"I... I would appreciate that," Watson said, more touched than he would have thought possible. He even smiled a little. "I would enjoy it. As long as I'm not putting you out by that."

For the first time since returning to England, he felt a little less alone. He hoped -- suspected, really -- that the offer was genuine, but he had dearly needed the reminder that he did still have friends in the world, and Holmes's godchild, too. It had been a good thing he hadn't thrown himself over the cliff, after all. He just had to find new things to live for.

Bloody hell, he hoped he wasn't supposed to interpret this as divine judgement.