Brother dearest: chapter three

Well, now I get low and I get high,

And if I can't get either, I really try.

Got the wings of heaven on my shoes,

I'm a dancin' man and I just can't lose.

You know, it's all right, it's okay,

I'll live to see another day.

We can try to understand

The New York Times' effect on man. (BeeGees-Stayin'Alive)

When Sherlock woke up it was already midday. He never slept this late. He put on his robe and slowly walked to the living room where he saw John sitting at the table with his laptop reading.

‘What are you reading?’ Sherlock asked while walking through to the kitchen to make himself and John a cup of tea.

‘Oh, nothing’ John was startled and closed his laptop rather quickly.

Sherlock raised his eyebrow as he noticed how John started to blush slightly. ‘Nothing?’ he said while pouring water into two cups.

‘I just feel a sudden urge to text a random number, that’s all’ John mumbled.

Sherlock raised his eyebrow again. ‘John? Care to elaborate?’

‘Oh never mind Sherlock, how are you feeling?’

‘Much better than you apparently, you look like you’re getting down with something. You’re looking all flushed. You’re not getting the flue are you?’

‘Oh for God’s sake, Sherlock, no! It’s just something I’ve read on the internet okay? Let it go!’

‘I didn’t know it would upset you so much’ Sherlock said handing John his tea.
Sherlock sat down in his chair and picked up the paper.

‘Anything interesting happening while I was sleeping?’ he asked John.

‘I wouldn’t read the papers if I were you’ John replied.

Sherlock looked round to face John. ‘Oh? And why is that? It would upset me to much? It would make me grab more drugs? Has my dear brother left instructions?’

‘You know that’s not it’ John jumped up and walked to his chair to face Sherlock. ‘Mycroft is just as concerned as I am, maybe even more so. You have taken a considerable amount of sleeping pills after all!’

‘I don’t see what why you are all making such a big deal out of it all’ Sherlock sighed shaking his head. ‘It’s not as if I hadn’t taken it before.’

‘Right and that makes it all right now does it. The great Sherlock Holmes can bloody well do whatever the hell he wants without caring about the people he’s hurting in the process is it? “Caring isn’t an advantage John” remember!? Well Sherlock it bloody well is! Damn you!’

‘Everything all right dears?’ Mrs Hudson walked in without knocking. ‘I heard shouting and I thought I’d come looking what was going on. Oh Sherlock, you’re back! Oh dear me, I was so worried about you! How are you?’

‘I’m fine Mrs Hudson. Don’t you worry about me?’ Sherlock got up. ‘I have to get dressed, if you’ll excuse me.’

Sherlock walked to his bedroom and closed the door behind him.

‘Are you sure he is all right, John? I was ever so worried.’

‘He is his old self again Mrs H.’ John grunted. ‘I wouldn’t worry if I were you. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have some work to do.’

‘John I am sure he will be all right. It is just the last remainders of the pills in his system that’s all.’ Mycroft’s voice didn’t sound too sure of that over the phone.

‘I don’t know who you are trying to convince Mycroft but I am keeping a close eye on him the next 24 hours I can tell you that!’

‘That is always a good idea, now with James Moriarty at large. I’m afraid of what he might do actually.’

‘Is that my brother you are talking to?’ Sherlock stepped out of the bathroom with his hair still wet, a towel in his hands to dry his curls.

‘Yes and you’re dripping on your suit’ John pointed.

‘Give me the phone please John’ Sherlock’s hand reached out ignoring John’s remark.

John handed him his phone. ‘Mycroft, how about mother and father?’ Sherlock started the conversation with his brother.

‘They are looked after, don’t you worry. I made sure of that. How are you feeling, Sherlock?’

‘I’m fine, Mycroft. Why does everyone keep asking me that?’

‘Because dear brother, you have taken a rather large sum of pills and have spent the night in a clinic. It is because of Dr Watson that you are home again, I don’t think the doctors would have approved otherwise. Furthermore I want you to take it easy for a couple of days. No taking cases. I know you want to’ Mycroft heard his younger brother taking a breath to protest. ‘But listen for once if you will. Please, do this for me. And for John’ Mycroft added in a soft toned voice. ‘Promise?’

Sherlock sighed; ‘I promise’ he then said rolling his eyes at John.

‘Good boy’ Mycroft said. ‘I’ll be in touch’

Sherlock handed the phone over to John.

‘What was that about?’ John asked.

‘Oh just my brother being obnoxious as usual’ Sherlock sat down in his chair. ‘He wants me to be bored out of my skull.

I can’t do any cases and have to sit here and twiddle my thumbs I guess.’ Sherlock tapped his fingers on the side of the chair.

‘Sherlock? You have read today’s paper?’ John looked at Sherlock as if he suspected an outburst at any moment.

‘I haven’t, should I have? Sherlock picked up the paper and read:

Moriarty strikes again

Sherlock read the article with increasing astonishment. When he was finished reading about the next ‘prank’ Moriarty had been allowed to make, he turned to John.

‘Why?’ he just said.

‘You mean why Mycroft didn’t say?’ John replied. ‘I don’t know; I just didn’t want to hold anything back that’s all.

I don’t want you to relapse I don’t want to see you going through all that again; I mean like yesterday. But you must know what you’re up against, don’t you?’

Sherlock nodded; ‘Thank you John’ He looked John in the eyes, all his feelings for John rushed through him but he pushed that aside. Now was not the time.

He took his phone out of his pocket and called Lestrade.

‘Greg, let me do something, anything. I know what Mycroft must have told you, I’m not ill, if you all want me to go back to that again, than by all means, let me sit here do nothing.’

‘Fuck Sherlock, Mycroft clearly stated he would have my head if I let you. What am I to do now?’ Greg Lestrade thought for a moment and then said; ‘Fine I’ll be there in a few’

‘Thank you’ Sherlock put his phone aside and grinned at John.

‘You’re full of yourself’ John couldn’t help but feel admiration for his friend even if it was unwarranted.

‘Oh shut up’ Sherlock couldn’t help but grin at his friend. He couldn’t sit cooped up all day at home and do nothing. That would surely drive everyone mad and made him grab his pills. Any pills as Mycroft would have made sure there where none to be found in the apartment.

Not long after the call to Lestrade he came running up the stairs. ‘Well, how are you feeling?’ he asked as he came through the door.

‘I wish everyone would stop asking me that’ Sherlock looked cross. ‘Now for more important stuff than my petty little things; the other one.’

Lestrade looked at Sherlock as if he didn’t understand what Sherlock was taking about. ‘The other one what?’ he said.

‘The other brother pay attention will you Greg? Don’t say my dear old brother hasn’t told you about Moriarty being our long lost brother now.’

Lestrade suddenly looked white as a sheet. ‘What? You’re joking!’

‘I am certainly not, I can assure you. I wish I was. John please if you will…’ Sherlock walked out of the room to the bathroom as John explained to Greg Lestrade the whole story of James Moriarty being the long lost third Holmes brother.

‘Fucking hell’ Lestrade stood there with his hand to his mouth shaking his head. ‘Mycroft could have told me that!’ he kept shaking his head in disbelief.

When Sherlock came back into the room, his phone rang.

‘Hello?’

‘How are you feeling, Sherlock? All better now? Oh shucks you shouldn’t take pills now should you. I’m going to have to take better care of my baby brother.’

‘Moriarty’ Sherlock growled the name in his phone.

Lestrade and John both turned round in shock at the same time to see Sherlock’s angry face.

‘What do you want?’ Sherlock asked.

‘Well, nothing more than your wellbeing dear brother’ Moriarty laughed.

‘Stop calling me that’ Sherlock clenched his jaw as he spoke.

‘Why should I? You are my brother after all aren’t you? How is our mother? Oh wait, I see her myself. Have to go now. Take care and don’t do drugs now!’

Sherlock stared at his phone when he heard the disconnected tone. Then he looked at John and Lestrade.

‘Well?’ Lestrade said. ‘What did he say? Sherlock?’

Sherlock whispered ‘He is at my parents’ house’

Lestrade quickly took his phone and started calling and walked downstairs waving some sign to John and Sherlock. Sherlock didn’t notice he just stood there, staring at his phone.
‘He’s at my parents’ house, John’ he said again.

And when he looked up, John could see Sherlock wasn’t his old self yet after all.

- to be continued -

© KH