Sherlock - The Game Is On!

The Sign Of Three- Nine

Chapter Nine

Stag Night

During John's stag night, I spent my time with Mary during the Hen Party. It wasn't even three hours later until I got a stream full of messages from Sherlock:

Hi.

I  have an international  reputaaation. Dya have one?

We're   clueing forr looks.

The   game   is somethingg or anoother.

Oh ya, fforgot t o mention I loveee you and can you come home???

Mary seemed to receive some too from John. It wasn't until midnight that Lestrade phoned saying the boys are in a cell for the night...

Mary and I strolled up to the desk of the police station, signing forms for the boys possessions. Mary was holding her head whilst I wore sunglasses. "Maybe we should of gone home, I haven't had a night like that in years." Mary flabbergasted. I laughed lowly. "Nonsense it was your Hen Party. Totally worth being on the piss all night." Mary and I kind of staggered against one another, still a mess but still happy.

"NOT REALLY!" Lestrade's voice bounces of the walls. Mary lied her head on my legs, scrunched into a ball on the chairs. "Girls! So happy to see you. Enjoy last night?"

"Greg, can you perhaps not talk tooloud?" Mary mumbles against my lap, my fingers danced through her hair. "How long we're you out for?"

"Till four." Lestrade laughed. Whilst Sherlock was putting his coat on, I pulled a bottle of vodka out from under the chairs. "I feel sick." Mary mumbled, sitting up, John took hold of her. "What a bunch of lightweights!" Lestrade and I share a laugh. Well, thanks for a... You know..." John mumbled, I took a swig of vodka. "An evening."

"It was awful."

"Yeah." John agreed. "So, did you boys have fun 'clueing for looks'?" It seemed that my question fell on empty ears. "That woman, Tessa."

"What?"

"Dated a ghost. The most interesting case for months. What a wasted opportunity."

"So is 'the game something or another'?" I asked again. Sherlock peered at me closely before pulling his phone out and presumably scrolling through last nights messages. Stuffing his phone back into his pocket he walked ahead, embarrassed. John and I giggled.

Baker Street

"How are you feeling?" I get John a glass of water, whilst I try and start to sober up. "It's just like old times, having you back here." I hand John his glass, whilst my aunt brings through a full English breakfast. "Thought I'd make your favourite, one last time." Placing the plate in front of John, he pales. "Mm. Don't sound so... Final about it. I will be visiting, you know."

"Ooh, I've heard that one before!" I chimed. "Mm, no, it's different now, though, isn't it? It's different to when we thought we'd lost him." I smile. "Well, marriage changes everything, John." John lifts the forkful of food towards his mouth, then looks at it and pauses. "Does it?"

"Yeah." Mar-Mar furthers the opinion by sitting opposite him. "You might not think it, but it does. It's a different phase in your life. You meet new people 'cause you're a couple... And then you just... let your old friends slip away."

"It won't be like that."

"Well, if you've found the right one, the person that you click with, it's the best thing in the world."

"Well, I have. I know I have."

"Oh, I'm sure. She's lovely!"

"Yeah. I think so. What about you?"

"Me?"

"Did you think you'd found the right one when you married Mr Hudson?" Mar-Mar smiles sadly. "No! It was just a whirlwind thing for us. I knew it wouldn't work, but I just got sort of swept along."

"Right."

"And then we moved to Florida. We had a fantastic time, but of course I didn't know what he was up to. The drugs." Mar-Mar whispers the final words. "Drugs?"

"He was running... Um, oh God, what d'you call it?"

"A drug cartel, Mar-Mar." I answered. "Yes that. Got in with a really bad crowd. And then I found out about all the other women. I didn't have a clue! So, when he was actually arrested for blowing someone's head off... It was quite a relief, to be honest. I did get my own back on him. I shot him in the groin." She startled cackling like a mad woman. John looked uncomfortable. "Right."

"It was purely physical between me and Frank. We couldn't keep our hands off each other." I cringe, whilst John looks away. "I know: there was one night..." John holds up a finger to stop her, then turns the finger to point upwards. "Was that... Sherlock?"

"Is it?" John continues to point upwards, and raises the finger of his other hand to his lips. After a moment we hear footsteps upstairs. "That's Sherlock." I agree. Saved by the bell!