When they arrived at Dock Road, Sherlock ran into the building with Lestrade right behind him. He was terrified about what he might find but he knew he had to get to John. He stopped abruptly as he entered the room and saw his friend still tied to the chair. His bruised and swollen face looked even worse in real life and Sherlock could hear just how difficult it was for him to breath.

"Come on." Lestrade said to him and put a hand gently on his back to ease him forward.

Sherlock came to his senses and went over to John. Up close he could see the effects the poison was having. John was starting to sweat and Sherlock could see his skin was pale between the bruises. Sherlock knelt beside him and placed his hand gently on his friends arm. "John" he said quietly. The doctor opened his eyes and looked over at him. "Everything's going to be OK."

"No Sherlock. I think this is it." John wheezed "I'm going to die."

"No don't say that. The antidote is on its way. Mycroft is sending it over. Just hang in there. Please."

Sherlock went to undo the straps around John's wrists.

"No Sherlock stop. Don't."

"It's OK John. I'll be careful I promise. I won't hurt you."

"No." John tried to smile "The evidence."

"What?"

"Under my nails. Skin. I collected evidence for Greg."

Sherlock sighed. So that's what he'd been doing. He'd been so concerned about John's pain he hadn't even stopped to think why he did what he did.

"It's OK John. I'll take care of it." Lestrade told him. "You did a great job. Now concentrate on staying with us until the antidote arrives."

"Sherlock"

"Yes John."

"I need you to know, the only reason I didn't say goodbye to you..." he was struggling to breath or speak now.

"It's OK" Sherlock told him "Save your breath, I know."

Sherlock watched as John's eyelids started to flutter. He was losing him. John couldn't die, he wouldn't let him.

"John. John. Please stay with me." Sherlock grabbed his phone and dialled Mycroft. "Where are they?" he yelled as Mycroft answered "John's dying. Where are they?"

"They're on their way Sherlock. Just hold on a moment." Mycroft put his mobile on the desk and picked up his landline. "How far away are you?" he asked. Then a moment later he placed the phone back down and picked up his mobile once more. "They're a minute away Sherlock. That's all."

"I'll go outside and wait for them." Lestrade told Sherlock.

"Did you hear that John. They're nearly here. You've got to hold on."

John forced his eyes open to look at Sherlock but it was all so much of an effort now. He wasn't sure he could do what Sherlock asked of him. As his eyes started to close once more he could hear voices around him.

"Give that to me." Sherlock demanded to the man in the black suit who had just entered the room. The man handed him a syringe full of liquid which Sherlock carefully injected into his best friends arm. Now there was nothing more he could do. He just had to hope and pray that he was in time.

As Sherlock sat back he became aware that the man in the black suit was talking to someone. "Yes sir, your brother has given him the antidote. Ok sir." The man held his phone out towards Sherlock. "Your brother would like to talk to you."

"Yes." Sherlock snapped.

"How's he doing?" Mycroft asked.

"I don't know." was all Sherlock could say.

"Well there is a specialist unit on their way to take care of him. They'll be with you in two minutes. He will be airlifted to a private hospital. They have been fully briefed of the situation and have been told to do everything within their power to help him. I'm sure he'll be alright Sherlock."

"I hope so Mycroft. I hope so." Mycroft heard the tone of Sherlock's voice, full of accusation. He knew that if Dr Watson didn't make it, things would never be the same between him and his little brother again.

As they heard the helicopter approaching the man in the black suit went outside to greet them. Moments later he led the medical team into the warehouse. They approached John and started to carefully check him over. As they did the doctor spoke to Sherlock. "Right I know about the poison he was injected with and I understand you've administered the antidote. Is that right?" Sherlock nodded. "Well that's good. What else can you tell me about his condition?"

"He's been missing about 52 hours." Sherlock told them "He's been beaten about the head, face, chest and stomach. At least two of his fingers on his right hand are broken." Sherlock's voice cracked as he spoke.

"It's OK." the doctor told Sherlock "We'll take good care of him now."

As the doctor and paramedic started to undo all of John's restraints, careful not to move him at this stage Lestrade spoke. "He has DNA evidence under the nails on his right hand. He wanted us to make sure we collected it."

"OK has anyone got a plastic bag?" the doctor asked.

"I have in the car." Lestrade told them.

"Well if you fetch it we'll carefully put his hand in that to get him to the hospital and then you can have a team meet us there to retrieve the evidence before we deal with his fingers. How's that?"

"Thank you." Lestrade said and went to find a plastic bag for the doctor.

The doctor carried on with her examination. "OK well he appears to have at least one broken rib so we need to be careful as we move him. No doubt there will be some concussion as well." She looked at Sherlock's concerned face and added "But your friend here seems to be amazingly strong so don't give up hope. Let's get him to the hospital and take it from there shall we."

When Lestrade had returned with the plastic evidence bag and John's hand had been carefully placed inside it the medical team set about gently moving him from the chair onto the stretcher. They hooked him up to a drip to rehydrate him and oxygen to help with his breathing and then wheeled him out to the helicopter.

As the medical team were placing John inside the doctor turned to Sherlock and Lestrade. "I'm afraid there isn't enough room for you to travel with us but I promise we will take really good care of your friend. You can meet us at St Georges hospital." With that she smiled and got into the helicopter beside John.

Sherlock watched sadly as they took off and flew away.