Sherlock woke up curled into John, his head resting on his partner's chest. Blinking to see in the early morning light he looked up at his brother.
"Downstairs, five minutes little brother."
Watching Mycroft leave Sherlock rolled off John. Sherlock wiped his face with his hands.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit, oh shit."
Continuing to curse under his breath Sherlock picked up his clothes from where they were thrown last night. Before leaving the room he woke John up.
"John! John wake up!" He hissed, trying to sound calm.
"Well good morning, what's going on Sherl?"
"Mycroft is here!"
"What?! Why?" Startling himself awake John sat up in bed.
"I don't know just get dressed!"
Sherlock turned and ran from the room meeting his brother in the lounge.
"I told you this would happen brother mine."
"What?"
The younger Holmes looked at his brother, obviously confused.
"I told you if you lived with Dr Watson long enough you would start to care for him."
"I don't care for him!" Liar.
"What do you call that then Sherlock? I pray you don't do that to all your roommates."
"That was a..an experiment."
"What?"
"Don't be thick Croft you know what an experiment is.""
"What?"
It wasn't a Holmes brother that spoke this time, it was the broken looking man standing in the doorway.
"Sherlock –'John was fighting had to keep his voice steady '- please tell me I'm not just an experiment to you."
Wither it was the expression on his face or the pleading in his voice something broke inside Sherlock at that moment.
"Yes. No. John please, just let me explain. I –'"
It was John's expression that got to him most. It was the face you wore when you realised your worst nightmare was coming true.
"Oh my God. Oh. My. God."
With that John Watson, the bravest man Sherlock had even known, turned and ran from him. Swearing under his breath for the second time in seven minutes Sherlock followed John out of the building.
"John please, just let me explain."
"Explain what Sherlock?" Furious John faced him in the street.
"John please, I just-'"
"No Sherlock. How can you try to explain this?! You knew I cared about you and turned it into a science experiment! You're sick!"
As John took a step towards him Sherlock braced himself for the hit that never came. Staring into John's eyes Sherlock saw the hurt ad anger battling each other. Voice trembling John spoke.
"Just tell me. Was any of it real? Did it mean anything, anything at all, to you or was it just me?"
"John it meant everything in the world to me. Of course it was real. Don't walk away John. –"
At this Sherlock grabbed John's arm o stop hi turning around and walking away like he wanted too.
"I'm not lying. I love you John. But I didn't know how it could happen. My world was science. Science and deduction and facts. Until you came along I thought I was above it all, but I'm not. The only way I knew how to deal with it was to make it into an experiment. Please John don't walk away from this."
Sherlock was looking desperately into John's eyes trying to see if he was going to stay. When John finally spoke it sounded like all the feeling had drained right out of him.
"I don't know Sherlock. I just don't know. I need some time alright? I, I just need some time right now."
Watching John walk away the voices in Sherlock's head raged.
He'll come back. No he won't, you ruined it Sherlock! It's all your fault! We've lost him. It's not our fault, if Mycroft hadn't told him…Told him the truth.
Mycroft!
After what seemed like hours staring at John's disappearing figure Sherlock went inside and faced his brother, shaking with anger.
"You meant for that to happen! You bastard! Why couldn't you just let me be happy for once?!"
"Sharping the sword isn't the same as stabbing anyone little brother. He deserved to know."
Walking over and standing in the doorway Mycroft sighed and faced his brother.
"I tried to warn you brother mine, caring is not an advantage."
"I am not your brother."
With that Sherlock was, once again, alone.