(A/N so sorry about delay, and unfortunately I am going away on Saturday for 1 week, then again for two weeks. I don't know when I'll be able to update next, so please don't hate me for not updating. Thanks! As always, I love to see your reviews)

I pulled him closer, wrapping my fingers around his soft hair. We broke apart, breathing quickly. I looked into his brown eyes, warm and understanding. I searched his face for a sign of regret, for something that might be holding him back, and found nothing. He leaned forward and kissed me right back. His hands were entwined in my hair, our legs twisted together as we turned sideways to face each other. One hand stayed on his head, the other drifted down his back, feeling his scars. My brave little John. I imagined him fighting, him falling, wounded yet getting up again. We were abruptly, and rather rudely, interrupted by a small cough. I turned around.

" Still not your lover?" he asked quietly, a small smile spreading across his face. I blushed, turning round to face John. I raised my eyebrows, asking a question. He inclined his head. I intwined his fingers with mine, turning back around. I sighed. How to explain this... John pressed himself against my back.

" Well... Mycroft... As of now... We just um...confessed our love for each other.." I saw Mrs Hudson's ecstatic face behind my brother.

" Oh this is lovely! I was wondering when you two were going to admit it to each other." Mrs Hudson gushed, filling

the silence as John and I stared down Mycroft.

" How mature of you. You have found something you don't like and so you stare at it. " He smirked. John pressed his face against my back. He began to walk his fingers down my back, slipping his hands around my waist. His fingers began to fiddle with the zip on my trousers. I groaned lightly, as silently as I could. John stifled a giggle as Mycroft looked at me strangely. We sat in the heavy silence, until Mycroft was bustled out of the room by Mrs Hudson, who winked at us surreptitiously. I turned my back to the door, where I knew Mycroft had planted one of his cameras.

" Where was I ?" I murmured softly. He held my head.

" You were telling me about.." John prompted

" I love you John. I have done since the day we met. " I gazed into his eyes, as he took charge and held my head while he kissed me, and our hands wandered...

* a few months later.

John

I had a strange, fluttery feeling all over when he touched me, kissed me and told me he loved me. I rolled over, accidentally whacking Sherlock in the face. He groaned and I giggled. His eyes fluttered open.

" Hey babe" he said, making my heart flutter. I traced his chest with my hand, teasing him. He looked up at me, a dangerous sparkle in his eyes. His phone buzzed.

" let's leave that. I think we're owed a day off, dont you?" he said huskily, trailing his pale fingers over my chest. I could only mumble a yes as he pulled me in close for a kiss, his body moulding to mine. Mrs Hudson chose that moment to walk in, holding a large tray stuffed with all the breakfast two men could ever want. When she saw us, she blushed bright scarlet, but Sherlock would not release me from his angel arms, he only let his hands wander. I kissed his nose when we came up for air, and Sherlock pouted as I moved away.

" C'mon. We have to eat something." I said, barely resisting him as he ran his fingers through my hair, pressing himself against my back and kissing my shoulder.

" John... Do I have to?" he groaned. I laughed.

" Yes you do, you silly, irresistible man." I kissed his nose, making him laugh and then pushed a piece of toast into his open mouth. He tried to look cross, but he couldn't help laughing. Oh, how I loved this man.

" Jooohn..." Sherlock moaned, throwing himself across the sofa. " Boored."

" Well." I said, trying and failing to keep a straight face as he pulled faces at me," You were the one who told me we weren't going to take that case." he shot up at the sound of a case.

" Is it too late now John? Do you think they still need me?" his face was so happy and childlike, I couldn't resist. I pulled myself up.

" Sure. Let's go." I ran to grab my coat, and he stepped ahead of me. Always the gentleman. We hailed a cab, and were soon on our way.

We stood by the body, our hands clasped together. We were aware of the whispering behind us, but Sherlock squeezed my hand encouragingly. I sighed. Sherlock immediately turned to me, a questioning look in his eyes.

" I just...I feel like we should tell someone about us, make it official, but if we do that it makes it seem really real, and I feel like some other person is going to come and whisk you away because I am, and never will be, good enough for you." I couldn't meet his gaze. He unwrapped his signature scarf from his neck, flinging it around mine and making me look him in the eye.

" John" he said seriously. " Don't ever feel that. You are perfect, all that I could ask for." he paused, bringing me closer so I could catch the lapels of his coat, clinging to him like a drowning man. " And I will never leave you. You are irreplaceable. And," he brought me closer, so close that we closed our eyes, and I stretched up to rest my forehead on his nose. " I don't care what they say. You are mine, and I am yours. It was just meant to be." I reached up to kiss him, holding onto his neck as he held the ends of the scarf, keeping me locked to his chest. We broke apart, aware of the scattered whisperings behind us and he pressed me to his chest as he turned and said, loudly, " If anyone has a problem with us, then by all means tell us in front of everyone. And it was her husband by the way" he gestured to the body, and turned on his heel, leaving a piece of paper fluttering down and pulling me along with him. He strode down many winding, twisting streets until he stopped, turning to look at me, a sparkle in his eye.

" Now they have something to talk about." he walked us to a busy main road, hailing a taxi as it began to rain. As it pulled up, he turned and kissed me, his curly, wet hair falling into his face. We got in, receiving some strange looks from the driver, and held hands the entire way home.

Sherlock

Holding hands with him like this reminded me of a particular taxi journey not unlike this one, before I knew how much I loved him, where we twisted our fingers together. It was almost like we fitted together, the way our hands slotted together, and the way the top of his head fitted in the hollow of my throat. I smiled. It was meant to be. When we got out, walking slowly up the stairs, John tensed, like he felt something was wrong.

" What's wrong?" I gently probed. He shrugged, turning to look at me.

" It just feels like something bad is going to happen." we reached the door, and as we walked in John picked up the post. We sat at the kitchen table to read our post. John's face went white, and he started shaking.

" What is it?" he said nothing, only passed the letter over the table. Oh no. I started shaking as I read the letter, uniform with no logo, yet as I read it I knew who it was from.

" no. John, no!"