SHERLOCK POV

After a long debate with Mrs. Hudson Sherlock promised that he would think about telling John. The apartment was nearly his again and Mrs. Hudson left the flat muttering to herself something about silly boys.

Sherlock looks around the flat and a lonely feeling seeds itself in his stomach. With Moriarty's network destroyed he has nothing to do. He takes his phone out and searches for Lestrade's phone number. He presses the call button and waits.

"He-hello?" The voice of Lestrade on the other end says with uncertainty.

"Yes, it's me Sherlock. Do you have anything interesting?"

There's silence.

"Lestrade? Hello?" Sherlock asks.

"Sherlock?"

"Yes?"

"But...you're..."

Ah. Sherlock forgot that Lestrade wasn't privy to his being alive yet. Truly, Sherlock's death was going to prove itself to be a thorn in his side if he had to go around explaining himself to everyone. He really just wants a job to work on and get on with it.

"Right. I'm not dead. It's a long story. I'm at the old flat." Sherlock says and is about to hang up when he says: "And don't tell John about me!" And then he hangs up.

In the meantime he decides to go search for his violin, he has a feeling he might be needing it soon.

"Ha! There you are!" Sherlock exclaims when he finds the copper-colored beauty.

"I really want to punch you right now." A voice says from behind Sherlock.

"Why is that detective?" Sherlock asks and turns around to face him.

"You died! Or apparently didn't but for us you did! Was it some kind of joke?"

"I don't do jokes Lestrade. I was simply dismantling Moriarty's network."

"What does that have to do with your fake death?"

"I needed him to believe I was dead. And to lead him away from John...by making him and everyone believe that I was dead." Sherlock says matter-of-factly. He really didn't understand why it would be so hard to understand.

"You're a bastard you know that? Do you have any idea how John has been suffering? Do you?" Lestrade comes closer to him, his eyes fired up. He was sure he has never seen him in such a state before.

"I have been informed of that...But it had to be done."

"And then you call me suddenly after two years! It nearly gave me a heart attack when I saw your name on the phone screen. I thought it was some prank but your voice and the way you speak are hard to replicate..."

"Yes, well, maybe I should have come in person. My apologies. Now, do you have some interesting cases?"

"No, no, no. No cases for you, not until you tell John that you are alive." Lestrade says crossing his arms like some teenage girl.

"Why is everyone giving me all these conditions? I will think about it, detective inspector. I have already promised Mrs. Hudson and my brother that I will think about it. Now I am promising you. Now, cases?"

"Fine."

Sherlock didn't realize it until he saw the D.I. in person but he had missed the man. They had known each other for years now and he was one of the only people who tolerated Sherlock being different.

There was a sinking feeling in his stomach with the knowledge that he now had many promises to keep, and they were all the same promise. Would it truly be a good idea for him to tell John he was alive? Could he avoid John? London was a big city but the didn't mean you couldn't run into people. After all, just because he revealed himself to John didn't mean that John would have to be back in his life. And maybe that was what was scaring Sherlock the most. That John wouldn't accept him anymore.