I arrived early the next morning, with a crutch under my arm. Holmes was right behind me, as we both agreed that after visiting Lestrade, we would then visit the Yard to see what Gregson had found out about the case.

Holmes abruptly stopped, lifting his cane to block my way. I paused on the stairwell, sending him a look. He held his finger up to his lips, pointing towards the door.

There, faintly, I could hear voices. Together, we creeped up as quietly as we could to the door.

Lestrade and Gregson were inside, and I reached the doorway in time to hear Lestrade laugh quietly; a sound I heard far too few times. His laughs were not a random act, and it took much to coax out even so much as a smile.

Gregson however didn't seem quite as happy. "You're a fool Lestrade. An idiot. I cannot believe you were attempting to head back to the Yard on a broken leg when I came around last night."

"They sent an urgent telegram!"

"By Hopkins. I thought the doctor would have enough good sense not to leave you alone." I blushed slightly, as Gregson continued, "And the good doctor should be around then sometime Lestrade?"

"Yes Gregson. I expect around midday."

"And I should be going to the Yard to conclude the investigation."

"I thought you said you were done."

"Just needed your testimony." There was a slight creak from the room, signaling that Gregson was standing up. I attempted to step back, wondering if we were going to be caught. Holmes grabbed my shoulder, tilting his head further.

Gregson was hesitating.

"If you're going to ask about my leg, then the answer if no, I am not going to get a limp."

Gregson must've made some motion, for I heard Lestrade snort. "I don't see why you're concerned, it wasn't your fault."

"You were quite nearly kicked out of the Yard for that limp Lestrade. You were lucky that you got it saving the Super's children or else you'd be out finding yourself another job." Gregson's voice was soft, his words less biting.

Lestrade apparently sensed a change in the mood for he blustered on, "It wasn't your fault in the first place the first time either-"

"Ha!" The morose tone brought my breath to a halt. Lestrade groaned, and there was a shift from the couch.

"Must we Tobias go over this again? I am in the Yard. Yes, I have a limp and yes I am a few inches shorter then what I could be, but I am still here." Lestrade's voice softened. "Thanks to you."

"If it weren't for me you'd never had that limp in the first place."

"Oh, put a sock in it you over-blown, ignorant ape. I am perfectly fine, and I will not be rehashing this conversation we've had before. Not until I am at least nose deep in a pint. Goodness knows I'll need it to deal with you."

There was a snort from Gregson, and the sound of a coat being put on.

Holmes and I both crept back to the top of the stairs, only just catching the ending shot, "I'll be back later tonight with those pints."

"Heavens save me from Yarders who can't keep their noses out of my business. You're worse then an old housewife Gregson!"

"I told you already that I refuse to be assigned another partner at this point in life. Far too much work to break them in. Besides, what will we do if we don't have our liaison to Holmes in working order?"

"Don't act like I'm some kind of machine Tobias."

"Oh no, you sir are rather special." Gregson laughed boisterously. "Not many can ignore their self-preservation for their ego like they can for their bodies."

Gregson smugly swept out with Lestrade spluttering behind him. Holmes and I paused on the first step. He nodded respectively to us, and continued down the stairs, a smug smile on his face.

If there was perhaps even a tinge of happiness in that smile, neither Holmes nor I spoke of it.

The visit was short- Lestrade was half asleep on the couch, the earlier visit from Gregson having worn him out, and so I left the crutch nearby, along with a note that he was to take the pills I had left him.

We exited out onto the road, the sun for once deciding it would cooperate with us by peeking through the clouds.

Holmes on the other hand had a much more dour expression. I kept silent as he chose to walk towards the Yard instead of hailing a Cab. "I believe that I have worked together what has happened; but I would be glad to hear what exactly you have to say about it."

"Gregson mentioned the Super's children- and both last night seemed quiet when I mentioned that he could be having a limp matching the other one. It happened years ago- before they met you, so perhaps while they were still young? Constables perhaps. Obviously one of the children got loose, and Lestrade saved him, but his leg wasn't set correctly."

Holmes nodded as well, face lighting up in delight. "You think much the same as I do. But not when they were Constables; they would've thrown Lestrade out no matter who he saved, only with a more honorable discharge then most. No, they were newly promoted inspectors, when Gregson was assigned to watch the Super's children and proceeded to hand them over to Lestrade, or perhaps was meeting Lestrade when one darted out into the road. Lestrade snatched up the child, and was run over. In the resulting confusion nobody called for a doctor for Lestrade until his leg healed wrong."

Holme's voice, starting out triumphant, dwindled to something a lot more like horror. I myself wondered at the man that he would not alert the doctors to his leg. It could have hardly been noticeable.

"Do you think perhaps the child died?"

"No, for neither would be in the Yard then." Holmes frowned. "Still, the story is missing key points. Why would the Super-" He stopped mid sentence as the Yard came into view. "Never mind. I will look into it later. For now, let us see what Gregson has for us!"

We entered the room, and soon were immersed in the great hubbub that consisted of the Yard.

It was not until later that evening, as I returned from my rounds and dropped into a nearby bar to grab a pint before returning to my wife, did I learn the full story. Across the bar I could see a tall, thin man snoring away, and two people huddled up in a booth.

I paid for my drink and nursed it, eyes falling upon the thinner man once again. One gray eye opened at me, and winked. I smiled as I shifted closer, finally recognizing the two figures in the booth- Lestrade and Gregson.

They had come a far way to avoid Holmes, but had not succeeded at all. I moved slightly closer, keeping careful to remain out of eyeshot while remaining within earshot. It was amazing the things you learned when dealing with Holmes.

"It was our first case Gregson! Our first! And we hadn't even run into Holmes yet!" Lestrade waved the pint at his companion, who watched with a slightly amused look on his face.

"Yes, the case of the missing Super's children." Aha! Now they were getting somewhere. "I really hated you then. Not that I don't now, but I was quite certain you were going to be the death of me."

"You were more the death of me. We found the children, and I told you to watch them."

"I was watching the slippery little buggers."

"One got loose."

"Aye." Gregson took a deep swallow of his own pint. "And then a rabid horse got loose."

I felt my face drain in horror. A horse and a child? A rabid horse nonetheless? If the child had been bitten, it would not of survived. That the child was still alive could mean only one thing- "You spent nearly a month recovering from that bite Lestrade."

"We met Holmes on our second official case together." Lestrade murmured helpfully into his cup, avoiding his partners eyes.

"Don't change the subject now."

"I've not had enough pints to deal with this yet Tobias. If you're going to drag up old memories, then at least let me be properly drunk."

Gregson's fair eyes were dark now as he leaned forward. "No. We're going to talk about this now."

"Now? When Holmes or one of his cronies could be listening in?" Lestrade laughed bitterly, slouching further down in his seat to cradle his pint. "I think not. It was not your fault-"

"Nor was it yours." Gregson interrupted, which Lestrade ignored.

"-and everything turned out for the best." Lestrade finished, poking one long finger at Gregson's broad chest. "Now drink your pint and stop worrying you old nanny. I do not wish to dwell on those times."

Gregson shook his head in response to that, downing his pint. "I didn't know how to treat you when you first came into work that day."

"I didn't want you to treat me like anything, other then to insult me and goad me into feeling better like you did when I was sick."

Lestrade finished the pint and gestured for another. I started slightly when a hand touched my elbow and I glanced up at Holmes face.

Together, arm in arm, we walked out of the pub. "I think we have learned enough my dear Watson."

There were many questions left- what had happened during that month Lestrade had been sick, the true details of what had happened with the horse, the children-

But I glanced back in time to see Lestrade and Gregson cheerily drinking their pints in the frosted window and smiled. It didn't really matter, now did it? My curiosity may be my undoing one day, but there were some things meant only to be shared between those who experienced them.

Holmes seemed in agreement as he swung his cane in one hand, coat flapping behind him. "So then my dear Watson- you would not happen to be free this Saturday evening? There is a play in town that I think you will enjoy."

"Certainly my dear Holmes. Certainly."

~Fini~