Thank you to the beta of this story, Kristinabird
The Heartbreak on Christmas Day
The last six months have been hard on John.
Six months ago his true love, Sherlock Holmes was diagnosed with glioma, in other words…brain cancer.
No other sickness or disease could run a shiver down someone's spine like the word cancer could.
He couldn't help but to blame himself, he was a doctor for God's sake, and yet he didn't see it. It started with headaches, which he put down as a result of Sherlock not eating enough. Then weakness in the limbs, John put that down to not sleeping and always working.
But then, Sherlock had trouble remembering the smallest of details. He would sometimes stumble when walking and his words became slurred.
Drug tests were done. John feared his love had stumbled back into bad habits. But when the tests came back clean he took him back to the hospital. and a few days later they got the diagnosis...
John was heartbroken, more than Sherlock, more than anyone. He finally found someone that completed him as a person, made him feel alive after he was sent home from the war, made him feel loved and now he may lose him forever.
It wasn't long after Sherlock started chemo, that he became unable to play his violin, was unable to solve cases, even playing chess became difficult for the detective.
A week into the chemo his love started to lose his hair, which was hard for Sherlock.
John sat with Sherlock though it all, rubbing his back and whispering sweet nothings in his ear as he was sick.
Sherlock was losing weight fast and the doctors had no choice but to place a nasogastric tube.
John wrapped blankets around him when he was cold and read to him until he fell asleep.
But it soon became obvious that Sherlock was dying and there was nothing they could do. There was nothing he could do to save the man he loved.
John stayed by Sherlock's bedside twenty-four seven, holding his hand as his love slept. The chemo was stopped and he was put on morphine, given control of the midchen. At first Sherlock had it on low wanting to stay awake for John but seeing how much pain Sherlock was in John took over.
Sherlock slept for most of his days only waking up at small intervals during the day but John could tell that his love wasn't really with him, mumbling about pirates and his beloved childhood dog, Redbeard.
On Christmas Eve Sherlock was fading fast.
"It's time" John texted Mycroft before he went back to his loves side.
It didn't take long for Mycroft to show up in his brother's room and kneeled down beside his bed, placing his hand on his brother's cheek.
Sherlock slowly opened his eyes just a crack to see his big brother standing over him.
"...Im….Im…..sorry...for...everything" Sherlock muttered as best as he could.
Mycroft quickly shushed him.
"I want you to do something for me," Mycroft whispered in his brother's ear.
Sherlock couldn't help but crack a small smile "...Wh...what?"
"I want you to go into your mind palace and find Redbeard. I want you to find Redbeard and sail the seas."
"...bu….John…" Sherlock muttered letting out a long breath as his body got weaker.
"It's alright." John said, stepping up to the bed and taking his love hand.
"It's alright...close your eyes and go into your mind palace" John gently said, holding back the tears that desperately wanted to fall.
Sherlock let out another long breath as he closed his eyes and let his body relax into the bed.
John pushed the morphine up to its max before he sat next to Sherlock on the bed, while Mycroft sat down on the chair and took his brother's hand.
They sat in silence, listening to Sherlocks heart monitor until it flatlined.
Mycroft bowed his head in silence as John got up and turned off the monitor. Leaning down, John pressed his lips lightly against Sherlocks to give his love one last kiss.
The clock struck twelve and it was Christmas.