School Life: Chapter Thirteen

John spent the first couple days of his vacation running around like a mad man. First he made sure all the public rooms were clean. The kitchen, the dinning room, the living room, the bathroom all spotless. His bedroom even more so. His parents watched in shock as their son ran around making sure everything was perfect.

John rushed to do a load of sheets when his mother stopped him.

"John dear, I love you but you have to stop. If this house gets anymore clean it can be used for your father's surgery."

John blushed. "I just want everything perfect. Sherlock comes from a rich family, I don't want him to think we're slobs."

Mrs. Watson pulled her son into a hug. "I'm sure he's not expecting perfection, John. I think he'll just be excited that you went to all this effort for him." John hugged his mother back.

"Thanks mum."

As John dashed off Mr. Watson came up behind his wife. "If I didn't know about the girlfriend, I would have sworn our son was preparing for someone more special than just a good friend."

Mrs. Watson chuckled. "You noticed that too?" If Henry had noticed, than John was being practically transparent.

"Well, maybe this Sherlock is special to our John. Just not the way, we'd expect with a lesbian daughter."

Mrs. Watson nodded. This Sherlock must be something special. They were of course warned about his 'trick' with deducing people's life stories from their tie, their thumb, and their hair cut. And while John had gotten Sherlock to promise to keep the less savory things to himself, he knew well enough that sometimes Sherlock spoke without thinking.

He rung his hands nervously while he waited for his friend to arrive.

***

Sherlock spent Christmas eve with his father and brother. Which consisted of dinner and after dinner drinks. Which was eggnog only his was sans the rum that flavored his brother and father's drinks. He didn't care much for the rum anyway so it was no great lost to him.

He shifted nervously in his seat after dinner under the gaze of his brother. Mycroft seemed to sense something was going on while their father smoked his pipe and read the paper. When the clock hit seven, their butler, Cartwright showed up at his elbow with the two presents John helped him wrap and since it was two boys struggling with wrapping paper and tape, they looked a bit of a disaster. But Sherlock was proud anyway.

They were both small boxes and the lighter of the two was given to his father. He looked up at his youngest son in curiosity before putting down his paper to open his present. Inside was jeweled tie pin. Mr. Holmes looked up at his son with astonishment written on his features. He muttered a thank you and then got up. His sons watched as he scrambled to get away.

Sherlock looked at Mycroft, tears welling up. "Did-did I do something wrong?" he asked, choking back tears.

"No, no, Sherlock of course not. You just surprised him. He loved it, I'm sure." Sherlock looked at the door that was left open in his father's escape. He nodded.

"May I open mine now?" Mycroft asked. Again Sherlock nodded. Mycroft opened the small, heavy box and gasped when he saw what was inside. There nestled in black velvet was a silver antique pocket watch.

"Open it," Sherlock pleaded and his brother complied. Inside was the inscription, To my brother and the date.

"Sherlock, it's beautiful." Mycroft brought his hand to his mouth. "I-I didn't get you anything."

"You don't have to, My. You forced me to go back to Westminster this year and if you hadn't, I wouldn't have met John and I-" Sherlock choked up, he forced back his tears. "And I can't thank you enough for that." Mycroft put the package down and stood up. He walked over to Sherlock and pulled him to his feet. Sherlock wrapped his arms around him and Mycroft hugged him back.

"Happy Christmas, My."

"Happy Christmas, brother mine."

Early the next morning Sherlock rode with his brother to John's house.

"You know you don't have to come with me. I know you've already met John."

"And what gave that idea, little brother?"

"Because this you, My. I'm pretty sure you've met all my friends at this point. Victor and Greg you met early on but you waited on John. Probably doing a deeper background check."

Mycroft laughed. "Guilty as charged." Sherlock smiled back.

"What if I told you wanted to meet his family?" Mycroft inquired. Sherlock shrugged.

They reached the house and John came bounding out to greet them. He looked at Sherlock and then back to Mycroft unsure what to say.

"Our secret's out, John. He knows we've met." John just grinned.

"Of course he does, he's Sherlock after all." John said his friend's name like it was synonymous with brilliant. Mycroft chuckled as he watched his little brother turn pink around the ears.  

"Come in and meet my family." John said, grabbing his friend's arm and dragging him inside, Mycroft followed behind at a much slower pace, a secret smile on his face.

***

John led the way inside to where his family sat waiting for John's friend to arrive.

"That's my dad, Dr. Henry Watson, my mum Leona and my sister, Harry." Harry just waved at the posh gentlemen that walked through her door, clearly intimidated by their superior dress and manners but her parents surged forward to take their hands. "This is Sherlock and his older brother Mycroft."

"Pleased to meet you all. I have to go, they made the company Christmas party mandatory this year."

John's parents exchanged a glance. "Where do you work?" Mr. Watson asked as he shook hands again.

Mycroft smiled, "The foreign office." They both looked surprised.

"Wow, so young too." Mrs. Hudson gushed. Mycroft smiled and Sherlock smirked.

"Will you be alright, Sherlock?" Mycroft asked.

"I'll be fine. I'll call you if I forgot anything." Mycroft smiled and then said his goodbyes to John's family. John walked him out leaving Sherlock alone with his family for a moment.

"Thanks for bringing him Mycroft." John smiled up at the older Holmes boy.

"My pleasure John. Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas." John rushed back in, just in time to see Sherlock 'deduce' his father's military service from his tie.

"Sherlock..." John groaned. His best friend just flashed him a grin.  "Come on you mad man, you'll be staying in my room with me." John said pulling him aside and away from his startled family. Sherlock laughed.

"You know, if you keep calling me that, your family is going to wonder just who they let into their house," Sherlock chuckled just as they reached out of ear shot.

"Nah!" John replied. "I told them you were mad before you came over." John winked and opened the door to his room. Sherlock was immediately struck by how like John it was. It was filled with army men and books on famous battles, it had a black gladstone bag in the corner and anatomy books sprawled over his desk. Above his bed was a poster of a metal encased man.

"Oh that's War Machine. He's my favorite super hero. He's a military man. But isn't shackled with the unfortunate monicker Capt. America. I mean Captain Britain is alright but he's got magic and stuff. War Machine's just a man in a mechanical suit protecting people. I like that." John blushed when he realized he was babbling.

Sherlock just smiled.

"So my family did presents already... when did you want yours?" Sherlock dug into his bag and pulled out his present for John.

"Now works." Sherlock grinned. John pointed to his desk where Sherlock's present sat still in it's shiny silver package. John was practically bouncing.

"You open yours first." John pressed. Sherlock flopped down on the bed next to him and began to open the gift. Inside was small rectangular leather pouch. Sherlock frowned as he opened it. His confusion cleared away when he saw it was a small magnifying glass that could be slid open to be used at two different magnifications.

"Oh, John. It's marvelous." Sherlock breathed. It wasn't as expensive as the other gifts he got but it was infinitely more special.

"I didn't want you opening it in front of our friends. I didn't think they'd understand why." John explained.

"You just don't want them to get in on the fun too." Sherlock winked and then laughed when John blushed. He'd hit the nail on the head.

"It's okay, John. Open yours. It'll make you feel better. I promise." John opened the present and gasped.

"It's incredible. I asked my parents for this one but they couldn't afford it. Thank you!" Sherlock squeaked when John hugged him.

"You're welcome."

"You hungry? My mom's got homemade scones left over from breakfast."

"Nah, I'm fine. I can wait until dinner." John raised a questioning eyebrow. "Mycroft made sure I had breakfast this morning."

John laughed. That sounded just like the elder Holmes.

Sherlock looked sheepish all of a sudden. "Um... John is it okay... if Victor calls me tonight...?"

John laughed again. "Sure. Is he calling a specific time?"

Sherlock nodded. "Seven." John smiled and pulled out his phone he texted a quick message.

As expected, Victor calling S tonight, you can call me then. Talk to you at 7 -JW

Sherlock eyed him as he did this. "Mary wanted to call me to and I figured she could do it while you were talking to Victor so the one didn't have to watch the other make silly faces and say funny pet names over the phone."

Sherlock laughed.

"Well then!" He laughed again.

Dinner was a pleasant affair with his parents only asking mildly embarrassing questions of Sherlock. Harry watched them with this funny expression on her face. John would have to ask her about it later.

Seven o'clock rolled around and the two boys looked at their phones nervously. They went off at the same time. From Sherlock's pocket rang out Violin Romance by Beethoven, from John's hand rang out Crossfire by Brandon Flowers. They smiled at each other and wandered off to their corners to talk.

"Hey sweetie." John purred into his phone.

***

"Victor? What's wrong?"

"You can't come on New Years."

"Why not? Did something come up?" Sherlock asked worriedly.

"Someone told my dad I was gay."

"Oh my god are you okay?" Sherlock was starting to get even more worried.

"No. He- he-" Victor started to sob.

"Victor?"

"He hit me and said that no son of his was gay."

"God! I'm coming to get you, you can stay with John and I. I'm sure he'd agree."

"No. He said that I wasn't to see you ever again and that if you come near me, he'll call the cops."

"No." Sherlock sank to his knees. "God, no. Victor... I can't... no..." Sherlock passed out.

"Mary. I have to call you back. Sherlock just collapsed. I'll let you know later."

"Oh, god. Sure."

John hung up and ran over to his friend. He called for his dad who came rushing in.

"What happened?" Mr. Watson asked as he came dashing in.

"I don't know we both got calls from our significant others. Hold on." John picked up Sherlock's phone and listened.

All he could hear on the other end was painful sobbing.