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"Have you proposed to her yet?" Asked Mike.

"Do we hear the wedding bells? Soon?" he added taking a gulp of bear.

"No. I haven't actually thought about it. Haven't moved in." John said contemplating.

They met up at a pub after work. A kind of weekly event for them.

"Why? Are you waiting to get married first?" Mike asked genuinely.

The absurdity of the thought made John laugh.

"Oh! No no nothing like that. It's just that…" His smile faded as he was lost in the very familiar confusion.

Mike looked at him intently, searching for an answer.

Go on, say it to your friend.

What?

That you're in love with a homeless man named Sherlock.

Oh God not again!

John had the distinct feeling that his mind was actually going out of his mind. Or something like that.

"What is it buddy? Anyone else?" Mike asked eyes wide in anticipation. Oh he loved gossip.

"What? No, no. it's just that I'm not sure." John said quickly not paying Mike's speculations any heed.

"About what?"

Everything.

He kept quiet instead and looked at his palms.

After a moment Mike said amused, "Oh! I know, you're just waiting for someone better to come along."

Or someone worse. John thought.

"Mary is perfect Mike. She's a great girl. More than I could expect." But something in his own voice didn't sound convincing to himself. He sighed. What has gotten into you John?

Mike opened his mouth to say something but thought the better of it. The evening turned out to be a rather silent one after that.

Once they were outside Mike gave him a friendly half hug and said kindly, "Don't worry about things much John. I'm sure everything will fall into place."

John smiled at his long-time friend feeling relieved and contended to have a friend like him.

As they parted ways the inner turmoil in John rose up to surface again claiming all his attention.

Well if you fall in love with a man then you're gay.

And if you fall in love with a man with questionable identity and suspicious whereabouts then you're an idiot.

I can't just be in love with a man I barely know!

Are you not?

No!

Then what's bugging your mind?

My mind apparently!

Why?

I don't know.

Oh! Stop pretending!

As John walked through the cold night he neared the alley where he had found Sherlock. It was dark and misty like that night and John felt like he would find him lying there again. By some mysterious twist of the universe or time he would be back in that night again. He would find Sherlock again. The sigh he released made a cloud in front of his face before dissolving in the mist.

He had just passed the alley when he heard the now extremely recognizable baritone, making him stop in his tracks again. It had been three days since he had last heard it.

"Had a nice evening doctor?"

This was sooner. John thought, he had expected to have to wait another week or so until the next encounter.

He didn't turn around instantly. He heard the man stride out of the dark alley and come close to him. Only then he turned to face the man who was still meters away from him, standing with a swirl of mist around him, not entirely visible in the only low light of the light post behind them. The man's face was barely visible with the light and shadows playing on his angular features.

They stood facing each other, silently. John could almost feel the all knowing smile on the other man's face.

"You didn't expect me so soon." The baritone spoke breaking the silence after what seemed like a very long time.

"I didn't expect you at all." John lied in a steady voice knowing full well that it would be caught.

The answer came in a deep chuckle, refuting his claim.

If John was in his right mind he wouldn't stay there. He wouldn't have stopped in the first place. He wouldn't have done anything that would lead him to a situation like this. This man in front of him could be anything, anyone. He could be a robber, murderer, terrorist anything. But John was not in his right mind, not since he had met him.

He was an idiot after all. He sighed as he realized.

"Who are you Sherlock?" he asked tentatively.

"I told you." The man replied not in the least ruffled.

"I want to know who you really are." John said wearily.

"Why can't I be what I have told you?"

"I don't know. I don't know what but there's something very wrong with the scenario."

"Obviously there is. Economic depression, people losing Jobs, ending up on streets, unemployment…"

He was cut mid-sentence by John.

"That's not it." John said gravely, the man was lying incessantly, but why would he even bother to tell the truth to him? And why would he bother to listen?

"Then what is it John?" the man drawled and came and came nearer. John could feel the penetrating eyes on him.

What are you expecting from this man John? Who is he? What is he doing to you? Where will this end up? Oh! You know quite well where this will end up. He'll just leave again, making you stand in the dark looking for him. He'll never be there, this will never be real, this can never be anything real. If you fall for him he'll let you, he's already leading you but he'll vanish again someday, leaving you broken. Maybe he would come back, maybe he would vanish for good. Who knows? Don't risk everything you have John. Let this go. Go back to the secure stable life you have. Don't plunge into darkness holding onto something that is not even there.

"What do you want Sherlock?" John asked resigning.

The man studied John as if he could read all he thoughts that passed through John's mind. The all knowing smile gave away to enquiry, then understanding.

John knew without saying that he understood what John's mental state was. As if in agreement to his thoughts the man gave John a curt nod and started receding in to the mist. John knew full well that maybe this is the last time he saw the man if he didn't stop him. A part of him desperately wanted to stop him, it was feeling like a caged bird. The other sane part though told him it was only for his own good.

Before he knew it the man had again vanished into the mist.

John felt cold.