I was a Soldier! (and so was I!)

Colours

After meeting John Watson, Sherlock finds a strange companionship that he slips into alongside this injured soldier. Something he had never had with anyone else before. But now he begins to question, is that true, he feels like he has had it before but the memory is hazy and lost, removed from the hard drive that is his mind.

John Watson feels familiar, like slipping on an old coat and even though you haven't had it for years it still fits more snuggly than any new coat. Perhaps that's a bad description because John Watson isn't used nor old. He's...he's... and that's where Sherlock falls short because he really isn't sure what John is.

A code to be broken, a Suduko to be solved, a crossword to be completed, an enigma to be cracked and Sherlock has no idea only that he's felt this before. A feeling that he ignored something..someone? He's not sure and it scares him because he doesn't like not knowing.

John Watson..the name feels like second nature..yes! I know John is a common name in the uk but that is besides the point! Watson..also common... John HAMISH WATSON!

"I know you!" Sherlock exclaims and turns on the spot from his pacing in the living room. He looked around at the silence that greets him and sees yet again..he's all alone and talking to a John that isn't here, so as it turns out then that he's talking to his skull. Again.

"I know him and I don't know how and I don't know when, but I know him before Baker Street, before the cases, I know your name and your smile..captain John Hamish Watson.." Sherlock gasped aloud as it all came flooding back...he felt himself fall as memories blurred his vision.

A flurry of colours catching scenes from a life he thought he had deleted:

"Yes captain!" William called as he quickly reassembled his rifle.

"Good work Will!" Followed by a clap to the soldier as captain Watson meandered down to the other recruits.

More colours again and another scene:

"WILL DONT YOU DARE!" Screamed at him from the distance as he ran over the top.

"WATSON!!" Shouted in the background as John followed suit upon seeing William go down into the harsh sand.

More colours:

"He's got amnesia"

More colours :

Delete John Watson...

"Goodbye John"

Colours fading:

"John!" He gasped and realised after trying to bring his heart rate and breathing back to a reasonable level that he was still alone. He needed to tell John!

He was a soldier! He deleted that he was a soldier for two months of his life and was discharged on his injury's, no longer fit for service according to the officers and those in command including his brother...

"Mycroft!" Sherlock muttered through clenched teeth as the afterthought passed his mind: He knew!

Ten minutes later he heard the familiar footsteps, not only now of John Watson his friend but the steps of captain Watson his fellow soldier. He had to tell him! And then a thought came through:

"He has amnesia"

It felt like his bones were closing inwards on his internal organs, as though they were piercing through his heart and lungs. John doesn't remember him. Turns out he can't tell John.

His thoughts are disrupted at his Captains steps through the front door.

"Good afternoon sleeping beauty" John chuckled as he walked through with the grocery bags hanging off his reddening fingers.

"What?" Sherlock asks, caught off guard.

"You were asleep when I called you out earlier so I got the groceries and your favourite honey that you always demand on your toast" John finished off his little exclamation with a wave of his hand procuring the honey to a non smiling Sherlock. "Your not seeming very happy today, what's got your knickers in a twist?"

"Nothing, what are you on about?" Sherlock asked, slightly irritated.

"Never mind" John chuckled and began packing the groceries away.

Sherlock watched from the side, leaning lazily against the worktop.

"Hey, Sherlock? Can you pop that up there for me a second?" John asked, holding the proffered item behind his back whilst his other hand rummaged through the bags, the item turning out to be a can of soup that John clearly wanted on the top shelf.

"Yes sir" Sherlock replied, standing at attention, heels together, toes apart, hands to his sides and shoulders back at parades rest. He took the can from Johns hand and leaning up placed it on the highest shelf with all the other cans.

When he looked back at John, John was frozen in what could be shock or confusion, it was hard to tell.

"What?" Sherlock asked suddenly confused.

"Yes sir," John mimed, "I can't tell was that sarcasm or have you got some sort of military kink?" John asked jokingly with a quirk or his lips to which Sherlock already had a rising blush.

"What?" Sherlock squeaked out, his blush darkening.

"Sherlock I'm joking" John clarified and Sherlock visibly relaxed "although, what was that about?" John asked as he continued putting away biscuits, pasta and teabags.

Sherlock blanched at that, but was relieved to see Johns back still turned. "Just a little joke" he covered quickly and whether John knew that was a lie wasn't mentioned as Sherlock returned to the living room and collapsed in his own horror to his actions and picking up a sofa cushion and repeatedly slamming it into his face when he heard John approach with steaming tea that he set on the table and a biscuit packet.

"Come on, up!" John commanded to which Sherlock sat instantly up and then cursed silently at his actions.

"I don't know what's got into you Sherlock, I really don't" John chuckled quietly and sipped at his tea from where he now sat next to Sherlock.

"Neither do I" Sherlock muttered into his drink before taking a sip. "Neither do I"