Don't (Sherlock; John Watson/Mary Morstan)

[Spoo]

I've been working on this for a few days now, and I think it's as ready as it's gonna get (which seems funny to claim, since it's not very long at all). I was originally going to stick this with my drabbles, but I ultimately decided not to when I thought it better to give it its own thread~

There will be spoilers for season 3 in this - all the way up to "His Last Vow". Also, I'd like to thank VoOs's new story for giving me the angsty boost I needed to finish this up. IT HURTS SO GOOD.

Last but not least, this isn't intended to be anything close to "happy". Nope.

~ * ~

Don't

by Spoo

She knew before he did.

She saw it in the hard lines of his face, heard it in his slightly stuffier than normal breathing: He was coming down with a cold. It didn't seem very severe (his colds usually weren't unless he'd already started coughing, which he hadn't) but she was tempted to say something. She didn't, of course, because they weren't speaking.

They hadn't in three days.

Usually there was a word here and there - a question, an accusation. Occasionally there was just a pointed look. But there had been absolutely nothing in three days, so telling him to take something for it or to button up his coat wasn't going to happen.

Mary watched from the bed they no longer shared as John entered the washroom and shut the door behind him. The lock clicked in place not a second later, confirming his wish to remain as distant as possible. Accepting this, she ran a hand over her growing belly, feeling tiny feet from the inside.

"...Huh'ETSCHHhuh!"

The sudden sneeze brought her eyes back to the closed and locked door in front of her. There was more kicking from within her womb, and she soothed the unborn child with another loving stroke atop her rounded middle.

'It's just daddy,' she wanted to say. 'He's got a massive sneeze.'

John soon emerged, his nostrils a shade redder and his eyes rheumy. His nose wrinkled with what seemed like the beginnings of another sneeze, yet a harsh sniff prevented it from coming forth. He disappeared from the room altogether, and she soon heard him moving around in their spare bedroom.

Sighing inaudibly, Mary gathered herself off of the mattress and reached for the empty mug of tea that sat on the nightstand. She headed into the kitchen and approached the sink to rinse off her cup when she saw him, again, out of the corner of her eye.

This time, she noticed that he was carrying what looked like an overnight bag. He set the bag in the living room along the sofa and then returned to the spare bedroom, sniffling the entire way. It was only when he'd begun rustling around again that she heard another violent sneeze.

"Huh'EDSCHhh'fff!"

Muffled, she noted. He was growing frustrated with his inability to contain them.

Turning off the tap, she reached for a dishrag and began drying off her hands when he came into view once more, sniffling wetly. His coat was now on. She watched as he sat on the sofa (beside where he'd set his bag) and started putting on his shoes.

He was going out, then. To the hospital. To stay the night.

Something heavy pulled in Mary's chest, and it wasn't guilt. It was something that hurt much more than that. Steeling her disposition, she opened one of the counter's drawers - the "rubbish drawer", they'd named it long ago - and sifted through a plethora of knickknacks to locate something she herself had put there some months back, during John's last run-in with a cold.

A few seconds later, she successfully retrieved a portable packet of tissues; it was a bad idea - one that was simply begging for his scorn. Nevertheless, she felt that it was more common courtesy than an act of affectionate thoughtfulness.

John was nearly finished tying the laces of his second shoe when she approached him. Wordlessly, she extended her hand and offered the tissues. Without even looking up, let alone registering that she'd brought something for him, he said in a tone that was bitingly frigid:

"Don't."

So she didn't.

Mary stepped back and gave her husband (her husband) his space as he reached for his bag and bounded towards the door. She saw that he'd left his phone on the table; there was a message that lit up the screen - a message that her incredibly sharp eyes read before she could stop them from doing so.

Illness impedes movement, but you're not the one who's dying, John. Hurry up. The nurses are annoying. SH

Ah. He knew as well.

She considered herself lucky that by the time John realized he'd left his phone, she was already on her way back to the kitchen. He said nothing as he snatched the device, cleared his aching throat, and then went back to the door to officially leave.

Alone, Mary looked down at the unopened tissue packet that still sat in her hand. A wry smile upturned her lips as she returned it to its tomb in the rubbish drawer. She hesitated for a moment, as if silently contemplating something, before slowly pushing the drawer shut.

She could only wonder if he'd read the files yet.

[VoOs]

It does hurt so good, doesn't it?

I can hear him say his "Don't" so clearly in my head. Oh, John.

I can't help it, I just think he forgave her too easily, I was so sure I liked her and now I don't know anymore, arghh. ><

[Dusty15]

Dammit, Mary! You confounding woman!

Spoo, I LOVE this. Such great characterization. I could totally hear John's voice.

[cally]

Oh, poor John. I hope Sherlock isn't too, well Sherlock, and has some tissues for him.

[sneezydreams]

woooowwwww.... Excellent characterization!

[Spoo]

VoOs: 'Oh, John' indeed. So angry, and yet...so forgiving. *Sigh*

Dusty15: Thank you, darling! Characterization was huge for me with this; I wanted to make sure I got everything right since there was a serious (though intentional) lack of dialogue.

cally: You know, I actually considered writing a second part - where John and Sherlock converse at the hospital and Sherlock is Sherlock and John is tired, sick, and just done. Maybe it'll happen someday~

sneezydreams: Thank you so much!

[TheCakeIsAlive]

I love that you decided to write about this bit in the story. Can't wait to see where you go with it!