"Yes, I recognized you. I read you blog, back when you updated it before…" Sutherland trailed off, unwilling to finish and not really needing to.
"I actually hired Sherlock a while ago."
"Really?"
"Yeah, back in 08 my boyfriend went missing. Sherlock was able to work things out."
"He found your boyfriend?"
"In a way." An uncomfortable pause followed the cryptic remark. "You know about Michael Sadlier."
"Unfortunately."
"He wanted to interview me for that awful TV special. I turned him down." Mary suddenly looked far away. "Sherlock was kind to me at a time in my life when I needed great kindness." John looked pleased, but utterly confused at the remark.
"Kind? Are you sure that was Sherlock?"
"Oh I'm sure. He is a hard man to mistake." The two shared a giggle.
"You know, you are the first person in weeks that has had a single kind thing to say about him."
"You haven't seen the graffiti?"
When John replied negatively, Mary produced a small digital camera and began clicking through dozens of snapshots. Wall after wall from all over London was emblazoned with many "I BELIEVE IN SHERLOCK HOLMES" a few "MORIARTY WAS REAL" and even one "I FIGHT JOHN WATSON'S WAR."
"Sherlock Holmes still has friends out there, ones that know the truth, ones that believe. "
Author's Note
Part two of two. Post-Reichenbach and Pre-Reunion
Much love to my beta JibberingThoughtsOfFle