Sherlock
John asked if I wanted to go for a walk, just a few times around the block, or a walk to the park.
"Happily." He smiled at me and got his coat.
"Thanks Sherlock, I need some air, thought you might want to join me."
"I'm glad you asked. I was just about to ask you if you wanted to pop out." He smiles again and holds the door for me as I put my own coat on. We walk in silence, hands in our pockets, watching our breath turn into puffy clouds and drift away on the wind. "Thanks John."
"For what?"
"Everything. For sharing a flat with me, for not being an idiot, and for asking me to come on this walk with me."
"Oh, it's no problem Sherlock. Really." I nod.
"I don't know many people like you."
"Is that a complement?" He chuckles, I shrug.
"Maybe."
"Here." He gestures to a bench and takes a seat facing the road. I join him and stare out into the bustling streets of London.
"Look at that John. All those people, so oblivious, unaware. Isn't it ridiculous?"
"Yeah Sherlock, yeah. It is." A London bus pulls up in front of us and obscures the view of the street. Instead I focus on the people in the windows. Old woman, limping man, a child running away from home. Obviously, the way he keeps looking over his shoulder and pulling up the bag on his shoulder. A writer, a cat lov- wait. That girl, that girl in the window. What's her name? Hannah? I stand up and make for the bus, I need to talk to her. "Sherlock?"
"Sorry John, I've got to see someone, get a cab home, I'll see you in a few hours." He starts to protest as I race across the street to reach the bus before it departs. I just make it, and the doors close behind me. I push past the people that crowd the aisle way. Seven windows down. The teenager sits, turned toward the black haired teen sitting next to her, deep in conversation.
"No, you see Michael, that's the genius of it! Because as soon as it ends, the whole thing starts all over again and you get exactly the same amount of time to fix it before it starts all over! It's a time loop! Absolute genius!"
"Yeah, but can you see the complications, you have to fix it to be able to get out of the loop, but each loop is exactly the same as the last one, and you can't change that." Hannah nods her head and waves a hand in the air, dismissing the impossible and throwing her battered notebook in his face.
"Look! I've worked it all out! I'm a genius and I'll prove it. Time isn't how everyone thinks, and the things that are in flux, you can change that! The time loop is in flux, therefore, once someone knows they are in a loop, they find the way to make it so they get out. It's complicated."
"Hannah-"
"It's perfect! Don't-"
"Hannah!" Michael says louder, grabbing her shoulders and spinning her to look at me.
"Oh."
"Hello Hannah." She sticks her hand out,
"It's a pleasure to see you again Sherlock." Michael's jaw drops,
"You mean-? I thought you'd made that up!" Hannah grins,
"Sherlock, this is my friend Michael. See, I was telling the truth. It's odd how no one believes me anymore." Michael sticks his hand out,
"I'm Michael. Hannah told me about you. I thought you were making it up." I smile,
"So I gathered. Can I sit here?" I nod to the empty seat next to them. Hannah nods, smiling and moves her school bag. I take a seat.
"Thought you only liked cabs." It's Michael.
"What gave you that impression?"
"Well the way you have almost no cash. I saw you fumbling up front, like you didn't function well with the driver." Wait. That's my thing! He can't just- Apparently he's not finished. "What'd you do this time? Burn yourself?"
"What?"
"The burns on your fingers, what kind of experiment were you doing?"
"I was using-"
"Hydrochloric acid."
"Yeah." I shut up. This isn't how I work. Michael grins at me and hands Hannah a pen.
"Do me now."
"What?"
"Do me! What can you tell about me?" I glance over him, taking in every detail.
"You were in a military program at your school."
"Very good."
"But you haven't attended, your hair's growing out. And I think Hannah likes it better longer." She grins again from her seat before continuing to scribble madly in her notebook. "You're a writer too, and I think that's how you two first met. Sort of. You moved here a year ago, but you still don't know your way around all that well, you've got a map sticking out of your pocket. You play the piano. You have two cats and maybe a bit over protective parents. You act a bit, like Hannah. You two talk a lot, which is why she didn't brush you off too badly when you contradicted her idea. You're friends, pretty good friends. And if I'm not mistaken, which I rarely am, you two are headed to her house. Why else would you be carrying around a flash drive. You just got out of school-"
"Yeah, about that-"
"Or you skipped today to go the cafe at the end of the road. You're carrying around a laptop and several notebooks and that suggests that you have several things going on in your head right now, or you would probably only have one. You have several siblings, all are older though so you are usually at the house by yourself, which is why you're going to Hannah's place. Should I go on?" Michael is smiling at me.
"I think you've covered pretty much everything. That is amazing."
"Of course it is." Hannah looks up,
"You're a lot less modest than I remember you." I smile again. Teenagers.
"Life's treating you good yeah? And your friend?"
"Absolutely, but you knew that."
"It's obvious by the amount of writing you did, and that fact that the smile hasn't left your face since the moment I saw you from the bus window five minutes ago."
"Seriously?" I nod. She's certainly happier than the last time I saw her. That seems like ages ago. A chance meeting in an elevator, a small, five minute conversation, and now she's glowing.
"What's made you so happy though?"
"Honestly? I don't know."
"You've found a friend."
"Yes."
"You didn't know him before did you?"
"Not really. I mean we saw each other didn't we? We didn't really talk until after I went to the cafe. That was right after meeting you actually." Hannah looks out the window behind me and smiles wider, "Sherlock, someone's chasing the bus. Looks like their looking for you." I glance behind me to see John, chasing after the bus, his arms waving and a look that says, 'get your arse out here or I will beat it to the ground- I turn back to the two teens and smile sheepishly. He's going to kill me.
"Sorry. My flatmate appears to be chasing the bus. That means I should probably..."
"Yeah. No problem. It was nice meeting you Sherlock."
"It was nice seeing you again. Maybe another time? I've heard that there are no coincidences. What do you think?" I shake my head.
"I don't know." Standing up, I take my leave and head for the front of the bus once it's stopped. I exit quickly, pulling my coat around me as the cool air of winter hits me. The bus had been warm. Er. I didn't realize the coldness earlier.
"Sorry John, I just saw someone I know and I wanted to talk a bit. You look upset, what's happened? You chased a bus."
"Sherlock! Answer your damn phone! That's why you have one! Lestrade wants you. Says it's important, a case or something like that." I sigh, letting out a puff of air.
"Never a dull moment. Come on."
Hey everyone. Welcome back! There wasn't even a break. How cool is that? Well welcome back all the same. And to newcomers, welcome welcome welcome. Hope you enjoy all of this, everything that is to follow and everything in the past. The mention of Hannah came from an earlier fic entitled, 'The Things you find in Elevators' inside the set of drabbles called, 'This Should Be Intriguing'. But that's if you want to know everything about her. Her friend is new, thanks to VenganceAuthor for giving me the idea this morning. Hope you enjoyed this. If you want me to write any of your ideas, or anything like that, just PM me the idea and I'll write it, if I deem it awesome enough and get enough inspiration for it. Good luck. Have fun. Be safe. Have a wonderful week. I know I won't.
Until Gallifrey is free,
Time Lord Victorious
