They enjoy the rest of the day laying in bed talking about nothing. John repeats over and over how much he missed Sherlock, and Sherlock agrees every time.
The top of the hill is John's favorite place. With Sherlock, sweet delicate Sherlock, cradled against his chest, it's exponentially better. Not only is this John's favorite place, favorite moment, favorite feeling, but the world itself feels right again.
The stars have aligned, these two men have been brought together again. And John knows he'll do anything not to lose Sherlock again. Once when he dumped Sherlock in high school was enough, again when Sherlock was sent away was too many times. He can't lose Sherlock again.
"Stay with me," John says as they sit at the top of the hill watching the sun set over the ocean.
Sherlock snuggles deeper into John's chest. "Tonight?"
John brushes hair off the back of Sherlock's neck and kisses the exposed skin. "Forever."
Sherlock turns to look at John as much as he can. "You come with me."
"I can't leave my mama."
"Take her. She can live with my dad. Sell the vineyard. Go to Harvard with me."
"Why'd you gotta go back to Harvard?"
Sherlock shrugs. "Because I want to. I'm finally ready to and…I want you to be there with me."
John kisses his neck again.
"You can try to play football."
John laughs. "I haven't played football since last year."
"So? That talent doesn't just disappear."
John carts his fingers of both hands through Sherlock's hair, giving Sherlock a simple scalp massage.
"Think I could?"
"I think you could do anything."
"What if I don't wanna play football?"
"What do you want to do?"
John rubs his nose against Sherlock's neck. "Nah, forget it."
"No, what?"
"Nothin'. It's stupid."
Sherlock turns around in John's arms. He sits cross-legged between John's thighs.
"You look good in my t-shirt," John says.
"Don't change the subject."
John laughs.
"What is it? What do you want to do?"
John licks his lips and sighs. "I, uh…I wanna be a doctor."
"A doctor?" Sherlock asks, surprised.
John looks down at the dirt. "I told you it was stupid."
Sherlock places a hand on his jaw. "It's not stupid."
John looks at him. "It's not?"
"Of course not! You could do it!"
"I am so bad at school, Sherlock."
"Is this something you want?" Sherlock asks.
John nods. "It is."
"Did you want to go to USC to play football?"
John shakes his head. "No."
"There's the difference."
"You think so?"
Sherlock adjusts to sit on John's thighs. He wraps his arms around John's neck. "You can do anything," Sherlock whispers against John's lips.
"Then…I'm ready to let go of the vineyard. You think it'll sell?"
"You've maintained it quite beautifully on your own," Sherlock says. "I'll stay here with you until it sells."
"When does school start?"
"September."
John smiles. "We have two months, then."
"What do you think we can get up to in two months?" Sherlock asks.
"Lots."
"More importantly," Sherlock says, "How many times do you think we can have sex in the next two months?"
John laughs. "We do have a lot of time to make up for."
Sherlock nods, then kisses John lightly and pushes him down against the dirt.