Erin was sitting on the edge of the bed, Greg's good arm wrapped around her shoulder, the other encased in a sling and a dark blue plaster cast. They both looked up when Mycroft appeared. He and Erin shared a significant look as he stood in the doorway.

"I was just telling Dad, Myc" Erin said, grinning "that he'll never guess who couldn't be satisfied with just sending a get well card!"

Mycroft smiled "Well, quite." He agreed, then stepped to one side to reveal a very sheepish looking Sherlock - who would deny looking sheepish wholeheartedly when asked - standing in the doorway. Erin took mental photos of her Dad's face. Every emotion from hurt to hysterical and everything in between flashed past as she watched, and then he settled on delighted. Satisfied, Erin got to her feet, sliding quietly from his grip and leaving his good arm free for hugging their little runaway. If even a single tear soaked into Greg's shirt while Sherlock's face was buried in his surrogate father's shoulder, then Greg certainly wasn't telling. If Sherlock's eyes looked suspiciously red and damp when he stepped back from the hug, then no one was going to be the one to mention it, but no one could doubt that he regretted leaving.

"I bet you've got a story or two to tell us." Greg said, dragging the boy down into another hug. Sherlock sighed

"It's long, and there's all these emotions in it." He warned, in the same distasteful tone as before.

"Oh god no, not emotions!" Greg replied, with a grin and a slight slur borne of the morphine "You might have to tell me twice then. Everything's all fuzzy at the mo." Sherlock nodded, wondering how to make it less complicated. Before he could figure it out though, Greg interrupted his thoughts with a question he could answer "Are you home now though? For good I mean?"

"If… if you'll have me, then I'd like to be."

"If, bollocks! You might have to dust your bedroom though."

"Oh good! Plenty of samples!" Sherlock replied, looking delighted at the prospect. Greg rolled his eyes and then looked at him expectantly. Sherlock's delight slipped away and he embarked on telling his story for the second time that evening.

When they left, sometime later, kicked out by the nurses, everyone was smiling. Sherlock was the last one out. Halfway out of the door, he caught sight of John, standing in the corridor waiting for him. They shared a quick smile and a thought occurred to him. He half turned back, a hand resting on the doorframe.

"Greg… You remember what you said about having a friend over sometime?"

"Vaguely." Greg smiled, remembering

"Well, can I? When you're better I mean."

"You wanna invite this John over?"

"If it's okay."

"Course it's okay. I wanna meet your friends, it's my job."

"Are you going to vet him?" Sherlock joked with a half smile

"Nah, that's your brothers job!"

Sherlock grinned

"One condition though."

"What is it?"

"Promise me you won't run off again. I'd rather you give me a heart attack from three feet away than because you've run away, okay?"

"I was always coming back."

Greg gave him the look. The parent one that said 'I don't believe your shit'. Apparently even morphine couldn't diminish that look in the slightest.

"I promise." Sherlock said, softly. "Goodnight." He added, as he finally stepped into the corridor to join the others.

A/N Phew! There we are, Greg's alive - even if he will be hopping and doing things one handed for a while - and Sherlock came home and made a friend and they'll all live a very non-canon happily ever after. There is a follow up chapter to come, if I ever get time, but between my new goddaughter, two very energetic kittens and Uni, it's a miracle I got this lot out! Un-beta-ed, as usual, so if you spot anything wrong, (or even anything you liked, I'm not fussy), do please give me a nudge ;)