This story is special. It combines sort of real events and two fictional characters. It's actually kind of difficult to explain. *sheepish* Maybe I should have said it combines Holmes and Watson with 1980's Granada Sherlock Holmes which, I highly recommend. The TV series includes The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Return of Sherlock Holmes series, The Case- Book of Sherlock Holmes, and The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes. Their lead actor, Jeremy Brett, is Holmes to a lot of people, myself included. He played the character to very near perfection. He, also, had two actors to play his Watson.
The first actor was David Burke and the second actor was Edward Hardwicke. David had left the show after filming The Adventures and recommended Edward. Edward played Watson until the end. He was a very good post- Richenbach Watson. While David was a very good pre- Richanbach Watson. These are the three men who actually made their respective roles. I actually owe them a lot. If it weren't for them, I wouldn't have been interested in Holmes at all. I actually tried to read A Scandel in Bohemia and I dozed off. *blush* Oops.
Anyway, back to the story, I combined Holmes, Watson, Jeremy, David, and Edward (not at the same time for the latter two. ;D) for a challeng a very good friend of mine issued in one of her stories. This is, actually, the second call. It's the prequel to the first one I wrote called
Kicking the Habit, which takes place during The Return. This one jumps sometimes, but no fear I have indicated when it jumps. ;)
One more thing, if you are curious s to these three actors, then I recommend going to your local library and getting one of the series I stated above, or watching them on Youtube. The episodes are only an hour, but they feel like thirty minutes. I suggest starting with A Scandal in Bohemia. :D I hope you enjoy! :)
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Contacts
The first day of a week of dress rehearsal for A Scandal in Bohemia.
"I'm not wearing them," Holmes protested, the latest protest in a long line of protest.
"Mr. Holmes, please, if you do not wear them, then the audience will know that there are two different actors."
Holmes glare up at the young make up girl defiantly. "I will not change my physical appearance to suit a very unobservant public."
The girl sighed. She looked around, caught Watson's eye and shot him a pleading look. Watson took pity on the girl and came to help her.
A week ago, the studio had hired an actor, who looked an awful lot like Holmes himself, but there were noticeable differences. One of those differences were that the actor had green eyes, while Holmes had grey. Hence the torture the studio decided to put him through. Contact lenses. Colored contact lenses. Holmes, of course protested.
"Holmes," Watson said, with a slight smile on his face, "did you know that if you don't wear the contacts, Mr. Brett will do the entire episode?"
Holmes glared at Watson, then reluctantly, more like resentfully, nodded his consent.
Very much relived, the make up artist told him how to put them in and how to take them out. With one last glare at the offending lenses, Holmes put them in.
That same day, after rehearsal.
With a grateful sigh, Holmes removed the lenses and rubbed his eyes vigorously.
"Bloody sponges," Holmes groaned.
"Here," a deep voice said beside him. "You'll need this."
Homes lowered his hand and took the small plastic bottle. He glanced at the man who had offered it to him. "What is it?"
"Eye drops It helps produce moisture in your eyes, in other words, artificial tears," Brett explained.
Holmes applied the drops to his dry eyes. His movements showed his immediate relief. "Thank you," he said, handing the bottle back to the other man.
"You don't like me much, do you?" Jeremy asked, accepting the bottle.
Holmes raised his eyebrow. "You know this, how?"
Jeremy pocketed the eye drops and withdrew a cigarette, but didn't light it. "Mainly your mannerisms. You're slightly more formal with me than the other cast and crew."
Holmes inclined his head slightly. "Hum, well done, Brett. I see you can think slightly better than the others."
Pleasant surprise passed over Jeremy's face. "High praise, indeed," he murmured. He flashed a smile, then left, lighting the cigarette as he went.
A week later. The first day of filming.
"Watson, if you force me to wear those cursed things again for another week, I swear I will kill you," Holmes growled.
Jeremy, who was leaning against the make up table, laughed. "Oh, yes, now I can see the headlines now: 'Legandary Detective Kills Doctor.' That will get you attention!"
Holmes glared at Jeremy, who looked back innocently. Watson chuckled.
"Okay, children," David said. He had come up just in time to hear Jeremy's comment, and was barely succeeding in holding back a grin. "Holmes, if you don't want to do all the scenes, then Jeremy could stand in." He glanced at Jeremy.
On cue, Jeremy became stiff and his eyes, now devoid of mirth, became inscrutable, and his face was the familiar indifferent mask. "I can, after all, be a convincing you," he intoned, then became himself again, grinning at David's and Watson's stares.
Even though the four of them had spent an entire week rehearsing
A Scandal in Bohemia, Watson and David were still amazed at Jeremy's ability to drop his own personality and take on Holmes's at the drop of a hat. Holmes, however, was indifferent.
Holmes nodded. "Gladly, if it means not putting those leeches on my eyes again."
A delighted look lit Jeremy's eyes. Holmes's glare intensified, but Jeremy ignored him. Watson shook his head and muttered something about children under his breath. Then he looked at Jeremy and said, "You'd better get ready, they'll be filming in an hour, at least."
Jeremy pushed off the table and headed toward Wardrobe Department. Holmes watched him go, still glaring at the actor's back. "He's too cheerful."
David snorted a laugh and Watson raised an eyebrow. "That's you, Holmes, when you've got a case," he motioned for David to follow him. "You two are more alike than you think."
With that, Watson left, with David following him.
When they were out of ear shot, David looked at Watson and asked, "Do you think they will become friends?"
"They already are. More like irritating brothers, even if they don't recognize it themselves," Watson said, matter- of- fact.
End
