For John Watson

[howdull]

[Sherlock is still finding pieces of the melted laptop in the carpet.

It had actually been quite an ingenious booby trap to be devised by a fourteen year old boy with only household chemicals to work with but, as Sherlock surmised, rather overkill to keep his mother from finding his extensive porn collection. Not one of their more illustrious cases, but it had been quite entertaining to watch both the boy and mother's faces as he revealed that he did know the how and why. He lost interest after the mother started shouting and John started shouting and the whole thing turned tedious.

He rather thinks John won't actually be doing a full write-up of this one on his blog.

It's been two days since their last case and he's beginning to get more than a little antsy. Lestrade has sent him nothing, just a boring hit and run that he refused to even leave the flat for, and nobody interesting has appeared through the blog. Said blog he is currently scrolling through on John's laptop, having borrowed it again.

He did ask, it's not his fault John hadn't been in the room at the time.]

Bored, John.

[He doesn't even know if his flatmate is even in, but that's hardly a necessity for him to actually speak to John. Frustrated, he throws the laptop across the room to hit the wall, where it summarily breaks. Which is where he can be found whenever John appears, sulking amidst pieces of laptop, both from the melted one of their last case and John's poor broken one.]

Comments

[howdull]

[He grins as he bends down and scoops up his card, before triumphantly marching off to leave John alone with Molly, who is at least properly asleep now.

Not that he'll have much peace, it's only ten minutes before Lestrade jogs in looking half as if he thought they'd be gone again.]

Oh come on, this is taking the piss. I said both of you.

[jumpthegun]

[John's sitting in a chair by Molly's bed looking incredibly sullen, when Lestrade enters. He moves to stand up too quickly and ends up flinching a little more visibly than he means to as he raises a hand.]

He's in the cafeteria getting some coffee. We can go down there, if you want. But if you're gonna yell, it's probably best we step out into the hall.

[He points toward Molly's prone form.]

[howdull]

Right. Fine. Hallway, then, now.

[He opens the door for John and stalks out of the room after him.]

This isn't some bloody game, you know? I've put my neck on the line too often for you two, and you've repaid it by buggering off, absconding with evidence, refusing to comply with giving statements, and proving to my superiors that I'm a madman for trusting either of you.

[jumpthegun]

[When he lays it all out like that, John finds himself wincing.]

Of course I don't think it's a game. People have died and have nearly died. I'm trying to get to the bottom of this. But you keep... locking me up. What am I supposed to do?

[He means putting him in hospital where he probably belongs, but details.]

[howdull]

And I am sorry that people have died.

[He does have sympathy for John that one of those people was his sister, but this is still far over the line of acceptable.]

But I'm the police, you remember us, we're the ones who actually are supposed to solve these things. I don't mind the two of you working with us, but you can't pretend the law doesn't exist if it's inconvenient for you. I could get fired over this.

[jumpthegun]

[John certainly doesn't want to cost the man his job, but at the same time...]

I need to solve this, Detective Inspector. Too many people are getting put in the crossfire because of me and this sick game that Caroline Matthews is playing. Have your men picked up Jim Moriarty? Davidson. Whatever he's calling himself.

[howdull]

[He gets it, he does, but it's why John shouldn't be working the case. He's too emotionally involved, too close to it.]

Yeah.

[He folds his arms.]

You've got a choice now. You check yourself in here, you and bloody Sherlock both, and I'll tell you what was said in the interview. You don't, and I'll have them admit you anyway but you won't get any information from me. If you're going to keep running after this; which, by the way, I'm not in favour of, then you don't do it until you're fit. I'll have officers posted as protection detail either way, on both of you and whoever else you think might be at risk, but this reckless idiocy ends now. We're on the same team.

[jumpthegun]

[John's hackles go up. After the argument with Sherlock about checking himself in, he doesn't want to do this. But something else catches his attention.]

Interview. You let him go. [There's a flash of white hot anger that sears away reason as John steps forward and grabs for the front of Lestrade's shirt.] After what he did to Molly, did you let that lying bastard go?

[howdull]

[Lestrade just stares John down, he's not going to let himself be intimidated.]

See, now that's one of the things that I'll tell you if you cooperate.

[jumpthegun]

[There's a long moment where John seriously considers just hauling off and punching the detective. It would be viscerally satisfying and his frayed nerves want it, they want to lash out at something physically concrete after being helpless with the bomb and Jim's message over the television. He glares fiercely at Lestrade, but there's none of the fear of a new recruit. It's frustrating and the only thing it will get him is an assault charge and the loss of valuable assistance.

With an angry growl, John shoves Lestrade away and immediately regrets the action for the sharp pain that comes as a rebuke. His breath hitches, and he has to just breathe shallowly for several second. He's still meeting the DI's hard gaze when he's pulled himself together enough to speak.]

I'm not staying here any longer than Sherlock does.

[howdull]

[He supposes it's the best he's going to get, and it's better than actually having to make good on his threat to have John arrested to get him into hospital that way.]

Fine. Just-- go. Now. Go and check yourself in, I'll go and sort Sherlock out, and then I'll come by whatever ward you're on and you can yell and ask questions all you want. Deal?

[jumpthegun]

[John wants to protest that he needs to stay with Molly, but maybe he can ask to be put with her or something. He doesn't trust himself to say much more for the moment, just nods and turns to stalk back toward the entrance. He's going to have to admit to that nice receptionist that he lied. Brilliant.

It's far too quick a trip before he's queing up.]

Hi again, I, um... I have a few injuries that probably need looked over.

[howdull]

[She blinks at him in surprise and then taps to bring up a form on her computer, half looking at that and half at him.]

What sort of injuries? Do you need to go to the A&E department, or do you have a local GP that can be contacted?

[jumpthegun]

No, no! I don't need A&E. [He holds up a hand.] I just... I broke a couple of ribs about a week ago and haven't really had a chance to give them a rest with running around for work. And there are some burns on my back that I haven't paid the best attention to. I did have a doctor look them over... yesterday.

[Was it yesterday?]

Yeah. Yesterday. He didn't say they were infected or anything, but I've got a detective inspector breathing down my neck to check myself in for treatment. If you do end up putting me up for a day or two to put him at ease, I'd really like to be placed in the same section of the hospital as Molly Hooper, the woman I came in to see. Work, y'know? Can't really put it down.

[None of this is actually a lie. He's just spinning it to let her assume a few things that he wants her to. John offers a rueful smile to the woman.]

And it would really be better to do this here. Reckon I'd get to see more of you, at least for a little while. My GP and I are having some... philosophical disagreements at the mo.

[And by philosophical, he means romantic, but never mind that.]

[howdull]

[She doesn't know quite what to make of that, and her expression is going from open and friendly to something warier, like he might be a bit not all there.]

Okay, well-- we can have you see one of the triage nurses, she'll examine you and decide if you need to be admitted or what course of treatment to take, okay? If you are admitted then it'll be to the relevant ward, and all of our wards are single sex. But you'll still be able to visit Miss Hooper if you're up to it.

[She taps a note on the system.]

What's your full name and address, please?

[jumpthegun]

[That's irritating, but he can understand. John just smiles.]

Yeah, sure, that works.

[He's going to hope to hell the hospital systems don't talk to one another given he's had to escape from two of them in the recent past. He could always give a fake name... but she's probably going to ask for his ID. Which he doesn't even have. Bloody, hell.

With any luck, she won't be the sort to read his blog, either. Or watch the news...]

John Watson. 221B Baker Street, Marylebone, London NW1 6XE.

[howdull]

[There is a small note on the system that about his post traumatic stress disorder, and how he might be more violent or prone to running because of it, but nothing to make her overly worried.

That's the work of Mycroft Holmes.]

Alright, if you'll head down the corridor and up a floor, take a seat in the waiting room and wait to be called, just follow the yellow line on the floor.

[jumpthegun]

Thank you. Sorry for the trouble.

[Be nice to the admin and nurses; you're going to see a lot more of them than the actual doctors. John follows the yellow line off, as directed, and sits down gingerly in one of the chairs in the waiting room. He pulls out his phone to text Sherlock.]

FROM: JOHN
TO: SHERLOCK

If Lestrade hasn't found you, yet, he's decided he's not sharing info unless we check ourselves in. I'm at least getting an exam. I think I can hold up for them not to actually recommend staying. Can't complain if the hospital doesn't want us.

[howdull]

FROM: SHERLOCK
TO: JOHN

I bet that I can get discharged before you. Care to wager on it?
SH.

[There aren't many other people in the waiting room, just a softly buzzing light fitting and several old celebrity magazines with the crosswords already filled out.]

[jumpthegun]

[He can't help it. That does make him smile in amusement.]

FROM: JOHN
TO: SHERLOCK

Reckon I've got a leg up on you, what with already being in the waiting room. You're on, but you have to be honest about your medical history when they ask. And by honest I mean tell them you were poisoned and are having intermittent seizures.

[howdull]

FROM: SHERLOCK
TO: JOHN

Deal, I'll be completely honest with my medical history. Let the game begin.
SH.

[John will be kept in the waiting room for a good forty minutes before finally a middle aged man in light blue scrubs pokes his head out of one of the small examination room doors and calls for him.]

John Watson? Can I have John Watson in here, please?

[jumpthegun]

[This is incredibly tedious, and John doesn't even have a smart phone to occupy himself. He picks up one of the magazines set out and reads through that. This is a pointless exercise and he needs to be focused on finding out what Jim is up to, or talking more to Molly. Or anything, really. He's checking the clock every two minutes by the time his name is called out.]

Yes! Yes, I'm here.

[He shoots up and regrets the swift movements immediately. John grins through the pain and tries very hard not to wheeze when he steps over to the man.]

Hullo. In a bit of a hurry. Just need a quick check on some burns for any signs of infection.

[John will leave out the ribs for now, unless the other man draws attention to them. There's not a lot to actually do for broken ribs if it's nothing excessive apart from lie down and take pain medication.]

[howdull]

Alright, if you want to strip down and show me where the burns are?

[He's got that rote politeness to his manner, the slightly empty smile of someone who's already seen fifty people today and is more than ready to go home. But he's patient as John shows him the burns, brow furrowing as he leans in to examine the man's back more closely.]

These are pretty serious, I'd like to refer you up to the burn's ward so they can take a skin culture and make sure nothing is infected. It means admitting you for at least tonight, until the results come back, okay?

[jumpthegun]

[John's voice is, perhaps a bit more annoyed than he means it to be as he replies.]

Is that really necessary? I had it looked over yesterday and redressed. The medic I spoke with didn't indicate any signs of infection. I haven't got a fever, either. [Not one that he can tell he has, anyway.] There's no excessive pain. I've been keeping it all clean.

[He could simply refuse the medical recommendation, but suspects Lestrade won't accept that if they continue to recommend he stays. It's barely the afternoon, though! There's too much of the day to while away in a burn unit.]

[howdull]

That's as may be, but this is still what I'd strongly recommend.

[His tone of voice says that he doesn't think much to whatever medic checked this man over and didn't admit him.]

You're within your rights to refuse, but you've come here for our help and that's how we can best help you. They can give you something for the pain up there and really make sure everything is healing as it should be.