Chapter 4 – Dead Man Walking
'I'm going to be late for work!' Greg said jumping out of bed finding a fresh suit to put on.
'I don't want you to go.' John said sitting up, watching Greg's every move.
'Neither do I but it is my job.' Greg said buttoning up his shirt. John nodded. He hated it when Greg had a later start. Yeah, it meant he got longer mornings with him but it meant Greg also has later finishes. By the time he finishes at the surgery they don't have time to meet up.
John emerged from the bed and put his clothes on to. They both moved in to the living room. Greg scrambled around the living room looking for his wallet while John made a brew for himself.
'Time for some breakfast?' John asked leaning against the sink. Greg looked up briefly.
'No, sorry.' he said before he began hunting again. He stopped again and focused his eyes over to John. 'I'll grab something at work.' John just nodded, smiling at him, sipping his tea.
'I'm not going to see you until tomorrow now.' John pointed out. Greg went over beside the telly, finding his wallet and placing it in his pocket. He walked over to John and placed his hands on his partners hips.
'I know. I hate it.' Greg said. He smiled before shaking his head.
'What?' John said smiling.
'Well, I was going to do it eventually I guess, so... Why don't you just move in? I mean apart from days when are shifts are like this, you practically do anyway!' Greg said edging closer towards John.
'Better clear it with Sherlock but of course I will!' John said throwing his arms around Greg's shoulders. He kisses him passionately and stay there for a moment until Greg looks at his watch.
'Shit. I really need to go now John!' They kiss once more before Greg heads out the door. John stands frozen to the spot, smiling like a fool.
Everything is falling into place.
It's been a long day when Greg finally arrives home. How someone could break in to Pentonville Prison, The Tower of London and The Bank of England in that short space of time Lestrade will never know. He unlocks the door to find John sitting with a beer watching telly. He smiles upon seeing the slightly younger man. It's always nice to have someone to come home to but to be perfectly honest he was not expecting it.
'You not with Sherlock after today's events then?' Greg says closing the door behind him.
John looked up from the telly. He gets up and walks over to Greg kissing him and wrapping him into a hug. Greg feels the warmth of John as he wraps his arms around him. It's getting colder outside now as it nears winter so to feel the warmth of John takes the bitterness of the cold away from him.
'He's a big boy. He can handle himself.' John says letting go and setting back to sit down on the sofa. Greg goes and hangs his coat up before grabbing himself a beer and sitting down next to John.
'Guess you haven't told him about moving in yet?' Greg questioned. John just shook his head.
'Hasn't really been an appropriate time.' John said. Greg nodded and took a sip of beer, watching the telly screen.
'I'm going to stay with him for a few more days I think, until this whole Moriarty thing has cleared up. He will go down won't he? Moriarty?' John said looking towards Greg.
Greg pulled his eyes away from the telly towards John. 'That's for the jury to decide but I'm pretty sure he will. Can't really deny it, can he?'
John nodded and they both settled down watching the telly. John sided up to Greg and rested his head on the taller man's shoulder. They stayed like this for a few hours before calling it a night. Sitting there doing nothing is exhausting after a long day at work.
'Not guilty.' John was walking down the road, almost storming. 'Sherlock, are you listening?' Sherlock lowered the phone and ended the call. He walked over to the kettle and put it on to boil. It is probably one of the very few times he has ever boiled it himself, he usually makes John do it. Or Mrs Hudson. Or anyone who is around at the time. On the small coffee table in the lounge he sets out two cups. One for himself and one for no other that Jim Moriarty.
John is still walking down the street and decides to ring Greg to see if he has heard the news.
'John, all right?'
'They've let him walk free. Moriarty. How?' John said his voice raised. It causes passer bys to raise there heads, distracting them from their own business.
'You've got to be joking!'
'Nope. They just let him go. Just like that!'
'Look, I'll make sure he's kept an eye on. Let Mycroft know and he will have him followed on CCTV.' Greg said.
'Sherlock won't want him involved.'
'It's not about what he wants John. It's about his safety. He doesn't care for it so someone has got to!' John sighs, knowing Greg is right.
'Fine, I'll see you later.' John said still storming down the street. Hanging the phone up after Greg says goodbye.
'Sherlock Holmes I'm arresting you on suspicion of abduction and kidnapping.' Greg hated himself for it. He knew deep down Sherlock would never pull a stunt like this. Other than John, he knew Sherlock more than anyone. It was this, or his job was on the line for good.
John tries to argue back, not shouting, but just saying what he thinks.
'Don't try to interfere or I shall arrest you too.' John felt a something ping in his heart. He's seen Greg get mad before, its very rare. Never himself has he made Greg angry but he could see something building up inside him. No, it wasn't him mad at Sherlock for supposedly kidnapping those children. No, it was because he hated himself for arresting an innocent man. John knows Greg inside out almost. He knows that look in his eyes when he is doing something against his will.
John stands there and watches him take Sherlock downstairs to the car. Greg is kicking himself for talking like that to John but what else could he say?
Minutes later the chief superintendent comes down, blood dripping from his nose, head tilted back. Greg has to stop himself from smiling as he knows it was John's doing, why else would he be getting handcuffed?
Sherlock rips the radio out of the car causing all the officers to be side tracked from what they are doing. The ear piercing sound buys them time to run.
Everything just ends up going downhill from there. Something no one will ever understand. Why what happened, did happen.
Greg gets the call. Sherlock Holmes is dead. He sits there for a moment trying to take it all in. Suicide? Sherlock committed suicide? John.
He had to go and find John. He knew where he'd be. Greg knew he was in no fit state to drive, the shock was overpowering. Not that he had his car, he took a taxi to work this morning. So instead of driving, he hailed and taxi and headed to Bart's.
Greg pushed his ways through crowds of people into the hospital. Running down the corridors he finally reached the morgue. There was John. Sitting there in the waiting area. Family waiting area. He felt tears stinging in his eyes looking at John. He looked smaller leaning over the chair like that. It was not until Greg saw the dear drop from John's face he walked over and sat next to John. No words were spoken when he sat. He slipped his arm over John's shoulder and pulled him close. More silent tears rolled down his cheeks as he turned and gripped onto Greg's shirt.
How long they were sat like that, they could not say. It seemed like hours. Soon enough Greg took John back to his. All the way home, no sound was made. They both were sat in the back of the taxi. John was staring out the window, nothing in particular. Greg reached over to clasp hands with John. The only response Greg got was the fact John slowly pulled his hand away.
When they arrived back at Greg's John went in and just sat down on the sofa. Greg took a seat next to him and went to put his arm around him like he did in the hospital. John mumbled something about going to bed and getting some sleep.
He went off leaving Greg sitting there all alone. Over to the cupboard he went and grabbed a bottle of whiskey. He wanted to drink his sorrows away but something stopped him. He just couldn't bring himself too. The bottle got put back in the cupboard. For hours he sat there all alone. After a while he wandered off to bed.
Quietly, he slipped into bed. John wasn't sleeping, how could he? He just lost his best friend. Greg started to hug John to comfort him. Of course he knew John wasn't sleeping. John couldn't help it but he moved away from Greg's embrace. Greg got the picture. Obediently, he moved over to his own side off the bed.
The rest of night was spent with both men lying awake. Dropping to sleep for around 10 minutes at a time before having a dream about the events of what had happened, causing them to awaken. Greg knew John was hurting and maybe he doesn't want comfort. It just hurts him. He needs comforting and John doesn't want it. Time. That's all they need, some time.
It's silence again over breakfast the next morning. Greg makes tea and toast for both him and John. John sits there picking at his toast. Greg finishes making the tea and places one in front of John and then takes a seat at the table. Finally, some words are spoken between them.
'I'm going to go back to Baker Street today.' John said. The first thing he said since Sherlock fell.
'You going to start packing?' Greg asked. John was pretty much living with Greg he just hadn't moved anything over yet.
It was silent for a few minutes. Greg looked up from his toast and gazed at John.
'No, I'm going to stay there for a bit.' John croaked out. 'I don't think I can do this at the minute Greg.'
'You don't have to move in now if you don't want to.'
'No I mean, I just can't. I need some time alone. I'm sorry.' A tear slides down John's face. He goes to wipe it away before Greg sees but it's too late.
'I understand John. You need time alone.' He reaches forward to hold John's hand but pulls away before he does. 'I'll be here for you when your ready.' John nodded. He placed his toast down and says he's going to go.
'It will be too hard if I stay any longer.' John said turning to walk away.
'If you don't want to go, you know you don't have to.'
'I need to.' John didn't turn around, just walked out the door.
Greg was left standing there. John just needed time, that's all. Even though he is hurting, at least he knows John is still there. Still his. That one day he will have him back. When the time is right.