To the seventeen people who are still following me, you are too kind.
"John, dear?" Mrs. Hudson knocked daintily on the door. Pushing it open a bit she popped her head in, looking about until her eyes landed on John and Lisbeth.
She smiled, looked over Lisbeth, "Another client? Should I make some tea?"
"Well, actually Mrs. Hudson…"
"Hullo!" Lisbeth stepped forward and presented her hand. "Lisbeth Amelia Holmes, Sherlock's daughter."
At that the landlady paused, processing information, before smiling sweetly and accepting the offered hand.
"Lovely to meet you dear, I didn't think he had it in him." She turned to John, "I really ought to get going, bridge tonight, and you know how it is. Ta!"
After Mrs. Hudson had closed the door Lisbeth turned to John.
"Help me carry him to bed, will ya?" She asked nodding her head in her father's direction.
They approached him caution, attempting to keep him sleeping. Despite their efforts he stirred mumbling under his breath as together they hoisted Sherlock up and began carrying him to his room.
"Can you tell what he's saying?" John whispered harshly, slightly out of breath; Sherlock weighted more that he looked.
Lisbeth just sighed sadly in response. She kicked open the door and led John in after her.
"One, two…"
"Three."
Sherlock landed with a comical 'thump' and a small cloud of dust. John looked over at Lisbeth quizzically, but she just waved off his question.
"Watch him for a minute, yeah? I'll be right back." She asked him, before running off out of the room.
John turned to look at Sherlock's sleeping form. He was peaceful looking, all of a day's stress washed from his features. John could just… just kiss him right there. Yeah, just go over and-
Stop.
He caught himself at that last moment, hurriedly retreating a few steps from Sherlock. Lisbeth came back into the room moments later.
"Well?" John asked.
"Well nothing. Just leave him to sleep it off for awhile." She spent a moment staring intently at her father before turning back to John. "Come with me. We need to talk."
With that Lisbeth swept out of the room leaving John in her wake. He sighed, and with a fleeting glance at Sherlock, followed her out into the living room. She perched herself on the sofa, hands clasped beneath her chin in her own kind of thinking pose.
"What do we need to talk about?"
"Sherlock. You plan on courting father, yes?" She questioned softly.
John was bewildered by her sudden comment. "Well… yes, I suppose so."
Lisbeth broke into a wide grin. "Then I have the perfect plan." Jumping up she dug into her jeans pocket, pulling out a neatly folded piece of paper. She offered it to John, still holding that same grin.
He took it, an unsure look on his face. Unfolding it, his expression changed to one of confusion.
"A talent show, at the Yard?"
"Well, I couldn't help but notice your odd habit of drumming your fingers. I'm surprised Father hasn't made the connection."
John flushed a deep red.
"And, I also couldn't help but hear you singing in the shower the other day when you thought no one was home…"
John ran a hand through his hair in embarrassment.
"It will be great, you just wait and see. For now, however, we have places to be."
"Places to be?"
She just smiled.
SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH SHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSHSH SHSH
A week had past since the candy-gorging incident. It was the night of the Yard talent show and Lisbeth made sure John's name was on the sign-up sheet.
The new challenge was to get Sherlock to attend.
"Father."
Sherlock looked up from his current experiment to address his daughter.
"Yes, Lisbeth?"
"Well, there is a talent show at the Yard tonight, and I was wondering if you would take me."
Sherlock frowned.
"You are capable of attending yourself. And why would I want to go see a bunch of moron's so-called talents?"
Without missing a beat, she replied, "Anderson is performing."
He sighed. "What time does it start?"
Lisbeth smiled.
(At the show.)
"You lied, you said Anderson was going to be making a fool of himself." Sherlock huffed and pouted.
"Technically, I just lied about him performing."
The talent show was nothing close to spectacular, but it was entertaining enough. Most of the performers were officers that Sherlock didn't associate with. Lestrade, however, did perform a song on his acoustic guitar. It was sub-par.
"Why are we even here? I'm leaving."
Lisbeth frowned. "There's only one act left, and I heard it's the best. Please just stay?"
A Holmes puppy-dog eyes were not to be messed with.
"Fine."
The short break between acts ended, and Sergeant Donovan came on stage to announce the next.
"Alright, next we have…" She held out a card, glancing at the name with a surprised look on her face. "…John Watson."
Sherlock's jaw dropped. He turned to where Lisbeth was sitting to confirm what he had just heard, only to find it empty. Sergeant Donovan exited the stage and the curtains opened, to reveal one John Watson and one baby grand piano.
Where did he even get that?
John raised his hands over the keys before starting, cracking his fingers slightly. The music began softly, and Sherlock strained to figure out the song. To his surprise, John began singing along with the notes.
Come up to meet you, tell you I'm sorry
You don't know how lovely you are
I had to find you, tell you I need you
Tell you I set you apart
Tell me your secrets, and ask me your questions
Oh let's go back to the start
Running in circles, coming up tails
Heads on a science apart
Who was he singing about? Sherlock was on the edge of his seat.
Nobody said it was easy
It's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be this hard
Oh, take me back to the start.
He wasn't… talking about Sherlock was he? John began playing the instrumental, only to be joined by Lisbeth on Lestrade's acoustic. Sherlock couldn't recall her playing guitar before.
I was just guessing at numbers and figures
Pulling the puzzles apart
Questions of science, science and progress
Don't speak as loud as my heart
And tell me you love me, come back and haunt me
Oh and I rush to the start
Running in circles, chasing our tails
Coming back as we are
This song… described their relationship perfectly.
Nobody said it was easy
Oh it's such a shame for us to part
Nobody said it was easy
No one ever said it would be so hard
I'm going back to the start Ooooohhhhhhh
Ooooohhhhhhh
Ooooohhhhhhh
Ooooohhhhhhh
The music faded out and the entire audience of Yard members stood and clapped. John gave a small wave at them before exiting with Lisbeth.
Even as the officers filed out and things started being packed up, Sherlock sat in his seat. His mind was on auto-repeat, thinking only one thing.
John loves me back.