It Yet Remains to See

Chapter 4

Daylight streamed through the windows as the day of the trial dawned on 221B. John stirred awake and found Sherlock asleep beside him, the soft morning light casting shadows in the valleys of his sharp cheekbones. The boy looked more peaceful than John had seen him in a long time. He was hesitant to wake Sherlock up, but someone else beat him to it.

There was a knock at the door, and John heard Mrs. Hudson call from the other side, "Woo-hoo. You boys awake yet? It's been ages since you've come downstairs for breakfast, and so I thought I'd bring it up for you."

Sherlock's eyes opened just as Mrs. Hudson stepped into the bedroom and found Sherlock and John lying naked under the covers. She blushed and apologized profusely. "Sorry, sorry. Should have asked if you two were decent." Hearing the soft pitter-patter of tiny footsteps behind her, she turned and said hastily, "Dannie, no. Don't come in here."

"Why? What's wrong?"

The girl appeared in the doorway and quickly covered her eyes with one hand once she saw the state that Sherlock and John were in, though she intermittently peaked through her fingers and giggled. Mrs. Hudson shushed her and said, "Come on, let's set this up in the kitchen. The table looks relatively clean."

After the door was shut, Sherlock and John looked at each other for about three seconds before bursting into laughter. Once they both calmed a bit, John sighed and rubbed his eyes. Then he gazed down at Sherlock and asked, "How are you feeling?"

"I'm okay," Sherlock answered, his mercurial eyes bright in the pale morning glow pervading the room. "I just wish I didn't have to leave this bed for the rest of the day."

"Me too," John muttered. "We can't keep Dannie and Mrs. Hudson waiting, though, or God knows what they'll think we're doing in here."

John crawled out from underneath the covers and went to the wardrobe in search of the proper courtroom attire, but while he was doing this, Sherlock stood up and wrapped the bed sheet around himself. By the time he was dressed, John walked into the kitchen and saw Sherlock sitting at the table wearing only the bed sheet as Mrs. Hudson said in an exasperated tone, "For goodness sake Sherlock, go put some clothes on."

"What for?" Sherlock murmured with a shrug. "Mycroft is coming over in an hour to bring me the suit that I'm supposed to wear today, though I don't see why it's necessary. I mean really, can you imagine me wearing a suit?"

"Well, it's better than walking around in a bed sheet," Mrs. Hudson quipped. "Honestly, at my time of life."

John grinned and took a seat at the table. He didn't bother to telling Sherlock that Dannie and Mrs. Hudson had already seen enough semi-nudity this morning. At least Sherlock was eating.

At nine o'clock Sherlock got dressed and walked into the sitting room in the immaculate black suit that Mycroft had brought to the flat. Then when he saw the last article of clothing Mycroft was holding, Sherlock shook his head fervently. "No, absolutely not. I refuse to wear a tie."

Accustomed to Sherlock's stubbornness, Mycroft sighed and said, "It's only for a couple of hours. You have to look presentable."

Sherlock huffed. "Why would I care about that?"

"You don't have to care. You just have to let me put it on for you."

The younger Holmes eventually gave in and allowed his brother to fasten the tie around his collar. As Mycroft arranged the silky black material, he asked quietly, "Are you quite certain that you don't want me to be present for the trial?"

"What I am certain of is that you and I both detest repetition," Sherlock muttered. "Surely you don't want to have to hear it all again."

I don't want you to have to hear it all again.