Day 11 Prompt: Christmas Carols
Yawning, Sherlock emerged from his bedroom and wandered through the kitchen to the living room. He sunk into his chair and blinking slowly, stared off into space. At the sound of John's footsteps on the stairs, he looked eagerly to the door. John had been at a conference for the past two days and had gone to bed last night before Sherlock came back from finishing up a case at New Scotland Yard.
"I didn't think you'd be up yet." John said when he spotted Sherlock. He went directly into kitchen to make a cup of coffee to take with him on his commute to work.
Of course he was up. He had to make sure he saw John before he left for his morning shift at the surgery. "I have things to do this morning that require an early start."
John looked questioningly at Sherlock since he was still in his pajamas. "Well, I hope you can keep yourself out of trouble until late tonight. I won't be home until after 10." John grabbed his jacket from the back of the door and shrugged it on.
Sherlock looked up at John in alarm. "What? You just got back. Where are you going now?"
John went back for his travel mug of coffee. "A group of us are going to sing Christmas carols in the children's ward of a few hospitals. In between we're going to stop for dinner and then afterwards we're going to one of their houses for drinks."
That was unacceptable to Sherlock. He needed John at the flat. If not at the flat, then with him wherever he was. It seemed like he was at his wits end without John around for the past few days. Lestrade had even threatened him with no cases unless he behaved better. In the past, Sherlock was fine by himself. That wasn't the case anymore and right now he didn't want to examine why. "When and where are you starting?"
"I don't see why you are interested, but St Barts at four pm." John glanced at his watch. "I gotta go. See you tomorrow, unless you're up when I get home."
"But…" Sherlock began, but stopped as he realized there was no one else in the room. Sinking down lower in his chair, he steepled his hands in front of his mouth and closed his eyes. He needed a plan.
At 4 o'clock Sherlock wandered up to the children's ward at Barts Hospital and truly wondered why he was there at all. This was the last place he wanted to be. The only location he enjoyed visiting in a hospital was the morgue.
Within moments of arriving at the floor, he found the group. They were in a small multipurpose type room. Along the back wall in the center was a decorated Christmas tree with wrapped Christmas presents underneath. The wall was decorated with children's drawings. In front of the tree was the group, of about fifteen, singing carols. They all had on bits of red and green, were sporting some type of Christmas themed hats, and were holding green folders. In front of them were about a dozen children listening raptly; with some even singing.
Sherlock spotted John immediately and held back a grin. He had on the cream jumper he left the flat in but had added a red scarf and a Santa hat with jingle bells all over the rim. Sherlock entered the room and wormed his way through the carolers to stand just behind John. He joined in singing as the group got to the chorus of Joy To The World.
John had been so intent on his music, and the fact that the door was opened up along the side by the back wall, that he didn't register Sherlock entering the room. The moment he heard Sherlock's voice behind him, his eyes went wide. He continued singing and willed the song to be over quickly.
When the song finally finished, John discretely turned around. His jaw dropped open and he thought his eyes might pop out of his head. Sherlock stood behind him with an amused look and wearing his normal attire, but also had on a headband with antlers and jingle bells on it. "I need to take a picture of this," he whispered.
The laughter from Sherlock's face dissolved. "Don't you dare," he hissed.
"What are you doing here?"
Sherlock didn't answer, just flipped John's sheet music over and began singing Santa Claus is Coming to Town, with the rest of the group. "Later," he whispered then began singing.
The group sang three more songs, then left to go wander the floor and stop in to the rooms that held the children who had to stay in bed. John let the others go first so he could speak with Sherlock. "So what's the deal? You hate kids and doing anything like this. I didn't even know you could sing. Why are you here?"
"You're here," he answered bluntly, then took off the headband. It was giving him a headache. Or maybe it was where he was and what he was doing that was giving him the headache.
"And?" John prompted.
"And nothing. You're here." He slowly put his hands in his pockets. "That's why I'm here."
"I don't understand." They had arrived at the first room but John hung back.
"I don't know what else to tell you." Sherlock walked past John into the room, put on his antlers and walked to the back of the group.
John stared after Sherlock mulling his rather odd response around in his head. Still not understanding, he went inside, took his place next to Sherlock and joined in singing Frosty the Snowman. John didn't fully join in for the entire song. He couldn't get Sherlock's answer out of his head.
When the song was over, the group left the room and went to another. John and Sherlock were only a few steps out of the room when John grabbed Sherlock by the arm to make him stop, possibly understanding why Sherlock was there. "You're here because I'm here. You want to be where I am?"
"Must I keep repeating myself? Yes, John. You were gone for two days." Sherlock wished he stayed home when a wide smile began forming on John's face.
"I don't believe it. Sherlock Holmes actually missed someone."
"Shut up," Sherlock interrupted.
John continued. "Sherlock Holmes is willing to spend an hour or so doing something he hates just so he could be around the person he missed."
The jovial tone left John's face and he looked at Sherlock with a tenderness that Sherlock didn't recall anyone showing him before. He was beginning to feel very uncomfortable now and started to figit.
"I missed you too. And I'm honored that you actually did miss me. I sometimes wondered if you even noticed when I'm not there."
"I always notice," Sherlock said quietly. "Can we leave now, John, and go home?" He looked eagerly from John to the elevators.
"Can we stop and get a take away for dinner?"
Sherlock just gave a quick nod.
"Let me tell the others that I need to leave. I'll meet you at the elevators."
"Thank you, John." As John went to find the group, Sherlock happily went to the elevators. While waiting, he made a note to himself to check John's blog often for the next few days. He didn't want a word of this getting out. He had a reputation to uphold afterall.
