Hey guys! Woud you mind commenting? I feel really lonely! Thanks!!
I'm sorry this chapter is so short but I had to have a filler chapter, so this was it! I have ideas for the next one!
I'm very thankful for my loyal readers! I love you all!
Enjoy!
~BB
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter Four
It was two days after Christmas. Mrs. Hudson had offered to make me tea with her new set about a hundred times, but I had no appetite to eat or drink anything. I had gone to see my psychiatrist and he told me that I should start taking m anti-depressants three times a day instead of two. Great.
I woke up this morning with the urge to do something. For the past two days, I'd done nothing at all. I hadn't even left my bedroom, but today I found myself bored.
That was when I got a call from Greg.
“Hello?” I asked. I wondered why he was calling. He never called me. After Sherlock died, we lost touch almost completely.
“John, it’s Greg,” he said.
“Yes, I’m aware. Is there something you need?” I wondered out loud, not hiding the confusion from my voice.
“Well, you’re the new 'World's Only Consulting Detective', right? I’ve got a case,” he informed me.
I sighed, ”Greg, I’m not Sherlock. I can't do what he did.”
“If he did..well. Nevermind. I know you aren't him…but we need someone. You were an arm Doctor, though. You saw some ugly stuff, made some diagnoses. Well pay you,” he said.
I thought about it for a moment.
“Fine. What is it that’s happened?” I asked finally. I didn't like to change my mind only because of the money, but I was out of my depths without Sherlock's financial aid. It was no secret that he had been from a wealthy family.
“There’s been a murder. No blood. Nothing left at the crime except the body. No finger prints. All I’m asking you to do is examine the body and tell me what you see,” Greg explained.
“I’ll give it a shot. Where?” I asked.
“Near the Gherkin building, in an alley,” he told me. "You'll know it when you see it."
“Okay, I’ll be there in ten minutes,” I agreed reluctantly.
I hung up the phone and rested my head back on the chair.
If it wasn’t enough to miss him, I would have to do his job too. At least I would have the money I needed to pay what was left of the rent that the money from the envelope didn’t cover.
I pushed up on the chair to a standing position. Taking my jacket off the hook on the back of the door, I called to Mrs. Hudson, “Mrs. Hudson, I’m going out. Do you need anything?”
“No, thank you, John,” she called back. "Where are you going?"
"Just...out," I said. I'm not sure why I didn't just tell her that I was helping Scotland yard with a case. Maybe it just hurt to much to admit that I was taking his place.
I shrugged my jacket onto my shoulders and walked out into the cold. I took a step to the edge of the street and held out my hand to hail a cab. When one came wheeling around the corner, I waved to let them know that I needed their service.
To my relief, they slowed to a stop in front of me. I opened the door and lowered myself into the seat.
“Thank you, sir,” I said.
“Welcome. Where to?” he asked me.
“The Gherkin,” I told him.
He nodded and the car lurched into motion. It was a silent ride, as I liked it. It was common knowledge in London that I was John Watson; Sherlock Holmes' companion and...maybe more? People always asked me about it and it was getting old quickly.
During the ride, I got a text from Mycroft. This time he texted my phone, for which I was thankful.
John, would you mind if I stopped by this afternoon?
I replied: I’m sorry Mycroft, I won’t be home this afternoon. Perhaps another day.
Lastly, he said: Very well.
The ride continued with no further interruptions. We finally made it to the Gherkin building.
Just as Greg had said, t was easy to see which alley was the place of the crime, for there were police cars guarding the entrance. I walked over to where the yellow caution tape lined the road and slipped under it with ease. I was given a pitiful glace from Sally Dovovan. Her look said I told you so. Anderson was standing next to her, and when I made eye contact with him, he stifled a laugh. I would have expected nothing less from him, though it still made my blood boil. I resisted the urge to flip him off. I am the bigger person.
I found Greg hunched over, looking at a heap on the ground.
“Hello Greg,” I said coming up behind him.
“Ah, John. Here’s he body,” he said motioning to the heap on the ground. I bent down to get a closer look at the dead man. The poor guy. He used to have a life. He was a walking, talking, functioning human. No he was just a 'body'.
There was slight bruising on the back of his bald head, but the mark was thin. I reasoned that it was probably a piece of broken off piping or a crowbar with he was hit. The rest of him looked seemingly unharmed. My medical knowledge and a quick analysis helped me conclude that he had been dead for about nine hours. The perfect time for a late-night jumping.
“Greg, looks like this poor mate just had a run in with a gang,” I told him my diagnosis.
“Is that so?” he asked.
I stood up to be at eye level with him.
“That’s all it seems to be, but as you know, and as I said earlier, I’m. Not. Sherlock,” I made sure he knew where I stood.
“Very well,” Greg sighed and handed me a wad of cash,” You can leave if you want, John.”
“Thank you. I’ll see you soon Greg,” I said. The case was too simple. Sherlock wouldn’t have taken it, I thought to myself.
I’m not Sherlock, I reminded myself.
I went to a small café near the Gherkin. All I wanted was a cup of tea, but they were having a special where a blueberry muffin came for free with a large cup of tea, so I accepted it. I would leave it at the grave. Whoever was cleaning up Sherlock’s grave seemed to be living in the cemetery. They must be hungry.
I sipped my tea as I walked in the direction of the cemetery. The walk from here would be a long one.
Usually I would use this time to think, but I had nothing that was in need of pondering. I instead looked at the people walking. There was a young lady and her dog. The dog was golden and sitting obediently by her side. The lady was wearing mostly black, but had her hair dyed blue. I laughed. This was Sherlock and me. I was the obedient dog and he was the lady with the blue hair.
I walked by a TV shop. They usually played the news, as I recalled, but today they were playing a Doctor Who marathon. I had never seen the show, for when I had heard about it, my life was busy non-stop. Maybe I would watch it now that nothing ever happened to me.
I looked back at the people walking. There was a beautiful young woman in a large and bright white fur coat walking my way. She had dark hair and bright red lipstick on. When she got closer, I could see her bright blue eyes. She reminded me of Irene Adler, but of course, she had been killed.
I now stood at the gate to the cemetery. After buying another yellow rose, I walked through the rusted steel bars and made my way back to Sherlock’s grave. I laid down the rose first this time along with the muffin I had received and then made my speech.
“Hello, Sherlock. They tried to have me do your job today. They were crazy if they think that I could ever be as good as you. At least I got enough money for the rest of the rent. It’s still a mystery as to who left that envelope. Maybe you know?”
I waited for an answer. My answer came in the form of the wind whistling in my ear.
“Damnit, Sherlock, I’m so sick of you….being dead!” I yelled, “I need to talk to you! I need to tell you so many things! I just can’t take it any longer. Come back, please.”
Tears started pouring out of my eyes as I sank to my knees.
I sat there crying for a good five minutes. I couldn’t handle it. That was it. I wouldn't allow myself to be so fragile over him anymore. He was gone. I couldn't bring him back and that wasn't going to change. I couldn't live my whole life pining over him.
“I’m sorry, Sherlock, but I can’t do this anymore. This whole visiting your grave thing…it’s tearing me apart and I just can’t…I’m sorry. I won’t be coming back,” I said.
And with that, I turned and left.
A/N- Just to be clear this is NOT the end!!!!!!!!! There is definitely going to be more, so don't stop reading. Thanks!