CHAPTER 25. CONFESSIONS

Lt. Major Carter hadn't seen Mycroft Holmes in a few years. He had briefly been employed by the man until he was transferred into another department, the young Agent decided irritably perhaps this government service wasn't his thing and reenlisted in the special forces.

Now it had been almost four years, four years and then he received news that Captain John Watson among others had been gunned down by one of their own men.

He had been so lost when he heard John had died. He wanted to go AWOL and find the sniper coward, kill him slow. It was Hendricks that informed him unintentionally of John's condition. Relief had brought him to his knees, relief then came revenge.

When he had heard Major Hendricks was going to interrogate the sniper he requested to be apart of it. Hendricks didn't care as long as he got the majority of punches in. Carter reluctantly agreed wanting very much to have a go with John's would be assassin.

Mycroft obviously didn't recognize him, the man hadn't even given him a second glance. It didn't bother Carter that Mycroft Holmes didn't identify him as a former employee. The man probably went through dozens a week.

It was better this way, seeing how this was all the younger Holmes' fault. It wasn't enough that he breaks John's heart, changed him into something colder, and less open. Now the bastard's old enemies were targeting the army captain.

John didn't even know Moran until that day, as far as Carter knew, but John would have said something to him. Not that John ever really spoke about his past.

How frustrating it all was, John had worked so hard to carve out a career for himself. Now he may never become the surgeon he was working towards being. He certainly wasn't going to be out in the field anytime soon and that's if he didn't get a medical discharge. Moran should suffer slowly for what he's done, Carter wanted to make him pay.

Sherlock Holmes wasn't innocent in any of this. This was just as much as his fault, the smug condescending bastard a useless drug addict. Carter had hoped the man had slipped off and died in some alley.

Lt. Major Carter managed to pull some strings so he could see the young Captain. He first had to tie up loose ends with Hendricks over Moran. Neutralizing the threat and hopefully soon, he'd be back for Moran's execution. Lt. Major Carter knew he would have to flip a coin with Hendricks for the privilege of putting a bullet into the sniper.

In a way he owed Mycroft Holmes for reassigning him, all those years back.

That's how he reunited with John, at first he thought his eyes were deceiving him. He was even surprised that the younger man recognized him. Appearing like the angel he remembered, except wearing a helmet and hands covered in blood.

~0~

"Sir." John read the rank of Carter's stripes "Sir, stay with me." His young face stern something different about him, he'd changed.

The military had given the younger man something, and Lt. Major Carter had smiled seeing the Doctor in action. Shouting orders behind him, then he continued to speak to Carter as if there wasn't chaos and war around them. As if neither of them were covered in blood and dirt, instead Carter felt as if he were being pulled from sleep. What a wonderful dream, he shivered despite the glaring sun, and heated sand.

"Sir, just so you know, I'm not getting fresh." The young man teased as he pulled away the bloody material around Carter's wound. "Lt. Major. Stay awake sir."

"I'm fine just a bit of a rough week." Carter had replied and the young Doctor chuckled softly and went to work.

"Sir, you'll be just fine. Just stay awake for me. Tell me something I don't know. Huh. Keep talking to me." The young army Doctor urged gently, his blue eyes concentrating on pulling hot shrapnel from the torn flesh on his left side. Removing his heavy vest, and showing no sign of distress over the continued flood of blood.

"You have beautiful eyes. Like spring." Carter's words sounded drunk, his tongue lazy.

"Alright, well thank you. I however think you have lost enough blood to make you loopy. However you can go on ahead, I'll listen." Carter held back a laugh, his own eyes trying to keep focus on the angel.

"After this, how about that cuppa you owe me."

"Alright, we have a deal. I'm not paying though. You are the one who asked me." John finished patching up the Lt. Major. He probably thought Carter had been mumbling incoherently. It was worth surprise on the young Doctor's face when he returned to his tent a month later to two warm mugs of steaming tea. Sitting right there on a small crate being used as a table, a rather smug looking dark haired man sitting on another crate.

"You said I was paying. Well I figured you were still on deployment I would bring the tea to you." John's face had lit up, and Carter knew he was lost.

~0~

Now Carter was headed down the corridor of this hospital, unaware of the two brothers' who passed him and Sergeant Porter. Lt. Major Carter only held tight to the flowers he'd hastily picked up, hoping he didn't crush them in his tense grip.

Porter had wished to join him, Carter couldn't say no. The man was one of John's best mates. Not to mention he owed John his life, hell there were several other officers that would be trailing in sooner or later. As word finally got around the Captain wasn't dead after all. John's Unit had signed a collage that Porter had put together. He was holding the framed picture carefully tucked under his arm, a stiff smile on his young face. Oh the ignorance of youth, Carter thought sadly.

The armed men at the door saluted and allowed them entrance. Both soldiers ignored the chubby Doctor reading the medical chart in the corner.

Sergeant Porter stopped midway into the room, he didn't want to move forward, feeling like a coward he offered to take the flowers and arrange them for the Captain. Hastily placing the roses in an empty vase, before stepping back allowing the Lt. Major a bit of privacy. He kept the picture tucked under his arm; he'd forgotten to leave it behind.

After glancing over to see Carter at the Captain's bedside, trailing a finger over the unconscious soldier's scarred knuckles, he decided that he should wait outside.

It was difficult seeing the Captain like this, he didn't look like the same man who had given him latrine duty his first week in. He could barely see the stern faced man who won countless poker games using a bluff. Or the man who ran straight into enemy fire with nothing more than a Browning. The crazy bastard had taken out several insurgents while packing a rather nasty wound on an unconscious Private Taylors

"Sir. I'll just be outside and check the MP's on stag. Might as well see what kind of blokes they have taking care of the good Captain." Lt. Major just gave him a stiff nod.

"God you look like hell." Carter sighed heavily, holding his cap in his hands nervously twisting it. He felt stiff in his dress uniform, but he had a briefing in a few hours, he almost missed a suit over the starched stiffness of this uniform, almost. John was sleeping his face so pail. " You said you didn't want me to worry. Well this is one way to convince me. You great idiot. How many times have I told you. You're a doctor, let someone else risk his neck. But then I wouldn't love you if you were anyone else. Yeah, I said it. Even if you don't want to hear it again. Brought you flowers, I know you hate the fuss but deal with it. I know I'm the last person you want to see but I'm not leaving you."

~0~

Mike watched the soldiers curiously, the shorter of the two stood nervously in the middle of the room. The taller one approached the bed without hesitation. After the younger one made a quick exit as if the devil himself were on his heels the taller man holding his green cap in hand leaned over.

He spoke gruffly to John, at first Mike thought the man some threat. Then he recognized the show of affection, the soft grin followed by the confession. Did he hear the stranger right? Yes, he definitely had said I love you.

Somehow,he thought to himself, this isn't going too good. Well Sherlock could go to hell, he let John go. This man a soldier with rank he could definitely see that, not to mention tall, well toned. Good on you mate. Thinking of his John. Was he happy? Did this man make him laugh? How long did they know each other?

"Something wrong?" The soldier's brown eyes hard, voice stern, Mike almost dropped the chart. He felt like he should be at attention and salute, he settled for adjusting his glasses. "Is there a problem here Doctor?" more impatient.

"I was just-" Mike could see the man wasn't happy with being spied on. In Mike's defense he hadn't realized he was staring until just now. "I'm Doctor Stamford-"

"Mike." The taller man's face eased, he gave a warm smile and offered a hand. Mike shook it as firmly as he could, trying not to wince from the strength of the soldier.

"John has told me a lot about you. It's good to finally meet you. Lt. Major Mathew Carter. You can call me Matt. I apologize I didn't recognize you, he showed me a picture once-"

"I know I got fat." Both men laughed uncomfortably.

"I see you're married. John always wondered if you and Sophie had made it official." Carter looked back at John with a sad expression.

" He did?" Mike was surprised John even thought to mention him to anyone, especially someone of significance.

"Of course you were his best mate. I told him he should have written you. He started to a couple times. He just never sent them I guess. Don't think him a coward-he just." Carter's tone lowered, Mike tried to read the soldier's withdrawn expression with no luck.

"Oh, I know. He's just a great idiot." To Mike's relief the other man laughed deeply, this eased the awkward tension.

"Yes. He can be. I thought he was dead; hell word went around that the three he saved and the Captain were all dead. I guess it was to throw that bastard off." Mike didn't understand what the man was talking about he wanted to ask him. "How's he doing doc?"

"Well I'm not his primary but Mr. Holmes has hired the best Doctor's, the top of their fields, to oversee John's care." Mike noticed the visible tension at the mention of Mr. Holmes."

"Of course. I should have known. Well good. I don't know why I didn't think-" Mike flinched at the sudden coldness in the soldier's voice.

"It's nice to meet you, Lt. Major, uh Matt. " Mike smiled brightly, he couldn't wait to tell Sophie, John had landed himself a handsome Lt. Major. Not that Mike was partial to men, and he would see nothing wrong with those who were. But you didn't have to be gay to see the taller man was a catch. He shook the soldier's hand again. "How long have you known John?"

"Oh, these last three years." He smiled sadly. "I love this idiot." Mike's smile grew wider hearing the easy confession. "I'm just going to sit here a bit, I have a meeting in a few hours and I've wanted-"

"No, sorry. Excuse me. You go ahead." Mike hurried out of the room. Carter grinned shaking his head in amusement turning back to his Doctor.

"Well look at you Doctor. I swear you are the flame that moths are drawn to. Even the ones you thought were gone. Doesn't seem like he's angry with you at all. Although it does help with all these sympathy points in your favor. It's working on me. I can hardly remember what the hell I was so angry about. I'm sorry that I was smothering you. But this is exactly what I didn't want. And when you wake up we are going to have a long talk about running out into open fire without a concern for yourself. For all the good that will do, you never listen." He leaned down and pressed a kiss to the younger man's forehead.

"I have this briefing, I just wanted to see you. I'll be back. I'm not going anywhere. Anyway you're in no position to push me away again."