Wow! 60 Chapters! I can't believe it! Exclamation mark!

But in all seriousness, thanks a lot you guys. Really your reviews and support and kind comments have been most welcome. I still have plenty of ideas to go so who knows exactly how many chapters this will end up having. I almost don't want to stop. But it will have too eventually. In the mean time please take a look at my other fics.

Some of you have begged for them to be reunited but as you saw with my future plot points thats not... in the immediate future. However I have finalised my theory on his survival, which I had since I actually first saw the episode, including the apparent ear piece in John's ear.

Also a few of you have tried to deduce when exactly Sherlock told John he was a live and none of yet even come close. Which I am secretly, well not very secretly, pleased about.

Anyway, enjoy chapter 60, it will soon be followed by 61, perhaps either tonight or tommorow. Have a few more future plot points/ideas. In no particular order.

• What's On the DVD?

• Dates

• Book Launches and Haircuts

• The Amazing Clumsiness of Basil of Baker Street

• Disguises Are Fun

• We Wish You A Merry (Crappy) Christmas!

• Weddings Always Make Me Cry

• Fun With Jim and Seb

• The Final Confrontation

• Fall 2.0

Mycroft returned home to his brother, curled up on the couch, fast asleep, Irene playing tetris on her phone and Molly losing at solitaire. "So, how did things go?" Asked The Woman, without looking up. Mycroft responded with a fake smile. "Splendidly. How did things go here?" Molly snorted and shuffled the cards, she'd given up finding the King of Hearts. "That well?" Irene finally looked up as Mycroft swept past her to sit in one of the vacant chairs.

"Well, I think your brother has developed a bit of cabin fever."

"He's allowed to go outside"

"Yes but no where else."

Mycroft sighed. "What did he do?" Irene started a new game before replying. "Firstly he refused to eat anything on the basis that he wasn't hungry, before disappearing for half an hour. Then we found him up a tree outside, God knows how he got up there in his condition. Then after we get the poor man down, he complains that he's hungry after all and why aren't we feeding him?"

"Which we did" Molly interjected.

"Which we did. Then he clearly starts to become bored, he wouldn't stop tapping his foot, cracking his knuckles and sighing. So we brought out the cards and told him to play solitaire."

"Which he did"

"Which he did, winning several games in at least fifteen minutes. Your butler suggested a round of Brians of Britain, which went over swimmingly" Irene rolled her eyes. "Finally after another half hour he decided it was time to go outside again. I told him perhaps he ought to have a rest, he responds that he is perfectly fine and not in the least bit tired and decides to disappear again for about twenty minutes before myself and Molly found him asleep on the bench. He was brought inside and thats about it."

Mycroft spent about five minutes in total silence before chuckling and then laughing. The second out of character thing he had allowed himself today. "Perhaps he is on the mend then." Irene shrugged but looked slightly dubious. "He's still very quiet and soft spoken. I think the boredom just got to him or perhaps this is simply a Good Day." Mycroft nodded, trying for once to appear positive. Perhaps it was just a Good Day, perhaps it was the boredom, or just perhaps, his brother's personality was beginning to peek out. Hopefully it continued to do so. It had been sorely missed. Although Mycroft believed it might not ever fully return. And if it did, it would not be he who helped find it.

"Why don't you to go and have something for dinner, I'll keep watch on Tarzan here" Quipped Mycroft, referring to the earlier tree incident. Molly and Irene grinned and left, discussing whether they ought to have pizza or chinese. Mycroft moved to sit closer to his brother, pulling off the blanket that sat folded at the end of his bed and placed it over his sibling's sleeping body. "I hope you get better soon Sherlock. Your physical wounds are healing but it's not those that I'm worried about. It's that ones that were cut far deeper. Sleep well."

John and Mary returned home, with the album still tucked under John's arm. Mary placed a kiss on her boyfriends nose before heading towards the bathroom, intending to take a quick shower. The two of them were going out on a double date with Lestrade and his fiance. John wandered into the living room, resting the old album on his desk, next to the type writer and the almost-but-not-quite-finished manuscript of Hounds of Baskerville. Hounds of Baskerville or The Hounds of Baskerville? John hadn't decided yet but felt rather pleased with himself over the name.

"Darling! Do go change your outfit before they arrive!" Mary shouted, barely heard over the roar of the shower. John looked down at his clothes. What for? Nothing wrong with them. "What for Mary? They're perfectly alright!" Mary's responses was muffled. "What?". John pressed his ear against the wood. "I said theres two stains from this morning!" John turned the fabric over in his hands, sighing once he found two jam stains on his nice shirt. "Ok, you win! I'm going to go change."

"That's my boy"

A quick shirt change and a brush of blond hair later and John was ready to go. Mary was still getting ready. Why did women always seem to take forever to get ready to go out? Although, he thought, it wasn't strictly just women that did that. Sometimes Sherlock would take ages, particularly if he had to wear a disguise. But really, he'd been waiting for twenty minutes. How long does it take to put on a dress, makeup, jewellery and shoes? Long enough for the doorbell to ring apparently.

"Coming!" John picked up his cane and made his way to the door. It was Lestrade and Anna, a beautiful tall woman, with light brown hair. "Come in, come in!" John moved aside so they both could enter. "Mary's still getting ready" John pretended to sigh. "Ah, women" Lestrade chuckled, earning a slap from his fiance. John responded with a grin and seated himself back down. "So, Greg, how have you been?" Greg and Anna stared at each other before turning back to John.

"Great just great. Just paid off the mortgage a few days ago actually"

"Really? Thats wonderful mate! Congrats!"

"Thanks, thanks. Yeah, Anna's been for another check up. Everything is running smoothly with Baby. What about yourself?" John shrugged still smiling. "Oh you know, the usual. Working at the practice, finishing off Hounds."

"Oh yeah, hows that going? Almost done? Thats great! Still waiting for Memoirs to come out but that shouldn't be too long?"

"A week or two, with "The Government's" help. Brining out Hounds with the Book Launch"

"Right" Lestrade's lips twitched upwards, his eyes sweeping the flat while they waited. Hang on, that album was new, wasn't it? John followed his gaze, attempting to read the other's thoughts. "Seen him actually, today."

"Who?..Oh Mycroft. And he's doing ok is he? If you could tell anyway, man keeps his emotions to himself"

"Oh yeah, he looks a bit stressed, but considering his job..." Anna stood, excusing herself to go see Mary. "Yeah, poor guy has a lot on his plate doesn't he?" John nodded, gesturing to the album. "Gave me that, it's his, I expect he's got another." Lestrade pulled himself up and made his way to the desk. "Some sort of photo album is it?" He asked as he opened the cover, his eyebrows rasing as he recognised the cheeky grin that greeted him. "This is Sherlock! Isn't it? Looks like him, well a smaller version of him." The doctor laughed. "Yeah thats him. Mycroft.. told me a lot of stories about their childhood, supposed he wanted someone else to actually know about his life. He's the only Holmes left now I think"

"Poor sod"

"Yeah."

"Good stories?"

"Very good stories. Did you know Sherlock wanted to be a pirate as a child? Even dressed up as one?" This earnt him another laugh from the grey haired Inspector. "Did he really? There was some blackmail fodder if there ever was any."

"Yeah, looks like it wasn't actually a very happy childhood"

"Well we always expected that it wasn't."

"Father seemed a bit abusive, both parents were largely out of the picture, Mycroft seems to have raised him mostly by himself. Though Sherlock sounded like he was a very happy little boy, at least for awhile."

"Right little trouble maker i expect. Thats good to know, certainly looks happy in the pictures."

"And cheeky"

"Well he was that, in his own way, wasn't he? You'd know better than I would"

"Oh yeah, regular overgrown imp"

"You miss him still, I'm sorry John" The doctor dismissed Lestrade's concern, giving him a half-hearted smile. "It's ok, eleven months on, almost a year, don't think I will ever stop missing him, but thats ok. Do you? I mean, do you still miss him?"

"All the time mate. Idiot may have been an arrogant, brilliant bastard, but he was a good man, especially in the end, thanks to you. You made him human. Well you brought out the human qualities he had repressed. And, in the end, he was my friend. Even thought of the bloke like a ..but anyway."

"...Thanks. God Christmas is going to be hard isn't it? You still coming?" He decided not to press the matter of what exactly Lestrade thought of Sherlock like.

"Yep, if you'll have us. Who else is coming?"

"Of course we'll have you! Let's see, Mycroft might be, Molly definitely will, so will Mrs Hudson, Harry..maybe, if she sobers up. She and Clara are back together so it's a possibility." Lestrade opened his mouth to reply. "..Wow mate.." John looked confused for a second before spinning his head around to see his absolutely gorgeous girlfriend walk towards him in a beautiful blue dress. "Bloody hell Mary." She giggled and pinched his cheek.

"Everyone ready to go?" Three loud yeses indicated that they most definitely were. John offered Mary his arm, who let out another small giggle and took it. "Ready Mr Watson?"

"Absolutely Miss Morstan"

Lestrade and Anna smiled at one another and followed their hosts, Greg pleased that John was so happy. It was always nice to see a smile on his face after so many frowns and sad eyes. John deserved to be happy after what he'd been through. They all did.

"Mycroft?"

"What, Irene? I am reading and please keep your voice down, you'll wake our sleeper"

"I don't really care frankly, you have mail"

"And you know the Postman, or you know what he likes."

"Oh very funny. I mean it." She brandished a red envelope. "Something doesn't seem right. I know you have all your mail screened, and this appears to contain a dvd."

"Your point being?"

"The envelope. I think it's pretty obvious who it is from"

"Without actually looking at it, I can deduce nothing, however from your tone I can deduce more. Have we received some friendly mail for our consulting criminal?" Mycrofts words, while they seemed polite, were positively laced with barely contained hatred. Irene nodded, handing him the envelope. "Perhaps, it should be watched in another room, I can keep an eye on him" Mycroft nodded, barely listening as he turned the slim package over in his hands. He raised himself up before nodding to Irene and leaving the room, anxious over what could possibly be on the disc. He prayed it was not what he was thinking of.