trashchildren | For Joan

Ted does end up learning a lot, being friends with Sherlock. How much of it actually sticks is another thing, but he enjoys hearing about it nonetheless.

They make it to the airport with plenty of time to spare and no need to rush, getting through everything, until they finally settle at the waiting area for the gate.

Ted pulls out the bag of sandwiches and offers one to Joan. It's gonna be a long flight, and he's very persistent about getting her to eat more than a bag of chips.

Joan isn't hungry, but she knows she should eat, and knows that Ted will worry until she does. She accepts the sandwich and starts eating it bit by bit, tearing little pieces off.

Sherlock watches her for a moment. He can see her grief in every single thing she's doing, consciously and unconsciously, from the way she's picking at her food to the particular angle of her head. It worries him. But there's not much he can do about it, so after a minute he takes a breath and refocuses on Ted.

"Will this be your first time in New York?"

Ted sets a bottle of water next to her as well.

"Mm? Oh, no, but it's been a while. And just a couple vacations you know, a little bit of sightseeing, some shows, that sort of thing," he answers. And then he pulls out a sandwich and hands it to Sherlock. (Of course he got him one as well.)

Sherlock accepts the sandwich but doesn't eat it, setting it aside. He is particular about food, so it could just be that he doesn't feel like eating right now. But there's more to it too. He's even more guarded emotionally than Watson, even if it's hard to tell because he becomes rude and acerbic instead of going silent and still, but Ted knows him now, better than anyone save for Watson, and he can probably notice that Sherlock is grieving as well. With his partner and friend, yes, but also for a woman that he knew well and liked, as well as for the loss of his own mother so long ago.

Ted perfectly understands why either of them wouldn't have much of an appetite right now, which only further strengthens his desire to take care of them. He's only really grieving second-hand. Eventually he may come to grieve for what never was, but for now he's solely focused on making sure the two of them can safely grieve, while not having to worry so much about the basic self-care things.

He pulls out his own sandwich, slowly starting to eat that. Maybe he can lead by example. He assumes they might get some food on the plane, but he doesn't generally expect much from that.

"Never actually been outside of Manhattan, either," he adds. "Very much just the tourist experience."

"Then you do not know New York," Sherlock says, talking to Ted but eyeing Watson as she continues to pick at the sandwich. "It is a city of exquisite beauty existing alongside depths of depravity. There is much Watson and I can show you."

He reaches down and gently nudges the bottle of water a little closer to Watson. Joan's eyes shift toward the motion, and without a word she picks up the bottle, opens it, and takes a sip.

Ted smiles gently at Sherlock's wordless reminder for Joan to drink.

"Yeah, I'd love to see it," Ted agrees. "We'll have plenty of time this summer too." Ted's not against being shown things, but his focus is taking care of Joan. If there are things they can do that will make Joan feel better, doing things or going to places she's missed, then Ted's all for that.

Sherlock looks up at Ted at that.

"You intend to spend time in New York this summer?" he asks. "Do you intend to bring your son to New York as well?"

Sherlock knows that Henry is incredibly important to Ted. And to Joan now, really. But he hadn't thought of them spending the summer in New York. He's not against the idea, exactly, but it will require some thought about how a child will fare in the Brownstone.

Ted shrugs and nods. Meaning he doesn't have any specific plans, but that was his intention, yes. "At least for a little while."

"You don't have to do anything," Joan says softly, looking up at Sherlock. "You know that, right? We wouldn't expect you to watch Henry. We'll take care of that."

"I am aware, Watson," Sherlock answers. "But I would still have some interaction with him. I want to still have some interaction with him."

At the statement that Sherlock wants to hang out with Henry, Ted gets the widest, warmest smile. That makes him so happy.

Ted gives Sherlock an appreciative nod. "Well, we have plenty of time to figure that stuff out before the summer."

Joan smiles at that, too. When she had been actively seeking to adopt, she had assured Sherlock that she would take care of everything, and Sherlock had offered to leave the Brownstone, to give Joan and the child the whole place free from his unusual influences. She had turned down the offer firmly. She would never kick Sherlock out of his home, and there's so much a child could learn from him, even if Sherlock himself is uncertain about whether he had anything of value to offer. So to hear him say he wants to be part of Henry's life...it warms her too.

She looks over at Ted, and the expression of happiness on his face is so wonderful that her own smile widens, feeling a deep happiness as well, even in the midst of her sorrow.

"Every kid needs a weird uncle," he adds, and looks over at Joan and gives her a smile, bumping his shoulder gently against hers. He puts his arm behind Joan, resting his hand on her back, just wanting a little bit of physical touch because he's happy, and he gets affectionate when he's happy.

Sherlock snorts, but it's more amused than dismissive, and it's clear to Joan and Ted that he's pretty chuffed by the "weird uncle" designation.

Joan takes the arm as invitation and leans against Ted with a quiet sigh. It's good to feel that little glimmer of happiness. It is far too easy within grief to believe you'll never be happy again, even if intellectually you know it's not true. Now she has solid proof that she can still be happy, that the pain won't last forever. It's also so good to be thinking a little further down the road. It means there's a future beyond this time of hardship, yes, but it also reassures Joan that her relationship with Ted is solid, despite their argument still being so fresh.

Ted gives her a little squeeze, and turns his head to kiss her hair.

"He's also nearing ten years old, so he doesn't need constant supervision or anything. He's pretty self-reliant," Ted points out. "And he's at that age where he enjoys learning really weird stuff." He's sure Sherlock has plenty to provide in that department.

"You'll love that," Joan says to Sherlock. "I know you enjoy teaching."

"A child is different from a protégé, Watson," Sherlock says.

"Not that different. You just need some extra patience. I've seen you train roosters. I'm sure you can manage a ten year old."

Sherlock scoffs again, and again it's more amusement than anything else.

"Just don't teach him how to pick locks," she says with a smile. "Or hotwire cars. Non-criminal activities, please."

"Yes, please," Ted agrees immediately. "And nothing his mom is likely to get mad at me for," he adds quickly.

Which of course mostly depends on making sure whatever Henry learns, he'll also learn to use responsibly. Self-defense is great, for example, but if he ends up breaking the arm of a bully, that's maybe not so great.

"Single stick might be okay," Joan says. "Knife throwing is right out."

Joan wants to try to maintain a decent if distant relationship with Michelle as well. She still hasn't met Ted's ex-wife in person, although they spoke briefly over the phone when Henry came to visit them, Michelle clearly wanting to check Joan out a little. Joan feels that exchange went well, and as the visit also went well, she imagines Michelle might be a little more at ease the next time Henry visits, whether in London or in New York.

That won't last long if Henry returns to Kansas throwing knives and jacking cars.

"You could teach me how to pick locks though," Ted adds with a playful smile. He's only half joking, and they all know why. It could've saved his life, or at least spared him a lot of pain.

"I believe I shall leave that to Watson," Sherlock says, looking at his partner. He knows that she often practices picking the locks in their collection as a way of soothing herself when she's stressed. Besides, if he wishes to learn how to pick handcuffs, which seems likely given his ordeal, teaching will require physical contact, and Sherlock thinks Watson would like that more than he would.

"Alright, summer workshop," Ted says with a smile. "You teach me to pick locks," he says, looking at Joan. "And then you teach Henry to..." he says, looking over at Sherlock and pausing for a second, considering. "Do you know to build robots? He'd love that."

"I'm afraid electronics are not my forte," he says, and looks to Watson. "Perhaps Mason?"

"Maybe. Not sure Mason would be the best of influences, though."

"Who's Mason?" Ted asks curiously.

He's also pretty sure Sherlock knows way more about building robots than Ted and Henry know combined, or at least could learn in less than an hour. But he'd like Sherlock to be able to teach something he considers fun himself.

"One of my Irregulars," Sherlock explains. "A cadre of individuals who are experts in fields where I myself am lacking."

"Mason is a computer prodigy," Joan says. "He also does things with AI and some robotics." She looks at Sherlock. "He's in college now, though, right?"

"At NYU," Sherlock responds. "Still available."

"Oh, cool," Ted answers, and he really does find it cool. It doesn't surprise him they have all sorts of people to consult for whatever areas they're not experts in. Fill out their knowledge holes.

"Do you have any musical theater experts? Cause I'd love to spend an evening with them," he says, again only half joking.

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