Heart in Hiding

by SailOnSilvergirl

Post-Reichenbach 221b reunion story. A/N - Yeah, it's been done, but I filled my own challenge to do it without dialogue. From what we've heard, this ain't exactly S3-01 compliant, but what the hey… Thanks and apologies to poet extraordinaire Gerard Manley Hopkins for the title of this decidedly non- religious story. Still fighting the word count: MS Word says 221; FF says 223.

John's breath seized in his throat as he turned to see the man who had just entered.

His blood pressure plunged and he staggered backwards, feeling for the table for support. Sherlock rushed forward, steadying his friend – his friend – with two firm hands. Sherlock started to speak, stopped, choking on words that would have been inadequate.

John's hands rose and cradled Sherlock's jaw, and he lost himself in that face, those eyes. Then he suddenly threw himself at Sherlock, wrapping his arms around him in a fierce hold, burying his face in Sherlock's shoulder. John's body shook with tremors.

Sherlock swallowed again, unable to steady his breathing. He had known that their reunion would be difficult, but nothing could have prepared him for the rush of tears that had been withheld for so long, tears that John had forced to not be there, tears that had stayed walled up inside him, that now unleashed like a torrent. Sherlock closed his eyes, overcome by the onslaught of emotion. John, he thought, I didn't know…I didn't realize… Stupid! Stupid! Stupid!

John pulled away, a rainbow of emotions ghosting over his face. It had started out white, then blue, and was now a fiery red. John's hands balled into fists. Sherlock had not expected the tears, and he certainly had not expected the blow.