Nicotine

Pavement Skies

"A case!" Sherlock yelled. "At last something above a seven! An eight,  Mrs Hudson, an eight!" Sherlock grabbed her shoulders and kissed her cheek forcefully. He clapped his hands together and spun back to face her.

"Oh Sherlock, I knew a nice murder would cheer you up. Are you going with John?" She asked, twisting her hands together.

Sherlock fell silent and frowned.

"Maybe." He said quietly. "Because he could be busy. With other things."

Sherlock pulled on his coat and exited the flat, slipping on his leather gloves as he did so.

It was a gloomy day in London. The sky was the colour of the pavement beneath his feet and the sun glowed dully beneath the clouds like a pale oyster. Sherlock wasted no time in hailing a cab and sat in the back silently as they drove through the bustling streets. After a moments hesitation, Sherlock pulled out his phone.

I'm coming. Join me if convenient. Case, 8. -SH

If inconvenient should I come anyway? -JW

Sherlock frowned.

As you wish. -SH

ETA? -JW

10 minutes. -SH

Sherlock locked his phone. He leaned on his elbow and smiled as the streets of London flicked past. Just the two of us against the rest of the world.

*

"Hot off the press, this one." Said Lestrade. "Interesting murder, right up your street. Now I've got the case files here, but, it's up in Boscombe. So you'll have to travel."

"Not a problem." Said Sherlock, taking the case file and beginning to rapidly flick through.

"Ah, yes, well." John clenched and unclenched his fists by his sides. "I-I don't know-I'll have to phone Mary." He said, looking up at Sherlock. Sherlock remained absorbed in the file.

"Well only if you don't mind, you were back from your honeymoon only last week. How was it?" Said Lestrade.

"Fine, yes, it was fine, yeah...Good."

Lestrade nodded.

"Well I'll just-" John gestured to the door.

"Sure, go ahead." Said Lestrade.

Sherlock closed the file. "Two nights three days. If we leave immediately. There is a train leaving the main station in forty-six minutes. I will be on platform one in half an hour."

"Okay, right well I'm going to phone then." John awkwardly stepped out of Lestrades small office to make the phone call.

"You two aren't the same." Said Lestrade.

"Don't be ridiculous Graham." Sherlock replied, walking over to the window.

"Greg."

"Yes, Greg." Said Sherlock distractedly.

"Marriage changes people, you know."  Lestrade said knowingly.

"So I've been told." Sherlock said coldly.

The door opened and John re-entered.

"Platform one in 28 minutes." Sherlock said before John could so much as open his mouth. Sherlock strode to the door.

"Gavin, text me the details." He closed the door and swept out.

"It's Greg!" Lestrade called.

"LATERZ!" Came the reply.