Greg flipped through files on his desk. He'd been given new cases since he'd finished up with the Sherlock ones. And, surprisingly, he'd been given praise from his superiors for his diligence. Even more surprisingly, they'd apologised to him for their behaviour towards him, and had even permitted him to continue consulting Sherlock in some (mostly pre-approved) cases.
It was a better outcome than Greg had hoped for. But he couldn't bring himself to feel happy about it. He didn't seem to be able to feel happy about anything. Anderson, however, was quite the opposite. He'd been celebrating all day thus far. He'd brag to anyone who would listen that he was right, and then spout off his latest theory to everyone about how Sherlock had faked it. Greg did wonder just how close Anderson had gotten with his theories, but it was a passing interest. He was still too distracted with his own things.
He would need to go back to the flat he shared with Mycroft to get some things enough to stay with Sherlock. He also would have to ask John if it was ok, since he'd be staying in John's old room. Greg didn't think he'd mind that part, but didn't doubt that there would be some resentment that Greg was electing to stay with Sherlock while John wanted to just move on.
"Lestrade!" Anderson joyously exclaimed as he entered Greg's office.
"Hey there Anderson." Greg mumbled.
"Why so down? Sherlock's alive!"
Anderson threw himself into the chair across from Greg's desk with a smile on his face. If Greg didn't know better, he'd say he was drunk.
"Yeah, it's great."
"Apology accepted, by the way." Anderson beamed.
"What apology?"
"The one you were about to give me. Since I was right all along and all."
"I … I wasn't going to … Anderson, most of my telling you Sherlock was dead was because of your inability to manage your obsession. I don't have anything to apologise to you for."
Anderson gave him a frown.
"But I was right. And I'd bet that I was right about how he did it, too. Can you get him to come and see me?"
"I asked him. He didn't say yes or no yet."
"Ask again?"
Greg eyed Anderson carefully for the first time that day. He was overjoyed, obviously, but seemed more like he was having a manic episode than anything. It did not appease his concerns for the man's mental health.
"Alright, I'll ask him next time I see him."
Anderson smiled and nodded, before jumping back out of the chair and bounding down the office hallway.
All the while watching Sherlock solve the skeleton mystery case, Greg felt concern for his friend. He didn't know if he was supposed to say anything about the constant talking to John, despite him not being present. It was obvious that he wasn't handling John's reaction very well.
In a way it had been like old times; Sherlock looking about intensely, then describing things in an arrogant and yet slightly distracted tone, whirling about, and then abruptly leaving.
Greg had tried to be supporting like John had been, but it was difficult. Sherlock wasn't interested in his niceties from the start, and so Greg had remained quiet. He did prod a little, asking about Molly's presence, but Sherlock seemed too hurt to discuss John's involvement, or lack there of, any further. He didn't even want to reveal the solution to begin with. It had only been after Greg requested that he fumbled to give the answer.
"Is he alright?" Molly asked after watching Sherlock swirl away.
"No, I don't think so."
"Can we help?"
Greg sighed, and rubbed the back of his neck.
"I honestly don't know. I think John's the only one that can do anything for him at this point."
"What happened between them, do you know?"
"Sherlock interrupted John's proposal, John attacked him, and has refused to talk to him since. He tried calling John this morning, but was just told to 'fuck off', and so you can understand why he's not really himself."
"God… I had no idea John could be so…"
"Yeah, well, John's angry. He feels betrayed. And I think he's trying to push Sherlock away to have this 'new life' without him in it just to avoid the pain."
Molly nodded, and then uttered that she'd better follow Sherlock to keep an eye on him. Greg watched as she scampered out from the chamber. He sighed again to himself. Molly had known, Sherlock told him as much. Greg was actually surprised Molly had managed to keep it a secret, but then guessed that was the reason neither he nor John had seen much of her since Sherlock's jump.
Greg pulled out his phone while leaving. He wasn't sure if John would be willing to meet up, but he really felt like he should try talk to him again.
"John?"
"Greg, hi."
"Listen, you free for a pint?"
"Yeah, when?"
"Um, now?"
"Sure, usual place?"
"Yeah, I'll see you there."
Well, that was much easier than I imagined. I guess the offer of a pint was helpful in convincing him… no doubt it's been a tough day for him as well.
It was only ten minutes later that Greg was sitting by the window in their local pub. He'd already ordered a beer for himself, and had managed to drink half of it before John walked in the door. Greg had been right: he looked like he'd had a rough day.
John nodded to him, went to the bar to get a pint, and came and joined him.
"How was your day, mate?" Greg asked. John groaned.
"Bloody terrible. I couldn't get Sherlock out of my head, and then I shouted at a patient."
"God, really? Why?"
"I thought he was Sherlock in disguise. An old man with an accent and sunglasses. I even went as far as pulling off his hat… and it was only when I saw the balding hair that I realised my mistake."
"Damn, that sounds pretty bad."
"Jesus, yes. I'll be lucky not to be strung up for malpractice or something. I just gotta hope he doesn't say anything."
"I think you'd be fine in that regard, I mean… you didn't do anything medically wrong to him. And the clinic knows you've got stuff going on. Try to relax about it mate."
John took a long swig from his beer. He nodded.
"Yeah, thanks. What about you? You were up pretty early."
"Yeah, I didn't wake you did I?"
"Nah, we were still sound asleep. What did you do at that hour?"
"I .. er.. went to see Sherlock, actually."
John stiffened in his chair.
"Right."
Greg finished off his drink before continuing.
"Listen… he offered your old room to me until I find somewhere."
"Oh."
"I just wanted to see if you were ok with that before I said ok."
"I… I don't know what to say, Greg. I don't care that you're in that room, since I haven't thought of it as 'mine' for a long time. I do care that you're not pissed at him for what he did; he can't think that he's gotten away with it so easily."
"He… he did it for us, John. You can't hold that against him forever."
"Yeah, well, Mycroft hid it from you for us too, you know. If we showed that we 'knew' or whatever, we'd have been killed or so I'm told. Can you just forgive Mycroft that easily?"
Greg didn't respond, but shuffled the glass uncomfortably between his hands.
"He'd not doing well without you, you know." Greg mumbled.
"And how's that?" John snapped, clearly not interested in feeling any sympathy for Sherlock.
"I took him on the skeleton case today. He kept talking to you, like you were there commenting. I'm sure it was all in his head, and knew he couldn't actually hear you, but I'm concerned for him."
John sighed deeply. Honestly, he had expected Sherlock to not care about his absence. He seemed to not care about John at all in their last encounter.
"What do you want from me, Greg?"
"I… I just want you to go to him, listen to his side of the story. I mean, I don't know what's in your head, but I don't think you understand just what he went through while away. After I found out just a little, I couldn't be angry with him. I wasn't, really, to start with, but I just felt… I don't know. Please, just go listen to him. Tell him things aren't going to be the same, that you have this life now, but don't cut him out entirely."
"Fine, I'll go listen. But I make no promises about including him in my life anymore."
Greg smiled with relief at hearing those words, but John gave him a sly smile that made him pause.
"Only… if you go and listen to Mycroft."
"What?"
"You heard me. I'll go listen to Sherlock's side of it all if you go and talk with Mycroft."
"What does my talking with Mycroft have to do with anything?"
"You're clearly not ok with what he did, and I think it's best to go and talk with him before moving out. You both had something special, and you shouldn't be so quick to throw that away."
"I'm not… yeah ok, it would look like I'm moving out to him." Greg said begrudgingly.
"So… do we have a deal?"
Greg took a deep breath and agreed. He knew he couldn't ask something of John he wasn't willing to go do himself. John smiled, finished the remainder of his pint, and then stood.
"You going to go now?" Greg asked apprehensively.
"Might as well. I think it's best to just get this over with before I change my mind." John grumbled.
"Ah…alright, good… good. I'll er, go … go find Mycroft, then."
Greg was panicked that he was suddenly about to go talk to Mycroft again. He hadn't expected John to want him to do so at all, let alone as a condition of him talking to Sherlock. Nor had he assumed it would be so soon. Greg swallowed and followed John out of the pub; John decided to walk to Baker Street, as it wasn't far, and Greg took a taxi back to his/Mycroft's flat.