Separated
"John?"
"Sherlock!"
"John, I'm here."
"God, Sherlock. You're alright?"
"Fine, John, I'm fine."
"You got too far ahead, I couldn't tell where you'd gone. I tried to deduce, I did, but -"
"Hush now, John, I'm here now."
"- And then the shot - Are you ok?"
"I'm fine, John, he didn't - John, I'm fine, honestly."
"Let me just be sure, Sherlock."
"If I were bleeding I'm certain you wouldn't need to strip me to see it."
"I - No, you're right. I just -..."
"I know, John."
"And what happened to him?"
"There."
"Is he...?"
"Unconscious. Hadn't fired a gun before, taken by surprise by the kick back, I took advantage and -."
"Hmh..."
"Don't, John."
"I just need to check his vitals."
"And maybe make them a little worse?"
"Sher."
"Mm, I see the look in your eyes. Leave him. Let the paramedics assess him."
"Right. Fine."
"Lestrade will be here soon, we'll answer his questions and then head home. You can take all the care of me that you like then."
"Hmh."
"Well. I'm off for bed, then."
"Rest well, John."
"..."
"Mm?"
"I, uh. Sorry, in advance?"
"Mm? Ah...You expect a nightmare."
"Ah...yes. Adrenaline's still a bit up."
"Hm. You've slept soundly after other adrenaline rushes."
"It's not exactly rational though is it. If it was it wouldn't be a disorder. Just. I know the signs."
"What are the signs, John?"
"No, nevermind."
"Tell me."
"...Mostly I -...I'm -...I don't want to be alone while I sleep. It's - There's a certain sort of dread. I can feel that something will happen while I'm asleep and I'd rather have someone to help keep watch, you know. Not that they'd have to be awake the whole night, just. Someone nearby to react to whatever danger my body expects."
"Hm. Well, then."
"Uh?"
"Let's go to bed."
"Oh - Uh. I - Are you sure?"
"Quite. Go on, then."
"...You don't need to get ready?"
"I felt I could skip my nighttime routine tonight, you're tired."
"Now don't skip taking care of yourself on my behalf, Sherlock, you know better."
"Ha, of course you're right, Doctor. Give me ten minutes and I'll be there."
"A-Alright. Er. Yes."
...
"Here. I brought tea."
"Oh - Thank you."
"Mm."
"I, uh."
"Hush, John. You don't need to entertain me. Drink your tea and get your rest."
"...Thank you. If, uh, you need anything..."
"Of course, John. When have I ever hesitated to ask you to do something for me?"
"Ha, prat."
"Mm."
...
"H-ah -"
"John."
"Hfh - Ah...Hmh. Sher?"
"Here, John. You're safe. Just a nightmare."
"Yes. Yes, right."
"Lie back down."
"Ah - Let me...go wash my face..."
"Of course."
...
"...The dreams have changed."
"Mm?"
"Since I met you."
"Mm."
"It used to be - well, mostly the same actually. But. You're there, now."
"Hm..."
"It's -...The place is always the same of course. Desert. Only my dreams can't quite make up the texture of sand - funny, with how much time I spent on it. So it's just all beige, and hot. I can hear a firefight all around me. Can't see anyone. S'all just sand and the sound of bullets.
And then a scream, and I turn, and there's someone lying in the sand. And I go to try to hold him together while he melts into the sand under him. People assume I'd dream about the shot, but no, that was - I hardly registered it really. No, I dream of the horrors I saw every day. Men becoming nothing more than husks as their lives soak my skin. Humans melting to nothing as their blood is sucked away by the dry sand...
It's you, nowadays. The scream, the body in the sand. I see you there, fading under my hands. And there's nothing I can do. There's a firefight all around us but we're alone. Nobody sees. Nobody knows. Just me trying to hold you together as you melt into the sand."
"...John."
"Ah - Sorry."
"No. Don't be sorry. I'm sorry that you have to worry about me."
"Ha - I do, Sherlock."
"Mm?"
"I do worry about you. I really do."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"No, I'm glad to have someone to worry about...I didn't for a while, after I came home. And it felt like...being purposeless. That's what I do, innit. I worry. S'what John Watson was built for, eh?"
"Hmhm, I should think it's far more than that."
"Mm?"
"You care."
"Well. It's the same, isn't it."
"I wouldn't know really."
"No, of course. Never cared a moment in your life, have you. Git."
"Mm."
...
"You do care, though."
"Rrm?"
"Sorry."
"Mnh."
"But you do care."
"Hmh."
"You're here with me. I...I needed someone, and here you are."
"Mmm."
"Ah -...Well. Cuddling might be a bit much."
"T'late."
"Hfh...Alright, then. Goodnight, Sherlock."
"Shh."
"Heh...mm."