Prompting Part XXXV

[sherlockbbc_fic]

THE MEME NEEDS ARCHIVISTS!

GUIDELINES

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Please consider warning for prompts that may trigger people (and also for fills, because some people read in flat view) and phrasing prompts in a manner that strives to be respectful.

Things which you might want to consider warning for include: Rape/Non-Con, Death, Suicidal Thoughts, Self-Harm, Underage Relationships, among others.

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PROMPT FREEZES
Depending on the rate of activity, there may or may not be a prompt freeze when a part reaches 2000 and 4500 comments. However, there will be one when it reaches 7000. After the 7000 comments freeze, a new part will be posted, and all prompting should happen on the new part.

CONTACTING MODS
Your mods for this meme are ellie_hell, charname, anonspock and anonbach. If you have any questions, concerns, comments about anything at all on the meme feel free to send a PM or contact us via the Page-A-Mod post.

MEME LINKS
Pinboard Archive - Delicious Archive - Guide to the Archive
Filled Prompts Posts: Parts 1-23 - Parts 24+ - Spoiler Free
The Glorious FAQ - Page-A-Mod

Flat View of This Page - Newest Page in Flatview - Newest Page of the Meme

Love Post - Chatter Post - Searching Post
Concrit Post - Story Announcement Post - Orphan Post
Spoiler Free Prompt Post - Overflow Post

Links to previous prompting parts

OTHER LINKS AND AFFILIATES
sherlock_rant: A place to rant about or discuss anything with few to no restrictions.
sherlock_rpf: This is a kinkmeme for RPF about the show.
sherlockcrit: A multi-fandom betaing/concrit community, with a focus on BBC Sherlock.
sherlockbbc: A community dedicated to the BBC adaptation of Sherlock Holmes.
Useful resources for Sherlock and LiveJournal.
Sherlock screencaps.

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Comments

A death in the family

[cactuswren.livejournal.com]

Long prompt is long, sad prompt is sad:

Mary dies. Writer's option whether the baby dies too.

John deals with it well, or so it seems. He grieves deeply, but he's healing -- but when Sherlock invites him to move back to Baker Street, he refuses. He keeps the house he shared with Mary mostly as it was, but not as a frozen-in-time shrine: he's willing to make changes, a new picture in the entryway, a better lamp, a refrigerator that doesn't make that annoying noise at night. Everyone is relieved at how well he's dealing with this new loss.

It might not even be Sherlock who first figures out there's something wrong. Sherlock, John's best friend, lied to him, faked his own death, let John mourn him for two years. And then he came back.

Mary was a liar too.

John is functioning absolutely normally in the world, in his medical practice, in his work with Sherlock. He seems completely healthy and normal. Except for this calm, quiet certainty that Mary will be coming back, perhaps not right away but soon. She's faked her death, just as Sherlock did. And, like Sherlock, she must have a good reason.

Maybe John uses the wrong tense in conversation: not "Mary would have liked that lamp", but "Mary will like that lamp". Or if the baby died as well, he might be certain Mary is taking care of the baby, but might keep constant track of how many teeth it must have by now, whether it's on solid food -- should he get a baby-gate for the kitchen? The baby must be creeping by now, she'll be walking soon ...

How can anyone handle this? If they try to explain to him, John, Mary is dead, we all know she died -- John is likely to nod understandingly and point out that everyone was certain Sherlock was dead too.

Sherlock himself might be able to get through: "John, I've examined all the evidence. If Mary were alive I'd surely have deduced it by now." But this might destroy John utterly. Or it might tip him over the edge: Why does Sherlock want to convince me Mary's dead? She couldn't have faked her death all alone, any more than Sherlock himself did. She must have help, just as he did. What a relief it is to know she's got someone helping her from behind the scenes, someone who knows how. Probably Mycroft's in on it too. Yes, this is good to know. And he'll just say quietly, "Yes, Sherlock, I understand. Thank you." And give him a nod and a knowing look ...

ETA: Bonus for a conversation between Sherlock and Ella, with her reminding him that she can't talk to him about a client, and him assuring her in turn that of course she can't, he knows that, but he wants to talk to her about John and all she has to do is listen.

Re: A death in the family

[(Anonymous)]

This is brilliant and beautiful. Seconded like hell!

Re: A death in the family

[(Anonymous)]

This broke my heart, but I want it
Thirding