Chapter 2

"… yes. I think… I think I'm fine John."

John nearly collapses in relief. "Thank god!" he throws both arms around Sherlock.

The two look up from their crouched position on the floor and Lestrade and various other officers stand looking around clearly uncomfortable with them on the floor practically on top of each other.

"Er, you said there was an emergency?" Lestrade had only seen Sherlock crouched over and dry heaving when trying to quickly get a drug he ingested out of his system, something he didn't want to admit to John as it was years ago now anyway.

"Moriarty-" Sherlock rasped. "Should be fine now, but I think he got away. John," he stumbled to his feet, "Lets go home."

"We should really take you to a hospital-"

"I'm fine, like I said, the drug has never been tested on anything larger then a dog before, clearly the affects do not work on humans. Lets go." His last two words were very forceful.

John nodded and turned to Lestrade, "Thank you, I uh, I think I should get him home now."

Lestrade pressed his lips together in a thin line "Yea, he looks a bit paler then usual. I'll take it from here. There could be a way to track him back down." He knew there wasn't.

Just as John was locking the door of their flat Sherlock clutched at his stomach again and unwillingly let moans escape him.

"Sherlock?! You ok? God… it had a delayed affect…" John helped the detective stumble to the couch where they both sat, John tried to hide his watering eyes as he rubbed circles with his hand onto Sherlock's back and whispered what he thought might be soothing words.

"John- don't let me forget." His voice was small and terrified.

"You've always been a genius, you wont forget anything important and you can always relearn it." he knew lying was no use, but this might comfort him.

"No… not just facts… You. Us. Don't let me forget this." Sherlock pulled John closer by grabbing onto his jacket and looked deep into his eyes.

John gulped, "I'll do my best."

A loud gasp escaped Sherlock's mouth and he thrust his eyes shut. It felt as if every fiber of his being was being ripped apart and reconstructed, bones melting and muscles tearing. He clenched his teeth together so hard he thought he might crack them. Sensing his fear John pulled Sherlock so close that he was now seated on his lap and wrapped his arms around the taller man. John wasn't willing to let go emotionally or physically.

"John…. ah… it… it hurts…" Sherlock buried his face into the crook of John's neck.

"Shh, shh, it's going to be ok."

Sherlock pulled away to look in John's eyes for reassurance again, he could see the worry all over his face. He knew John would stay by his side no matter what, even if he was reduced to infantile memory. The thought was disturbing. He wouldn't even be aware of what was going on around him, but even if he was so mentally regressed he had to be spoon fed, bathed, and watched at all hours of the day, John would be there taking care of him. Sherlock knew it wasn't fair, he would rather be dead then leave John to that fate.

"It's ok Lock, I'm here." John whispered and took the detective's hand in his as his thumb rubbed the side of the thin elegant hand in what could only be called a loving manner.

Sherlock let out a loud shriek of pain and thrust his head forward back to the crook of John's neck. The doctor could feel his shoulder wetten from Sherlock's watering eyes. John didn't let go of the long thin hand but with his other arms he held onto Sherlock's back encouraging their closeness. It occurred to him that they had never been so physically close before, bodies practically melding into one another. Sherlock's hand tightened against John's fiercely before a peculiar sensation took over. Both men instantly pulled back and looked at Sherlock's hand, now just smaller enough to notice. John broke his trance on the hand first and took all of his flatmate in at once noticing how his normally tailored fit clothing were baggy on him now. Not just baggy, but increasingly becoming more so.

"Sh-sherlock? You… you're shrinking…" John didn't believe what he was seeing or even his own words.

"It only been tested on… rats and dogs…" his mind raced "Both of which have a very short adolescence." He looked up into John's confused expression. "They didn't degress just mentally… but also physically, no one noticed because they both age so quickly unlike humans…"

"You can't mean…" John could feel the weight of Sherlock on his lap becoming less and less, Sherlock's face looking younger and younger. The truth was blatant. Sherlock was rapidly becoming younger. "Sherlock! Look at me." He had never been so serious in his life "You have to hold on to your memory, do you understand?" The detective nodded. "We can find a way to bring you back, but you have to keep remembering who you are, your life… me…" John bit his lower lip. He wasn't sure if Sherlock would mentally digress at the same time his body did or not, it could already be too late. He lowered his head in defeat and felt the small body of his best friend lean again his chest. John slowly brought his hand up to stroke the soft black curls. This didn't change things, he would still be here, he would still help Sherlock get back to normal.

Twenty minutes passed in silence as Sherlock sat on John's lap face firmly pressed into stomach. John could feel the steady rhythm of his friend's breathing pattern, he was pretty sure Sherlock had fallen asleep. He placed his hands on the tiny shoulders hidden inside the massive button up shirt.

"Hey there, you asleep?" his voice was soft.

Sherlock rubbed one eye with his hand and slowly opened the other one. "No."

John nearly smiled at the obvious and strangely adorable lie, but he knew what he had to ask next and it broke his heart to do so. "Do you know who I am?"