Chapter 10~*~ Moving Forward
Rose wrapped her arms around Sherlock's neck as he pulled her more fully against him. She deepened the kiss and wished, not for the first time that night; that they were back at his flat and not in her mother's house. She knew where she wanted this kiss to go, knew she was finally ready, and of course they were standing in her mums' bloody sitting room. Sherlocks' hand went to her waist as she played with the hairs on the back of his neck. One of them moaned softly but she wasn't sure which of them it was.
"So, as much as I love walking into these situations," John said and Rose giggled and pulled away from Sherlock, who looked far less amused. "We've got a case."
"We do?" Sherlock asked looking over Rose's head at John who nodded with a meaningful smile.
"I just got a text from Lestrade," he said giving Sherlock a hard look then looking back towards the dining room with meaning.
"Need some help on it?" Rose asked, totally picking up on John's subtle hints.
"Well, with Sherlock not at 100% it couldn't hurt," John said enjoying the way Sherlock sneered at his remark.
"Just because my body is still healing does not mean my mind is not working at above 100%," he told them and Rose nodded her head.
"Course you are sweetie," Rose said taking his hand and laughing at the way his face screwed up at the nickname. "No?"
"I think, decidedly not," he said and Rose laughed again and nodded.
"I'll go tell mum we've got to go," she said and Sherlock nodded his head as she walked off towards the dining room.
"I've already called us cabs," John said, his voice a bit lower than before and Sherlock gave him a puzzled look, why would they need two cabs if they were going to a case?
"Let's go before mum finishes cleaning Tony up," Rose said stepping back into the room. She was already holding all of their jackets and handed them out as they stepped towards the door. There were two cabs sitting there waiting for them and Rose beamed.
"Thanks John, you're a doll," Rose said kissing his cheek.
"Yeah well, at least one of is getting lucky," he said with a self-deprecating smile and she laughed then stopped and winced.
"Sorry," she said stepping over to the cab Sherlock was already standing by. "It will be okay, you'll see."
"Good night Rose," John said and Rose sighed and nodded her head and John got in a cab and Rose turned to Sherlock with a smile.
"So there's no case I take it?" Sherlock asked and Rose smiled brightly at him with a nod before she ducked into the cab.
"You comin' Sherlock?" Rose asked with a giggle as she looked up at him. He noticed she had shed the more polished accent again. He climbed in next to her and took her hand in his. Her pulse was up, like she was anticipating something. She didn't sit still the whole cab ride back to his flat, tapping her foot, flexing her fingers, rolling her neck, almost like she was getting excited about something. She had her wallet out a block before his flat and paid the driver as soon as he stopped. He opened the door, Rose behind him almost pushing him out the door. He got out a bit clumsily and straightened and turned towards the cab.
"What-" But he didn't get any farther as Rose practically jumped into his arms to kiss him and he stumbled back a step. His arms went around her waist and he moaned and Rose pulled back just a bit as he spun them towards his door.
"I didn't hurt you did I?" She asked and his eyes locked onto hers and she knew it had not been pain. "Take me upstairs?" She said and he nodded and pulled out his keys. She pulled back so he could open the door and she took his hand and twisted around him so she was leading him into the flat.
"Shhhh," she said with her finger in front of her lips, they could both hear Mrs. Hudson puttering around in her flat and they didn't want to stop for a chat. She pulled him up the stairs and had the door unlocked and opened in seconds.
Rose reached out and pulled him into the room by his shirt and slammed the door behind her. She reached up and tugged lightly on his scarf, making him smile before she unwrapped it from his neck and dropped it beside them, forgotten. Then she reached up and ran her hands over his shoulders, under the collar of his shirt and ran her hand down the buttons of his shirt, being mindful of where he was still healing. She looked up at him shyly; she could feel the blush rising to her cheeks. She hadn't realized she would feel so nervous; it had been a long while for her. He reached up and ran a single finger down her cheek, down her chin then down her neck and she lifted her head and hummed in pleasure. He leaned down slowly and kissed her, deepening the kiss almost immediately. It felt different this time; like he was letting something loose he'd been holding back for, well ever. Her hands went up to his shoulders again and she pushed his coat off and his hands went to her hips, digging his long fingers in as he pulled her closer to him. Rose's head began to swim and she thought for a moment she might pass out then she remembered, breathe! She pulled away for just a moment then leaned forward and kissed his jaw, up the line of it till she was right at his ear then she reached up on her tippy toes and nipped his ear lightly and he growled. His hands on her hips tightened again and he pulled her around so he could push her up into the door, one hand had come up to cradle her head before she hit the door and his long lean body was holding her in place now, kissing her in a way she'd never been kissed before. Rose's hands were everywhere as they kissed, she seemed unable to settle on a spot to touch him, and so she went from his shoulders to his hair to his arms and on to his chest, where she decided to start unbuttoning his shirt.
His free hand was working on untucking her blouse, needing to feel her skin under his hands. When he finally got the shirt out enough to slip his hand under the fabric they both groaned and Rose felt like she could stay in this moment forever. He pulled away suddenly and Rose was taken back when he didn't do anything but stare at her.
"I'm sure," he said his voice rough and his breathing fast and Rose blinked trying to bring her mind back into working order.
"Okay," She said nodding her head. "I'm sure too," she agreed finally thinking she understood what he meant as she continued to unbutton his shirt. The hand on her head slid down till he was holding the side of her neck, his thumb rubbing up and down just below her ear sending shivers down her spine.
"Rose," he said looking her in the eyes as his other hand closed over her hands on his shirt. She loved his eyes; they were powerful, like they really did hold the answers to every askable question. She was pretty sure something powerful was about to happen here, but her brain still wouldn't catch up to the clues. "I..." he trailed off and leaned forward to kiss her again, though it was very light and quick this time and when he pulled back he was smiling. "I love you," he said, his voice low and full of emotion. Rose felt the tears spring to her eyes as he said the words. She knew just what he was giving her here, knew what it meant to him to be so vulnerable and she was touched beyond words, well almost. And to be the first one to say those words, that was taking a huge leap she hadn't though he would risk.
"I love you too," she said pulling her hand out of his to reach up and run it through his hair, which was getting a bit long. He sighed in contentment as he lowered his head to hers so their foreheads were touching. He stood there just like that for a moment and Rose felt a tear roll down her cheek. Finally he pulled back and brought his hand off her neck to wipe the tear away with his thumb. He pulled her other hand away from his shirt and brought it up to his lips and kissed it. Then he stepped back from her and gently pulled her away from the door by her hand and turned and walked down the hall towards his bedroom.
~*~Pillow Talk~*~
Rose was drifting in the moment between sleep and wakefulness. She had never been happier than she was lying in Sherlocks' bed, tucked in his arms and half asleep. Her body felt loose and so relaxed. There was nothing like lying in bed naked next to the man you loved. She was pretty sure she could sleep for days she was so relaxed. Sherlock shifted just a bit and Rose opened her eyes and smiled lazily at him.
"Did I wake you?" He asked apologetically.
"Wasn't sleeping," she said groggily as her hand started to move over the planes of his chest, playing with the sparse hair there.
"You were very close then," he told her and she shrugged her free shoulder and kissed the side of his chest closest to her lips.
"I don't mind," She said with a satisfied sigh. She ran her hand lightly around the healing flesh on his abdomen and remembered vividly how scared she'd been when John called her to tell her Sherlock had been shot. She had been in Sherlock's flat, waiting for them when John called her from hospital.
Rose paced in front of the fireplace looking at her watch again with a sigh. They were only about half an hour late now so she was trying not to worry, but it wasn't working very well. She was imagining everything from Magnussen having them both killed to Sherlock doing something crazy and getting them arrested. She looked at her watch again and growled in frustration before she plopped down in Sherlocks chair and sank down in the chair till her head was resting on the back. She sat there for a few minutes before she finally decided that she was going to have to do something or she'd go crazy. She stood up to go make tea when her mobile rang. She picked it up off the table by Sherlocks chair and saw it was John.
"Oh thank god, are you guys on your way back?" She asked after answering it.
"Rose, something happened," John said and Rose sank back down into the chair. She could hear from John's voice that it was something very bad. "Sherlock's been shot." He said and she gasped as she stood right back up.
"Is he...John is he..." She couldn't quite seem to get the words out. She needed to know but she couldn't get the words to leave her mouth.
"He's still in the OR," John told her and Rose took a deep breath to keep from crying and walked towards the door. "I don't...its bad Rose." He said and she grabbed her keys.
"I'm on my way, John. I'll be there soon as I can." She said briefly before she hung up the phone quickly. She let out a shaking sob and raised her hand to her mouth. She couldn't lose him now. He would be ok, he had to be. She got herself under control and rushed out of the flat to grab a cab.
Sherlock watched as she ran her hand around his chest, he'd been sure she was asleep earlier and had shifted down just a bit to join her when she'd looked at him and smiled. Now he watched as she ran her hand over his chest and noticed a slight change in her breathing when her hand ran around the forming scar. He tightened his arm around her and she turned her face into his shoulder.
"I'm okay Rose," he told her and she nodded her head in the crook of his arm. After she composed herself a bit she turned to look up at him.
"I know you are," she said with a little nod. "It was just really scary; I thought I was going to lose you." She said and this time she laid her palm gently on the wound. The stitches had been removed before he left and it looked like it was going to leave a small circular scar.
"I'm sorry," he said running his fingers through her hair.
"'S not your fault," she told him as she moved her hand away from the scar and up to his chest. They just laid there for a moment as he listened to her breathing even out. He wanted to ask her something, but he wasn't sure how she'd react to it. He wasn't sure if it was too soon, he obviously wasn't very good at judging things like that as the talk of children last night had proved. It was almost 2 in the morning after all; perhaps such a big conversation should be saved for daylight hours? But then he thought back to what John had told him a few days ago about where Rose stayed while he was in hospital and he found himself doing something he never did, speaking without really thinking about it.
"John mentioned you stayed here while I was in hospital," Sherlock said in a casual tone and Rose giggled. She pushed up a bit and rested her head in her hand and smiled down at him.
"Is that okay?" she asked still smiling; she didn't think it would have bothered him, but maybe she was wrong. He did like his personal space, and didn't like people mucking about with his things.
"Course it is," Sherlock reassured her as he reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. "I was wondering if you might want to make it a more... permanent arrangement?" Rose's eyes went wide and she smiled, her tongue tucked into the corner of her mouth, it was a smile Sherlock hadn't seen in a long while.
"You mean, move in here?" she asked trying to ascertain what exactly he meant. "Like into John's old room or-
"Or here, with me" Sherlock told her nodding his head. "In this bed, every night."
"My bed is bigger," Rose told him and he rolled his eyes. She couldn't believe he was really asking her to move in with him. She also knew like his confession of love last night this was a huge step for him.
"Then we'll switch them," he told her and she laughed and leaned over and kissed him, hard, running her hand down his side. She was hoping to express just how excited she was by the idea. He sat up quickly flipping them, never breaking the kiss, so he was towering over her, holding her to him with his arm. He pulled away and let Rose fall back onto the bed with a soft thump as she hit the pillows.
"Is that a yes then?" he asked huskily and Rose smiled, nodding her head.
"Yes," she told him reaching up to run her hands through his hair. "Yes Sherlock I'll move in with you," the smile that stretched across his face lit up his eyes before he leaned down and kissed her again.
~*~Music~*~
Rose came too slowly with a soft sigh as she stretched her whole body. She smiled as she remembered she was not in her bed, but in Sherlocks. She could see the faintest bits of light coming in through the window and wondered what time it was. She looked over and realized Sherlock was not in bed with her and frowned. Then she tilted her head as a noise from the living room drifted back to her and she smiled. She rolled over and winced when she saw it was only 6:45 in the morning. Oh this living together thing was going to be interesting she thought as she sat up. She looked around the room trying to spot her clothing but was coming up empty. Then she spotted one of Sherlocks' dressing gowns draped over the chair across from the bed. She got out of bed and walked over and picked up the navy blue, silk robe and wrapped herself in it, loving the feel of the silk against her skin. She walked over to the open bedroom door and stood just inside it listening. He'd played the violin a few times during the month they had been working on uncovering all of Magnussen's secrets, but it had never sounded like this.
Before it had sometimes been a bit dark, especially after he'd found out his brother knew what was going on. Sometimes it had been a bit frantic, like when they'd hit a wall in some part of their investigation and she could just tell he was crawling out of his skin with irritation. And once she'd woken up and come downstairs to him playing something that made her want to cry it was so bleak. That had been the night after they discovered Applegate and figured out they would not be able to just hack in and delete the files.
But now the music coming from the living room made her want to waltz around the kitchen with a huge smile on her face. It was happy and excited but still soft and romantic. She took a deep breath and stepped out of the bedroom and walked down the hall then across the kitchen and found him staring out the window as he played. His body swayed just a bit as he played, moving with the music and Rose just stood there watching. She was sure she'd never heard the song before and wondered if he'd written it. As the song drew to a close Rose stepped fully into the living room and began to clap softly. Sherlock turned and smiled at her nodding his head once in thanks. She could see he'd known she was there and that made her smiled even more. Sneaking up on him was going to be hard; she may have to work on that.
"That's a pretty good way to wake up," Rose told him and he winced slightly as he opened his violin case.
"Yes, sorry, I tend to play when the mood strikes," he told her and she nodded.
"I remember and I don't mind" she assured him stepping over to him. It was then that he really noticed what she was wearing. The silk robe was a bit long on her and the hem drug on the ground just a bit. He could tell she'd thrown only it on before coming out here and it made him smirk. He was wearing one of his dressing gowns as well, only it was red, he also had on his pajama bottoms and nothing else. The robe was not tied and Rose rand her finger across his chest lightly.
"Are we up this early for a reason?" She asked in a soft voice, running her fingers down the edge of his open dressing gown.
"I couldn't sleep," he told her and she nodded her head. She understood how restless he'd been these last few weeks while he healed. She'd eventually talked Lestrade into sending over some files he could solve in bed. But he was pretty well on his way to being mostly healed and he was going to need a real case soon.
"Well, it's too early to be out of bed," she said taking his hand as his face fell. He hadn't gotten the impression that she was upset, but maybe he'd read her wrong. "Why don't we go back to bed and I'll see if I can't help you sleep?" She said suggestively and his eyes met hers and she winked. He reached forward and tugged on the tie on her robe loosening it causing the robe to part down the middle a bit. "And in the morning we'll phone Lestrade and see if he's got anything good you can work on, hmm?" She asked and he nodded his head as she started back towards his room, pulling him along by the hand.
"It is morning you know," he told her and she giggled and shook her head.
"I'm not working so it's not morning till at least 8am," she told him pulling him into his room and pushing the door closed behind them.
~*~Him~*~
Rose was sitting outside Speedy's with a book and a cup of coffee waiting for Sherlock. He was on his way home from his first full case, a 9 at least, since he got shot. He'd done some minor then some major consulting for Lestrade over the last month but she and John had made him take things a lot slower than he would have liked. She had been living with him for about two weeks now and things were going great. She'd never lived with a man before, as the Doctor didn't count. Living on the TARDIS with him was in no way the same as living with Sherlock. There had been a slight adjustment period and a few minor rows over how to fit their things together.
"Yes I need six microscopes!" he'd told her as she tried to make more room in the kitchen. She'd ended up just moving four of them to John's old room, after talking it out with a sulky Sherlock.
"Yes Sherlock, I assure you all of my clothing is essential." she'd told him after the third box of clothing was put in the bedroom. She eventually put half her clothing in the dresser in John's old room too, since the closet in Sherlock's room was not very big.
She lifted her coffee and took a sip as she tried to read. But she broke out into a smile as she thought about Sherlock's horrified face when he'd gone into the bathroom after she unpacked in there. He'd obviously never lived with a woman. She chuckled and went back to her book. She was reading a romance novel, which Sherlock teased her about relentlessly. But she couldn't read sci-fi or mystery; she got enough of that in real life. And she was, at heart, a romantic. She was so engrossed in the book 10 minutes later that she almost didn't notice the black town car that pulled up to the curb. She looked at it without moving her head, her sunglasses hid the movement. It was definitely Mycroft. But she didn't make any move to acknowledge his presence behind the tinted windows. She was no longer reading but she turned the page anyway and took another drink of her coffee, though it had suddenly gone a bit bitter.
Mycroft had been hanging around on the fringes of their lives all month. He'd sent a high-end moving service to her flat as a 'gift' since Sherlock couldn't do any heavy lifting. He'd shown up twice in the last month to 'check in' on Sherlock and see how he was doing. He was nothing but pleasant to her when he was there and it had her instincts screaming. He was up to something. This was the first time he'd seeked her out without Sherlock there. Finally she heard a door open and the distinct sound of Mycroft walking over with that ridiculous umbrella, even though it was so unusually sunny Rose was wearing sunglasses in November. He stepped up next to her table and Rose rolled her eyes. She held up a hand with her pointer finger up and turned the page again. Eventually she looked up, as though she'd just had to finish some part of her book.
"Myke," she said with a smile and his upper lip twitched but he said nothing at the nickname. Sherlock had told her it was what their mum called him and he hated it.
"Miss Tyler," he said looking down at her. "I was hoping to have a word with you." He said looking down at the other chair sitting across from her and she sighed. "When are you expecting Sherlock?" He asked and she could tell from his tone he was hoping she wasn't expecting him for a while.
"Why don't you have a seat?" She told him with no feeling behind the words, making it clear that she didn't want him to sit. But he pulled the chair back nonetheless and took a seat. Rose set her book down on the table and pushed her sunglasses up onto her head. "I'm not expecting him back for a bit, he's finishing up a case with John." She told him, even if it wasn't quite true, he should be back to the flat in a matter of minutes. "So, what can I help you with Myke?" His eye twitched at the name and Rose had to hold back her laugh.
"I just wanted to commend you for keeping Sherlock's focus off of such a dangerous case." Mycroft said and Rose rolled her eyes and sat forward in her chair. She knew he was talking about the Magnussen case, which they had not been working on while Sherlock healed.
"I'm not 'keeping Sherlock's focus' off of anything. We're waiting till he's fully healed before we start working on the Magnussen case again." Rose told him looking him in the eyes.
"I think it would be a wise choice to stay away from that case, for your own good." he said like he was at all concerned for her welfare. She'd done nothing to deserve his distrust and she was getting a bit tired of it.
"I'll keep that in mind," Rose said dryly as she took another sip of her coffee.
"You really should, I'd hate for Sherlock to find out about the new experiment going on at Torchwood." her eyes went wide for just a moment then she shrugged.
"I don't care about some experiment Torchwood is doing," Rose told him, though the nerves in her voice were quite apparent. "It doesn't have anything to do with me." Rose said her voice a bit firmer when she spoke again.
"I doubt Sherlock will see it that way," Mycroft told her, the threat clear in his voice. Rose took a deep breath as she looked away from him for just a moment. How the hell did he know how Sherlock would feel about an experiment like the one at Torchwood? She knew for a fact that Sherlock wouldn't confide in him about something like that.
"I'm not going to try and convince Sherlock to stop pursuing the Magnussen case, he is a bad guy and he needs to be brought down." Rose told him and he leaned back resting both his hands on top of his umbrella.
"Then I'll tell Sherlock about the dimension canons" Mycroft threatened and she smirked at him before she sighed and looked behind him.
"You just did," Rose told him sounding resigned and Mycroft turned around in his seat to find Sherlock standing behind him, his hand tucked into his trouser pockets, his face unreadable.
"I can't help but wonder why you're so protective of Magnussen Brother Mine. What could he possibly have on you?" Sherlock said, his voice betraying no emotions as he stared hard at his brother.
"That is none of your concern," Mycroft said standing quickly. Rose could see he was upset, but whether with them for being so uncooperative or himself for not realizing Sherlock was there, she wasn't sure.
"I could help you," Sherlock told him now sounding sincere.
"No, you can't," Mycroft said as he stood. He looked between the two of them before he walked back over to his car and the driver got out and opened the door for him. He stepped in and a moment later the black town car was driving away. Sherlock turned to Rose with a raised eyebrow and Rose took a deep breath. She stood and pulled a few pounds out of her pocket and tossed them on the table.
"Just so you know I wasn't keeping this from you on purpose." Rose told him as they walked up the steps to 221B. "They only just started working on it a week ago and haven't even gotten past the theory stage."
"Though whatever it is you knew it would upset me," he accused and she rolled her eyes. She unlocked the door and he followed her into their flat. It was still strange for him, to be living with a woman. It was not something he'd ever seen himself doing, let alone enjoying.
"I may have worried that you'd be... upset," Rose said when really she meant insecure.
"So Torchwood is trying to find a way back into your home universe?" he asked his voice a bit hard. She should have known he'd figure it out with the little information he'd been given. She threw her sunglasses onto the desk and turned to face him.
"Okay first off, it may be the universe I'm from, but this is my home now. But yes, that is what they're doing." Rose told him taking his hand. He gave her a long hard look and Rose didn't blink. "I'm not even part of the project and I've campaigned against it to Pete." She explained with a deep sigh. Finally Sherlock nodded his head and released her hand.
"I am unaccustomed to feeling like this," he said almost through clenched teeth. And for a moment he felt as he had when she'd first asked him out. Worried that he'd be terrible at this, afraid that he'd hurt her. He hated feeling so unsure of her feelings, but part of him still could not comprehend her loving him, with all his many faults.
"Everyone gets ins- worried in a relationship." Rose said cutting herself off before she said insecure. She didn't think he'd like that particular wording. "But you have nothing to be worried about." She implored wanting to take his hand again but unsure if her touch would be welcome at the moment.
"This isn't like some normal bloke you fancied as a teen though," Sherlock said and Rose sighed, apparently they were going to have this talk again. They'd gone over this again once a few weeks ago when they'd been unpacking her things.
"Rose" Sherlock called from the bedroom as she tried to organize the kitchen. She pulled her head out of one of the lower cabinets and looked back towards the bedroom.
"Yes?" She called pulling herself up off the floor. Sherlock came out of the room holding something in his hand. He'd been unpacking some of her bedroom boxes.
"What's this?" He asked holding out his hand. Resting in his palm was a long chain, all coiled up with a key resting on top. Yes, she still had her TARDIS key, it was big part of her life but she wasn't sure how he was going to take that. With his recent accusation that she was just using him till the Doctor showed up she didn't think he'd like knowing she still had this.
"It's a key?" She said with a small smile, trying for a little levity and he just pursed his lips and gave her a look. "It's my TARDIS key." She told him and he looked down at the nondescript key sitting in his hand and frowned.
"I recognize the chain," He said and she nodded her head. "You use to wear this all the time." He said and she nodded her head again. He could probably tell her the exact date he'd last seen her wear it.
"Yeah," She said stepping closer to him. "I stopped wearing it a while ago," She said and now he nodded his head. After she'd told him about her first meeting with Magnussen Sherlock had ranted about 'how dare he threaten you like that?!' and he'd told her as soon as he'd calmed down that they would figure this out together. That he wasn't going to let Magnussen ruin everything she'd worked for. Rose had gone home that night and taken the key off and put it in a safe she had in her flat. She hadn't needed it anymore, hadn't needed that last part of the Doctor anymore.
"When?" he asked and she smiled at him, he really wanted her to say it; he may even need to hear it.
"After I told you about Magnussen," She told him finally reaching out to put her hand on his arm. "Once I realized..." She trailed off and smiled, her tongue tucked into the corner of her mouth. "Once I realized I was falling in love with you I took it off. I'll always have that time, I'll never forget it. But you're it for me Sherlock. I'm not going anywhere."
He reached out and took her free hand and tugged her hard enough to have her stumbling into him with a giggle. He leaned down and kissed her, putting the key in her hand as he did. When he pulled back he had a determined look on his face.
"You should keep it out here in the living room maybe, somewhere where you can see it," He told her and she smiled brightly then kissed him again.
"No you're right, he was a 900 year old alien who was incapable of sharing his feelings with me," she told him trying not to get angry at him. She knew he wasn't trying to be insensitive, even if he was doing a good job of it. "Where as you are a genius who told me as soon as you realized you loved me."
"Why are you campaigning against this project?" He asked and Rose hoped the worst of the discussion was behind them.
"Because it's incredibly dangerous. The Doctor himself couldn't cross over when I got trapped here. What they're doing has the potential of destroying both universes." She finished with a shake of her head. "Pete seems to think it's important that we're able to at least contact that universe, in case we ever need the Doctor."
"But you don't think it's worth the risk," he said meeting her eyes.
"No, I don't," she said shaking her head. She stepped closer to him and brushed his hair back from his face a bit, he really needed a haircut. "Listen to me, I'll tell you this as much as you need to hear it okay? I'm not going anywhere." She told him and she meant it. She hoped as time passed he'd need to hear it less, but she'd always tell him she wasn't going anywhere. "If the Doctor were to appear right here, right this second I wouldn't care at all." She said taking his hand with a smile. "Well, that's not totally true; I'd worry about why he was here, because the Doctor showing up is never good news." She stepped up so she was almost chest to chest with him and looked up. "But all I'd do is help him with whatever he was here for and then send him on his way. Because I am HOME," He leaned down and kissed her, pulling her all the way to him now and Rose sighed.
"Well John said it was shocking to walk in on that, but I just think its sweet," Rose jumped and turned towards the door to find Mary standing there with a sad smile on her face. Rose hadn't seen Mary since that day at the hospital when Mary had come to see Sherlock. She had popped a bit and now really looked pregnant. Rose smiled at her as she pulled away from Sherlock and took a deep breath. She'd been trying to stay out of the things going on with Mary and John, but she'd started to think of Mary as her friend before this all happened and now that Mary was here she was going to show it. She walked over to Mary and engulfed her in a tight hug. Mary just stood there for a long second then she brought her arms up and hugged her back.
Rose heard a door close softly towards the back of the flat and knew Sherlock had gone to their room. Rose was not at all surprised when Mary started to shake a bit, sobbing quietly. Sherlock must have known Mary needed this release, but would not do it in front of him. He could be very perceptive when he tried. Rose patted Mary's back, but the tears didn't last more than a minute before Mary was stepping back and wiping her eyes quickly. She looked a bit embarrassed and Rose smiled at her.
"Tea?" Rose asked and Mary nodded.
"What I'd really like is a glass of whiskey," Mary said as they walked back to the kitchen and Rose smiled in sympathy.
"How far along are you now?" Rose asked as Mary sat down at the little table and she set about making tea.
"I'm five months, yesterday," Mary said as she laid her hands on her belly. Rose could see the sadness etched on Mary's face and she wished she knew how to make things better.
"Sherlock told me his parents invited you and John to Christmas next month." Rose said as she poured the tea.
"Yes they did," Mary said nodding her head. "John is going," meaning she was not planning on going.
"But you're not?" Rose asked and Mary took a deep breath.
"I don't want to make a joyous day clouded with tension." Mary told her as she took her tea from Rose.
"John is going to come around," Rose assured her reaching across the table to put her hand on Mary's. "He loves you."
"Not if he's read what's on that thumb drive he doesn't," Mary said shaking her head a fierce look on her face. "Not anymore."
"You still love John though, don't you?" Rose asked and Mary nodded her head hard.
"Of course I do," Mary said with obvious distress. "If I had this all to do again I would do it differently. I would have been honest with him from the beginning but I was just so scared I'd lose him and now I have anyway." Mary shook her head pulled her hand away from Rose's.
"I don't think you have," Rose said taking a sip of her tea.
"He won't even talk to me," Mary told her putting her hands around the cup. "He asks about the baby after my appointments and still makes sure I have everything I need for that, but he won't talk to me about anything."
"He's just processing, I really think he'll come aground." Rose told her honestly. "Please come to Christmas?" Rose asked with a pleading look. "We should all be together over Christmas. Please?" Mary sighed and looked Rose in the eyes then nodded once.
"Okay," She agreed with a sad sigh.
"Did you hear all that?" Sherlock asked as he pulled the phone back from the slightly open door and put it to his ear.
"Yes," John said sadly. "Though Rose would kill you if she knew you were eavesdropping on her."
"John, how much did you love Mary before all this came out?" Sherlock asked as he eased the door closed and sat down on his bed.
"More than I've ever thought possible." John answered sadly and Sherlock could hear the heartache in his friends' voice.
"And now?" Sherlock asked and John sighed but did not answer him. "I think you know what you need to do John."