A/N Well here's my contribution to the Johnlock ship. There's going to be quite a bit of angst in later chapters so prepare yourselves!
The people spilled out of the corridor; Couples, families, business men and women, elderly people returning from an exotic trip. And the young man with the cane. They all laughed and pretended that they didn't noticed him but their brief whispers and hesitant looks made him glare darkly at the ground and continue his unbalanced walk to the atrium of the airport. He knew what they were thinking.
Broken. Soldier. Too young. Scarred. Shattered.
He set his shoulders and huffed as he picked up his small back pack from the baggage claim, his shoulder twinged, the ripped muscle complaining at his sudden activity. He winced and rubbed the aching wound lightly. The doctor had told him to stay in Kabul, let himself heal a little more before going back, but he hadn't listened, he needed to get his life together. And sitting in a hospital was not in the plans. The thunk of the cane on the ground preceded his own step all the way to the front doors of the airport.
A smirk graced his face as he saw the slushy rain and snow mixture that was falling from the English sky. Typical.
He spotted a row of benches off to the side and made his way over, letting out a contented sigh as he sat down all but chucking his bag on the ground. "JOHNNYYY!" He jolted up, his eyes widening and every nerve standing on edge, images of sand and blood taking the place of the shiny, clean airport. Arms closed around his body and he stiffened, blinking his eyes rapidly, ridding them of images of hell. His sister was holding him tightly.
"Hi, Harry."
She stood back, "Hi? HI? That's all you've got to say? Scared me and Clara half to death Johnny! Hiii..." she said sarcastically. Her face softened though and she pulled him back into her arms, "I missed you, John. When they called I was-I thought- I'm just glad you are okay."
His smile dropped off his face as he buried it into the comfort of her shoulder, he wouldn't tell her, she didn't need to know. He put the smile back on his face as she picked up his bag and led him to the car waiting outside. She helped him get situated and placed his bag on the seat next to him. He stared out the window, the scenery flashing by in an indistinguishable blur as she took him to the flat she and her girlfriend Clara shared in the center of London. He pulled the backpack over and started shuffling through the papers inside.
There, at the very bottom, sat his acceptance letter to university. The acceptance letter to his future.
Thank you for reading! Please leave reviews so I can improve my writing.