For Joan

[theodorelasso]

Continued from here.

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

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[theodorelasso]

Ted's considered that too. He decides to just share his thought process. She has more experience with stuff like this.

"I mean... I thought about it," he answers. "But I'm gonna see him again for the trial, right? And..." He pauses a bit, taking a breath, trying to figure out how to put it into words.

"He wasn't what was scary about all of it. It was being alone, being in the dark, hurting. Not knowing what was going on, or if anything was coming for me," he explains, tearing up a little even as he describes it. "He was just... someone who was angry. It was his control that was scary, and he won't have that anymore."

It's probably still gonna be upsetting. But he'll be safe. And he thinks his desire to confront him and to understand outweighs the need to avoid being upset.

[formersurgeon]

She can hear the tears in his voice, and she dearly wishes that she was there to hold him, to let him hold onto her, secure in the knowledge that he is safe and so very loved.

"That makes sense," she says, understanding the importance of the power dynamic. "He'll probably be handcuffed to the table. And Sherlock will probably be watching from another room." She's still worried about him, but she gets why he might want to do this.

"You'll want to talk to Sherlock. He can set it up. You can tell him I agree that it could be helpful, if you like."

[theodorelasso]

"Thanks," he answers softly. He would've preferred to have her there too, of course. But he knows she'll be with him in spirit, so to speak.

He sniffs softly, and decides it's probably best to talk about something else.

"So you're gonna take a break to watch the game tomorrow, right?"

[formersurgeon]

That sniff makes her heart ache. She's glad when he changes the subject; it's probably good for both of them.

"I wouldn't miss it," she says, smiling. "I'm hoping they show you in the owner's box on TV. I miss your face."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah, well, I'm the hot gossip right now, so probably," Ted answers, smiling a bit even just from her smile. "My face is about the same, but slowly getting less blue again. Right now it looks like some kids had fun face-painting me, without worrying much about color choice or aesthetics," he says, chuckling softly.

[formersurgeon]

She laughs softly with him. "It will be nice to see how much you've healed, but I'd love to see your face regardless."

She knows there will be a lot of attention on him. And she knows Ted is generally used to attention, seeing as he's in front of cameras all the time as the Richmond coach. Still, she imagines having this sort of attention is different, and probably something he would rather avoid. The fans haven't exactly been kind to him in the past, and if they're unkind now it could hurt.

"I'd ask you to say hello to Rebecca and Keeley, but..."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah..." Ted agrees sadly. "For the record, they don't hate you or anything. Beard tried to make it clear that we broke up because you were worried about your job affecting me, and it was a mutual thing."

He smiles a bit. "Actually, Keeley did try to do the solidarity thing, pretend like she thought you were a terrible person. I wouldn't have it, obviously, and she admitted she really liked you and was really sad about not getting to hang out with you anymore."

[formersurgeon]

"I'm glad to hear that," she says, her voice a touch sad as well. "I really like Keeley too. And I'm looking forward to seeing them again. I hope they forgive us for lying to them. I'm pretty sure they will, though."

They both care deeply for Ted, and she knows they will understand that they only lied to keep him safe.

[theodorelasso]

"They will," Ted says, and he has zero doubt about that. "Keeley's about as forgiving as they come, and Rebecca.." He pauses, unsure what to say. "Well, she has reason to be understanding."

[formersurgeon]

That's an interesting way of putting it, and Joan picks up on the idea that Rebecca has been untruthful in the past. She doesn't know about what, though.

Joan looks at her clock on her night table and winces.

"It's got to be getting late there."

[theodorelasso]

Ted pulls the phone away from his ear to look at the time on it. Ah, yeah. Well, not that late, but he's been requiring a lot of sleep lately, and he usually gets up pretty early.

"Yeah, I guess. But I don't want to stop talking to you!" he says, intentionally saying it as if he were a petulant 5 year old, mostly to make Joan laugh.

[formersurgeon]

He succeeds. Joan laughs, the sound full of fondness for this adorable man. "I know," she says, still smiling. "I don't want to stop talking to you either. But I also don't want to keep you from getting the rest you need."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah, I know," he agrees, however much he might not like it. "You can keep me company while he brush my teeth and stuff."

He carefully pushes himself to his feet with a gentle 'oof'. His knees are still pretty stiff, but at least he can walk around on his own, as long as he doesn't go running anywhere.

"So when I come visit you in New York," he begins, intentionally using 'when'. "What sort of stuff would you want to show me?"

[formersurgeon]

"I can do that," she agrees, smiling. She'd stay on the line for as long as he wants, even if he wants her on the line as he falls asleep.

The question makes her smile deepen. New York is very important to Joan, and it warms her heart that he wants to honor that.

"We could start with your standard touristy stuff. Times Square, Statue of Liberty, Empire State Building..."

[theodorelasso]

"Gotta start off classic, sure. What about your favorite places?" he asks, making his way into the bathroom. He puts her on speaker so he can brush his teeth without having to do everything one-handed.

[formersurgeon]

She can hear the water running, hear him brushing his teeth. It's so sweet and domestic and one again her heart is both happy and sad.

"Well, I'd take you here, of course. To the brownstone. I'd take you up to the roof...there's an amazing view of the city up there. And the beehives. Have I told you Sherlock keeps bees?"

[theodorelasso]

Mouth full of toothpaste, he makes a sound of excited interest, and an uh-uh as answer for the bees. That's delightful, he loves knowing that about Sherlock.

[formersurgeon]

She loves how excited he is about that bit of information. "One time we took a case from this guy who was, like, rich beyond belief. Sherlock doesn't care about money at all, since his father is also rich beyond belief, so the guy persuaded Sherlock to take the case by offering him a bee. A single bee, of a species known as the solitary bee. It's very rare, and builds intricate nests out of flower petals."

[theodorelasso]

Ted spits and rinses his mouth before he answers.

"Let me guess. Sherlock now has an entire bee army," he says, then starts the effort of undressing. He's definitely going to have a period of just not worrying about wearing pants at home for a while. Even getting shorts over this cast is annoying.

[formersurgeon]

"Not exactly," she says, amused by that mental image. "But he did manage to get this rare solitary bee to mate with his regular bees. It created a whole new species of bee. He named it after me. Euglassia Watsonia."

[theodorelasso]

Ted has to take a moment at that, falling silent. That's so sweet! Ted has ever increasing fondness for him, despite barely spending any time with him.

"He named a bee after you? That's awesome." He's touched on her behalf, which she can probably tell from his voice.

[formersurgeon]

She hears it, and it makes her happy. Sherlock is an integral part of her life, and as complicated as it's going to be to balance the parts of her life that Ted and Sherlock represent, she doesn't intend to change that. She's going to have to make sure they spend more time together when she returns to London.

"It is," she agrees softly. Then she changes the subject. "I'd love to take you to Chinatown. Oh, and in Washington Square Park there's a market on the weekends during the fall where you can find very interesting things. I bought a platypus skull there for Sherlock once."

[theodorelasso]

"A pla-- of course you did," he answers with amusement. "Hey, you know they've got a Chinatown here too."

Now he's managed to strip off, he picks up the phone again and heads to bed, crawling in carefully. He's glad he doesn't mind sleeping on his back, as he carefully settles in.

[formersurgeon]

"They do," she says with a smile. "The London Chinatown gate is beautiful. It's also one of the best places to get food."

She pauses for a moment, smiling as she hears him getting into bed.

"Where will you take me when we visit Kansas City?" she asks softly.

[theodorelasso]

"Oooh," Ted answers, excited but simultaneously thoughtful at that question. "My favourite barbecue places, obviously. Can show you around where I grew up, tell you endless amounts of ridiculous anecdotes." She's already gotten a few of those, so she knows Ted loves telling them.

"Besides that it depends what you're into. There's good museums? And we've taken Henry to Legoland a few times, but I'm not sure that's your thing," he says, chuckling softly.