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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[formersurgeon]

Joan's smile deepens, but there's the slightest hint of sadness in it.

"His name is Mycroft. He's Sherlock's older brother. We met the first time Sherlock and I came London, and hit it off. We had what I think both of us assumed was a one night stand, that turned into more when he came to New York."

[theodorelasso]

Ted raises his eyebrows. What kind of name is Mycroft? Exactly the kind of name the brother of someone named Sherlock would have, he supposes.

"Alright, let's circle back to that - so your dad, total misdirection?" he asks curiously.

[formersurgeon]

"Well. My dad did write a book based on Sherlock and me. But I didn't help him. In fact, he didn't tell me about it at all. I found out when Captain Gregson asked if I had read my dad's latest book."

Joan had been furious with her father over that.

[theodorelasso]

"Yikes," Ted agrees. He'd be a bit miffed if his mom wrote a book about him without asking. That seems highly unlikely, of course. Although Ted is probably more used to being in the spotlight than Joan is. He's gotten the impression the intentionally avoid it.

"So, what happened next? Did you guys make up?"

[formersurgeon]

Joan is a fairly private person, and Sherlock is intensely so, so having their lives out there like that, however veiled, rankled them both.

"We did. We talked about it, and he told me he had done it to feel closer to me. I'm actually going to be helping him with the sequel. With Sherlock's permission, I might add."

[theodorelasso]

Aww. Well, as far as motivations go, that's at least pretty sweet, even if the method was foolish.

"Oh! So it was a trick question," Ted says. "If you'd asked me in like, a year, it would've been true! Can I demand a mistrial or something?" he asks, chuckling.

[formersurgeon]

"Aren't trick questions and technicalities part of the fun?" she asks, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Come on, your turn. What do you got for me?"

[theodorelasso]

"Alright, well, if those are the rules we're playing by, I gotta think of a real good one for you," he answers, then falls silent, thinking as he chews on pancake.

"Okay, I got it. I wore pajamas to prom. My favorite band when I was 14 was The Cure. Aaand I still can't explain the offside rule." He holds his hands out as if presenting the options.

[formersurgeon]

Joan blinks, chuckling as she considers those choices. "Wow. Okay. I can totally see you wearing pajamas to your prom, and you need to tell me that story. Hmm. The offsides rule is complicated, and I definitely believe that you still can't explain it. But The Cure? Really? I don't think 14 year old Ted went through a goth phase. I think that's the lie."

[theodorelasso]

"No no no, I got this, I got this," Ted says excitedly, almost bouncing in his seat. "Offside is uh, like when Sam passes to Dani, but Dani is closer to the other team's goal than any of their defenders. Oh, BUT, but it's when Sam passes the ball, not when Dani gets it, which means he can still sprint to it!"

Ted looks extremely proud of himself. Not just for remembering, but also for successfully tricking Joan.

[formersurgeon]

"Okay, okay," she says, holding up her hands, wrapping her head around this. "First of all, that is awesome, congratulations, very proud of you. More importantly, though...the Cure was your favorite band???" She gapes at him. "Seriously? Did you dye your hair? Are there piercings I don't know about?"

[theodorelasso]

"Well, okay it was like for two weeks when I was 14, and it was mostly cause I was mad at my dad," Ted clarifies with a shrug. "Hey, but you said trick questions were okay!" he adds quickly, pointing at her.

[formersurgeon]

"It's totally okay," she says with a smile. "And yeah, that makes sense. I think even you could feasibly have a two week goth phase."

She leans in to give him a soft kiss.

"So," she says. "Pajamas to prom?"

[theodorelasso]

"Oh yeah, you're gonna love this," Ted says, scooting over to sit leaned back against the headboard, holding out his arm so she can snuggle up next to him again, and he tells her the whole story.

[formersurgeon]

It's an amazing story, and Joan is laughing through it. "Wow," she says when he's done. "That is so perfectly you." She nuzzles his cheek. "I doubt I'll be able to top that."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah, what can I say, I was a rebellious teen in a lot of ways," Ted chuckles, leaning his head against Joan's and closing his eyes for a moment. He's all comfortable and stuffed with food, and the urge to take a post-dinner nap is coming in strong.

[formersurgeon]

"In the best ways," she says, her smile fond.

She closes her eyes as well and sighs happily, warm and fed and in the arms of the man she loves. Their surroundings and circumstances aren't the greatest, but in a very real way that doesn't matter. All that matters is that they're together.

[theodorelasso]

Once they fall comfortably silent, it takes very little time for Ted to fall asleep. Head leaned back, mouth a little open, and solidly conked out. But at least he's not snoring, nor drooling. Just a deeply breathing Teddy bear.

[formersurgeon]

It doesn't take Joan long to follow him into sleep, her head on his shoulder and her arm around his waist. Her sleep is sound and mercifully dreamless, feeling weary but also safe in his arms.

[theodorelasso]

Ted is not quite so lucky. He remains solidly conked out for quite a while - longer than he should. But eventually dreams do reach him.

Specifically one where he's apologising to Rebecca, who... appears to have been stabbed and is slowly bleeding to death, except she appears to be unaware of this fact and doesn't understand why Ted is apologising to her.

It doesn't jerk him awake, but eventually he does begin to mumble anxiously in his sleep.

[formersurgeon]

The mumbling rouses Joan, and she blinks her eyes open sleepily, then frowns as she becomes aware of his distress.

"Ted?" she murmurs, touching his cheek.

[theodorelasso]

Ted blinks awake, but it takes him a moment to become aware of his surroundings. The smell of the basement air hits his brain and makes him queasy for reasons he doesn't understand at the moment, before he reigns himself in.

"Hey. What's up?" he asks groggily, once words become possible.

[formersurgeon]

Joan watches how his expression shifts as he wakes. It's like he's coming up through layers of his subconscious mind, and it worries her.

"Hey," she says softly. "I think you were having a nightmare."

[theodorelasso]

"Yeah, I guess," Ted agrees, pushing himself up a little bit and rubbing at his eyes. He definitely doesn't feel super great. Like there's an anxious pit in his stomach. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

[formersurgeon]

"Don't worry about that," she says gently. "Do you remember what your dream was about?"

He's got to still have so much trauma from the kidnapping itself, and there's been so much since and more to come. If she could help him work through it little by little, it might make it easier.