Hello ladies and gents!

Sorry for such a long delay, I've been so busy…I had exams and such and this chapter was giving me issues, especially because I didn't know what to write. I hope you all like this. Next chapter will be better, I promise.

Much love, Doctor Sherlock.

John's eyes flew open, only to be met by the sight and proximity of Sherlock. The first thing he did was blush a violent red. Sherlock pulled away, acting like everything was normal. He looked worried. "John, are you alright?" He asked, his voice laced with concern.

"I…I uh.." He stammered. Suddenly, doctors and nurses flew in, breaking the very awkward moment between the two. They worked around John in a whirlwind, taking his pulse and heart rate, and trying to figure out what was wrong. All the time Sherlock hovered like an anxious mother hen. When they finally concluded that he was okay and this would probably not happen again, his shoulders sagged in relief. He sat down on the couch next to the bed and let out a long breath he had been holding in. "Eh Sherlock…" He heard a shy, boyish voice say. He looked up. "I eh..wanted to say thank you. They said if you hadn't been here I might have gone brain dead or died. And also, I'm sorry about what I said." He muttered. He looked ashamed, as though almost dying had made him a terrible person.

"You have nothing to apologize for. What I said was totally out of line." Sherlock replied cordially. He came to John's side. "I did mean what I said. I'm not out to ruin your life." He explained quietly.

"I know you aren't. I understand Sherlock; it's not easy for you. I know you care though, and that's all that matters to me." John said, offering up an earnest smile. Sherlock returned it, his heart fluttering in just the slightest.

A few days later, the doctor finally deemed John able to go home. He gave Sherlock strict instructions, telling him he mustn't do anything that will reopen the wound and that he needed to take it easy for a while. Sherlock nodded and absorbed these words as though he were defusing a bomb and needed to know the instructions exactly. He was not going to let John get hurt or get himself hurt again. He refused to let that happen.

The pair walked into the house, and found that Ms. Hudson was there to great them. "Sherlock, John, where have you two been? I have been so worried. I bought you fresh groceries because everything was starting to spoil…" She said, flittering about and giving each of them a tight hug. She had grown fond of the two men, and had truly begun to worry about them when they did not return that night. She remembered Sherlock idly saying that he was going out, and then he disappeared as though evaporating into the air.

"We had to…take care of some things." John muttered, choosing his words carefully.

"John was hurt. We had to go to the hospital." Sherlock said bluntly, taking off his coat and helping John up the stairs.

"The hospital? John dear are you all right?" She cried.

"Nothing I haven't gone through before." He replied weakly. Sherlock flinched at this, a strange expression coming over his face.

"Well, I'll make you two some tea…" She said, seeing the pained look on Sherlock's face.

"Thank you Ms. Hudson, but we won't be needing that." Sherlock said swiftly. "We're going out tonight. I owe John a good meal." This was news to John, and he looked up at his companion.

"Yes, we are. I figure this is the least I can do to thank you." He replied, a small smile on his face. "Now, rest up and we'll go out in a while. Let me know when you feel ready. I've got to run down to the station and talk to Lestrade; he's been phoning me all night, thinks he has a right to meddle in our business." Sherlock said, an almost smug look crossing his features.

"Then why are you going to talk to him?" John asked.

"He told me that he would do another drug's bust, and I never want Anderson to set foot into this apartment again." He replied curtly. John chuckled at this. "Now John, don't you go out running around. Rest up." Sherlock instructed, giving his friend a look of careful observation. "I refuse to have you getting hurt again." He mumbled to himself quietly, before exiting the room.

John stared after him. He had never heard Sherlock be this caring before, and it was rather shocking.

"Well dear, you do what he says and rest yourself. I'll bring you up some tea." Ms. Hudson said kindly. She left the room and left John to himself for a while. For the most part, he sat back and watched television. There wasn't anything that particularly interesting on, but then he came upon Doctor Who reruns and decided to watch those.

Even though these captured his attention enough to keep him busy, he felt restless. He was ready to get back out there again and solve more cases with Sherlock. He didn't want to sit here and do nothing. He didn't like it. Sure, he was still in pain. He could feel the wound throbbing underneath the bandages he was wearing, but it didn't bother him. He was used to this. He wanted to be back out there. He was just finishing the finale of the third season when he heard the door downstairs open. It's about time. He thought to himself. He was so bored! He heard someone head up the stairs and open the door, and was surprised to find Sarah.

She was dressed rather scandalously. She had a short, red dress on. Of course it made her look beautiful, but there was something off about her. She looked a bit disheveled, as though she had just come from some sort of late night excursion. "Hello there, John. I just came to see if you'd like to go out to dinner with me." She said cheerily. "I know it's late notice, but I just couldn't stop thinking about you." She purred.

"Sorry, I've already got plans." He muttered. He didn't like this, not at all.

"But John," She whined. "I came all this way for you…don't leave me hanging." She moved closer to him. She smelled overwhelmingly of men's deodorant. He realized this. Sherlock had been right.

"Sarah, maybe you should go talk to your lover instead." He replied smoothly. Her eyes widened, before she slapped him across the face.

"How-How dare you!" She cried angrily. She was up in his face now.

"Sarah, I think it would be best if you leave." He replied calmly.

"No, not without you. I know you like me." She replied.

"I…I.." He reeled between excuses, but found the best one quickly. "I'm gay, Sarah." He replied quickly. She stared at him in shock.

"Oh..oh it all makes sense now. That's why you're here, why you follow him around." Her voice returned to a gentle level. "I-I'm sorry John. I am. I just…I'm so lonely sometimes and…" Her voice croaked. "My husband died a few years ago and I just…I just need someone there."

He sighed. He should just cast her out onto the street, but then he got up, and embraced her lightly. "It's okay, Sarah." He held her for a moment, but then pulled away from her. "I think it'd be best if you leave. You know Sherlock, he's very…particular."

"I see now. He was jealous. Every time I was there he was upset, and he never liked me." She explained. John had never thought about it that way. "alright, I'll head out. Please John, can we still be…friends?" She asked carefully. He nodded, before escorting her out of the house.

He returned to his show, and about an hour later he heard the door open again. He sighed in relief. This must be Sherlock. Sure enough, the one and only consulting detective in the world appeared at the door. "Afternoon John-" He started.

"Hush, it's getting to the part where Martha tells the Doctor she's in love with him." John replied sarcastically. "How'd it go with Lestrade?" He asked.

"Oh just fine. We cleared up the details. They haven't found anything yet, but they're looking." He explained. He sat down on the couch. "So how was your afternoon?" asked.

"Eh..interesting." He replied.

"I see. I ran into Sarah on my way here…was she here earlier?" Sherlock asked.

"Oh, yeah she was. She wanted me to go to dinner with her." John replied.

"Oh, and what did you say?" Sherlock asked, his eyebrow quirked.

"I told her I had previous engagements.." John said, a smile evident on his face.

"I see. Good. Ready to head out?"

"Quite. I'm starving."

As they headed down the stairs, John realized that he would indeed much rather go to dinner with Sherlock than Sarah, especially with the way she had behaved. He understood how she felt about being lonely though. He too felt that way. Strangely, he wasn't very upset about finding out she was with another man. It didn't bother him as much as he expected it would.

Sherlock appeared to be lost in thought, but he was thinking of the encounter he had had with Sarah in the street. He had come upon her coming up the street and that was when he began to get suspicious. It was obvious in the way that she was dressed that she was trying to seduce someone. But who? Quickly he realized she must be walking back from their apartment. She saw him and approached him. There were tears in her eyes-well that was a promising sign- but a soft smile on her face.

"You're lucky to have him, you know." She said softly. He looked over her.

"I know." He replied.

"Please remember that…and take care of him." She instructed. "You two…you belong together." She whispered, before departing.

Her last words stuck with him until this very moment.

You two belong together.

Hehe. Did you all like my Doctor Who reference? Because I certainly did. I just watched that episode a week ago. It made me cries. :(

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