Jayden watched as John boiled a few eggs.
John then cut the boiled eggs into quarters and lined them up on the arm of Sherlock's chair.
"What are you doing?" Jayden asked.
"Feeding Sherlock." John said. "Probably does look funny, now that I think about it. Can you hand me one of those clementine oranges?"
"Sure..." Jayden tossed John the orange, and John caught it without looking.
John peeled the orange and placed the slices on a plate, then put the plate on top of Sherlock's violin case.
"Why don't you just wait for him to get back, then have him eat it?" Jayden asked.
"Because he won't eat it if I tell him to." John said. "If I do this, he'll just sort of munch on them as he thinks without knowing it. Much in the same way that if I set food in front of him while he's in his mind palace, he'll eat it, but have no recollection of doing so later."
"That's weird."
"It is." John agreed. "But it's the only way I've figured out to get food into him. Occasionally he'll sit down and eat with me, but not often. Believe it or not, this is his primary form of caloric intake. It's not enough really, but it's the best I can do."
Jayden's eyes swept over the array of oddly placed food.
"How did he survive without you?" Jayden asked.
"I've wondered that myself." John chuckled. He smiled for a moment, before it slid off his face. "He was actually in pretty bad shape when I first met him... Much worse than he is now. Then when he came back after the fall..."
"Well, at least you have proof that you're important to him." Jayden supplied.
"That I do." John nodded. "Whether he says it or not."
A wonderful, delightful, glorious idea popped into Jayden's brain. He couldn't keep himself from smiling slyly.
John glanced at him as he was working, then did a double take when he saw the look on Jayden's face.
"What are you plotting?" John asked, his eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"Nothing, why do you ask?" Jayden said, dropping the smirk. He tried to appear angelic and innocent as he could.
"That doesn't work on me, you know." John said. "Lucky for you, you and Sherlock share some very similar facial expressions. Now what are you plotting?"
"Fine, I'll tell you. But answer my question first." Jayden said. "He eats what ever you leave there, right? He doesn't look at it first?"
"Yes." John asked. "Now what's your plan?"
"I think we need to go to Tesco..."
"Why?"
When Sherlock got back to the flat he sat in his chair to think. He noted that John and Jayden were in the kitchen.
Sherlock entered his mind palace, looking for any more information about the case that he had missed.
Why can't I figure this one out?
Why isn't there enough evidence?
While Sherlock was lost in thought, his fingers made their way to were the bits of food were sitting on the arm rest beside him.
They popped one in his mouth, and Sherlock chewed automatically, not consciously aware that he was eating.
He continued both eating and thinking.
Why was there evidence of a scuffle when there wasn't one?
How is it possible for evidence to conflict each other like that?
Sour!
The reaction to the yellow fruit over powered the thoughts of his mind.
SOUR!
Sherlock's mouth twisted, and he spit what was in his mouth out into his hand.
Lemon?!
But they're always oranges!
John knows I hate sour things!
Wait- it wasn't John.
"Jayden!"
John and Jayden both laughed silently, but so hard that tears rolled from their eyes.
"Why haven't you done this before?" Jayden whispered.
"I have no idea." John shook his head. "That was awesome. Actually, you probably better start running now."
Jayden nodded just as Sherlock came into the kitchen and saw them.
"Yep!" Jayden said.
Sherlock chased him around the table several times before Jayden managed to slide beneath the table, thus escaping Sherlock momentarily.
He winked at Sherlock just before dashing out of the room.
His exit reminded John very much of the first time he had met Sherlock.
"The name is Sherlock Holmes, and the address is 221b Baker street."
Then the partial smile and wink, accompanied by a small click, and he was gone.
A/N: Sorry for the short chapter, but I thought that was a good ending. Keep reading to find out what happens when Sherlock finally catches Jayden. Or if. ;)