For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

(warnings: sexytimes. also, panic attacks, brutal violence, attempted murder, discussion of suicide and actual murder... )

Comments

[theodorelasso]

Ted chuckles, then turns in his seat to look at Sherlock. "What about you? What's the himbo ratio in law enforcement?" he asks, both out of curiosity, and out of wanting to include Sherlock in the conversation.

He assumes the vast majority of the criminals don't qualify on account of the kindness requirement. At least the criminals he deals with, which probably aren't just kids who got a bad start in life.

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock, who has returned to standing against the wall and tapping his fingertips against his mouth, moves his hand to answer, going instead to tapping the tip of his index finger against his thumb. "Amongst law enforcement?" he says. "Distressingly high. Among criminals? I would posit that a certain degree of sincerity is necessarily a trait of a 'himbo.' Something that most criminals are lacking."

[theodorelasso]

Ted smiles, enjoying listening to Sherlock mixing the word 'himbo' amongst that brainy talk.

"Yeah, I figured that part," Ted agrees. "And you're right, I don't don't think I'd want himbos solving crimes."

[formersurgeon]

"He might be exaggerating the percentage of himbos in law enforcement," Joan notes with amusement. "At very least they don't tend to become detectives. Heavier on the enforcing than the investigating."

"I still maintain the percentage is distressingly high," Sherlock objects.

"I'm going to guess you'd consider the men who don't work well with us to be himbos," she counters.

"Not all of them."

[theodorelasso]

Ted grins with amusement, enjoying listening to them argue.

"I mean, he's got a point though," Ted chimes in. "Doesn't need to be that high to be distressing. 10% of football players is probably fine. 10% of cops, you've got a problem."

[formersurgeon]

"It's not 10%," Joan says. She'd shake her head if she wasn't in the middle of having electrodes removed.

"On that we agree, Watson," Sherlock says. "It is over 10%."

Joan rolls her eyes with a scoff.

[theodorelasso]

Ted snickers at that. He agrees with Joan on this one.

He's about to say something else when the doorbell rings.

"That was quick," he comments, assuming it's the medication.

The delivery person at the door however is carrying a sizeable gift-wrapped package addressed to Ted.

[formersurgeon]

When Sherlock enters with the package, Joan blinks in surprise.

"Did you order me a year's supply?" she half-kiddingly asks Dr. Bergen.

"Actually it's addressed to Ted," Sherlock says, handing the package to him.

[theodorelasso]

Ted blinks in surprise as well, accepting it. "Pretty sure it's not my birthday," he comments. The gift-wrapping is a nice touch...

He locates a card, and reads it out loud. "'To keep your skills sharp'. From AFC Richmond," he says, and gets an even more confused look on his face. He starts unwrapping in, and soon the his face turns to amusement instead.

"The team got me a PS5 and a copy of FIFA," he says, holding the box up with a smile.

[formersurgeon]

"Oh my god!" Joan says when she sees the box. "That's so sweet of them!"

"You have a rather dedicated team," Sherlock notes. "We shall have to procure a decently large television set so you can get the full benefit of the gift."

[theodorelasso]

If it was from someone else, he might be worried they're overstretching their budget just for him, but these kids are millionaires, so. Sure, why not.

"Joke's on them, I start playing this, I'm gonna forget all about them," he says jokingly, setting the box down.

[formersurgeon]

"Video game characters definitely come with less baggage," Joan says, amused.

"All right," Dr. Bergen says, putting the last of the electrodes back in the case. "You'll want to wash your hair and scalp with hot water and plenty of shampoo. Do you have someone assisting you with bathing?"

Joan smiles at Ted. "I do."

[theodorelasso]

"Yup, we got that covered," Ted agrees with a smile. "Hey, since it's just your head, we could even do that hairdresser thing where they put your head over the sink."

[formersurgeon]

"That's a good idea," Joan says. "Easier on your cast."

"Sounds perfect," Dr. Bergen says, zipping up the EEG case. "As I said, Mr. Holmes knows how to contact me in case you have any questions or concerns."

"Thanks for everything," Joan says.

[theodorelasso]

"Yes, thank you so much," Ted says, getting to his feet to shake Dr. Bergen's hand. Now that he's a little less freaked out by everything, he can be more polite.

He wished the news was better, but now Joan's getting medication and hopefully will be getting better just fine.

[formersurgeon]

She shakes Ted's hand. "You're very welcome. Let me know if there's anything you need."

Sherlock shows Dr. Bergen out, and once the woman is out of the room Joan sighs, leaning back a little in the chair, her brow slightly furrowed .

"When it rains it pours," she says softly. "Definitely didn't expect this flood, though."

[theodorelasso]

"We'll weather it," he says, gently encouraging. He's scared and worried about her, but he's keeping a lid on all of that in front of her. This is worse for her than it is for him, and he has every intention of being as supportive and dependable as possible.

"Sherlock and I will make sure you're alright," he promises, going to stand behind her and leaning down to hug her shoulders from behind, leaning his head against hers, the only way he can semi-comfortably hug her while she's in the chair.

[formersurgeon]

She closes her eyes and leans back against him, raising her hands to rest them on his arms.

"I know you will," she says. She trusts both of them completely, and knows that the three of them will get through this together.

When Sherlock returns to the room, he's carrying a much smaller box from the pharmacy.

[theodorelasso]

Ted just stands there and holds her for a bit, straightening up once Sherlock returns, though still keeping his hands gently on Joan's shoulders.

"Hey, perfect timing," he says with a smile.

[formersurgeon]

"Serendipitous," Sherlock agrees. He opens the box and pulls out a large pill bottle, then hands it to Joan.

"I'll fetch a glass of water," he says, heading out of the room.

Joan holds the bottle up to Ted. "Somehow I suspect I'm going to have a little trouble with childproof caps right now," she says.

When Ted opens the bottle, he'll doubtless notice the pills are pretty huge.

[theodorelasso]

Ted hums in agreement and takes the bottle, opening it. "Whoof, those are real horse pills," he comments, handing the opened bottle back to her. "Hope your swallowing muscles still work."

[formersurgeon]

"It should be fine," she says as she takes the bottle. "They did a test at the hospital. They wouldn't have sent me home otherwise." She looks into the bottle and grimaces. "Wow. Yeah. The downside to keppra is the large necessary dosage."

[theodorelasso]

"Still, you'd think they could've just halved the size and told you to take two," Ted muses. Of course knowing absolutely nothing about potential reasons they might've had to make them this way, like release times and all that stuff.

"After you take that, wanna go wash your hair?" he asks, brushing her hair back over her shoulders, and idly starting to loosely braid it, for no real reason.

[formersurgeon]

"It's probably a question of release," she says, looking at the label. "One pill twice a day," she murmurs to herself. "Okay."

It feels lovely to have him playing with her hair. "I'd like that," she answers softly. Not only to get all the gunk off her scalp and out of her hair, but also because she enjoys being taken care of like that.

Sherlock returns with a glass of water and waits as Joan tries to fish out a single pill and fails to get her fine motor skills to cooperate. She sighs in frustration and holds it up toward Ted again. "Can you get it?"

[theodorelasso]

"Yup," he answers, accepting the bottle and carefully pouring a single pill out, handing it to her, then putting the lid back on the bottle.

It makes him sad, seeing her have trouble with stuff, not just because it's a reminder of how she's been hurt, but because he knows how frustrating it must be for her. But he actively tries to avoid reacting too much to it, figuring that him making a big deal would only make it worse.