Title: Five Mornings
Fandom: Sherlock Holmes (ACD)
Rating: G
Length: 500 words
Summary: Five drabbles about Watson's memorable morning afters

The morning after I moved into 221B Baker Street I woke with a start.  I was confused and struggled to work out where I was.  Initially I thought I might be back in a convalescent home, but there wasn’t the bustle I would have associated with that location.  And then I remembered.  I had found someone who had been looking to share his rooms and for some reason decided I would be the ideal companion.  I still wasn’t sure of that, but very determined that I would not let him down.  I hoped over time we might even become friends.

The morning after Holmes’ death at the Reichenbach Falls, I forced myself to go down to the dining room.  I could not eat any breakfast, although the waiter said they could provide anything I would like.  I scarcely managed to drink a cup of coffee.  There were formalities to be completed, after which I would pack and return to London.  The maid offered to pack Holmes’ bags for me, but I declined the offer, preferring to do so by myself.  It would be the last service I could perform for the man who had grown to become my dearest friend.

The morning after Mary’s death I felt as though my whole world had collapsed.  She had supported me through the worst of my grief at Holmes’ death, but soon she too had begun to fade.  I had done all I could for her until the moment when she died in my arms.  I had spent a sleepless night and once more was unable to eat any of the breakfast Jenny, our young maid, had prepared for me.  I would have declined the cup of tea she poured as well, but I could not add more misery to her tear-stained face.

The morning after Holmes’ return when I woke in my old room, I again experienced a sense of confusion, this time more powerful than when I had first moved in.  I found it hard to reconcile the events of the previous day with the past three years.  It was with some trepidation I made my way down, half expecting it all to have been a wishful dream.  However, I found Mrs Hudson cheerfully rattling coffee cups and she greeted me warmly as she poured my coffee.  Holmes was there and his ‘Come, let us breakfast’ was a delight to hear.

The morning after Holmes and I moved to our cottage in Sussex I woke to the sound of birds singing and bees buzzing.  When I opened my eyes, I saw Holmes had opened the curtains and was leaning out of the window breathing in the fresh country air.  I felt as though I should leap out of bed and make the most of this brand new day, but I knew there would be plenty of such days to come and that there was no need to rush into this one.  I stayed where I was delighting in our new life.