Sherlock's Day Off (sequel to Homecoming)

Chapter 1: The Proposal

John casually walked up the stairs of 221B with the mail in one hand. He smelled something, burning. It had a stench similar to when John had treated burn victims as a doctor. Sherlock was burning flesh, lovely. He opened their door and walked into the kitchen. "Sherlock, what are you doing?" Sherlock looked up and grinned. "An experiment." John didn't want to know. He sat down and started rifling through the mail. Bills, Bills, Trash, Trash. He stopped. There was a letter addressed to Sherlock from, London Bridges Wedding Planners. "Sherlock?"

"Hmm?"

"Why do you have a letter from a wedding planner agency?"

Sherlock sat upright and grabbed the letter out of John's hand. "That's um, nothing, nothing at all"

He got up and started towards the bedroom. John followed him. "Sherlock, tell me why you have that letter."

Sherlock sighed. "If you must know, Mary hired a wedding planner, and she asked me to dismiss them for her."

"I don't believe you."

Sherlock pretended to be offended. "What's not to believe my dear Watson?"

He got up and tried to leave, John leaned against the door. "Tell me."

Sherlock laughed, gave John a quick kiss and moved him from the door.

He put on his coat, turned up the collar and left the flat in a hurry.

John had a feeling he knew what this was, but he was confused. Why did Sherlock Holmes want to get married? John had heard him say what a useless institution it was. He didn't know if he was ready. He loved Sherlock with all his heart, but he had just left Mary and come out of the closet two months ago. Wasn't this a bit rash? He tried to put it from his mind and look at the newspaper. Bride Dies at Wedding: No leads. Great. Lets look at the sports page. Head of Rugby Team To Be Married to High School Sweetheart At Next Match. Oh for god's sake. Whats on the television. Let's see, BBC. Oh, that good show, Downton Abbey. Oh it's the part where they... get married. John let out a long sigh. I'm in hell. He just sat staring out the window until he got a call on his cellphone. It was Sherlock. "Hello?"

"Hello John, I'm thinking of eating out tonight, seeing as the fridge only has specimens in it. What do you say?"

John knew what this was. "Why not."

Sherlock was ecstatic. "Fantastic! I'll see you at Seven. At Antonio's?"

John gulped. "Sure. See you then."

He hung up the phone and started panicking. Sherlock was going to propose! Tonight." What am I going to do?" John thought. He flung himself into his armchair and tried to mull it over. He couldn't what was he to do? He eventually fell asleep and woke up to the sound of sirens. Shit, it was 6:40. He only had twenty minutes give or take five to get ready. He put on his best jacket, although, he noticed his usual one was missing, strange. He quickly dismissed it because his time was running out. He threw on nicer pants and shoes and sprinted out of the flat.

Sherlock was so excited, which was strange for him. He had everything set for tonight. Oh, John was going to be so excited. Well he was going to be angry first, then excited. Sherlock sat down at the best table in the restaurant, straightened his bow tie, and waited for his boyfriend.

John had a cabbie speed to Antonio's. He jumped out , paid the cabbie, and ran inside. He saw Sherlock, sitting inside, looking perfect, as usual. He awkwardly walked over to their table, with a nervous smile plastered on. Sherlock beamed when he saw him. John sat down and Sherlock gave him a glass of the restaurant's finest Bordeaux. Maybe this wouldn't be so nerve-racking.

As the meal progressed, John became increasingly welcoming to the idea of marrying Sherlock. He was absolutely ready to accept when dessert came. Sherlock had ordered two tiramisus, and John assumed a ring was in one. He excitedly dug through while Sherlock looked on, completely amused. There was no ring. John was furious, but not at Sherlock, at himself. Sherlock had never officially even given any hints, John had just assumed. How stupid was he? Sherlock saw John was aggravated and convinced him to drink a last glass of wine, to make him feel better. John agreed and chugged the last glass in ten seconds. He and Sherlock paid, and walked out to the street and called a cab. John was still angry. The cab pulled up and Sherlock got in first. John slid in next to him and felt a little woozy. He looked at Sherlock. Sherlock was grinning widely.

"Sherlock? What's..."

"4...3...2...1... and gone."

John passed out and fell on Sherlock's lap. The cabbie looked concerned, but Sherlock smiled pleasantly and told him that John was just drunk.

John woke up on a cold tile floor. He opened his eyes and saw that his was wearing different clothes, including his missing jacket. Sherlock! He looked around for the raven haired detective but he was no where to be seen. John recognized his surroundings. He was in Molly Hooper's lab. Why on earth..? Sherlock popped out and sat at a lab bench with a microscope. John got up and stalked towards Sherlock. Sherlock simply put a hand up. "Stop right there. That's where you were standing when I first fell in love with you." John didn't budge. Sherlock got up and walked over to John. "I recreated the first time we met, a few less canes and deductions perhaps, but almost the same. I loved you the minute I saw your face, and I would have proposed right there, but because it would be a bit hasty, I didn't. But now..." Sherlock pulled out an exquisite ring. At least 14 carat gold. John laughed. Sherlock slid the ring onto John's finger. " I assume that's a yes?" John laughed and kissed Sherlock and drew him into a tight embrace. The two laughed and then proceeded to make love on the lab table, breaking the microscope, but Molly could afford a new one.