HELLO ALL! Thank you for reading! This was just something that popped into my head the other day, so I put it to paper. I hope you enjoy!

I OWN NOTHING SHERLOCK RELATED! (If I did, series 3 would be out by now...)

The Perfect Stranger

A cup of tea sat in front of me. I knew it was cold. The waiter brought it to my table over an hour ago. I didn't care. What was the point? It was just another thing to add to the numbness…the numbness he created.

I looked down at the wooden table. I didn't want to look up, for the hustle and bustle of the café bothered me. The sight of people living their day to day lives bothered me. Everything bothered me, but the cold, blank surface of the table was safe. It made me feel safe in a way that the rest of the world did not. I just wanted to feel safe again.

I sat far away from the window. My table was in the back corner of the café. I could feel the darkness of the dimly lit area shroud me…shroud my feelings. It hid me from the harshness of reality. I wanted…no…I needed to retreat as far away from the daylight as possible. Ever since he left, I learned to hate beautiful days. The radiance of the sun mocked my pain. It mocked me like the sight of people living as if nothing was wrong with the world. Why was the world mocking me? Why couldn't it all just stop?

As my thoughts buzzed around my head like a swarm of angry hornets, my vision blurred. I pressed my hands against my eyes. I didn't need to cry…at least not in public. Not again. My therapist said this was normal…that it was all part of the "grieving process", but I didn't need this. I didn't need any of this to happen. He made me feel like life was worth living. He made me forget the darkness and pain of war…he helped me learn how to walk again. He helped me find my freedom. Now the freedom was gone, and the darkness returned. I lost my balance, and my best friend. Why did he have to go? Why can I still hear his voice? Why can I still see the gleam in his eyes when I close mine?

I pressed my hands harder against my eyes. As I pressed harder, the black empty void morphed into a fuzzy, twinkling star field. I knew this was not good for my eyes, but it was oddly relaxing. For just a moment, I was somewhere else. I allowed myself to travel through my personal universe, and I lost myself in a private adventure among my stars. I used to lose myself on adventures…with him.

"I'm so sorry," said a voice in the darkness.

My mind snapped back to reality. I pulled my hands away from my face, and I flicked my eyes open. In front of me stood a blur…an indistinct blur. My eyes still throbbed from the abuse I made them endure, but I shook my head in protest. They were my eyes. I need to be in control of something. Why can't I have control over anything anymore? Why couldn't I stop him when he jumped?

I allowed my vision to return to normal. During the pause the voice remained silent, but I could feel its presence hovering next to me. When I regained my sight, I shifted my eyes toward the light. I then discovered that the voice was a woman. She was beautiful, but her eyes conveyed a message of sadness. As I looked deeper, I saw an all too familiar look. It was the face that I saw in the mirror every morning. My happiness left when he hit the ground…I still don't understand why he did this. Why?

As I stared, she spoke again. "I recognized you from the news, and I just wanted to say…well, I'm sorry…and that I understand. I…I recently lost someone, as well…and I…I loved…well, I understand how difficult it can be. You…y…you feel…alone." Her cadence was as broken as her spirit. Every word that left her mouth was strained. It was like each one hurt to say. I understand, too. I'm sorry. I know how much it hurts to watch someone you care about die.

Even though I opened my mouth to speak, no words came. To break the awkwardness, she continued to speak. "Well, I'm sorry to bother you…I just…goodbye." As she hurriedly mumbled her last word, her face turned red. She quickly looked at the ground, turned on her heels, and walked towards the exit.

Before she made it to the door, I croaked, "Wait."

It was only one word, but it stopped her in her tracks. She turned her head to look back, and her eyes smiled while her face remained stoic. A light gleamed in her eyes and replaced the sorrow. As I looked closer at her slowly changing expression, I discovered another familiar face. It was a face that saved my life once before. It was his face. It was HIS look! It was the look that was lost the day he jumped. It was the look he had right before an ordinary day turned into an adventure. How I used to live for that look…

The ever creeping sunlight suddenly flooded the room, and a thousand sunbeams radiated around her figure, rendering the woman nothing more than a darkened silhouette. I squinted in the brightness. Instead of shrinking further into the darkness, I allowed the warmth of the day to envelop me. It was like waking up for the first time. It was like he was there.

The woman still stood before me, eagerly waiting for me to speak again. "Would you care to join me?" I asked. I could hear the hope in my voice. The same hope he gave me when I was alone after the war.

"Oh, God, yes!" she breathlessly answered.

I could feel my face smiling. I was actually smiling. She quickly pulled over a chair and sat down parallel to me.

I held out my hand and said, "Hello, my name is John. I'm pleased to meet you."

She laughed and took my hand in return. "Hello, John," she replied, "I am very pleased to meet you, as well. My name is Mary."