For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

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

Comments

[formersurgeon]

She grimaces slightly. She definitely doesn't like the idea of doing a press conference, with cameras flashing and people yelling out questions. That said, she's definitely aware that they won't be able to stop stories from being run with wild speculation entirely unmoored from any reality.

"I think...only if we can control the circumstances."

[theodorelasso]

Ted considers a press conference to be pretty controlled, comparatively. At least now he's got a rapport with them, and can usually get them to settle down even if they're overexcited. But he guesses that's not what Joan means. Especially given the sensitive nature of everything that's happened.

"So like.. an interview?" he suggests. It might be about time, honestly. Ted did answer some things at the gala, before everything went down, but things are sure to be worse now Rupert's arrested. Ted's taken a few days off from reading the paper.

[formersurgeon]

"That might work," she says softly. "As long as it's with someone who won't be trying to play gotcha. Someone you trust."

She knows Ted has surprisingly good relationships with many of the reporters who cover Richmond. Although it really shouldn't be a surprise, considering this is Ted they're talking about.

[theodorelasso]

Ted looks over at Beard. "Trent?"

Beard gives a silent agreeing nod, and Ted smiles. "I know just the guy," he says. "Wrote a piece on me when I first got here, was real nice. Heck of a writer, too."

[formersurgeon]

Joan smiles back. "He sounds great. How do you want to do this? Should we invite him to our home? Meet him somewhere?"

Joan has spoken with reporters before, of course, not to mention one of her best friends back home is one. But she's never done a formal interview before.

[theodorelasso]

Ted shrugs. "Invite him here?" he suggests. No reason why not, and he'd rather talk about it in private. Especially if things get emotional, or if they want to give some confidential information for context or something.

[formersurgeon]

"We can do that," Joan says with a smile. She glances over at Sherlock, who lifts his eyebrows and gives her a shrug, conveying that it isn't really his place to comment. Joan knows he's not a fan of the press himself, but he can just not be around while the guy is at 221A.

Joan turns back to Ted. "Do you want to call and ask when he can come over?"

[theodorelasso]

Obviously Sherlock doesn't have to be there. It's Joan and Ted that they're excited about, because of the connection to Richmond and Rupert and all that. And Ted especially won't be able to avoid it anyway, since it's part of his job. So it's better to get out ahead of it.

"Mmm," he agrees, getting out his phone to text Keeley, figuring she'll have his number. I'll call after we finish dinner."

[formersurgeon]

"That works," Joan says with a smile. It's definitely best to get ahead of it and to control the narrative. She's well aware of what can happen when the media has scant evidence and a public hungry for a story. Doing it this way, they get to tell the story instead of letting the public imagination run mad.

She takes another bite of food. In addition to being delicious, the food is mild enough that her stomach is giving her no problems.

[theodorelasso]

Ted texts her, then puts his phone down with a soft, thoughtful frown.

"So how much do we say?" he asks, looking between Sherlock and Joan. Beard at least knows most of it, so Ted's not worried about him overhearing. "I mean, when it comes to Rupert, especially?"

[formersurgeon]

She hums, frowning faintly. It's a good question. They know a lot of things, and much of it probably shouldn't come out outside a courtroom.

"I think we keep it to our case," she says. "The other things Rupert's done will come out in court. We probably shouldn't be tipping that hand ahead of time."

"It would be advisable," Sherlock adds, "to keep Moriarty out of it altogether."

[theodorelasso]

"Good advice for life in general," Ted quips, maybe a bit bitterly. He doesn't blame Joan, but he definitely blames Moriarty.

He figures for anything involving Rupert, he'll allow Joan to be the one to talk about that mostly. She'll have better judgement regarding it, probably.

[formersurgeon]

Joan lowers her eyes at that. Ted might not blame her, but she still carries a lot of guilt for what happened to Turner, and to the man who recruited him. Of course, if Moriarty hadn't gotten involved, they might not have known that Rupert was going to try again to have Ted killed. He could have been the one to eat the cyanide-laced food at the gala, and not have known there was a problem until he had ingested so much that he could not be saved.

[theodorelasso]

Ted may be a bit hyperaware of Joan's reactions whenever Moriarty is mentioned, so he definitely notices her looking down. He doesn't say anything, but he does reach over to put his hand on hers on the table.

"I figure we probably don't need to say all that much in the first place. The broad strokes will probably go a long way," Ted says. He has no intention of describing his stay in Turner's basement in any detail to the press, even if he trusts Trent.

[formersurgeon]

Joan turns her hand over to wrap her fingers around Ted's hand, squeezing it gently.

"That's true," she says. "There are plenty of things no one else needs to know about."

She feels protective of Ted. Whatever they wind up talking about, however much they wind up telling the reporter, she's going to be looking out for his mental and emotional wellbeing first and foremost.

[theodorelasso]

Ted nods in agreement. He knows it'll all have to come out eventually, in front of the court. But at least he'll have more time to prepare for that.

"Trent does have a way of bringing the heat, I should warn," he adds with a smile.

[formersurgeon]

She smiles back. "Good. Then people will respect him and what he has to say, because they'll know he didn't go easy on us."

It's a fine line to walk, between a tabloid exposé and a puff piece. But walk it they must, if this is going to work.

"I look forward to meeting him."

[theodorelasso]

He has gotten significantly less mean since Ted first met him too. Asking the hard-hitting questions while still being respectful.

"So, anyone want a second helping?" he asks optimistically, looking around at people's plates with a smile. He did give them pretty big servings though. Beard silently raises a hand, declining.

[formersurgeon]

Joan has actually managed to eat all of her dinner, which is a great sign, both that the food was delicious and that she's feeling a lot better.

"No thank you," she says. "It's wonderful, but if I take one more bite I might explode."

Sherlock shakes his head as well.

[theodorelasso]

"More leftovers for me later," he says cheerfully, not minding at all. He gets to his feet and gestures for Beard to help him clean off the table, while Ted goes to pack away the rest. Keeley texted back with Trent's number, so he can do that in a moment.

[formersurgeon]

Sherlock gets up as well to help clear the table and put things away. As Joan waits at the table, she pulls out her phone and looks up Trent. She finds the article he wrote back when Ted was new to Richmond, and she smiles as she reads it. She knows that Ted had faced an uphill battle when he started coaching the team, so for a well-respected journalist to write such an honest and yet ultimately complimentary piece is pretty significant.

[theodorelasso]

Once everything's packed away, Ted heads to another room to phone Trent. He doesn't elaborate much on what exactly they'll talk about, beyond 'everything going on lately', but Trent is plenty eager to talk. He agrees to text about a specific time later, before he heads back into the kitchen.

"Trent's happy to talk to us," he says. "Actually he seemed like he was trying not to sound too excited," he adds with a smile. It is admittedly very much a scoop, so he doesn't blame him.

[formersurgeon]

While Ted is calling Trent, Sherlock helps relocate Joan to the living room, and Beard follows. When Ted reemerges they're all sitting in silence, with Beard and Sherlock in a staring contest. JOan looks up at Ted and smiles.

"That's great. Did he say when he's available?"

[theodorelasso]

"Tomorrow's fine, I said I'd text him with a time," he answers, looking between Beard and Sherlock, a smile growing on his face as he notices what's happening, and suddenly he doesn't want to speak anymore, for fear of disturbing the amusing competition.

[formersurgeon]

Joan catches his eye after he looks at Beard and Sherlock, and smiles, her eyes sparkling. She loves how Sherlock and Beard are relating to each other. An outsider might think that there's hostility there, but Joan and Ted know them, and know that their stares are just them being them and appreciating each other.