A/N: Hello, everyone! I know I should be working on WPA but I just had to do this lovely story for EllieSaxon on AO3, who won the cameo game on Strange as Angels.

Her prompt was: Online/penpals meeting for the first time. I hope it is her satisfaction.

Thanks to my beta, as always. Old ping hai is awesome!

John couldn't wait to get online. Since returning home from Afghanistan six months ago, having been invalided out by an IED that hit his medical convoy in Kandahar, he hadn't done much else. Having a bum arm and a slightly mangled leg. There was really nothing to do but go to his therapy sessions, both physical and mental. Until he could walk out of this bedsit unassisted, or at least with a cane instead of a wheelchair, he was going to remain a shut-in.

His sister came once a week with groceries and a lecture. The groceries were fine, the lecture he could do without. Today was about how he spent too much time online, instead of getting out and meeting people. He snapped back that she should mind her own business and focus on her divorce. She left real quick after that.

He warmed up his fingers like a musician on a piano bench getting ready for a concert. He pulled up his favorite chat site and settled down to wait. Sure enough within moments of his being on, DeductionOtter221B signed in.

ArmyDoc1974- So, how did the case about the weird temp job go?

DeductionOtter221B- It was fascinating! The client actually had brains inside her head for a change.

ArmyDoc1974- Her?

DeductionOtter221B- Yes. Most women don't use their heads. It is infuriating trying to get them to focus on the task at hand instead of what the other person wore, if they were good-looking, who was interested in whom romantically. Why can't they just use their brains!

ArmyDoc1974- LOL!

DeductionOtter221B- Must you use text speak? You know how I abhor it.

ArmyDoc1974- Yes. Because it irritates you.

DeductionOtter221B- Do you want to hear about the case or not?

ArmyDoc1974- Of course I do. You know how I live for your stories.

DeductionOtter221B- They are more than just stories, you know.

ArmyDoc1974- I know, but I live vicariously through you.

DeductionOtter221B- I wish you would tell me what happened to you. You wouldn't even have to tell me your name. But, clearly, this, whatever it is, is bothering you. It's making you snippy.

ArmyDoc1974- I'm not snippy!

DeductionOtter221B- Case in point.

John put his head in his hands and really thought about telling his online friend. He raised his head and with a sigh began to type.

ArmyDoc1974- Got blown up while on tour. It messed me up good, can't even walk anymore. Can barely write with my dominant hand. So, here I am, listening to the fantastic tales of someone whose name I don't know, because I miss the action.

DeductionOtter221B- ….

And there it was. The other person wasn't going to want to talk to someone as broken as he was. Or if he stayed, it would be out of pity, or worse, morbid fascination.

DeductionOtter221B- I'm in a drug rehabilitation center in Florida. Apparently my brother thinks that being in this bright, awful place will get me to give up the heroin and cocaine.

That was literally the last thing he expected. No pity, no disgust. Just a secret of the other person's own. It was like they were saying, "You think you're broken? Well, that makes two of us." It was…refreshing.

ArmyDoc1974- Drugs are bad. You know that, right?

DeductionOtter221B- Oh, ha ha. Yes, I'm aware. But my mind runs a billion miles an hour and to sleep, to do anything other than think, I need some kind of outer stimulus. At first it was by prescription and then when that stopped working, I chose harder, more reliable, more dangerous methods.

ArmyDoc1974- I've met people like you. Well, not exactly like you. You are more brilliant and charming than anyone I've ever met, but people who turn to less legal ways of medicating when modern medicine fails them.

DeductionOtter221B- At least someone recognizes my intellect. Most people around here think I'm mad.

ArmyDoc1974- Well…

DeductionOtter221B- Well!

DeductionOtter has logged off.

Damn! John swore. He was only trying to joke with DeductionOtter221B. So he wrote him an email explaining. He was only teasing and if he would please come back. He didn't add, however, that if the other person didn't get on, he'd be alone with his thoughts again and today was not a good day for that.

Fifteen minutes passed. And then thirty. John was about to sign off when he saw the notification:

DeductionOtter221B has logged on.

He breathed a sigh of relief. He honestly didn't know what he would do if DeductionOtter221B hadn't returned.

ArmyDoc1974- I'm sorry. I was only trying to lift the mood a bit. But I forgot you can't hear tone in a text message.

DeductionOtter221B- ….

DeductionOtter221B- I'm sorry, too. I may have overreacted a little.

ArmyDoc1974- Just don't scare me like that. I was worried you'd thrown me off for good.

DeductionOtter221B- Never, then who would listen to my cases?

ArmyDoc1974- Right, right. Go on. You want to tell me, and I want to listen.

DeductionOtter221B went on to regale him with his tale of the weird temp job from hell. For just a while the darkness receded and he was able to breath again. Then DeductionOtter221B said that he had to go. His time on the computer was over. John sighed and let his friend go, having to content himself with the two hours they got on weekdays and the three they got on weekends. For him it wasn't enough, he had no idea how DeductionOtter221B felt about it.

He chuckled, not for the first time, at his friend's online name. It was so ridiculous and yet it fit with what he knew. Which wasn't much. Though the point of the chat was to be deliberately vague, John was finding it harder and harder not to reveal more to his friend.

His therapist therapist, not the physical one, wanted him to write a blog. Detailing everything that happened to him. But how many times can you write "tried to walk to the fridge, fell down. Again." before one went insane. But he got the idea to write up DeductionOtter221B's cases. He got permission first, of course. But as long as no names were mentioned, they were just stories on some broken army vet's blog.

Every day went like this one for a couple of weeks before John blurted:

ArmyDoc1974- I'm a single 36 year old male living in London.

DeductionOtter221B- ….

DeductionOtter221B- And I'm a 30-year-old male forced to live in America, when I should be in London.

ArmyDoc1974- You don't care that I just blabbed everything about myself but my name to you?

DeductionOtter221B- My name is Sherlock. What's yours?

ArmyDoc1974- ….

ArmyDoc1974- John.

DeductionOtter221B- See? Now was that so terrible?

ArmyDoc1974- No. Actually, it felt good.

ArmyDoc1974- I walked three steps today.

DeductionOtter221B- Really? That's fantastic, John.

DeductionOtter221B- John…hmmm…I like the way that rolls off the tongue.

ArmyDoc1974- LOL! Well, that's something at least.

ArmyDoc1974- Sherlock. What kind of name is Sherlock?

DeductionOtter221B- At least I wasn't named Mycroft.

ArmyDoc1974- And who do you know named Mycroft?

DeductionOtter221B- My older brother.

ArmyDoc1974- ROFL!

DeductionOtter221B- I sincerely hope that you aren't actually rolling on the floor laughing.

ArmyDoc1974- No, but I should. I think your parents hated children, mate.

DeductionOtter221B- Possibly.

Sherlock hadn't had a case in the last couple of weeks, so they talked about themselves. They did this for several weeks and every day, John got brighter, less miserable, more able to move about. He even began leaving his flat, doing his own shopping. He still had to have Harry's help to reach the things that were beyond the sphere of the wheelchair, but everyone was saying how much better he was doing. Soon the news came that Sherlock would be returning to England at the end of the month, as his rehab was coming to its end.

ArmyDoc1974- So, you'll be back in London by Saturday then?

DeductionOtter221B- Yes. I can't wait. All this sun is frightful. Give me London greys.

ArmyDoc1974- You say that now, but you'll get sick of the smog and gunge.

DeductionOtter221B- Nonsense. You'll be in it.

John blushed.

ArmyDoc1974- Like you'd want to hang out with me….

DeductionOtter221B- Why not? I enjoy your company here, why wouldn't I there?

ArmyDoc1974- Because you're the most vibrant person I've ever met. It's one thing typing away in chat because you've got nothing else on, and it's quite another to sit around with someone who takes five minutes to go from the sofa to the bedroom.

DeductionOtter221B- Shouldn't you let me make that decision myself?

ArmyDoc221B- Alright, mate. Just promise me that you'll still keep in contact for all your adventures when you get bored of me.

DeductionOtter221B- I don't think I could ever get bored of you.

John shook his head.

ArmyDoc1974- Where do you want to meet then?

DeductionOtter221B- Regent's Park. On York Bridge overlooking the river. Sunday at 1pm. Don't be late.

ArmyDoc1974- I won't be. How will I know you?

DeductionOtter221B- I'll be the tall man with dark, curly hair and a charcoal grey Belstaff coat with red thread in the lapels.

ArmyDoc1974- Alright, you'll know it's me because I'll be the short, blond gimp.

John tried not to overthink everything, starting with whether or not he should get a hair cut before or not. Whether or not to shave just before, even though he shaves every morning. Whether or not to wear cologne. What to wear, should it be nice, or casual. Should he wear a tie? Button his shirt all the way to his throat or leave one or two unbuttoned? All this and more kept swirling through his mind. He hadn't put this much effort into how he looked meeting someone since being introduced to his then very steady girlfriend's father for the first time.

He opted for the hair cut, the cologne, the one button undone, and nice clothes. He wore a blue plaid button-up with a black v-neck jumper, a nice pair of dark-blue jeans and his nicest shoes. He grabbed his cane and made his way to Regent's Park.

It was John's cursed luck that he was the first to arrive. His head filled with all sorts of scenarios where Sherlock saw him standing there all broken and lame and just turned around and left.

"John?" a deep baritone asked. John turned to look and standing there was the most striking individual he had ever seen.

"Sherlock?" John said extending his hand.

Sherlock shook it. "Nice to finally put a face to the name."

"Yes," John agreed, staring at him in awe.

"Shall we go? I booked us a table at this little Italian restaurant. I might actually eat," Sherlock said, eying John's unabashed stare skeptically.

"I'd love to," John said. "Lead the way."

Sherlock did. They had a lovely time and as John was getting ready to call a taxi, Sherlock grabbed his arm.

"You are far more interesting in person, John. Come back to my flat with me. Say you'll stay?"

John looked up at Sherlock with a wide grin. "I think I could do that, yeah."

Sherlock returned the grin and they went back to Baker Street.

It took a year, but John began following Sherlock on his cases, finally able to run along beside him, and Sherlock never went back to his habit. Oh, he had dark days and danger nights, but he had John Watson to help him through the worst of it. Just as Sherlock helped John in those early days, when John had trouble moving about. Even going as far as to let him have the lower bedroom.

People were often surprised that Sherlock could show such consideration, but he had learned it online from ArmyDoc1974, who showed his DeductionOtter221B how to be human. And John would say for years to come how DeductionOtter221B showed ArmyDoc1974 how to live.