Chapter 2- The Calm

Sherlock had not slept and had barely eaten a thing in three days which in itself was not that unusual but for once it wasn't just a side-effect of working on a case. No the reason was so much more important than a case and laying on a cot breathing heavily and tossing while he sat helplessly watching a hand's width away on a comfortable armchair.

"Brother you have to rest," Mycroft said as he walked into the room and placing down a covered plate of something that Sherlock was sure had been drugged 'for his own good' he was tired not stupid.

Sherlock's eyes drifted over to his brother to give him a half-hearted glare before returning his gaze back to John.

Mycroft knew a dismissal when he saw one and left not bothering to say anything else since he knew that Sherlock was most likely going to just delete whatever he had to say and he'd rather not waste his breath.

It was hard to believe that three days had really passed since he and John had arrived here after the call to Mycroft who was just as insufferable as Sherlock had thought he would be.

Only seconds after the call, Sherlock was carrying John out of the crime scene, and getting into the shiny black car that had arrived and took them to an old two story school building that Mycroft had converted into a base.

Within moments of arriving John had been hooked up to a heart monitor divested of his clothing, Sherlock managed to keep them from cutting up the jumper though because when John awoke he was sure that he would be happy that his favorite jumper hadn't been demolished, and shoved into one of those atrocious hospital gowns.

John had woken only once three hours after he had gotten there. He was in so much pain, even with the drugs in his system, that he could hardly speak but when he caught sight of Sherlock he smiled and said "Sorry about the case."

For one second the detective stood still in utter shock. He could not believe what his ears had heard. John was obviously in a great deal of pain and that was the thing he chose to waste energy on saying. 'It really shouldn't surprise me' he thought 'it is John after all'

"Do you know what's wrong with you?" he asked as he rang for the doctor.

John shook his head, almost imperceptibly, obviously in too much pain to speak again. The doctor came in and after taking a few readings he had upped John's dose of morphine.

Sherlock had been sitting there ever since that moment waiting. He admitted if only to himself that he was scared. It wasn't the kind of fear that he had felt back during the whole Baskerville situation but this was a more mind-numbing kind of fear. Whatever was happing to John wasn't normal that much he could tell. John had become a constant in his life, a fixed point of dependency, and it was hard to imagine himself going back to how he had been before he had met John.

It took seeing his friend like this to make him realize how much he had come to valued him. Not that he would ever admit it out loud of course. He could be a little more considerate though just to show him what he meant how important he was to him. Maybe a few less appendages in the fridge and maybe not playing his violin at one in the morning would be a good start.

"What's wif dat look," John said in a voice that was muddled a bit by the drugs that were still in his blood. They had, had to remove the IV the previous day because his body had been jerking and they were afraid that he might have yanked it out if he had shook too violently.

"Nothing I was just thinking about-" he suddenly broke off when he realized who was speaking to him. "John!" he said voice colored by surprise and relief.

John stared for a moment then smiled at him. After a drink of water he said "You need to rest. You're acting almost human."

"Despite what you and others choose to believe I am Homo-sapien in origin."

"Really!?" John said sounding genuinely surprised by the news.

"Of course he is human John. We are brothers after all." Mycroft said as he entered the room.

"That's not exactly proof Mycroft." Sherlock said.

"If anything that proves that he could be an alien." John added. "I'm not convinced that you're human either what with the fact that you carry around an umbrella you're like a male Mary Poppins that just can't be normal."

Suddenly Sherlock burst out with laughter. "Just imagining Mycroft floating away on his umbrella can't you see it John, Mycroft Poppins."

John was stunned for a moment but then he looked over at Mycroft and he couldn't help bursting into a round of laughter himself. Both he and Sherlock tried to stop but then they looked at Mycroft and then each other and began giggling like school children once more.

"It could be part of the 'Merry Mycroft Musical' John choked out.

Sherlock's eyes widened and he began laughing harder than before. "Staring Queen Mycroft," he said referring back to the conversation that he and John had, had back at the palace. John got the reference immediately and started to cry from laughing to hard.

Mycroft was just rolling his eyes he always seemed to be the butt of jokes for these two. But it was nice to see his brother like this so it was worth a few jokes at his expense to see this not that he would ever say that, he had an image to maintain after all.

"If you two are done?" he asked.

"Yes Your Majesty," John said choking on more laughter.

Later in Mycroft's car

"Think Mycroft will send someone after us?" John asked as they got out of the car in front of 221B feeling a bit bad about the laughfest that they had, had at the older Holmes's expense.

"Mycroft will be fine John," Sherlock said dismissively as he opened the door.

"So what was the matter with me?" John asked.

Sherlock snapped around.

"Oh don't look so shocked I know Mycroft told you whatever his doctor found out."

"Very well," Sherlock said as he opened the door to their flat. "He said that the only thing that was wrong besides exhaustion was an anomaly in your blood work." Sherlock said as though he were dissatisfied with the information. "Naturally they couldn't tell what had made you feel so much pain."

"Well I feel okay now," John said going into the kitchen to make tea while Sherlock flopped on the couch.

After the tea was ready John sat one cup on the table in front of the couch and took the other and sat in his chair. "I've been meaning to ask why you hugged me that day at the crime scene." John said after he sipped his tea.

"It was the best way to restrain you John and I knew that you wouldn't hurt me."

"How?"

"If you were going to hurt me it would have been a long time ago.

"You're right."

"I always am."

"About things that you know."

"Oh please don't start with the whole solar system bit again."

John smiled and drunk more tea. "Thanks by the way," he said a moment later.

Sherlock looked at him.

"Well you called Mycroft I know how much you detest that and you put up with him just to stay with me I dare say it was nice of you."

"Well of course I had to stay to make sure that you were okay who else would share a flat with me and blog about the cases."

"Glad I'm good for something," John said.

"Of course you are why else would I keep you around?"

"Was that… a compliment?" John asked

"Of course it was," Sherlock said as though it should have been obvious.

'Only he could insult someone with a complement' John thought.

Three seconds later a small square cushion collided with the head of Sherlock Holmes.

That night neighbors complained of the noise from a slumber party.

A/N sorry i couldn't resist John throwing a pillow at him even if it is a bit OOC. anyway the next chap is where the exciting stuff is going to happen. it was supposed to be in this one but it didn't end up like that. *sigh* oh well hope you liked this and the next chap should be up in a day or two depending on how Thanksgiving goes. Happy Thanksgiving by the way. Oh and i wouldn't be surprised if I upload a Sherlock oneshot soon cause i got ideas rolling around my head but i wanna do a lot with this story. Shutting up now as always Rand R.