Sophia Holmes and the Tilly Briggs Cruise of Terror *Completed*

Chapter Four

John doesn't update his blog until the day before he's due back. Apparently, but not surprisingly, Sarah has either found out about John's little fling with Martha or he's been showing signs of being distracted because they've broken up. I put up a little message of badly written sympathy (I never liked her anyway) and then advised dad to go out and buy some alcohol to soften John up for the impact of what we're going to tell him. Plus, it's what flatmates are supposed to do, apparently, when one or the other of them split up.

He arrives back a little after midnight the next day, whilst dad and I are still up. We are currently practicing a new duet dad and I composed together called 'The Break-up" and play it as he comes up the stairs, struggling with the luggage that he pulls up behind him.

"Don't bother to help, then," John moans.

"Hmm," I cough as we continue to play. He should know better than to interrupt when we're playing.

"Glad to know I was missed!" John sighs, leaving his suitcase by the door and walks over to his chair before falling into it.

"The beers are in the fridge, beside the feet," dad says, lowering the violin and putting it down against the window.

"Hmm?"

"You haven't read your blog since you last updated, it's obviously because you're too 'upset' about your breakup -"

"Sherlock, not now," John groans, rubbing his head.

"You've had trouble sleeping, a tough breakup then," dad continues, ignoring John. "You were hoping to visit some places of interest whilst you were away, but she was more keen to relax. This is where the tension began, I expect. Am I wrong?"

"Bloody hell, Sherlock," John sighs.

"Fridge," dad repeats, clearly pleased with proving his point, "beside the feet." John staggers to his feet and swings open the fridge. In place of the head which was in there last week are now the feet of a woman in her late sixties, and beside them, as promised, are the beers.

John takes two from the pack of six and hands one to dad.

"Er," he says hesitantly, looking at me. "Did you want one?"

"No, I'll pass," I mutter, walking over to the table to hide the brochure on the ship, and ponder over how we're going to break it to him.

"So," he groans as he sits back into his seat, "what have you two been up to?"

"I've taken a job," I say, interrupting dad as he opens his mouth. "On a ship." John nearly drops his drink as he laughs, taking it as a joke. "What?" I frown.

"Nothing," he laughs, and takes another sip.

"What?!" I repeat, sharply.

"Not long ago, you were saying jobs were boring," John points out, holding back a laugh. "And now you've taken a job on a ship?"

"Yes," I frown, "I just said that, keep up. I'm starting this morning, you and Sherlock need to drop me off." I look across at dad and see him smirk slightly.

"No, I can't, I've got -"

"Cancel them," dad interrupts. "The world doesn't fall if John Watson is without a girlfriend for a few days."

"You have a case?"

"Straight after you've dropped me off," I smile. John sighs and puts his empty beer can down on the side.

"Fine," he agrees reluctantly. "I can't pretend I've missed this though."

"You did miss it," dad corrects with a smile.

"You know what?" John says, ignoring dad. "I think I'll go to bed, I'm knackered." He picks up his can and takes it over to the bin. It hasn't taken him long to get over his breakup, and it wasn't even hard because now he's in the game.