Chapter 1 – A warrior has no honor in his own country
"Hurry, He's getting away!" Sherlock yelled as he ran beneath the bridge toward the maze of shipping containers. Sherlock always outpaced John in chases like this. His long legs and his unfailing sense of direction made him difficult to keep up with. A half dozen of Lestrade's policemen outran John following Sherlock into the fenced-in yard. They rushed into the poorly-lit area flashlights bouncing as they ran.
John slowed his steps until he stood alone in the dark tunnel-like entrance. He wasn't going to solve this by running after every sound or movement. He had to use his brain. The place was fenced-in. Likely Lestrade's police cars had blocked the other exit. If it were him, he would try to double back and escape the way he came. That meant this tunnel. This entrance would be where the criminal would most likely try to escape. John moved to the side of the bridge, hid behind a column and waited.
Sooner than he expected, he heard the tip, tip, tip, sound of footsteps running through the puddles of water that had gathered under the bridge. He was coming. John leaped out as he passed, downing the man and pulling his hands behind his back.
He was a wide man, wider than John and more muscled, but John had a knee in his back and he used his belt to tie the man's wrists together as he held him cheek down on the pavement. He pulled out his phone and texted Sherlock that he had him under the bridge.
"Hey, you ain't no cop!" He said. "Let me go. Who are you anyway?"
"I'm just a concerned citizen." John said, "Who wants to get people like you off of the streets."
"Why you want to do that? " He asked, "I got friends. I got money. You let me go and I'll set you up. Make you comfortable. Just let me go."
"I'm sorry. I'm just not interested in a promise from a criminal."
"Listen. You let me go right now, or when I get out, I will hunt you down and kill you. What do you say about that?"
"I say that I liked your first offer better, but it doesn't matter because, I'm not going to let you go."
Just then Sherlock and a pair of officers approached through the tunnel as Lestrade drove up in his car.
"Is this him?" Lestrade said.
"Yes. The assailant in the triple robbery." Sherlock noted, "Good Job John."
"Yes excellent work Dr. Watson." Lestrade commented, "You took him down all by yourself? Very good."
"Doctor Watson... Doctor John Watson. I'll remember that name." The criminal said as they pulled him to his feet. "You're a dead man Dr. John Watson. A dead man!"
"Get him out of here." Lestrade said patting John on the shoulder. He left with a host of police cars following in his wake.
John bent over hands on knees and breathed heavily. "Well that was a bit of work." He said smiling.
"Yes, excellent job John." Sherlock said, "To think of him doubling back. I considered it of course. Told some of Lestrade's men to wait at the corner, but you got him first. Good for you."
"Oh, Glad you appreciated the thinking. There's a whole lot of aching to be appreciated too." John said.
"You could come back home and have a hot bath if that would relax you." Sherlock said seductively.
"I can't." John said, "I have work tomorrow. I've got to get home."
"John, when are you going to admit that your marriage is Mary is a sham? You know the truth. Come back and live with me." Sherlock implored.
"I...I.. now is not the time." John said.
"Then when?" Sherlock asked, his eyes staring down at John, pinning him with his gaze. Those eyes that always filled him with such emotion. He tore himself away and rushed off flagging down the first taxi that he saw pass.
He opened the door to his flat. Mary walked out from the bedroom in a lavender dressing gown. She had obviously been waiting. "Hello John. I wasn't sure if you were coming home." Mary said.
"You wouldn't guess what I was doing." John started excitedly. "The man responsible for the triple robbery. We caught him. We were in this shipping yard...
"Was Sherlock there?"
"Of course Sherlock was there." John said, "I tackled the man and single-handedly brought him down."
"Did you go back to Sherlock's afterwards?" Mary asked.
"Sorry?" John said.
"Because I notice that you aren't wearing your belt."
John dropped his hands and looked at her with a completely exhausted expression. "Not you too. I've just been wrestling with a robber under a bridge and all that you're concerned with is whether I went to Sherlock's afterward. I tied his hands with my belt. I'm sure I can call Lestrade and get it back tomorrow."
"You know that that's not what I'm asking about." Mary said.
John threw his coat on the couch and walked toward the hallway, "I can't talk about this now. I'm going to bed."
"We have to talk about this." Mary said.
"Tomorrow."John replied, "After work tomorrow." and he closed the bedroom door.
"Just remember" John said to the patient, "Take these every morning."
"So will I come back next week for the results?" The patient asked clutching the pills to his chest.
"No. This wing of the hospital is being remodeled, the clinic will be closed for two weeks, but you can call the nurses station for your results in two days or so."
"Thank you Doctor Watson." He said smiling and left the office.
"Any more?" John asked.
"No that's it." Alice said.
"Good. Make sure that the file drawers are locked before you leave. They may need to move things and we want the records to remain secure."
"Yes Doctor." Alice said.
"Then...I guess I'm off."
"Have a nice two weeks vacation Doctor." Alice smiled and turned away beginning to shut down her computer.
John went into his office and gathered his things. He put on his coat and looked around one more time before locking it. Downstairs he bought a cup of tea and a magazine, then he walked out of the hospital around the corner and down into the underground. He sat on his favorite bench and pretended to read the magazine as he thought.
So this is it. Time to decide. Should I tell Sherlock to ease off and make up with Mary, or should I leave her and move back in with Sherlock. Both choices are terrible. But a choice must be made. I can't stand it anymore. There are cracks in my heart, cracks in theirs as well. I can't stand to watch them in pain. Not people that I love. It hurts me whenever Sherlock looks at me with those eyes. Longing, and hurt. Too much hurt. But Mary is no better. It can't go on. Nothing had been the same since last Christmas. Both Sherlock and Mary have been nothing but open wounds.
John turned the pages of the magazine without seeing them. He looked up as the train entered the station and ignored it.
Mary is my wife. When Sherlock had died...gone, Mary was the person who pieced me back together. Together we built a new John, a whole John, a stable John. Mary is truly one of the sweetest and kindest people that I have ever known. To hurt her would be unthinkable.
Yet Sherlock, Oh God Sherlock! How can I ever deny him anything. He is the most amazing man that I have ever met, that I am ever likely to meet. He is ...the most fascinating man in the world. His brain, his body, everything about him is exciting. Living with him, has given me the best and the worst experiences of my life. He makes me feel alive. Life without Sherlock is impossible.
So, do I chose the unthinkable or the impossible?
John looked up and watched a second train arrive. He sipped his tea. It was cold.
"What will I say? I'm sorry, but I've decided that I don't want to be with you anymore. I ..." His throat clenched. He dropped the newspaper and lifted his hand to his face. He heard rather than saw the second train pass him by.
It was too much, he couldn't do any of this. He couldn't see Sherlock. He couldn't go home. There was only one place left to go. Only one person that he could fall back on. John tossed the magazine and the tea in the trash can and walked back up the steps out of the underground.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
The sound of loud voices and music filtered through the door.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Footsteps and chatter and then the door opened to reveal a woman: Big shouldered, red hair (dyed), nose ring, pierced lip, and a shocked expression.
"Hello Harry" John said.
"Well, if it isn't my brother John. What brings you to my doorstep this time of night?" She asked.
John stood up straight almost as if he was at attention and licked his lips nervously before he said. "I've come to evoke the runaway pact."
