Sherlock story
Deleted Memories, Chapter twenty-four
Warning: post Reichenbach spoilers. Hope you enjoy
*As always thanks for reading, a special thanks to all of you who take the time to review, comment, and favorite:)
Present day
Lestrade asked, "Is he gonna be alright?"
John smiled a small smile, and then nodded.
"Greg can I have a minute, alone with Sherlock?" John asked a grim expression on his face.
"Sure… sure mate, let me finish out here. Ten minutes, okay?" He briefly squeezed John shoulder, cleared his throat then walked away while pulling out his phone.
John turned to walk away, when Lestrade's voice caused him to pause.
"Meet you both by the car." Lestrade threw over his shoulder.
John exited through the side door. It emptied into a beautiful English garden that had a partial white fence. The house sat on a corner, so the side and front of the house faced the road.
John did not have far to walk before he came upon Sherlock. John pulled his coat tighter around himself to keep the wind from blowing into his coat.
Sherlock was perfectly composed, texting information. Perfectly calm.
John crossed his arms, furious.
"Good. Excellent!" Sherlock said to himself smiling as he looked at the screen on his phone.
Sherlock grimaced slightly then composed himself fingers flying across the phone again.
John's anger was forgotten, and for the moment replaced with concern. "Pain medication wearing off?"
"Some, not too bad I can handle it." Sherlock shrugged, that caused another grimace.
John's concern about Sherlock, his general displeasure at what happened, and an awareness of the fact that time was running out for Katie; collided together in his mind - causing him to become agitated. He raised his voice as he spoke.
"Well you're pushing yourself too bloody hard… you need to rest… an hour or two at the flat as I told you earlier! You need food; and something to drink will do you good. And there is medication for pain you know… I know you don't want to fog up that massive brain on that massive head of yours, but I don't want you further injured!"
John stood with his hands on his hips breathing in and out heavily, a side effort of his rant.
"Feel better?" Sherlock asked, eyes never leaving the phone.
"Some." John responded.
"You're angry because…" Sherlock was searching the internet now.
"That… that terrible display in there." John said slightly dumbfounded.
"I thought it was rather good personally," Sherlock countered.
How the man manages to look both arrogant and offended at the same time, John did not know.
John anger increased. "There are real people with real feeling in there. I had bloody tears in my bloody eyes!"
"Are you saying I'm not a real person?" Sherlock asked calmly changing the subject. He put his phone away and paid full attention to John now.
"Um, of course not but…" John started to speak, but was interrupted by Sherlock who stepped closer to John, invading his personal space.
"You should know by now that I will do whatever is necessary." Sherlock spoke slowly his voice was like steel.
"But Katie…," John said losing some of his steam, voice lowering somewhat.
"Exactly!" Sherlock voice rose.
Sherlock locked eyes with John, speaking in a calm voice.
"Look John…," he started, "… everything, I said was sincere. I held her the appropriate length of time to convey feelings of kinship, even when I was starting to feel bored. I thought you would appreciate that."
Sherlock sighed, "Look John, I admit the tears were a bit put on, but I needed to first throw her off balance, and then show her I had sympathy. If a few tears open her up and makes her trust me enough to cooperate and in fact give us the information to save a little girl, would that not make it necessary?"
"Yes! I suppose you're right!" John said.
"Then why are you yelling," Sherlock asked calmly.
"Because I don't have to like it!" John stomped away to the car, hands swinging wildly.
"Coming Sherlock?" John asked over his shoulder.
"Yes John," Sherlock said in a long-suffering tone. His eyebrows wrinkled in thought.
Yes, John was trustworthy, loyal and a faithful friend. He also could be amusing. That caused a smile to appear on Sherlock's face.
But, at times like this, John could be overly emotional.
Sherlock thought of sharing this observation with John but reconsidered, thinking it not wise at the moment. John did own a gun.
Sherlock smile faded. He knew how to find Katie, now only one part of the puzzle was still missing, himself.
Sherlock looked at his friend's retreating form; put his hands in his pocket pulling against the wind. A look of determination came across Sherlock's face as he followed.
Neither Sherlock nor the others noticed the smoke that ascended from the man who watched, just outside of their field of vision.
Unnoticed.