Sherlock's Identity
Sherlock Holmes twisted the small pocket watch over and over in his hands. It had been a long time since he had ever been intrigued by something so small. He was curious about the markings, how old it was and where it had come from. But above all, he was most curious about why John had kept it locked in his desk drawer. The locked drawer had been bothering Sherlock for weeks, because he didn't see what John needed to hide from him. And so, when John had gone to the shops, he had seized his chance and picked the lock. He had been slightly disappointed at the contents, which had turned out to be a collection of photos of John's family in an album, some letters from his sister, a slim wooden stick (which had hummed and felt warm to Sherlock's hand when he had picked it up) and this pocket watch, which in Sherlock's mind was more intriguing than the stick that clearly possessed special properties. He ran his thumb over the watch again, feeling the engraved markings. He wondered what they meant. They were clearly a different kind of language, and it struck him that they might not be from Earth at all. He pushed the idea out of his mind quickly. It was impossible for the watch to have come from anywhere other than some jeweller's, right?
Still, he wondered.
John came home to find Sherlock crouched on the floor beside the bottom drawer of John's desk, which was open. John stepped forward to see what Sherlock was holding.
"What do you think you're doing, going through my desk?" he demanded.
Sherlock grunted. "It was bothering me. I wanted to know what you wanted to keep locked up away from me" he replied, still twisting the pocket watch over in his hands.
The movement caught John's attention, and he paled. Of course, out of all the objects in the drawer, it would have to be the watch that caught the consulting detective's attention.
"Put that back" he said, his voice shaking slightly. Sherlock ignored him, continuing to examine the watch carefully. "I said put it back"
"I heard you. I'm just choosing to ignore you" Sherlock replied. A sudden thought occurred to John, and he paled even more.
"You... you didn't open it, did you?" he asked uncertainly. Sherlock looked up at that.
"No, I haven't opened it yet. Why? Is there something inside?"
"Um... yes" John mumbled, knowing there was no point in lying.
"Something important, I presume? You've gone very pale and seemed panicked at the thought I had opened it"
"Yes, something important. Something very important"
"Are you going to tell me what it is, or am I going to have to open it and find out?"
"No! Don't open it yet! You... you aren't ready! I'm not ready!"
"Ready for what? And I think it is my place to decide when I am ready for something rather than yours. Is it hollow, perhaps, containing the key to your secret porn collection?"
"I don't have a porn collection, Sherlock, you know that"
"I know, I'm just teasing you. I can tell by the weight of it that it's not hollow. It's a pocket watch, yes, with an actual clock face inside. But there's something else in there as well that you want to hide from me. The question is, what?" Sherlock mused, looking back down at the watch. John saw his fingers brush against the catch on the side, and he darted forward, pulling the slim wooden stick from the open drawer and pointing it at Sherlock.
"Put the watch back. You are not ready. It's not safe to open it yet, and unless you do as I say, I will force you"
"Force me with what? Your stick?" Sherlock snorted with laughter at the idea, causing John to sigh.
"Yes, with this. It's not a stick, you daft dimbo. Surely you've worked that out by now?"
"Well, when I touched it earlier, it was warm and seemed to hum slightly. I'm now going to make a guess based on this observation"
"And your guess is what?" John asked, still pointing the 'stick' at Sherlock.
"My guess is that you have lied to me for the past year. You possess what is clearly a magic wand, and that you are, in fact, a wizard, who is a damn good liar" Sherlock replied, and John sighed, lowering the wand slightly.
"Yes, you're right, I am a wizard and I lied to you. I'm sorry, but those were my instructions. I did it to protect you. I'm still protecting you. Now put the watch back please, and don't whatever you do, open it"
"Is the watch dangerous?" Sherlock asked, turning away and placing the watch back in the drawer carefully. John relaxed as soon as it was out of his hands.
"In the wrong hands, most definitely, yes"
"And I'm the wrong hands?"
"No, no, quite the opposite. But if you open it, you will be in great danger"
"Right, thanks" Sherlock stood, watching John crouch down and tap the lock on the drawer with his wand.
"There. No more lock picking please" he said, straightening and sliding the wand into the inside pocket of his jacket. Sherlock was watching him closely, and John sighed.
"I suppose you want to know what else I've lied to you about" he said quietly, and Sherlock nodded, settling himself into his armchair and watching as John sat down opposite. "I've pretty much lied to you about my whole life, Sherlock, I'm sorry. I didn't go to a grammar school. I went to a wizard school called Hogwarts. After school I didn't go into medicine really. I did some medicinal training as a wizard, and it just happens that some of the methods can be applied to normal people, who we call muggles. I then went into Auror training, which is basically training to capture dark wizards. I was diploid to Afghanistan, but my mission was to capture a dark wizard. Unfortunately, I was shot in the process, and only after I returned to my work in London as an Auror did your name reach my ears"
"And why would my name bear any importance in your world?"
"It shouldn't, normally, but considering who you are it is no surprise. I was hired to look after you"
"By whom?"
"Your brother, of course. You remember the first time you met me?"
"It seems I shall be having a talk with my dear brother about this. And of course I remember. It was in Bart's lab, and you came limping in with Mike Stamford"
"Do not talk to your brother until you have heard the whole story. And we did not meet in Bart's hospital. That was all a lie, planted in your mind to remove the truth"
"Then what is the truth? Or are you under some oath to not tell me about my own life?"
"No, I can tell you. Mycroft took me to meet you where you had been hiding in a drug den with a bunch of homeless drug addicts. You hadn't been there long, but the fact you had chosen to hide yourself there was worrying your brother. We took you out, got you cleaned up, stuck you in rehab for a few months. When you recovered you moved in here, and we planted the memory of us meeting at Bart's in your mind, and erased the truth from you"
"I see. I suppose that is why Lestrade always insists on conducting drug busts in my flat? Because I once ended up in rehab for an addiction I will never remember?"
"Yes, that's why. There are only four people in the world that know the truth about you, Sherlock. And you are not one of them"
"What the hell? So everyone knows about my life, knows the truth, except for me? How can I not know my own life?" Sherlock demanded.
"You do not know because it was safer for you to forget. And like I said, only four people know the truth. And you will know, one day, hopefully soon, when the threat has been eliminated"
"Who are these four people?"
"One of them is me, obviously. Another is your brother, again, obviously. The third is Lestrade, who Mycroft deemed as trustworthy and reliable. The fourth is Mrs Hudson"
"Mrs Hudson knows?"
"Of course she does. She knows exactly who lives up here"
"What about the threat?"
"Will soon be dealt with. I did not just go to the shops. I was picked up by Mycroft, who had captured the aforementioned threat. This threat will be eliminated within the week, and then I promise you, you will learn the truth. In the mean time, try and forget about it"
"Forget about the fact my whole life is one great big lie with you, my brother, my landlady and a police inspector at the heart of it laughing at my ignorance?"
"Yes, that. I can always make you forget, if you like" John smirked, pulling out the wand again and twisting it through his fingers.
"Don't you dare cast some sort of spell on me again" Sherlock said quietly, his eyes on the wand, watching apprehensively.
"Don't worry, I won't. And you aren't the only one looking forward to the day the threat is dealt with. I never actually met the real you"
"Real me? What am I, imaginary? Is my name really Sherlock Holmes, or is that a lie as well?"
"No, that bits true. Your name is Sherlock Holmes. The rest of it, your past, what you think you remember, is not"
"So I'm not a consulting detective?" Sherlock pouted, saddened at the thought that his career might be fake.
"You are a consulting detective, much to your brother's annoyance. The idea was to keep you hidden and out of the public eye, not in the papers every week for solving murders. It took a great deal of work to cover that up as much as possible, but your career does have its uses. Sherlock Holmes the consulting detective is a perfect smokescreen to conceal your true identity"
"Which only four people know, none of which happen to actually be me" Sherlock muttered.
"You're catching on quick. I promise though, Sherlock, that as soon as possible, you will learn the truth"
"Does that mean you really are my best friend? You didn't cast some spell on me to make me your friend?"
"I would never do that, Sherlock. That is one of the few things I have never lied about. I am your best friend, and I will always be here for you"
Tap. Tap. Tap.
John was woken by a consistent tapping sound on his bedroom window. He stumbled across the room and opened the curtains to see his owl perched on the window sill outside, looking up at him with inquisitive eyes. John smiled and opened the window, and the owl soared into the room over to the open cage in the corner, hooting quietly. John stepped forward and ran his fingers across the bird's feathers, and the owl held out his leg, to which a scroll was attached.
"Straight down to business, then? You don't change, eh, Thracius?" John chuckled as he detached the scroll. Thracius the owl hooted loudly as though to tell him to hurry up.
"Keep your voice down! Sherlock will hear and there will be trouble" John hissed, finally succeeding in detaching the scroll and opening it.
John, The threat has been eliminated. It is time for Sherlock to open the watch. You must stay with him. This is an important step and he will need you with him to cope with it. His memories will come back, and his behaviour may change slightly, but do not panic. That is normal, and he will still be the same Sherlock, just slightly different from before. Contact me if there are any problems -MH
John sighed, feeling a slightly twinge of excitement at getting to meet the real Sherlock rather than the one he lived with at the moment. John had stopped stroking Thracius, who had gotten impatient and nipped his finger. He jumped and looked from his bleeding finger to his owl, who stared back at him.
"What was that for? I haven't got anything to reply to this, so you can go back out if you want" Thracius gave him a look, and hooted loudly. John realised what the bird was trying to say, and laughed, running his hand gently over the smooth feathers and holding out an owl treat. "You know me so well, Thracius. I'd better be going. I'll leave the window open for you if you want to go for a flight" he said, putting the scroll away and opening the door, heading downstairs. Sherlock was typing on his laptop, crouched in his armchair like an overgrown gargoyle. He looked up when John walked in.
"Morning John. Did I hear a bird?" he asked.
"Um, yeah, you did. Thracius, my owl had a letter for me and was being impatient. He reminds me of you, sometimes" John replied, opening the desk drawer and picking up the watch.
"Right, thanks. I'm being compared to an owl"
"Not for long you won't be. The letter was from Mycroft" John said, and Sherlock's head snapped up as John sat down opposite him.
"What does he want?"
"The threat has been eliminated. It's time" John said quietly, holding out the pocket watch. Sherlock moved his laptop aside, his latest website post forgotten as he reached out and carefully took the watch from John. He turned it over in his hands, staring at it.
"What now?" he asked. "Are you going to tell me the truth? Is this watch mine, then?"
"Of course it's yours. It always has been"
"Can I hear the truth now then?"
"Yes, when you open the watch. Your memories will come back, and you will remember everything that you have forgotten"
"Will it hurt?" the childish question escaped Sherlock's mouth before he had the chance to stop it, and he cursed himself for asking something so stupid.
"It might hurt a bit. I don't know what to expect, really"
"Right, okay. So all I have to do is open the watch?"
"Yes. If you're that worried about it I'll call Mycroft over here so he can be with you"
"Absolutely not. I don't need him. I'm fine" Sherlock snapped. He looked up at John suddenly. "Will this change who I am?"
"A little. Your memories and some of your behaviours will change, but you'll still relatively be the same Sherlock"
"John, if something happens, and I end up changing completely or something, I'm glad I met you. I'm glad you looked after me this past year. I suppose what I'm trying to say is John I-" his finger slipped on the catch of the watch, and it popped open. He looked down in surprise as golden light flowed out of the watch and towards him, flowing inside his mouth, his nostrils, his eyes and his ears, filling him slowly with his true identity, his memories and altering his body systems slightly. John watched, fascinated, trying to ignore the slight twinge he felt that Sherlock had been cut off just before he confessed his love for John. The light continued to enter his friend's body, and Sherlock's face twisted to a grimace as the light faded and he slumped down in his chair unconscious, the watch still open in his hand. Now that the watch was empty, John could see it was just a regular watch, showing the time, but he knew that before it had contained the essence of Sherlock Holmes and who he really was. He leaned forward, anxious for his friend.
"Sherlock?" he asked quietly. Sherlock's body emitted a faint glow, and his eyes snapped open, blazing bright gold. He blinked, and the light faded, and his eyes, now back to their regular grey, locked onto John crouched beside him. "John..." he mumbled, struggling into a sitting position.
"How are you feeling, Sherlock?" John asked anxiously.
"I... I... forgive you"
"For what?"
"Lying to me... it was for my protection. I understand that now. Thank you"
"That's alright"
"I remember everything... so many planets, so many stars, so many different life forms... I remember it all, my past, my home, you, the threat..."
"Good to hear"
"I'm a Time Lord, John" Sherlock breathed, his eyes wide with wonder as he touched first the left side of his chest, and then the right side, feeling his two heartbeats. He beckoned John closer, and took John's hand, placing it against him so John could feel the two heartbeats, pounding a rhythm of four beats, the strong heartbeat of a Time Lord.
"That is pretty freaky, I must admit" John said, stepping back again, causing Sherlock to laugh.
"Oh, I suppose for someone like you it is. It may take me awhile to get used to being me again. I have missed this though. How long was I human? A year? Seems like at least a decade. Oh well. I suppose you already knew"
"I knew you were a Time Lord, yes. I knew that Time Lords have two hearts. I know you're immortal. Other than that, I don't know much"
"It seems that my brother merely scratched the surface with you. Time Lords have two hearts and are immortal, and we're from the planet Gallifrey in the constellation of Kasterborous. In case you're wondering, I'm two hundred and sixty one years old"
"Two hundred and sixty one, huh? Looking good for that age" John smirked.
"Thank you. Now, anything else of mine that you've got tucked away somewhere?" Sherlock asked, standing and pacing the room, his eyes roaming over everything as John hurried back to his room. Sherlock's gaze settled on the skull on the mantle, and remembered calling it Billy. He ran his fingers over the top of the skull, and sighed, before lifting it up and touching it with the tip of his tongue. He mulled the flavour over for a moment, and John, who had re-entered the room, snorted.
"Any particular reason why you're licking Billy the skull?" he asked. Sherlock set the skull back down and turned to his friend.
"I can taste how old things are. Billy comes from the future. Exactly two hundred and four years into the future, assuming I am correct that it is the year 2011"
"Yeah, it's 2011. No more licking stuff, please, it's weird" John said, handing over a small wooden box, on which was engraved the same symbols as the watch Sherlock had put into his pocket.
"Fine. In case you were wondering, because I remember wondering myself when I was human, these symbols spell out my name in Gallifreyan" he said, taking the box and sitting down again with the box resting on his knees. John watched him run his fingers over the box, examining it.
"I could never open the damn thing. Mycroft told me it was yours and to give it to you when you, as he put it, 'woke up' but I was curious. Nothing I tried could open it"
"That's because it's mine, idiot. Only I can open it. Even Mycroft can't get in here. He shouldn't need to, though, he has his own box. They were gifts from our parents when we were younger" Sherlock replied, running his fingers along the side of the box where the catch should have been, before gently lifting the lid. John peered across to see what was inside. A slim pen like object with a red tip, a key, and a scroll of paper, which is what Sherlock lifted out first. John peered over his shoulder to see what was written, and was disappointed that it was more of the Gallifreyan symbols that he couldn't read. Sherlock glanced at him with a smirk.
"I'll read it out to you, if you're that nosy" he said, before clearing his throat and beginning to read. "Future me. The threat of the crime lord Maulin (also known as Magnussen) has reached breaking point. He will stop at nothing until I am dead. Therefore I am going into hiding. If you read this note, know that you are safe and the threat has been eliminated. Good luck future me, and may my future be more prosperous than it has been so far. Sherlock Holmes"
John sighed quietly. He had known, of course, that there was someone threatening Sherlock, hence why he had become human to hide. He wondered what Mycroft had done to the crime lord mentioned in the letter.
"What do you think happened to Magnussen?" he asked out loud, and Sherlock looked up thoughtfully.
"Magnussen? Oh, you mean Maulin. I remember Mycroft working hard to capture him, and the fact I have been allowed to return to myself means that he is most likely dead"
"Oh. Why did he want to kill you?" John asked, feeling a twinge of anger that someone had been threatening his best friend who was under his protection.
"He had heard that killing a Time Lord means that the killer receives a whole wealth of knowledge and power from said Time Lord. He had been searching for a Time Lord to test this on and had failed because there are not many of us who escaped the Time War alive. It was chance that he bumped into me outside the Ninth Annual meeting on Titan. He knocked me down, and, thinking I was a human who had been invited to the meeting, touched my wrist to take my pulse. The instant he touched me I knew he was the one I had been warned about, and I ran away from him. He'd been following me ever since, and so Mycroft and I journeyed to Earth to hide. Maulin didn't want Mycroft, he wanted me. It was my idea to use the Chameleon Arch and the watch to become human, and Mycroft agreed, telling me that the first thing I must do was hide somewhere I wouldn't be found. This was the last thing I carried over into my life as a human, and I now remember the drug den, and meeting you. It's a bit blurry, but I think I remember you sitting with me through rehab as well"
"I did sit with you through rehab. You would kick up such a fuss if I tried to leave, so they let me stay with you. But you're safe now. Maulin or Magnussen or whatever his name is has gone, and you are safe"
"For now, yes. However, trouble always seems to find me" Sherlock mused, running his fingers through his hair with a sigh.
"Well, it's a good thing you've got me then" John said, and Sherlock laughed.
"Indeed. Where would I be without my wizard friend?"
"In the hands of Maulin, dead, most likely"
"The question was rhetorical, but never mind. I suppose my brother is going to visit?"
"Maybe. I don't know. Maybe we should go and see him?" John suggested, earning a sigh from the Time Lord.
"Fine. Give me a minute" he said, tucking the pen device, the key and the scroll into his pocket before pulling on his coat, flicking up his collar as he did so.
"I never understood why you flicked your collar up like that" John remarked, and Sherlock shrugged.
"Habit. I don't know why I do it either" he said. "Ready? Got your wand?"
"Sure. And why do you suddenly care if I'm carrying my wand or not?" John asked as they headed downstairs.
"Because if we're attacked, you're the one meant to be protecting me" Sherlock replied as Mrs Hudson emerged from her flat.
"Where are you two boys off to then?" she asked.
"To see my brother. I'm back to myself now" Sherlock said quietly, stepping forward and hugging her. She could feel the two hearts beating strongly, and laughed.
"Good to hear, Sherlock. Although those hearts... they're something else entirely" "Hmm yes. Anyway, we'd better get going. See you later" Sherlock stepped back and turned towards the door.
"Keep him out of trouble" Mrs Hudson whispered to John, who laughed.
"I always do" he replied as Sherlock flung open the door and strode outside, breathing in deeply.
"Ahh, nice to get some air in these lungs" he muttered as John hailed a taxi.
"I bet it is. Come on" he replied, shoving Sherlock into the taxi and clambering in after him. Sherlock smiled at John widely.
"You're a good friend, John. I'm glad you were the one looking after me"
"Not a problem. It may also interest you to know that I did it for nothing. Mycroft offered me payment, but I didn't take it"
"Of course he offered you payment. He was hiring you to be my bodyguard in a sense. And it doesn't matter. You're a good person, John"
"Thank you"
Sherlock and John were shown into a private room, and were joined a moment later by Mycroft, who smiled widely at his brother.
"Good to see you again, brother mine" he said, and Sherlock snorted.
"Yeah, right. You were probably hoping you could leave me stuck as an obnoxious human forever"
"On the contrary, Sherlock, I was looking forward to the moment when you changed from an obnoxious human back into an even more obnoxious Time Lord" Mycroft replied. "How are you?"
"I'm better than ever, thanks for asking. I have missed this life"
"I bet you have"
"What did you do to Maulin, then?" Sherlock asked, twisting his now empty pocket watch through his fingers.
"It took us a long time to capture him. And we simply... dispatched him in the most humane way possible"
"We? You weren't working alone then. And how humanely?"
"Simple bullet wound to the head, dead in a split second. His belongings were burnt in order to prevent several files about yourself falling into the wrong hands"
"Fair enough. Who do you work with then?" Sherlock asked, just as the door opened and a young man with a long brown fringe flopping into his eyes walked in. Sherlock stood, grinning as he recognized the man.
"New face again, Doctor? I might have known it would be you that was working with my brother" he said, and the man, the Doctor, laughed.
"Of course it was me, what did you expect? Someone threatened my little cousin, they pay for it"
"That doesn't sound like you. You're usually against killing anyone or anything, criminal or otherwise"
"Yeah, but this was a bit more personal. He was threatening my favourite cousin" the Doctor said. Mycroft cleared his throat and raised his eyebrow. "Sorry, Mike, but it's true. Sherlock is the number one in this case. And who might you be?" the Doctor asked, peering over Sherlock's shoulder at John, who was stood quietly behind him.
"Oh, this is my friend and bodyguard John, who looked after me in my time as a human" Sherlock said. "John, this is the Doctor, my older cousin"
"Hello John. Nice to meet you, and thank you for keeping my cousin out of trouble"
"No problem"
"And you're a wizard as well, I see? Excellent stuff. Mike said he'd hired a top notch bodyguard"
"Thank you. Sherlock's safety has always been a priority" John said with a smile. Sherlock winked at him, and turned back to his brother.
"Well then, brother mine, where is it?"
"Where's what?" Mycroft asked innocently.
"Don't give me that. My TARDIS. Where is it?"
"Ah, your TARDIS. Your TARDIS is in a compound, and you are not going anywhere"
"What, why?" Sherlock demanded.
"You have to stay here like a good boy and learn to behave. If you hadn't insisted on going to that sodding meeting, none of this would have happened"
"Shut up. Of course you would have preferred Maulin to chase you or the Doctor instead"
"Well, yes, obviously"
"Git. I'm fine now, look, Maulin is gone" Sherlock snapped, turning and striding from the room. John nodded to the two Time Lords and hurried after Sherlock, who he found leaning against the wall outside the building.
"Sherlock? Are you okay?" John asked, anxiously reaching out and touching his friend's arm. Sherlock flinched.
"I'm fine, John"
"Don't lie to me"
"I'm not lying"
"Yes you are. I've got some truth potion that I will force down your throat unless you tell me what it is" John said, earning a sigh from the Time Lord.
"I doubt you could manage to get me to swallow it. And I'm annoyed at the fact Mycroft doesn't trust me with my own TARDIS"
"That's your spaceship, right?" John asked as they started to walk back up to the main road to catch a taxi.
"Yeah, it is. Time and Space machine, all mine. I'm half convinced Mycroft is keeping it because he doesn't have his own"
"So he's stealing yours? Bit unfair"
"Hmm. He's only keeping it in a compound because he can't get into it. That's why I left the key locked in my box"
"Right. What now?"
"I return to my detective work, of course. Moriarty's trial is tomorrow" Sherlock replied as they caught a taxi.
"You aren't seriously going to Moriarty's trial after today?"
"Why shouldn't I? I'm still the same person, just... with a lot more memories and two hearts"
"Yeah, but he's going to destroy you, remember? He's going to burn the heart out of you" John reminded him.
"Doesn't matter I've got a spare" Sherlock replied, patting the right side of his chest.
"I'm serious, Sherlock, he is going to destroy you"
"Hmm many people have tried that before... none of them succeeded" Sherlock said as the taxi took them home again.
"This is Moriarty we're talking about, Sherlock"
"Doesn't matter, John, I know what I'm doing, I'll be fine, okay?"
"I still worry about you. I have to keep you safe, remember?"
"John, I admire how much you are willing to protect me, but tell me, if I were still human would you let me carry on and attend the trial?" Sherlock asked quietly.
"I don't know. Maybe"
"I was even more fragile then than I am now. I will be fine" Sherlock said as they pulled up outside Baker Street. John paid the driver and followed Sherlock inside. Mrs Hudson came bustling out.
"Oh, Sherlock, there's a gentleman from the police here to see you" she said, and Sherlock huffed as he bounded upstairs, followed by John. They found Lestrade lounging on the sofa, and Sherlock huffed again.
"What do you want Gavin?" he asked, flopping n his arm chair.
"It's Greg, when are you ever going to remember that?" Lestrade asked.
"Greg. Whatever. What are you doing in my flat?"
"I heard someone was back to themselves and wanted to see if it was true"
"Oh for goodness sake I am not a bloody specimen to be examined all the time! Yes, I'm back to normal. Now get out" Sherlock huffed, earning himself a glare from John.
"That wasn't just why I came. I also came to warn you that there will be a lot of press outside your front door tomorrow, so I've arranged for a police car to pick you up and take you to the trial"
"Fine. Whatever"
"I'd better be going then. Before I do, mind if I take your pulse? I'm curious about this two heart thing" Lestrade said, and Sherlock huffed and allowed the inspector to place two fingers against his neck. He shook his head and stepped back.
"Weird and yet amazing. See you tomorrow. Try not to be rude" Lestrade said as he walked out the door.
"I'm not rude, am I, John?" Sherlock asked.
"Only most of the time. Occasionally you have these moments where you're incredibly polite and it's possible to forgive you for anything" John replied.
"Right, thanks" he rested his head back with a sigh.
"Something wrong?" John asked.
"No, no, perfectly fine"
"Worried about the trial?" John asked.
"Whatever for? Moriarty's guilty, he's going to jail, end of"
"Do you think you could possibly survive for just a few minutes WITHOUT SHOWING OFF?" The judge shouted. Sherlock glanced up at John, watching from the balconies, who shook his head. Sherlock then decided that he didn't want to stop showing off, so he rattled off all of his deductions about the jury, and was then escorted away by two officers, who shoved him into one cell and Moriarty into another. Sherlock huffed, and rummaged through his pockets for his phone. It was only an hour before he was escorted back to the front desk to be booked out, to find John waiting for him, arms folded.
"Sorry, John"
"I told you, we all told you, don't try and be clever! Don't be a smart arse! And what do you do? Land yourself in a cell for contempt!" John said, waving his arms around for emphasis as they left.
"I said I'm sorry, John, what more do you want?"
"I don't know, maybe that the guy I have to guard isn't a complete and utter twat!"
"I am not a twat"
"Oh yes you bloody well are. I don't know why I put up with you" John muttered, shaking his head. Sherlock smirked as they climbed into a taxi.
"You put up with me because I'm a great person to be around, and also you get paid to stick with me"
"I don't actually get paid, but if I quit now Mycroft will kill me"
"There you go. You like being around me"
The jury concluded Moriarty as not guilty, and he was let free, much to Sherlock's annoyance. He complained about it daily, and complained that someone in the media industry was printing lies about him. John had managed to track down the person writing the articles, and Sherlock was insisting on going to see her.
"I want to know where the hell she got all this information about me from" he muttered.
"Sherlock, a majority of its fake anyway, I don't know why you're making such a fuss" John replied.
"Because this is him, John! This is Moriarty doing this! Trying to ruin me! I don't care if it's fake, people believe it and therefore I am loosing cases and I am so bored!" Sherlock shouted.
"Calm down" John muttered.
"Don't tell me to calm down!"
"I can, and I will, Sherlock! Listen to me!"
"No! That's it, I'm going and seeing her now!"
"Sherlock, it's four in the morning, you are not going anywhere!"
"Don't tell me what to do!"
"I'll do what I like, Sherlock! Right now you're being an annoying bastard"
"Oh hell no I ain't!"
"Sherlock Holmes, I don't bloody care if you're an immortal two hearted alien from another planet you will listen to me and you will sit down and calm down" John shouted back, and Sherlock stopped, surprised, and flopped in his chair, drumming his fingers on the arms.
"You can't tell me what to do, John" he said quietly.
"Sherlock. You may not remember it, but I sat with you for two months in rehab after you overdosed on drugs. You are my best friend, and I don't care what you say, if I tell you to do something, you should take my advice and listen to me, because otherwise you're going to get into even more trouble than you're in now" John replied in an equally quiet voice. There was a pause as the Time Lord ran this through his incredible mind.
"... I'm sorry, John, I didn't mean to shout at you. I... I'm just stressed with this whole thing with Moriarty, and he's out there... and I'm a bit scared"
"Sherlock, it's going to be fine" John assured him.
"Hmm no John, I don't think it will be. I get the feeling I'm going to die"
"I'll be with you, if it happens. And I'll kill Moriarty myself" John said, and Sherlock laughed.
"Thank you for that, John"
"Sherlock, what the hell is this all about? Why the bloody hell are you on that roof?" John demanded down the phone.
"John, I need you to stay back. I'm going to die, John"
"Sherlock..." John started towards the hospital again. Sherlock had warned him about this.
"No! You must stay back! I will be fine! Just stay back" Sherlock half shouted down the phone.
"Sherlock, don't you bloody dare jump. You bastard don't you dare..." John trailed off at the sound of Sherlock laughing on the other end of the line.
"Oh, John. I don't know what I'd do without you. But I must do this"
"Why?"
"Moriarty needs me to die. I must die, John"
"I told you, you idiot. I told you he would do this..."
"Moriarty's dead, he just shot himself. I will be fine, John. Keep people away from me when I hit the ground. Can you do that for me?"
"What yes of course... I don't see how that will help..."
"It will help, trust me. I only want you beside me when I land, okay? And you must do as I say"
"Alright, Sherlock, I promise, I'll do what you say"
"Goodbye John" Sherlock said, and the line went dead. John pulled the phone away from his ear and watched the man he was supposed to protect, his best friend the Time Lord fall from the roof, coat flapping in the breeze. He shouted Sherlock's name, and heard the dull thud as his friend struck the concrete. He sprinted towards the figure, and turned him onto his front, staring in shock. Sherlock was still alive, but only just. He smiled up at John faintly.
"John..."
"Shhh, I'll get you in the hospital, it will be fine" John promised, and was about to shout out for help when Sherlock grabbed his arm.
"No... time... step back..." he gasped as his body began to glow. John moved back, staring in shock.
"What the...Sherlock..." he trailed off as Sherlock sighed.
"I'm regenerating, John. I'm cheating death... I might change, I don't know. If I change, I might forget who you are. I don't want that. And since I never had the chance to say it before, John, I love you"
Sherlock's eyes closed, and his body seemed to burst into flames, the light and energy throwing John backwards as the Time Lord regenerated...