"Sherlock, please. I beg of you." Mycroft was pleading over the phone. "You can take over at the interval."
Sherlock finished buttoning his suit jacket as he said in a feigned apologetic tone: "Oh, I'm sorry, brother dear, but you made a promise. Nothing I can do to help."
"But you don't understand the pain of it, the horror!" Mycroft said urgently.
Sherlock could though- he could hear the singing even over the phone as the musical actors sang: 'Do you hear the people sing?' And he definitely did not want to be there to hear that in person.
Sherlock hung up as John walked in, saying with a smile: "Come on. You'll have to go down. They want the story."
Sherlock walked passed, rolling his eyes a little as he murmured: "In a minute."
They walked back into the living room just as they heard Marie ask with interest: "You're a nurse?"
The two men grinned as they saw Mary look at the brunette in surprise.
"Oh, did John tell you…?" She asked and Marie smiled, shaking her head. Mary caught on and she laughed as she said: "Oh, of course. A genius couple; you two must've driven John up the wall."
"Not really- Marie's always been much nicer and more pleasant." John commented and Marie laughed while Sherlock smirked.
"Well, congratulations again." Marie said to the blonde woman warmly.
"Yes, congratulations." Sherlock added on as he walked over to give his brunette a quick kiss on the top of her head before he walked over to pour himself a glass of champagne, joining their small congratulatory party.
Mrs. Hudson beamed at the two couples as she added happily: "Oh, I'm really pleased, Mary. Have you set a date?"
"Er, well we thought May." Mary said with a smile.
Marie smiled while Mrs. Hudson said delightedly: "Oh! Spring wedding!"
Mary grinned a little wryly as she added: "Yeah. Well, once we've actually got engaged." She flexed her empty hand pointedly.
"Yeah." John added amusedly.
"We were interrupted last time." Mary continued, giving Sherlock a pointed look.
Marie looked surprised while John repeated, also looking at Sherlock with raised brows: "Yeah."
Sherlock glanced sheepishly at Mary as Marie asked incredulously: "What did you do?"
"Well-" John began and Sherlock interrupted hastily: "Er, it was nothing. I'll tell you later." He added as he saw Marie's raised brows.
She nodded, letting it slide for now while Lestrade called: "Well, I can't wait."
"You will be there, Sherlock?" Mary checked, almost threatening.
"Weddings," Sherlock replied evasively, "not really my thing."
"He'll be there." Marie interjected. Mary and Mrs. Hudson beamed while Sherlock grimaced.
"Marie…" He began to whine and she just smiled, getting up to join him.
"Sherlock, play nice." She smiled, but gave him a suggestive nudge with her hip. It was John's turn to grimace and Lestrade choked a little on his champagne while Sherlock lifted a brow, appeased. They were interrupted as the door opened once more and they all turned to see who it was.
"Hello, everyone." Molly greeted.
"Hey, Molly." John greeted warmly and Marie moved to hug her friend while Sherlock turned away, taking the moment to examine the situation outside. Molly's eyes lit up as she saw the brunette woman, and she quickly reached out to give her a tight hug. Someone coughed from behind her and she quickly broke away.
"Oh, right." Molly apologized before she introduced: "This is Tom. Tom, this is everyone."
John's face changed into a confused frown while Marie's eyes widened and she tried not to show her incredible surprise and amusement as she looked Molly's boyfriend up and down.
"Hi." Tom greeted.
"Hi." Lestrade called to him, looking very amused, and John gapped as Tom greeted: "It's really nice to meet you all. Hi."
Tom raised his hand to shake the man's hand as John said: "Wow. Yeah, hi. I'm John. Good to meet you."
Marie was grinning widely and she shared a look of anticipation with John as Sherlock called from the window: "Ready?"
John's eyes were shining with mirth as he turned to Sherlock and replied: "Ready."
Sherlock had turned to smile briefly at Molly as he walked over to the door, but as soon as his eyes landed on Tom, the smile fell and his face changed. He stopped in shock, glancing over the man as Lestrade asked Molly: "Champagne?"
"Yes. Thanks." Molly replied, turning to Lestrade.
Sherlock silently just raised a hand to shake Tom's in greeting before he walked out the flat. John and Marie shared looks, trying hard not to laugh before they turned to follow Sherlock.
Molly's boyfriend had been the spitting image of Sherlock in his dress- same hair, although Tom's was clearly styled to be the curly mop Sherlock sported naturally, a scarf wrapped around his neck, same coat, same suit… even the same shoes.
"Did you, er ...?" John asked Sherlock as they approached him.
Sherlock just replied firmly as he wrapped his own scarf around his neck: "I'm not saying a word."
"No, best not." John agreed while Marie grinned widely.
Sherlock saw it and he cracked a smile, before taking a deep breath as he prepared to face the mob outside. John suddenly piped up: "I'm still waiting."
Both Marie and Sherlock turned to him in surprise, and John was suddenly hit by how similar the two looked. It was nothing in their features: she had warm green eyes while Sherlock's blue ones were more often cold, and she had a button nose while Sherlock's was a perfectly sculpted sharp line; even their lips were different, hers much fuller and softer while his was thin and often pressed into thoughtful lines.
But their expressions- intelligent with the bright gleam in their eyes- were the same. Marie was no longer hiding any pain in her eyes while Sherlock's face had softened under her influence.
"Hmm?" Sherlock asked and John broke out of his thoughts, returning to his original question.
"Why did they try and kill me?"
Sherlock's eyes narrowed a little as he inhaled sharply and John continued: "If they knew you were on to them, why go after me, put me in the bonfire?"
"I don't know." Sherlock murmured disgruntled. He added sulkily as he grabbed his coat: "I don't like not knowing."
Sherlock took Marie's hand and began to walk down the stairs. John followed as Sherlock commented: "Unlike the nicely embellished fictions on your blog, John, real life is rarely so neat."
"I don't know who was behind all this," Sherlock let go of Marie's hand to pull on his coat as he promised them both, "but I will find out, I promise you."
Marie smiled softly, drinking in the sight of Sherlock back in his familiar coat.
John also snorted and he commented: "Don't pretend you're not enjoying this."
"Hmm?" Sherlock asked, not looking at John, and John clarified: "Being back. Being a hero again."
"Oh, don't be stupid." Sherlock retorted lightly but John replied flatly: "You'd have to be an idiot not to see it. You love it."
"Love what?" Sherlock asked, turning to look John in the eye.
"Being Sherlock Holmes." John and Marie replied at the same time, John proudly and Marie fondly.
Sherlock blinked and then muttered with a frown: "I don't even know what that's supposed to mean."
Sherlock turned to leave the flat when John glanced at Marie. She saw the look, and she minutely shook her head. John turned his gaze back to Sherlock and called after the man: "Sherlock, you are gonna tell me how you did it?"
Sherlock paused and John elaborated: "How you jumped off that building and survived?"
Marie smiled a little as she backed away, giving them some space. This was not her place to say- Sherlock had been the one behind the whole plot. And although John definitely cared deeply for Marie, there was no question who his best friend was.
Sherlock didn't turn around, saying simply: "You know my methods, John. I am known to be indestructible."
Marie snorted a little and John said in a sombre voice: "No, but seriously. When you were dead, I went to your grave."
Marie's smile saddened but Sherlock replied lightly: "I should hope so."
John was undeterred as he continued seriously: "I made a little speech. I actually spoke to you."
Sherlock finally turned, saying with a small smile: "I know. I was there."
John's lips curved into a smile. He continued slowly: "I asked you for one more miracle. I asked you to stop being dead."
The two just continued to look at one another as Sherlock replied in a low voice: "I heard you."
John's grin grew into a smile, satisfied. Sherlock glanced at Marie who beamed at him, her eyes lit the way he loved to see them. Sherlock turned back to the front door as he teased: "Anyway, time to go and be Sherlock Holmes."
He started for the door before he paused. Marie's grin widened and she smiled as Sherlock reached across to the coat pegs, grabbing the hat. With a small flourish, he placed it on his head, and John and Marie shared grins as they walked up behind him.
Sherlock took Marie's hand as he opened the door, stepping out to meet the reporters confidently in his 'Sherlock Holmes hat'. He stood before 221B, answering all their questions, backed by the two people he loved most.