Heartwarming / Holidays with Holmes

• "May Day": Watson comes to visit the retired Holmes at his bee farm.
  • Holmes and Watson exchanging fond goodbyes at the end of the visit.
  • When Watson returns to London, he finds a note from Holmes, telling him that he shouldn't feel any concern about Stackhurst taking over his place, because "anyone's company pales in comparison to my staunch old biographer's." He then tells Watson to come again soon, because he is truly lost without his Boswell.
• "Mother's Day": Watson and Mrs. Hudson have a chat after the doctor cares for her burned hand. The next day, Mother's Day, Mrs. Hudson finds a bouquet of flowers and a note from Watson, advising her to rest and saying that he wants her to enjoy the honors bestowed on mothers today.
• "Father's Day":
  • Watson taking care of Alfie when he finds him sniffling on the steps of 221 Baker Street.
  • The next day, Watson is suffering the combined effects of a cold and Holmes' insensitivity. However, midway through the day, Mrs. Hudson delivers a tray and a letter. Upon reading it, Watson sees it's from Alfie, a "Thank you and Happy Father's Day" letter. Even Holmes temporarily softens up to tell him he's done well.
• "Christmas": Mycroft summons Watson one Christmas Eve and, given that Holmes has been assigned some secret work overseas for the war effort, he fears the worst. Actually, though, Mycroft just knew that his younger brother and Watson missed talking to each other and decided to surprise them with the chance to have a long conversation over the secure line in his office. The gesture even causes Sherlock to call Mycroft a genius.
• "New Year's":
  • Watson's absolute adoration of the bulldog puppy lent him by the young son of Holmes' client.
  • Watson and Holmes have both ended up with some injuries from the case, with Watson's only being non-fatal thanks to Holmes' quick action. The detective snappishly asks him why he didn't take more care. Watson, correctly diagnosing this as Anger Born of Worry, calms down Holmes and thanks him for breaking his fall.
    Watson: For that choice...I thank you. For a moment there, I truly thought it was all over.
    Holmes: So did I, Watson.
  • Watson wakes up from a nightmare to see Holmes asleep in the chair by his bedside, the puppy curled up in his lap. He credits the image with giving him restful sleep the remainder of the night.
• "Happy Birthday": Holmes and Mrs. Hudson hatch a conspiracy to give Watson a chance to sleep in and a birthday lunch, making him feel at home for the first time since his return to London.
• "Valentine's Day": While Holmes and Watson are discussing the topic of marriage, Watson asks his decidedly aromantic friend if he thinks it would hurt to let himself feel some kind of love in the interest of improving his life. After an attempt to define love, Watson asks if he answered Holmes' earlier question about why he was so interested in Holmes' happiness. The detective says he definitely did, and asks if he answered Watson's question:
  Watson turned from the window to see the detective leaning with one elbow upon the mantel and his head tilted into the palm of his hand, staring moodily at the now-sheathed and cleaned dagger that they had taken from their murderess.
  The one responsible for causing the deep, stitched wound along Holmes' left palm, when he had made a frantic grab tonight to keep the knife from reaching his friend and chronicler's unprotected back.
  "I am not quite certain now why I even asked," Watson replied softly, and despite the dim evening light, Holmes could tell that even his eyes were smiling.