A/N: Well here you go, so much for christmas getting in the way. :) Enjoy

Thanks to my Beta Magpieintheshadow

CHAPTER FIFTHTEEN

John sat staring out of the window as the car passed through a small village a mile from the Holmes estate. His mind a buzz with everything that had happened in the last twenty four hours. - As well as the last six months. He'd gone through so much with Sherlock. He thought about Sarah and the disastrous relationship with her. It had gone smoothly they just never seemed to get past the dates and friendliness of it all. Something always came up. - Usually Sherlock. - If John was honest he would always take adventure with Sherlock over a night with Sarah. In fact the only times he'd spent the night with his so-called girlfriend, if you could call her that, was when he'd had a fight with the detective. - and he always took either the airbed or the sofa.

He frowned out at the darkness. None of that meant a thing. It just came with the job… right? It's what being a sidekick meant. John rolled his eyes at the idea of himself as the sidekick. Like Sherlock was some sort of superhero. He found himself giggling at the image of his flatmate in tights and a cape. Sherlock was most certainly no batman, but he was a hero in his own way. - He'd certainly saved John's life.

He suddenly remembered the envelope and gift at his side. Reaching out for the white envelope he ripped at the sealed paper, pulling out a posh Christmas card with a beautiful nativity scene on it. Opening it up he stared wide eyed at the roughly written words.

JOHN WATSON.

GET YOUR HEAD OUT OF YOUR ASS AND GET IT BACK HERE AND STAND YOUR GROUND.

YOU'RE A SOLDIER FOR GOODNESS SAKE.

DON'T BE A FUCKING COWARD!

John couldn't help but smile at the letter. He could just hear Anna saying the words. She seemed to be a complete romantic. It was amusing and sweetly endearing. Shame she was in for a disappointment. - Because even if John wasn't straight, Sherlock was clearly still attached to his ex. Sherlock hadn't said anything to the contrary.

Closing the card, John placed it back into the envelope and set it aside. Picking up the gift Holmes had given him as he'd left. John stared at it for a long moment. Unsure whether he wanted to open. It was obviously a book, John could feel it through the paper. He sighed to himself. It was probably something Sherlock thought educational. He was always trying to improve John abilities of deduction. Maybe he should wait till he gets home, but his curiosity was too much.

Carefully, he began to pull at the smartly, perfectly wrapped gold paper. It fell way to reveal a red leather bound book. John read the title with confusion and surprise.

The Case Book of Sherlock Holmes - Volume One

As Documented by Dr. John Watson.

Opening the cover he read the inscription with a smile and a tightening of his heart.

Dear John,

If you are going to write about out adventures at least show them the respect they deserve.

Sherlock.

John found himself giggling once again. He knew Sherlock hated his blog, especially because he let slip things Sherlock probably didn't want the world to know. Like how he didn't know the earth went around the sun. That one still surprised Watson. John flicked to the introduction. It didn't say much… just a detailed profile of John and Sherlock, clearly written by the detective. John was the words Amazing, loyal, wonderful and my best friend, all under his name. He felt his heart skip slightly, but pushed it away.

He carried on flicking. The book had been divided into cases, beginning with their first case A Study In Pink. - Yes, it actually had that title. John read the first few lines. It was his blog word for word. John's chest tightened further as he checked on. Flicking though page after page. It even had the earth thing. Sherlock hadn't changed at single line.

John swallowed the lump in his throat at the thought and kindness Sherlock had show in the chose of gift. It was so much better than a crappy scarf from Marks & Spencer. Maybe the man wasn't a lost cause after all but that didn't mean he felt anything more than friendship for John…. Or vice versa. - They were friends. Best friends. That was all.

And John figured that as Sherlock's best friend he was going to have to get used to his choice of boyfriend. - Even if said guy was a bastard. Even if he knew the man was completely wrong for him. Even if seeing them together would drive him crazy beyond words. - But as Sherlock's friend first and foremost, which meant he would just have to put his feeling aside, that was the best present John could give.

John was still staring at the book, contemplating the idea of having Jacob Harvelle in their lives when his felt his phone begin to vibrate in his pocket. He fished it out as his heart pounded mercilessly against his ribs. When he saw his ex-sister-in-law's name on the caller ID he felt a breath-taking stab of disappointment.

"Clara?"

"John."

Watson frowned at the sound of the woman's voice. He hadn't spoken to the woman in months. "What's wrong?"

"Have you spoken to Harry?"

"No…" John sat forward in his seat with concern. "Why?"

"I got a call from her about an hour ago."

"Is she alright?" his heart was still pounding, though for a completely different and not so pleasant reason.

"I - I don't know honestly. - she apologised for everything John, then said that she was going to get help."

"What?"

"She said she was going to get help with her drinking."

John gave a mixed sigh of relief and disappointment. "Clara, she says that every year. - she said the same thing this morning, when she called."

"I know John…. I said as much, but… well, she was sober John. I swear she was. And I could hear it in her voice, she means it."

"Clara, she always means it." John felt sorry for his sister-in-law, she was always hoping Harry would come to her senses and was always got her heart broken again.

"John. She meant it, I swear she did…. I know you don't believe it."

"Alright Clara. Why now? When only this morning she was calling me still trashed from the night before."

John heard Clara sigh and new she hated hearing the woman she loved had been out binge drinking on Christmas Eve. "I asked the same question John. She told me that someone had given her a rather blunt and unforgiving talking to."

John swallowed. It couldn't be. No way. - Though blunt and unforgiving certainly sounded like him. "Who?" he pressed cautiously.

"Your friend…. Sherlock, is it?"

John felt all the air leave his lungs. He head began to spin again. "Are you sure?"

"Yes. Apparently had a right go at her. Said she was ruining her life and that she should guilt before you destroyed not only her life but yours too."

John had a sudden flashback to a few hours ago when he'd walked in on Sherlock's heated and insulting conversation. - If Sherlock's phone calls could ever be consider conversations. - He'd looked guilty as hell when John had walked in. Watson had just assumed it was because he'd almost broken his phone. He'd also assumed that the call was either Donovan or Anderson. Considering how much he hated the pair, it wouldn't have been so far fetched.

But it had been Harry. Sherlock had talked to Harry, called her a moron and told her to sort her life out for him. John had a strange feeling gathering in his stomach and it was spreading though him by the second. Sherlock had actually done that. - And the even more surprising thing was that if Clara was right, it had worked. Harry was actually going to sort herself out.

"John?"

"Hmm. - Sorry. - Are you sure about this Clara? - about Sherlock I mean?"

"Yes. It had to be him right."

John nodded to himself. "I - I guess." he murmured.

It was all just so out of character for Sherlock, especially considering that only an hour ago he'd stood face to face with him and said he wasn't going to change for anyone. - But Sherlock had changed, John realised. Everyone had said so. Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson. Anna. Mary and Percival. They'd all said he was a different man. Could that really be done to him - and if so, why.

"John?" Clara said again as John fell silent.

"Sorry, Clara… I guess I'm just a little surprised. I mean if you knew Sherlock, you'd understand."

"He obviously cares about you John." she said softly down the line. "More than Harry cared for me." she added mournfully.

"I'm sorry Clara. - Maybe if Harry sorts herself out, you two could give it another go."

"Yeah, maybe. - Well, I'll let you go John. I just thought you'd want to know. - oh and Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas Clara. - Bye."

John hung up the phone with a sigh and stared out of the window. His mind completely filled with Sherlock and what he'd given him.

A/N: Thanks for reading, review and faving.