Work Text:
Sherlock sighs. To say he's tired would be an understatement. He's lightheaded with exhaustion – or that might be hunger. Partly it's relief; he's walking down Baker Street for the first time in three years, and he's glad to be back. He's got a bag of takeaway Chinese food in one hand and a bottle of Highland Park in the other, and he's on his way back to 221b. He's planning to drink a lot of the Scotch tonight. He needs it.
The sights and sounds of London don't soothe him the way they used to. Before he left he loved the city in all its guises but, with his return, something has felt wrong - missing. London is soulless without one particular soul by his side. Why did Sherlock never realise it before? He was wrong, he knows now, about many things.
Sherlock knows he's been away a long time, far longer than he ever intended. Even at the worst, he hadn't imagined being away for more than a year. It's been far longer, and Sherlock regrets every minute he has been away. He's more than ready to be back, to start life anew with John. He is well aware that John might not be so pleased to see him after all this time, after the biggest of deceptions, and part of Sherlock is terrified.
…
They talk long into the night. At least, they do after Sherlock convinces John that he isn't just a figment of his imagination – the matching bruises on Sherlock's cheek and John's knuckles attest to that. But John is in a bad way. Mycroft had told Sherlock, but he hadn't quite understood. John had been drinking too much – way too much – for the first six months, until Lestrade had finally managed to clear Sherlock's name. At that point he'd cleaned up his act a bit but not entirely, used the money Sherlock had left to buy a small house on the Sussex downs. He'd planned to move out there, see about applying to the local GP surgery to keep his days busy, but somehow he'd never been able to bring himself to leave Baker Street. John doesn't touch the whisky Sherlock brought and now Sherlock is back he doesn't need it. He doesn't tell Sherlock about his string of one night stands but he doesn't need to. It's not important now.
They agree to keep the house in Sussex. They'll rent it out until, maybe, one day Sherlock will want to settle down. Then they will retire and move out there together.
The sun rises on them making plans for the rest of their lives. Sherlock is home.