John, my John!
Sherlock's heart nearly burst seeing the man, his doctor sitting in the restaurant. To him John looked the same expect for a very irritating mustache that aged him ten years.
That will have to go. I need my doctor clean shaven.
Sherlock watched the man for a moment debating how he should present himself. Two years was a long while and it may be a bit of a shock so a direct revealing would be unwise. Sherlock decided on a latter idea. Make his appearance a surprise let John come to the conclusion for himself.
He will appreciate the effort…
Sherlock told himself as he tied a bowtie to his shirt blending in with the waiters. Walking past a few tables he snatched up a pair of glasses to further change his appearance, and eyeliner to add his own mustache. When Sherlock deemed his disguise presentable he made his way to the table envisioning the different ways John would welcome him back.
"Sir," Sherlock started adding a last minute French accent hoping that would draw the doctor's attention. John didn't look, his eyes continued wondering down the menu "Yea can we get the best wine you have," he said a smile spreading across his face. Sherlock kept his eyes on the other man ignoring the other across from him "John! Don't you dare!" the person hissed, "You know what wine does to me. We don't want a repeat." John lowered his menu waggling his eyebrows. Sherlock was stunned.
He didn't even look!
Nothing!
Well we'll have to try this again.
Sherlock dropped back from the table noting his presence wasn't missed. John continued talking with the person across from him but Sherlock gave them no mind his eyes targeting the doctor. John laughed and Sherlock glared.
That laugh is for me!
Or it should be!
Giving them a few more minutes Sherlock slipped a cool bottle of wine from the bar and headed back to the table. "Don't tell me you've become sentimental," John teased as Sherlock caught the end of the conversation. He smiled that sounded like something he would have said listening as the other person commented "Merely pointing out the obvious, don't read too much into it," they assured. "Sir your wine," Sherlock stated feeling this would be the moment John would turn and see him, "This one is a personal favorite a bit stubborn at first but sweetens as it grows on you."
Sherlock watched seeing John smile to the person across from him before turning to look. Their eyes met and John's smile faded. Sherlock waited for the excitement, for the lecture, for the…well just anything that would tell him that the doctor hadn't forgotten him. Sherlock waited his eyes drifting over his friend.
Lost some weight since we last met but happy.
Happy?
Sherlock stiffened at that. Happy? He was expecting misery not that he wanted that from his friend but he wanted a slight bit more drama. "As you can see long story short, not dead," Sherlock told him smiling. He was here, back with his John! The doctor slowly stood as did the other person "John," they spoke quietly. John's face contorted into several different emotions Sherlock caught them all, anger, fear, bewilderment, sadness, excitement, betrayal, love, and lastly rage. Sherlock blinked just missing the table being turned over.
The person John had been dining with was now by the doctor's side speaking quietly "John breathe, just breathe," they tried but John was focused on Sherlock. The emotion going through the doctor's compact body confused Sherlock. He didn't know what he should be doing. The other person took initiative placing hands on John's arm he flinched away violently "DON'T TOUCH ME!" he roared his eyes burning looking away from Sherlock before John ran.
Sherlock was stunned John had run! Ran from him! He could see the man fleeing. "Not exactly what I was expecting," Sherlock muttered disappointed. He had never expected John to leave "What the fuck did you expect?!" the person John had been dinning with was suddenly close to Sherlock's face. He was bewildered. This short woman was a ball of fury that reminded him so much of John. She was blonde, with flashing brown eyes, and an elegant lavender dress that Sherlock approved of.
Her mouth was moving but he caught only a few words "fucking prat, arse…bastard!" Sherlock blinked surprised by the change in events. The woman's eyes filled with worry and sadness "You have no idea what you have done!" she threw at him before running after John. Sherlock watched her go not knowing what to do.
This was not what was supposed to happen. John was supposed to be happy that Sherlock was back not running like this and the woman who was she? Was she John's new interest? Sherlock scoffed. Love, sentiment, ludicrous notions! The thought of John having someone new in his life gave Sherlock a tight feeling.
John?
Sherlock felt truly alone at that moment. What was he to do now that his best friend was running from him? A constant ringing off to his right stopped any further thought. Looking over Sherlock spotted a phone on the ground amongst the broken wood.
John's phone!
Sherlock knew that device anywhere and it warmed him to know that after all this time John still had it. Picking it up Sherlock read the name:
Mary
Holding the mobile gingerly Sherlock headed out of the building as it began ringing again. The woman was nearby a phone pressed to her ear "He left it," Sherlock told her. The woman Mary turned towards him as he held out the device for her. Mary eyed him pocketing her phone before taking John's "Thank you but it doesn't change the fact that you're a soulless git," she snapped Sherlock pursed his lips his eyes wondering over her, deducing her.
Ex-addict, heroine, abusive relationship, one…no three years ago, happy, worried, love. Early thirties. John's…Girlfriend?
"Girlfriend?" Sherlock asked out loud. Mary blinked at him confused "Excuse me?" she asked Sherlock sighed "Are you John's girlfriend?" he clarified Mary gaped at him "You are an egotistical deducing machine figure it out yourself!" Sherlock grumbled as she continued, "I don't have time to be flapping my jaw with you I have to find John before he does something incredibly stupid." Putting two fingers in her mouth Mary whistled, waving her hand above her head.
Sherlock remained standing there watching her go before deciding to follow her. He followed her from one place to the next almost growing bored with waiting before they were off again.
What were all these places? Places John might go? Places John had been with her?
Most of the places she went Sherlock had never been to and couldn't see John going. In the wee hours of the morning Sherlock followed Mary to a flat that must have been hers. Paying his cab Sherlock released the man and watched Mary stopped before her flat. He had watched her climbing over fences, walls, through windows, and down alleys all night Mary's dress was a disaster. Sherlock kept his distance watching her. She went in leaving the front open in her hurry to get inside shouting "John!" on her way in.
Giving it a moment Sherlock pushed forward slowly making his way towards the door. Slipping inside he shut the door behind him quietly. The living room was lit but sounds from the kitchen drew Sherlock further into the flat. Peeking into the kitchen he spotted Mary's back to him facing inside what must have been a bedroom. Looking further Sherlock saw an open bathroom closer to the room. Carefully Sherlock slithered forward ducking into the bathroom so as to hear what was going on.
"Am I crazy Mary?" John's voice asked in a broken voice alerting Sherlock. "No John you aren't," Mary answered her voice almost a whisper. Sherlock leaned closer to the conversation not wanting to miss anything, "Then why am I seeing corpses?" John asked Sherlock felt ice run through him knowing instantly they were talking about him. Mary's breath hitched before she spoke "He's not a corpse John," she whispered, "He's alive. John, he never died." Sherlock fought the urge to go to John. "John! Don't!" Mary suddenly screamed sobs cracking her voice. Sherlock strained to understand what was going on "Two years Mary! Two fucking years!" John cried Sherlock almost hear the tears on his doctor's face. Sherlock listened as Mary sobbed in the doorway, "Everyday my heart broke knowing he was dead and never coming back! Now I know my heart broke every day for someone who is very much alive!" John shouted Sherlock's heart stopped.
John?!
"John please, please, don't, please!" Mary pleaded Sherlock heard her body hit the floor. Sherlock felt stinging tears threatening in his eyes as he listened. The quiet surrounding the moment was only broken by the sobs coming from Mary "John don't please!" she sobbed weakly. Tears were now rolling down Sherlock's face as he came to an understanding. He did this! Whatever was happening in the other room was his fault! John had trusted him, loved him and now the man was about to do something drastic. A loud gunshot followed by Mary screaming startled Sherlock.
He was frozen. For the first time in his life his brain had nothing.
John…
Sherlock felt an overwhelming amount of pain tightening his chest.
John was…he was…
He mind couldn't function. For two years Sherlock had been hunting down Moriarty's organization to protect John and now…
"Mary," John's voice whispered sending relief shooting through Sherlock. He almost went to John but forced himself to remain hidden. Sherlock knew that at that moment his presence would not be appreciated one bit. Mary's sob grew louder "John you stupid prat," she cried her voice sounded muffled. John must be holding her Sherlock thought a sudden urge to be included washed through him.
Stop it!
Sherlock snapped wiping tears from his face fiercely. John was alright for now but he had tried to kill himself all because Sherlock had come back.
I should have stayed away…
Sherlock sighed hating the thought but agreeing with it on some level. He had expected John to have some kind of reaction of anger but not as extreme as this. This was a whole other level Sherlock didn't understand. He almost missed the next words as he pulled himself away from his thoughts to listen.
"I'm done Mary," John whispered Sherlock bit the inside of his cheek to keep quiet, "No! Please John! John don't!" Mary's pitiful cries brought fresh tears to Sherlock's eyes, "No I mean I'm over my suicide urge," John clarified Sherlock sighed heavily hoping he would never have to go through a situation like this again. "You are a fucking arse!" Mary snarled and Sherlock bristled a bit.
No! I'm the arse…
He mental corrected her "I know," John spoke softly Sherlock craved to see his face but opted to just be content that the man was still alive, "I'm glad you didn't do it if that makes you feel better," Mary's voice and Sherlock couldn't help but find himself glad that she was there. A silence fell and Sherlock pressed himself closer to the bathroom wall waiting for something to happen.
"Let's get you to bed," Mary said and Sherlock listened as they stood from where they had been on the floor, "Are you alright?" John asked. Sherlock grimaced preparing for Mary's retort "Did you not just try to blow your brain out in my bedroom? Of course I'm not alright!" Sherlock sighed relieved that the situation was over for the time being. Any further conversation from the other room was lost to Sherlock as he dove into his mind palace.
It had change it no longer had multiple wings and rooms now it only had two wings. One for Moriarty and the other solely devoted to John. Sherlock strolled around organizing what he had heard into a box or stuff he never wanted to hear from John again. Images of John swam around Sherlock and he left the palace wanting to see the real thing.
Standing up Sherlock hadn't noticed he had fallen to the floor during the terrible thing. His back protested but quickly faded as Sherlock stretched quickly. He paused listening, the flat was completely silent and Sherlock deemed it safe enough to move. Creeping from the bathroom Sherlock switched the kitchen lights off before moving closer to the bedroom.
John was on the bed facing him. His body curled in a tight ball still dressed in dress pants and an open white button up. The mustache was gone Sherlock noted looking the man over. Even in his sleep Sherlock could see the pain lingering in John's body. The compact bundle was so tense Sherlock clenched his fists hating himself even more for this misery he had created. Sherlock glanced over spotting Mary on the bed next to John facing him.
John deserved her. He deserved all the happiness Mary could give him. Sherlock sighed resisting the urge to touch his doctor…
No…not mine…
I lost that privilege when I broke his heart…
Sherlock had never had so much clarity to the human emotion until that moment. John was a light in the gloom of the younger man's life. Sherlock would give the man up in a moment so that the kindly doctor could have a life of safety and love something Sherlock knew he couldn't give him. Sherlock debated leaving the country again.
No…no that would make it worse…
You have to fix this, at least get his side of things before you leave again. See what John wants for once…
Sherlock stood a moment longer watching the greying man slumber again relieved how the night had ended instead of the latter. Reaching out a hand Sherlock hovered his pale palm over the doctor's face wanting to touch the skin but something was holding him back. Slowly Sherlock drew it back looking over the two one more time before turning and strolling out of the room. Turning lights off as he went Sherlock disappeared into the darkness.
*So how is it so far? Reviews please!