Chapter Text
The story starts in the middle of a case...
John looked around. He was standing in an old, dusty garage full of old furniture and boxes. They had split up, Sherlock, Ellie and him, to search for the book they were looking for. The book with all the answers in it, according to Sherlock. While he was searching through the boxes, swearing now and then, he heard it. A crackling sound … like fire. Fire! He sprinted out of the garage and onto the street. The 1st floor of the house was on fire. John ran to the front door, opened it and stormed inside.
“Sherlock, Ellie," he screamed, not sure where his friends were.
“Coming.” Sherlocks voice came down the stairs he was rushing down, followed by Ellie.
“We need to get out!” John yelled as they made their way to the open front door.
Panting, they stood outside, when they heard the sirens. Probably a neighbour called 999. Firemens, an ambulance and the police arrived. While the firemens did their best to extinguish the fire, Sherlock, Ellie and John answered the policemans questions. Just as they were done, a paramedic was interrupting,
“Sorry to interrupt you, but were you exposed to the smoke?”
John answered quickly, “I wasn´t, but these two were in near proximity to the fire.”
“Okay," the paramedic said “would you please come with me?” he asked, looking at Ellie and Sherlock.
Sherlock shook his head, “there´s no need for that, I´m fine.”
“Me too," Ellie said.
Sherlock casted a quick look sideways at her, but said nothing.
John angrily shook his head. “Why are you two so stubborn?”
He turned to the paramedic. “I´m a doctor. I´m going to take them home and will take care of them. When they should be in need of further medical attention, I will drag them to the hospital myself.”
The paramedic nodded and turned.
“Are we done here?” John asked the policeman. He nodded.
“Good, let´s get you both home. You smell burned.”
They laughed and walked to the next street, waiting for a cab.
Arriving at 221B Baker Street they all went for a shower, before John made tea for all of them and they gathered around in the sitting room. Sherlock and Ellie sat on the sofa, Ellie clearly exhausted and coughing from time to time, Sherlock motionless, probably in his thoughts.
“I´m going to get my bag," John stated as he stood up and walked to his room. He came back a minute later, sat down at the couch table and looked at Sherlock and Ellie.
“Who wants first?” he asked.
“I will be," Sherlock said with a long thoughtful look at Ellie.
“Okay," John said and slid into doctor mode. He took Sherlocks pulse and blood pressure and looked into his mouth.
“Did you inhale a lot of the smoke?” John asked Sherlock.
Sherlock denied, “Ellie was far longer exposed, I just ran through the smoke to get her.”
“Can you ...” John began.
Sherlock didn´t wait for his question to end, but instead pulled his t-shirt over his head.
John nodded, “Yeah, thanks.”
While he listened to Sherlocks breathing with his stethoscope, fully concentrated on the task, Sherlock watched Ellie. She was as pale as a ghost and sweating, her breathing seemed very controlled, but Sherlock suspected it was only a matter of time until she would loose the control.
“Okay," John said, “you´re airways are clear and there is no sign for any damage.”
“I told you," Sherlock said while slipping back into his t-shirt.
“Ellie?” John turned towards her and stopped at the sight of her. “Ellie? What is it? Are you hurt?” John reached for Ellies arms, but she squirmed away, now panting heavily.
“John stop," Sherlock said and then louder “STOP IT!”
John was utterly confused, but did as Sherlock requested and kneeled down next to the side of the sofa where Ellie was sitting.
“I won´t touch you," he reassured her, holding his hands up “I swear."
He turned his head to Sherlock, “Care to explain?”
Sherlock answered in his usual fast way, “She is afraid of doctors, probably due to a childhood event, but she is extremely skilled at pushing her thoughts of this fear away, which is clearly obvious cause she lives with a doctor as a flatmate and is usually not afraid of you. Her fear concentrates mostly on the use of a stethoscope, but as this usually is a standard procedure in a medical examination of any kind, her mind subconsciously triggers her anxiety at any medical procedure.”
Sherlocks speech lasted only seconds. Ellie let out a whimper, tears streaming down her face while she was gasping desperately for air.
John looked surprised and kind of sad at Sherlocks words. He didn´t want anyone to be afraid of him or his profession.
He hastily pushed the stethoscope and his medical bag out of sight and spoke very clearly and slow.
“Ellie? I´m unarmed. Look” he hold his bare hands out in front of her.
“I´m just John, just a friend and as your friend I am really concerned about you now. You need to slow down your breathing or you´re going to pass out. Can you take a deep breath for me?”
They both could see her trying, but it didn´t work the slightest.
“Can I touch you?” John asked. Ellie shook her head.
“Is it okay if Sherlock touches you?” he asked further. Ellie thought about that for a moment, then nodded.
“Okay, then here is what we do: Sherlock, sit behind Ellie and put your arms around her as if you want to hug her” John commanded. Sherlock obeyed and slid behind Ellie.
“Ellie? Can you feel Sherlock in your back?” John asked. She nodded, still panicking.
“I want you to mimic Sherlocks breathing. Whenever you feel his chest rising you´re breathing in, too.”
John looked at Sherlock. “You know what to do?”
Sherlock rolled his eyes, “I´m quite intelligent, you know.”
Sherlock pressed Ellie against him and started breathing overly clear. “In” he said slowly “and out.” Ellie struggled hard, panting, but she tried. “In … and out.”
After 10 minutes half of her breaths matched with Sherlocks and after another 5 minutes she was breathing normally.
She leaned her head against Sherlock and closed her eyes, tears streaming down her face.
John was pulling a syringe and a small bottle out of his medical bag. He filled some of the liquid in the syringe and put the syringe next to Sherlock on the sofa.
“Ellie?” he spoke quietly and calmly. She made an unrecognizable sound.
“Sherlock is going to inject you something to ensure you stay calm and can sleep, okay?” Another sound.
John looked at Sherlock who was raising an eyebrow. “Intramuscular” John answered his unspoken question.
Sherlock shortly nodded and injected the medicament in Ellies arm. She didn´t even flinch when the needle stabbed her skin, she was too exhausted.
“Ellie?” John tried again.
“Mmh" she mumbled.
“When I´m sure you´re asleep I need to examine you. You were far longer in the smoke than Sherlock and it´s really important we don´t miss any signs of a smoke poisoning. You won´t notice anything of it, okay?”
She inhaled a shaky breath and nodded. Sherlock stood up and carried Ellie into her room, where he laid her gently on the bed, pulling the covers up and let his hand rest for a moment on her shoulder.
“Sleep" he said quietly and left the room, carefully closing the door behind him.