Together at Last

Times Up

"He hasn't improved."

"I know. It dosent make it any easier to force him into this again."

"We gave him a week, he agreed to it."

Sherlock is staring at the wall blankly, something he has been doing for the past two days. We need to get him on his meds today, he hasn't slept in about four days now. Mycroft grabs the bottles, telling me to take back a glass of water with me. Sherlock is still staring at the wall, he doesn't acknowledge us when we walk in. I sit by him, trying to pull him from the trance like state he is in.

"Sherlock. Hey."

"Hmm?"

He turns to me, lying against my side when he recognizes me.

"What're you doing?"

His voice is heavy and tired, speaking very slowly.

"You need to take your meds now."

"I have one more day."

"It has been seven days Sherlock, and you have gotten worse."

Mycroft sits in front of us, handing Sherlock his pills.

"Take them."

"You said one week."

"It has been one week."

"No."

"You will take them today Sherlock."

"No!"

I pull Sherlock against me, trying to avoid an argument or added stress between the two.

"Calm down, both of you. Mycroft, let me try."

"Twenty minutes."

"Fine."

He leaves, handing me the pill bottles.

"Sherlock? Hey, you need to take these. Please."

"No."

"You can't avoid this Sherlock, Mycroft said you had to."

"Fuck him."

"Relax. I've got you, you're going to be fine. Just please take them."

His hands start shaking, hes close to losing it.

"What's wrong?"

"I don't want another one."

"Another one what?"

"Another addiction. I cant do this John."

"We're right here for you Sherlock, ill be with you the whole time."

"I dont want these."

"Please Sherlock. I promise you, everything will be okay. You just need to take these."

I slowly hand him the first set of pills, letting him hold them in his palm for a few seconds before I try to make him swallow them. He stares at the wall after he takes all of them, tears running down his face. I cant get him to respond to anything, letting Mycroft pull me from the room.

"He'll be okay John. It'll only take a few weeks for him to adjust to the medications."

"I know. I'm not sure he'll take them willingly for that long."

"He probably won't."

"Is he coming out?"

"I don't think so."

Mycroft goes to get him, though I'm sure he won't eat anything tonight. Sherlock comes straight over when he sees me, sinking down beside me on the sofa.