Chapter 12: Last But Not Least
John's idea turned out to being ,carrying him all the way to the ambulance hub at the back of Middlesex hospital, (stopping frequently to check the staunch to make sure he wasn't bleeding to death). In the wee hours before the morn, John broke into the back of an ambulance, and set to work .
John was in denial, but Sherlock was now in very critical condition. He had bled too much. He'd been hurt before it happened. He'd been tortured brutally before so it shouldn't have come as a suprise, not to an Afghan veteran army doctor , when he flatlined. It shouldn't have come with near panic. But this wasn't just another patient, his best mate was lying on the table, and said best mate that had a few hours ago, admitted to sacrificing himself for him repeatedly in the last few months. John was in a frenzy, and in a lonely place, by himself with the basic corpse of his dearest friend, and only the sound of the electric waves he cast forth in vain, to wake his sleeping heart.
He started screaming his name. It hadn't been more than 2 or 3 minutes when he started loosing his mind. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad, if it hadn't happened before, Sherlock in a bloody heap, lying nerveless before him, and he powerless to do anything, or so he felt.
John was shutting down himself, having fallen,and hit his head on the wall of the ambulance, when she came. Somewhere in that twilight of Sherlock's life, a door had opened between the world's ,and there stood Caroline just as she had been. John felt his throat close,as she stepped over him, sat at Sherlock's feet,and collared him.
"Oi,you!"she called , tenderness mingled with severity of tone." What are you doing? You can't quit now! We're so close to being free!"Still no response. He was loosing faith.
" Sherlock. Get up. Your task is not done. Not yet. I WON'T let you take this lying down. Sherlock...please remember...I believe in you. I have always...believed."
Sherlock gasped, like the very first time he had ever breathed. And she smiled down at him, in pure delight, much like his mother had smiled, when she heard his first cry. He coughed, head spinning, coming down from the whirlwind that had nearly carried him away.
"C-c- caroline..." he gasped...
"It's me..." she laughed, cradling his hand ,holding it to her cheek.
"Caroline, I'm sa-I'm so sorry!" he rasped, voice hollow, hardly getting air.
John wept when he heard that voice,that was mesmerizing to him at any given time. He had the voice of a king, and it was the most beloved sound to John on earth, sweeter than music.
Caroline smiled again, mischievously. "Finish this." she commanded, and winked. Turned to John, a brow raised, lips parted as if labouring to breathe. Then she smiled, and the smile broke John's heart like the fall of a house of mirrors, for here was a face , a human face, a girlish,beautiful face to go with a skull.
"Get him back in the game, John. It's almost over now." she nodded, and then passed like mist into the night.
John clambered up off the floor,"Sherlock, SHERLOCK!" he shouted, and went to him, checking his vitals. He was still bad off, but he was stable.
"J-John...did you see..did you see... oh she's gone again, isn't she? Gone forever..."
John gasped. "You were almost gone forever too!"he cried, and scooped him up into a long embrace.
Sherlock held him in return, and it was his turn tonight,to burst into unexpected tears...Tears atlast for Caroline. John took his face in hand ,in suprise, never really remembering seeing him cry before. Saw the emptiness in the silver- blue ,green atmosphere of his eyes...
" I've never been able to weep for her, John...I guess...I guess we're almost free if the tears are coming now after 14 years..."
John smiled, "She said it was almost over now.."
"Did she? Does she talk to you too,John? Oh I miss her. The likes of me, highly functioning sociopath as I am, few friends ever do we make. Amongst the living, you are the only one. All the others were murdered..."
"You had more friends that were murdered?"
Sherlock smiled..."Well, you can see now why I wanted to be a detective... Somebody had to do something..."
"But there were more, more than Caroline?"
"Oh yes. I stopped saying their names, but I never forgot them all. Caroline, James, Michael and Destiny...My handful of friends... And I have gotten justice for all of them, save one...I MUST set her free John, even if I have to walk as a dead man for awhille... You are the last but certainly not the least, Caroline, dear Caroline...I will, set her free, even if I have to drag my own skull in hand!
"Not today you won't...Lie down..."
