Promtp 23: Ring
A/N I don't even know... We haven't seen any Anderson or Donovan so I just... Deal with it. Also decided Anderson is called Jim cuz why the hell not
"Alright Sally?" Jim slipped his phone back into his pocket and sat down at the smallest table in the lunch room of New Scotland Yard. "Did you get the texts?" Sally asked, smirking into her chips. "Yeah, sounded pretty urgent but you don't seem busy..." he looked around as if to make sure that she was in fact not busy, and Sally once again found herself agreeing with the freak's proclamation that he was a complete dunder head. "I was busy at the time and so were you. It was a crime scene Jim, we both worked on it until the Freak and his lap dog arrived?" Realisation dawned on him and he nodded, slyly pinching one of her chips. "Alright alright I'm not a total dim wit Sally, what about it?" Eyes darting around the packed room, Sally beckoned him in closer, leaning in until their bodies created a shielded circle. "Well, the freak was rushing about, spewing his voodoo crap while little lap dog was chatting to Greg in the corner right?" Anderson nodded, eyes wide, riveted already. If Sally Donovan knew one thing it was gossip and judging by her excitement this was good stuff. "Ok so he's leaning over for a while, examining the body and complaining when he does that thing where he jumps and runs away screaming something random about gardeners or colours or whatever. Lap dog trots loyal at his heels and that should be that. You know we all keep dusting for prints yada yada yada and it's all normal stuff. This time though, I was the only one left at the scene and when the freak jumped up, something fell out of his pocket.""What was it?!" images of human fingers and bloody knives ran through his head, but nothing prepared him for the shock he got when Sally placed it on the table. "A ring box. The freak was carrying a ring box. Haven't opened it yet, thought I'd wait for you" Sally batted her lashes a bit and shimmied closer still, hiding the box from view. "You gem Sally Donovan! You do the honours." Nervously, fingers tingling, she prized open the box and looked inside. "Well fuck me. He's going to propose?!"
Greg walked in at that moment and took in the intimate sight of his agents. While he was against meddling, he couldn't abide by cheating because he had been on the receiving end of a cheater and it was not something he would wish on anyone. He remembered that as he sat awkwardly next to Donovan who pulled away from Anderson sharpish, turning a bright shade of pink and casually depositing something in her pocket. "How soon can you have the paperwork from the case of the blue - I mean the Kent murders ?" Lestrade looked between them, waiting for an adequate response. "I'm just finishing up my report actually, should be finished by this evening." Donovan responded, avoiding the judgmental gaze of her boss. "Good, on my desk as soon as you're done. Anderson?" Jim reached into his bag and drew a manila folder from within. "Have to wait for the official autopsy report still but apart from that everything is in there." Cheek of him, Sally thought. The only reason her report wasn't finished while his was came down to an empty office last night. He worked on his report, she worked on him. Life could be so unfair. "Thanks. Lunch is almost over, we should probably go." He gave them both a look and waited until they scurried off to leave himself. Later, while he sat idly in his car, he wondered what it was that Sally had shoved in her pocket so hastily.
The last of the lights in the yard were switched off and all the employees gone home. Standing alone in her bathroom, staring at her reflection, Sally opened the black ring box again. She asked herself if she truly believed that she would ever experience that moment when you realise the person you love is about to ask you to marry them. The honest answer, right now at least, was no. Her tryst with Jim wouldn't end in a proposal, it was one of the few topics he was vocal about. He was adamant that his proposal was the worst mistake of his life, one he would never make again. There were two reasons for that: his feelings towards marriage in general and his cowardice. He was not going to divorce his wife for Sally and they both knew it, even if he said that Sally was the one he preferred of the two. Sally couldn't help but feel empty at the thought that her relationship was a complete secret, and would be until the whole thing crashed and burned around her. The ring glinted at her, mocking her.
Anderson was in a similar position a few miles away. With his wife waiting for him in bed, he stood at the sink under the pretence that he had to brush his teeth. He couldn't help but think of the ring from earlier, and all the connotations that came with it. He knew well that the freak cared about no one, never had. Even his brother was treated to venomous glares and harsh insults. Yet there was a silver ring, nestled in a small pillow that said otherwise. Jim had noticed it, the way they looked at each other, like nothing else in the world mattered. He'd watched them jump in front of bullets for one another, battle criminals that threatened either of them, even fake death to save the other. The freak cared about only one person, and he was going to proclaim it to everyone by asking the lapdog to marry him. He twirled his own ring nervously. Had he ever felt that way about his wife? The short answer was no. He wished that he did, that he could honestly say that she was his whole reason for breathing, but he couldn't. He envied the devotion Sherlock and John had, there had never and would never be anyone else for Sherlock, and John, well he had given his heart to the detective by the time he and Jim had first met. They were enraptured by each other, perfectly suited. Why couldn't he have that? From Sherlock, that ring meant forever, friends, partners, lovers, husbands, only John. But from him... Had it meant anything at all? Long after most of London was asleep Anderson and Donovan lay awake, imaging the proposal of the man they called freak to the soldier they called lapdog and found that jealousy and a strange sense of goodwill were the main emotions this brought.
The next morning, standing by some new police tape, Sally waited for the inevitable arrival of Sherlock and John. As much as she disliked the man, she was not going to begrudge him his happiness by ruining his surprise. The only way to avoid that was to separate him from John and return the box quickly. After thoroughly explaining this plan to Jim, she waited in her usual spot for them to arrive. The cab pulled up and out swept Sherlock as dramatically as ever with John hot on his tails. Sally never thought that she would be thankful for a double homicide but it was exactly what she needed to make this work. While Sherlock swooped over the body in the bedroom, Anderson led John down to the kitchen to examine that one. As soon as they were gone she strode up to Sherlock. "Congratulations... I think..." She said holding out her palm with the box sitting on it. Relief washed across Sherlock's face. "It was gone when I went back for it yesterday. Thought someone had stolen it but apparently not." Sally listened carefully for any footsteps but heard none "I'd put it away now fr-Sherlock, don't want to ruin the whole surprise" His brow furrowed when she corrected herself, and he cracked a small smirk. "Almost did that myself, asked him to get my phone out of my pocket without thinking and very nearly panicked, but it was fine because it was gone. Then I had to panic for a different reason." He chuckled and Sally giggled too, pondering how they usually acted so caustic towards each other and trying to remember why it had become that way. His deductions were harsh yes, and quite rude, but they were truthful and in this moment of camaraderie between them Sally Donovan resolved to repair, to some extent the relationship she'd never had with Sherlock Holmes. "Good luck anyway, I've a feeling he'll be very happy with you." She smiled widely at him and he looked quite taken aback. "Thank you Sally, I do hope he will."
No sooner had he stowed the ring in his pocket(The opposite one to where he kept his phone) did John appear, and then Sherlock was flying around as he usually did, ending up bolting out the door with John by his side. "What was going on there?" John asked when they were in the taxi again. "Sergeant Donovan wanted to wish us well in our relationship. I believe that she has realised exactly how intolerable she is and wishes to rectify that. She even used my name. It was rather surprising." John smiled slightly "Good, because the next time she called you a freak I was going to break my rule about punching women." Sherlock laughed and gave him a quick peck. "One of the many reasons I love you John. Always willing to break the rules for me." He smiled, fingers curling around the box in his pocket. Tonight.
A/N I feel like I'm trying to include all the characters that I can just so there's variety! Don't want anyone getting bored :L Also I posted that fic based on chapter 20 :Prize, it's called Alive and it'd be cool if you guys would check it out