Okay guys! So sorry about the slight delay. I really wanted to get this done on Saturday, but my mom had surgery on Thursday, and so I've basically been taking over being 'lady of the house', plus babysitter, and hospital trips, and school work (thank God I'm homeschooled) and so I've been busy, and I haven't slept good at all. But! Shes feeling better today so I had the time to whip this up while she sleeps and stuff. Hope you like!
Chapter 6 JOHNS POV
Just as I was walking through the door, a small smile on my face as I took in the familiar surroundings, Mrs. Hudson walked through from her own flat, a spatula in her hand from whatever she had been cooking.
"Sherlock! You're back from the hospital already? It'll be so nice to have you back. And what are you talking about about? What gue- oh my God!" she was saying as she made her way to the front door, where she broke off with a gasp when she noticed me standing there, the color draining from her face and her hands pressed against her chest.
"Mrs. Hudson. It's been awhile," I said with a small smile and a nod, unsure whether to approach or to keep my distance.
There was a long pause, the air feeling heavy with something I couldn't place my finger on when Mrs. Hudson finally spoke up.
"Can you see it too?" she whispered to Sherlock, her voice just slightly quivering as she stared at me.
"It is me, I'm real." I said, before Sherlock could say anything. "Mycroft decided that he didn't want me dead, apparently," I said, a small smile briefly spreading across my face before it fell again.
It was silent for awhile, before Mrs. Hudson suddenly approached me, gripping the spatula tightly as she walked up before starting to smack me with it on the shoulder and arm, surprisingly hard.
"Oh dear me, you, you... how dare you go away and leave Sherlock and me here, thinking you're dead, when you're off doing who knows what, running around the country with Mycroft?!" she exclaimed, voice nearly a yell, but her eyes had turned glassy, and her grip was starting to weaken.
I gently grabbed her wrists and pulled her closer, wrapping her in a loose hug as she started to cry.
"I know, Mrs. Hudson. I didn't want to, but Mycroft needed me to do something, and I needed to keep you all safe," I gently tried to explain, and even I knew that was a pathetic explanation I figured it would have to do for now.
Taking in a deep breath, I suddenly frowned. "Mrs. Hudson, I believe that something is burning."
She jumped away, her eyes wide. "Oh dear! I forgot all about that! You go upstairs now, and get settled in. I'll come by later, with some goodies." she said, pain still there but a faint twinkle in her eye, and I smiled a little and nodded.
"Of course, Mrs. Hudson. That would be wonderful. I have missed your cooking,"
She playful swatted me with the spatula before turning, thankfully missing my wince as it landed on a sore spot.
"Flattery won't get you very far. You still have a lot to answer for," she said over her shoulder, before entering her flat.
I sighed quietly as she left. "I know," I whispered to myself before starting up the stairs, running my hand along the wood. I wasn't sure if I was savoring it, or just putting off entering the flat. Maybe both.
Soon I reached the top, and almost hesitantly pushed the door open, only to find Sherlock waiting for me just inside the door. Cautiously I entered, and as soon as I did he punched me. Hard. Harder than I was anticipating, actually, before he went over and started attending to what appeared to be several experiments.
I rubbed my cheek, lightly glaring at him. "What was that for?" I questioned, moving over to the freezer to grab some ice, hoping there was some there.
I could see his smirk as he casually replied, "I believe I had a punch to cash in on," and I suddenly remembered about our conversation in the hospital, and only shook my head, trying not to show how amused I really was.
"I brought your chair back out," he said suddenly, and I turned around to notice that yes, my chair was back in nearly it's exact spot, only just slightly off.
I nodded, "thanks" I replied, only getting a hum of acknowledgment in reply as I slowly sat down, trying to ignore my stinging cheek and closing my eyes, savoring all the almost familiar sounds and sights. Even the smiley face was the same, if a bit more worn. It was home, and I couldn't be happier to be back.
Well, I could, because it didn't exactly happen with the best of circumstances, but besides that.
Not long after Mrs. Hudson came up, bring a small tray of a variety of goodies, and I made tea, and we chatted for a bit, me attempting to give a better explanation for my disappearing act, Mrs. Hudson explaining everything that's happened while I've been gone, and Sherlock sitting in the living room almost eerily quiet. Soon she left and I made my way to where my chair was sitting, staring back at Sherlock as he no doubt tried to analyze me, and I did the same to him, and, I could be wrong, but it looked like he had used some recently. I mentally sighed when I realized it could only have been during the few minutes when I was talking with Mrs. Hudson downstairs, causing my heart to break a little more.
I did have to fight back a small smirk, though, when a look of frustration flashed in his eyes, no doubt finding his attempt to analyze me unsuccessful. Because I can do it myself now, so I make sure it's harder for people to do the same with me. And it would appear I succeeded.
Deciding to just let Sherlock work things out of my own, I closed my eyes and delved into my mind, examining what I had on the Spider and Moriarty's organization as a whole. All the signs point to Moriarty being back, but that just didn't make sense. I watched him blow his brains out. But at the same time...
"So you're like me now," Sherlock suddenly said, cutting into my thoughts and breaking my concentration. I opened my eyes, blinking a little in surprise at the sudden brightness.
"I don't think anyone is quite like you," I said dryly, eyeing him myself, my heart breaking just a little more as I noticed more signs of the drug abuse.
At his insistent look, I sighed and went on further. "But yes. I have built my own little mind palace. I had to, out there. And I forced myself to become more... Observant." I explained, not mentioning that I had been mostly drawing on what I picked up from him. Or that I had done that after I almost died for real because of a foolish mistake.
He didn't say anything, just suddenly got up and went over to his violin, starting to play a random tune I hadn't heard before, and I just closed my eyes again, letting him process everything and work it out in his own head.
It had been about a week since I came back to the flat, and some days I honestly wonder if I should have even stayed with Sherlock. He didn't change. At all. The only reason why the flat was clean was because I cleaned it every night when I couldn't sleep, which was most nights.
I suppose I couldn't expect him to change just like that, especially not for me, after what I did. But watching him continue to slowly degrade frustrated and hurt me all at the same time. The only reason why he didn't overdose, or get too close to it, was because every time he wasn't around I threw out a good portion of his stash, making sure I at least did something.
Some days I wanted to go back to hunting Moriarty, and I got antsy most of the time, even on cases. Because we were almost sitting ducks, and after being on the move for so long, being a soldier for so long, it didn't sit well with me, because that's how you get killed.
I tried to convince myself that that wouldn't happen, that I was just exaggerating, but old habits die hard. Especially when those old habits used to be the only thing keeping you alive.
Sometimes I wonder if he meant it, in the ride home. That he couldn't take me leaving again. He never talked to me, he barely glanced at me, and most of the time he acted as if I wasn't there, except for on cases, which was the only place where everything was like it used to be. And it hurt. With a sigh, I climbed the stairs to my room.
Sherlock was out again, doing god knows what. I only hoped it wasn't something to do with drugs.
As I laid on my bed, I couldn't help but think about the murders we had been investigating. There was something about them, it just didn't sit well with me. It made me even more concerned and cautious than I usually was, kept me up more, and I couldn't figure out why.
I kept going to Moriarty's basement, even our past case files I kept hidden away in my head, but I couldn't find why these bothered me so much, and with a sinking feeling I realized that either I hadn't filed it, or my mind had, somehow, for some reason, suppressed it. Or both.
'I should be out doing more. I should be out tracking these people down' I thought to myself, almost irritably, even as I shook that thought away.I told him I would stay, and he told me he couldn't take it if I left again. So I would. Even if it didn't seem like there was a point in it.
I was so tired from staying up so much, from wearing myself out mentally from being so cautious, that for the first time I ignored the slimy feeling you get when you're being watched, and didn't even notice the small bug in the corner of my room watching me as I merely passed out, exhaustion taking over my cognitive thought for the moment.
Which was my first mistake.
Okay. So, a commenter mentioned something about wouldn't Mrs. Hudson visit Sherlock in the hospital? Well. Yes. So, I included that in the beginning, sort of vaugly hinting at it. Or at least having her know about it. And also, that ending legitly surprised me. Like, I have no idea where this story is going anymore. So, it'll be awhile before my next update. Both because of that, and I'm super busy here at home, and just. Yeah. I'm gonna try and get the next part done as soon as I can, obviously. I'm just not going to make any promises on when that will be.
And also! I'm so so sorry if this is choppy, or jumps around a lot. I litterally wrote this, took a break, and edited it (it took like hour and a hald-2 hours all in all) instead of editing it tomorrow, to give myself a more fresh look on it. So sorry if it isn't as good, I just really wanted to get this to you guys ASAP. Unbeta'd, so any problems and stuff then please let me know, and hope you guys have a good week!
cunning bird~
