Chapter 11
Thank you so much for the reviews they mean so much to me! Please keep them coming I love to know what you think and that you are reading this. Sorry about the delay in updating I haven't had the best week but never mind here we go! Oh one last thing I have recently discovered the wonders of Doctor Who! I loved seeing David Tennant as the Doctor again last night! I would love to write a Doctor Who story one day. Any other Doctor Who fans reading this? Let me know in a review or PM me I love to talk about it or Sherlock! Enough of me talking now and on with the story!
Disclaimer
I sadly still own nothing but it's nearly the new year when I can put up my Sherlock calender!
"What are you looking so happy about?" John asked suspiciously.
"Things are about to get interesting John, that's what. Why are you so suspicious of me being happy? You were complaining a while ago that I am too serious, too dark. You know John I really am starting to think there is no pleasing you. Makes me think it is a good thing that I don't particularly care if you are pleased or not," Sherlock commented.
"We've been offered a case then?" John asked.
"No, well yes several actually but we'll get back to that later there is something even more interesting going on," Sherlock said the excitement palatable in his voice.
"What are you talking about?" John asked warily. He had long learned this couldn't be good not where Sherlock was involved. He looked closer at Sherlock and his sense of unease intensified as he saw a bit of unease in Sherlock's face. It wasn't easy to see, to most he would look happy, but John saw it and it chilled him. "What's going on?" he asked again in a more serious tone.
"For God Sake, read," Sherlock said impatiently as he angled the laptop towards his flatmate.
Sherlock,
I don't give complements easily but I give them where they are deserved. I feel it is important and right to give praise where it is due. You played the game well, I have to admit for a moment I thought I had you beat. I have to say i'm glad I didn't. That would have been too easy and over far too fast. Now though it really is time for our last and final game and this time there can only be one winner and no second chances. I look forward to playing again.
Your friend.
"No, it can't be, it can't be from him, he's dead!" John said urgently as he finished reading the short email.
"He's not dead. I already told you that he wasn't dead," Sherlock said impatiently.
"Then what does this mean? Sherlock we have to go to the police! He can't do this again, he can't!" John near yelled.
"The police? Don't be such an idiot John! This is it the final battle, the final game and I do not intend to lose. Given the grammar in that email I have to say there is no way I can lose. I have to say though I am a little disappointed. I would have thought someone with a capability for such interesting games would at least be able to punctuate a basic email," he said shaking his head a little.
"Are you being serious Sherlock? How can you be focusing on the grammar?" John snapped.
"Good grammar is important John," Sherlock said with a shrug.
"What are you going to do about this?" John asked worriedly. How could he be so calm about this, so happy almost.
"Wait for him to make his move and trust me this time I will win," Sherlock said with a smirk.
"Sherlock this isn't a game, this is serious!" John began began before Sherlock cut him off.
"I am quite aware that it is serious," he said.
"No, no i'm not so sure that you are aware. Jim Moriarty is a killer, he wanted you dead! You need to stop treating this like a game, this is damn serious Sherlock. We need to do something about this Sherlock, now!" John stated meeting his eye.
"You have seen yourself how incompetent the police are and who they go to when they are stuck. You know as well as I do there is only one way this can end and it is between us. Trust me John, I wont lose. I can't lose!" Sherlock said firmly.
John sighed he wasn't happy about this but he knew there was no point arguing about it. He was especially worried about this as he still didn't feel Sherlock was in full health. He was concerned he wasn't taking care of himself but he knew it would be pointless to get into that with him right now.
"What do you think is going to happen?" he eventually asked so he could at least have some idea of what to expect.
"I don't know yet. We'll just have to wait and see. I always find this part tedious but somehow I think this will all be worth it," Sherlock said with a smile.
"Sherlock stop it! You need to take this seriously and stop treating it like a game!" he said urgently.
"John, stop letting your emotions rule your mind and actually think for once. I am aware of how serious this is and I also know the only way to deal with it. I am just not stupid enough to ignore the fact that there is a thrill and an excitement to this. It is that very thing that makes it all the more certain that I will win. It is much harder to lose focus and concentration on something so interesting and focus and concentration have never been more important," he said.
"Alright but please keep me involved this time, no tricks like last time," he said quietly. He shuddered as he thought of the time he'd spent believing Sherlock was dead.
"Fine," Sherlock said at last.
"What are the cases we have been offered?" John asked. He needed something to distract himself from that email.
"Nothing of any real interest. Honestly since when did peoples' lives become even more monotonous and dull than they already were?" he asked.
"I can't believe you! You have been complaining that you haven't been working and now you are being offered work and you are still complaining!" John said. He forced himself not to say that he felt Sherlock should really be resting and taking it easy especially while the doctors worked to get his condition under control.
"Yes, real cases! Cases of interest! Half of these cases aren't even real cases! They are just excuses for me to contact them so they can ask how I faked my death," he said bitterly.
"You can't know that," John protested.
"Yes I can," he stated.
"How?" John asked suppressing the feeling that he was going to regret asking that question.
"Look here," he began angling the computer towards John again before he began speaking. "Look at this one, look at the detail, it's perfect everything about it is perfect. If you were really so concerned about a missing family member you would not put this much thought into the email. Now lets look at this one, this one didn't even make any effort, their story is lifted straight out of yesterdays paper. Do I really need to go on?" Sherlock asked.
"No, okay I get it, but come on some of them have to be genuine," he said.
"Yes but they are all boring! I want something interesting," Sherlock said exasperatedly.
"They can't all be boring you really need to stop being so difficult Sherlock," John said impatiently.
"Listen to this, at least three cases about lost pets, people seem to think i'm running some kind of animal rescue service. A lot of cases about wives and husbands who seem to think their partners are having affairs, ironically two of the people who got in touch their partners are having affairs with each others but none of that is interesting enough," he said frustratedly.
"Sherlock we need to get back out there so get in touch with them, you can complain about it all you want but you know it's what we need to do and you need to pick one of the cases to work on right now," John said in a forced calm tone.
"Fine, I'll look into the woman who contacted me about the missing jewellery, I suppose it will kill some time before the interesting things begin," he said. He sighed as he found the woman's email and typed out a response sighing again as he hit send then with another sigh he replied to the other messages.
John glanced back at Sherlock as the tapping of the keyboard had grown silent for a while. He frowned slightly as Sherlock was sitting just starring at the laptop his eyes not fully focused. "Sherlock, Sherlock, you alright?" he asked carefully,
"What, yes, yes i'm fine, funny smell," he mumbled shaking his head a bit trying to clear it.
"What smell, Sherlock are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should rest for a bit mate?" he suggested.
"I'm fine, fine just the smell, it's nothing i'm fine," he said distantly as he placed the laptop on the table.
John sighed slightly as he watched Sherlock. He needed to take care of himself and fully cooperate with his medical team to get his epilepsy back under control especially if he wanted to carry on working and not being controlled by it. He didn't care how much Sherlock fought him he was going to make damn sure that happened, he couldn't lose him again, he just couldn't. He jumped slightly as a harsh ringing sound invaded his thoughts, it took a moment before he identified the sound as Sherlock's phone ringing.
It took a while for Sherlock to realise his phone was ringing. He inwardly cursed his slower than normal mind as he answered. "Hello?" he asked working to clear his mind so he could focus on what was being said to him. He could do this, he still had some time yet. "We'll see you there," Sherlock said cutting the call off and stood for his coat and scarf.
"Sherlock do you really think," he began as he hurried after Sherlock.
"Yes I do, now lets go," he said ignoring the trembling in his hands as he struggled past the fog in his mind. He wouldn't be controlled by this.
John cursed as he followed Sherlock down the stairs. He would make Sherlock take proper care of himself once he worked out how to get him to stay in the flat long enough!