Into The Near Future

Chapter 3 - The Lady in Pink (Part 2)

"I got shot in the arm back in Afghanistan." John said.

"I'm sorry to hear John it must have been really tough." Molly said with sincerity.

Sherlock speak up, "Don't be sorry Molly he missed war! That's why he was willing to work with me."

"Really John?" John looks down but smiles a bit, "Yeah, I dont know how to explain it but I did miss the fighting and just war in general."

"No wonder why you didn't leave Sherlock immediately! You are both freaks!" Sally exclaims loudly.

"Thanks Sally, but you don't get to talk after you ruined Sherlocks career and made him kill himse- I mean fake kill himself!" Starts pointing at her and stands up.

"All the evidence pointed to him!"

"Doesn't mean it's true! How could he have possibly looked up all the deductions he's made on you and Anderson huh? How could he have know you two were sleeping together!" Sherlock looks at him weirdly.

"I- I dont know!" She stammer.

"Exactly."

"Okay everyone, please let's get back to the show." Mycroft says very politely and sternly at the same time.

A little later they have bought takeaway coffees and are sitting side by side on a bench in the park. Mike looks at John worriedly. Oblivious, John takes a sip from his coffee then looks across to his old friend.

JOHN: Are you still at Bart's, then?

MIKE: Teaching now. Bright young things, like we used to be. God, I hate them!

They both laugh.

MIKE: What about you? Just staying in town 'til you get yourself sorted?

JOHN: I can't afford London on an Army pension.

MIKE: Ah, and you couldn't bear to be anywhere else. That's not the John Watson I know.

JOHN (uncomfortably): Yeah, I'm not the John Watson ...

He stops. Mike awkwardly looks away and drinks his coffee. John switches his own cup to his right hand and looks down at his left hand, clenching it into a fist as he tries to control the tremor that has started. Mike looks around at him again.

MIKE: Couldn't Harry help?

JOHN (sarcastically): Yeah, like that's gonna happen!

"She's gotten better, but Harry couldn't help me with finding a flat if her achohol depended on it." John exclaims.

MIKE (shrugging): I dunno – get a flatshare or something?

JOHN: Come on – who'd want me for a flatmate?

Mike chuckles thoughtfully.

JOHN: What?

MIKE: Well, you're the second person to say that to me today.

JOHN: Who was the first?

"I wonder who John!" Mrs. Hudson says giddy.

"Yeah yeah."

ST BARTHOLOMEW'S HOSPITAL MORGUE.

Sherlock Holmes unzips the body bag lying on the table and peers at the corpse inside. He sniffs.

"Ew, why are you sniffing the body?"

"I use all of my senses, unlike you who can't even use you brain." Sherlock tells Sally.