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saki101Author: Saki101
Genre: Slash
Rating: PG
Length: ~1200 words
Warning: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own BBC's Sherlock and no money is being made.
Author's notes: This is a continuation of The Other Experiments Series which works as a prologue to the The Experiments Series, where it functions as an AU lens which changes the perception of those stories. Other Experiments may also be read separately as an AU series.
Comments are most appreciated.
Other Experiments:
Part I: Sometimes
Part II: Index of Coincidence
Part II: Call and Answer
Excerpt: “Sherlock said the IT was sorted. It had been down for most of the night and all this morning,” Mike said.
John tilted his head, then his eyebrows went up. “Jim from IT,” he murmured.
Closing the Back Door
The last two students drifted away from the podium, their heads bent together, still talking about the lecture as they left the hall. Mike closed his notebook, tucked it under his arm and stepped over to where John was disconnecting cables from Mike's laptop. “I told you they’d appreciate your perspective, didn’t I?” Mike said.
John was smiling when he straightened up. “You did,” he agreed and finished coiling the charger cable.
“Pint?” Mike enquired, taking his laptop back. He looked nearly as chuffed as the day he had introduced John to Sherlock.
John slipped his memory stick in his pocket and nodded.
**********
“I heard about the explosion on the telly,” Mike said when they were comfortably seated in a corner of the pub.
“Me, too,” John replied as he set down his glass.” Mike’s eyebrows went up. “I was over at Sarah’s. I pretty much ran back to Baker Street.”
“Sarah?” Mike asked and hoped that he’d kept most of the surprise out of his voice.
John tilted his head, his eyebrows drawn a little together. “She has a clinic near Baker Street. I’ve been doing some locum work there.”
“And a bit more?” Mike queried, feeling he’d got the tone right.
John smiled this time. “Giving it a go. Not so easy fitting it in while working all hours with Sherlock,” he replied, not sounding particularly disappointed with the state of affairs. “Wasn’t sure I was going to make it here today,” John added.
Mike noted the flick of John’s eyes off to the left, the disappearance of the smile. “Another case?” Mike asked. John nodded and took a long drink. “Well, I was sure you’d show up, although I hadn’t been sure you’d be able to use your powerpoint. Thought you might have had to do it the old-fashioned way.”
“Oh?” John said.
“I'd seen Sherlock around this morning, so I knew you wouldn’t be on a case. I enjoyed reading Study in Pink, by the way. You always did have a way with words, John. All that practice chatting up, I suppose.” John smiled and gave a little snort. Mike thought it sounded rueful. “Just before the lecture, I ran into Sherlock coming out of the director’s office. He said the IT was sorted. It had been down for most of the night and all this morning.”
John tilted his head, then his eyebrows went up. “Jim from IT,” he murmured.
“What?” Mike asked.
John shook his head. “Nothing,” he said.
**********
The door to their sitting room was open when John came home. Sherlock was on the sofa with John's laptop balanced on his knees. John surveyed the room. Sherlock's computer was open on the table between the windows. John considered complaining, but let it go.
"The students appreciated your lecture. Your visuals made quite an impact," Sherlock said without looking up, his fingers continuing to dance over the keyboard.
John stopped with his jacket half-way to the coat hook. "Why were you there?"
"I had some other matters to attend to at Bart's and thought I might as well," Sherlock replied. The crescent-shaped lines on his cheek appeared. "Your questions are getting better."
John got his coat onto the hook, sat in his chair and turned to face Sherlock. "Did you sleep at all?"
"No time. Moriarty has had access to Bart's records for at least a week now. Didn't want it to continue any longer than necessary," Sherlock replied. He hit one more key on John's laptop and looked up.
"You think he can't get back in?" John asked.
"We'll see," Sherlock said, arching his back over the arm of the sofa and stretching his legs out along the length of it. The laptop settled on his thighs.
"And..."
Sherlock pressed both his index fingers to his lips and John got the message. "Hungry? Let's get Chinese," Sherlock said, stepping over the coffee table. He paused by John's chair and gazed down at him.
John had to tilt his head to look Sherlock in the eye when they were both standing, now he had to rest his head on the back of the chair to do it. Those little crescent lines appeared again as Sherlock leaned down slowly, his eyes fixed on John's. Sherlock's eyes were such a light blue, almost grey today. They caught the last light coming in the windows. The glaziers had finally come, John registered vaguely. Sherlock's nose was almost touching John's. He could smell Sherlock's breath, minty. It made John draw in a quick breath, but his eyes didn't wander. There was a tiny streak of brown in one of Sherlock's eyes and the pale irises were outlined in a darker colour, the blue-green of southern seas. They were remarkable eyes, John conceded, difficult to look away from. He could see his own face in them. Cobras were said to retain the image of their captors in a similar manner. Hard to imagine anyone capturing you, Sherlock.
Sherlock's hand skimmed down John's chest to his side and into his pocket. What he felt was Sherlock's fingers unfastening the explosives tied around his chest. John was having trouble getting enough air into his lungs. Sherlock's hand closed over John's phone, drew it out of the pocket. John felt the hand slid past his thigh, then seize his wrist, pull it down between the cushion and the arm of the chair, move his fingers past the two phones now tucked there.
Sherlock straightened, dragged John up by the hand with him.
"Shall we have champagne with dinner to celebrate the success of your lecture?" Sherlock asked.
John's eyebrows flew up, but he went along with it. "You liked it that much?" He was getting rather good at falling into whatever role Sherlock cast him.
Sherlock handed John his jacket, took his own coat and scarf off the hook and motioned John out the door. "The part about the perforated bowel was particularly interesting," Sherlock said as they went down the stairs.
John laughed. "Yeah, figures that you'd like that part."
************
A block away from the flat, Sherlock continued. "I've secured your computer. Any attempts on the system at Bart's will send an alert to it."
"Not to yours?" John replied as they crossed a street.
Sherlock shook his head. "I've secured mine less effectively. When we get back, I'll fix both our phones."
"Isn't he going to know that you've deliberately left him a way in?" John asked.
"By less effectively, I mean that no one else in the world is likely to be able to get in and I'll change it every day or two or three. Often, but not regularly."
"To make the firewall seem as real as possible?" John checked.
"Exactly," Sherlock said. "I may be able to trace the attempts on it as well. And it should have the added benefit of keeping Mycroft out, too." Sherlock opened the door to Angelo's. They had passed the turn for the nearest Chinese restaurant. Misdirection had become a way of life.
"That would be a bonus," John agreed as Angelo rushed towards them, gesturing at the table in the bay window.
"I thought so, too," Sherlock said and turned to greet Angelo.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
There are two choices if one wishes to read further:
a) go to the Experiments Series which starts with Zygomata and focuses on The Hounds of Baskerville and its immediate aftermath with some references to earlier episodes, but no references to the AU elements OR
b) proceed directly to Immunology which follows the AU developments post-The Reichenbach Fall.
Genre: Slash
Rating: PG
Length: ~1200 words
Warning: AU
Disclaimer: I don't own BBC's Sherlock and no money is being made.
Author's notes: This is a continuation of The Other Experiments Series which works as a prologue to the The Experiments Series, where it functions as an AU lens which changes the perception of those stories. Other Experiments may also be read separately as an AU series.
Comments are most appreciated.
Other Experiments:
Part I: Sometimes
Part II: Index of Coincidence
Part II: Call and Answer
Excerpt: “Sherlock said the IT was sorted. It had been down for most of the night and all this morning,” Mike said.
John tilted his head, then his eyebrows went up. “Jim from IT,” he murmured.
The last two students drifted away from the podium, their heads bent together, still talking about the lecture as they left the hall. Mike closed his notebook, tucked it under his arm and stepped over to where John was disconnecting cables from Mike's laptop. “I told you they’d appreciate your perspective, didn’t I?” Mike said.
John was smiling when he straightened up. “You did,” he agreed and finished coiling the charger cable.
“Pint?” Mike enquired, taking his laptop back. He looked nearly as chuffed as the day he had introduced John to Sherlock.
John slipped his memory stick in his pocket and nodded.
**********
“I heard about the explosion on the telly,” Mike said when they were comfortably seated in a corner of the pub.
“Me, too,” John replied as he set down his glass.” Mike’s eyebrows went up. “I was over at Sarah’s. I pretty much ran back to Baker Street.”
“Sarah?” Mike asked and hoped that he’d kept most of the surprise out of his voice.
John tilted his head, his eyebrows drawn a little together. “She has a clinic near Baker Street. I’ve been doing some locum work there.”
“And a bit more?” Mike queried, feeling he’d got the tone right.
John smiled this time. “Giving it a go. Not so easy fitting it in while working all hours with Sherlock,” he replied, not sounding particularly disappointed with the state of affairs. “Wasn’t sure I was going to make it here today,” John added.
Mike noted the flick of John’s eyes off to the left, the disappearance of the smile. “Another case?” Mike asked. John nodded and took a long drink. “Well, I was sure you’d show up, although I hadn’t been sure you’d be able to use your powerpoint. Thought you might have had to do it the old-fashioned way.”
“Oh?” John said.
“I'd seen Sherlock around this morning, so I knew you wouldn’t be on a case. I enjoyed reading Study in Pink, by the way. You always did have a way with words, John. All that practice chatting up, I suppose.” John smiled and gave a little snort. Mike thought it sounded rueful. “Just before the lecture, I ran into Sherlock coming out of the director’s office. He said the IT was sorted. It had been down for most of the night and all this morning.”
John tilted his head, then his eyebrows went up. “Jim from IT,” he murmured.
“What?” Mike asked.
John shook his head. “Nothing,” he said.
**********
The door to their sitting room was open when John came home. Sherlock was on the sofa with John's laptop balanced on his knees. John surveyed the room. Sherlock's computer was open on the table between the windows. John considered complaining, but let it go.
"The students appreciated your lecture. Your visuals made quite an impact," Sherlock said without looking up, his fingers continuing to dance over the keyboard.
John stopped with his jacket half-way to the coat hook. "Why were you there?"
"I had some other matters to attend to at Bart's and thought I might as well," Sherlock replied. The crescent-shaped lines on his cheek appeared. "Your questions are getting better."
John got his coat onto the hook, sat in his chair and turned to face Sherlock. "Did you sleep at all?"
"No time. Moriarty has had access to Bart's records for at least a week now. Didn't want it to continue any longer than necessary," Sherlock replied. He hit one more key on John's laptop and looked up.
"You think he can't get back in?" John asked.
"We'll see," Sherlock said, arching his back over the arm of the sofa and stretching his legs out along the length of it. The laptop settled on his thighs.
"And..."
Sherlock pressed both his index fingers to his lips and John got the message. "Hungry? Let's get Chinese," Sherlock said, stepping over the coffee table. He paused by John's chair and gazed down at him.
John had to tilt his head to look Sherlock in the eye when they were both standing, now he had to rest his head on the back of the chair to do it. Those little crescent lines appeared again as Sherlock leaned down slowly, his eyes fixed on John's. Sherlock's eyes were such a light blue, almost grey today. They caught the last light coming in the windows. The glaziers had finally come, John registered vaguely. Sherlock's nose was almost touching John's. He could smell Sherlock's breath, minty. It made John draw in a quick breath, but his eyes didn't wander. There was a tiny streak of brown in one of Sherlock's eyes and the pale irises were outlined in a darker colour, the blue-green of southern seas. They were remarkable eyes, John conceded, difficult to look away from. He could see his own face in them. Cobras were said to retain the image of their captors in a similar manner. Hard to imagine anyone capturing you, Sherlock.
Sherlock's hand skimmed down John's chest to his side and into his pocket. What he felt was Sherlock's fingers unfastening the explosives tied around his chest. John was having trouble getting enough air into his lungs. Sherlock's hand closed over John's phone, drew it out of the pocket. John felt the hand slid past his thigh, then seize his wrist, pull it down between the cushion and the arm of the chair, move his fingers past the two phones now tucked there.
Sherlock straightened, dragged John up by the hand with him.
"Shall we have champagne with dinner to celebrate the success of your lecture?" Sherlock asked.
John's eyebrows flew up, but he went along with it. "You liked it that much?" He was getting rather good at falling into whatever role Sherlock cast him.
Sherlock handed John his jacket, took his own coat and scarf off the hook and motioned John out the door. "The part about the perforated bowel was particularly interesting," Sherlock said as they went down the stairs.
John laughed. "Yeah, figures that you'd like that part."
************
A block away from the flat, Sherlock continued. "I've secured your computer. Any attempts on the system at Bart's will send an alert to it."
"Not to yours?" John replied as they crossed a street.
Sherlock shook his head. "I've secured mine less effectively. When we get back, I'll fix both our phones."
"Isn't he going to know that you've deliberately left him a way in?" John asked.
"By less effectively, I mean that no one else in the world is likely to be able to get in and I'll change it every day or two or three. Often, but not regularly."
"To make the firewall seem as real as possible?" John checked.
"Exactly," Sherlock said. "I may be able to trace the attempts on it as well. And it should have the added benefit of keeping Mycroft out, too." Sherlock opened the door to Angelo's. They had passed the turn for the nearest Chinese restaurant. Misdirection had become a way of life.
"That would be a bonus," John agreed as Angelo rushed towards them, gesturing at the table in the bay window.
"I thought so, too," Sherlock said and turned to greet Angelo.
There are two choices if one wishes to read further:
a) go to the Experiments Series which starts with Zygomata and focuses on The Hounds of Baskerville and its immediate aftermath with some references to earlier episodes, but no references to the AU elements OR
b) proceed directly to Immunology which follows the AU developments post-The Reichenbach Fall.
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no subject
Date: 2012-02-26 04:54 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-26 05:18 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2012-02-29 12:23 am (UTC)It's way past time I was asleep, so I doubt this is going to make much sense *g*
This is so gorgeous, the complexity of all the relationships, John's unflinching trust in Sherlock, and the way he's mentally keeping up... oh, and the thought of the cobra's eyes retaining the image of its captors, now that made me shiver with pleasure, and then stop and read it again, just to repeat the shiver *g* See, knew I was too tired to track properly. *g*
I'm loving it, and enjoying the suspense of where it's leading. Thank you. ♥
no subject
Date: 2012-03-01 12:01 am (UTC)I am tickled you liked the cobra part. Slowly trying to work this one out.
Thank you so much for sticking with it. ♥
no subject
Date: 2012-03-12 05:10 am (UTC)Like the others, I enjoyed that sensual, charged moment between Sherlock and John, emphasizing Sherlock's uncanniness (likening him to a cobra?) and the unspoken attraction between them. But WHO is "caught" here? Both, I think, although Sherlock seems to know what is going on, so he may have the advantage. Again, I'm not asking for spoilers here; I'm happy to wait for more information from future parts of this series.
I also like Mike's surprise at John's revelation regarding Sarah. I'm beginning to think that John is not reacting to fusion as Mike expects he will? Sherlock, however, seems unperturbed (from what you've shown us). After all, John had two choices: 1) lilo, or 2) couch.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-12 09:05 am (UTC)You are indeed correct, it is set immediately after TGG. I am very happy to have positive feedback to the cobra imagery because I wasn't sure if it was a sufficiently positive image. There is a bit of Kipling influence going on in my brain there.
I love the questions you are asking and waiting to see if the answers are forthcoming. It's helping me to see how the balance between continuing mystery and clue-giving is going.
Really tickled about your noting Mike's surprise. You are absolutely right. Of course, he's never seen it happen before and the notes are "sketchy" but he knows how others who are "loosely bound" to Sherlock indulge him, including himself, so he is puzzled.
Fortunately, Sarah isn't pulling John too close to herself although she was instantly attracted to him. My theory is that because she met Sherlock (not that she almost got killed on their first date although one could certainly imagine that dampening someone's enthusiasm or possibly whetting it) and either was a bit attracted to them both (she was fascinated at the flat when she surveyed the wall and mused, "So this is what you and John do. Solve puzzles.") or got Sherlock's message to keep her distance. I'm inclined towards the former because Sherlock has a slight change of heart about her when she points out that some of the ciphers had already been translated. He glanced at her then with a flicker of interest.
So my theory is that this derailed her a bit from her path towards seducing John and the odd tone in John's voice when she says that "Maybe next time I'll let you kip at the bottom of my bed" and he says "And the time after that?" There is something a bit negative, a bit confrontational in his voice, I thought which could be the result of her direction change because initially he had read her interest very clearly ("I'm trying to get it off with Sarah" and she smiles at overhearing the remark) and then a good while later, he's still on the sofa.
At this point in your reading, Zygomata would follow (http://saki101.livejournal.com/18510.html) if you haven't already read The Experiment Series. Having The Other Experiment Series form a frame instead of just a prologue is rather a tricky structure and maybe a mistake, but that's what has happened, so the next OES doesn't come until after Locked Rooms. I would very much appreciate your views about that. :-)
Thank you again!!
no subject
Date: 2012-03-13 06:01 am (UTC)I think a cobra could be taken in more than one way; context could make it sinister or fascinating. The ancient Egyptians saw the cobra in a positive light, so why can't we? :-) I think I know enough about this Sherlock to understand that he does not intend harm. There are certainly consent issues at play, but I don't think he means to hurt John. John, of course, might feel rather differently, even if he is fused with Sherlock.
Sarah is a character I liked, despite basically falling hard into the John/Sherlock camp. I was sad to see her disappear. I took the "couch" scene as a response to her overhearing John's intentions, or a mix of that and perhaps figuring out (if not during s1, then soon after) that Sherlock is number one in John's heart. If Moriarty can't part them, I can't see John giving up what he does and has with Sherlock. I had not considered that Sarah might be attracted to Sherlock as well; I'll have to think that over.
I have read both of your series (I usually review after reading more than once), and am thoroughly delighted by both. I plan to review them separately, because I read them as being in two different universes. Not that I feel it's impossible for them to be in the same 'verse, but to me they do feel like they are not part of one timeline. I hope I can articulate why in the future, for the reason why this is so currently eludes me.
no subject
Date: 2012-03-13 08:39 pm (UTC)Regarding the two series, I had been thinking the perspective of The Other Experiments could colour the Experiments stories, but perhaps it cannot. TES came from my questions about the seeming contradictions in Hounds with a few backwards reflections on Scandal and earlier matters and they have a realistic mood, I think, and, of course, no references to the AU elements that I've introduced in OE. The AU is filled with those references, so probably that is a significant difference, along with Sherlock having a plan from the beginning. As far as John and Sherlock's relationship, however, I think I am continuing the dynamic I worked out for TES and didn't want to go over the same emotional territory again. I thought where I'd brought them to here could be considered to continue until the reflections on their relationship that the events in Hounds forces them to consider and then act upon. I have a plan to do a second part to Locked Rooms and thought that perhaps, with that, I would bring them to a point where they could be imagined to continue until the events in Immunology. This may not be the case.
Lots and lots to ponder here. Thank you so much for giving such thoughtful feedback!
no subject
Date: 2012-07-23 04:22 am (UTC)The snake imagery you're using here is so interesting, it made me think of the Lamia seducing some unwary soul--since I've read some of the later excerpts I know the emotional temperature changes, but right now Sherlock still comes across as very uncanny. I'm really enjoying watching the relationships develop.
no subject
Date: 2012-07-23 09:09 pm (UTC)There are a number of times when Sherlock seems quite "other", but the one that shaped my thinking for that scene was the scene on the roof with Moriarty when Sherlock practically does an incantation and the sun moves behind him blindingly and he makes the distinction that he may side with the angels, but he definitely isn't one. Somehow that said the fascination of the rearing snake, particularly a cobra, to me and got the whole AU idea going (like these things do).