For anyone who wishes: I have created a Discord page for this story: Without You. If you cannot find the page you can friend me and I will send you an invite, my Discord name is: MyariRose #1920. If you have any question I will gladly answer them there. If you just want to talk, I will be happy to talk. I will be posting updates about the story on the discord page and may every now and then slip in a sneak peek. I do hope to see you there.
Chapter Three-
After meeting the whirlwind Alpha named Sherlock, John had been in a slight daze for the rest of the day. The Alpha hadn't backed away from him after getting close enough to smell how broken he was, like everyone did, like the Beta (Molly) who had brought Sherlock his coffee had. And apparently just from looking at him, Sherlock had known everything about him. It fascinated him to the point that when he had finally made it home he had to look the Alpha up.
The night quickly flew by with John up half the night reading Sherlock's blog that he found. And was shocked when he woke up and left the apartment without contemplating taking his life or not. One meeting with Sherlock and he wanted to live. This made John want to meet the Alpha and get to know him, and not in the 'I want to mate with you' kind of way. He respected Sherlock's wish to not want a Mate, he wanted to be friends with the guy.
By the time 7:00 pm rolled around, John had to stop himself from rushing out of his apartment and hurting himself. He decided to walk to the address instead of taking a taxi to help elevate his excited nerves. No need to get Sherlock thinking John wanted to mate with him. As he finally came upon the address, a taxi pulled up and Sherlock bounded out of it as John knocked on the door.
"Hello." Sherlock called as he paid the taxi.
"Ah, Mr. Holmes." John said hoping he didn't sound too happy to see the man.
"Sherlock, please." The Alpha said holding out his hand for John to shake, which he did.
"Well, this is a prime spot. Must be expensive." John noted worried about how much Sherlock expected him to pay.
"Oh, Mrs Hudson, the landlady, she's given me a special deal. Owes me a favour." Sherlock said nonchalantly. "Few years back, her Mate got himself sentenced to death in Florida. I was able to help out."
"Sorry, you stopped her Mate being executed?" John asked in shock, just what did this man do?
"Oh, no, I ensured it." Sherlock corrected proudly causing John to laugh in amazement as the door finally opened to an elderly Omega woman.
"Sherlock!" The Omega said before hugging the Alpha in a motherly way.
"Mrs Hudson, Dr. John Watson." Sherlock introduced and she hugged him just as motherly as she did Sherlock, not bothered at all by his scent. This caused John to relax a little. Since his womb had been damaged no one seemed to treat him the same, they either treated him with pity or as if being near him would cause defect to them. And yet, here were two people who didn't seemed to mind him being broken and treated him as if he weren't. It nearly brought him to tears.
"Hello, dear. Come in." Mrs Hudson said pulling from her hug and stepping aside.
"Hello. Thank you." John said stepping in as Sherlock followed him.
"Shall we?" He asked carefully maneuvering around John to head up the stairs with John slowly limping after him. Part of him was shocked to find Sherlock waiting for him at the top instead of already in the flat. It was almost as if the Alpha was making sure John could actually make it up the stairs. Once he was at the top, Sherlock nodded and opened the door to allow John to see a cluttered mess.
"Well this could be very nice." John said with a nod as he began to hobble around the living room taking everything in. "Very nice indeed."
"Yes." Sherlock agreed proudly. "Yes, I think so, my thoughts precisely."
"Soon as we get all this rubbish cleaned out." John said just as Sherlock said:
"So I went straight ahead and moved in." John felt his face heat up in embarrassment.
"Oh." John muttered as Sherlock shot from his place beside him and began to try and rearrange some things. "So this is all...?" John stuttered out.
"Well, obviously I can, um," Sherlock awkwardly cleared his throat, "straighten things up a bit."
"That's a skull." John said noticing the scull on the mantel after the Alpha had moved over there while 'straightening up' and stabbed a knife into the mantel.
"Friend of mine." Sherlock stated and John didn't know if he was joking or not. He really hope he was, but from the look in the Alpha's eyes John could see he wasn't. "When I say friend..."
"What do you think, then, Dr. Watson?" Mrs Hudson asked. "There's another bedroom upstairs, if you'll be needing two bedrooms." She mentioned as Sherlock took off his coat and scarf.
"Of course we'll be needing two." John said slightly confused. He was only going to be Sherlock's flatmate. John was pretty sure Mike had told him that Sherlock wasn't looking for a Mate, and well, John was broken and no Alpha would want him any way. John angrily pushed that thought from his mind as his hand began to twitch.
"Oh, don't worry, there's all sorts round here." Mrs Hudson told him soothingly. All sorts of what? There couldn't be many broken Omega's, could there? "Mrs Turner next door's got Bonded ones." John stiffened at that. If Alpha's and Beta's couldn't even stand to be near him to want to mate with him what made her think anyone wanted to Bond with him? He staid frozen as she went into the kitchen. "Oh. Sherlock, the mess you've made."
John finally shook himself out of his stupor and moved to sit down. His leg was suddenly bothering him and he needed to sit and rest it. "I looked you up on the Internet last night." John informed Sherlock who spun around to look at him with barely hidden excitement.
"Anything interesting?" The Alpha asked trying not to sound eager causing John to bite back a smile.
"Found your website. The Science of Deduction." John said and saw a smile flash onto Sherlock's face before the Alpha began to fight it. He couldn't help smiling at how cute Sherlock was, almost like a small child showing his parents a project he had work hard on all by himself.
"What did you think?" Sherlock asked running his eyes over John's face as he remembered what he had read the night before. And whatever Sherlock had seen on John face caused the Alpha's excitement to fade.
"You said you could identify a software designer by his tie and an airline pilot by his left thumb?" John questioned.
"Yes." Sherlock said suddenly sounding defensive. "And I can read your military career in your face and your leg, and your brother's drinking habits on your mobile phone."
"How?" John asked.
"What about these suicides then, Sherlock?" Mrs Hudson said carrying a news paper into the room as Sherlock looked out the window. "Thought that'd be right up your street. Three exactly the same."
"Four." Sherlock corrected her confusing John. Unless Sherlock knew of one that hadn't been made public, John was pretty damn sure there was only three. "There's been a fourth. And there's something different this time." He continued as John heard a car door slam.
"A fourth?" Mrs Hudson asked as someone ran up the stairs and into their flat. A Bonded Alpha with short graying hair.
"Where?" Sherlock asked the Alpha before he could catch his breath and say anything.
"Brixton, Lauriston Gardens." The Alpha panted out.
"What's new about this one? You wouldn't have come to get me if there wasn't something different." Sherlock demanded.
"You know how they never leave notes?" The Alpha asked.
"Yeah." Sherlock said his eyes narrowing.
"This one did. Will you come?" The Alpha asked.
"Who's on Forensics?" Sherlock asked.
"It's Anderson." The Alpha said causing Sherlock to growl.
"Anderson won't work with me." Sherlock said looking away confusing John on what was going on.
"Well, he won't be your assistant." The Alpha told Sherlock in annoyance.
"I need an assistant." Sherlock half whined half growled out.
"Will you come?" The Alpha asked again.
"Not in a police car, I'll be right behind." Sherlock finally answered.
"Thank you." The Alpha said before leaving as John sat there trying to figure out what was going on, who that Alpha had been, how Sherlock was connected to him, and why was he needed at the crime scene? He jumped in slight shock as Sherlock suddenly cried out in joy.
"Brilliant! Yes! Ah! Four serial suicides, and now a note." Sherlock said excitedly as he danced around the room. Who was this Alpha and why was he so excited over this news? "Oh, it's Christmas. Mrs Hudson, I'll be late. Might need some food." He told Mrs Hudson as began to put his jacket on.
"I'm your landlady, dear, not your housekeeper." Mrs Hudson told Sherlock who just seemed to ignore her.
"Something cold will do. John, have a cup of tea, make yourself at home. Don't wait up!" He ordered before running out the door.
"Look at him, dashing about..." Mrs Hudson muttered before shaking her head and turning to look at John who was fighting the urge to get up and follow Sherlock. He was curious about what was going on while at the same time he wanted Sherlock to know that he wasn't one to be bossed around. "My Mate was just the same. But you're more the sitting-down type, I can tell." John saw her eyes flash to his cane and annoyance rose in him. If only he didn't have this damn limp. "I'll make you that cuppa, you rest your leg."
"Dam my leg!" John growled out loudly scaring Mrs Hudson and causing guilt to take the place of his annoyance. "Sorry, I'm so sorry." He told her honestly. "It's just sometimes this bloody thing..."
"I understand, dear, I've got a hip." Mrs Hudson told him sympathetically.
"Cup of tea would be lovely." John called to her as she began to leave while picking up the news paper she had left on the arm of the chair he was sitting in. "Thank you."
"Just this once, dear, I'm not your housekeeper." She reminded him.
"Couple of biscuits too, if you got 'em." He called back with a small smirk wanting to see how far he could push it as he began to read the paper.
"Not your housekeeper!" She told him sternly as he saw the picture of the Alpha that had just been in their flat. A Detective Inspector Lestrade.
"You're a doctor." Sherlock suddenly said causing John to jump in shock not hearing him come back in. "In fact, you're an Army doctor."
"Yes." John said standing up having a feeling he knew where Sherlock was going with this.
"Any good?" Sherlock asked.
"Very good." John said having the sudden need to impress Sherlock so that he would bring John with him to the Crime scene, and once at the Crime scene he could prove his usefulness to the Alpha.
"Seen a lot of injuries, then. Violent deaths." Sherlock stated walking closer to John as a sort of tension began to fill the air. John couldn't identify what sort of tension it was, almost like it was a multitude of them strung together. And it was exciting.
"Yes." John said never taking his eyes off the Alpha that stalked closer to him.
"Bit of trouble too, I bet?" Sherlock asked still coming closer.
"Of course. Yes. Enough for a life time, far too much." Sherlock finally stopped with his chest nearly touching John's, and for a split second, John wondered if the Alpha was going to either scent him, kiss him, or both.
"Want to see some more?" Sherlock asked.
"Oh, God, yes." John breathed out.