Dinner Party~

The color leeching from John's face drew the entire room's attention. It was not lost on them that some of history's two most infamous best friends were not on the best of speaking terms at this moment. Nonetheless, Sherlock was here. In Mary's new apartment. Embracing Mary as if he had known her for her entire life, even though they'd only met recently upon his resurrection.

"It's lovely of you to come, Sherlock." Mary led her new friend by the hand into the room eyes sparkling as champagne brilliance. John loved that Mary could be so open and friendly even to chief known sinners like Sherlock Holmes. He gripped his glass harder. Mary looked at John seeing the clench in his jaw. Sherlock was looking at Greg to avoid looking at John. He smiled from Greg to Molly who both seemed embarrassed for him (and perhaps of him).

"I invited him." Mary smiled. The elephants danced in her room, but she could care less. She'd grown to dearly love Sherlock from the little visits she made to him at tea time on John's behalf.

"You did. It was most kind of you, dear. Still, I'm afraid that I can't stay." Sherlock bit his lip. His eyes darted to John who expressed a tiny relieved sigh. John stood at attention with his jaw tilted up.

"Mm, why did you come at all then?" His voice was curt. Suppressed from the verge of waspishness only for the sake of the company they were in. Molly put her mouth behind her hand. Greg shifted on his feet. They all rather wished he hadn't. Even Mrs. Hudson, who'd normally have greeted him cheerfully, was silent.

"Ah, yes...One moment please..Mr. Livery, if you would bring my effects." Sherlock turned toward the door. A young man, possibly even a teenager, stepped up the stairs carrying a tiny forensic kit.

"What?" Greg was about to fly into a series of questions but Sherlock's eyes warned him. Sherlock and John had fallen out for the same reasons that Sherlock had fallen. Disbanding Moriarty's web, faking his death, and disappearing for 2 years on a peculiar hiatus.

Sherlock tilted his chin now assuming an icily professional air. His body language was stripped of all familiarity with them. Of course, for all of them save Mary had a few choice words for him when he returned and were still livid with his vague explanation. None more than John. This was the first time they were coming close to even a vague inkling of what his life was like now. They wouldn't give him the satisfaction of awe. Oddly enough, his body language wasn't asking for that this time. He had the honest air of a beaten dog.

"Mr. Livery is Director Holmes' intern and temporarily my assistant." Sherlock reached into his coat and produced a badge. An MI5 badge that read in new font "Detective Consulting" and had a proper photo ID and everything. John nearly dropped his teeth. He laughed behind his hand. Sherlock elected to ignore him, smiling ever so faintly in apology to Mary for ruining her party. She smiled back graceful and sure. She truly believed she could convince the others to forgive him eventually.

"We are under strict orders to make our intentions known to you, Ms. Morstan." Sherlock took Mary's hand and smiled.

"Which is why I waited until your invitation to do this. Director Holmes wishes, with your permission, to install private surveillance on the street below your new flat." Sherlock clenched his lips and closed his eyes when John scoffed.

"What, so he can spy on us?!" His voice was bitter. The others were about to intervene to keep him from flying off at Sherlock but Mary's cool voice interrupted the episode.

"Is this about Charles Magnussen's case, Sherlock?..." Her voice was quite grave.

"I'm afraid so, darling." Sherlock lifted his head. His face was sheet white now and his eyes shiny with fear and stress.

"What?" John demanded.

Mary looked apologetically at John like she wasn't sure what to say. Then, she looked at Sherlock.

"You have to run surveillance on me because I am friends with his clerk Janine, right?" She enunciated the words so that their conversation would explain itself and perhaps not trigger John's constant ire.

Sherlock swallowed. Then, he sighed. A sigh that made them wonder whether he or God was born first.

"Yes. She has been taken into protective custody. Temporarily, I assure you. Still, we must execute all precautions while this situation is processed." Sherlock nodded.

"Will she be alright?" Mary was getting anxious. Sherlock let a shuddering breath. Then, he turned to his assistant.

"Thomas, the system will have to be installed within the house so we can connect it to WiFi." Sherlock nodded.

"That will not jeopardize this flat's network will it, sir?" Thomas bit his lip.

"Not when I have installed the private networking system." Sherlock nodded.

" ...Aren't you going to answer the lady's question? We...This is...I mean this isn't a hostile situation is it, sir?" Thomas was shaking. Shaking.

Sherlock took the boy's shoulders.

"You'll be fine, son."

Sherlock Holmes had just consoled another human. He'd referred to him as son like they were going off to mortal combat.

Thomas nodded and turned to do as he was told. Sherlock turned exhaustedly to Mary.

"Okay, what the hell do you mean coming up in here like this and exposing Mary to potential danger? What in the Hell are you doing now?!" John snapped holding up a finger and setting his cup down.

Sherlock didn't answer him. John was puffing up about to pounce. Greg grabbed his arm before he could come at Sherlock. John saw the look on Greg's face and then looked back at his fiancee and former close friend.

"Have you been sleeping at all?" Mary's voice cracked almost teary. She cupped his chin in her hand. Sherlock smiled at her.

"Kind of you to ask." He shrugged. She nodded having taught him some on manners in the last few weeks and months since they'd met.

"Will Janine be alright, Sherlock?" Mary bit her lip leaning back from him.

"I don't know...I hate not knowing." Sherlock swallowed. Mary nodded. She turned to John then.

"This isn't his fault, just so you...You don't try to chin him or anything." Her face was gravely asking permission to be Sherlock's friend without John's hostility. Something she should not have to do.

John blinked, surprised by the exchange he had watched take place.

"I am sorry, Mary. I should have probably come at a different time." Sherlock bit his lip.

"You just thought...Maybe they should see it...See that you're different now, huh?" Mary smiled. Sherlock looked at her eyes abysmal within their sorrow. She breathed a slow breath, understanding.

Molly let a gasp and made a sound like she would try to speak to him. He looked to her for a split second. What was there to say?

"Now the 2,000 quid question, okay? Are you going to be alright?" Mary did choke up then to the room's amazement. Sherlock laughed. A nervous, teeth-barred laugh.

"You're not going to like the answer to that question."

"I need to hear you say it. Even if I don't like it."

Sherlock nodded to say he understood. He nodded and looked over his shoulder at Thomas. Thomas was busy working on installing the system listening to a voice assistant bot and blissfully not paying attention to this conversation.

"I think this is the last that you and I will see of each other...For...for a while anyway. After, um...I don't know what will come after that. But, thank you...Thank you for your company in the recent weeks. I have enjoyed our conversations." Sherlock smiled.

"Don't talk like you're going to die, Sherlock." Mary bit her lip.

"You said you needed to hear the truth even if you didn't like it." Sherlock's face was grave now. He smiled at her one last time. John felt like he would slide into the floor, actually mortified and hating himself for it. He was about to speak, but Sherlock turned to Thomas and quietly installed the private network system.

"Alright, leave this switched on at all times. We can update you directly on your computer because of this device." Sherlock's tone was now clipped and even more robotic if that was possible. He motioned Thomas out the door.

"Just like that. You're going to say all of that and then just...Leave?!" John stomped after him a little bit. He paused at the door, shoulders tensing. Then he turned coldly on John_ face for the first time showing the faintest hint of anger but even then that was drowned in sorrow.

"What is it to you?" Sherlock's voice had always had a certain edge of venom to it when he wanted to be cold. This was at once vicious and broken.

John opened his mouth to say something else. Thomas was standing staring looking like he would puke or pass out.

"Mr. Livery, what did I say about catching flies with your mouth? Get on with it, we've got the Devil's work to do." Sherlock shot John one last cold look and slammed the door behind him.

They all stood in the echoing silence. Then John turned to Mary for an explanation. She was fanning herself.

"He's...He's really...He's really not to blame for all of this. If anyone, then it's really Mycroft Holmes' fault." Mary sat down with a hard thud and chewed her fingernails.