*I am SO sorry for how long it has been since I updated. I feel terrible! Now that I am finished with classes for the summer I will hopefully do better about updating. Again I am sorry and I hope you enjoy the next chapters to come.
Dinner consisted of baked beans. People milled around before settling down. Most stuck close to the rest but a few wandered off to their own areas. There were several places where solar lanterns had been set up giving off a dim, steady light with chairs surrounding them resembling a camp fire setting.
Sherlock didn't take food and sat waiting impatiently as everyone settled in. He sat back in one of the chairs with John lounging beside him. The doctor didn't take any food as they waited.
There were a dozen people and Sherlock was surprised that he knew some of them. There was Garth? Lestrade, a detective inspector for the New Scotland Yard who sometimes came to Sherlock for help on cases, there was I don't know your name Anderson. Sherlock shuddered; Anderson was an imbecilic not even worth the air he was breathing, and Molly Hooper. Molly was a shy, timid girl, who worked in the morgue and let Sherlock study the cadavers that came in.
A small touch on his shoulder drew Sherlock from his musing. Glancing over he noted John gripping his arm lightly. The doctor smiled but there was concern in his eyes. "Are you alright?" He asked.
Sherlock held back the surprise that was threatening to overwhelm him. John's deep concern for him was new to Sherlock. Not many people stuck around long enough to have any attachment or interest in Sherlock other than his brother of course but that was unwelcomed. The doctor's depth in his emotions was a refreshing wave and Sherlock felt himself drawn closer to the man.
Clearing his throat and giving his own small smile Sherlock replied; "I am fine." John's smile widened and he squeezed Sherlock's arm, the worry in his eyes did lessen but he seemed satisfied as his arm dropped away from the tall man. Sherlock missed the warmth of the doctor's hand the moment it was gone.
"It's a miracle to see you again Sherlock." Molly whispered from nearby.
He looked to her, glad to see she seemed whole and unhurt with her lengthy brown hair obscuring her face and her kind brown eyes looking at him in adoration.
"If I hadn't rescued the good doctor here I doubt you would have." Sherlock told her.
John snorted and hit him in the shoulder. "Rescued me? I was doing just fine before you showed up."
"If almost being cornered in an alley by the dead is just fine." Sherlock teased turning to look at the man.
John chuckled. "It was my plan all along." His eyes were shining with amusement.
It was Sherlock turn to snort. "What to get eaten?" He asked.
"No, draw them into a corner they couldn't get out of and finish them off." John answered.
People around them had started to laugh and the two stopped their banter to look at the others.
"Look at you two, like a married couple." Lestrade said.
John shifted uncomfortable in his seat. Sherlock moved his features into uninterested. "So Geoff how did you come to be here?" he asked directing the conversation away from them.
The man sighed heavily. "I had every available officer and able body stationed at every hospital throughout the city to help the crowds. When everything started getting out of control I just happened to be here with Anderson. We were overrun with infected and we had to shut down the hospital but they would just die and come back." The D.I. explained, "And it's Greg as you well know."
"But why did you have to have Anderson, Donavan is at least less moronic than him?" Sherlock asked glaring at the other man.
Anderson's face contorted in anger and he opened his mouth to speak but Greg jumped in. "What about you Sherlock, how have you gotten along?"
Sherlock shrugged. "I had warning and moved to a safe house just for an occasion as this, haven't been out much since everything went down."
"And how did you come by John?" Molly asked.
Sherlock glanced to the doctor who smirked and sat back with his arms crossed. "Well yesterday I was passing an alley minding my own business when I saw this helpless little…"
"Hey!" John said giving Sherlock another hit to the shoulder, "I am not helpless and I'm sorry I'm life threatening situation was interfering with your other plans." The doctor was now pouting.
Sherlock grinned at the other man. "As you should be," he told him before continuing the story, "He ran into an alley followed by a rather large herd of corpses. I was curious and wanted to see how he would fair against so many. He took out a few before one ambushed him it nearly had him when John was able to finish it off. It wasn't a moment before another was on him. I knew if I didn't act the doctor would be the next meal so I dove in. John stood in the corner with a look of awe and wonder as I ripped through the group…"
"You are a complete prat and liar to boot!" John said interrupting again, "Yes I will admit I was a little overwhelmed but once I was clear of the one on me I helped finish off the rest. I was in awe for a moment when Mr. Cheekbones here whisked me off to his lair for the night but I am in no way a damsel in need to rescue."
Sherlock chuckled. "But I did rescue you so that does make you somewhat of a damsel." He pointed out.
John made a face. "Don't forget I saved you as well."
"Yes very clever of you to use yourself as bait, how ingenious." Sherlock said with a roll of his eyes.
John copied the eye roll, turning to the group. "On our way here we got separated when a horde came out of nowhere and I climbed a few fire escapes to get rid of the group following me. I somehow found Sherlock. The genius had himself wedged behind a dumpster with corpses surrounding him. I was smart enough to draw the dead away and get Sherlock off the streets. We used the roof tops to get here and came in through the roof. So yes it was very ingenious." The doctor finished smugly.
Sherlock smiled and nodded. "Yes Dr. Watson you truly are the brains of this operation."
John laughed, opening his mouth to response when a groan came from across the room. Looking they saw Anderson burying his head in his hands. "Greg please make them stop, I'm going to be sick." The man whined.
"I think it's adorable." Molly threw out glaring at Anderson with a growing blush.
John had his own blush heating his cheeks, he cleared his throat. "Yes well, have we lost anyone else since I left?" He asked.
Greg sighed heavily looking pained. "We had a few leave when you hadn't come back but they didn't make it far before being overrun. I tried to convince them to stay but they wouldn't listen." He answered. Anderson reached over and lightly squeezed the D.I.'s shoulder in sympathy.
"I'm sure you tried your hardest. I would have been back sooner if a horde hadn't moved in around the hospital. It's only thanks to Sherlock that I got back." John said.
"So John what are we going to do?" Mary spoke for the first time since sitting down, "We can't very well stay here and slowly starve to death or wait to be overrun."
John glanced to Sherlock. "Leaving the city seems like the only option left to you. Outside the city there won't be as many dead and you can find some place that can be defended easily. "
"I'll follow you anywhere John." Mary said and many others nodded in agreement.
"No you won't," John told them, "I'm not leaving the city."
Everyone stared at him.
"What do you mean?" Sherlock asked. They had already discussed this but he had thought that John would change his mind to help these other people.
John looked at him with stubborn eyes. "You're not leaving the city and I'm not going to leave you alone."
"Alone protects me." The tall man said.
"No, friends protect and I won't leave you alone in a city full of dead." The captain's voice came out in those words and left no room for argument. "I will help you get ready and get you out of the city of course." The doctor assured to the others.
Greg's lips were a slim line of disapproval but he didn't say anything on the subject. "When do we leave?"
"As soon as possible, I'll give a day of rest then I'll take a small group out to collect essentials, by the end of the week I hope to have everyone ready to move." John answered turning to look at Sherlock, "Will you help as well?"
Sherlock nodded. John could ask him anything and he would do it without question.
The doctor looked at the man for a moment longer before looking at the others. "So it's settled." When no one said anything he nodded and stood. "I've had a long day I think I'll call it a night." Several murmured their good nights and John wandered into the room he had been using.
