Small sequel to There is still nightmares.

First chap now beta by LozzaBlueBell x

Thank you x

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'He's been gone too long,' was the only thought that entered the detective's mind. Sherlock scanned the opposite chair, eagerly waiting for its owner to come back.

Was this what John felt when he had been away? No; John thought he was dead. He never actually waited for his friend to come back.

But it was similar. The waiting.

Sherlock closed his eyes, raised his bow and let the music, full of sadness, fill the air.

Downstairs, Mrs Hudson listened, her eyes wandering to the picture of herself, John and Sherlock smiling together. It was taken just before he'd left. Younger days, it felt.

Her finger taped John's head.

"Hurry, my boy, or he will come after you."

She heard the outer door open, and she rose and hurried to see what it was – or who it was. Oh, she hoped. Hoped so much.

Mycroft.

One glance and Mrs Hudson knew.

She followed the silent man up the stairs, to the flat, but she couldn't step inside.

Bad news.

The music stopped.

There was a long silence, where Mycroft tried to find some words, but couldn't.

"No..." Sherlock whispered, and Mrs Hudson leaned heavily on the door frame and felt the tears slowly trail down her pale face.

"I'm sorry, Sherlock."

"He promised... He promised that he would come back." His voice was broken. So broken that it hurt to listen.

"There was an attack. Everyone was killed. Everybody was... burned." Mycroft tried to stay strong, only for his brother's sake.

At the same time as Mrs Hudson, who started to cry openly, Sherlock slumped to his knees and wanted to cry with her. He couldn't breathe though, let alone cry.

"Sherlock, calm down," Mycroft's distant voice tried to tell him. "You have to breathe. Sherlock!"

But he couldn't.

His mind screamed, but he couldn't breathe.

"J–ohn..." he begged, before the darkness engulfed him.