Chapter 12

It was near impossible to sleep on the hard cement floor of the celler, but Sherlock knew he must have dozed off at some point to be waking to the sound of heavy footsteps just outside the metal door blocking his escape. He lifted his small form up to find Clara had fallen asleep on him, apparently desperate for any form of human contact that didn't involve abuse. Sherlock pet her head indifferently the way one would to a dog, just enough to wake her up and move away from him.

"Sorry Sherlock! I was really tired last night and you're a better pillow then the floor, even if you are all boney."

Sherlock huffed in annoyance.

"You can use me as a pillow next time, I don't mind."

"Don't you have a plan for getting out of here?" His child's sneer wasn't nearly as threatening as the adult version.

Clara blinked dully at him.

"Fine, you're a frightened little girl, abused, and don't know where to go." He narrowed his eyes "I'll take you with me when I leave."

"Little?" She giggled, "We're the same age."

"Technically correct for the time being." Sherlock crinkled his nose.

Clara cocked her head in confusion, before she could ask what Sherlock mean by that, the metal door swung open.

Sherlock had expected Moriarty to come in with that horrid sing song voice he loved to mock people with, but instead, it was the two kidnappers from the zoo. He knew he should have given full descriptions of the two men to Lestrade when he had the chance, but with everything that had happened he hadn't thought of it at the time. He knew no one knew where he was or who had taken him now.

Clara sank back against the wall as far as she could, her knees drawn up defensively around her with her arms wrapped around them and face ducked down.

"Where's your pop now little brat?" the shorter of the two men squatted down to where Sherlock sat, a crooked smile showing his yellow teeth.

Sherlock spat directly into his eye; likely not a good idea in retrospect.

"Oi! You little shit! You'll pay for that!" the kidnapped grabbed Sherlock by the neck, pulling him up till his feet dangled beneath him.

His small hands instinctively grabbed at the kidnapper's wrist, he could feel his throat close off as he tried to gasp for air.

"Let him go!" Clara jumped up from her position and pounded her tiny fists against his legs.

The kidnapper laughed, the pounds were soft and he knew he could break Sherlock's neck with just a small amount of force, but he had other plans for the boy. With a quick thrust of his arm, the man threw Sherlock half way across the room. Sherlock landed awkwardly on his side, scraping his shoulder on the ground. He lay there panting a moment longer to catch his breath.

John rolled over unconsciously and plunked into Lestrade. He sat up and rubbed his eyes, nearly forgetting why he was in bed next to the DI.

"Greg! Wake up!" He crawled on top of Lestrade, softly hitting the palms of his hands again him.

Blinking awake, Greg sat up slightly, gripping onto John so he wouldn't fall off. "I'm up, I'm up!"

"We have to go find Sherlock." John pushed his bottom lip out.

"I know, I know. Let's just grab a quick breakfast first and we can go down to the station."

John wasn't wholly satisfied by this answer, but he knew it was the best he could get.

The DI was still putting the rest of his coat on with a bagel partially in his mouth as John dragged him outside to hail a cab.

John jumped in, sliding across the seat as soon as one pulled up, "Scotland yard!"

The cabbie raised an eyebrow in the rear view mirror towards Lestrade.

"Scotland yard please." The detective finished his bagel and watched John carefully. He was sitting at the edge of his seat nervously. "We'll find him, it'll be alright."

"You don't know that." John looked out his window away from Greg.

"Do you remember him? I mean, more then just yesterday."

"Not really. Just flashes." Turning back towards the DI he added, "Does it matter?"

"Hm?"

"He's my friend. It doesn't matter how long I've known him or how well I remember him."

Lestrade smiled and plopped his hand down on John's head, tussling the light blond hair. "Right you are."