The Puppy: A Soldiers Best Friend
I do not own this show at all. Now that that is out of the way please enjoy the story.
Sherlock had just taken John home from her therapy session for the day when he stopped and turned to her. "I have something for you, if you'd go up to our flat I'll bring it up." Sherlock said with a smile that made John remember why most people didn't like it when Sherlock smiled.
"You have a surprise for me?" John asked feeling a bit wary. It wasn't that she didn't appreciate the gesture but Sherlock's last surprise was a vase he'd made for a case and it had exploded. She hadn't expected the admittedly very ugly vase to do anything other than sit there but one second it was there and the next there were shards of broken pottery all over the kitchen. It was not a pleasant memory and she was a bit wary whenever Sherlock got it in his head to give her something. She'd learned after several gifts from him that anything Sherlock got her would inevitably end in disaster unless it was something she pointed out to him herself.
Sherlock vanished down the stairs and she waited with bated breath and prepared to dash for cover in case the worst happened. When Sherlock returned from his venture down the stairs John was shocked to see a small white and brown puppy woofing at them and attempting to Sherlock's consternation to wiggle free of his grip and run to her. Sherlock put the puppy down on the floor and it ran over to her in the clumsy way young puppies did. She knelt down scratching behind the tiny ears as the puppy attacks her hands with tiny teeth and puppy kisses.
She looked up at Sherlock who had a look on his face that reminded her of a peacock posturing. He looked very pleased with himself and she couldn't resist the temptation to tease him even as she showered his present with affection. "He's not an experiment is he?" she said her voice twisting like a smirk even as one settled on her lips.
Sherlock huffed but picked up on her lack of seriousness. "I might do some harmless tests."
John laughed at his joke and Sherlock's laughter soon joined hers. She knew how much Sherlock was fond of dogs, after all his happiest childhood memories were of his dog Redbeard. She smiled fondly at him knowing how he didn't want to replace Redbeard with another dog and how much it meant that he's gotten her a dog. She rubbed the puppy's head smiling down at him. "So what's his name?"
"Gladstone." Sherlock said suddenly as still as a crumbling statue as he looked at her with a cautious suspicion.
Her eyes widened in surprise and a smug smile grew on her lips. "You named him Gladstone? You named him the name that you never ceased to tell me was the stupidest dog name you've ever heard since I first mentioned wanting one."
Sherlock's face turned the faintest shade of pink and John reveled in the victory before shifting her attention back to the pup. He was adorable, with his white paws, brown spots, and squished in face. He was even wearing a collar in the exact shade of Sherlock's scarf with a large round bell on it that she was surprised she hadn't noticed. She looked at the bell, oversized and out of place on the collar and she unlatched it and took it off Gladstone's neck. The puppy licked at her fingers and she thought that he must be happy to be rid of the thing. She brought it to her ear, shook it, and tried not to be disappointed when the bell doesn't jingle like it should have. She frowned though and pulled it away from her ear because Sherlock wouldn't have gotten a bell collar if it didn't jingle.
She looked it over wondering if this was one of Sherlock's experiments or if Mycroft had already gotten ahold of it and replaced the bell with a camera. She fiddled with it and it only took seconds for her to figure out that the bell isn't a bell after all but a container. She twisted it and it split apart in her hands. The tremor in her hand returned as she looked at it. Her head shot up and she looked at Sherlock her eyes wide with shock. She attempted to say something and when she looked up at Sherlock who looked like his entire existence was dependent on what she did next, but she couldn't find the words.
After a silence that felt too long she finally opened her mouth to say something and that is when it all dissolved into chaos. Lestrade dashed into the room followed by an army of police officers and a fretting Mrs. Hudson. Gladstone yapped at the new guests as John stood there in shock looking down at the object in her hand. Sherlock however was thunderous as the moment he'd built was ruined by Lestrade's team. The officers used to Sherlock's antics ignored him in favor of searching the flat. All except for Anderson whom Gladstone had apparently decided was a chew toy. The pup had attached to his shoe like a leach and refused to let go even as Anderson tried to escape from the tiny terror with a high pitched shout. "Get it away from me I'm allergic!"
Most of the officers stopped now interested in the sudden new additions in Sherlock's flat. Anderson was rescued from Gladstone by Sherlock who cradled the puppy like everyone in the room was a threat. A few officers Lestrade included looked at John and Sally's jaw nearly hit the floor as she caught sight of what Sherlock had hidden in the bell. "Look at the size of that rock!"
However none of that is what broke John from her stupor instead it was Mrs. Hudson who hearing Sally's outburst took one look at the object in her hands and screamed. John nearly jumped out of her skin when she was descended upon by an exuberant landlady. Mrs. Hudson looked over at Sherlock and said with a voice full of both stern disapproval and excitement. "It's about time you asked her."
She turned to John who was now the focus of all the attention in the room, save for Anderson who was more worried about Gladstone than anything else.
"You said yes didn't you?" Mrs. Hudson said with a quick glance at Sherlock who looked like he might be ill at any second. He was clutching Gladstone almost like a child might clutch a stuffed animal but gently enough not to hurt him.
John spoke or at least she tried to because instead of words she let loose a rush of air that was something between a squeak and a sigh. She shook her head shaking off the shock as she looked down at the diamond ring sitting innocently in her hand. When she did speak it could hardly be called a word for how soft it was. "Yes."
She cleared her throat and feeling more like herself she spoke again, but stronger with more strength. "I will."
And thus Sherlock's romantic gesture is ruined by Lestrade who will never be forgiven. Thank you's to everyone, who read, reviewed, followed, and/or favorited and Special Thanks to PadawanCassy, ramen-luver10, and a Guest.
