Disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. This fic is set during the episode the Doomsday Men. It contains spoilers for that episode.
It was after midnight and TIM had dimmed the lights in the lab, Elizabeth had gone home and John was supposed to be asleep. He wasn't however, he had tried and was now pacing in the lab. His mind wouldn't settle, he thrust his hands deep into his dressing gown pockets as he wandered in circles. He was worried, Stephen was in danger and it was all his fault.
Was there anyway to justify putting a fifteen year old in danger? John shook his head sadly and slumped on to the sofa. It would be easy to enough to reach out with his mind and check that Stephen was still alive, but he deserved better than that. The boy, and for all his bravery that's what Stephen was, had come back here scared and cold, and rather than be sympathetic John had told him off. He winced as he remembered citing the importance of the mission. The Mission… He owed Stephen a proper apology before he could justify salving his conscience. He hadn't even given Stephen a chance to warm up before making him go back to the school. Stephen was the only one of them who could go undercover at Glenbrook but there was real danger in what he had sent Stephen to do quite aside from the Doomsday Men he was investigating he was apparently also at risk from schoolboy pranks. Not that tying someone up and dumping them outside at night, in January, in Scotland was his idea of a joke. It could be fatal.
Stephen should be able to jaunt to safety before he died of hypothermia, unless be passed out first. John had also given Stephen orders not to come back here. John sighed. Simply because he had been the first member of Homo Superior to break out and survive he was now in charge. Being in charge meant that it fell to him to send his friends into danger.
John gazed round the lab, Stephen was in danger and there was nothing he could do but wait. John sighed again, it was his 18th birthday today and he was going to spend it worrying about Stephen. John got to his feet and started to pace again.
There was no way he would be able to sleep, and he decided not to bother trying again. Instead he wandered into his workshop where he picked up a few bits and pieces off the workbench, then he dropped them again. Finally he sank into a chair and started to sort out his connectors. It wasn't a job that desperately needed doing, in fact it probably didn't even need to be done at all; it was simply a way to fill the time. He knew he would have to apologise to Stephen but he would have to wait until Stephen chose to call him. He just hoped nothing happened to Stephen before then.
John sighed again, his birthdays recently hadn't been that much fun. He had spent a large part of his fifteenth birthday in bed with what he had assumed at was just a bad migraine but had turned out to be the early stages of his breakout. His sixteenth birthday had been spent dealing with Kenny's breakout, then dealing with Kenny's parents and finally explaining to his own parents why he had missed a family dinner. His seventeenth birthday had been spent worrying that the Earth was about to be destroyed. In fact he hadn't even remembered that it was his birthday. He wouldn't have remembered today except that Stephen had asked him a couple of days ago. John had noted the hurried silences and guessed Stephen was planning something although it wasn't likely to happen now with Stephen in Scotland and on a mission.
"John?" It was Stephen calling him by telepathy. He sounded tired but then it was nearly 2am , John felt the relief flood through him. If he got nothing else for his birthday this year, Stephen safe was gift enough.
"I'm here", he replied.
"I'm off the fire escape now, our prefect's just back from a meeting. Whatever's going on here he's in the middle of it, as well as the two people who I saw talking while I was outside. I laid it on thick with the 'true bravery is being scared but doing what you've got to do anyway' thing. I think I am finally getting somewhere." John nodded slowly, knowing Stephen could pick up on the action.
"I'm sorry for earlier. I didn't mean to yell at you I was just worried, I didn't count on school boy pranks as well as the Doomsday Men." Stephen nodded.
"I shouldn't have risked coming back. I could have been seen. Anyway I'd better try to get some sleep we have to run round the rugby pitch before breakfast. Thank-you for worrying." John let more of his relief filter into his thoughts.
"What are friends for? I only wish there was more I could do." Stephen broke their connection. John looked at the ceiling it was now a choice between trying to get a few hours sleep and being awake if Stephen needed him. Of course TIM could wake him even if the telepathic message didn't, but it was better if he was awake and alert. He wandered back into the main room of the lab.
"TIM. Could I have some coffee please?" The lights in the lab came up as John entered. The requested drink appeared but TIM knew better than to prod when John was pushing himself like this so he didn't say anything. John picked up the large mug of strong coffee TIM had produced. "Thanks TIM".
"You are welcome John I will be continuing to collate information on the Doomsday Men, and on the boys at Glenbrook particularly those Stephen is in a class with or shares a dormitory with if you need anything". John nodded.
"Thank-you again TIM." He took a sip of the hot coffee and wandered back into his workshop, it was going to be a long day.