A snippet, because I haven't done one for ages...I'm still writing, I promise!

Abruptly, the Colonel seemed to register the presence of unknown parties. “Oh, hello, did you find the body? Colonel Ross, pleased to meet you.”

Since Sherlock didn’t appear inclined to either question or otherwise engage, John stepped forward. “Doctor John Watson. My colleague, Sherlock Holmes.”

“What, the fake detective?”

What happened next was completely instinctive. John didn’t realize he’d punched the man in the face until after he’d already done it. He stared incredulously at the previously neat little man before him who was now clutching his nose which was gushing blood. His glasses had been knocked off by the blow as well.

“Here now!” exclaimed Gregory.

“Oh god, I am so sorry!” John, again, acted instinctively in apologizing, but then what Ross had said penetrated and he shook his head. “No, hang on, I take it back. I’m not in the least sorry.”

Next to him Sherlock, who had already been fighting hard against laughter, was tipped over the edge by this bald declaration.

Ross was recovered enough by this point to have begun spluttering indignantly in John’s direction, still pinching his nose with his fingers which made it hard to determine if he was uttering actual words or not.

John, arms crossed across his chest and having put on his best mulish expression, did not look inclined to discuss the matter reasonably. As amusing as this had the potential of becoming, Sherlock decided to step in. It would be inconvenient to have to go into town because John had decided a night in jail was a fair price to pay for the chance to defend Sherlock’s reputation. He put a lid on his laughter accordingly.

“Colonel Ross,” Sherlock’s voice had gone silky smooth in order to soothe the injured man’s ruffled feathers. “I am very sorry, even if Doctor Watson is not. Do let me make up for it by locating your horse for you.”

Ross eyed him suspiciously. Sherlock could hardly blame him considering his acknowledged colleague had just (snicker) punched him in the face, so he smiled reassuringly. “I realize that the word of a man who has been condemned by the media so very thoroughly might not be worth much to you; but I do assure you, Colonel, that Silver Blaze will run in the race for the Wessex Cup next week, and he will do so solely due to my efforts.” John was glaring at him now, but he ignored him. “I hope this will make up for the indignity you’ve suffered at my partner’s hands.” The glare turned into an exasperated eye roll at Sherlock’s blatant over playing of his role.

Ross gingerly let go of his nose as he glared at John; the blood flow seemed to have stopped for the moment. He turned his attention back to Sherlock and frowned heavily. “I’ll accept any help you can offer for the sake of putting Straker’s murderer in prison. I want the case to be completely air tight, it’s the least I can do for his wife when he was killed trying to save my horse.”

“That is eminently sensible of you, Colonel,” Sherlock cooed. “Do give me leave to question your staff at King’s Pyland, if you please.”

“Yes, all right,” he responded somewhat grudgingly.

“Splendid, we’ll just take ourselves off, then. Good day to you, Colonel.” Sherlock had to haul a still glowering John a few yards before he deigned to move under his own power.

“Explain to me why we’re helping that tosser.”

Sherlock scolded, “Honestly, John, you can’t go around assaulting everyone who still associates my name with my lie.”

“Yes I can,” he insisted.

Sherlock regarded him fondly; he was striding along angrily now, his expression downright mutinous. The reality of the fact that his friend actually would go around punching people for him was endearing. “Well, you shouldn’t, rather. You’ll get a reputation, and then where will we be? I’ll have to apologize for you and wheedle to get you in places and I just don’t have the time to waste on that sort of nonsense, John.”

“What, you mean our roles would be completely reversed? I suppose my punching people would rather mirror your verbally assaulting them.”

A snippet, because I haven't done one for ages...I'm still writing, I promise!

Abruptly, the Colonel seemed to register the presence of unknown parties. “Oh, hello, did you find the body? Colonel Ross, pleased to meet you.”

Since Sherlock didn’t appear inclined to either question or otherwise engage, John stepped forward. “Doctor John Watson. My colleague, Sherlock Holmes.”

“What, the fake detective?”

What happened next was completely instinctive. John didn’t realize he’d punched the man in the face until after he’d already done it. He stared incredulously at the previously neat little man before him who was now clutching his nose which was gushing blood. His glasses had been knocked off by the blow as well.

“Here now!” exclaimed Gregory.

“Oh god, I am so sorry!” John, again, acted instinctively in apologizing, but then what Ross had said penetrated and he shook his head. “No, hang on, I take it back. I’m not in the least sorry.”

Next to him Sherlock, who had already been fighting hard against laughter, was tipped over the edge by this bald declaration.

Ross was recovered enough by this point to have begun spluttering indignantly in John’s direction, still pinching his nose with his fingers which made it hard to determine if he was uttering actual words or not.

John, arms crossed across his chest and having put on his best mulish expression, did not look inclined to discuss the matter reasonably. As amusing as this had the potential of becoming, Sherlock decided to step in. It would be inconvenient to have to go into town because John had decided a night in jail was a fair price to pay for the chance to defend Sherlock’s reputation. He put a lid on his laughter accordingly.

“Colonel Ross,” Sherlock’s voice had gone silky smooth in order to soothe the injured man’s ruffled feathers. “I am very sorry, even if Doctor Watson is not. Do let me make up for it by locating your horse for you.”

Ross eyed him suspiciously. Sherlock could hardly blame him considering his acknowledged colleague had just (snicker) punched him in the face, so he smiled reassuringly. “I realize that the word of a man who has been condemned by the media so very thoroughly might not be worth much to you; but I do assure you, Colonel, that Silver Blaze will run in the race for the Wessex Cup next week, and he will do so solely due to my efforts.” John was glaring at him now, but he ignored him. “I hope this will make up for the indignity you’ve suffered at my partner’s hands.” The glare turned into an exasperated eye roll at Sherlock’s blatant over playing of his role.

Ross gingerly let go of his nose as he glared at John; the blood flow seemed to have stopped for the moment. He turned his attention back to Sherlock and frowned heavily. “I’ll accept any help you can offer for the sake of putting Straker’s murderer in prison. I want the case to be completely air tight, it’s the least I can do for his wife when he was killed trying to save my horse.”

“That is eminently sensible of you, Colonel,” Sherlock cooed. “Do give me leave to question your staff at King’s Pyland, if you please.”

“Yes, all right,” he responded somewhat grudgingly.

“Splendid, we’ll just take ourselves off, then. Good day to you, Colonel.” Sherlock had to haul a still glowering John a few yards before he deigned to move under his own power.

“Explain to me why we’re helping that tosser.”

Sherlock scolded, “Honestly, John, you can’t go around assaulting everyone who still associates my name with my lie.”

“Yes I can,” he insisted.

Sherlock regarded him fondly; he was striding along angrily now, his expression downright mutinous. The reality of the fact that his friend actually would go around punching people for him was endearing. “Well, you shouldn’t, rather. You’ll get a reputation, and then where will we be? I’ll have to apologize for you and wheedle to get you in places and I just don’t have the time to waste on that sort of nonsense, John.”

“What, you mean our roles would be completely reversed? I suppose my punching people would rather mirror your verbally assaulting them.”