Title: Surviving
Rated: T
Pairing: Sherlock/Lestrade
Summary: SPOILERS: Post Richenbach 2X03, Sherlock and Lestrade's relationship over the years
It wasn't fair.
He was gone, and that would never change.
Greg Lestrade, a Detective Inspector at New Scotland Yard, was sitting in his office when he got the call. It was everything he could do not to scream.
"Lestrade, Sherlock is dead, he has killed himself." Sergeant Sally Donavon informed her boss. "He jumped off of St. Bart's." She knew that Lestrade was close with Sherlock, though she would never understand why. "I'm sorry, sir."
Lestrade did not say anything for what seemed like days, finally he sat down hard in his chair, and without knowing how to respond he just hung up his phone. Lestrade's world just crashed around him. These were not real moments.
*Four Years Earlier*
Lestrade was late coming home from work. There had been a murder-suicide that had followed hours of a hostage stand off. From the start Lestrade knew that they would not be successful. The husband was just too unstable, but that did not make it any easier.
It was rough, and all Lestrade wanted to do was to go inside, make a cup of tea, and go to bed.
When he finally reached his door, it had been unlocked. The first few times this had happened, without hesitation Lestrade pulled his gun and walked into the house tentatively. But now, Lestrade knew what he would find.
He walked into his living room and smiled at the sight of Sherlock Holmes sprawled across his couch. "Bored!" The younger man stated when he heard Lestrade come in.
Sherlock Holmes was a brilliant, young man, who occasionally would help Lestrade on the trickier of cases. Lestrade would have had him help more often if it wasn't for Sherlock's drug problem. Sherlock wasn't a typical drug addict; he was too smart for that. No Sherlock's drug addiction was more out of curiosity, scientific experiment. Sherlock had an addictive personality, and yet his need to know more was more harmful then his drug habit would ever be.
"Why must you break into my flat every time you are bored?" Lestrade questioned as he turned on the lights.
"You got a new lock." Sherlock smirked.
"You broke the last one." Lestrade called out as he went into the kitchen. "Tea?"
"Coffee." Sherlock called back.
"I don't have any, would you like some tea?"
Sherlock didn't say anything, just folded his arms, almost like a pouting child.
"I will take that as a no then." Lestrade turned on the pot to boil.
Lestrade knew that a bored Sherlock was a dangerous Sherlock. Sherlock could not just sit at home and watch tele like a normal person, he needed to keep his mind occupied or he would start to do things that were much more destructive. Lestrade came remember going over to check on Sherlock and finding him boiling body parts in his kitchen, Sherlock had stated it was an experiment, but Lestrade made him quit, especially after he noticed Sherlock had a sizable burn on his fore arm where he had gotten too close to his 'experiment'.
"And besides you like it when I break into you flat." Sherlock said walking into the kitchen and sitting at the kitchen table.
"Only when I come home and you have not destroyed the place."
Sherlock smirked again. "Do you have any cases?"
"No, sorry." Lestrade sat at the table across from Sherlock. "Have you been keeping clean?" He did a quick glace to see if he could notice any track marks on Sherlock's forearms, but there was nothing new.
Sherlock didn't answer.
"Are you staying here tonight, or just stopping by to inform me that you are bored?" Lestrade finally asked after a long silent period.
Sherlock shrugged.
"I would like it if you stayed. You do not come over as often as you used to," Lestrade smiled.
Sherlock, to Lestrade's surprise, smiled back.
Lestrade poured himself a cup and sat at the table. Within moments, Sherlock took his cup and began drinking it. Lestrade knew this was going to happen, which is why he made enough for two cups even though Sherlock did not want one.
To an outside person their relationship would be confusing, to be honest, their relationship was often confusing to Lestrade as well. Sherlock was not interested in romance, he did not have desire for anything sexual, and yet he needed someone there sometimes. Lestrade was amazed at difference in Sherlock the first time the older man had hugged him. Sherlock was frantic, unable to focus, he was detoxing (the first time) and shaking, Lestrade had been there the whole time. Lestrade could not handle it any longer. He could not watch the younger man shaking so uncontrollably that Lestrade took him into his arms and held him, hugged him until he was calm.
This was the first time, in a long time that Sherlock could remember any type of physical interaction he had with another person, and he liked the way it made him feel.
It didn't happen often, but every now and again Sherlock would seek out Lestrade when he could no longer handle his own brain. Sherlock would break into Lestrade's home and wait for the DI to get home. He would never ask for anything, but Lestrade knew him well enough that Sherlock never had to ask for anything.
"Alright, I am going to bed, you coming?" Lestrade questioned.
Sherlock followed him into the back room. They both crawled under the blankets and Greg wrapped his arms tightly around Sherlock pulling the young man into his chest and holding him protectively. "Good night Sunshine." Greg smiled.
Sherlock didn't say anything, and was soon sleeping.
The next morning Sherlock woke up gently crawled out from under Lestrade's arm. He moved slowly as not to wake the other man. Sherlock paused a moment and looked at the sleeping man. Tenderly he ran a single finger over the details of Lestrade's face. And ever so softly he brushed a chaste kiss on his temple, before leaving the room.
Lestrade listened as he heard the bedroom door, then the soft steps down the hall through the living room and finally out the door. Lestrade did not move until he heard the outside door close.
When their relationship was still new, Greg had woken up as Sherlock was leaving, and tried to convince him to stay. It was days until Sherlock would come over again. Another time Sherlock leaned into kiss the sleeping older man, and Lestrade kissed him back. It took months for Sherlock to come back. Lestrade knew that Sherlock was not comfortable with typical relationship things, and he learned that in order to have and enjoy these moments of soft, sweet Sherlock, he must remain sleeping, even if it is just an act. There was never doubt in Lestrade's mind that Sherlock loved him back, he just wished, sometimes, that he was able to show his affection more openly. But then again, Lestrade would not have Sherlock any other way. He loved Sherlock and all of his curious dealings.
~\*/~
Hope you enjoyed it… I will hopefully remember to update regularly :)