A Network of Love

The name of the Game

Part 6

I wake up on the table, my face pressed against a pen and some pieces of paper. I let out a groan, and look around, seeing only parts of the living room because the sun is shining directly onto my face; no wonder I woke up. My eyes search for him; Sherlock. He is kneeling on the sofa in front of a new information wall- it isn't the same I put up, but I don't care. As long as we make progress with our case, everything that is on the wall is fine. There are probably a whole lot of new holes in the wall, because of the pins. Normally, everything is put up on the mirror, but he probably decided that he needs a new point of view, which is fine by me. He has to discuss the holes with Mrs Hudson anyways. "Did you find something?" I want to know as I stretch and rub the sleep out of my eyes. My back hurts a little but that doesn't surprise me. Everyone would have had it if they had lain as crooked as I. "Their names" Sherlock answers, running his eyes in a wild dance across the wall. "What about them?" I play along, knowing that it is the only way to get something out of him. "Is there still some tea left?" I mumble more to myself than to him and look around. Sherlock points to the table, it has been standing right in front of me. "Ah, yes" I say and blink a few times, waiting for Sherlock's answer. "Nancy and Karl's names; they're not on the list. Ben, Paul, The Queen, Cyclopes, Jack... what does it all refer to?" he speaks to himself. "I don't know" I sigh, shrugging my shoulders nonchallantly and take a sip of the tea. It is as marvelous as ever, a fine mix of the warmth of a bed and the wakening spices of a flowery garden. Only Mrs Hudson can make tea like that.

Suddenly, Sherlock jumps up and cries out "I've got it! Oh yes, genius, I can't believe I haven't seen the pattern" he smirks, his lifted spirit seems to light up the whole room. I stare at him, not believing it, my cup hovering between my mouth and saucer. "What?" I ask, not grasping it. "The names John, they are all sights!" he declared happily, walking up and down the apartment, hands at his head. "I- I still don't" I stutter, not entirely awake yet. "Oh John, wake up!" he turns around to me. "Ben is for Big Ben, The Queen is for the Tower of London since that is where the crown jewels are, cyclopes, the one-eyed creatures is for the London Eye, Jack refers to Jack the Ripper which guides us to the London Dungeons" he looks at me, his eyes full of joy and I slowly begin to catch up. "And finally" he jumps over his armchair and on the sofa, pointing to the middle of all the sheets of paper where it says in big letters 'PAUL'. I can always chuckle at his disregard of furniture, it amazes me every day. He starts tapping at it faster, until he jumps off the couch like a puppy, he is so happy. "Come on John, we have to go" he practically sprints over to his coat. Knowing that he won't wait long for me, I pour the last gulps of tea into my mouth and follow him. "Where exactly are we going?" I ask as I catch up to him. He smiles mischievously, the joy gleaming in his eyes. "To catch the spider in the net. St Paul's Cathedral" he set the final puzzle piece into my brain and suddenly all made sense. The icy wind blows into our faces when we step outside and I pull my jacket over. Sherlock tilts up his collar; he must be feeling cool again. I chuckle silently at it and sit next to him in the cab that stops in front of us. "Oh John" he laughs and suddenly kisses my cheek. I am taken aback and sit there paralyzed. "You are so much more useful when you talk back" he smiles at me, then looks out the window at the snowy streets. I still sit there, awestruck, as the place where Sherlock's lips touched my skin grows warm and it spreads over my whole body until I am inside a cocoon of confusing feelings and warmth. "I always talk back" I tell him. "I'm just asleep or away when I don't"