Chapter 2
One of the first things John did the next morning was to call Sarah to apologize for not turning up last night, and to explain why he wouldn't be coming in to work that morning. Sherlock came out of his room just in time to catch the tail-end of the conversation.
"No no, there's no need, i'm alright. Just need to take a day. I'll see you tomorrow and maybe we can... catch up? Right, see you then. Bye."
He put the phone down, then turned his head and saw Sherlock from the corner of his eye.
"Well, Sarah was worried all night. She tried ringing when I didn't turn up, and Mrs Hudson told her we'd both been gone for an hour already."
"Silly really, she should have tried your phone before worrying."
"Worrying for someone you care about doesn't leave most people room to be rational, Sherlock. Besides, my phone was dead even before she called."
"Oh really?"
"Yes, really, because Moriarty checked after he'd... after his cronies had got me. He didn't want the surprise spoilt, I suppose."
There was silence for a few moments, then...
"I had no idea he'd do that, John. If I had, do you think I would have taken such a gamble?"
John gave a slight disbelieving sound.
"You didn't seem too worried about that with the other hostages. They seemed perfectly expendable in this little game of yours."
"That's not the way it was at all, and this was... was different."
The realization of what he had just spoken aloud had made Sherlock falter, and made John look up, uncertain of what he had just heard.
"... what?"
"Oh, you know what I mean. You're someone I know, someone i've worked with. Moriarty knew that would be different, that it would shock me, that was his whole intent. To catch me off guard."
Sherlock had been on his feet, pacing up until this point. Now he took a seat on the couch, took a breath, closed his eyes. He heard the sound of John sitting down opposite him.
"Well... I think it took us both off guard, really. All the excitement I was expecting was how dodgy the takeaway would be at Sarah's."
They both gave a dry chuckle. Sherlock thought it was safe to open his eyes.
"We..." He cleared his throat, feeling awkward again. "Are we alright?"
John gave a shrug of his shoulders.
"I'm still a bit peeved that you lied. You could have told me what you planned, I would have helped."
"That's precisely what I didn't want. I wanted to end it just myself and him, if it was to end last night."
"That's... very melodramatic, Sherlock."
Despite himself, Sherlock chuckled at the look on John's face.
"I suppose it is rather, yes."
"Ahh well, hopefully we'll go a few days without someone attempting to kill us. Fancy some tea?"
"Hm? Oh, yes please." It was only after John had got up and gone into the kitchen that Sherlock remembered something else. "John. What you offered to do... I meant what I said, it was... good, very good of you."
"Oh... thanks." As John turned back to put the kettle on, he wasn't sure whether to feel good that Sherlock had complimented him and seemed to genuinely mean it, or merely confused.