alaylith

Title: Looking out for
Theme: July Writing Prompt 2014 #07 - July 07
Prompt: Wrong! Have a character discover that he or she remembers a pivotal life event incorrectly.
Author: Alaylith
Rating: PG
Universe: BBC (S1); based on ACD "Silver Blaze"
Characters: Sherlock, Mycroft
Word Count: 682
Summary: Sherlock recalls a distant memory after John happened to be in the same place Mycroft once was.

A/N: At first I had absolutely no idea what I could write, but then suddenly I got one and it took on a life of it's own! Longest drabble yet. :)
This one is placed somewhere before John wakes up - bevore "Mute applause" also.
Defintely going to make a Master Post this week to better keep an eye on the timeline...

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< Sherlock! Look out! >

The hospital chair is uncomfortable and Sherlock shrugs his shoulders to lessen the tension in his body somewhat.

It is the second day after the attack and John has still not shown any signs of wakening. Sherlock refused to leave his side ever since and the nurses tried for hours to remove him from the room - without success.
And Sherlock does not have to wonder long why they stopped trying.

"You look horrible," Mycroft's dry voice washes over him and the older Holmes steps to his brother's side.
"How did you bribe the nurses?" Sherlock only says and Mycroft sniffs lightly. "There was no need for any bribe, after I showed them John's medical file."

Sherlock dips his head and hsi eyes roll upward to look at his brother. Mycroft pulls a paper from his pocket and gives it to his brother.
It is a copy from John's medical file and Sherlock's non-existing heart stutters for a moment reading the words.

On the line besides 'Next of kin' is his name written.

"Nurses can't throw out family, little brother," Mycroft says with an haughty air and Sherlock lowers the paper, a distant memory tingling his brain.
"Speaking from experience, aren't you," he murmurs and Mycroft looks at him surprised. "Whatever do you mean, Sherlock?"

Sherlock closes his eyes and lowers his chin to his chest as the memories from a day long gone return, re-awakened by the happenings in Dartmoor.
Sherlock will never forget the feel of John's hands on his back as he pushed him out of the way, but he forgot that his brother has done the same for him once, too.

< "Sherlock! Look out!" Sherlock, about 6 years old, startles and his mind suddenly snaps back to reality and he is now able to hear the too-near sounds of an aproaching car. Big hands push into his back and Sherlock falls forward to the sidewalk, scrapping his hands and knees as he slides over the pavement. He can not stop his momentum and knocks his head against the ledge of the sidewalk.

The last thing he remembers, before everything went dark, is a tearful and frightened voice whispering his name. "Sherlock...?" >

When Sherlock woke up in the hospital he remembered his brother sitting there, but Mycroft always looked well groomed with no hair in disarray. For whatever reason the young Sherlock suppressed the memories from the accident and seeing his older brother sitting calmly at his side, the little boy started to accuse him of attacking him needlessly.
Sherlock screamed and shouted, throwing everything he could get his hands on and the doctors had to sedate him. For whatever reason Mycroft did not say anything, he just stood there and looked on, an unreadable expression on his face.

Even later he never said anything, instead he let his younger brother's distase for his person grow. This event started the more distant relationship of the two, where Sherlock always brushed his brother's worries away and always assumed that Mycroft had ulterior motives when he took interest in Sherlock's life.
Sherlock always believed that Mycroft was out to hurt him and he could never forgive this first betrayal.

But now, when John did the same that Mycroft did for him so many years ago, now suddenly the memory of the accident returned and now Sherlock also remembers the tiredness and worry he saw in his brother's eyes when he woke up. The same eyes he now sees when he looks into the mirror.

"Sherlock?" Mycroft asks, a small hint of worry in his voice and until now this kind of voice would make Sherlock wary, but now he kind of feels like that little boy again, who always looked up to his bigger brother.
Sherlock shakes his head silently, unable to share this refound memory.

Mycroft had his own reasons not to share the truth about that day and continued with this farce for years.
And Sherlock has to admit, that a little part of him is afraid to know why.

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