Chapter the first – The past is just as important
Ella had thought, for a long time, that the reason why John Watson didn't really talk about his time in the army, was what had happened or had something to do with his trust issues. But at some point she had realised that he couldn't talk about it. That it just wasn't allowed or even if it was, it was strongly advised that people didn't talk about it.
She wonders, even now, what John has seen. Wonders if it has been stranger than the things he nowadays sees with Sherlock Holmes – the man John seems infatuated with.
"Do you think imagination is over-rated?" John asks. His gaze shifts wildly about.
Ella looks at him, stares at him. "No. I don't. Why do you ask?"
"If I asked you to imagine zombies were real, would you?"
Ella wonders for a while before saying: "Yes. I would."
"That's because you can. Living with Sherlock – you can't ask him a thing like that. Because 'it's impossible for zombies to exist'. Sometimes I wonder if he believes in anything that hasn't been proven to be real," John tells her. He's looking at his hands and his hands are fists. Then he lifts his head and smiles at Ella. "I'm trying to tell Sherlock about my time in the army but it's quite hard. I'm not sure if I'll be able to make him believe me."
Ella wonders what it has been like in the army when John leaves.
She wonders what zombies have to do with anything.
Sherlock goes around. He talks to Bill Murray and he finds out that Bill talks about army as little as John. And when he mentions zombies, it's not a laugh he gets as an answer – it's a surprised look, a smile that's so sad on the edges that it might make an emotional person break down. Sherlock can't understand.
He finds Mike Stamford and invites him for a coffee. He mentions zombies and Mike stares at him curiously and Sherlock can see that Mike has no idea what is going on with John. It's as obvious as the fact that Bill knows exactly what has happened.
Harry won't see him. It doesn't matter, Sherlock's quite sure John wouldn't have told her, anyway.
Molly tries to laugh when Sherlock starts talking about zombies. She really tries, but something in her face hardens and she locks some of the windows that usually let Sherlock see inside her, see everything she thinks. But he can see that Molly doesn't connect John to zombies. He wonders what would happen if the two would talk more.
He finds Sarah and she gives him a confused look at the word zombies. She says something about being amazed at Sherlock even suggesting such beings to be real; everyone knows they're just characters in books and movies and television.
Then he remembers John's words and wonders what his brother thinks about zombies. Naturally, he won't ask.
When Bill calls John, he isn't surprised.
"Is something going on?"
"I'm trying to tell him what went on back there."
Bill huffs. "You know they don't like people knowing things like that."
John smiles and wonders how long it's been since he's seen Bill. Too long. "His brother has given me permission. Now, what are you doing tomorrow?"
Sherlock goes over John's word again and again and again. John is out, with Stamford, he thinks, so he has time to mull it over.
He doesn't really want to believe in zombies, but John seems so determined and he seems to believe that Mycroft thinks zombies to be true, too.
There's a corner in his mind palace for everything supernatural. He has read the book John mentioned, for a case a year ago (there was a killer who thought he was getting rid of zombies, and John had mentioned that all the deaths were like zombie deaths and why hadn't Sherlock remembered this before?) and now it was important again.
When John gets back home, Sherlock is almost in a trance and John wonders for a while if he should interrupt Sherlock's thinking before Sherlock opens his eyes and stares at John.
"You were with Murray."
John smiles. "Yeah. It was nice. Haven't had a good chat with him in a long time. Thanks, by the way, I don't think I'd have suggested it had you not gone to meet him."
"Did you talk about zombies?" Sherlock is looking at John like he would an experiment. But it doesn't bother John, who knows why it is.
"Actually, yes. We haven't really spoken about them lately," John answers. He wonders how long he'll sound like he was the maniac to Sherlock's ears and if he'll get any help from Mycroft.
Sherlock hums. "You should talk to Molly. She seems to know more about them than she wants to let on. Though I still don't see how zombies make any sense." He blinks and gets up, walking towards John, staring into the doctor's eyes intensively. "Are you worried that I won't believe you?"
John shrugs. "As long as you're not trying to get me into an asylum, not really."
"And you know I would never." Sherlock frowns and places his hand on John's shoulder. "You are a strange man, John Watson. Extraordinary."
John raises his brow. "Isn't that my line?" he asks before laughing and turning away. "I'm going to bed. Night, Sherlock."
"Night, mystery."