Chapter 13
Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or anything.
The recording played. Sherlock and John were sat back in the dim and cold room. Sherlock was slowly lowering a shivering John to the floor. They were both completely soaking wet.
"John, stay awake." Sherlock said.
"Sh-sh... c-c-cold." John said.
"It's alright. I'll warm you up. But you need to stay awake." Sherlock said as he sat next to John and wrapped his arms around him.
The door creaked open and the kind man carefully walked in. He knelt in front of John and Sherlock.
"Sherlock, can you let him go? I can do a check on him to see if he has hyperthermia or something." The man asked with a smile.
"I don't want to." Sherlock said.
"I'll give him straight back." The man said.
"L-let... hhim-m-m Sherl-l-lock" John shivered.
"Okay." Sherlock said and loosened his arms as the kind man pulled John onto his own lap. John was quite floppy but wouldn't stop shivering.
The man put a bag next to Sherlock "You will both get ill if we aren't quick. There are two sets of clothes in that bag. Get them out and change quickly." The man instructed. Sherlock opened the bag and pulled out a t-shirt, pants, a vest, jeans and a jumper. They both had red jumpers, a blue shirt and denim jeans.
"Won't someone notice we've been helped if we change?" Sherlock asked.
"No, I said you would get ill. Frederick wants you to stay in good health so he told me to sort it." The kind man explained.
Sherlock quickly changed and sighed at the warmth.
"John, can you stay awake?" the man asked.
John's eyes lazily opened.
"That's it. Sherlock here is going to get you changed and I'm going to get you a blanket. I'll be back. Be quick, Sherlock." The man said and lowered John to the floor.
He left at a run and Sherlock quickly stripped his twin and changed him back. Once that was done Sherlock pulled John onto his lap and held him close. John tucked his face into Sherlock's neck.
The door reopened and the man walked back through with a blanket.
"Lie down, Sherlock. Body heat is one of the best ways of keeping John warm. I don't think he has hyperthermia but keep him warm and he won't get ill either. I brought you a blanket and in a couple of hours I can sneak in some hot chocolate and toast, how's that?" the man asked.
Sherlock lay down, keeping John's sleeping form on top of him, and nodded. The man spread a blanket over them.
"I'll be back later. Get some sleep. If you need help scream, the guards are under orders to keep you alive." He said.
Sherlock nodded in understanding and the man walked out.
Sherlock looked down at John "Please don't get poorly, John. You're the strong one." Sherlock said.
John mumbled something in his sleep. Sherlock smiled and fell asleep.
Moriarty reappeared as the image faded.
"Well, I sure hope Johnny-boy doesn't ruin everyone's plans by getting ill. Because I like suspense and seeing you squirm I want to show you one of the recordings Frederick took. And I want John and Sherlock to watch carefully, because I want them to replay it in the present. I mean, I want some entertainment! If you refuse I'll blow up Buckingham palace." Moriarty threatened and smiled.
"Well go on then, play the recording." Sherlock said.
Moriarty laughed and the screen changed.
Sherlock and John were four and in the living room, stood in front of Harry and Mycroft and their parents.
"We have to show you now!" John said.
"Go on then, what have you being working on all day?" Rose asked.
"Gymnastic tricks!" Sherlock said joyfully.
"Oh, God!" John said as he heard the words. "We can't do that anymore!" John protested.
"We probably can, only it'll be far more difficult and we will probably pull a few muscles." Sherlock said.
The brothers looked back at the recording of their young selves.
Sherlock and John faced each other and smiled "Ready?" John asked "As ever." Sherlock said.
John and Sherlock turned away from each other and walked backwards till they were back to back. Then they hooked arms and Sherlock bent over while John was lifted and lay across Sherlock's back with his legs in the air. Then John rolled backwards and let go of Sherlock. He landed opposite Sherlock and facing him. Then Sherlock went into a handstand with John holding his legs. His legs gracefully dropped and they both stood facing each other. Then John lay on his back, put his hands up, palms flat and bare feet up too. Sherlock stepped onto John's feet and put his hands against John's. John held Sherlock up for a few moments and then Sherlock climbed off. The recording ended and was replaced by Moriarty.
Sherlock and John gaped at the screen and everyone else either had a smirk or a worried look on their faces.
"I don't think we can do that." Sherlock said.
"Yeah... my shoulder..." John agreed.
"Your shoulder will be fine, John, it's this or Buckingham palace goes BOOM!" Moriarty said.
Sherlock and John looked around the room at everyone else. None of them seemed to have any ideas.
"We did it before, we can do it again." Sherlock said and stood up. He turned to John and held out his hand.
John looked uncertain. "Don't you trust me?" Sherlock asked.
John smiled and took Sherlock's hand. His brother hauled him out of the seat and pulled him to the centre of the room while Mycroft and Lestrade moved the coffee table.
"How on Earth are we meant to do that?" John asked.
"Just do what we did." Sherlock said.
"Sorry, but I don't think I will find it as easy to flip over your back as I did when we were four." John said.
"Get on with it soldier!" Moriarty snapped.
John sighed and nodded at Sherlock. They turned away from each other and stood back to back.
"Be careful." Rose said.
The two nodded and linked arms.
"You make me feel really short." John joked.
"You get to be older so I get to be taller." Sherlock said with a chuckle.
John smiled.
"Okay, go." John said.
Sherlock bent over and John balanced on his back.
"Sherlock, you okay?" John called out. He felt Sherlock's head nod against his own head.
"Flip now. I'm ready." Sherlock said.
John rolled backwards and let go of Sherlock's arms. He landed on the floor and just as his knees buckled on impact Sherlock caught him and pulled him back to stand, then let him go.
"Thanks." John said.
"Hand stand, then, Sherlock!" Moriarty said.
Sherlock took a deep breath.
"If I step to the side, you go for a hand stand and I'll catch your legs." John suggested.
Sherlock nodded and as John moved out of the way he lifted his hands in the air and went for it. John dived forward and caught Sherlock's legs. He held Sherlock there for a few moments until Sherlock said "I'm balanced, let go and I can land without hurting myself."
John let go and Sherlock, rather gracefully, went down. He scrambled up with pride quickly.
"Oh God, this one will be difficult." John said.
Sherlock nodded. "Take your shoes and socks off."
John sighed and did that, placing his shoes and socks by his and Sherlock's adopted seat.
Sherlock did the same.
"If you drop me..." Sherlock said with a warning in his voice.
"I won't... well, I'll try not to. And anyway, if I drop you, you land on me. I think you get the better part of the deal." John reasoned.
Sherlock nodded and John lay on the floor and put his hands in the air. As John held his feet out Sherlock stepped onto them and John's legs straightened as Sherlock locked hands with John.
"Christ, Sherlock, do you ever eat?" John asked.
"You know how much I eat, John." Sherlock said, looking down at his twin. They were both a bit wobbly but they balanced well.
John looked up "I'm going to start monitoring what you eat, Sherlock." John said.
"Please don't. Everything else is just transport. Eating slows the rest of me down. I told you that." Sherlock said.
"And I do remember, Sherlock. But this is ridiculous. I'm your doctor; I need to look after you." John said.
"You can't be my doctor any more. We're family." Sherlock said.
"Well, I'm your brother who is a doctor, so I know what is best when it comes to your health. And nothing changes, I'm meant to look after you." John said.
Sherlock sighed in defeat but knew that they would continue this argument later.
"Are you two done yet?" Mycroft asked.
Sherlock and John noticed that they had stayed like that for over a minute. "It is actually quite comfortable." John said and Sherlock said "Yes, how odd." And carefully lowered to the floor and then gave John a hand up.
Mycroft began clapping slowly "Well, that was quite a performance; unbelievable. A few wobbly moments but well done." He praised as Sherlock and John put their footwear back on and sat back in their chair.
"Yes, that was rather spectacular." Hamish said and patted his sons on the shoulders.
"Now, back to the tragedy of the past, ready, well, I don't actually care if you are or not, here we go!" Moriarty said.
The screen changed to Sherlock and John fast asleep under the blanket with their matching jumpers on which made all the girls in the room awww until they noticed the glares from Sherlock and John.
The door opened and the kind man entered and quietly made his way towards them.
He knelt down and placed two mugs of hot chocolate down and a paper plate of two slices of toast down.
John stirred and blinked as he awoke. He was covered by half of Sherlock but managed to sit up a little bit to look at the intruder. When he saw who it was he smiled in relief.
"Hello. Are you warm now?" the man asked.
John nodded "Sherlock is very warm." He said.
The kind man smiled. Sherlock stirred too and rolled away from John. He sat up and rubbed his eyes.
"Hello." He said to the kind man who smiled at him.
"I brought you some food and a drink." The man said. The twins tucked in straight away. Half way through his toast John looked curiously at the man "What is your name?" he asked.
"Jack." The man said.
John smiled.
"How long have we been here?" Sherlock asked.
"It's morning now. About twelve hours. It's coming up to midday." Jack said.
"Do you know what the next test is?" John asked.
"Sorry, no. Only Frederick does until about five minutes before." Jack answered.
John and Sherlock nodded.
To be continued...
Author's note: Thanks for the reviews so far! Please review! I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Thanks!