Deduce Me

Chapter Forty: After

Lestrade (again)

"You promised, Myc," I reminded him as I put on my jacket.

"I did no such thing."

"You did. You promised Sherlock you'd take care of John. And you have been-- from afar. But watching his call history and making sure he's doing well at university is not the same thing as taking care of him."

"But that's your job, Gregory." Mycroft was reluctantly standing at the front door, umbrella in hand. He followed me out the door, albeit slowly.

"Well, today it is both of our jobs." It's been exactly two years since Sherlock... well. Since Sherlock.

"Shouldn't we call first?" Mycroft asked as I started the car.

"I did call. John didn't answer. That's why we're stopping by. You have the address?"

Myc waved a slip of paper at me. Neither one of us had ever been to John's new flat in central London. Normally, we met him at coffee shops, or resturaunts, or sometimes he would meet us at our house. We didn't meet as often anymore... I think it makes John sad, seeing me and Myc together after he lost Sherlock. I don't blame him, honestly.

We pulled up outside a door labeled 221. I chuckled, and then sighed.

"What?" Myc asked. I shook my head at him. He wouldn't entirely understand the sentiment behind it.

A woman opened the door. She was wearing a purple dress and had a bright smile on her face. "Hello? Can I help you?"

"Oh, we're looking for John... Is he around?"

"Oh, dear, yes, of course! He's just upstairs. Would you like me to walk you up?"

"Please," Myc smiled coolly at her.

"Right this way, boys." As she led us up the stairs, we could hear the sound of clanging coming from somewhere up above. "Oh, he's always making some sort of noise," the woman muttered.

"What's he doing up there?" I asked. John, making that much racket?

"Oh, you know, his 'experiments' and whatnot. There's always something going on."

"Experiments...?"

"John, dear! There's visitors for you!" the woman called once we reached the landing. She turned to us. "If you two want to go right on in, I'm sure one of them will be with you shortly." And with that, she headed back down the staircase.

"Just a second!" I heard John call from somewhere within, followed by footsteps coming down the stairs. Confused, I stepped through the door, only to see someone standing in the kitchen, clad in a blue dressing gown. And it definitely wasn't John.

"Sh... Sherlock?" I called weakly.

He spun around, eyes wide. "John?! We've got a bit of a situation!"

Mycroft stepped thought the door behind me and stopped in disbelief. "Sherlock??"

"John!" Sherlock called again, frantic, now.

"What? What is it, Sherlock--"

"John--" I started, and then was cut off.

"Greg? Mycroft?" John stopped, staring at the two of us.

"Sherlock!" Myc said again, threateningly.

And then suddenly we were all talking at once.

"I thought you were--"

"How did--"

"Why are you here--"

"We were worried--"

"I can't believe--"

"ENOUGH!" John yelled over the rest of us. "Okay, I know you two are upset. But I guess you need an explanation, right?"

Myc glowered at the two of them as I crossed my arms over my chest. This had better be bloody good.

"Well, I guess, the short answer is that Sherlock is... well... not... dead."

The End.

(Finally.)