah, but just because you say you're going somewhere doesn't mean you do." John argues. Sherlock shrugs, conceding to his point.

"No reason for me not to. We were in need of food items and I was able to procure them whilst simultaneously avoiding my brother. Seemed a win-win situation." he explained, setting the bag down on a cleared corner of the table and beginning to unpack.

The Doctor watches silently from the couch, intrigued by the relationship dynamics of the three.

"Seems I've miscalculated though." he adds, throwing Mycroft a venomous glare.

"John perhaps you'd be so kind as to put away the groceries. You know Sherlock and I have much to discuss." he says, thinly disguising the command as a polite request.

"Ah, seems I am not the only one to have made a miscalculation. You and I have nothing to talk about. At all. Ever." Sherlock retorts sharply.

"Actually Sherlock I think you ought to listen to him." John chimes in.

"John?" he questions, severely confused by his voluntary involvement in their dispute and his support of Mycroft.

"It's important." John explains, taking a tin of biscuits from Sherlock's hand. Sherlock surveys him curiously for a moment attempting to deduce what might've brought such a note of gravity to his voice.

"Trouble with the Queen and country?" he quips, trying for his typical nonchalance, but wavering slightly at John's earnest look.

"In a manner of speaking." Mycroft says, gesturing to the empty chair across from him for Sherlock to sit.

The Doctor chimes in "It is rather important."

With an exaggerated air of reluctance Sherlock finally sits down, waiting with a bored expression.

"Well?" he prompts. Mycroft extends his hand, the pocket watch lying on his palm.

"This matter of national importance that demands my urgent attention revolves around a pocket watch?" he scoffs, snatching it from Mycroft's hand to examine it.

"International importance." Mycroft corrects. "At the very least."

But Sherlock isn't listening anymore. A strange trancelike expression had fixed itself on his face and he seemed entirely enraptured with symbols on the watch.

John has forgotten the sodium bicarbonate held in his left hand that he was intending to put in the cupboard. Instead he's hovering at the edge of the kitchen, watching Sherlock.

"Why don't you open it?" The Doctor suggests and Sherlock does.

If convenient please review; if inconvenient review anyway.

KP