Watson's expression softened a little. "Thank you," he said quietly. "I appreciate that. I realise he wasn't... he wasn't exactly the most open book, but..." He shook his head. "I wouldn't have had him any other way."

It was too easy to fall into regret, to wish he had not been so reluctant about their affair in the first place, to wish he hadn't abandoned him like he did, to wish he had never had all those secret fears and condemnations that Holmes was somehow corrupting him. It was better not to think of that, far better.

"I'm not sorry," he said, smiling a little, "for the trick we played on you and Mary."