DECLAIMER: I don't own any Sherlock or Doctor Who characters and I just love to write for them.
The Angels Take 221b:
"What's going on?" John Watson asked from the kitchen, poking his head around the corner to see Sherlock standing on the sofa, examining something on the wall.
"There is a strange crack on our wall John, that I didn't put there." Sherlock said, matter-of-factly. John nodded and carried two cups of tea into the living room. He sat down heavily on his armchair and then set down the mugs.
"Come drink your tea before it gets cold." John said, hugging his own mug to his cold fingers.
Sherlock jumped off the sofa and headed to his armchair. He grabbed the tea from the table and sipped it thoughtfully.
"What are we doing today John?" Sherlock asked, sitting down in his own chair.
"No idea." John shrugged, "we could get some food, there's nothing but arms in the fridge and I'm starved."
"Your always hungry John." Sherlock waved away his statement with a causal swipe of his hand.
"Lestrade hasn't called and I'm bored." Sherlock added, standing up suddenly and plucked his violin from the sofa. He began to sweep the bow along the strings. It was a soft tune that almost sounded like a lullaby. John closed his eyes and sat back in his chair, taking a deep breath and sipping his tea calmly. Then he heard a strange wailing noise and his eyes snapped open.
"What are you playing now?" John asked, exasperated. Then he noticed that Sherlock wasn't playing at all, but looking out the window. The wailing and whooshing noise continued.
John saw Sherlock's eyes narrow as he looked out into the street. "What…." He began. John got up and crossed to the window. He looked down on the street next to Sherlock and saw a blue police box appear on the street, as though out of thin air.
"Did you just see…"? John broke off at the look on Sherlock's face. So he had seen it as well.
"Ok, so it's not just me then." John muttered and he grabbed his coat.
"What are you doing?" Sherlock said, apparently broken from his revere.
"Going to see what in the hell that was!" John said, pulling an arm through his sleeve and shrugging the coat onto his shoulders. Sherlock grabbed his long coat and scarf and wrapped it around his neck. John headed for the door, Sherlock only a few paces behind him.
The two flat mates got outside and they walked down the street to where the blue box stood. John saw a man open the door to the box. He had a brown coat and a black bow tie. His brown hair swooped to one side and he looked quite peculiar standing in the street. But it was even more peculiar when another person followed him out, of what seemed like a fairly small box. They must have been very cramped. The woman who followed and a woman. He thick brown hair was pulled into a mess of curls on the back of here head. She was wearing a green dress today with spiky blue heals. John raised a curious eyebrow as they approached; they caught a snippet of their conversation.
"Are we back in London?" The woman asked.
"London indeed!" Shouted the man in front, "2012! It it's height! I think we've ended up somewhere in Westminster." The man glanced around and said, "Ah yes, look, there's a sign." He pointed to Westminster sign plastered on a nearby wall.
"How long have we been gone?" The woman asked, stepping forward.
"Oh, about 7 hours." The man in the bow tie said, waving his hand in the air.
"Um… Doctor, I think there coming to talk to us." The woman was looking right at Sherlock and John who were now in close proximity to them.
"Oh hello." Said the man called the Doctor, stepping forward. John was taken aback on how British he sounded, he did not look like he was from around here.
"You didn't take a train here, and you certainly didn't fly. But you said you've been away…. So where and when did you travel?" Sherlock began, mostly to himself, muttering distractedly.
"It's a long story and I would love to answer your questions, but you probably wouldn't understand… it's all very spacey wacy." Said the Doctor, ringing his hands together. "Now the TARDIS brought me here, why is that? There must be something around here that she wants me to fix, but I can't keep fixing things…" He practically growled, his eyes dark.
"What's your name then?" John said, stepping forward, "and why on earth do I think I saw your police box appear out of nowhere?"
"It's called a TARDIS, and it's a long story. It's kind of like my…" The Doctor searched for the right word, "thing I use to get around… And I'm the Doctor. And this River Song." The two nodded as he pointed to her and smiled.
"Nice to meet you." Said River holding out a hand. John smiled and shook each hand in turn.
"Are you a world traveler? Dropping her back home?" Sherlock asked, smiling at the Doctor with a smile that did not quite meet his eyes.
"Um…" The Doctor began, "Yes." He said, inclining his head slightly, "Well, sort of…" He glanced at River.
" Mmm yes slightly obvious." Sherlock said.
"Sherlock…" John groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose. However, Sherlock plowed on.
"She has clothes that have been worn for a few days now," Sherlock indicated River, "and you two obviously married, but you…" Sherlock tilted his head and studied The Doctor, "You are someone very different, and you don't really fit in. Are you her taxi driver or tour guide. Tour guide is more likely. But they are just coming home because the woman asked if they were back in London, indicating she had been in London before. However, I'm not quite sure why you would have said 2012 unless you are forgetful of the date, or you possibly live some other location. But you're a traveler, judging by the sate of your clothes. That jacket is not from anywhere in the United Kingdom, so it must have come from somewhere else. Conclusion: World Traveler, taking her home."
"Sherlock!" John snapped, shaking his head incredulously, then to the group he said, "Don't mind him, he likes to show off."
John was surprised to see the people in front of him looking at Sherlock with gaping mouths.
"That's… but…. No…" River said, a smile crawing up her mouth, "Did you call him… Sherlock?" She asked, taking a step forward.
"OH this is brilliant!" The Doctor stepped forward until he was inches away from Sherlock. Sherlock didn't back away but shot John a glance.
"Sherlock Holmes?" River asked, smiling broader now.
"Yes." Sherlock said. The Doctor turned to River and they grinned at each other.
"Oh you've done it again!" The Doctor seemed to be talking to his blue box, "Always taking us where we wanted to go! And you brought us to Sherlock Holmes!"
"You read the papers then?" John's face had suddenly become stony.
"And that mean's your John Watson!" The Doctor gasped, turning to him and ringing his hand. It was John's turn to shot him a confused glance. Sherlock and John spent the next minute getting their hands rung and exchanged more glances.
"So, have you been reading the papers? Because I didn't think there was any good press left about Sherlock?" John said, stepping back and looking at the Doctor.
"No, I'm not one for the papers. But… hang on…" The Doctor stopped as though struck by a sudden thought. "It is 2012, right?"
"Of course." Sherlock rolled his eyes.
He saw River and The Doctor exchange a meaningful look.
"Why do you ask?" John asked.
The Doctor shot River a leave it glance and said, "Oh no reason. Can we come in?"
"Sure." John said, somewhat reluctantly. Sherlock sighed and led them into the flat. They walked up the stairs and entered the room.
"Sorry about the mess." John said, turning slightly red at all the experiments on the table and the scull on the mantle.
Sherlock flopped on the couch and John sighed, gesturing to his armchairs where River and The Doctor sat down. John made Sherlock share couch room for him to sit. Once they were all seated, there was an uncomfortable silence. Then John asked his question again.
"So if you didn't hear about us from the press, then how do you know us?"
"The blog, obviously John. Do keep up." Sherlock said exasperated, resting his arms on his knees and pushing his fingertips together.
"Yes…" The Doctor said, shooting River another glance, "Your blog. Interesting stuff." He said, making it up as he went, "I like the one about Baskerville. You have done that one, right?" The Doctor added quickly.
"Yes, what do you mean, we've-" The Doctor stood quickly and glanced at the wall. He jumped slightly at the sight of the crack.
"That is one nasty crack!" He said. River stood up too and stood next to the Doctor.
"Doctor." She whispered, "What on Earth is that doing there, Husband?"
"It should not be here." The Doctor whispered back, "we can't have fallen into a parallel demenison can we?" He pulled out a large object from his pocket and flipped it in his hand. He then pressed a button and it made a loud screeching noise. John flinched at the sound and then the doctor flipped his Sonic Screwdriver open so the ends popped up. He glanced down and said "Hum…"
"What's that?" John stood, and strode over to look at it.
"My Sonic Screwdriver." The Doctor said, "It's doesn't do much screw driving, but it does practically everything else." The Doctor grinned at the confused look on his face.
"So." River began, still sitting in Sherlock normal seat, "Have you too been solving any cases lately?"
John and Sherlock looked at each other and then Sherlock nodded at John to speak first.
"Well…." John began, trying to form words, "Sherlock has been…. Gone… for a while and." John swallowed, his throat getting somewhat tight, "We haven't really… done anything recently. Lestrade said he wants to give us some time off…"
"Oh really?" the Doctor turned to John, "And where did you go Sherlock?"
"He um… sort of… had to leave for about 3 years." John said uncomfortably, while Sherlock just stared off into space. The Doctor breathed out a big… "Oh." Then he whispered to River again, "The Final Problem…." River's eyes widened in recognition and she said, "oh… I'm sorry."
"Well… This crack in your wall." The Doctor said uncomfortably, "I'm going to try and seal it." He said, "Stand back."
"Your what?" Sherlock asked, getting up from the couch and standing next to John.
"Just watch and learn." Said The Doctor, a grin spreading on his face. "Here's to nothing, Geronimo!" And he pointed the Screwdriver at the wall. He pressed it and the high pitch sound went off again. The Crack made loud crashing sounds and then a burst of light came out. Then it flashed white and sealed shut, leaving the wall as good as new.
"Boys! What's all this racket your making?" Came Mrs. Hudson from the hallway, she pushed open the door to the strange sight that met here eyes.
"Oh." She said, "You two got company?"
"Yeah um, this is Mrs. Hudson, our landlady." John said awkwardly.
The Doctor stepped forward, "Hello, I'm the Doctor." He said, shaking her hand, "and this is River Song." He smiled at her and Mrs. Hudson shook River's hand as well.
"Well, it's nice to meet you. Are you new clients?"
"Oh no, just popping by for a visit. I love what Sherlock does." The Doctor said, fidgeting with his Screwdriver.
"Well, I'll make a cupper then."
"Actually, we better be going."
"Yes, that would be good." Sherlock said sulkily.
"Already? You sure you don't want to stay for one cupper?"
"No, really." The Doctor said, "We should be going." He smiled and then they shook Sherlock's and John's hands again.
"Nice to meet you boys!" River said, as the Doctor led the way back out of the flat. John closed the door behind them.
"Why were they in the 21st century?" River asked, as they headed back to the TARDIS.
"I'm not sure… but." He stopped dead when he saw a silver and bronze statue of an angel standing right outside of the TARDIS's front door. The Angel's hands were at it's sides and it was just staring at the three people down the street.
"Sweetie." River said, her voice tense.
"I know…" The Doctor said.
"What's an Angel doing here? River, don't stop looking at it. I'm gonna get the TARDIS and get her open. Don't stop looking at it." The Doctor yelled, running forward.
"I know honey!" River yelled back, slightly exasperated.
The Doctor ran to the TARDIS, slipped past the Angel and unlocked the door. He wiggled inside and ran to the consol. He flipped some switches and heard River's voice from outside.
"Anytime, you want to help me out here, would be great Doctor."
"I'm working on it, just hold still." He yelled back, grabbing the zigzag plotter and flipping it a few times. He turned a couple of switches.
Just then the Angel appeared closer, it's teeth bared and it's hands raised.
"Doctor!" River yelled again, "Give me your sonic!"
They heard the whooshing noise of the TARDIS leaving and River yelled, "Oh no you don't Sweetie! What are you doing?"
Seconds later, the TARDIS had encased River. It materialized completely and River stood up from her crouched position.
"Whew, I really didn't think that would work!" The Doctor said, flipping some more switches, "Now! Let's get away from that Angel."
River straightened up, strode forward and flipped another switch. "Thank you Doctor, I have total faith in you that you weren't going to leave me."
"Wouldn't dream of it." The Doctor said, his eyes soft, "River…" He began, "I can't keep doing this."
"I know." She said, stroking his hair gently, "But what If I'm here to help you… we can do this together, before I go back to jail, ok?"
"But River! Don't you see? I only cause pain and trouble. I put everyone around me in danger and I can't keep doing this!" There were tears mingling in his grey eyes.
"Oh sweetie." She said, "But you don't know how many lives you have saved! This planet wouldn't be here if it weren't for you."
"But look at all the pain I've caused! Rose, Martha, Donna… and so many lives that people took because of me." The Doctor buried his face in his hands and slid down to sit on the TARDIS floor. River sat down with him and pulled his face up. It was now splocked and red from crying.
"My husband. You are so loved, and you have done so much. And if that's not enough, maybe this will be." She then leaned in and kissed him.
They broke apart and River looked into those impossible eyes of The Doctor, "I will help you, and you will find someone to travel with… And you won't be alone… Please promise me that.
The Doctor smiled slightly, his eyes still dark, "Alright." He said quietly. They sat on the floor together and the TARDIS whizzed of once more.
….
"Well, that…" John sat down in his armchair once more, "was interesting."
"Indeed." Sherlock had resumed his position on the couch.
John headed into the kitchen to make tea, automatically pulling out two tea cups to make some for Sherlock. "You were really quiet, your feeling alright?" John yelled from the kitchen.
"I was thinking." Sherlock replied.
"About what?" John turned on the kettle and leaned against the counter.
"About how The Doctor knew us. He obviously didn't know about us through your blog…" Sherlock stopped talking.
"Obvious?" John asked, "But he said he read the blog."
"And then asked if we've done that yet." Sherlock shot back, "He hasn't read the blog, or he would have talked about A Study in Pink. Everyone does. And they also know about your depressing one liner blog statement after my 'death'". Sherlock said.
John went pink, remembering how he hadn't written anything after he thought Sherlock was dead except, 'He was my best friend and I'll always believe in him.' The kettle dinged to signal it was done and John put in the tea bags, tipped a bit of sugar into Sherlock's cup and milk into his own. He grabbed the cups and walked back into the living room. Handing Sherlock a cup to excepted it without thanks. He just lay on the couch, his tea in one hand, and his brow furrowed.
"So he didn't read our blog. Who cares?" John said.
"It means they know us from somewhere else, and I don't think their from the press. It doesn't make since!" Sherlock sat up abruptly, sloshing tea all down his front. He hissed in frustration as the hot tea rolled down his shirt.
"Jesus Sherlock." John said, getting up from his chair.
"It's ok, I'm fine." Sherlock said, shooing him away. John sighed and sat back down. Sherlock attempted to wipe the tea away with his hand, but it just created a large splotch. Sherlock sighed and set his tea on the counter.
"I need a case!" Sherlock said suddenly.
"Really? Because I think were fine right here."
Sherlock noticed a slight edge to John's voice and shot him a quizzical look.
"What?" John asked, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I am trying to discern why you are uptight when there is nothing to be uptight or worried about." Sherlock said plainly.
John sighed, "I don't know Sherlock, I'm just tired."
"But that is not correct, saying as it's only 5:30 in the afternoon."
John just raised ran a hand through his hair, that was messier then usual, "Well, lest just say I didn't get the best of sleep last night."
"Well, yes. But you still got around 5 hours. That is plenty of time to be rested. I only require 3 or 4 hours to be fully functional."
"That's because you are a machine." John said, then winced at his choice of words. Sherlock kept staring at John as though he was one of his experiments. Then out of the blue he said, "I'm sorry."
John was taken aback, "For what?"
"For everything I put you though. I didn't know I would affect you so." Sherlock ducked his head down, avoiding his eyes.
"Sherlock." John breathed out a sigh and his shoulders fell from their usual upright position, "It's ok."
"No its not!" Sherlock burst out, "It is clearly not alright and you need to stop lying to me John Watson, because it doesn't help anyone!" Sherlock said, throwing his hands though his black curls, making them bounce wildly.
"Sherlock. Really," John paused, "Look, I understand what you did and why you had to… but I forgive you. And I already showed you how I felt earlier."
"And gave me a good sized bruise along with it." Sherlock muttered, rubbing his jaw.
John pinked slightly, "yeah. Sorry about that."
"I deserved it." Sherlock said.
John just laughed, "Lets get out. Dinner?"
"Dinner." Sherlock agreed.
A few hours later, Sherlock lay in his bed, staring up at the ceiling above, not really seeing it. His head swam through the past few weeks events. They had all turned into a whirl wind of events and tedious emotions. The thing that scared, not scared- Sherlock corrected himself, But the thing that puzzled him was how he had felt upon seeing John again.
The first time he had met him in the graveyard, and reveled himself to John, it was as though a weight had lifted of his chest. Seeing John's stunned and tear stained face make Sherlock truly happy. That was something Sherlock hadn't felt in over 3 years.
Sherlock heaved a huge sigh and pondered the mystery that emotions had proven to be. He marveled at how emotional he had felt, but also how the emotions had felt right. Sherlock smiled slightly to himself, thinking that even if John was still healing, and so was he, Sherlock admitted to himself, Sherlock would help John though his grieving and John would help Sherlock get things back to normal. Well, if what they had was considered normal. Looking upon the day they had just had, Sherlock didn't think seeing blue box's appear out of thin air was an average day for anyone else.
….
"So, this Angel. Where do we start?" River asked, leaning aginst the raileing of the TARDIS.
"To see if we can get some more information." The Doctor said, flipping a final switch and the TARDIS screeched to a halt. The Doctor ran to the door and flung it open.
They climbed out of the TARDIS and into the bright autumn day. The London skyline was towering over the city and the Big Ben shone above every other building, casting them in shadow.
"Oh London!" The Doctor threw out his hands and breathed in the cool air. "The City that is always moving and changing." River closed the door behind her and they set off down the park.
"So, the Angels bring you to London was the TARDIS's doing, I'm guessing?" River asked.
"Apparently so." The Doctor said, he shrugged and flipped on his sonic screwdriver. It whizzed loudly as he began to sweep it across the area. A group nearby looked at them disconcertingly.
"There's been some displacement. I think the Angels are already feeding…" the Doctor said, popping open his screw driver and grimacing.
"Um.. Sweetie, there's one." River said, pointing. Standing innocently in the garden as a small statue of a baby angel. It's eyes were covered and was standing in a patch of flowers.
"Lets go." The Doctor said quickly, walking in the opposite direction towards the lake.
the Doctor and River set off again, sweeping the area with his screwdriver again. He flipped it open and followed some source. He was muttering to himself quietly and he picked up the pace to a light jog. River followed, and they got to a busy intersection. The Doctor crossed the street and they came upon a towering building. The Doctor scanned it and nodded, he turned to her and said, "This is where the activity is coming from." The building read St. Barthomithews Hospital. "Lets go check it out."
They headed into Barts and the man at the counter looked up. "What can I do for you?"
The Doctor pulled out his psychic paper and flashed it to him, "Just an inspection. We won't be long." The man looked surprised but nodded. River walked forward and walked next to the Doctor.
"So sweetheart. What do you think about Sherlock and John?"
"I really don't know." He looked puzzled, "It could just be that we have stumbled into a parallel dimension where the crack is still here and those characters are not fictional…" The Doctor's face fell slightly, "But that wouldn't explain why they are in a different timeline."
They reached the basement where a door was labeled: Morgue. The Doctor pulled it open to find a woman with a long white lab coat and brown hair pulled back in a ponytail. Behind her was a older man with dusty grey hair, they were examining a body, and talking in low voices. The Doctor caught the taller man saying as they came in.
"I just called him, he's coming over here now. God help me, I didn't want to but this one is a tricky"
They turned around as they entered.
"Oh hello." The Doctor said, taken aback.
"Um. Who are you?" Asked the man, stepping forward, "This is a closed room."
"Yes, I'm sorry. We were just looking for something…."
"Like what? Did you misplace a body?" The woman asked, chuckling to herself.
River shook her head and was about to speak when the Doctor said, "No, we just seemed to have misplaced some angel statues."
"Some what?" The man asked, his eyebrow arching.
"They would be pretty tall, and have sharp teeth… my screwdriver was leading me to this location… have you seen any?"
"Who are you?" The man asked.
"Your what?" The woman added.
"Oh, sorry, of course. I'm the Doctor, and this is River."
"The Doctor? Doctor who?" The woman asked
"Just the Doctor." He said, "and who are you?"
"I'm Molly Hooper." She stepped forward, shaking his hand.
"and I'm detective inspector Lestrade." Lestrade said, also shaking his hand.
For the second time today, The Doctor's mouth fell open, "Did you say Lestrade?"
"Yeah." He said uncomfortably, "Why?"
"It's just that…" The Doctor glanced back at River she had a mirrored looks on her faces, "Do you know Sherlock Holmes?"
Lestrade's face dawned with comprehension, "yes I do. Did you hear about me from the papers?"
"More of less." The doctor said, shrugging. Lestrade nodded knowingly, then he said, "So why exactly are you here?"
"Just looking, you know, for angles. I thought that… oh." The Doctor was looking over Lestrade's shoulder and he turned. There stood a tall marble Angel with it's hands at its sides, and fixing them with a piercing stare.
"Oh my!" Molly jumped and stepped back.
"Alright… um.." The Doctor said, "lets just back away and keeping looking at it, shall we?"
"Why do you lot look so scared?" Molly asked, looking from River to The Doctor.
"Because that's a Weeping Angel and it moves when your not looking at it." River said, pulling out her gun and staring at the angel intently. They were all looking at the angel when Molly gasped, "There's another one!" And sure enough, there stood another angel at the door, looking as though it was about to push it open. River spun on the spot and then Lestrade saw another angel in the corner of his eye. He stared at it and The Doctor turned, looking past Lestrade towards another full grown angel behind him. They were surrounded.
…..
"Lestrade just called." Sherlock yelled up the stairs to John, "he needs us at Barts."
"Now?" Came John's voice, and he appeared at the foot of the stairs, sliding a comb through his wet hair.
"No, he wants' us to come over later, yes now!" Sherlock rolled his eyes and grabbed his coat from the back of the chair. John came down the stairs minutes later, slipping on his brown coat.
"Lets go." Sherlock said, pulling on his scarf and trotting down the stairs, with John a step behind him. Outside, they hailed a cab and climbed in. The trip to Barts was a short one, as traffic was minimal. They pulled up and Sherlock saw John shutter a bit. He needn't ask why, he knew John was imaging the last time he had been at Barts, and truth be told, so was Sherlock. They paid the fair and clambered out. Sherlock strode in and opened the doors in his usual dramatic fashion. He trotted down the stairs with a nod to the secretary. He walked down to the hallway and stopped in his tracks, John bumped into him with a slight huff.
"Sherlock, what are you-" John stopped when he saw what Sherlock did, "What's that?" He nodded with his head to the angel statue facing away from them, blocking their way to the morgue entrance. They suddenly heard shouts from inside and John and Sherlock ran forward. They reached the door and a strange sight met there eyes.
Lestrade and Molly were there, standing back to back each looking in opposite directions. The most astonishing thing, however, was that The Doctor was there with and River. They all looked panic stricken and were all yelling.
"Run!" Sherlock heard the Doctor yell, and he pushed open the morgue door.
"What are you doing?" John asked as they ran past.
"Oh hello again Sherlock." The Doctor paused to face him. One of the angels had advanced and was now behind the Doctor.
"Did that statue just move?" John asked. The doctor glanced behind him and nodded, "So it did!" The Doctor tried to keep his eyes bright and said, "yes, we need to keep moving, come on!" The Doctor sprinted forward and headed toward the stairs. He pulled open the door and Lestrade, Molly, River, John, and finally Sherlock pilled in after him. The Doctor took the stairs two at a time. Sherlock glanced back and saw 4 or 5 angels at the door, made to push it open.
"Why are we running?" John yelled up the stairs.
"Because if they touch you they send you back in time, and they can kill you." River yelled down at him. John nodded and grabbed Sherlock's hand to make him run. They all ran up two flights of stairs, and glanced down to see the angels advancing. The Doctor whipped out his sonic and with it's whizzing noise he lead it and the group through the third floor, were the hospitals rooms were. They all hurried down the corridor with people throwing them sidewise glances as they sprinted. The angles pushed though the door after them. They were now at either side of the corridor. The group skidded to a halt and the Doctor looked around wildly. He then found a door and to his right and pulled it open, the 5 people followed him into the room. The Doctor slammed the door shut behind John and pressed his screwdriver to the lock, and it clicked.
Panting, the group looked around,
"That. Was. Close." River said though panting breaths.
"What in the hell just happened?" John asked.
"John?" Came a voice from the inside of the room. The group looked around and they saw an occupant on the patient bed inside the hospital room. There was something about his voice that made John look around. There, laying on the bed, looking old and frail, lay Sherlock Holmes. He looked to be around 80 or 90 and he was hooked up to an IV. John looked to the Sherlock standing next to him, to the Sherlock laying on the bed.
"Sherlock what the-" John began.
"I am so sorry John." The Doctor said, at his position by the door, his eyes were sad as they looked at John.
"What's going on?" John asked. Sherlock couldn't take his eyes off his pale form laying on the bed.
"John… that Sherlock you are seeing, that Sherlock is from the past. He was touched by an Angel."
"He was… What?" John's eyebrows were knitted in confusion.
"He was sent back in time, and we are creating a paradox even being here. Sherlock is going to be touched and there is nothing we can do. I am so sorry," The Doctor stopped, letting out a shuttering breath. River clasped her arm around his, squeezing his hand reassuringly.
John walked forward to the Sherlock on the bed.
"John?" he said again, his voice weak.
"Yeah." John fell to his knees by Sherlock's bed.
"I've waited so long for this. I calculated how long it would take and waited for you. I know what is going to happen to me. But don't grieve. I lead a good life, call it that if you will. I worked for the inspector in the 20ies, but I missed you everyday." His voice was cracking with emotions that John had never heard there.
"Don't grieve for me." The heart monitor started to spike and it was beeping wildly. John gasped and stood up.
"Sherlock, no… Don't…" John breathed, looking into Sherlock's face.
"Goodbye John, thank you… for everything. You will always be my best friend and I-." And then the monitor flat lined. John stood in shock for a few seconds then started pounding on Sherlock's heart, trying to restart it.
"John. No." the Doctor said. Sherlock stepped forward and pulled John's arms away.
"John?" Said Sherlock. A single tear fell down John's face and he gripped Sherlock in a tight hug. Sherlock was taken aback. He then wrapped his arms around John and they hugged for a minute. River shot the Doctor a sad look and his eyes were filled with emotion. Then there was a loud thump on the door. The angels were trying to knock the door down.
"We need to get out of here." River said urgently, "Doctor." She added, glancing at him as though waiting for instruction.
"Right." He said, he adjusted the sonic in his hand and said, "When the door opens, be ready to run." He pointed it at the door and it burst open, throwing the angels nearest off a little.
The 5 sprinted from the room and headed down the corridor once more. The made it to the stairwell and found a group of angels block it. Their only way was up. Sherlock was there first and he sprinted up the stairs, John and the rest flying behind him. Sherlock opened the hatch to the rooftop. Sherlock stopped abruptly on the roof, memories were flooding back to him in an unpleasant way. Sherlock saw John sprint up after him. He stopped dead when he saw a group of around 10 angels along the roof. All were looking at Sherlock and John. John gasped,
"What do we do now?"
"I don't know." Sherlock said, looking wildly around, John saw his brain calculating his options, then his eyes lit up.
"The Rooftop." He said.
"W-what about it?" John said, fighting off the painful memories that were slashing through his brain.
"The Doctor said we were creating a paradox by me being in two places at once, well what if we made another paradox."
"What are you-" John began but the door crashed open and the rest of the group came out onto the rooftop.
"Doctor!" Sherlock yelled.
"What?" The Doctor asked, he was eyeing the angels, "Keep you eyes on them." He told the rest of the group, then he looked at Sherlock.
"What would happen if another paradox occurred."
"Things would reset themselves, most likely, but it depends… it could shatter… it very dangerous and it could tear London and maybe the Earth apart what are you doing?" The Doctor stopped as Sherlock walked toward the edge of the rooftop for the second time in his life.
"Sherlock!" John yelled, running forward and catching up to him.
"I have to jump." Sherlock said.
"You'll die."
"Yes. Twice. In the same building on the same day, don't you see?"
"Just come down… please." John stuttered.
"No, John. This will work. If I die now, this will create a paradox, and the paradox will kill the Angels. Tell me I'm wrong." Sherlock's voice shook ever so slightly.
"What?" John felt his knees going weak, "Just stop it. Stop this!"
"It's the only way. It will kill the Angels."
"It will kill you too." John said.
"Will it? Don't you see, John I have to do this." Sherlock glanced down at John, "And what is another way. Downstairs, not getting to see you again… I can't bare to live like that."
"No!" John yelled as Sherlock perched himself on the rooftop. John grabbed the front of his shirt to stop him from falling. They heard yelling from behind them but ignored it.
"Do you love me?" Sherlock asked suddenly.
"What?" John looked at him, his eyes watering.
"If you love me, then you have to trust me, and push.." Sherlock's voice was cracking.
"I can't."
"John please."
"Could you?" John asked, still with a fistful of Sherlock's shirt in his hands, "If it was me, could you do it?"
"To save you, I would do anything." Sherlock said, a single tear rolling down his cheek.
"Sherlock, please." John whispered.
"It's the only way… if it doesn't work, then I am sorry. I love you John. Goodbye."
"No." John said flatly and he clambered to the edge next to Sherlock.
"It's either together, or not at all." John said. And he stood on the edge with Sherlock.
"What?" Sherlock's eyes widened.
"You heard me. I love you, and we will do this together."
A ghost of a smile flashed on Sherlock's faces and he nodded, "Together." Sherlock wrapped his arms around John and the flung themselves off the roof.
…
There was a flash of blinding white light and the entire world went blank. The Doctor's eyes snapped open. He was lying on the ground in a park in a graveyard. He lifted his head slowly, looking around. He saw River lying on the other side of the TARDIS. He sat up more and saw River.
"Where are we?" River asked, brushing off her pants and helping her husband up.
"Graveyard of some kind." The Doctor said.
"But, the Paradox! It must have worked!" River yelled, looking triumphantly at The Doctor.
"Sherlock! John!" The Doctor yelled. Then they came, first just a pinprick of tiny heads, then they came fully into view, followed by Lestrade and Molly.
"Brilliant!" The Doctor yelled, "This is fantastic!" He ran over to him and grabbed John by the shoulders, "Don't ever do that again!"
"But it worked didn't it?" John shot Sherlock a sly glance and in which Sherlock returned.
"Ok, can someone tell me what just happened?" Lestrade said, looking slightly dazed.
"Since Sherlock died in the hospital and on the rooftop, he created a paradox and it means that the place never existed.
"So… Do I not have a job anymore?" Molly asked.
"Oh you do, it's just called something different." The Doctor grinned, "oh you two. The impossible couple…." He added to John and Sherlock. The smiled at each other once more.
"Well, we best be off. The Angels are gone then?" Lestrade said, "Completely." The Doctor said.
"This day has been to weird… I think I fancy a pub trip, want to Join me Molly?" Lestrade turned to here
"ok… sounds good."
Lestrade and Molly said their goodbyes and walked back up the main road.
"Well, shall we take you back home then-? Or… do you too fancy a trip…" The Doctor gestured toward the TARDIS, a glint in his eyes.
"Well, it's not a long cab ride from here…" John said, looking around the place with a reserved expression that Sherlock caught.
"John… why don't we just go with him. We don't have to pay for a cab."
"Ok." John shrugged, "What that's then?" He pointed to the gleaming blue box a distance off.
"It's my TARDIS!" The Doctor said proudly. He missed River behind them rolling her eyes. "And should I mention that it also travels in time and space?"
John's mouth fell open and even Sherlock had a hard time keeping his face straight.
"It does what?" John asked.
"Come and see! It's cooler then it looks!" The Doctor ran forward
"Come along Songs, Watson's, and Holmes!" The Doctor said. They all walked back together while John sighed.
"What's wrong?" River asked John, falling into step beside him.
"What- oh, it's nothing…. It's just that… Sherlock's grave used to be here."
"What?" River asked.
"It's a long story-"
"Which doesn't need to be shared at the moment…" Sherlock interrupted. John heaved a sigh and nodded.
"No, what? Your grave?" River asked again.
"Sherlock faked his death, and he had a grave… but I got it taken out when I found out he was alive."
Sherlock's eyes didn't meet Johns, but hovered somewhere around his shoes.
"Well… I guess we'll just go back to Baker Street then…" The Doctor interrupted, "Or maybe you two want to see something… like… I don't know… a sandy Utian beach, or World War Two…" he unlocked the TARDIS and River climbed in. John followed her in a stopped short.
John gasped and them began to chuckle, "I guess with the day I've had… I can believe this…" John stared around the TARDIS, taking it all in.
"Its…. Bigger on the inside.." John rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't hallucinating. Sherlock was about to follow until he paused. His eyes were fixed on a point some 2 feet away.
"John…." Sherlock called, "I thought you took down my grave…"
John pocked his head out and walked toward Sherlock. "Yes Sherlock- of course… I…" He froze as he looked at a gravestone marked
Sherlock Holmes: 1977-2012.
John turned away, not wanting to look at it, feeling memories resurfacing. Then he heard a rushing noise and wheeled around once more. Sherlock had vanished.
"Sherlock?" John asked, than inhaled a large breath. There was an Angel, frozen as though it was pointing to something.
"DOCTOR!" John called. The Doctor pushed open the TARDIS doors and froze, River behind him.
"John! Don't move… keep looking at it!"
"Where's Sherlock?" John asked, his mind showing him visions of Sherlock's fall.
"Oh John…" He heard the Doctor say, "I am so, so sorry. But he was touched."
"Touched?" John asked.
"Yes. The Angel, it sent him back in time."
"Then, your-your box thing…. Can't we just go and get him, you just told me… It was a time machine."
"John, no, I'm sorry. But an Angel creates fixed time. Taking the TARDIS would tear London apart."
"But…" John stammered, still keeping his eyes fixed on that Angel. "But… you said they were all gone." John said, choosing another topic point.
"This one must have slipped through. John I'm so sorry. Please, just come back to the TARDIS, we can work something out."
"Does this mean…" John took a deep breath, "Does this mean I'll never see him again?"
"No. John, I'm so sorry."
"I know you're bloody well sorry!" John spat, "I can't keep loosing him over and over. I just can't don't you see! I have to be with him!" John's voice cracked.
"But there's no way!" The Doctor insisted.
"But that Angel." John said, his tone clearly slightly, "You said it sent him back… does it mean that if it touches me too, I can see Sherlock again?"
"What?" The Doctor stammered, "No! I don't know! It's never been tried! Please John, just this once, don't do this!"
"I have to!" John yelled, "I just have to blink, right?"
"NO!" The Doctor yelled.
"Yes!" River yelled, pushing past the Doctor, "Shut up Doctor, Yes, John. It's your best shot."
"Ok… then…." He swiveled around on the spot, his fist clenching and unclenching in its place.
"Goodbye." John said, blinked, and vanished.
The Adventure of the Empty House:
Sir Arthur Conan Doyle-
It can be imagined that my close intimacy with Sherlock Holmes had interested me deeply in crime, and that after his disappearance I never failed to read with care the various problems which came before the public, and I even attempted more then once for my own private satisfaction to employ his methods in their solution, through with indifferent success. I realized more clearly than I had ever done the loss which the community had sustained by the death of Sherlock Holmes. There were points about strange business which would, I was sure, have specially appealed to him and the efforts to the police would have been supplemented, or more probably anticipated, by the trained observation and the alert mind of the first criminal agent in Europe. All day as I drove-
"John? What are you doing?" Sherlock's head poked into their flat.
"Typing."
"Still? Your going to kill that typewriter if you insist on using it so often…" Sherlock rolled his eyes and appeared in the room. John let out a snort, "So, you found some new clothes then…" Sherlock was wearing a long brown over coat with a tie and shiny black shoes.
"To bad you don't have your hat, it would go perfectly." John said through fits of giggles.
"Well you don't look so fitting yourself…" Sherlock retorted back. John plucked at his black hat and his suite.
"Everyone wears suites in the 1800s!" John said. Sherlock rolled his eyes and pulled John away from his typewriter.
"Sir Arthur Conon Doyle? Who's that?"
"My author's name. Sir, because you were always threatened with a knighthood by Mycroft, Arthur because it's your middle name, Conon was my dad's name, and Doyle just fits, don't you think?"
"It sounds ridiculous." Sherlock said, but smiled all the same. He pulled John up and planted a kiss on his cheek, "You going to publish?"
"I don't know… I suppose…" John said, taking Sherlock's hands. He then heard a ringing at the door.
"Single ring." John said.
"Maximum pressure, just under the half second."
"Client."