Clique of 221B

Chapter 26: The Diogenes' Club

You're sat in your usual chair at The Diogenes' Club and you'd hardly realised what time it was until you noticed Mycroft walk past. You knew he'd be here because of the note you gave him earlier this evening. After seeing you in your chair he stops in surprise. You hold a finger up at him then pick up your bag and walk with him to the private visitors room. He closes the door quietly.
"I didn't know you were a member here." He says. You laugh in mock surprise,
"Well I never! Mycroft Holmes didn't know something?" You walk to the side of the room and pour a glass of brandy for yourself and Mycroft. You hand it to him and sit down in a chair. Mycroft sits in the chair opposite,
"This a gentleman's club."
"Well know me, Mycroft. Breaking down the barriers of patriarchy everyday." Mycroft shakes his head at you. "Has Sherlock or John ever been here?" You ask. He smiles,
"Sherlock has visited twice in the same year in which I first came here, John has also been twice."
"I'm sure they found it enjoyable considering the rules." Mycroft smirks. You look at him, "You did tell them the rules didn't you?"
"Well..."
"You didn't tell them?!"
"I told Sherlock."
"And I'm guessing he didn't bring it up with John. I bet you just kidnapped him and brought him here, most likely."
"Now you mention it I believe it went a little like that."
"You should be more careful. If John went around asking for you it could have put a mark on your record."
"I doubt they'd make a fuss of such a minor incident. Especially for a founding member."
"You're a founding member?"
"Why is that so surprising?"
"I thought this club was created hundreds of years ago. Or at least it feels like it was."
"Why's Sherlock not a member?"
"Because he doesn't like anything I enjoy." You smile.
"Awkward younger sibling."
"Exactly." He pauses before asking, "What happened at the hospital?"
"It's fine now."
"I know that. But what happened? Don't dodge the question." You take a deep breath,
"Culverton Smith attempted to murder Sherlock through overdose of saline and suffocation. Before the situation got too threatening towards Sherlock's life John and I came to the rescue. See? It's all fine."
"I know."
"If you know why bother asking?"
"Because I want you to tell me the truth."
"You don't trust me."
"I do." He sighs. "I trust you more than I've ever trusted anyone. But you haven't always been truthful with me, have you?" He gives you a pointed look.
"I'm sorry Mycroft. I just didn't know how to tell you that your brother - who you told me to look after - had decided to destroy himself." He gives me a small smile,
"Just be honest with me next time and we can fix it together. In return, I won't unnecessarily spy on you, promise?" You smile at him,
"Promise."

You're sat in Mycroft's living room on the settee with your laptop playing footage from one of your newly placed cameras in Baker Street.
"-which is why we're all taking it in turns to keep you off the sweeties." John says to Sherlock. They're both sat in their chairs with a cup of tea each. Sherlock lowers his mug and looks at John.
"I thought we were just hanging out." He says, smiling slightly. John checks his watch.
"Molly'll be here in twenty minutes."
"Oh, I do think I can last twenty minutes without supervision." He smiles again. John looks down, thinking.
"Well, if you're sure." He lifts his mug.
"For God's sake, John, stay. Talk to him!" You yell at the screen. Mycroft walks in,
"Why are you yelling at your laptop?"
"Hush. I'm spying on John and Sherlock. If they don't make up I will personally drive straight to Baker Street and force them to get along." Mycroft laughs,
"You know you could just connect your laptop..." He pauses, pressing a few buttons on the TV remote. "-to the television." You roll your eyes at him as the footage comes on the TV.
"Show off. Now quiet." Mycroft sits down next to you and you both turn your attention to the screen.
"You'll be okay for twenty minutes?" John asks Sherlock.
"Yes. Yes! Sorry, I wasn't thinking of Rosie."
"No problem." John stands up.
"I should, um, come and see her soon." He looks up at John hopefully. Aww.
"Yes." John replies. He turns and walks towards the door.
"Oh, by the way, the recordings will probably be inadmissible." John turns on the landing and walks back into the room a little.
"Sorry, what?"
"Well, technically, it's entrapment so it might get thrown out as evidence. Not that that matters, apparently he can't stop confessing." He chuckles.
"That's good." John says.
"Yeah." Sherlock looks down then back up at John, "Are you okay?" John laughs sarcastically,
"Uh, what, am I... no, no, I'm not okay. I'm never gonna be okay, but we'll just have to accept that. It is what it is, and what it is is... shit." John looks down a bit before saying, "You didn't kill Mary. Mary died saving your life. It was her choice. No one made her do it. No one could ever make her do anything but the point is, you did not kill her." Sherlock gazes at the floor,
"In saving my life, she conferred a value on it." He hesitates before adding, "It is a currency I do not know how to spend."
"It is what it is." He gives a brief tight smile. Sherlock nods and lowers his head. "Um, I'm tomorrow, six 'til ten. I'll see you then."
"Looking forward to it."
"Yeah." He turns to leave. Just then Sherlock's phone, lights up and a female orgasmic sigh fills the air. You frown at Mycroft in complete shock.
"What the hell was that?" You ask. He shakes his head. John stops dead on the landing. Sherlock raises his mug to his lips and glances at his phone, trying to act casual. "That noise. That's a text alert noise." You say. John turns around and comes back in again,
"What was that?" Sherlock looks around confusedly.
"Mm? What was what?"
"That is the text alert of Irene Adler," Mycroft informs you. You turn to look at him as John says,
"That noise."
"What noise?" Sherlock asks.
"I bet he's the one who saved her! Oh my God! The genius is in love with the expert blackmailer - nobody saw that coming!" You say with a laugh, Mycroft just shakes his head at you. John stops in front of Sherlock's chair. Sherlock looks up at him.
"John?"
"I'm gonna make a deduction."
"Oh, okay. That's good."
"And if my deduction is right, you're gonna be honest and tell me, okay?"
"Okay. Though I should mention that it is possible for any given text alert to become randomly attached to a-" John interrupts with,
"Happy birthday." You gasp.
"It's Sherlock's birthday? Why didn't I know this?!" Mycroft laughs,
"Well I never! [Y/F/N] didn't know something?" Back on the screen Sherlock looks shocked,
"Thank you, John. That's very kind of you." He looks down to his mug.
"Never knew when your birthday was."
"Well, now you do."
"Seriously, we're not gonna talk about this?"
"Talk about what?"
"I mean, how does it work?"
"How does what work?" John smiles briefly,
"You and The Woman."
Sherlock closes his eyes and sighs in exasperation. "D'you go to a discreet Harvester sometimes? Is there a night of passion in High Wycombe?"
"Oh, for God's sake. I don't text her back!"
"Why not?!" He stops, grinning and his voice becomes louder. "You bloody moron!" Sherlock stares up at him. "She's out there, she likes you, and she's alive. Do you have the first idea how lucky you are?" I have to agree with John there.