Current location:	Home
Current mood:	anxious
Current music:	All Day - Lisa Lobe
Entry tags:	fanfiction: character: sherlock holmes, fanfiction: character: watson, fanfiction: couple: watson/holmes, fanfiction: sherlock holmes, fanfiction: slash

Fanfiction: The Laughing Man (PG-13) Part 1
Title: The Laughing Man Part 1
Author(s): Gottabefierce
Rating: PG-13
Fandom(s): Well I can't tell you exactly where I'd put it but there will be mention of characters and happenings from the game 'Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened'
Pairing(s): Holmes/Watson, Mrs. Hudson/Mycroft (if you squint)
Disclaimer: Sherlock Holmes is technically public domain now but  anything 'Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened' is copyright the original owners
Summary:  A misunderstanding divides Watson and Holmes, leaving the doctor prey for a deadly obsession
Spoilers: None that I can think of currently, maybe some small ones for the game later on but I'm not sure if I want to add them yet.
Warnings: Original Male Characters, I think some slight OOC actions from some characters
Word Count: This part is 1,591 words
Author's Notes: Well this is my first real fanfiction in this fandom but I fear that I've realized my writing style and how I write for these characters does not lend it's self to writing in the traditional Sherlockian sense I'm afraid. Of course everyone is open to their interpretations and fanfictions are meant to be a show of ones own ideas, so I'm not entirely worried about how it comes off. This chapter is completely from Watson's point of view, and the school where he is speaking is the Medical University in Cambridge. I looked it up online and it states that the school was opened in 1209 so I figure that it would have still been a school at the time, and they probably invited guest speakers once and a while. I hope that I've gotten a good degree of my facts right as I am always trying to be correct in my information (not that I know everything of course). And now that I've rambled on I would just like to say that so far this is un-beta-ed (so please excuse my grammar mistakes) and if anyone is interested in the job I would love to have you. Hope you enjoy.

Part 1:

There are sometimes that I wonder why I didn’t become a teacher. Not that I would have ever given up the honor of being a doctor, but as I looked upon the faces of future doctors I couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride that I could offer my knowledge to them. Of course I had been skeptical when I had been asked to speak in Cambridge but now I was enjoying my moment in the spot light. I fear my speech may have been a little long and drawn out, playing upon the writer in me, but I don’t think I could have ended it better. “In our lives we come across many people and we as doctors are to try to heal each and every one of them. We are doctors and no matter whom we treat or if we are unable to save them, we must try our hardest to do what is right for the patient.” I looked upon them and smiled. “Now are there any questions?”

A hand raised in the back of the room.

“Yes?”

“I know that we came here to talk about medicine Doctor Watson,” the young man said, smiling wide. “But I have to know, what is it like to live with Mister Holmes?”

I chuckled softly, knowing that this question would come up. Looking around the room I could see that this was something they all had been thinking about. “He is a man,” I told them, “he eats and he sleeps. He does of course sometimes not do either depending on his mood.“ There was laughter and chatter around the room. “But Holmes is a brilliant man, and one with deep knowledge and emotion.” That struck me hard, and I couldn’t stop the sigh that slipped from my mouth. “I like to think that living with him is like riding a boat down a bumpy river, it can be troublesome at times but it makes you feel alive.”

I glanced quickly to my pocket watch, and was very happy to see that our time had come to an end.. I didn’t think I could take any more questions like that, any more questions about Holmes really. “Thank you all for inviting me up to speak and I hope that I helped you understand being a doctor a little bit better.” I watched as they all filed out of the room before collapsing in a near by chair. It was still only the morning and I was already tired. My bones were aching and demanding that I return to my room to sleep as I hadn’t been able to the night before. But they also weren’t willing to lift me from my current position. I could barely lift my hand to rub my temple. I really needed sleep.

“Doctor Watson?”

I hadn’t realized that my eyes had closed. I snapped awake, looking at the young man who had awakened me.

He was young, probably the same age as I was when I decided to become a doctor. What struck me first was the striking blue of his eyes, so like the sky. It was a horrible metaphor I know but it was all that I could think of. Underneath the mess of blonde hair on top of his head, they drew me in. “Are you alright Doctor Watson?” he said, concern swirling in those eyes.

“Yes,” I said, smiling and forcing myself to rise, “I am just fine. But I think that my years are finally catching up with me. I am starting to feel the ache in my bones.”

He laughed. “You are not that old Doctor Watson,” he said, smiling brightly. “You look as if you are in your early twenties.”

“Only in my wildest dreams!” I laughed. “But I thank you for the complement Mister-“

“I’m sorry, I forgot to introduce myself,” he said holding out his hand which I took, “I am Acton Carter. I wanted to come and tell you that your speech was truly inspiring.”

“Well I am just so happy that I didn’t bore you,” I said, “I fear that I tend to want to make sure that I get every detail to the letter. It’s a disease that I can’t fight I’m afraid.”

“Oh but I believe that it is a great gift,” Carter gasped, “I have read everything that you have written and I am always amazed at your ability to capture every moment as if it were right in front of you. You take the reader on a real adventure and help them to escape the troubles real life. It is your writing that I have been inspired to become a doctor.”

Another swell of pride entered my chest as I feared that my head would become too large for my shoulders. I wasn’t one to give into vanity but I at that moment I appreciated his compliments no matter how over the top they were. “Well I thank you for the compliment young man,” I said, smiling. “It is not every day that a writer learns that he is reaching the people that he is writing for.”
            “Well you have reached me Doctor Watson.” Carter said his smiling growing. “I can’t imagine a day when not reading you work hasn’t made me feel free from the pains that I have everyday. It must be amazing to be able to travel with Sherlock Holmes!”

And there he was again, Sherlock Holmes. It was a strike to my heart as I heard that name. I couldn’t escape him.

“Doctor Watson? Did I say something wrong?”

I quickly smiled again, although I fear that it was very unconvincing. “No, it was nothing that you said,” I said, trying to keep my head on, “I am just tired that is all. I think that I need to go to my room and rest.” I turned to leave, hoping to escape before I broke down completely. I hardly thought it would do my reputation any good if I was to break down in front of man who seemed to look upon me as something greater then I was.

But Carter grabbed my arm. “Doctor Watson,” he said, a little breathless, “I am so sorry if I said anything wrong. I didn’t mean to upset you, I swear! Let me make it up to you. Let me take you to dinner tonight, I’ll treat you.”

I paused a moment trying to think. At the moment I wasn’t ready to be social but I didn’t think that I wish to dine alone any more. “It is not your fault Carter,” I said, gently removing my arm from his grasp, “but I will take you up on that offer. I am all alone here in Cambridge and it will be nice to dine with a friendly face.”

Carter’s face instantly brightened again. His smiled stretched from ear to ear and then past that. “I will meet you here then? We’ll meet just before seven.” he said. “Then it is a date Doctor Watson.”

I nodded, smiling only faintly. After that I couldn’t get out of there fast enough. I could have run through those hallways if my body had been able to. I walked as fast as my wounded body would allow me to move, ignoring all that was moving around me. I wouldn’t allow myself to be stopped. I just wanted to be in the confines of my room, left to my own thoughts, and in record time I was in my room. My friends at the University  of Cambridge had been very kind to allow me to have a room of my own, allowing me to stay as long as I needed. It was heaven to have a place to go, to escape. I closed the door behind me, locking it swiftly. I leaned my forehead against it, the world finally leaving me alone to my thoughts.

But that was the only problem in being alone, I had my thoughts. My thoughts would always lead me back to one person, the one man who I wanted to see so badly but couldn’t bare to be near. I couldn’t escape him, but what could I expect. Sherlock Holmes had become apart of every piece of my life. Our years together had put him deep within my mind and my heart, two places that I couldn’t escape him. I tried to focus on other things but I nothing could make me forget.

So I turned and looked around the room that would be my home. It was hardly Baker Street but it had everything that I could ask for. It had a bed and a desk on which I could write. The only thing that it was missing was Holmes. I sighed as I looked over to the window. It over looked the beautiful gardens but all I really wanted to see was the streets of London. It had been overcast ever since I had arrived, the whole world an example of my current mood. I closed the curtains before nearly throwing myself onto the bed. My body was so weak at this point that I could no longer stand. I hadn’t even thought to remove my shoes. I groaned as I curled myself up, closing my eyes and hoping that maybe I could get some sleep.

I just couldn’t seem to get a full night’s sleep anywhere but in my bed at Baker Street.  But that was a place that I would never be able to return to.