[John clutches his head for a moment as Mary goes silent for his raised voice.]
I'm sorry. Mm... He doesn't need to deal with this. He's already put himself through too much for me. I can't let him... he'll offer to do it himself, you know he will.
[Mary stares at him sadly, tears filling her eyes.]
He's dying I can't... This isn't real. It'll work. It's not real.
I'm fine. Sorry. I was having a dream when I woke up.
[Something in him bristles, thinking of Pierce, thinking of a character from a movie who is not real, either. But John doesn't snarl or snap like he might have years ago when he was younger. For now. It takes a bit more to outwardly rile him.]
Not that I'm aware, no, but Sherlock's death price was the loss of his short term memory last time and it didn't seem like he'd lost anything to himself, either. Just double-checking.
[Okay, let's review the reasons not to do this, Mary insists, standing in front of John once more. I'm pretty sure that's five of them right off the top.]
Fine.
[John.]
I've already broken promises...
[Oh, do not start in on the self-pity, John Watson.]
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I've lost my supplies. I don't have anything medically valuable.
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[Probably tossed them out, Mary puts in snidely.
Honestly, it's not a bad theory. Stein had been about to do that when John had first met him in-person along with Ecks.]
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I'm out of food. Do you have anything?
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Only beer.
[Mary is very suddenly directly in front of him.
John, focus. Not home. Here.
The food isn't real here, but John does check his pack. It's a few minutes before he replies.]
Sorry, no. I have food. I don't have any beer.
[Although, he could really do with a drink right now.]
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I'm not bloody calling him!
[John clutches his head for a moment as Mary goes silent for his raised voice.]
I'm sorry. Mm... He doesn't need to deal with this. He's already put himself through too much for me. I can't let him... he'll offer to do it himself, you know he will.
[Mary stares at him sadly, tears filling her eyes.]
He's dying I can't... This isn't real. It'll work. It's not real.
I'm fine. Sorry. I was having a dream when I woke up.
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What's your death penalty?
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[That's what Sherlock said.
John goes to check through the rest of the conversation with Stein. Sure enough, he remembers writing everything there.]
Have I said that before?
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Is your memory faulty?
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Not that I'm aware, no, but Sherlock's death price was the loss of his short term memory last time and it didn't seem like he'd lost anything to himself, either. Just double-checking.
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Not particularly, but it is important if he doesn't have a loss.]
Al didn't have a loss the first time he came back.
[He thinks. Maybe. John vaguely recalls a conversation to that effect.
He was dead for weeks, John. You've been gone a few days.]
All right. If I do have one, suppose it might be easier to figure out talking to people.
When should I expect you at the aquarium?
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Fine.
[John.]
I've already broken promises...
[Oh, do not start in on the self-pity, John Watson.]