Take Us Back.
"It was just a parlour trick, John. I'm not who you thought I was." Sherlock stared down from St Bartholomew's hospital roof at his best friend John, who (he could even see from this distance) had sadness and disbelief in his eyes. "Sherlock, stop it now. I'm coming up there!" Sherlock quickly shot that idea down fast. "No! Stay right there. Don't move." The next few moments simply blurred together for John. His best friend was talking to him, he could hear his voice so clearly and then John saw that Sherlock wasn't the only one on the roof. Another instantly recognizable figure tapped him on the shoulder and took his place. Greg put the phone to his ear, keeping his gaze fixed on John. "I'm sorry, John. This is the only way to make sure you stay safe." John had a river of tears falling from his eyes, hearing the pain in the other man's voice. "Greg, I don't want to be left here without you. You're the only thing I have left. The only person I love. Please don't do this." Greg shuddered, tears escaping him now. "I'll always love you John. In every life. Now and foreve-" Before Greg could complete the sentence, Moriarty took the phone away and merely said, "Toodles Dr Watson. I believe you need a patient to treat. Have fun." In one motion, he pushed Greg harshly over the edge and John was only aware of his own screaming as his love fell to the street below!
"Noooooooooooo!" John bolted upright on the couch, lost in the nightmare. Greg quickly bolted in from the kitchen, only in pyjama bottoms and took John's face into his hands gently. Without saying anything, he simply put his forehead to John's and stroked the other man's hair soothingly. When John's breathing calmed, Greg released his face and stared into those orb-like eyes which held a barely noticeable sheen of tears. Without any words needed, Greg captured John into a much more powerful hug then the previous night, filled with affection and emotion. He spoke quietly. "Do you want to talk about it?" John shook his head against Greg's neck, sniffing lightly. Greg spoke again, to make sure John was calm. "My mother used to have horrible night terrors when I was a boy. She taught me that the only proper way I could keep her calm was to put our foreheads together and gently stroke her hair. It always worked." John pulled back slightly to look at Greg. "I don't mean to be a burden to you. Would you like me to leave?" Greg stared at him sadly. "No. You stay here as long as you want. My place can be a second home to you." John smiled, wiping his eyes. "Thanks Greg. It means a lot. Truly."
After they parted on the couch, Greg put together a tray of tea and biscuits to eat outside. John noticed that Greg popped out a different door, parallel to the front. Curiously he followed. Once he walked through the doorway, his nose picked up the beautiful scent of freshly watered flowers. He entered a covered over terrace with vines hanging down, giving the illusion of walking through a jungle. When he finally reached the balcony, unbeknownst to anyone walking by in the street, each building came together in a perfect square shape with a gigantic garden. Fruits, vegetables with beautiful flowers and greenery obscuring the buildings that were coloured in particular shades of paint, perfectly matching the plants. John stared in wonder at this hidden paradise, breathing in the freshness and peace. At the very centre of the square sat a circular stone fountain where Greg had almost finished setting up the tea and biscuits in a natural field of sunflowers. As John began striding through the stone path that led to Greg, he could now make out statues densely hidden by the greenery. One was of a faun playing the panpipes with his eyes closed. "The Labyrinth of Pan", John thought with a smile. To his right was an angel whose face was covered by its own hands, as if it were weeping. "I feel like I've seen that somewhere before", John thought. As he moved closer to the fountain, John found himself focusing heavily on Greg's remarkable figure. The contour of his bare muscles were highlighted gracefully by the tiny rivulets of water that made him shine like a light under the glow of the sun. Not one for startling people, John cleared his throat and when Greg turned around, his breath was caught. The other man had drops of water dripping from his silver hair, down his chest and slightly dampening the blue and purple pyjama bottoms he still had on. Greg gestured to the garden, sweeping his arms grandly. "It's a gorgeous place, isn't it? I come out here every day to relax and enjoy the peace and quiet. Listen, you can't hear the cars, can you?" John closed his eyes. All that could be heard was the splashing of the water in the fountain.
Once they had sat down amongst the sunflowers, both men drank their tea and talked about almost every topic imaginable. From favourite T.V. shows to what kind of music each loved. Greg was very proud about his kind of music. "I adore a lot of the great guitarists. Ummm, Eric Clapton of course, Jimmy Page, George Harrison. But I do love soft tunes as well. How about you?" John sipped his tea, thinking carefully. "I am a massive fan of folk music. Anything Celtic, like Enya. Pirate or tavern shanties are great too. If I get some time to listen to them, that is." After several minutes in comfortable silence, John finally decided to confide in Greg about the night terror. Greg listened intently, making sure John didn't feel rushed or on display. John discreetly left out him saying he loved Greg in the dream, but relayed everything else stoically. Once John finished, Greg moved slightly closer, looking into John's eyes deeply. "That is never going to happen, John. I'm not going anywhere, because I can tell you really need a friend. Someone to talk to, someone who'll listen..." He leaned in closer, his eyes never leaving John's. Both men licked their lips nervously. Greg tentatively cupped John's cheek into his right hand. The other man leaned into the touch with a contented sigh. "You want someone to love you with all their heart, and who you can give your love to. I think I want that person to be me." With that, he closed the gap between them and kissed John tenderly, unsure whether the moisture rolling down his face was the spray of the fountain or tears that for once were of happiness, not despair.
"I want to stand with you on a mountain, I want to bathe with you in the sea. I want to lay like this forever, until the sky falls down on me." Truly Madly Deeply by Savage Garden.
Author's note: Wow! This chapter was really emotional. I hope you all enjoyed. Feel free to comment, favourite or follow. Thanks again to Bluemisery for your lovely reviews. Keep having great days and love life. :)