Prompt from YoughaltheJust: Holmes is too busy to realize it's Christmas Eve.
It's so close to Christmas! Just two more sleeps!
At the sound of a bell, John looked at the door again, then sunk back into his seat when no hawkish figure appeared in the doorway.
I laid my hand on his. "He'll come. He wouldn't miss Christmas, not after we invited him especially."
He smiled briefly, and squeezed my hand, but did not look cheered. "Holmes has never particularly cared for Christmas. Our first year in Baker Street, he was absent until two o'clock Christmas afternoon, and hadn't even thought of buying presents."
I enjoyed these small pieces of the life he'd led before me, but that memory only seemed to be making John sadder. "What about after that? What did you do for Christmas last year?"
His smile this time looked a little brighter. "Last year we were on a case, out by the coast. It was miserable weather, pouring down rain; Holmes hated it. None of his disguises were much good when it was too wet to be outside. It took so long to solve, we didn't come back to London until New Year's Day."
I bit my lip against laughter at the thought of my John and Mr Holmes absolutely soaked through, wandering around a little town by the coast.
"We didn't bring presents with us, but we had a Christmas supper by the fire, and our host led us in carolling. I'd never heard Holmes sing before then, but he hadn't brought his violin, and our host's daughter insisted on everyone taking part." John's smile faded. "It was a lovely night."
This would not do. If Mr Holmes did not come tonight, I resolved, tomorrow we would go to Baker Street and have our Christmas dinner there. Whatever was keeping Mr Holmes busy, I would not let him disappoint my husband on Christmas!