10 years earlier (cont.d))
Sherlock dropped the lamp and stood staring at the body on the bedroom floor. His feet felt heavy; leaden; unmoving and his mouth gaped as his breathing became harsh and laboured.
Mycroft uncurled his legs and dropped them to the floor, carefully avoiding the rapidly spreading blood patch that soaked their carpet.
"Oh my God, Sherlock. What did you do?"
Sherlock couldn't move; couldn't breathe; couldn't think.
"I... I... he was... I didn't mean to... he... oh my God..." he stuttered, shakily trying to crouch by their father who still hadn't made any move since he fell.
Mycroft came around and crouched next to his brother. His eyes darted from their father's face to Sherlock's as he fumbled desperately to find a pulse.
Sherlock grabbed one of Mycroft's arms, wrapping his fingers around it and squeezing hard.
"Is he...?" Sherlock's voice cracked, and the question remained unasked. Mycroft didn't need to hear it to know what it was though. He wordlessly nodded and placed his free hand over Sherlock's.
Sherlock, suddenly completely overcome with panic and fear, pulled himself free from his brother and ran to his bed, pressing his back against the wall and rocking nervously, hands wrapped around his knees.
"Oh my god... oh my god... oh my god..." he repeated, over and over, tears falling and leaving damp streaks on his pyjamas.
Mycroft gave his father one last look before crossing over to Sherlock and pulling him close into a tight embrace.
"Shhhhhhh," he whispered, stroking his hand through the soft, dark curls, "Shhhhhh, I'll sort it. It'll be OK, Sherlock. I'll sort it."
Mycroft tip-toed to the back door and quietly slipped open the latch, letting his husband inside the Holmes residence for the first time, thankful that the house staff were all out for Christmas night now. He leaned in to give Jerry a brief kiss before leading him upstairs.
"This way." he whispered, taking Jerry's hand and guiding him to the bedroom.
As Mycroft pushed open the door, Jerry gasped at the scene. A well-built man - Siger Holmes, Jerry presumed - lay lifeless on the carpet, blood pouring into the worn fibres, and Sherlock was sitting on the bed, rocking back and forth and sobbing loudly.
"Oh my god." he sighed, crossing quickly to the younger Holmes and checking him over. When he was satisfied that, apart from shock, Sherlock was OK, he dropped to the floor to check Siger Holmes' body.
"He's definitely dead." Jerry confirmed, standing and walking over to Mycroft who was hugging himself in the bedroom doorway. "Did you call an ambulance?"
Sherlock's head shot up from his knees at the question, his eyes wide and pale.
"Oh my god," he repeated, trying to stretch out his legs, "they'll arrest me. I'll go to..."
He flattened his feet on the floor and attempted to stand, but his body was failing him. His legs gave way and he crumbled helplessly onto the carpet, coming to rest only inches from his father's body.
Mycroft and Jerry hurried across and each took one of Sherlock's trembling arms, helping him up and sitting him back down on the side of the bed. They sat on either side of him, not releasing their grips on his arms. Mycroft began brushing his thumb across Sherlock's knuckles and slowly, the younger man came back to himself.
Jerry nipped into the adjoining bathroom and fetched Sherlock a glass of water, passing it to the young man who accepted it with a short nod of thanks. He then surveyed the room and took a deep breath.
"Right," he said calmly, when he was sure that both Holmes brothers could handle a discussion about what to do, "I think I know what we need to do."
Sherlock looked up at his brother, asking a silent question. Can we trust Jerry with this?
Mycroft nodded. We can, absolutely.
Jerry spoke next, his hand wrapped in Mycroft's but his eyes carefully watching Sherlock.
"Your father was drunk, yes?" he looked at Sherlock, seeing the man's lowered head nod in response before continuing. "OK, and I presume that this thing..." he motioned to the two brothers, "... this thing between you two..." Mycroft's expression changed, shocked, Jerry knew? Sherlock didn't flinch, "... Don't look so shocked, Myc." he said, threading his fingers through his husband's, "Of course I have always known. It's not a problem and not an issue right now but... anyway... this thing between you, nobody knows, right?"
At this question, Sherlock did look up, engaging his brother's eyes with a clear expression of panic. He tried and failed to clear his throat to answer.
"No. Nobody." Mycroft answered instead with a squeeze of Jerry's hand.
Jerry nodded. "OK. Then we say that he stumbled in here drunk and tripped and fell." he scanned the room, "He tripped over the case at the end of the bed, knocked off the table lamp and fell and hit his head on it."
Mycroft ran his eyes over the room himself. His case had been knocked over when father stumbled in, and the scene before them didn't differ too much from the story. He turned to Sherlock and reached across his husband to lay his hand on his brother's arm.
"Sherlock?" he said quietly, almost having to rouse the younger man from a trance, "Do you agree?"
Sherlock nodded, and Jerry stood, leaving the brothers to close the gap between them.
"I need to leave, Myc." he said, carefully making his way back to the bedroom door. "I am not here. I was never here. You will need to call an ambulance and perhaps the police. And try to wake your mother. Will she back up any information about your father's..." he paused a moment, looking for a tactful way to put what he wanted to say, "...about your father's temperament?"
Sherlock shrugged as Mycroft made his way to his husband.
"I think so." he replied, pulling Jerry towards him and kissing him softly. "Thank you, Jerry."
The Irishman returned the kiss and nodded. "Call me later and I'll come to the station, if you need me." he said before turning and leaving.
Mycroft watched his lover disappear down the hallway and turned to approach Sherlock who once again sat frozen.
"Come on, Sherlock." he whispered, resting his hand on the man's shoulder, "We need to wake Mummy."