Silence In Belgravia

Silent Home

Rose stood back as John went to work making sure that Sherlock didn't, as the woman had put it, choke on his own vomit. They didn't have to wait long for Lestrade to arrive.

"What on earth have you three gone and done now?" He asked Rose as Sherlock was lifted onto a stretcher, medics working on him, John among them.

Rose followed John out, wondering what she could say, deciding with the truth. "I wish I could tell you, Lestrade, but I really don't even know what to say."

Lestrade didn't like that though. "What do you mean, you don't know what to say?"

"I mean…" She started, pausing to look at the distraction behind Lestrade, how had stopped on the front steps and turned to face her. On the street was John, waving to her from beside a sleek, posh, black car, one that only meant one thing; Mycroft. "I mean, there's my ride and I really shouldn't keep John waiting."

Taking advantage of his trust in her, she quickly side stepped him and ran over to John, who had gone round the other side, letting her get in the car quicker. The car was in motion before she had even shut the door. However, just before the door shut, she did hear the DI shout loudly "Anderson, put your phone away!"

"Was that what I thought it was?" Asked John.

Rose sighed. "I really hope not." Just as she was about to reply further however, she felt a vibration in her pocket; she had a text. Taking out the mobile devise, she opened the message and groaned in response.

Fancy a talk, call me.

It was from Joe, her eldest brother. Putting her phone away, she decided that she'd call him when they got back and had Sherlock sorted out.

The car slowed to a stop and the pair took it as their cue to get out. However on opening the door, Rose expecting the hospital where she knew they'd taken their unconscious friend, she found herself looking up at their residence in Baker Street. Throwing a confused look to John she asked, "Why aren't we at the hospital?"

John shut the door and the car drove off. "No point. Lestrade will take care of him, we'd just be in the way really. They'll drop Sherlock off in about an hour or so."

"That's quick." She commented, going to unlock the door.

"It's Sherlock." John chuckled. "They'll want to get rid of him as soon as possible."

Rose also let out a chuckle, unlocking the front door and letting them in. Going upstairs she took her coat off and put the kettle on for the pair of them, flexing her hand while she had her back turned to John; no damage done to anything important, and she wasn't one to let pain get the best of her.

While waiting for the kettle, she prepared two cups of tea and went to put away her coat and take off her shoes. Sat on the edge of her bed, she decided, while she had the chance, she should see how the normal, relatively boring real world was doing; she would call her brother.

Havening made up her mind, before she could change it, she went to finish off the tea. As she brought in the cups for her and John, going to sit on the sofa and drawing a cigarette from its usual box, she spoke up. "John, I'm just going to call me brother, you don't mind, do you?" She didn't want to impose on him, but the sofa really was quite comfortable.

John looked up in surprise. "Of course I don't mind!" He laughed. Then he stopped, a thought occurring to him. "You're phoning Zach?" He remembered it wasn't long ago that he witnessed first hand the sibling's heated row.

Rose just frowned, thinking along the same line, why on earth would I do that? "No, Joe. Just wanna make sure he's alright, you know?"

John nodded in understanding. "I know. Go ahead." He smiled, picking up his laptop and going to sit at the desk, leaving the young woman to her plans.

Puling out a cigarette, she was about to dial the number, when there was a knock at the door. Frowning at who it might be, she put her phone down for now and looked out the window. Lestrade was stood at the door, a drowsy looking, but struggling Sherlock next to him.

"John" She called, looking up to the man. "Sherlock's back."

Together they went downstairs to help relieve Lestrade of the lanky man.

Turning to Lestrade, Rose said, "Thanks Lestrade, you really have been a great help."

The DI just smiled, winking at the young woman. "It's okay. The photos were worth it." Rose just chuckled.

Sherlock however, obviously still intoxicated by whatever Irene had given him, spoke up loudly. "Always with the photo's, isn't it Lesley?!" Clicking an imaginary camera in front on his eyes, pulling the strangest faces.

Rose just raised both eyebrows before chuckling. "Let's get you to bed, hey boss?" The two flatmates half dragging their friend to his room. Without turning back to the rather shocked detective on the door step, she called back. "Thanks again!"

After a lot more rambling and a few outbursts from the struggling consulting detective, the doctor and the assistant managed to get the man to his room. Just as they got to the bed side however, Rose letting go to pull back the bed sheets, Sherlock pushed away from John.

Swaying slightly, the consulting detective took a smaller step towards the doctor again. "You!" The two friends just looked at him though, waiting for whatever nonsense he was going to throw at John.

"You're my favourite…!" He slurred.

Rose snorted; she couldn't help it, it was just too funny. Finishing getting the bed ready, she stepped out of the way while John practically picked Sherlock up and threw him into the bed.

He was asleep before his head hit the pillow, literally, a loud snore filling the room.

Rose just slightly laughed, putting a hand over her mouth to muffle the sounds as she and John left the man to rest.

Going back to where she was sat on the sofa, she tucked her legs underneath herself and pulled out her phone once more. Picking up where she left off, she dialled the number of her eldest brother before wedging the phone between her ear and her shoulder, lighting up as she waited for him to pick up. "Sis!" She smiled at his tone.

They talked for a while, catching up, Joe laughing at the silly things she had ended up doing since they last saw each other. Eventually though, she noticed something was on his mind, and so asked him if there was something he wanted to talk about.

"Well.." He hesitated, not knowing if he should say anything at all. "It's coming up to that time of year again Rose; I was wondering if you were going home for Christmas…"

Rose let out a groan, letting her head fall back. "I really don't want to. I know it's the parents, but still…" She felt she should, but really didn't want to cross that bridge just yet.

"If you're not… I might have a suggestion…" Joe said but she could hear the eagerness in his voice.

"Go on." She told him, thinking it better to just get it over with, have a laugh about whatever mad idea he came up with and move on.

"How about this." He started out. "If you're staying in London… and Zach's in London, why don't we all get together?"

She was silent for a second, trying to remember the last time she was with her brothers for Christmas. "Just the three of us…?"

"If you want." He suddenly started back tracking, thinking she was opposed. "I mean, if you don't want to, that's fine, I mean, we can do something else."

"No." She said firmly. "I want to, really, I just don't know how, you know?"

Joe frowned hearing this, not having considered the how. "What do you mean?"

"Well you've seen Zach's place, its tiny." She told him sadly. "And I haven't got the place to myself remember?" She frowned at the thought. "I don't even know what John and Sherlock are doing for Christmas."

John looked up at his name, finding the young woman in a world of her own. He frowned though, thinking on the holiday himself; it would be their first Christmas together. He knew his own sibling wouldn't want much to do with it, and Sherlock, well… that was a mystery unto itself. Somehow the good doctor couldn't see Sherlock sat at the table, woolly jumper and paper hat, pulling crackers with Mycroft…

"I'll have to see and get back to you Joe, okay?" She said, not promising anything until she had spoken with her flatmates. Suddenly, she heard Sherlock shouting in his room. Looking up to John, who had looked at her at the same time, she told Joe. "I've got to go, I'll call you back." Getting a quick but confused "Bye" in return.

After a second shout for John, they sprang into life, running to Sherlock's room, Rose hanging up as she went. Just as they got to the door, they heard a loud thud, making them move a bit faster again.

On opening the door, they found Sherlock, tangled in his sheets, apparently having fallen out of bed. They would have found it funny if he didn't seem so panicked.

"You okay?" John asked.

Sherlock looked up at them. "How did I get here?"

Rose frowned; it wasn't right that he didn't know something, he was Sherlock Holmes. "You don't remember?" Then she remembered how he was when they left as well as when he got back home.

"I don't suppose he does…" John muttered before turning back to the man on the floor. "You weren't making a lot of sense."

Rose remembered then, thinking it best to get it over with. "Oh, and Lestrade may have filmed you…on his phone…"

Sherlock wasn't paying attention though. "Where is she?"

"Where's who?" John frowned.

"The Woman?" Rose asked.

Sherlock just nodded furiously as John frowned more. "Woman? What woman?"

"The Woman, woman!" Was Sherlock's brilliant explanation.

"Oh, Irene Adler?" John asked, looking to the friend that was more comprehensible at the moment, getting a nod from Rose. "She got away, no one saw her."

Rose however saw he was in fact looking around, out the window first then around the room. Knowing what he must be thinking, she said. "She wasn't here Sherlock…"

"What are you?" John asked as the madman got on the floor to look under the bad. "No. No, no. No, Back to bed with you." Easily picking the taller but thinner man up and depositing him back in his bed; a practised action from years of bad patients. "You'll be fine in the morning." The doctor sighed. "Just sleep."

"Of course I'll be fine." Slurred the bed bound man. "I am fine. I'm absolutely fine."

Rose just looked on as John's doctor's side came out a bit more. "Yes, you're great. I'll be next door if you need me."

"Why would I need you?" Questioned Sherlock; Rose thought it was a reflex for him to argue.

"No reason at all." Replied John, not missing a beat, holding the door for Rose before closing it behind him.

The assistant just looked at the older man. "He's a bit pedantic, aint he?"

John just seemed to loose all his energy then, giving an exaggerated sigh. "Too tired for big words…." He grumbled, getting a chuckle in return. "I'm gonna turn in for the night. See you tomorrow."

"Sleep well." She said, chuckling at the memory of Sherlock rather incapacitated. As she turned from the man's room however, just as she got to the end of the hall to go down to her own room, she swore she heard the strangest of noises.

Oh…!

Freezing, she frowned, turning back to Sherlock's room, giving the door a suspicious look. Must be loosing the plot, she decided, putting the guttural moan out of her mind, focusing more on the prospect of sleep; it had been a long day.