Organised Chaos - Sherlock x Reader

XIV • 24

"Memory is a complicated thing- a relative of truth, but not it's twin."
- Barbara Kingsolver

******

"Sherlock." You stood up and offered your hand.
"Sherlock, please." He looked up from where he was on the floor, crying silently.
He took your hand and allowed you to help him up.
"I'm sorry. I already told you crying about something that's unchangeable is of no use." He wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, looking slightly embarrassed.
"No Sherlock. It's human. It's okay to cry." You wrapped your arms around him in a hug. "I'm here if you want to talk." You spoke into his shoulder. "But if you don't, I won't ask again."
He swallowed hard but buried his face in your shoulder like a child.
In a way, he was a child. The memories that had all come flooding back at once had tainted his mind, making him feel that he was that broken child once again. You too occasionally remembered your life before you'd gone to live with the Watson's. You'd been young, but you still had the memories locked away somewhere.
You stood, both of you battling your own demons, embracing the man you'd come to love, the man who was broken.
Eventually he let go of you and stood up straight.
"I'm sorry." He said, turning away.
"Don't be. It's okay, I know what you're feeling."
"You do?" He looked at you with hope in his eyes.
"Yes. I still remember my awful childhood before I was adopted. I was four, so it only comes in flashes every so often. But I remember."
He took your hand and pulled you closer, then kissed you gently.
"Thank you." He whispered in your ear.
You smiled, glad you had figured out how to comfort him. It had comforted you just by talking to someone who understood having an awful childhood. To add to that, his kiss had made you warm inside, exactly what you needed to start the day.

"I should go pick up Kenzie now." You said, glancing at the clock and finding it 8:30.
Sherlock nodded, took his laptop off the kitchen counter, why it was there you weren't entirely sure, then sat down on the sofa, preoccupied.
You made your way downstairs and grabbed your coat, then stepped outside and hailed a cab.

******

"Hey there chica, how're you feeling?" Mackenzie smiled up at you from where she was sitting on the edge of her hospital bed.
"I could ask the same of you." You replied.
"Ah I'm fine. Still got a bit of a headache but I'll survive."
"I'm pretty much the same. You ready to get out of here?"
"Don't ask twice!" She exclaimed, jumping up.
You chuckled. "Okay, let's go get you checked out."

******

"Let's just drop by your flat to get some stuff, then we're going shopping." Kenzie grinned at you from the left seat of a cab.
"You sure are feeling better." You laughed. "I've got to let the dog out and grab a bite, but we can go out after that."
"No worming out of it, either." She gave you a warning look and a knowing smile.
"Okay, okay." You held your hands up in mock surrender.

It only took the cab a few minutes to reach Baker Street, and you hopped out, Mackenzie on your heels.
"If you can find anything to eat, you can have it. But I really need to get some food today. Gonna have to do some practical shopping as well." You gave her a pointed look, then headed up the stairs.
You pushed the door open and couldn't help but smile at the scene before you.
Sherlock sat on the floor in front of the sofa reading a book, Bowie curled up beside him. He fiddled absently with the fur on the dog's ears.
He looked up when you opened the door.
"Hello." He said, then began to read again.
You gave a half smile. "Hey Bo, wanna go outside?" You patted your leg to get the dog's attention. He looked at you sleepily but didn't scramble for the door like he usually did.
You snickered. "Alright then you stubborn git."
To Sherlock you said, "I'm gonna be out for a couple hours. I've got my phone."
"Okay." He responded without looking up.
You headed back down to your own flat.
"Find anything?" You asked Kenzie. "Not much, I'll admit." She said. "Apple?"
"Why not?" You shrugged. She handed you the fruit and you cleaned it on your shirt.
"Bowie's found a new best friend." You said with a smile.
"They seemed to hit it off." Kenzie responded, her mouth half full of apple.
"It's kind of adorable." You replied. "He wouldn't even come when I called him to go outside. He's so happy curled up next to Sherl."
"Sherl?" Kenzie raised her eyebrows with a smirk.
You felt your cheeks redden. "Sherlock." You corrected yourself. "Just seems too serious when he's being cute."
"It really is." Kenzie grinned. "Everyone knows him as big bad Sherlock Holmes." She exaggerated her stance. "But what about when he's being adorable? Only you know about that. So Sherl it is." She laughed.
"Yeah yeah." You punched her arm. "Lass uns gehen. (Let's go.)"
"You know I'll never understand that, right?"
"Uh huh."
"Lemme guess. Sherlock speaks German."
"Oh yes."
"That must be heaven for you."
"Du hast keine Ahnung, meine Liebe. (You have no idea, my dear.)" You said with a smile.