I liked this.

This is a really gorgeous metaphor. I always like your writing! )

Oh this was lovely. I love the gentle, considerate feel of how this hangs together. It's so thoughtful that I read it twice- I feel like this piece gives Watson's new place in life more thorough consideration than much of season 2. Ha! ;) my favourite thing here that nails something frequently surprising to me about their partnership was how you talked about Sherlock's willingness to open up to her and her reticence and the door to opening up that she'd lost track of (if it ever existed). The ending is beautiful too, on her being like his box of unsolved cases.
I always think of Watson as currently in a bit of a chrysalis phase (regenerating, better, after trauma) and I think this captures that beautifully :) perfect writing too, love the language! x

"More so once she found that half the cases were simply casualties of addiction he hadn't been able to face again in recovery." ... This speaks to me for some reason and yet I can't tell you what it's saying... It's an insight for sure, one I never considered (for some reason or another) and it makes a great deal of sense..

"She preferred privacy in all things, foremost being the hypocrisy that ruled her days as a detective who kept her own evidence hidden away. "... Forgive me but I think I'm feeling you're metaphorical eye roll at the writers lack of plot as far as Joan is concerned...

"if there had ever been a door in her wall, she'd lost track of it, and he had long since stopped looking for a way in." Now everything else aside, I feel like this rings so true of them... It's acceptance on both their parts. All that's left in the wake of acceptance is respect and I think you've wrapped their friendship up in these few words perfectly... Thank you, as always for posting this:) love to see your work here.