There was not a shred of doubt in Sherlock and John's mind that that Christmas was the most interesting they'd experienced. After that night, both stayed up, sitting next to the fire. John knew he wouldn't sleep well after what he had seen, so he didn't even bother trying. Sherlock though just never slept in general. So naturally, the two decided to talk into the night.

"Harriet, has she always been that much taller than you?" Sherlock chuckled, taking a sip of tea.

"I was taller up until year four, then I stopped and she shot up. It was distressing, to say the least."

"What is it like being short?"

"Excuse me?"

"Being so close to the ground, how do you see anything?"

John rolled his eyes, but couldn't help and laugh

"I'm not even that short, you know, you're just ridiculously tall."

"Am not!" Sherlock shot back.

"Yes, you are."

Sherlock laughed and rolled his eyes. There was a moment of silence when suddenly Sherlock said

"So... about Randall. What was the story behind that? I know he went to school with you, a year older, a juvenile delinquent with a past history of robberies... but besides that."

"In Primary, we were best mates, basically inseparable," John began. Even up until year thirteen. We enlisted of course, but only I got in- he was rejected for his Schizophrenia-"

"What-?"

"What?" John asked, confused. Sherlock stared at the floor, seemingly astounded.

"He was schizophrenic, how did I not realize? Sorry- sorry continue."

"Right. Well I went, we mailed for a while but after some time his letters got... strange. He started talking about voices, voices that told him I was doing all these awful things. That I hated him. I eventually stopped replying, then forgot about it for a while. They started throwing away his letters."

John frowned, trying to remember the next part.

"And when you got back?" Sherlock asked, leaning forward.

"Well... he acted as though nothing happened. At first anyway. That's when I learned what he had been doing. Robberies, assisted murders, jail, mental hospitals, he had resorted to a life of crime while I bloody fought for us!"

John huffed, shaking his head in disgust at the recollection.

"I moved away after he attacked me, after everything... it was too much but was for the best, he was too unstable. I tried everything I could to cut ties, but I guess he eventually found me."

"Wow..." Sherlock said, leaning back. "So you always have attracted the crazies then?"

"Hey."

"No offense."

John raised his eyebrows.

"That's about the equivalent if I punched you in the face then said, 'just kidding'."

"You've done that, remember?"

"I have?"

"No, but the fact you didn't seem at all surprised worries me greatly."

John laughed, shaking his head. "Jesus, I was not at all surprised."

Sherlock chuckled.

"I never thought to ask, how is your leg doing? Any better?"

John set his lips in a straight line and gazed down at the cast on his leg.

"Not great, but not terrible either. It's healing, that's for sure."

"Well, that's a good sign then?" Sherlock asked.

"I'd say so. Actually, you know what?" John shifted in the chair, pulling his uninjured leg underneath the other. "I've been meaning to tell you this, and well, I don't know if there will ever be a right time so I guess now is the time. You've changed, these past few days. A lot."

"Really? How so?"

"Well, you're a lot more open for one, you seem to be a lot more... caring too-"

"I've always cared, John," Sherlock said suddenly. "Sorry, continue. I really do need to stop interrupting."

John chuckled. "I don't know, it's a bit difficult to explain. You just seem a lot more..."

"Human," Sherlock finished. John nodded slowly.

"I've surprised myself these past few days, I only solved one case in the midst of all this."

John tilted his head slightly. "Really? What case?"

"The case of John Watson, of course."

John laughed.

"What is difficult?"

"The most. I'm still working on it, in fact."

"What have you deduced so far? Probably the most troubling case you've seen, I assume."

Sherlock smiled, almost fondly in, a way.

"No such thing, John, no such thing."