Chapter Three: Our Love Is (Not) A Ghost
"Sorry, what's this about?" John asks unsurely, blocking the man's entry.
"Trust me, I'm a doctor." The man replies with a smile.
"Yeah, so am I. What are you a doctor of, exactly?"
"I'm the doctor."
"Right. Of what?"
"John, you don't mind if I call you John do you? Shall we take this inside? Tea?" The man asks in random sentences.
"Right." John repeats with a furrow of his brow, stepping aside to let the strange man in.
The man steps inside with a big grin, clearly oblivious to John's confusion and stands waiting for John to shut the door.
"Sherlock. Is this one of your friends? He's mad enough to be one of them." John calls up to his flatmate as he walks up the stairs.
"Who's Sherlock?" The man asks, looking at John curiously.
"My flatmate. Anyway, just go through, I'll just turn the shower off."
The man nods in reply, walking into the living room.
"Sorry, what was your name?" John asks as he enters the room.
"The Doctor." The man replies, smiling at John.
"Doctor what?" John asks, looking over at the man.
"Just The Doctor."
"Right. So, what's this about?" John repeats, walking into the kitchen. "Sherlock, I think we have a client. Come out here."
Unfortunately, apparently Sherlock isn't in the mood to come out of his room right now and so John just rolls his eyes and heads back into the living room with two cups of tea.
"Sorry, I didn't know if you took sugar or milk so I'll just get them for you."
"I think you should sit down, John."
"Alright."
"Your flatmate Sherlock, where is he?" The Doctor asks, sitting forward on the couch.
"Probably sulking in his room." John chuckles lightly, smiling at the Doctor.
"John, I need to tell you something and you're not going to like it."
"Go on."
"Does it look real to you? Does it seem real?" The Doctor asks carefully, looking at John sympathetically.
John gives a puzzled look before looking around at his flat and then back at the Doctor.
"You dreamed it for yourself because the truth was too terrible."
"No."
"I'm sorry, John. I really am. Sherlock isn't real. I don't understand what is going on exactly. But I've been watching over you and, your flatmate he doesn't exist. I'm sorry."
"No! You're wrong! He does exist! He's just in his room." John snaps, standing up and walking to Sherlock's room and opening the door.
The Doctor follows him and looks inside the room; it's empty, just as it was when John moved in.
"John," The Doctor starts, his tone gentle.
"How … how did I … what's going on?" John asks in a broken voice.
"I … Goodbye, John." The Doctor replies unsurely, stepping away from the army doctor slowly.
Twenty minutes pass before John turns around and picks up his phone.
"Harry, hey, can you meet me? Thanks." John replies before hanging up.
x..x
"Hey, Harry. Thanks for meeting me. How are you?" John asks politely, sitting down at the table in a local café.
"I'm alright, yeah. I'm off the booze now. Oh, me and Clara are going strong. Anyway, how are you doing, little brother?" Harry asks with a big smile.
"I'm … fine. Yeah, I'm fine."
"You sure?" Harry chuckles, playfully kicking him under the table.
"Yeah. I am, seriously."
"You seem a bit, I dunno, lonely?" Harry replies unsurely, chewing her bottom lip.
"I'm fine."
"Ya know, you need someone to take care of. Now that you're back from Afghanistan, you could finally have that family you always wanted. You were always great with me, and we both know that I was supposed to be the older sibling."
"Harry, what are you saying?"
"Well, there are lots of orphans that need adopting. And who better to look after one than you?" Harry replies with a soft smile.
John looks at her properly, trying to figure out what her angle is. But all he gets is pure sympathy and honesty. She also looks good, John notices with pride. She doesn't twitch from alcohol withdrawal anymore and her face looks a nice shade of pink from the cold. She looks like old Harry did when they were kids.
"Harry, I can't just adopt a child because I'm lonely."
"No, but you can adopt a child because you want someone to love and take care of. You need to be needed, John. It's always been your weakness, as well as it being your strength. Isn't that why you joined the army? To help people? Well, you still can. Seriously, me and Clara are looking to adopt now that I'm off the booze."
"Alright. If it will stop you banging on about it, I'll go to the orphanage. But I'm just going to adopt a child like someone adopts a dog from the animal shelter. I'll … I'll volunteer there. Yeah, I'll volunteer at the orphanage. Like you said, I need to be needed. Jesus, Harry, when did you become the rational one?" John smiles, grasping his sister's hand.
"I blame it on Clara. That woman's changed me, John. She really has." Harry smiles back, squeezing her little brother's hand.
"Well, remind me to thank her."
"Come over on Friday and you can. She's cooking tea for us. She really wants to meet you, John."
"Alright. Friday. I'll be there." John grins.
"Good."