Dealing with the Unexpected

Chapter 2

"John."

No answer.

"John?"

Still no answer.

Sherlock was forced to move from his spot on the sofa to glance around the room. John was sitting opposite him in his armchair.

"John, I'm talking to you!" He half-shouted.

"Yes Sherlock, I noticed," John replied calmly, eyes remaining fixed on the book he was reading.

'He is becoming too much like me' Sherlock thought, smiling slightly.

"Why are you ignoring me?" Sherlock asked, slightly annoyed.

"Because, Sherlock, lately every time you call me, you ask me if I've thought of anything you can buy me yet and the answer is always no." John shouted back.

"But Jawnnnn," Sherlock whined. 'God, he can really act like a five year old sometimes' John thought. Nonetheless, he couldn't help grinning.

"Sherlock, I will let you know when I have thought of something."

Sherlock remained silent for the next half an hour, before quickly standing up and grabbing John's hand, pulling him up from his chair. John blushed from the sudden contact.

"Sherlock, what the hell are you doing? I was reading!" John squeaked as Sherlock rushed him out of the flat, grabbing their coats on the way.

"We are going shopping, John."

"Oh lord."

***

After traipsing round countless different department stores in London, John was tired and Sherlock was losing his patience. No matter how many shops they looked in, John just couldn't find anything he liked. It was becoming tedious.

They had caught a cab and headed back to 221B. They entered and Sherlock dramatically threw himself onto the sofa, obviously feeling very sorry for himself.

"Tea?" John asked.

"Of course," Sherlock sighed.

John poured out the tea and placed one on the table in front of Sherlock. He took his seat opposite and watched the man in front of him. After a while, John decided to say something.

"Look, Sherlock, I'm sorry for wasting your time shopping. I told you, I don't want anything."

"Oh come on John, there must be something!" Sherlock said exasperatedly. "A watch?"

"Got one, thanks."

"A car?"

"I don't know how to drive, Sherlock, don't you remember driving around Baskerville?"

"Oh yes, of course. An animal of some sort?"

"What, and risk you using the poor thing for one of your experiments?" John joked.

"I can look after others you know," Sherlock moaned.

"Of course you can, you just need help cooking," John smiled. Sherlock glanced over and when he caught John smiling he couldn't help smiling too. "You're never going to let me forget that, are you John."

"Nope. It's too funny."

"So would you like a living...thing?" Sherlock asked.

"Well when I was younger I did always want a dog and...." John started.

"John, why don't we adopt?" Sherlock interrupted casually.

John nearly choked on his tea. He started coughing violently and had to get a tea towel to clean up the tea he had just spilled. Meanwhile, Sherlock just continued to lay calmly on the sofa.

"Sherlock, what?" John spluttered.

"I said 'why don't we adopt'? As in a child, John. You said you wanted a living being to look after so I gathered...."

"No Sherlock, I meant a dog or something!"

"Don't you want children John?" Sherlock asked, sounding hurt.

"Well, yeah. Maybe some day." John answered.

Sherlock stayed quiet. John immediately felt bad when he realised that Sherlock was being serious.

"I'll think about it, okay Sherlock?" He said gently.

Sherlock gave John a small smile. "Let me know when you've made up your mind. Take all the time you need." He whispered.

They sat there watching each other for a long time. Finally, John snapped out of his trance and felt his face heat up from the way Sherlock was looking at him.

"Right, ok. I'm going to bed," John murmured, standing up and proceeding to his room.

"Goodnight Doctor Watson," Sherlock whispered as John left the room.

***

John laid in his bed replaying the evening's events over and over again in his head. No way was he getting any sleep tonight. Not after everything that Sherlock had said. 'Sherlock wants to adopt?' He thought to himself. He smiled as he imagined Sherlock as a father figure. Even though Sherlock could be irritating, dangerous and eccentric, he could also be caring, protective, gentle and loyal. John could easily imagine him as an extremely overprotective father and he couldn't stop a massive grin from spreading over his face at the thought of it.

He loved the thought of Sherlock like that. Yes, he loved it. He had confirmed it with himself. He was in love with Sherlock Holmes. He couldn't deny it any longer. He knew he had always denied it in the past when people mistook them for a couple, but he always had a small nagging sensation in the back of his head telling him that he was wrong. But John still wasn't sure if Sherlock loved, or ever could love him back. 'Surely Sherlock has noticed the signs already' John thought. 'I guess that means he wants to ignore them.' He sighed sadly to himself. He went back to thinking about the possibility of having a family with him.

Suddenly everything started to make sense to John. Sherlock had come back a changed man. He was so much more caring than before and he seemed to be wanting to spend a lot more time with John. He was offering to buy him presents, trying (and failing miserably) to cook. He was constantly trying to show people that he could care. John had been getting increasingly curious as to what Sherlock was up to, and now he knew.

Sherlock just wanted a family.