Together at Last

Sitting Still

Mycroft rouses us when we get back to the flat, picking up his brother to carry him in. I walk beside them, making sure Mrs. Hudson gets back into her place before heading up to catch up with Sherlock and Mycroft. Molly is sitting beside a peacefully sleeping Sherlock on the sofa, turning her head when I walk in. I go through the kitchen, grabbing for a glass before remembering all of our glassware is gone.

"I brought over some glasses, they're on the table."

"Thanks Molly."

"Of course. Is he going to be okay?"

"Should be."

I fill a mug with coffee, walking back into the sitting room with everyone else. Mycroft looks over disaprovingly when he sees what I have.

"You shouldnt be drinking that so late."

I set the mug down, he's right. Molly is sitting by Sherlock, who is now frowning. She moves to the side so I can sit with him, smiling when he lies against me.

"John."

"Mhmm?"

He passes out again, rolling over on the couch.

"We all need to go to work soon."

Mycroft is right again, though no one wants to leave Sherlock alone.

"You two go in, ill stay tomorrow."

"And after that?"

"I...I don't know. We'll figure something out."

Everyone goes silent again, one by one we drop off to sleep. Someone shifts on the sofa, the sudden rush of cold air waking me. Sherlock is already walking around, shrugging on his coat.

"Hey, Sherlock. Where are you going?"

"Please let me go John."

"Go where?"

"I just need to be out."

I groan, he shouldnt be up yet.

"Why dont you come into the bedroom Sherlock?"

"No. Please John."

"Fine. But you are not walking."

"Thank you."

I make him sit back on the chair so I can grab everything for us, watching me walk wuietly around the flat. He gets up again, ignoring my protests, and goes to our room. I continue grabbing things, blankets, food, and drinks, so I don't hear him return. He sits back down, on the counter this time, and doesn't move until I tell him to get down so we can leave. Last second, I scribble out a note for Mycroft and Molly before we step into the stairwell. Mrs. Hudson is still up, stopping us when we pass her door.

"Why are you up Sherlock?"

"We're going out Mrs. Hudson, can we borrow your car please?"

Sherlock doesn't respond, instead shifting on his feet.

"Where are you going?"

"Out to the country side. To look at the stars."

She disappears into her flat, tossing me the keys a few seconds later.

"Don't let him walk around John!"

"Thank you Mrs. Hudson."

She hugs both of us, checking to make sure we are warm enough before letting us go. We get into the car quickly, driving away silently. I see Mrs. Hudson's face in a window, waving to us before we leave. I wave back, smiling. I fill up the tank before we head out, driving quickly down the deserted back roads once we make it past city limits. Sherlock is wide awake, eyes large as he stares out the window.

"We're almost there."

He turns to me, a smile playing across his lips. I turn down another dirt road, one that is barely there, and stop at the edge of the field.

"Where are we?"

"Middle of nowhere."

"Obviously."

I help him out of the car, laughing as he continues to insist he is fine. He sits down in the grass when I go back to the car for our bags, bringing back Sherlocks violin as well. We spread out the blankets, Sherlock sits on one and pulls his instrument from its case. He starts playing, smiling when he realizes this makes me tired. I lie my head in his lap, basking in the bitter-sweet sound of the music. He plays for about two hours before lowering the bow and packing up. I, caught off balance, am suddenly pushed down when Sherlock leans on my side. We land together on the edge of the blankets, Sherlock kissing me lightly.

"Why did you really take us all the way out here?"

"So I could do..."

I kiss him, long and hard, before finishing.

"...This."

His breath ghosting across my neck is killing me, his lips close to being pressed against me but not quite there yet. He realizes this, waiting a few more seconds before he kisses me again. My hands automaticaly find the buttons of his shirt, slowly undoing each one. He does the same, shaking hands becoming a thing for both of us right now. I get his shirt before he gets mine, easing the sleeves off of him and finally he rips the shirt off fully. He gets the last button on my shirt, pulling it away from my skin. The cold air drives up to press closer together, hearts beating faster with each passing second. Eventualy we lie back against the blankets, neither one of us pulling a shirt back on. Looking at him now, I see just how thin he has gotten. Each rib is seen below his skin, spine also clearly in view. I'm not sure how he can go on like this for much longer.

"What're you thinking about?"

Sherlocks voice snaps me out of my thoughts suddenly, leaving me scrambling for a response.

"Eveything."

"And?"

"How lucky I am to be lying here with you right now."

He laughs as I kiss his neck again, slowly working my way up to his ear. We lie here, arms entwined, until we pass out together. I wake to see Sherlock has covered me with a blanket, and put his shirt back on. I shift to see that mine is also on again, a good thing because the bloody temperature has dropped again. He is curled tightly against my side, breathing even and soft. I pull another blanket around us, lying Sherlocks coat over him as well.

"John?"

"Yeah, its me. Go back to sleep."

He lies his head on my shoulder, pressing closer to me. I lie awake for about an hour, watching Sherlock sleep, before drifting off myself. He wakes me to watch the sun rise, cuddling together as the sun casts rosy golden rays across the sky. We eat a small breakfast before deciding to pack up and go back to the flat. I check my cell to see messages from both Mycroft and Molly, obviously neither has seen the note I left for them. Sherlocks cell is much of the same, though he has a few extra messages from Moriarty again. I help Sherlock hobble back to the car, making him sit down as I finish packing up. Mycroft calls me just as we are getting back on the road, so I answer it quickly.

"Hey."

"Where the hell are you two?"

"Out."

Sherlock turns and, figuring out its Mycroft, takes the cell from me. He dosent say anything, just hangs up and turns off the cell. I laugh when he tosses it onto the back seat, ignoring it for the rest of the drive back. We sit in the car for a few minutes before getting up, there will be hell to pay the moment we walk in.