For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

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

Comments

[theodorelasso]

"I'd appreciate that," Ted agrees. "I could run around and fetch things, but I probably shouldn't. He's done enough walking today."

His phone buzzes. "Alright, Keeley and Roy will be over soon. She said they're good with anything food-wise."

[formersurgeon]

"Definitely stay off your feet," Joan says with a smile. She knows he's been pushing the envelope, and he can't keep doing that if he wants to heal and be back with the team.

"What food should we get?" Joan asks, pondering. "We've had Thai recently. We could go Szechwan, or Japanese. There's Indian and Greek places nearby, too..."

[theodorelasso]

"Oh, I haven't had Greek food in forever," Ted answers, opening up a map on his phone to track it down and find a menu. "Do they have stuff you can eat?" he asks, glancing over at Joan.

[formersurgeon]

"I can give it a try," she replies. "Avgolemono is good. I can try some suvlaki and rice. As long as I take it easy I should be fine."

[theodorelasso]

"Worst case, we can whip up another smoothie," Ted says. "You know, I make a decent moussaka. Potatoes though, not eggplant. What about you, Sherlock, what do you want?"

[formersurgeon]

"I'd love to try that!" Joan says. She loves it when Ted cooks for her. He's really got a knack for it, and Joan knows it makes him happy. It's another way he can care for people. A way he can care for her.

"A gyro is sufficient," Sherlock answers. "Perhaps with a side of salad."

[theodorelasso]

"Alrighty-doo, Mister Magoo," Ted answers, texting Keeley again and telling her to pick something off the menu. After a moment she texts back, and Ted calls the restaurant to order their food. Then it should be getting there just after Roy and Keeley do. He gets both himself and Joan suvlaki and rice, since that sounded yummy.

[formersurgeon]

When the buzzer announces the arrival of their guests, Sherlock gets up and answers the door.

"Welcome," he says to Roy and Keeley. He's familiar with them both, as they've both been something of celebrities in London for quite some time. He finds it interesting that they are together, considering their personalities, especially Roy's.

"Please, come in. Watson and Ted are waiting for you in the living room."

[theodorelasso]

"Hey, you must be Sherlock, it's nice to meet you," Keeley greets enthusiastically. Roy grunts, but he does also nod in greeting in they head inside.

"Hey y'all," Ted says happily once they make it to the living room. "Pardon us for not getting to our feet."

"Oh, don't worry about it. Hi, Joan!" Keeley says, immediately going in for the hug with Joan, while Roy trails behind.

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock nods politely to Keeley's welcome. "You as well." The grunt from Roy earns a slight raise of the eyebrows, but Sherlock nods to him as well. The anti-social gruffness is something Sherlock can understand.

When Keeley comes in for the hug Joan beams at her and returns the hug as best she can. "Hey Keeley! It's so good to see you!"

[theodorelasso]

"It's amazing to see you too," Keeley answers, and she gives Ted a quick hug too. She was nervous when she walked in the door, but it's evident she's extremely relieved to see Joan looking more or less alright. What happened at the gala was pretty dramatic, after all. Even Roy seems to breathe a slight sigh of relief.

Keeley sits down in the chair closest to Joan, while Roy sits next to her, giving Ted a nod which he returns.

"You look a lot better," Keeley says to Joan. "I mean, of course you do. Are you doing alright, after everything? I mean, if you want to talk about it - it's okay if you don't!" She's very clearly a little bit nervous but also very eager to make Joan feel better.

[formersurgeon]

Joan picks up on Keeley's nervousness, and it makes total sense. Joan had nearly died that night, right there in front of everyone. She can imagine Keeley was afraid Joan would be in worse shape than she is.

"I'm fine," she assures Keeley with a gentle smile. "My strength is coming back." She smiles at Ted. "And I have wonderful guys taking care of me."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah, we've mostly just been snuggling up with movies and napping a lot," he answers with a smile. "Definitely worse things to spend our time doing."

[formersurgeon]

"Definitely," Joan agrees. She looks over at Sherlock, who's surveying the room with a slightly sour expression. "We couldn't do it without Sherlock. He's been really helpful so we can rest."

[theodorelasso]

"Awww, that's so nice," Keeley answers, smiling at Sherlock, clearly unfazed by the expression. (She's used to Roy and Beard, after all.) "You're a detective like Joan, right?"

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock is not one for socializing, but he knows this is important to Watson, so he makes an effort.

"I am in fact the one who trained Watson to be a detective," he answers with a small, stiff smile, as friendly as he gets with strangers.

[theodorelasso]

Ted is very proud. It's more friendly than Sherlock was to him when they first met. (And even then, Ted is pretty sure he could've been significantly more rude had he wanted to.)

"Oh, that's so cool," Keeley answers excitedly. Roy looks mildly interested. Ted wonders vaguely if him and Sherlock will say a single word to each other. He feels like they should have a bet going.

Sherlock is however saved from any follow-up questions by the doorbell ringing at the arrival of the food.

[formersurgeon]

Joan is happy, knowing the effort Sherlock is putting into being friendly. When it comes to Ted, in Sherlock's defense he had not expected visitors when he first met Ted, and Ted was taking the attention and presence of Sherlock's partner and best friend. Keeley and Roy were expected and he isn't going to lose Watson to them.

Sherlock would have gone on, but the doorbell rings and he rises. "I shall return," he says, heading to the front door. Joan watches him go, smiling fondly.

[theodorelasso]

Also in Sherlock's defense.. Ted hadn't even found him that rude. He just seemed like someone who wasn't ready to socialise at the time.

"What about you two?" Ted asks. "Roy, how's your coaching gig going?" He's heard from Keeley that he's coaching girls' soccer, and he's obviously excited to hear about it.

"Fine."

"Oh yeah? How's the team?"

"Fine."

"...Alright," Ted answers, obviously a little amused. "Keeley, how about you, how's work?"

"Oh, uh, fine!" she answers with a smile that might be a little awkward.

"Uh-huh," Ted says with a smile, raising his eyebrows at the both of them with amused curiosity.

It's Roy who speaks up first, presumably to save Keeley from having to. "She's scrambling to manage PR after the gala and everything that's happened lately."

Ah. Ted nods, feeling a little twinge of guilt, even as he knows it's not really his fault. "Mmm. That makes sense, yeah."

[formersurgeon]

"That must be challenging," she says softly. She hasn't really thought about the world outside this apartment and the Richmond team, so this reminds her that she and Ted are part of a much bigger story.

"What has the coverage been like? What narrative is the media pushing?"

[theodorelasso]

"Well," Keeley answers, since that is obviously a complicated questions. "The tabloids are mostly soaking up the drama. Including..." She gestures between the two of them, obviously meaning their relationship. "The sports news too, but they're more focused on what it's going to mean for the team. Ted's actually getting a sort of.... martyr status."

Ted huffs a soft laugh at that. He supposes there are worse things to be. Though he probably won't care for it very much once he gets back to work.

"Then there's a few more reputable papers that have started digging more into Rupert, unearthing old stuff, trying to figure out what's actually going on. Trent Crimm calls for you daily," she adds, nodding at Ted, who just raises his eyebrows.

[formersurgeon]

Joan isn't surprised by how the reporting is shaking out. She figured there was plenty of juicy stuff to keep the tabloids hopping. The fact that Ted is dating a detective was bound to get some attention in light of Ted's ordeal and Rupert's arrest. And reporters saw her being taken out of the hall on a stretcher and loaded into an ambulance, so she imagines that's been in the reporting too, although she's curious what they say about why she was rushed to the hospital.

She figures that Ted being cast as a martyr is actually probably a good thing. It would definitely get public opinion on his side rather than on the side of Rupert, who had already been forgiven for any number of sins by the press in the wake of his divorce.

It's definitely a good thing that the reputable papers are investigating Rupert. Including Trent Crimm, who Joan knows has a good rapport with Ted.

She looks to him. "Did you tell them anything about the things we think Rupert has done?" she asks softly.

[theodorelasso]

"Only what he did to us," he answers just as softly. "And I haven't told the press anything," he adds.

He felt like he had to tell the team that Rupert tried to kill him (twice), and Joan got caught in the crossfire the second time. It'll come out eventually, presumably as soon as the trial begins, so he wanted them to hear it from him.

[formersurgeon]

She agrees it was right to tell the team about Rupert trying to kill Ted and coming close to killing Joan. (And almost killing Ted, for that matter, considering the condition Joan found him in when he was kidnapped.) It sounds like more things are coming out now, though, and she wonders if they should reveal the things they know.

Before she can make that decision, Sherlock returns with their food.

[theodorelasso]

Ted is leaving that particular decision to Sherlock and Joan. He only knows the broad strokes anyway.

He is glad to not have to think about it too much though. Suddenly they're a lot more busy passing around food and starting to eat. And it's good food, too.

Ted could really do with a beer or even a glass of whiskey along with it, but he has to get used to not having any alcohol while Sherlock is around. It's probably not good for him while he's healing anyway.