Very well done. IMO, truly the best fictional friendship in history is Holmes and Watson, and you exemplify it in your stories flawlessly.

LOVED the ending too. For those wondering, the drawing of the dancing man on the window is a reference to the adventure of the dancing men, which ended in tragedy and which Holmes at least partially blamed himself for.

Very beautifully done. Although the bit with the dancing man at the end confused me slightly, I must say.

This is beautifully done. Says a great deal about the 2 characters very elegantly, with a clear reminder of the price they both have to pay as a result of their chosen paths. Very in character and an effective study of friendship. Delighted to have found it.

Mrs P:)

wonderful

Exquisite.

Aww! I am such a sucker for Watson!torture and this is one of the best.

(But I admit; I don't really get the last line about the little dancing man. Is that a reference to DANCING?)

I must admit that this story intruged and stirred me in the same way. Bravo on a story well written and with the characters so thoroughly IC!

Keep the good work and hope to see more soon!

“When one’s profession consists of helping people, the people of course become the most important variable. Everything depends on them. To lose that variable…or watch them lose themselves…is the greatest of failures, and hits the shatterpoint of the diamond one became. All the pressure, all the stress that crushed you into brilliance, gave a hidden weakness as well—a jewel with an Achilles heel.”

That is the most profound statement of Watson's character I've ever encountered. This is one of those oneshot's that's just a total gem. You really have captured Holmes and Watson beautifully in this, from Holmes distance and then concern, to Watson's warmth of character all the way through.

I am in awe.

Bravo!

This is too adorable for words, at the same time being so sadly realistic. I love how you kept them both in character (I can totally see Watson drinking enough to be sick but not to be drunk, and Holmes not realising until well after he had left how upset he really was).

""I don't, eh?" He put his arm through mine. "For all our years of living together, there are still things you don't know about me."" had to be my favorite line, though there were tons to choose from. I also loved how you used the dialogue to show what action was going on, eliminating an over-abundance of words outside the quotation marks, and yet made it appear so natural that you wouldn't notice the skill until you start looking to pick it apart. Flawlessly executed.

This was absolutely marvelous - probably my favorite of all the things you've written so far.

Awesome. Perfectly executed; I especially love how you did the ending.