Into the nothing
Faded and weary
I won't leave and let you fall behind
Live for the dying
Heaven hear me
I know we can make it out alive
Breaking Benjamin "Into the Nothing"
Holmes saw him kneeling by the graveside and knew somehow that Watson was crying. He went over slowly, almost unwilling to put himself in the midst of the emotional turmoil. But he couldn't just walk away either.
Coming nearer to his broken friend, he found his hand straying to the shaking shoulder. It wasn't as if his logical mind knew what it was doing, this was something guided by the still small voice inside of him. It was Watson's voice that seemed to be the echo of his heart, the echo of his friend in the way he knelt beside him to offer comfort to him. Something in the way Watson behaved was guiding his actions now, and it seemed to help him.
"I have no family left." Watson said softly.
Holmes sighed, unsure of how to comfort his friend. He had taken his remaining family for granted for so long he was unaccustomed to the sorrow that the loss brought.
"Who am I?" Watson asked.
The questioned startled Holmes. "You are a doctor." He replied quickly, too quickly.
Watson looked at Holmes, tears in his eyes. "That is just a title." He replied. "That isn't who I am. I have nothing."
"You can't define something by absence." Holmes reasoned, a principle from his studies returning to him. "I can't define you based on what you don't have. I can only define you based on what you have."
"And what is that?" Watson challenged, his eyes boring into Holmes. It wasn't a look of anger so much as desperation.
"Me." Holmes answered before he knew what he was saying. "Us… our… brotherhood."
The word was out of his mouth with little though, but upon reflection, he realized it was exactly right.
And Watson's gentle smile told him that it was a mutual feeling. "Brothers?" He echoed curiously, seeming not to believe Holmes meant it.
"Brothers." Holmes held out a hand and Watson took it. The bond was struck.