Dealing with the Unexpected

Chapter 11

Thanks to everyone who has voted/commented on my story, each one means a lot to me ^.^

** I would recommend reading this chapter with Birdy's song 'shelter' playing or another beautiful but sad song so that it has the desired affect **

(I'll apologise in advance for any pain the beginning might have caused you. I'm sorry, I love you!)

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Chapter 11

John had visited the hospital and had had some stitches in his left hand. Afterwards, the small family had returned home and Sherlock had remained silent the whole time. John was worried about him.

John had finished putting Hamish to bed and he walked into the living room to find Sherlock curled up in a ball on the sofa, staring into space. He didn't look like he normally did when he was deep in thought. He looked...sad.

John made his way over and sat down on the sofa beside him.

"Is everything ok, Sherlock?" John asked gently.

Sherlock continued to stare into space but John noticed the small wave of sadness that flittered across his face. John placed a hand on the consulting detective's shoulder.

"Sherlock look at me," he said, pulling his face round so that their eyes made contact, the first time since the man's death.

"Why didn't you leave, John?" Sherlock whispered. John stared at him.

"What?" John asked.

"When we first met, you knew that I would put your life in danger. So why did you stay?" He replied.

John sighed. "To be perfectly honest, Sherlock, as stupid as it may sound, I enjoy the danger you bring to my life."

"Yes, but John, you could have had a more normal life without me. You still can." Sherlock said sadly. John felt a lump rise in his throat.

"Wha...what are you saying?" He said, voice shaking and threatening to break.

"John," Sherlock took John's hands in his own. "I don't like the fact that I put your life in constant danger. You have so much to live for, I don't. You could leave now and find someone else and have a proper family with them, without me there to hold you back. You could take Hamish with you," he cleared his throat, obviously finding it hard to continue. "I'm worried that I'll be a bad influence on him as he grows up." John began to cry.

"Sherlock..." He whispered.

"No, John, don't. With you as his father, Hamish will grow up to be just as brilliant, caring and kind as you. I can't bare the thought of either of you getting hurt because of me." Tears flooded down both men's faces and John let out a strangled sob.

"You know the saying John, 'when you love something, let it go?' Well that's what I'm doing now, letting you go, because I love you John. Hamish too." Sherlock sniffed and let go of John's hands.

"Sherlock, you're forgetting the end of that phrase. It goes 'if you love something, let it go. If it loves you, it will come back and it is yours forever.'" Sherlock stood up and turned his back on John.

"I love you so much Sherlock, how could you expect me to leave?!" John cried, floods of tears pooling down his face.

Sherlock felt his heart break as he heard John's sobs. He turned around to show that he was a mess too.

"John it's for the best, you must understand..." He started.

"No. Sherlock Holmes, you listen to me," John said angrily, standing up in front of Sherlock and prodding his chest as he spoke. "I can't live without you. Full stop." He wiped off some of the tears that were streaking down his face.