Once upon a time there was this couple--rich couple...the world at their fingertips the whole nine yards. No kids though--never really wanted any. Then one day they're in London--business trip, vacation--the reason doesn't really matter, point is they're there. And they see this kid wandering the streets, confused, out of it. They were just going to ignore him...they didn't like kids and it wasn't really their problem.
Then the kid starts talking and they realize that he's smart. Like really really smart--genius smart and well The Board had been bugging them about having an heir and I don't know I guess they figured what the hell. The kid didn't remember anything about his past--where he's from--didn't even remember his own name. All that he's got with him is this pocket watch that doesn't even work.
They end up adopting him.
Time passes. Kid's a little odd, a little immature, but smart. Scarily smart. Inhumanly smart.
Anyway…time passes, couple dies in a car crash, kid grows up. Still carries the watch around everywhere--though he never really pays attention to it. Why should he--it's broken... Even though he usually tries to fix broken stuff and he's never actually opened it to see that it's broken. He just knows.
But his whole life he's felt…off.
Like something's missing. Like he doesn't really belong. Like he's different from everyone else around him.
He does his best to ignore it though pretend like it doesn't bother him. That he doesn't feel lonely. Like he doesn't feel different. Like he doesn't always feel this nagging sense that he's forgotten something....
He has odd dreams sometimes. Some of them are happy. Some of them are terrifying. He never fully remembers them. Never. But happy or terrifying all he feels is loss after them.
He likes to look up at the stars. But that makes him sad too and like everything else he doesn't understand why. He doesn't just look though--he searches even though he knows…he knows he'll never find whatever it is he's searching for.
Then one day he gets kidnapped. He reaches for his watch...and it's not there. He doesn't know why but he suddenly wants it desperately and it's not there. That scares him more than the hole in the chest and the torture combined.
He escapes by building a suit that seemed vaguely familiar--like something from one of his dreams. Later he'll paint it red and gold--never even considering any other colors. He has his watch again. Tucked away in his pocket. The relief of having it back quickly fades to indifference as soon as it's back in his hand.
Then he finds out he's dying. He acts recklessly and resigns himself to the fact. Until he's forced into trying to find a solution. He can't think of any and he knows he's going to die.
He knows he's going to die.
Then he remembers the watch. The watch he always carries around even though it's broken. The watch that he knows is broken even though he's never opened it. The watch that he wanted so desperately in Afghanistan. The watch that he never really gave his full attention to until now.
He opens the watch and he remembers.