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Mycroft Holmes had a request. An god how he placed it. If Mycroft Holmes was bending to request instead of ordering then he would place a request which could not be refused.
He didn't convict John, though he had reason to. Instead he presented John with a situation with absolutely no way out.
As John sat in the car on his way back his mind wandered to what had transpired a few moments ago between the elder Holmes and himself.
"A request?" The mere word uttered from the mouth of the man had stunned John.
What could it be? Not to see Sherlock anymore? Leave the city? Forget the whole episode?
Mycroft Holmes sat across from John on a Victorian sofa, legs crossed, eyes on tea cup in hand.
"Yes, Dr Watson. A request." As I know you won't yield to my orders.
Mycroft placed the cup down and took one look at John's still untouched cup and started without any more preambles.
"I would request you to be my brother's personal physician." He said looking directly at John.
"Me?" John said with an incredulous expression.
Holmes nodded.
"Exactly what expertise do you think I could provide your brother with which all the renowned doctors who are at your disposal can not?" John asked in a tone of demanding an explanation. He didn't know why but he was feeling insulted.
"With your companionship." Mycroft ignored the tone and replied.
"You need me to be at your brother's beck and call." John stated plainly.
"I apologise if my request had that meaning to you. I want you to be a doctor to my brother, your job will be to check on him regularly. There will be no extra requirements or duties for you to perform which are not in tandem with your Job."
"Companionship? You must know Mr Holmes I don't usually provide my patients with companionship. That is not in my job description."
"Not all patients Dr Watson."
There was something so elusively offensive about the way Mycroft said it that John felt like walking away that minute. He knew this man was hinting towards Sherlock's almost regular visits to the doctor's clinic.
If he thinks I'm going to sit here all day providing his brother 'company' in the name of treatment he's absolutely wrong.
"You've got the wrong person Mr Holmes." John said sternly looking at Mycroft.
Something in Mycroft shifted and John couldn't tell if the previous demeanour was a mask or was this.
Mycroft's face became shadowed and he looked torn, rejected.
Did I just make Mycroft Holmes feel rejected? John couldn't help the inner triumph.
Mycroft saw all but he knew he needed to tread carefully, his brother's life depended on it.
"No, I have got the right person, actually Sherlock has." He said and stood up and walked away a bit. He stood with his back to John as if he didn't want John to see his face.
"If it were anyone else, I would have offered him money to stay in Holmes Manor for the rest of his life. But you are not that kind of a person Doctor, You're a person whom money can't buy."
So can't praises. Thought John.
"It is because of that I only request you to visit Sherlock everyday, if possible, for some time. I assure you for medical reasons purely. My brother is very selective about the people he allows to get closer to him. He won't let any doctor, any nurse close to him or talk to him for whatever reasons if he doesn't want them."
Mycroft turned around to face John, hands behind back.
"You see doctor, how difficult it is to give proper medical care to a person like this. Given the circumstances Sherlock requires medical attention pretty often. Now after he has recently slit both his wrists…"
John's breath hitched and Mycroft stopped.
"He is alright now as I told you, but he needs care, medical care, which he is and will be refusing to take from strangers, or the people he considers to be so."
"Can I see him?" John almost couldn't hear his own voice.
"Not today." Mycroft said simply.
Not letting John recover from the state of shock Mycroft resumed.
"You have known my brother for a while and you seem to have a positive impact on him…he opens up…" He was cut short by John who was standing now, extremely agitated.
"Positive impact? We had a fight and then he…" John choked.
"Doctor Watson, I understand how you feel, if the circumstances would have been different I would have felt the same way too. But the fact is, you have saved my brother's life twice, for this I hold Sherlock solely responsible, not you. You won't do anything to cost Sherlock his life, otherwise you wouldn't have saved him." Mycroft said reassuringly.
Mycroft's words though vaguely comforting seemed inadequate to John. If he was there for Sherlock, if he had not fought, had not been so harsh on him then Sherlock wouldn't be in this state today. Whether Mycroft blamed him or not, he did. The moment of Sherlock staggering back with a look of disbelief and pain flashed before his eyes. Was he wrong in moving on? Should he have waited for Sherlock? Should he have considered that a man like Sherlock may take some time to realise his feelings? Did he still have feelings…oh my god.
Mycroft knew he had pitched his proposition right, now for the finalizing.
"I would request you to let me pay you as a doctor, but this situation has put me in a position to ask for your help and being the person you are I know you would refuse to be paid for help. Yet, if you ever consider letting me do the duty I will be most obliged."
John understood how gravely Mycroft wanted his help.
Mycroft took a few steps toward John, suddenly he looked older.
He took one deep fathoming look at John and turned away again. He walked up to the nearest window and stood with his back straight.
"I live in fear everyday doctor, because I know. One day my brother will die and I won't be able to do anything."
John swallowed. He didn't know what to say. For the first time he was meeting the brother of Sherlock Holmes, and not the strong powerful man who thinks he can buy anything. It was a rare experience. Mycroft Holmes didn't break in front of John but he definitely showed his cracks.
"I don't know if this would work or not but is it so hard for you to try?"
If John didn't know any better he would think that there was a plea in the elder Holmes' voice.
"I know you have a life of your own and this arrangement may influence it and the people in it adversely, and you too. But you might just save the man's life."
In that moment John knew that he was in for it. Mycroft had uttered the magical words, Sherlock's Life.
"You may leave anytime you feel the situation is taking any undesirable turn. No one will stop you."
John stood silently in the room at the point of no return.
"What will you do?" Harry asked.
"I said yes." John said releasing a breath. Standing in Holmes Manor the consequences of accepting this proposal seemed non-existent. Now they existed.
"Are you going to tell Greg?" Harry asked cautiously.
"Of course." John looked at Harry exhausted and confused "But what?"