Trigger warning: mentions of sexual abuse
Molly has invited us to a Christmas party on Saturday. -JW
Not going. -SH
Yes, you are. -JW
No I'm not. I hate social functions. -SH
She's our friend and you're going. -JW
Us being friends with her doesn't mean I need to attend her party. -SH
Yes it does Sherlock. -JW
You're going and that's final. -JW
I'm not going to enjoy myself. -SH
I don't care, it'll make Molly happy. -JW
Why do you care about making Molly happy? -SH
She's our friend and she helps us a lot. She deserves happiness. -JW
We are going to the party. -JW
What if a case comes up? -SH
Lestrade is going too, he will be off duty. -JW
Lestrade and Molly barely know each other. Why is he going? -SH
I think they know each other well enough to go to a party together. They've crossed paths often on cases with us. -JW
That's a professional relationship, not personal. -SH
Professional relationships can become personal. You and Greg are friends, I'm sure it started of professionally at first. -JW
How did you and Lestrade even meet? -JW
I wouldn't say it was professionally. -SH
Sherlock how did you meet..? -JW
Let's just say that I turned up at a lot of crime scenes until he finally co-operated with me. -SH
What age was this? -JW
23. -SH
So you've been a nightmare your whole life? -JW
Some would say that. Although it's been said that since befriending you I'm not as big as a nightmare. -SH
Why I had to be the person to ground you will always puzzle me. -JW
You're attracted to danger. -SH
I said danger and here you are. -SH
Do you ever get tired of having an answer to everything? -JW
Never. -SH
I'm glad I met you though. Despite what a massive prick you are it's good having you around. -JW
I'm not educated on compliments but I can say that was a poor one. -SH
Sorry master. -JW
You're brilliant, amazing, incredible and at most fascinating. -JW
I understand you're joking but do you mean any of those things? -SH
Of course I do, idiot. -JW
You are genuinely the most extraordinary person I've ever met. -JW
Oh wow, thank you John. -SH
Not a problem. -JW
Now about this party. We're doing secret Santa so we're gonna meet with Molly and the rest later to do that. -JW
Secret Santa is so juvenile. -SH
Sorry, Scrooge. -JW
I'm not Scrooge, I just find holidays tedious. -SH
So you know who Scrooge is but not Spock? -JW
My mother made us watch Christmas films when we were younger. -SH
What was Christmas like with your parents? -JW
Hell. -SH
Come on, really? Your parents seem like good people, it couldn't have been hell. -JW
It was great, they always planned it perfectly. They are fantastic parents. I just despise the holidays, so their over enthusiastic ways were quite annoying. -SH
So you're Scrooge. Got it. -JW
Very funny. -SH
What about you? -SH
What about me? -JW
Christmas. What was it like with your parents? -SH
Horrible. Dad would always get drunk and shout obscene things at us. When Harry ran away it just got worse. We wouldn't even celebrate Christmas other than for the fact that my aunt would bring me a present. -JW
So you didn't celebrate Christmas? -SH
We celebrated properly until the age of 5. Around that age, the dad started drinking. After that we didn't do much for the holiday. One time my dad hit me really hard that I fell through the window. That's a Christmas I remember. -JW
Your father used to beat you? -SH
He did. -JW
I had no idea. -SH
Well you can't deduce everything, Sherlock. -JW
I suppose I can't. -SH
When did the beating stop? -SH
It didn't. It only got worse when Harry left, I was dad's punching bag. He continued to hurt me right until I left for university. -JW
He hit you when you were a grown man? -SH
He did. Embarrassing for me to get beaten up by my own father at that age, I know. -JW
No, not embarrassing at all. That's disgusting on your father's end, I'm sorry you had to go through that. -SH
Did he leave any lasting damage on you? What's the extent to the abuse? -SH
Why are you asking so many questions? You don't have to pretend to be concerned, it's okay. -JW
I am concerned. You're my friend. I assume you've never spoken about these things before, you can talk to me. -SH
Thank you, Sherlock. -JW
You're right. You're the first person I've told about this stuff. -JW
I'm glad you trust me. -SH
Of course I trust you. -JW
Would you prefer to talk in person about this? -SH
No. It would seem like a therapy session. Text is fine. I'd rather not talk about it in person. -JW
Whichever makes you more comfortable. -SH
So the extent, what happened? -SH
Uh well he would punch me in the stomach most times and hit my legs with a belt. I have a few scars from the whippings and a lot of mental scars from the other things he did. -JW
Other things? -SH
Yes, other things. -JW
What other things? -SH
Well there's different types of abuse and he did all of them. -JW
All of them? -SH
Yes. -JW
Your father sexually abused you. -SH
Yes. He did. -JW
He was probably angry with Harry because of his own internalised homophobia and took it out on you. -SH
I suppose so. -JW
Did he ever get convicted? -SH
No. I haven't told anyone, you're the first person I've ever told. -JW
Not even Harry? -SH
Harry and I were always on and off so I didn't have the time to tell her. She was often drinking so I didn't want to derail her even more. -JW
And your mother? -SH
She would have never believed me. -JW
It's okay, Sherlock. -JW
No, it's not okay. Nobody deserves that, you didn't deserve that. -SH
I know, but it is what it is. -JW
And what it is, is disgusting. Your father is the scum of the earth. -SH
It's over now, it's okay. -JW
No, it's not okay. It's not over, you have mental scars and he took something away from you that you'll never be able to get back. -SH
It's just something I have to live with. -JW
You're a strong man, John. -SH
Thank you. -JW
So where is your father now? I could get Mycroft to make him 'disappear'. -SH
I actually have no idea. I haven't seen him since I left for uni. He could be dead for all I know. -JW
Do you want me to find out for you? -SH
No, it's better this way. I prefer thinking that he's dead. -JW
And your mother. Where is she? I'm assuming she divorced your father at some point. -SH
She did. They divorced shortly after I left for uni. She lives in a cottage in Sussex now. -JW
So she's retired? -SH
She is, she moved there after the divorce though. She became a teacher for a few years then retired about five years ago. -JW
It sounds quaint. -SH
It does. I also have a cottage, mine is in Coventry. -JW
You have a cottage? Why? -SH
My grandmother owned those two cottages and gave them to my mother when she passed. My mother lives in one of them and she gave the other to me. Harry is too unstable to be given another home. -JW
What are you going to do with it? -SH
I haven't visited it since I was a child, it's most likely overgrown and battered. I'd like to retire there so at some point I need to renovations. -JW
Are you planning on retiring soon? -SH
Sherlock I know I'm old but I'm not that old. -JW
Maybe I'll start renovations next year but I don't plan on retiring until my legs give way. -JW
I'd be happy to help you. -SH
Really? That'd be brilliant. -JW
Do you plan on living alone, when you retire? -SH
Given the state of my love life I think I'll be alone when I retire. -JW
What about you? -JW
I think the same, I'm not interested in relationships. -SH
You don't think you're ever going to find someone? -JW
I have in a way. I don't want to talk about it though, if you don't mind. -SH
Of course, I won't push you. -JW
When do you think you'll retire? You can't chase bad guys forever. -JW
I'll chase them for as long as I can. I don't have a retirement home, I'll just buy one when I have to. -SH
I'm surprised your mother doesn't have a home for you in her will. -JW
Oh she does, the homes are just not up to my standards. I'd rather purchase my own. -SH
My mother owns some cottages too, she'd be happy to help you decorate. She's quite good at that. -SH
That would be perfect, I have no knowledge in the interior of a cottage, I don't want to overstep though. -JW
Nonsense, my mummy loves you. -SH
She would be more than happy to help out. -SH
Well thank you. I'll take you up on it next year. -JW
I look forward to it. -SH
If we renovate next year we will have to visit frequently to keep it in tact. -JW
We could use it as a break from London? -JW
We? I didn't think you would want me to come. -SH
Of course I'd want you to come, you sod. A break would do us both some good. -JW
I agree. -SH
I haven't had a break in a long time. -SH
You should, you work too hard. -JW
Hardly enough if there's still criminals out there. -SH
As amazing as you are Sherlock, you can't get rid of every criminal in London.-JW
I disagree. I could do it with the right resources. -SH
Well I'm making sure you don't get them. I'd like you to stay alive please. -JW
Nonsense. I'm immortal, I'll live forever. -SH
The thing is, you actually believe that. -JW
You should try to be careful. -JW
Where would the fun be in that? -SH
Danger, John! -SH
The danger is what I need. -SH
I know that but that doesn't mean you can run around London your whole life, one day you'll get caught and your big brain won't be able to get you out of it. -JW
You really think so? -SH
I know so. You can't outrun everyone. -JW
I suppose not. For now I have and I will continue to do so. -SH
And I'll continue to be by your side. -JW
You and I make a good team, John. -SH
We do. -JW
As our fans say, we are Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson. -SH
