_*_*_John_*_*_
John coughed quietly into a handkerchief wincing as his tender lungs protested. He didn't have any burns but the smoke hadn't been so merciful. He was at home lying around on the couch feeling the after effects of his near death experience. John was relieved to be alive.
"How are you feeling?" Mary asked yet again as she scurried into the room carrying two cups of tea.
John smiled warmly "The same as of ten minutes ago, I'm fine." He assured accepting the tea whole-heartedly.
"I'm sorry if I'm a bit of an annoyance," Mary said smiling weakly, "It's just for a moment I thought I was going to lose you and it terrified me." She sat down next to him forcing him to sit up properly.
John hugged her tightly "I know I felt the same as well," he said she leaned into him with a sigh, "and don't worry you're not being annoying at all I'm glad I have you to look after me."
Weeks later John was back to full heath and in the mites of wedding planning.
"How about violet?" Mary asked holding up dress fabric.
John looked it over with heavy lids "Purple is a great color," he replied meekly.
She frowned dropping the fabric "Its violet John, not purple," she corrected moving on to another fabric sample.
The couple had spent the day running from one shop to the next filling out papers for all the different aspects of the wedding and John was on the brink of collapsing from exhaustion.
"Maybe crème," Marry muttered holding up and off white fabric.
John shook his head "We don't want the bride's maids looking like bad milk do we?" he teased.
Mary smiled "Of course not," she agreed dropping the white and picking up a soft green.
John hadn't done much paying attention during the whole wedding process but he knew that he wanted it to be over soon "There I like that one," he told her truly liking the forest green or whatever it was.
Mary held the color up narrowing her eyes to see it closely, she stretched the fabric really taking in the color, and she even tested the lighting to see how the color changed. "I think you found the one John," Mary finally confirmed gesturing for a sales clerk.
Minutes passed and they were finally out of there and taking a cab home. "I'm glad we got this day to do this," Mary said excitedly.
John smiled happily, "It was great getting all this stuff done it's getting me anxious about the day," he confessed.
She looked at him shyly "Not getting cold feet are we?" she asked.
John stared at her thinking her question over thoroughly. "No not at all," he answered honestly.
Mary's smiled widened and she leaned in kissing him lightly "I love you," she breathed stroking his face.
"I love you too." John said grabbing her hand and holding tightly.
"I'm going to ask Sherlock to be my best man," John said abruptly stunning Mary briefly.
"I expected you to," she told him. John smiled "But don't be surprised when his speech at the reception isn't all emotional or heart-warming," Mary added John shrugged.
"Him just writing a speech for me is enough to make it heart-warming." He said knowing that Sherlock might not even get the concept of what a best man was.
"I'm going to head over there after work tomorrow and ask him." He told her getting an encouraging hug and kiss.
"Don't want to keep your boyfriend waiting?" she teased John glanced at her.
"He's not my boyfriend," he told her firmly.
Mary smirked "He is a little," she spoke quietly knowing he hadn't heard her.
Promptly ten after five John arrived at 221B Baker Street with a skip in his step, anticipating the reaction that Sherlock was going to give. Taking the front steps two at a time John let himself into the familiar flat.
"Sherlock you here?" he called closing the door quietly behind him.
Looking around the room John spotted Sherlock in his armchair "Hey glad you're here I wanted to ask you something," John began but let his voice trail off when Sherlock didn't acknowledge him "Sherlock?" John called moving to stand in front of him. Sherlock's gaze remained fixed on the space before him.
For a moment John was afraid the man wasn't breathing but the slow rise and fall of his chest said otherwise. "Sherlock," John tried again this time he grabbed the man's shoulder.
The touch broke whatever trance Sherlock had been in. He blinked his eyes rapidly with a confused look etched into his features before he looked up focusing on John's face "Oh John," Sherlock said clearly glad to see him, "How nice of you to come, would you like some tea?" he asked standing up slowly.
John watched the lanky man head off for the kitchen still partly in a daze "Sherlock are you alright?" he asked the taller man glanced over him.
"Quiet so, why do you ask?" Sherlock questioned John smiled watching his friend.
"It might be the fact that you are adding sugar to cold water," he chuckled Sherlock glanced down and found he was indeed doing what John said.
"Hmm…how strange?" Sherlock muttered setting the kettle down as well as the sugar.
"Sherlock," John sighed moving into the kitchen, "I've never seen you like this, what is going on?" he repeated starting to feel rather worried.
Sherlock frowned folding his hands neatly "I must admit I am rather at a loss of what I am feeling," he began knitting his eyebrows together, "My mind is muddled and my chest feels heavy, while my stomach is swirling." He described.
John stared at him "Are you sick?"
"I might be," he answered.
John stepped forward placing a hand on Sherlock's brow. "You don't have a temperature," John assured him wondering what could possibly be ailing his friend, "Tell me, when did you begin feeling like this?" he asked Sherlock thought for a moment.
"Since last week at least," he replied, "I was on my way back to the flat when I got out of my cab and ran straight into another person. Following your unnecessary rules I quickly apologized to said person and helped pick up her fallen things."
John interrupted at this point "Her?" he asked surprised.
Sherlock glared "I said her now let me continue," he snapped keeping his glare on John just to be sure of his silence. "As I was saying yes the person turned out to be female. She didn't seem at all irritated by my untimely encounter 'It could happen to anyone,' she assured with a graceful smile."
"With a quick observation I could deduce she was new to London or to Britain for that matter, American, in her mid-twenties, and lost. I made that fact known 'You seemed lost is there any way I could be of assistance?' she seemed interested in my offer but a bit hesitant, 'You're not a creeper, are you?' her question confused me I hadn't heard the word 'creeper' before so I assumed it was America slang for rapist or mugger. I told her I was not a 'creeper'."
John again interrupted "Did you actually use the word 'creeper'?" he asked holding back a laugh.
Sherlock sighed "I don't see how that pertains to my story but yes I did, now shut up," he replied John chuckled loudly before Sherlock started up again,
"She seemed rather pleased with the knowledge I wasn't a 'creeper' and agreed to my offer of assistance. She said "I'm new here actually just moved from America to study abroad I don't quite know the streets very well, could you get me back to Cornwall University?' her request was simple enough but I felt the need to help her a little more. I asked her up to the flat for my copy of London A-Z to help her for future needs."
"She was delighted by the offer and followed willingly. On our way up she told me her name was Shea Wilson from Utah I in kind gave her my name. Whilst I was searching for the book young Shea took the liberty of making herself at home by wondering around the flat like a puppy."
"She was fascinated by everything 'Are you some kind of Goth collector?" she asked though I don't know how anything in here is remotely connected with Gothic architecture. Naturally I answered no that I was a consulting detective for Scotland Yard which made her even more eccentric and started questioning me about menial things. 'What a consulting detective did?', 'If that was even a real job?', 'How I got started in it as a career?' there were more but she asked so many I lost count. I answered as many as I could, getting distracted from finding the book."
"Soon I was sitting on the sofa and we were talking about our lives. I don't even remember how we got on to some of the subjects we talked about. She told of her home town and her friends. I somehow even talked about my childhood which was new."
"We were in the middle of a conversation when Lestrade showed up asking for my help. Caught up in a tide I asked Shea if she would like to join us, she jumped at the chance reminding me of you for a moment. Lestrade took us downtown where a murder suicide seemed to have occurred but within seconds I was able to deduce this wasn't the case but I was interested in what Shea could make out so I asked her for her opinion."
"She moved around the small flat for some time before speaking 'These are both suicides,' I had come to the same conclusion though I was a little surprised she was able to figure it out. I couldn't help but asked her how she came up with that. 'Obviously the wound on the back of this woman's head is an exit wound meaning she put the gun in her mouth at a low angle so the bullet came out at an upward angle. That man is taller than her so if he had shot her the angle would have been different. He must have come home to find her and took the gun she used, turning it on himself.' She explained I was slightly impressed."
"'Why do you think she did it?' I asked Shea seeing if she would be able to figure that one out as well. The woman scanned the room before answering 'She was depressed. See the medication bottles all of them are different depression medications.' She was correct again. Lestrade was pleased with the report so we then caught a cab back to the flat. I got out but Shea stayed in the cab 'I'll take this cab home, thank you very much for tonight Mr. Holms it was quiet interesting.' Then she was gone." Sherlock finished staring at the ground. John was perplexed never have dreamed Sherlock would do what he described in his tale.
"That's it, you haven't seen her since?" John asked.
Sherlock glanced at him "No she came back the next day which I was surprised by if not even a little pleased. She knocked on the flat door while I was scanning my emails for potential cases. I greeted her and asked her to come in she was a little reluctant for some reason but came in none the less and took up your spot once again."
"I had barely taking my seat before she spoke "I lied to you yesterday," I was mildly surprised to learn this but I didn't say so, 'My name isn't Shea and I'm not a student at the university. I only said that because it's what I do when I don't trust people.' It was a logical idea and I didn't hold it against her as she probably assumed I would. I simply asked what had changed her mind in trusting me. 'You were open with me which I figured you don't usually do that and you showed me the life you live so I felt that I needed to come clean,' to be honest I felt warm when she said that content with the fact that she trusted me enough to be honest."
"'Then may I ask what your name is?' I was curious and I was a little stunned that I hadn't been able to deduce that she wasn't a student, 'Nikki Wilson which I didn't lie about, I was a student at a university in America but I dropped out before I moved here. I live down the street at the Meadow Hill flats and work at the grocer next door as a cashier.' She replied though she looked a little guilty about lying before. We had a cup of tea and some lunch before she had to go back to work. That's the last time I saw her." Sherlock said seeming a little disappointed by her absence. John had never seen Sherlock is this sort of state before and he wasn't sure how he felt about the change.
"What did this Nikki look like?" John asked feeling he knew what Sherlock's problem was.
Sherlock looked at John with a fixed look "What the usual female human looks like. Hair, skin, limbs, and digits," he answered, "Shoulder length light brown hair, it was natural not dyed. Her eyes were a dark shade of hazel that seemed darker in contrast to her pale skin. She had a mass assortment of freckles as well that dotted her face and arms, probably more of her body but she didn't show that much skin. She wore purple square frame glasses I assume purple is her favorite color because her lightly applied eye shadow was that color as well as her jacket."
John smiled knowingly Sherlock stopped seeing the look. "I think I know what your problem is," John told him patting Sherlock's arm playfully, "You dog you."
Sherlock was confused "I don't believe I am a K9 of any breed," he scoffed.
John laughed, "You might be you rascal," he teased Sherlock glared "What are going on about?" he asked looking irritated. "Oh come on Sherlock, you must know?" John said but Sherlock's unyielding glare spoke otherwise, "Fine my diagnosis is you have a crush on this Nikki girl." John clarified.
Sherlock's face turned to shook "Crush? You're not suggesting that I have formed feelings towards Miss Wilson?" he asked clearly perplexed by the idea.
"Sherlock think about she is a female human and you a male human somewhat, any way but the point is that you have needs and urges like everyone else. Nikki took an interest in you when most everyone else shuns you for your arrogant intelligence. It's possible that you could have feelings for another human being besides the ones we already know of." John explained.
Sherlock stood and began pacing "Emotions are just the body's response to situations," he muttered glancing at John.
"Sherlock it's alright to have these feelings," John told him.
Sherlock stopped his pacing glaring at John, "I am an intellectual being John with a sole purpose to be above such menial human interactions so as not to get distracted from my work." Sherlock spoke harshly.
John rolled his eyes "Don't be daft Sherlock, Nikki won't be a distraction just think about how interested she was in the crime scene you took her to. Does that say distraction to you?" he asked.
Sherlock's glare lessened "But what if she um…wants an um…physical relationship?" he stammered John was silent a moment haven't given that idea a thought.
"Well Sherlock there's always a time for every boy to become a man." He joked with a wide smile.
Sherlock narrowed his eyes "The act of intercourse dose not initiate puberty John and judging by my height I would come to the conclusion that I have already participated in that mandatory human development though that can't be said about you."
John was surprised coming to an understanding about Sherlock's words "Do my ears deceive me or did you just make a joke about my height?" John asked watching Sherlock's face break into a smile.
"Your hearing is fine, your vertical stature doesn't effect that." He teased.
John laughed "Wow two short jokes in less than a minute," John said standing up. Sherlock just stood smiling his eyes locked on his friend's face.
"Well I came here for a reason now didn't I," John spoke breaking the silence Sherlock gave him a curious look but didn't speak, "Sherlock I was wondering, no more like hoping that…hmmmm…that ummm…you would do me the honor of being my best man?" John asked.
Sherlock's eyes widened then his brows knitted together "Best man?" he asked slowly looking a little lost.
John shuffled his feet "Yes my best man at my wedding, you know it's something the best friend of the groom does." He explained waiting for an answer. Sherlock was silence his face still looked confused but a moment later it changed to stunned realization but he still didn't speak.
"Sherlock?" John said but Sherlock's eyes had glazed over and he had become a statue. Watching him for some minutes with no change John began to worry "Sherlock are you okay?" he asked stepping closer to the taller man but nothing changed.
"Sherlock!" John called grabbing his friend's arms. The movement broke whatever trance had been affecting Sherlock.
He blinked rapidly looking over at John "Oh pardon me I must have dozed you were asking me a question, yes John my answer is yes I would honored to be your best man." Sherlock spoke quickly flashing a bright smile John was overjoyed hearing his answer glad the alternative hadn't occurred.
"Great that's just perfect," he said a smile plastered on his face "You'll be alright with writing a speech for my reception?" John added.
Sherlock narrowed his eyes "Speech?" he muttered.
John nodded "It's tradition the best man stands up and says nice things about the groom before making a toast." He replied Sherlock took a step back sliding his hands in his pockets.
"What sort of nice things?" he asked.
John faltered thinking quickly "Umm…well you could always…hmmm…I mean it's really…" he stammered scrambling for some words, "I would talk about it with Mrs. Hudson she'll know what to do about this." John suggested feeling that was the safer route than letting Sherlock handle it himself. Sherlock nodded in agreement.
"And Sherlock," John said stopping Sherlock's movements, "I just wanted to say that I'm glad you're not dead and thank you for all the adventure." He spoke sincerely before embracing the man tightly.
Sherlock was stiff in his arms a moment before he relaxed into John returning the hug. The hug went on for several minutes before John thought it best to end it. Pulling away he eyed Sherlock a happy and somewhat nervous smile covered both of the men's faces.
"Sherlock," John said softly, "Don't think it's over for us," Sherlock didn't look convinced, "I'm still here and we can still solve together. My marriage doesn't mean you will be forgotten, you're a part of my family as much as Mary." John told him watching a weight lifting from Sherlock as he spoke.
Sherlock's face slid into an easy smile "I'm glad to hear that," he said honestly.