"Still I get the feeling that you're going to go crazy not being able to do anything so I propose a compromise"
"What sort of compromise?"
"We'll find work for you at the embassy and we'll pay you for it, but not at your usual consulting rates"
"I can accept that"
"Then that's what we'll do once we figure out a place for you to work at anyways"
"Understood, in the meantime though I think I'll simply start adjusting to my room and explore the embassy a little to find my way around at need, with an escort of course"
"Agreed, what about your normal job?"
"The German government has agreed to explain the situation to them since they're the ones who are putting me in hiding in the first place"
"Understood, let's hope this doesn't last too long though because I can bet you're going to be itching to go back to normal real fast"
"You have no idea"
Sherlock settles into his room relatively quickly and within a week settles into his new temporary life at the embassy. He was given work in the cafeteria which was a good thing in his mind since it kept him hidden and secure from outside cameras. He was also regularly updated on the progress of the case which seemed to be slow going but that didn't surprise Sherlock one bit considering that they were dealing with the mafia.
"You know, this could take longer than expected since we're dealing with the mafia here"
"Well, I'm hoping it doesn't take too long and am doing my part while here to help bring them down"
"That's right, I forgot we gave you that access for that purpose for reasons that were explained to you your first night here"
"Indeed"
The next month wasn't easy but eventually it was deemed safe for Sherlock to return to normal life.
"Now then the mafia isn't actually gone but we've taken them down several pegs and quite frankly they wouldn't dare risk going after you again after their failure this last time"
"I see, in any case I'll head home and let my actual job know I can come back to work"
"Good idea, it's best that they hear this sort of thing in person"
And so Sherlock returns to his job and let's time pass when he realizes that it had been around two and a half years since his fall from Reichenbach and thus his presumed death.
"Two and a half years huh? I can hardly believe it's been that long and yet it has, and to think that originally I was thought dead for three years, though I knew I was alive and with my memories intact"
Sherlock goes to work and everyone could tell that something was on his mind but unless he spoke about it they knew they couldn't press him in case it involved his other job as a government consultant, which they were aware of on the fringes at the very least after an incident in the bar while he was doing his job for the Swiss government and the agent who asked for his help recently.
"Hey Lian, could you get the tables for a bit and I take over the bar?"
"What for?"
"Besides the fact that the owners want us to start trading off if we have bar training, which you weren't aware of due to you being away for a month for whatever reason, there's also the fact that you're the best trainer and we have a new waitress who's been shadowing me for a few days but also needs to shadow someone like you according to the owners"
"Understood, has her shift started?"
"She just clocked in"
"Very well, I'll allow her to shadow me, but first I'll introduce myself, or will you do that?"
"I'll do that actually and then take over the bar"
"Very well"
And so Sherlock was shadowed for the night and then two days later he was on a day shift when once again the managers brought in a newspaper and he went pale after reading the headline.
"Lian, are you okay?"
"I...I'll be fine, the headline just caught me by surprise is all, I'm one of the people who always thought Scotland Yard was invincible or at the very least things like this didn't really happen to them"
"Understood, can you work with this shocking news being processed?"
"Yes, I'll be fine"
Sherlock finishes his shift and then heads to his current home and starts thinking about what he should be doing next, go home or remain away until he knew it was safer for him to actually return. Ultimately the Swiss government would help him out in making that decision though they would never know that themselves per Sherlock's decision.
"Lian we want to help the British government with what's been happening lately, what's the best way to go about offering that help?"
"The best way is to simply ask if they need the help"
"Very well, then that's what we'll do"
"Also...I am requesting that you no longer have me as a Swiss government consultant"
"Lian?"
"There's things that I have to do that I don't want to implicate the Swiss government in. It's something I have actually been needing to do for some time now. And in order to give the Swiss government plausible deniability I won't tell you what I am doing so that if you're ever asked if you knew what I was doing you won't have to lie, it's part of why I am asking to give up my title as a Swiss government consultant"
"Very well Lian, and we won't ask you to tell us but...if it involves you going home we would request that you take certain precautions while doing so"
"Don't worry I know how I'll be getting home safely"
"Very well"
"However first I have to inform my other job and sign paperwork from you guys regarding my status"
"Good point, so you're still at least two weeks out from leaving"
"Yes"
"Since that's the case we want you to do something one last time that won't take very long, I promise"
"What is it that you need me to do?"
"Come on, we'll show you"
And so Sherlock was taken to the Embassy and found out that what the Swiss government needed from him was his help on organizing the files regarding the work he had done for them during his short time as a consultant for them. What Sherlock didn't know was that the files were being organized so that once Sherlock was revealed as alive to the British government the Swiss government could give them the files regarding his work for them so that any files on Sherlock would be complete for the British government.
"So, why are we here at the Embassy?"
"Your last job for us is to help organize your files and work you've done for us in chronological order because we never did that surprisingly enough. It's also so that you can start talking about what we read recently that I'm sure you're affected by emotionally, even if you don't want to admit that"
"What makes you think I'm affected by the recent news from England?"
"That's actually an easy answer Sherlock Holmes, we know for a fact that you worked with New Scotland Yard regularly. You knew the officer that was killed recently didn't you?"
Sherlock quickly realized that he had to give into the questioning since the group did know his true identity. And with that knowledge he simply nods his head in acceptance for what he was about to reveal
"You're correct I knew that officer a bit more personally than other officers having worked with him on a few cases before"
"Have you even given yourself a chance to start the grieving process? I need to know since I know for a fact that we gave you a week before doing this mission"
"I...I haven't actually, I haven't allowed myself to start grieving because I can't afford to grieve at the moment"
"Why can't you afford to grieve? I mean, you lost a friend or at least an associate"
"Because if I start to grieve for someone I'm not supposed to know then my cover could be blown to the wrong people and I could be killed before I ever got home"
"Oh, that wouldn't be good, you have a very good reason not to start the grieving process"
"However...I think that while here at the Embassy helping us sort out your files it would be best to at least talk about it even if you don't actually begin the much needed grieving"
"If I talk I might start the grieving process which could endanger me until I get home"
The Swiss agents realized that Sherlock was correct in that he could begin the grieving process which would be very, very dangerous for him and realized that they would have to think of a solution and fast.
"I see, well while you start the organizing of the files we have other things we need to deal with, just shout for us if you need us at any point due to being unsure of what we need where or you're done and need an escort out of the Embassy"
Once they leave Sherlock alone they go to a special office that was soundproofed for just such occasions.
"So, he has a point, think we can ask our superior's if we can use a private airplane to get Sherlock back home?"
"I think they'll go for it, no...actually I know that they'll go for it"
"Do you know something we don't Josiah?"
"Yes actually, ever since Sherlock regained his memories they've been wanting to hear that he was ready to go home. Even if this isn't the way we wanted it to happen our superior's have been preparing for this day, or well the day that is to come soon enough anyways"
"Should we tell him now?"
"No, not quite yet, we need to get him to start grieving, plus we want to make sure about if he wants to let anyone else from England know that he's alive or if he continues to want to be thought dead for the moment because that will affect other things that we are currently doing to help him."
"Oh that explains things, but still if he doesn't start the mourning process soon..."
"Exactly, and that's why we need to talk to him about that article he recently read"
"This isn't going to be fun is it?"
"No, it won't be, but it has to be done unfortunately"
"How will we get started?"
"The hard way unfortunately, we have to shock him by showing him the article again, something he probably hasn't read since it first came out, if he actually read it at all"
"You sure you want to do that? I mean...if he hasn't actually read the article..."
"I know, but it's for the best unfortunately"
"First we'll help him get everything organized...he hasn't really done a lot for us has he?"
"Actually he's done more than you think he has, it's just not always very public is all"
"Oh"
"Yes, he's been an advisor for us for things you wouldn't know about since you're generally in a different department than the rest of us, and you're also a lower rank as a government agent too which affects things"
"Still there is one concern about just...confronting him with the article"
"And what's that?"
"What if he completely shuts down and doesn't talk about it at all? I am very concerned about what might happen if he retreats into his mind due to unprocessed grief"
"We'll deal with it then should it happen"
"Then I guess it's time to confront him about his grief through the article that recently came out"
"Agreed it's time"
"Indeed it is"
"Though he might be done with all the files by now which means we may not have as much time as we wish"
"Good point, let's go then"
They return to where they'd left Sherlock and found that he was still sorting files because it turned out that the situation at the Embassy was worse than expected regarding Sherlock's files. What Sherlock and many people didn't know was that while Sherlock sent his reports to the Embassy almost exactly in the order that he did the government jobs the person who handled his files had two problems which made things bad for their position. First of all they weren't very organized yet managed to keep that issue hidden due to the way most files were given to them, the second problem that they were hiding was the fact that they were going blind ever so slowly and while they were realizing it themselves they were also keeping that a secret in order to keep their current job. These issues were important when it came to Sherlock's files because sometimes he gathered all the information that he had at the time for the Swiss government and sent it to the Embassy and then if he found more information later he would send the information for one case alongside another case and thus files got seriously mixed up.
"Hey Lian, how is it going right now?"
"Not good, the files are so mixed up it might take me the rest of the time or more that I gave my other job notice for"
"I see, however Lian...we need to talk"
"What about?"
Suddenly a newspaper is dropped in front of him and the title of the article was visible and he quickly realized what this conversation was going to be about due to said article title in big, bold letters.
SCOTLAND YARD IN MOURNING
After rumors being heard over the past three days by news reporters regularly in contact with officers in Scotland Yard it has been confirmed that as of yesterday afternoon Scotland Yard has lost one of its own during an active case. Inspector Gregson died yesterday afternoon in the hospital due to injuries incurred during an active investigation according to Inspector Lestrade, though details haven't been given...
Sherlock tosses the article aside before he got any further which told the group that he truly wasn't ready to confront what the news said, but the group also knew that they had to force his hand in beginning the mourning process for everyone's safety.
"Lian we know you don't want to talk about this but you must for your own health"
"I'm fine"
"No Lian you're not, you knew the officer that was killed, add that to the fact that you've been away from home for so long, even if some of it was due to amnesia and you need to talk about it"
"That's your imagination, now then I believe it's time to eat"
Once Sherlock was out of earshot Josiah shakes his head and then speaks up
"This is going to be harder than I initially thought"
"He really doesn't like confrontation does he?"
"No, he doesn't"
"Unfortunately he doesn't have much of a choice in this due to how dangerous his mental health will get without this confrontation"
And so the group starts to break down Sherlock's emotional barriers and three days later they finally succeed in their ultimate goal of getting Sherlock to talk about the article he was avoiding talking about.
"Lian...are you okay?"
"No, I miss my friends and I wish I was there helping them get answers to why one of their own was killed, someone I knew personally and considered a comrade if not a friend"
"We know Lian, and as soon as this paperwork is properly organized we're giving you a private ride home and will help you contact those you need to contact as well"
"My thanks"
"Now then, do you want to go back to the file room and talk about him while getting the files organized?"
"Yes, I'd like that"
And so while Sherlock organizes all the files regarding his work for the Swiss government he actually talks about Gregson and the other officers he was close to, though he didn't reveal that the closeness was due to being reincarnated. Eventually he was finished with organizing his files and was finished at his main job too since it took the entire time to organize said files due to just how disorganized the person filing his work was.
"Now then, is there anyone you want to contact before going home?"
"Yes actually, my brother and John both need contacted, those from Scotland Yard will hear it from them within a day so I won't have to worry about contacting them"
"Then let's get that done and then we'll arrange for a private ride and welcome home committee so that you can greet those you care about without being hounded by the news before you're ready"
"My thanks"
And with that everyone could tell that Sherlock was preparing himself for a hard phone call. After a deep breath and slight hesitation when he was finished inputting the number to press enter which would make the connection Sherlock pressed the enter button to make the phone call