After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 28

FLASHBACK

You and Sherlock are standing in the living room of 221B looking at your information wall behind the sofa. Sherlock turns to where Mary is sitting at the dining table and John is sitting in his armchair and looking at his phone.

"Need to work on your half of the church, Mary. Looking a bit thin." Sherlock said.

You're still looking at the paperworks on the wall that you and Sherlock been organizing. There is a list of things which needed to be done, all of them ticked off, and the wall is divided into areas which are headed, "Transport," "Catering," "Rehearsal," "Wine," and other items too. On the table beside Mary is a cardboard 3D model of the reception venue which you and Sherlock made with a lot of effort.

"Ah, orphan's lot. Friends - that's all I have. Lots of friends." She said, you turn to face them and saw her smile.

"Schedule the organ music to begin at precisely 11:48." You said a little loud close in freaking out.

"But the rehearsal's not for another two weeks. Just calm down." She said, calming you down.

"Calm? I am calm. Sherlock is calm. We're extremely calm."

"Let's get back to the reception, come on."

You and Sherlock walks over to the table and Mary hands you an RSVP card, "John's cousin. Top table?"

"Hmm. Hates you. Can't even bear to think about you." you deduced as you pass Sherlock the letter.

Mary looked at you, "Seriously?"

"Second class post, cheap card ..." Sherlock sniffs it and grimaces, "... bought at a petrol station. Look at the stamp: three attempts at licking. She's obviously unconsciously retaining saliva."

"Ah! Let's stick her by the bogs." She muttered. [Author's Note: 'bogs' is a slang word for 'toilets.']

"Oh yes." You said as you sit down.

Mary leans closer to you. "Who else hates me?"

"Hmmm, Sherlock. The list." Instantly Sherlock hands her a sheet of paper where there's a long list of names on it.

"Oh great - thanks(!)"

"Sherlock, you go help Mary this time. I'll look if there's need to do more." You and Sherlock switched places and he starts to help Mary with the venue.

"Priceless painting nicked. Looks interesting." You heard John but you didn't bother to look at him.

"Table four..."Mary said.
"Done." Sherlock answered.

"My husband is three people." John chuckled.

"Table five."
"Major James Sholto. Who he?" Sherlock asked.

"Oh, John's old commanding officer. I don't think he's coming."

"He'll be there." John said, you're just listening to them.

"Well, he needs to RSVP, then."

"He'll be there."

"Mmm ..."

"My husband is three people. It's interesting. Says he has three distinct patterns of moles on his skin." John speaks again, it's quite irritating you so you talk to him in quick fire, "Identical triplets - one in half a million births. Solved it without leaving the flat. Now, serviettes." You squats down beside the coffee table, reaches under it and pulls out a tray with two serviettes folded into different shapes. You gestures to them as you look up at Mary. "Swan made by me or Sydney Opera House made by Sherlock?" you asked her while Sherlock sits in front of you.

Shocked, Mary managed to let out a breathe and asked you, "Where'd you two learn to do that?!"

"Many unexpected skills required in the field of criminal investigation ..." Sherlock said, looking down to your creations.

"Fibbing, Sherlock." Mary said.

"We once broke an alibi by demonstrating the exact severity of ..." you lied while you sits down on the floor cross-legged but Mary interjects, "I'm not John. I can tell when you two were fibbing."

You and Sherlock let out a heavy sigh, "Okay - we've learned it on YouTube."

"Opera House, please." She said. You made a loud groan and rolled your eyes. "Ooh, hang on. I'm buzzing." Mary takes out her phone and lifts it to her ear. "Hello?" She listens for a second, then stands up. "Oh, hi, Beth!"

"I won. 50 pounds." Sherlock said, laying his hands out of you waiting for his money.

"Fine." You frown at him and handed the 50 pounds.

"Actually, if that's Beth, it's probably for me too. Hang on." You heard John and he heads for the kitchen.

You stand up and walk over the coffee table and lay down on the sofa watching Sherlock who is making a lot of his winning serviettes.

Two or God knows minutes passed, John walk out from the kitchen. Sherlock briefly looks round at John, then turns back and gestures at what's in front of him. There are at least seven serviettes folded in Sydney Opera House shapes on the table, and sixteen or so more on the floor. "That just sort of ... happened." you chuckled in his cuteness because he looked like a child. He looks round at John again, who frowns but then smiles. Glancing back into the kitchen for a moment, he walk towards you. "Sherlock, (y/n), um ..." he sat down beside Sherlock, looking to Sherlock then you, "... mates ..." Again he frowns briefly, obviously you know what he's doing, and he's wondering if he is overdoing it, "I-I've ... I've smelled eighteen different perfumes; I've sampled ... nine different slices of cake which all tasted identical; I like the bridesmaids in purple ..."

"Lilac." you corrected as you sat up and tap your side gesturing Sherlock to sit beside you which he obeyed.

"... lilac. Um, there are no more decisions left to make. I don't even understand the decisions that we have made. I'm faking opinions and it's exhausting, so please, before she comes back ..." He glances towards the kitchen, he activates his phone, clears his throat and holds the phone across the table. "... pick something." Sherlock's eyes flicker down to the screen a couple of times. "Anything. Pick one."

"Pick what?" Sherlock asked.

John blinks a few times and then laughs. "A case. Your Inbox is bursting. Just ... get me out of here."

Sherlock leans closer and speaks quietly, "You want to go out on a case? N-now?"

"Please, Sherlock, (y/n), for me." he pleaded.

Sherlock takes the phone. "Don't you worry about a thing. We'll get you out of this." He starts to flick through messages on his website. After only a few seconds he finds something of interest. "Oh. Look at this (y/n)..."