Chapter 71 will be uploaded soon and be the better of the two christmas chapters.
The Christmas Eve party this year was to be held at John and Mary's flat and the two of them had been preparing for it the entire week. They'd brought, and made, food, prepared drinks and background music. They'd even decorated the entire flat with lavish christmas decorations, including a big, full tree in the living room, with presents already littered beneath it, it's lights twinkling like starlight. Mary was wearing a beautiful red dress and John was wearing a blue snow-flaked patterned jumper.
The guests soon began to arrive. Not many people though. Lestrade and Anna were the first. They brought presents, chocolate and some wine. John and Mary greeted them warmly and sat them down in the living room. Next was Mrs Hudson, presents in her hands as well as a delicious looking Christmas pudding. Harry and Clara were next, Harry shy for once but acting confident, with Clara at her side. They sat opposite Lestrade and his fiance. Before any introductions could be made there was a knock at the door. The last guest had arrived. Molly Hooper.
Who was very, very nervous as she made her way towards the front door. It wasn't fair for her to be here and not him. She smoothed down her black dress and knocked lightly. John opened the door, a grin spreading across his face. He hadn't seen her in ages and was very pleased to see she was well. "Molly! How are you? You look great!" He gestured for her to enter and pulled her into a hug.
"I'm good, thank you. And you? Oh and Mary?"
She sat down next to a pair of women she didn't know, placing her packages with the others, on a coffee table. "We're great, we're great. Oh! Um this is Harry and this is Clara" He waved a hand at the other two occupants on the couch. Harry was John's height, with very red hair, she had a friendly face and a lot of freckles. Clara had shoulder length brown hair and was very, very pretty. Molly pushed back a curl, placing it behind her ear and shook their hands.
"It's so nice to meet you. Um.. I'm Molly, Molly Hooper. You must be John's sister?" Harry grinned and nodded. Molly had been expecting a booze hound but Harry looked like a normal, healthy woman, with a lot of energy. "That's me sunshine! I don't know why it's taken me so long to meet you all but well, here I am now!" Molly gave her a shy smile and thanked Greg as he placed a glass of wine in her hands.
"Haven't seen you in a while, everything ok?"
"Yes, yes everything's fine. Really. Thanks though"
Greg smiled and patted her hand and went back to sit with Anna. Molly watched as the rest of the group interacted, she wasn't sure what to do or what to say. They all thought Sherlock was dead, she was the only one who knew the truth. And she desperately wanted to tell them. But she could not. So she sat by herself, occasionally laughing or smiley, but feeling like a liar, a horrible person. She could only think of the lonely detective back home, missing his friends.
The party proved to be a great success. The food was delicious, the drinks; plentiful. Everyone exchanged presents and then soon, as John always believed it would happen, their conversations soon turned to the only person missing from their party. Sherlock.
"Do you remember last Christmas, John, when I made him wear the antlers that morning" Mrs Hudson smiled as she remembered the detectives exasperated expression when she'd placed them on his head. John laughed, the memory coming easily.
"He hated them"
"I think they suited him!"
"Wait.. wait, I missed that, did that happen before I arrived?"
Mrs Hudson and John both nodded, John suddenly grinning mischeviously and placing his glass down. He headed towards the bookcase and removed his leather photo album, opening it several pages in and turning it towards Lestrade. There, on the second page, was a picture of a scowling, antler wearing, detective. The antlers large and red, were nestled amongst his dark curls. Lestrade felt himself grinning and then laughing out-load. "He let you take a picture?"
"Well.. not let me, I did it anyway. He knew he was supposed to be nice to me at Christmas, I never asked much of him." Lestrade cleared his throat and handed the album back to John, who in turn showed it to Harry, who had never had a chance to meet Sherlock while he was still alive. She grinned at the photo and smiled at John. She knew he missed his friend terribly, but had no idea what to say, perhaps it was too late to say anything now.
The evening continued with other such amusing and happy memories. Molly never contributed, she still didn't have any idea on what to say. She worried she'd slip up and reveal the truth. She worried that she wanted to reveal the truth. Worse still, they spoke of a Sherlock that no longer existed, he certainly was not the same person that was currently moping in his bedroom, back at the Holmes' household.
"I miss him so much" John felt himself saying.
"Me too, bloody idiot"
"The dear boy.." Mrs Hudson let out a sob, John wrapped an arm around her and Molly felt even more uncomfortable than before. John made a decision. "I was going to wait till morning but apparently we have to leave early. Um, I'm taking a Christmas wreath down to his grave, you're all welcome to come, you don't have to but, yeah, just letting you know." John stood, putting down his empty glass and leaving the room, coming back with a traditional Christmas wreath, a wide red ribbon across the middle, embroidered with the words, 'Happy Christmas Sherlock Holmes'.
John laid the wreath upon the snow, in front of the cold, black stone and then stood back with the others. They stood quietly together, an awkward silence filling the air for several minutes before Mary decided to speak up. "Happy Christmas dear, we all miss you very much and we hope you are happy..wherever you are". John linked his arm through Mary's. Lestrade cleared his throat again. "Miss you kid, especially at Christmas. Miss your sarcasm, your teasing, your deductions. Most of all though, I just miss you. Happy Christmas kiddo"
"It's lonely in the flat darling, without you. I hope, like Mary said, that you're happy. Happy Christmas Sherlock and know, you are loved" Mrs Hudson turned and followed Lestrade and Anna back to their car to wait. John looked at Molly, who was taking a photo of the wreath. "It's not the same without you Sherlock. I miss you, very much...Happy Christmas." John nodded his approval before moving forward to rest his hand on the gravestone.
"I can't believe how many months have flown by Sherlock. I thought I'd never get over your death, but I am moving on, I've accepted it. I'll always miss you and I promise to never forget to visit you. No matter how many years pass. You were and are my best friend and I'll always believe in you. Happy Christmas Sherlock Holmes"
John turned around to leave but Molly was still there waiting, tapping on her phone. "Heading home?" She gave him a wavering smile. "Yeah, busy day Christmas.. t-that was nice, what you said. I bet he misses you too." John nodded sadly. "Have you been alright? It's just we haven't seen you, I've been worried."
"Oh. Sorry, John."
"That's it? Come on Molly, I'm not stupid, you've been skittish all night. What's wrong?" She shook her head. "I can't tell you, I wish I could but I can't" A tear slipped past her cheek. The truth was slipping out. Pull yourself together Molly Hooper! "What do you mean? Are you being threatened? Molly, let me help. Tell me what's the matter!" So she made a decision, he knew she was hiding something, she couldn't deny that, but she couldn't tell him the truth that she knew he wanted to hear, so she would substitute it with one he ought to know.
"I..I've been working for Mycroft"
Ok, that was a bit of a lie. "What? Were you ever planning to tell me this?" John looked angry, he hated people keeping secrets from him. "He trusted me, after everything that happened with Sherlock and well, he n-needed a mortician. His men have been going after Moriarty's empire, tearing it down. Now and then bodies needed to be identified by someone he trusted."
"And he chose you" She nodded, pushing forward with her half truth stubbornly. "Yes, and because of my previous dealings with him, he t-told me something..he's alive John" John felt like something was clenching his heart. Who, who was alive? Please say Sherlock, please Molly. Don't say that then break my heart. Please..
"W-who?"
"Jim"
Oh shit. Oh no, no no! This couldn't be happening! Why him? Why not Sherlock? "No, he's dead, he blew his brains out!" Molly shook her head. "There was no body and not enough blood. Mycroft showed me photos, he was concerned because Jim had been my boyfriend for a short time and because, um he'd forgotten to threaten me the last time. Mycroft had promised to look after me, because of Sherlock's last wishes. I've been staying out his place lately. Because Moriarty's empire is collapsing. He was concerned for my safety" John's face was unreadable. She wished she could tell him about Sherlock. Oh John, please say something.
"Great, thats..just great. Why does he get to live? Huh? Where's the fairness in that? Shit. Are we safe, Molly? Me and Mary? Lestrade and Anna? Mrs Hudson? What about us? Are we safe?" As far as she knew they were, so she nodded. "Yes, you're safe. I just.. I felt you had to know! You deserve to know. I'm sorry.." She turned to leave, John's hand on her arm stopped her.
"No, don't apologise. Thank you. Happy Christmas Molly" John managed a smile and left with the others. Oh John, you thank me now, but soon you will hate me. I've lied to you, so many times. Please forgive me. A cab stopped outside the cemetery and Molly climbed in. Mycroft would be very angry with her, but she had been right John did deserve to know.
"It was stupid and irresponsible, I thought better of you , Miss Hooper" Molly hung her head for a few seconds before her fists clenched and she stared Mycroft straight in the eye. "No, it wasn't stupid, John deserves to know, they all do, but especially John. I didn't tell him about Sherlock but I wish I had! John deserve to know Sherlock lives...how much longer does he have to hide? How much longer do I have to lie?" Mycroft sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. She was right, of course.
"I did not wish for any of them to know until I was sure they were safe, now that they know, they may not be. I'll have to increase they surveillance and security. But..you are right. John should have been told about Moriarty earlier. But I felt he had enough to deal with." Molly fished out her phone and handed it to Mycroft, a pleased look on her face. Irene had been telling her to be more assertive and confident and she felt happy that she had done so.
"What's this for?"
"Um, theres some photos..of everyone and they had a christmas wreath made for his grave. Also I recorded them talking..about him. I thought, maybe you could give it too him. Consider it an early christmas present. Goodnight Mycroft.."
"Goodnight Miss Hooper" You certainly have given me a lot to think about.
Mycroft tip toed back into Sherlock's room, his brother sitting on the window seat as always. His knees drawn up, his face captivated by the stars, as they were every night. He didn't acknowledge his brother's presence until Mycroft drew closer. "You need to sleep now, it's getting late."
"Not tired Myc"
"I know, but tommorow is Christmas and the girls are rather excited. Best to get some rest."
"We don't do Christmas"
"I know, but I thought it best to humour them" And I thought it might cheer you up. "I'm going to take a shower, go to bed Sherlock." He pressed Molly's phone into his hands. "She's given you an early Christmas present, remember to thank her in the morning" Mycroft gathered up his pyjamas and dressing gown from the couch that was so often his bed and headed towards the en-suite bathroom. Curious, Sherlock opened the phone. There were several new photos, all dated today.
Here was one of John smiling broadly, another of him and Lestrade laughing about something. Here was Mrs Hudson handing out bowls of Christmas pudding. There were a few more photos of John talking, Lestrade grinning and Mrs Hudson laughing. The final photograph was of his gravestone, a large wreath was placed in front of it. The words 'Happy Christmas Sherlock Holmes' written across a large red ribbon. Sherlock swallowed. They were thinking of him, even at Christmas.
There were also a few audio files. All of his friends talking about him and then talking at his grave, telling them how much he was loved and missed. He finished listening, repeating John's over and over and then placing the phone against his chest. Thank you Molly. He walked to his bed and laid his head down on the soft pillow.
When Mycroft came out of the bathroom, his brother was curled up in bed, the phone still held tightly against his chest, a small smile on his lips. Thank you Molly Hooper. He pulled the covers over his younger sibling and stretched himself out on the couch.
"John?" Mary looked at him concerned as he waved goodbye to their friends. "What's wrong John?" He shooked his head, placing a kiss on her cheek. "Nothing, everything is ok." He smiled and took her hand in his and gently pulled her towards their bedroom. "We'll clean up tommorow, lets get some sleep." She gave him a dubious look but followed. "I know you are lying and you are going to tell me the truth, John Watson."
"Mary, trust me, let's not spoil this night. Or tommorow. I promise to tell you soon. Just, come to bed"
"You better, soldier boy" He grinned and hugged her tightly, picking her up. She protested and giggled as he lifted her off her feet and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I promise Mary. Happy Christmas"
"Happy Christmas John"