Chapter 6

John let out a heavy breath before uncapping the vial and drinking it quickly. He didn't think he could handle second-guessing his decision. In seconds he was doubled over on the floor with a hand to his mouth suppressing moans of pain least the tigers hear him. Sherlock took his larger hand and rubbed it soothingly. He was still afraid that once John forgot who he was they would stop being friends, but he would be there for John anyway.

A few minutes passed before a shriek threatened to rip John's throat apart. Even Sherlock could sense it coming and he forced the taller man's head down into his lap to further muffle the sound. It was then that John's body slowly began shrinking. Sherlock had no memory of it happening to him so he watched mystified and brought John's face back up amazed by how much younger he looked and continued to get. After only a few moments and the process wasn't complete John fell deep asleep. Sherlock waited until he was sure John was finished shrinking and he carefully shook him awake.

"John? Wake up…"

"Hm? Where am I?" John stood not understanding why he was wearing nothing but an oversized jumper. "Who are you?"

Sherlock could only remember that one afternoon and night that he and John had spent together, but it had meant the world to him. He couldn't think of a happier day in his life and realized 'that's what it's like to have a friend.' So despite the little he knew this man, the words still stung. Hope of a friendship quickly dematerializing before his eyes. He cleared his throat to sound more authoritive, it was adult soldier John that gave him the orders to be in charge and watch over kid John after all and he wasn't about to let his friend down.

"I will explain everything in time, but for now all you need to know is that we are trapped in a tiger cage at the zoo and I need you to crawl though that hole and open the main door to the cage on the other side of this rock before either of us is eaten." 'That actually sounded like I was cool…'

John's eyes nearly bulged out of his head. "Tigers?!"

"Shhh, keep it down or they will hear us. Just go through that hole and hurry."

"ummm…. Ok… shouldn't we just call for an adult?" John's voice was very shaky.

Sherlock sighed, "There aren't any here…" 'anymore..' he thought painfully "But I'm practically an adult myself and trust me, it's ok."

John looked at this strange kid skeptically, "No you're not you're probably as old as I am." But he looked at the hole and went for it all the same, "help!" Sherlock lifted the smaller boy up so he could climb through.

"Ok, now go around and open the door!"

"But how are you going to get to it if there's tigers?"

"I'll figure it out, just go." He crawled his way through the tight crease between the rock and the wall, barely able to squeeze through but he was able to see the door. He waited until he saw John's small silhouette awkwardly dressed in a large jumper when he threw a rock as hard as he could at the other end of the pit. He wasn't sure if his plan worked because he darted for the door as soon as it opened without looking back. The two pushed it back closed with all their might and collapsed onto the floor panting together.

"We made it." Sherlock knew John's plan would work. He was actually far more brilliant then he gave himself credit for.

"But how did we get here?"

Sherlock stood, taking in the room around him. There was a small lost and found box filled with various items. Sherlock pulled out a small kids shirt and pants that had clearly been purchased at the zoo and someone forgot about them.

"Get dressed, we have to go."

John huffed angrily but began putting the clothes on, still not sure why he was wearing an over sized jumper to begin with. "I don't even know your name."

"The name is Sherlock Holmes and we need to find my brother."

A back door had been left open the day before and they used it for their great escape. But wondering the streets at night looking for a pay phone in a cell phone based world for two young boys was tiring at best. They ended up seated at the end of a large trash bin and spent the night leaning against each other until they fell asleep.

John knew he would be asleep in mere seconds, "Sherlock? How did we get in that tiger cage anyway?"

Sherlock's eyes were already closed but he was hanging to consciousness by a string. "We stopped two kidnappers from abduc-ing a girl bu' they threw us in."

"Wow. So we're like heroes then?"

"I dunno. I guess."

"Want to be friends?"

Sherlock's eyes sprang open. "R-really?"

"Yea. You're really cool…" John's eyes closed and he drifted off to sleep against his new/ old friend's shoulder.

A/N: Sorry is Sherlock and John seem OOC, I just feel like 'cool' is such a kid thing to say. They have child mentalities at this point, so it seems logical to me. (I mean... I still say 'cool'...)