Chapter Text
From: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
To: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:05
Subject: Sherlock
Mr Homes,
Been trying to get hold of you. Sherlock has been involved in an incident whilst apprehending a suspect.
John's phone is ringing out, as is yours. Found this email on Sherlock's phone. Hope that you might pick up this email so you can ring me back.
DI Lestrade
From: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:07
Subject: Re: Sherlock
Inspector -
Might you provide me some details as to this 'incident'?
I'm sure you can appreciate that my brother pinballs from one incident to another these days. I'm a rather busy man and don't have time to babysit him.
I hope this isn't a request for bail money.
M Holmes.
PS. Please note that my name has an L in it. 'Holmes'.
From: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
To: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:10
Subject: Sherlock
Mr. HoLmes,
Firstly, thank you for pointing out my typo, that’s what 24hrs without sleep, and very little food does for a man. It is the least of my worries.
As for Sherlock? If you had answered your phone, texts or rung me back as requested. You would no doubt know by now that your brother is not in fact in need of bail money, he is in fact in hospital suffering from a concussion.
Of course, I had not wanted to tell you that via email, but it seems that you have made it necessary.
As John is still in the air coming back from the medical conference in Adelaide, I presumed you would want to be there to support your brother.
Maybe I know better now.
Inspector…
From: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:14
Subject: Re: Sherlock
Inspector -
I can only assume you’ve opted to use a personal e-mail account so you can take such an impersonal tone with me. Fortunately, being as this is my professional address, I shall do you the courtesy of professionalism.
I had no knowledge of any medical conference. I’m also concerned to discover that you have, while sleep-deprived yourself, inveigled my brother into a hazardous situation while John is not with him. Perhaps you and I could discuss this at the hospital, where you will of course shortly be joining me.
As soon as you’d be so kind as to tell me which hospital he is at…
Is it Royal London this time, or St Barts?
M Holmes.
From: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
To: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:17
Subject: Sherlock
Mr. HoLmes,
Ok, I am trying to be professional and pleasant to you, you really don’t make it easy!
Let’s gets something straight. I am OFF DUTY, in fact finished my shift just before I heard the news about Sherlock. He wasn’t doing a job for me!
I tried to contact you given the contacts I could find in Sherlock’s phone. I am and have been by his side since his admission.
To be honest, I don’t give a damn about your need for my professionalism. So why not get your arse over to 12d at the Royal London. You can have me killed or whatever you do once we know Sherlock is going to wake up.
Lestrade
From: Mr M A Holmes [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:18
Subject: Re: Sherlock
Inspector.
Do give me a moment to swap to my personal account.
From: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 22 July 2017 22:21
Subject: To dispense with professionalism…
Mr Lestrade. I’m sure you and I are going to have a fascinating discussion as soon as this wretched traffic clears, and my arse and I both arrive at the Royal London.
Until that point, let me make something perfectly clear to you.
I have the greatest concern for my little brother’s welfare. Everyday I speed closer to my inevitably early grave through worrying about him. But I do not appreciate you filling my professional inbox with these personal issues. My brother is already whispered around Whitehall to be my biggest liability. I am trying to stem that.
I was not answering my phone because I was in a meeting of international significance - a meeting I have now left. That should tell you my brother’s safety is of paramount importance to me. I’m not interested in hearing accusations to the contrary.
I don’t expect you to understand - just comply.
And you can stop capitalising my L now. I’m sure you’ve made your point.
M Holmes.
For Sherlock's sake... I am sorry for some of the things that I shouted. M.
Yeah, well. Tensions run high when someone we care for is threatened. I apologise too. GL
Gracious of you. M.
At some point, I need to eat so will have a shower eat and get a bit of shut eye whilst you stay with him... let me know if anything changes? GL
I shall. For future reference, my personal email address is the fastest way to contact me.
Should you need it. M.
Well, Mr. Holmes, you have my personal email which flashes up on my phone should you need me. If you prefer to have my work email for future use I shall pass it on to you, though I'm sure you already have it somewhere in a file GL
As our future discussions are likely to concern Sherlock, then perhaps let us keep this personal.
My gratitude for your efforts to contact me. M.
From: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 23 July 2017 07:16
Subject: Good morning.
Inspector Lestrade,
To update you, Sherlock has slept through the night. They expect him to come round at some point today... I understand he's unlikely to have sustained any permanent damage. The hospital will perform the necessary tests when he's awake.
Does this mean that one out of the three of us slept, or did two of us?
M Holmes.
From: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
To: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
Sent: 23 July 2017 07:22
Subject: Re: Good morning.
Mr. Holmes, (ok I dropped the ‘L’)
Thank you for the update. I must admit I was sick with worry yesterday for Sherlock.
I know he has been in worse scrapes than this, but well… his head is… well it’s him isn’t it.
Anyway, I'm sure John will kill him when he gets here. I believe he lands in a couple of hours? Will you be able to arrange a car for him or should I pull in a favour?
As for sleep? Yes two of us if you didn't? I must admit I meant to check in during the night but my body wasn't participating in that plan. It was your email that woke me.
I will have a shower and shave and be there shortly. Do you need for anything? Clean 3pc suit? Massage facilities? Not sure what you are used to? Not slumming it in a chair though I’m sure.
DI Lestrade
From his uncomfortable armchair at the patient's side, Mycroft Holmes read the final part of the e-mail several times. He rubbed his temple as he did so - tie loosened, hair a mess, eyes heavily undershaded and straining to focus. In his sleep-deprived state, it was all he could do to suppress a sigh.
It seemed the universe was punishing him for some transgression.
First, a Sherlock incident.
Now, taunted with the thought of 'massage facilities' provided by one of the most physically evocative - and depressingly straight - men in London.
When Sherlock had first mentioned the name 'DI Lestrade', Mycroft had checked him out. The only problem now was how to stop checking him out. Mycroft suspected his emotional outburst last night - or outbursts, he supposed, there having been a few of them - hadn't done him any favours in Lestrade's eyes.
Lestrade made him feel so... ruffled, though. He unsettled Mycroft. It was a mercifully rare ability, and Lestrade almost certainly didn't realise he possessed it. All the same, Mycroft feared it was rather going to make things difficult.
He pulled himself together and composed a reply.
At his side, his little brother slept on undisturbed.
From: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 23 July 2017 07:26
Subject: Re: Good morning.
I shall arrange a car to be there for John as he leaves the plane. He'll wish to know straightaway, I'm sure... and I imagine he'll never dare leave the country again.
Apologies to have awoken you.
Thank you for your kind offer. My assistant will be better placed to bring me clothes. However, I appreciate the thought.
Having said that, if it isn't an inconvenience - perhaps something to eat? Hospital vending machines do not yet comply with NHS Nutrition guidelines... and my waist would not thank me for a breakfast of Hula Hoops and Maltesers.
M Holmes.
From: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
To: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
Sent: 23 July 2017 07:31
Subject: Re: Good morning.
Mr. Holmes,
No need to apologise for waking me, I set my alert tone to high in case I did in fact sleep too deeply. I want to be there for when Sherlock wakes up.
I shall bring breakfast with me
Lestrade
From: Mycroft A. H. [[email protected]]
To: Greg Lestrade [[email protected]]
Sent: 23 July 2017 07:34
Subject: Re: Good morning.
How kind.
The medical staff have suggested my brother may not be wholly lucid at first. I’ve been told not to panic if he seems confused and unsettled… he might be unsure of his surroundings.
Just to prepare you.
M Holmes.