He supposes that this is why he became a doctor – he always meant to fix things. He tells himself that Holmes is only one more broken patient to heal, with his neuroses and his loneliness. He tells himself that it is no more than that, a peculiar medical disorder which he is treating by whatever means necessary. And Holmes is broken in more ways than one. His nose, in his boxing years, and the peculiarly haggard look to his chest…

John Watson has made such a habit out of lying to himself that he hardly even notices it anymore.