Sherlock story
Deleted Memories, Chapter 109
Warning: post Reichenbach spoilers. Hope you enjoy
*As always thanks for reading, special thanks to all of you who take the time to review, comment, and favorite.
"I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing."~Agatha Christie
Present Day
John considered Sherlock's nightmare that occurred the previous night. The nightmares were less severe and had occurred less frequently than before. Also, at least this time Sherlock was fully aware of them. However, it was obvious that the last twenty-four hours had awakened something.
John thought he heard voices. He got up, picked up his book, folded up the throw blanket and had put it to hang back on his chair.
Mycroft and Sherlock were talking. They were sitting in the chairs that they normally sat in.
Sherlock was showered, and fully dressed in his midnight blue suit and cream-colored tailored shirt. Mycroft was in his three-piece gray suit with a white shirt, and yellow stripe tie.
They were in the middle of their usual disagreement, when Mycroft stopped speaking and looked at John. He came with rumpled hair and pajamas from Sherlock's bedroom.
John noticed Mycroft's stare, but said nothing except, hello.
John walked into the kitchen. He heard Sherlock's voice.
"John, I put on some coffee, it's in the cup on the table." John took the coffee and drank. He was surprised that Sherlock made it, that it was the way he liked it and that it was piping-hot.
John gratefully sipped as he walked over to the table saying a thank you to Sherlock.
Mycroft became quiet, and sat back watching and listening as John and Sherlock past comments and questions back, and forth.
"Are you sore?" John asked, he wondered if he should get the painkillers for Sherlock. John considered how thrashing about because of the nightmare could aggravate an already abused body.
"Some." Sherlock replied honestly. This admission surprised John who walked over and gave him the pain medicine.
"How did you know when I would wake up, the coffee was hot." John was intrigued as he took another sip; he then frowned as he remembered the last time Sherlock made a hot beverage without moaning about it first. John looked at the cup.
"It's not drugged John, I'm doing a different experiment today." Sherlock sounded offended.
"OK," was all that John said as he continued to sip.
"I know how much sleep your body requires. I considered all your physical exertions. And I knew that you would fall asleep after me." Sherlock stated as if he should have known the facts.
"By the way John, don't worry; I thought all the moaning, and screaming coming from the bedroom would have waken Mrs. Hudson, but she seemed not to notice," Sherlock sipped his coffee and added, "or, maybe she's used to it." Sherlock's face was deep in thought.
"Well," Mycroft rose from his seat. "I should be getting back to the office." Mycroft looked at Sherlock then John and walked to the door, picked up his coat, and with a smirk prepared to leave.
"Oh, by the way, Sherlock, I'll have someone drop your phone off later today." Mycroft left.
John frowned at Mycroft's sudden exit and looked up when a thought occurred.
"Mycroft," John called out in time to hear a door slam.
"Well, that was mature Sherlock," John stated incredulously.
"Care to explain your meaning?" Sherlock calmly sipped on his coffee.
"You were experimenting again," John found it more amusing than irritating, "on human reactions and feelings if I was to guess. Even though, why you think your brother qualifies for the average human part, I don't know." John stopped mid thought.
"It was my reaction Sherlock Holmes you little git." John was annoyed, but not so annoyed that he did not take another sip of coffee, "One of these days, your little experiments are going to backfire, I hope I'm there to witness it. I hope even more that I'm not a part of it."
Sherlock had a small smile on his face.
Sherlock said nothing at first, "Care to point out where I lied?" Sherlock asked calmly.
John ignored Sherlock's comment and looked at him, really looked. Apart from the split lip and facial bruising, to anyone who did not know Holmes it was just another morning with a bored Sherlock Holmes.
That was to anyone that did not know him. John understood that Sherlock was trying to redirect not only John's attention away from last night, but also his own.
John would not allow Sherlock to slip back into his old patterns of ignoring difficult emotional issues by deflection or simply pretending that they were not there.
He wanted to take a shower, but sat across from Sherlock looking at him while sipping the coffee. Sherlock sighed and sipped his coffee suddenly looking everywhere in the room, but into John's eyes. John waited patiently.
After a few minutes, Sherlock looked into John's eyes.
"Whenever you're ready," John said quietly.
Sherlock after a moment opened his mouth to speak, but he was interrupted by Mycroft's borrowed mobile phone ringing. He frowned slightly, half disappointed by the interruption, half relieved.
"Holmes," Sherlock said answering the mobile phone.
"How long did it take John to see through your little distraction?" Mycroft asked directly. The Holmes brothers were not ones for hellos or goodbyes.
"Not long," Sherlock replied simply.
"He's getting much faster..., I thought that I would warn you, Thomas reported that a Miss Molly Hooper is on the way up and caring something that looks suspiciously like cookies. I will see you tonight. Do save me a cookie."
"Are you sure you need one?" Sherlock replied annoyed.
"Quite sure, Sherlock" Mycroft disconnected the call.