The 12 Nights of Christmas
An Elementary Fic
Disclaimer: I own nothing, maybe the story, but the characters that originate from Elementary belong to CBS.
I've been playing around with this story since July and am finally able to sit down at a computer and type up a little holiday romance before the new season starts and because I'm feeling the holiday spirit in the summer.
I do hope to capture the characters as best I can in a story such as so. Bear with me and I do hope you enjoy.
Rated: T for occasional bad language
Summary: After a horrible case, Sherlock tries to give the holidays back to Joan with 12 Nights of Christmas.
A/N: No real spoilers or point in time in which this plays in the lives of Joan and Sherlock. Maybe one day. I'm going to avoid having her new boyfriend whom is suppose to come into play in S3. Maybe touch on her being kidnapped and maybe Fatty, I mean Mycroft flashback stuff coming in, but nothing too involved with the show, just some good ole sweet Joanlock romance.
There were 12 days left until Christmas and both Joan and I were feeling quite shitty. The case we had closed today with the precinct was a sad tale of an innocent child losing their life at the hands of a child killer. Without going into complete detail, the little child was taken from the park and tormented until she was found last week when Joan and I were brought on the case. I had never seen such sadness in Joan's eyes, to the point that it broke my heart. I tried my best to not allow her to see my feelings. It wasn't like me at all to do so and I did not want to make her uncomfortable. My only assurance for her that I was there for her was by innocent touch; my hand resting on her shoulder or the top of her hand as she had done for me many times before or my hand on the slight dip of her spine on her lower back to let her know I had her back. There was one thing she and I had and though it wasn't much to the common person. The smallest touch or even a glance meant just for the other was more than a hug or what have you could ever do or be. To me just her very presence was enough to help me calm my inner turmoil; she was my light in the dark, the will to continue in my life. She was my best friend and like my brother said, she was the person I loved most in this world…and I did. I didn't deny it, nor would I ever.
The case was finished quite early in the day. We returned to the Brownstone, and together in silence fed our little Clyde. And while she changed into a bit more comfortable clothing that was warm and nothing to do with work. She returned with an over sized jumper that went to her knees, sweat pants and thick fuzzy sock. Completely adorable in every way, and yes, it was hard to keep my eye off her as she made her way down the stairs. I had put on a kettle of water on for tea and pulled out two mugs, pouring the hot tea into them, just as she sat down at the table. We sat there for a long while in silence just being in one another's company letting the pain of the case expel from us along with the steam of the tea or at least as best that it could.
Joan was an incredible woman. That was easily said just by looking into her eyes. Some didn't have the pleasure of seeing this in people, but with how often I had "studied" people, I picked up on things. Joan was one of a kind. She was and has been the only person whom I have seen this light in. I know I'm not typically a "fluffy" kind of person, certainly wouldn't allow my outer actions to show that, but I was an observer of those who enter my life, even for a brief moment. I couldn't help it. It's who I am. But anyways, Joan, she had something in her that no one I've come across has ever come close to having. She was beautiful, but didn't allow herself to be as much as I knew she was. She had heart, compassion, strength, will, and so many other things that were beyond the spoken word. She was Joan, my Joan.
The weather was certainly chilly outside; we've had a good amount of snow fall in the last couple weeks. There were decorations all over the city. A sure sign of the winter holidays, however in our Brownstone, not a lick of the holiday spirit. Joan had mentioned that she wanted to decorate a little this year. Put up a tree and maybe a few lights or sparkly whatever's around the house, but since the case, that holiday spirit she had seemed to fade away. I wasn't going to have it. Not this time. Joan Watson deserved something special for the holidays. Something to lift her heart back up and bring back my Joan.
Thankfully she had a meeting with an old friend who wanted to take her out for the afternoon and dinner and probably a drink. After our tea, and our silent healing time together, she gave me a smile and a gentle caress on my shoulder as she passed by and went to change for her afternoon/evening with her friend. That was enough time for my light bulb to click on bright and for me to make a couple calls to Mrs. Hudson and good ole Alfredo for a few favors while she changed.
I walked Joan out, after helping her wrap up in a good winter coat and scarf, gloves and warm hat. The snow had finally stopped and was a rather nice day out. I made sure she was safe in her cab and on her way before trotting back into the Brownstone grabbing my dark coat and trusty scarf and hustling out the door meeting Alfredo and Mrs. Hudson out at the corner.
Two hours had passed and Mrs. Hudson brought the holiday spirit in decorations to life for me and Alfredo had found a magnificent tree for the Brownstone. Thankfully Mrs. Hudson had cleaned the Brownstone a few days prior while Joan and I were neck deep in the case so when it came to today, cleaning wouldn't be on our to-do list. There was by far too much decorating Mrs. Hudson told me, if we were to have it done by Joan's return. And there was. Hours of decorating the house with lights and tinsel and decoration galore, but tastefully, mind you. Even Clyde's tank was decorated with the holiday spirit. All boxes cleaned up with a few special boxes by the tree for later and with my upmost thanks and promises to both Mrs. Hudson and Alfredo to make it up to them soon, they left me alone with a very decorated Brownstone, waiting for Joan's return.
My nerves slowly trying to get away from me as I went from standing in various spots and tapping my hip with the tips of my fingers to sitting in various chairs/couches tapping my hip with my fingers. It was just after 9pm when I heard the taxi outside pull up and Joan exiting the vehicle, paying the driver and making her way up the steps to our home. I stood not sure what to do with myself. Feet wanting to go in every direction until the turn of her key let me know she was at the door and I stopped in front of the stairs to greet her. My hands quickly running over my shirt and vest, smoothing out any nerve that had built up.
She was looking down at her phone, more than likely thanking her friend and how it was lovely catching up, and unraveling her scarf ready to unwind herself. She walked thru the foyer she was about to take her coat off when she saw me, giving me a greeting smile and then the twinkly lights caught her eyes. Her mouth hung slightly open and her eyes wide as she stopped mid step towards the coat rack to shed her coat unsuccessfully. I walked behind her while her eyes still attempted to take in the sights and helped her with her coat. She stepped out of her coat and took a good step forward taking in the decorations. While I hung up her coat and met her by her side I could see the tears in her eyes. Not sad tears, no, the corners of her mouth were turned up into a smile.
"Sherlock, you did all this?" Her words finally found her, though softly spoken. She turned to me wiping away the happy tear from her eye. "Yes, with a little help from a couple elves. I know you had mentioned wanting to put up a little holiday decoration around the Brownstone this year, and everything with the case seemed to diminish that want, I thought I would bring the holiday spirit back to you. See you smile again." I said no higher than she spoke. "You did this for me?" She said with a slightly higher octave. "Yes. I did." I said looking down at her shoulder, my eyes too shy to seek her own. "Sherlock" she paused for a moment waiting for my eyes to meet her own. "This is one of the most amazing things, anyone has ever done for me." She said wrapping her arms around me and hugging me softly. She knew I wasn't much for hugging, well with anyone else. From her it was very welcome and she must have known that because the hug wasn't very long, but it was longer than I would have allowed anyone other than her.
The lights in the front room were dim, only the twinkle lights illuminating here and there. "I've got something else for you." I told her turning just slight, walking over to the light switch. "You said you loved real Christmas trees and that a Christmas tree was something from your childhood holidays that you loved decorating." I said and with one flick, I flipped the light switch revealing the tree that Alfredo had found. Joan's eyes again went wide and she walked up to the tree admiring its beauty. "It's not decorated." She said softly. "I know. I figured we could do that – together." I said walking up next to the boxes on the floor that were at her feet, opening them up revealing color lights and white lights, tensile, many different kinds of decorations from funny little trinkets to classic ones, everything I might think she would like. "I got different things, decorations, and I thought that I would allow you to decide what you would like on our tree and we could decorate it together." I said, my lips turning up in hopes that it would make her happy. "Sherlock, this is just wonderful. Amazing. I would love to do decorate our tree." Joan said with a smile and tea glistening down her cheek. "I'm so pleased that you feel this way." I told her reaching up and wiped away her fallen tear.
The night was filled with decorating, Christmas music playing softly and eggnog in our usual mugs. We worked together, her telling me of best Christmases she had growing up with her mother, step father and brother. With the tree lit and cleverly decorated by the pair of us, all that was left was the star and I found a stunner of a star. Not overly gaudy. It was subtle, yet beautiful, just as she was. Joan held it up to admire it and smiled. I wanted her to put it up, but I know she wasn't able to reach and nor could I. She looked at me and I pulled up a stool for her and assisted her up the stood. Her one hand held the star and the other held my hand so she could reach up and place the star at the top. Our fingers laced together for a brief time. Once done she leaned back on the stool just a little to look and almost lost her balance, my hands instantly going to her sides catching her and helping her down to the ground. My hands resting there for a little longer than they should have, but she didn't seem to mind. I released her and we both stood back to admire our work for a few moments before she turned to me. "It's beautiful." She said "Thank you again for doing this for me. I'm going to treasure what you've done for me today." She continued softly and leaned into my side. Both of us standing there in silence leaning into one another, it was going to be a good Christmas this year. And there were still 11 nights until Christmas to go, and I was going to make each night special for her.