Sherlock: Before He Became a Consulting Detective

8. Goodbye Professor Linder

Sherlock ignored Simon's phone calls after that weekend. When he knocked on his flat door after work, he pretended to be not at home. He avoided him for a month until Simon showed up at the lab one morning.

"I told you the last time we spoke. I can't see you because I'm swamped with work."

"You're lying. Tell me the real reason why you're avoiding me."

"Find someone who can give himself completely to you, someone without issues."

"Stop this bullshit. We've had this discussion already. I love you and I don't want anyone else, but you. When is your day off?"

"Tomorrow."

"I'll pick you up at ten."

"No, I have violin lessons."

"I'll take you, and afterwards we are going to have a nice long chat."

Sherlock nodded. He waited until Simon disappeared into the lift before he rushed off to his locker. He grabbed a small plastic sachet out of his bag, took one of the tablets and popped it into his mouth.

Molly came looking for him and found him sitting on the floor in front of the lockers. "Are you alright, Sherlock?"

He jumped up, straightened his clothes and glared at her. "Yes, I'm fine. What do you want?"

She smiled faintly at him. "I have a John Doe in the morgue. You said I have to call you as soon –"

"I know what I said, Molly," he cried out, cutting her off midsentence. He rushed out of the locker room and hurried down to the morgue.

After collecting samples from the cadaver for research, Sherlock went back to the lab.

He knocked off at five and found Molly in the hospital foyer when he was on his way out. "Thank you for letting me know about the body." He didn't wait for a reply and hurried past her.

Sherlock popped another one of the tablets from the sachet after he arrived at his flat. He took the violin and played on it until late.

Not wanting to go to sleep, he popped another tablet. It kept him awake and free from nightmares.

The next morning, he didn't wait for Simon to pick him up. He left the flat early.

Sherlock was playing the violin, when Simon barged through the door of the musical room.

"Why didn't you wait for me? I told you I was picking you up."

He kept on playing. "Don't interrupt me."

"Where's Willa?"

"She went on her tea break."

Simon jumped around and rushed out.

Sherlock didn't even notice he was gone until he returned with Willa next to him. He stopped playing and glanced at the two of them.

"Tell him what you told me," Simon said, glancing at her.

She sighed. "Sherlock, you don't need any more lessons. You're close to perfection playing the violin."

He smiled at them, put the violin in its case and handed it to Willa. "Thank you. I'll buy my own the end of the month."

"Sherlock, you can keep it."

He shook his head. He glanced at Simon as he walked past him and left the musical room for the last time.

Simon caught up with him in the corridor. "What's going on with you?"

He stopped and turned to him. "I think you better leave. I'm sorry you've wasted your time with me." He turned back and continued walking.

"Stop acting like a child, Sherlock." Simon caught up with him again. "Why are you so difficult?"

"Simon, I'm not the person you think I am. Leave now, while you still like me."

He shook his head, watching the man he loved, walking away.

***

Sherlock was losing sleep of the uppers he popped regularly. He didn't eat and lost a lot of weight. He sat in front of the computer, staring at the screen, the words swimming in front of his eyes.

"Why don't you go home for the day?" one of his colleagues asked.

He shook his head and tried focusing on the words again.

"Look at you, you need to sleep. You have dark circles under your eyes."

"I'm fine. Leave me alone, Linda."

"I use to have a problem sleeping as well. I can give you some of my sleeping tablets, if you want to?"

Sherlock raised his head and looked at her. "Is it strong?"

She nodded. "Oh, yes. I take only a half and sleeps through until the next morning."

He nodded. "I'll take some."

She hurried out of the lab to the locker room.

When she returned, she held the plastic container out to him. "You can have it. I have more at home."

He took it, flipped the lid and glanced inside. "It's half full."

"I know. I don't take it regularly anymore, but I keep filling my script every month."

"Will you cover for me? I think I'll go home as you suggested. I'm anyway off tomorrow."

She nodded and watched him stumbled out of the lab. Her eyes enlarged. There was something wrong with him.

Mike stepped into the lab and glanced around. "Where's Sherlock?"

"I sent him home. He doesn't look to well."

"Don't worry. I'll figure something out." He hurried out of the lab and went downstairs to the HR office. He inquired about a telephone number for Sherlock's next of kin, but they refused to give it to him if he didn't have permission from him or from the head of HR.

"Let me see him then."

"He's busy. You can't just barge in there."

Mike returned to the lab. "HR won't help me and I can't see the head because he's busy. I know he has a brother here in London, but I don't know his address, or where he works."

Linda held a cell phone up. "Maybe the number will be on here."

His eyes enlarged. "Is it Sherlock's? Where did you find it?"

"Next to the computer, he forgot to take."

Mike grabbed it from her. He scrolled down the contacts, found Mycroft's number and dialed it. "Hello, no it's Mike. He left his phone at the lab. That's not why I'm calling. Something's wrong with him. He doesn't focus on his work and he doesn't eat. You should see how thin he is." He ended the call and gave the phone back to Linda. "He will send someone to collect the phone."

"And what about Sherlock?"

"Mycroft is on his way over to him now."