Six: Recovery
It had been 2 ½ years since Sherlock died.
In the time between breaking three toes in the cemetery and that day, Terra had accomplished quite a bit.
She'd published two more books (for a total of four in her series).
She'd started college (while still balancing CHB and author-ing).
She'd (finally) taught Nico how to use the oven.
She'd taught Percy how to properly operate the toaster ("No, Perc, if you put it on that setting you'll burn the waffles!").
She'd started studying a 3rd language (yay French!).
She'd even convinced John to help her team on a case ("Look, John, I know you miss this stuff. I really think you can help. Please?")
But nothing she'd done – not in the last 2 ½ years or in her entire life – had prepared her for this.
There had been a knock on the door. That wasn't too unusual, it was probably just one of the neighbors. She set down the copy of Missing that she'd been rereading and making notes on, stood up, and walked to the door.
What she saw when she opened the door was a tall man in a dark coat.
She froze.
Same curly dark hair. Same pale skin. Same blue-grey eyes. Same blue scarf… It shouldn't be possible, but there in front of her was Sherlock Holmes.
Then again, if anyone could jump off of a building and then appear at her door, it was Sherlock Holmes.
She studied him for a moment. "Are you even capable of feeding yourself if John isn't around?"
"I've been 'dead' for 2 ½ years, and the first thing you say when I show up is a comment about my eating habits? How very… atypical of you. Interesting," Sherlock commented.
"I'm not sure there's a 'typical' in this situation to compare to, 'Lock," Terra replied, rolling her eyes. "Really, I'm just distracting myself from the desire to break more bones."
"Yes, I heard about the broken toes," said Sherlock.
Terra grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen. "Want a sandwich?"
"No."
"Well, too bad. If John were here, he'd make you eat. You need food."
She glanced up from the sandwiches she was making when Sherlock didn't respond. "'Lock? You okay?" Sherlock still didn't answer. "Look, if you really don't want the sandwich, I'll – "
"How am I going to tell John?"
"You mean he doesn't know?"
"Can't yet. He's still not safe."
Not for the first time, Terra's shoe collided with Sherlock's head. "What's the threat, 'Lock? James Moriarty is dead, isn't he?"
"He may be, but he left a network of assassins behind."
"That begs the question, then, what are you doing sitting in my kitchen instead of out there killing bad guys?"
"I've been informed that several of his remaining minions currently reside in New York."
"And you need an NY-based home base to go back to every day?"
"Precisely."
"Well then you can put your stuff in Nico's room. The boys are out of town with Percy's parents, but when they get back Nico will be more willing to sleep in Percy's room than Perc would be to sleep in Nico's. I think the skull on the bookshelf freaks Percy out a little."
"I'm not leaving you at home alone today! It's one thing when you're mid-chase, but you're bored and I don't think the neighbors will appreciate it if you start shooting up the walls," insisted Terra.
"You can't force me to do anything," Sherlock replied. "I'm dead, remember?"
"Only when I have to," said Terra, throwing a shirt at him. "Now put some proper clothes on, you're going."
"I'm in hiding. The world thinks I'm dead. I cannot accompany you to this book signing."
"We'll just have to come up with a good pseudonym for you then. And maybe we should switch scarves, too. With my hair all curled for being Emma, we look enough alike that we could probably pass you as my uncle or something like that."
Sherlock sighed. "How are we to choose my name, then?"
"I'll pick the first name, you pick the surname. Maybe pick something that's significant to you for the last name. But, ah, not Watson – that'd be a bit too obvious."
"Adler," suggested Sherlock after a moment.
"That's The Woman's surname, right?" asked Terra. Sherlock nodded. "Then you're Luke Adler."
"Why Luke?"
"After Luke Castellan. Hero of the Titan War. He saved the world," explained Terra.
"I shouldn't use his name, then. I'm no hero, and I don't deserve to be named after one," replied Sherlock.
"Don't say that," snapped Terra. "You're Luke Adler now, end of discussion."
"Hey, Maurie! Meet my uncle Luke," Terra greeted. "If it's not too much trouble, he'll be spending the day with us."
"No trouble at all, dear," replied Maureen. "I'm Maureen." She held a hand out to Sherlock.
He shook her hand. "Nice to meet you."
"Em, what happened to not having a family?" she asked Terra.
Terra smirked. "Closest thing to a family I've got. Don't question it, Maureen."
"Your publicity person doesn't like me," observed Sherlock.
"Maureen liked you just fine until you started talking about the state of her marriage in front of everyone," said Terra. "You're better about that when John's around."
They heard the door open.
"Terra! You here? We're home!" called Percy.
"Kitchen!" shouted Terra.
The boys dropped their stuff by the door and walked into the kitchen.
"Hey boys," Terra greeted. "We've got a guest staying in Nico's room until I leave for England, so you're sharing a room for the next week and a half or so." She jumped down from the counter where she'd been sitting to stand next to Sherlock.
"Mr Holmes?" said Nico.
"Aren't you dead?" Percy added.
"Obviously not," replied Sherlock.
"We're trying to keep his not-dead-ness under wraps," Terra informed the boys, "so he's Luke Adler when we're in public."
"Aye, aye, Cap'n!" replied Percy.
Terra giggled. Nico rolled his eyes. "Don't encourage him, Ter. He's been doing that all week."
A/N - I prefer the chapter that follows this one to this one itself, to be completely honest. But John and Sherlock's reunion will have to wait. [Actually the JW&SH reunion might be two chapters off, depending on how wordy the chapter gets. Either way I do like the next chapter.]
I love you dearies!