Chapter One
Sparkling stars like diamonds embedded in a midnight blanket hung in the sky like ornaments on a Christmas tree. Their glistening beauty holding the attention of the children below them. As sleepless night where filled with wonders of the universe one small boy pressed his nose against the cool window of his temporary bedroom and grinned. His breath fogged up the glass and with a small sigh he added to the mist before leaning back and drawing a smiley face in the condensation.
"John Hamish Watson, would you please finish getting ready for bed? I don't know how you're still up! I'm exhausted!" Maria Watson looked over at her eight year old son and smiled, her green eyes lighting up her pale face. "If you don't go to sleep soon you'll be too tired tomorrow for all the fun I have planned!" At that the sandy haired boy quickly turned his head.
"Fun? What are we doing tomorrow?" The young woman laughed and wondered over to her offspring ruffling his hair before tapping her nose with a smile.
"Ah, ah! If I tell you it wouldn't be a surprise would it!"
"Mum!"
"Don't you mum me mister! But you're pyjamas on and get a board the train to sleepy town."
"I'm not a baby mum…" The woman peered at him for a second before scooping the petite boy into her arms and hugging him tightly.
"You'll always be my baby! Even when you're a million years old!"
"Mum!" She laughed and placed the boy down.
"This is going to be the best holiday ever John. The country air will do us good! When we go back to London we'll all be well rested and ready for anything!" The boy peered up at the lanky woman and slowly smiled. He held up his hand and extended his pinkie.
"Promise?" She laughed and linked her own little finger with his. Together the shook their hands and nodded.
"I promise. Now. Bed time. I need to go make sure you sister has actually gone to sleep. Knowing her she'll have her nose in some trashy magazine." John watched the woman leave before wondering back over to the window and peering out. The small boy had lived in the city his whole life, rarely seeing the stars above the brightly lit place. To him, this was a new sky. Not the one at home, the constant dark sea of nothingness couldn't possibly be the same as this beautiful dream that lay above him. He silently grabbed the curtains with his small hands and pulled them shut before clambering into bed.
He truly did believe his mother; this was going to be the best holiday ever. With a sky like that how could it not be?
With a tired grin on his face he allowed sleep to cover him and take him far, far away.
"Mum! Mum! Are you watching?"
"I'm watching John! Harriet, can you please just put some sun cream on whilst I watch your brother?"
The green eyed woman turned away from her daughter just in time to see her son jump from the diving board and into the cool water below him. She clapped dramatically until he resurfaced, gasping for air.
"Good one mate!"
As it turned out Maria Watsons surprise for her children had been a day spent at an outdoor pool. The perfect combination for her two very different children. John would enjoy the swimming whilst Harry could sit in the sun for a few hours and pretend she was in Spain. So far, everyone was happy.
"You try!"
"No thanks, I'm alright here with Harry! You have fun though!" John rolled his eyes as he watched the two women in his life sit in the sun, one with a thick novel and the other with a brightly coloured teenage magazine. He swam to the side and pulled himself up, sitting on the side of the pool and kicking his feet creating splashes.
He looked around in search of other children to befriend. A group of girls where huddled around one corner of the pool whist several older boys where throwing a football back and forth. No one stood out for him. This was supposed to be the perfect holiday, what he needed was the perfect friend... With a sigh he pulled himself up and wondered around the edge.
"Mum! I'm going to go explore."
"Don't go too far! Make sure you can see me!"
"I'm not a baby anymore!"
The small, bare footed boy padded away from the main pool and into the small play area next door. Children where running around in their swimsuits, throwing water balloons at one another and rushing to the water fountain to fill up more. For a while John just watched, his eyes searching for an opportunity to join in. When none arrived he frowned and wondered over to a nearby tree in search of some shade. He lowered himself onto the ground and pulled his knees up to his chest Maybe he didn't need to make any friends. After all, he was only there for a week so in the end he'd leave anyway… And he liked spending time with his mum, in reality she was his best friend (not that he'd ever let the lads at school know that. He didn't want to be bullied more then he already was).
John came to the conclusion that he could make his own fun and in the meantime he'd stick by his mother's side as much as humanly possible.
"You can't sit there…" John's large eyes blinked as he peered up, raising a hand to shield his pupils from the blaring sun.
Beside him stood a boy, around his own age, with dark curly hair and ghostly white skin. He was staring down at him with a piercing, ice blue gaze, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his navy shorts.
"What?"
"You can't sit here."
"I heard you the first time. I mean why?"
"You should have made you question clear to start with…" There was silence for a few seconds before the dark haired boy sighed dramatically and waved his hands as he spoke. "You can't sit here because I'm doing an experiment! And if you carry on sitting there like an idiot it will all be ruined!"
John frowned and uncurled his legs.
"An experiment?"
"That's what I said."
"What kind of experiment?" The dark haired boy rolled his eyes and seemed to consider John for a second.
"You really want to know?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"You're making fun of me." John blinked at the statement and frowned.
"No I'm not… I really want to know…" The boy stared at him for a second, looking slightly wary before clearing his throat.
"Fine, but you can't let the others know… They'll ruin everything." He gestured to the other children running around before snapping his gaze back to John. "Promise it will just be you and me. Promise?" John nodded and held a hand to his heart.
"I swear on my life." The other boy nodded. "I'm John by the way."
"Sherlock."
"What?"
"My names Sherlock."
"That's… I haven't heard that name before."
"Good. That makes it more interesting. Now, my experiment." The boy pulled a small plastic tub from his pocket and held it out for John to see. "Do you know what this is?"
"It looks like a tub of peanuts…"
"It is a tub of peanuts. I'm trying to see if animals can remember."
"Why?"
"For research. Since the summer holidays started I've been coming here every day and leaving a small pile of food at the bottom of this tree. At this exact time, everyday."
"What for?" Sherlock pointed a small pale finger upwards.
"A squirrel lives in this tree. I determine that if we leave this food five minutes before the usual time I arrive and go watch he'll come down at exactly 3 pm. Thus, proving my theory."
"What's your th-theori?"
"It's theory. And I'm trying to prove to my brother that animals can tell the time."
"Why?"
"We have a bet." John nodded silently, still not completely understanding. He quickly stood up as Sherlock emptied the container on the ground and stood back up, peering down at the shorter boy.
"There, now we shall go hide over by the swings. Keep your eyes on the tree. We have five minutes until it's three o'clock." John nodded and followed Sherlock. They each took a swing and kept their eyes on the tree.
"So, do you live near here?"
"Yes." John nodded, this Sherlock boy clearly wasn't a talker.
"I'm on holiday…"
"Obviously." John turned to him at that and frowned.
"How is it obvious?"
"Can I try something on you?" John nodded slowly, noticing his question had been ignored.
"Yes…" Sherlock's eyes never left the tree.
"I've been practising this thing. I got a book from the library and I've read it a lot of times. It is about this thing called deducing. That means I can tell things about you that you've never told me. So, I'm going to practise on you. Do you agree?"
"Sure." Sherlock nodded, once again his eyes focused.
"You're here with your mother and older sister. This is your first holiday away for a while so she's trying to make it special. You're here from London where you attend public school, even though you hate it. You don't get along with the other children. Maybe because you're a little socially awkward, more likely because they pick on you due to you lack of height. Also, you're father is dead." John blinked at him a few times before smiling.
"That was really cool!" Sherlock snapped his gaze to him briefly before allowing it to return to his target.
"Really?"
"Yeah! So cool!"
"Thanks… I mean… I thought you'd be mad about what I said concerning your father."
"He died a long time ago… It's fine. That was just awesome! I mean you where right about everything!"
Sherlock smirked as, in the distance, the town clock chimed three. As if on cue a small, twitching nose appeared from the branches of the tree before them. As quick as lighting the small squirrel rushed down the rough bark and gathered the peanuts into its mouth. As it once more disappeared Sherlock turned to John with a large smile plastered across his pale face.
"I usually am." John smiled and looked over at his mother and sister. Maria was stood, up on her tiptoes and looking for her son.
"Look. I've got to go… But if I can convince my mum to bring me here tomorrow do you swear to be here?" Sherlock eyed him for a moment before smiling.
"I swear." John nodded and jumped to his feet.
"Good, because we're friends now."
"Friends?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Because you're interesting… and cool! Why wouldn't I want to be your friend?"
"That's not what the other kids say…"
"What do they say?"
"They call me a freak." John scoffed at that and rolled his eyes.
"Who cares? I don't think you're a freak and that's all that matters."
"I've… I've never had a friend before…" Johns smile grew as he jumped to his feet.
"Really? I can be your first then! And first friends are best friends. So, we'll be friends forever from this moment on."
"This all seems rather sudden."
"Nothing sudden about it. When you know you know. And I know we're meant to be friends always." Sherlock seemed to think for a moment before nodding slowly. "It will be like an adventure!" Sherlock frowned and folded his arms.
"Will it be dangerous?"
"All adventures are dangerous silly! But we'll be together so it will be fine!"
"John? Where are you? John!" Marias voice was getting closer and John quickly turned to his new friend.
The small sandy haired boy stuck out his pinkie and looked at Sherlock.
"Link your baby finger with mine." The curly haired boy did as he was told. "I promise we are now best friends. Now you say it."
"I promise we are now best friends…"
"Good! I'll see you tomorrow? I've got to go before my mum gets worried."
"I… Yes… Ok."
Sherlock watched as his new 'friend' ran towards the two women waiting for him. As the boy turned and waved at him Sherlock found himself returning the gesture, an action he was not used to at all.
As the small family of three vanished around the corner and out of sight Sherlock heard a deep voice from behind him.
"You lied to him… what was his name? John?" Sherlock glanced over his shoulder and frowned at the figure of his older brother.
"Leave me alone Mycroft."
"You know very well tomorrow you return to school for the new term. I always did find it odd that private establishments had such a different calendar to those of the public." His tall, slim sibling sat on the swing John had occupied not moments earlier and peered at his little brother out of the corner of his eye. "Why did you lie?" Sherlock didn't answer and folded his arms angrily. Mycroft smiled and ran a hand through his own thick brunette hair. "You try to act so grown up all the time. But even you are partial to pretending. Pretending won't make it real Sherlock. You should have told him the truth. Now he'll come looking for you."
"Yes, well. Maybe one day he'll find me…"
"I wouldn't bet on it. The world's a big place. What are the chances?" Sherlock huffed.
"Well, we're best friends now."
"This is rather sudden."
"I don't care. You said I'd never make any friends and I have. Even if I never see him again John and I are best friends." Mycroft chuckled and rested a hand on his siblings shoulder.
"Whatever you say Sherlock. Come on now. Mother says you need to come and check you have all the books you want to take back to school with you."
"Fine." Sherlock jumped from the swing and stuffed his hands into his pockets.
"Oh, and Mycroft?"
"Hm?"
"I won the bet. The squirrel did come." The taller boy laughed and ruffled his brothers' curls.
"Well, I guess I owe you an ice cream then."
The next day, at precisely three o'clock, John Watson ran through the gate separating the pool and the park and sat on the swing. He waited until the squirrel scampered down peered at the usually food spot disappointedly. He waited until all the other children had gotten tired and gone home. He waited until his mother said that they really needed to leave. He waited as long as he could…
But Sherlock never came.
And despite the tears he felt prickle at his eyes over the loss of a friendship that had never truly begun he headed back to school several weeks later with his summer homework (to write about your summer) in his hand.
As his name was called and he took his place in front of the class to read he proudly cleared his throat and read the title…
My New Best Friend Sherlock.
Years later, in a world of sand and death he thought back to that day. The day he'd met the strange boy with the dark hair and icy eyes. The time seemed entirely inappropriate. As hell surrounded him and flames threatened to shred his very soul apart would his last thought be about a day so long ago? A day that didn't really matter at all? An event that was simply a smudge on his memory?
As he felt a ripping terror coarse through his veins, as he fell to the ground with a scream of pain, he thought back to the day he'd made his first best friend.
And whilst he felt his eyes slowly closing he smiled lightly and remembered the day when everything had seemed just oh, so wonderful.
When times where simpler and his life wasn't a war.
When the everyday life wasn't a battle field.
I would really like to know what you think of this. I also hope you are wonderfully well!
I'll hopefully update soon!
GOFM