Chapter 23

The criminals of the Spider Web case were still under the watchful eye of the NSY officers, however watchful that may be, since they usually miss not only the forest, but also the trees.

One really feels protected living in England under the watchful eyes of NSY! Sure...

It was the most frustrating case the duo has encountered in several months. During the time spam from first apprehending the "Three Stooges" at the warehouse, then catching the "Plus Two Dimwits", two whole months had elapsed. Cases never took that long to solve. Never. Why this one?

"Why can't I solve it!? Come on Brain, work properly now. You're on a deadline," Sherlock mused dejectedly pulling his hair whilst spinning round and round on his heels.

"Hey mate, you all right there?" John questioned flagging down the walking stick's attention.

"Goodness...if hearts could possibly break any worse, I wouldn't know how to bear it", John thought watching his friends eyes dart around in an ever so slightly panicking manner trying to find a body to the voice.

There wasn't much sand left...it was draining faster and faster...

"Of course I'm fine! I'm just thinking about the case and now you've distracted me!" The dragon growled menacingly at the smaller man. His beady eyes finally connected to the origin of the sound and glared into John's.

"Ok. Ok. No need to roast me with your fiery temper," John shot back with his hands up in a defensive position. "Just making sure you're alright since the floor probably has the beginnings of your pacing imprinted in the wood through the rug, and I'm speaking in behalf of the rug who is crying out in pain. Mrs. Hudson won't be pleased, to say the least, if you mess up another thing in this flat. Bless her for putting up with every bit of you and your strange ways. Have a seat will you? You're making me uncomfortable pacing back in forth." John gestured to the choices of furniture by the hearth hoping the stressed one would follow the advise.

"Leave me alone. I'm fine. I'm working on the case! It was YOUR idea to invite an army to our puny flat for supper. Go and impress your fiancée. That's what you're supposed to do, aren't you?" Sherlock huffed out whilst curled up into a ball sulking in his chair.

John was smarter than that; he knew the case wasn't the only thing on Sherlock's mind. Impressing his fiancée wasn't the only thing on his mind either. If only Sherlock would sit and earnestly listen to him, he might act differently toward John. He sighed. Things were always difficult with his flatmate; if things were ever easy then something was wrong. Sherlock never agreed to anything without first putting up a fight. Now was not the time to start new habits for the grown child, John figured. As if any one particular time seemed best for Sherlock to pick up good habits. That was a laugh!

At last the "army" showed up. It was such a massive crowd of merely three people loaded down with food who followed Mrs. Hudson up the flight of steps.

John scoffed at Sherlock's exaggeration.

Yes Sherlock, three extra people in our 'puny' flat constitutes an army. I understand your logic beautifully. The beautiful mind that deduces everything compares three average civilians to an entire army. Good Sherlock. Just be glad Anderson wasn't here to hear that bit of information.

He'd have a fit over it and might not live if Sherlock got a hold of him.

Greg, Molly and, Mary one by one bid hello to the duo's presence, Sherlock had his eyes closed and didn't make any movement to acknowledge their presence which earned him a firm punch on the arm from John. "Be polite!" He hissed into the rude man's ear. An annoyed sigh was all that greeted them from Sherlock. He rolled his eyes and pouted even more.

John kissed Mary's cheek and started to unpack the food that came with the guests. It was a simple supper with cheap wine. None of the persons there had a fancy for extravagance. Thank goodness Mycroft wasn't there though. He might have objected loudly.

"Go away all of you! I don't want you. The wedding is next week and I still have gotten John out into a new place. You lot being here isn't making it any easier." Sherlock thought with a scowl still clearly shown on his face.

"Sherlock," Molly tapped her friend lightly on the shoulder bringing him back to reality. "We've set the table. Come eat now. Please. Just come still even if you don't want to eat."

"If you insist."

He untangled himself and followed the good-hearted pathologist taking a seat next to her. He really wasn't in the mood for eating especially since he was on a case. A troubling and rather irritating case actually, it wasn't helping his mood or appetite. To please his friends he would suffer through the meal and half-listen to the idle nonsense about the latest happenings in each ones' lives.

Oh so dull!

There was talk about the coming wedding, the honeymoon, the miserable weather (which Brit wouldn't mention the state of the rubbish weather at least once a day, if not more?), gossip about Anderson showing off his below-par IQ level to everyone at NSY every moment he got. Sherlock's rubbish attitude soon faded, and he did enjoy the last one topic, contributed quite a lot to the conversation too. Who was he to pass up a jibe toward the inept Philip?

"You should have heard him..." Lestrade would begin and Sherlock would cut him off telling the rest of the story, stressing the irritation even the other officers had toward their workmate.

Things were going well, better than he imagined it would have been. This was a good sign

"Maybe it was a good idea to invite this army over for a meal," Sherlock thought, zoning out of the conversation again about the colour scheme the wedding would be decorated in .It soon turned into a dangerous subject, but it wasn't anyone's fault. The topic just crept up. Naturally, after questions about the wedding ceremony and honeymoon the next logical question would be "Have you found a place?" Molly noticed he flinched slightly at the question. Sherlock felt a soft pat on his hand and quickly found his hand entwined with his pathologist's as a reassuring mark to keep him from losing his composure.

He didn't want to hear what John and Mary would say that was information he couldn't delete no matter how hard he tried. He wanted John to leave him and spend his days happily married to his Mary and have kids, not worrying about important things...but he didn't want to lose his friend.

It was a hard battle between the selfish Sherlock wanting to keep his best mate with him against the Selfless Sherlock realising John's world does not focus on solely solving crimes with him.

John sensed Sherlock's apprehension toward the subject and answered in the vaguest form possible. He needed to have that chat with his best man. "Not really. We haven't actually discussed it yet," John replied squeezing his fiancée's hand under table silently begging her to go along with the plan. Mary understood and added, "We've been so busy with the wedding arrangements we hadn't had time to have a proper talk about it.

"Oh don't worry about that," Mrs. Hudson piped in. "You can stay in the spare flat. I haven't let it out in ages, about time something good come from it."

Greg nodded energetically, oblivious the level of uncomfortable-ness hanging in the air pitched in, "We'd all be so close together. It will be great!"

Molly tightened her grip on Sherlock's hand and suppressed a sigh.

Oh Sherlock...Why are you so afraid? What are you afraid of? Of no longer being able to see? I can understand how that would be something intimidating, but don't forget you have friend. Friends that love you more than you know. "You've always counted, and I've always trusted you." You said that to me once before, and I know you meant it. I have always trusted you, trust me now. Tell me what is wrong. I want to help. What is so frightening about John and Mary living in the flat above you?

The fiancé and fiancée snuck a glance to each other, an entire conversation played out in their eyes. There was no doubt what the final answer would be, no matter where they lived. It could be a card board box for all that mattered so as long as it was near their friends. Now was not the time to have that discussion though, it was a night for laughter and fun, they would make sure of it.

A-N: I'm alive still! I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, so so so sorry for the delay in updating. There is some Sherlolly in it, but not much. They're not courting or anything of that sort. I hope you like it. I don't have a particular 'ship', -Read my Bio, it explains more- but he and Molly are confidantes to each other, especially right before The Fall. Basically my Sherlolly is confidante style, not purely romantic. She's known him longer than John has.

Comments would be lovely!