So here's the second chapter, I hope you enjoy it. Just a couple of things: John's thoughts are in italics, text messages are denoted by " marks. I know in HoB Sherlock doesn't seem to know Lestrade's first name, but for the pruposes of this story he did, but has chosen to delete that information (that's my story and I'm sticking to it so ... there ;) There will be some slash at the end (not too graphic), if you don't like that kind of thing, stop reading this story :

Disclaimer: I still don't own Sherlock!

Sorry it's so long, once I started, I coudn't stop.

Chapter 2

John finally clicked save on the records he was updating on the surgery's computer system, and checked his watch. He had forty five minutes before he was due to meet Greg at the pub, so he decided rather than go to Baker Street, and then onto the pub, he'd go straight there. He logged off and shut down his computer, collected his jacket and sent a quick text to Sherlock.

"Going to pub with Greg. Back at 10pm. NO EXPLOSIONS! JW x"

The kiss at the end was a recent addition to the texts between the two of them since the change in their relationship.

John then left the surgery, exchanging farewells with his colleagues, and made his way to the pub. About half an hour later, John arrived at the pub and saw Greg already sat at a table with a couple of pints in front of him. As John made his way through the other tables, his mobile chimed with an incoming text.

"Who's Greg? Should I be jealous? SH x"

John smiled fondly, and shook his head slightly. "Greg is Lestrade. Deleted again? No need 4 jealousy! JW x"

After he sent his reply, he pocketed his phone and sat down at the table opposite the inspector, the smile still on his face.

Greg looked across at John as he sat down and noticed the smile. Picking up his drink, he took a small sip to hide the grin blossoming on his face.

'John.'

'Greg.' answered John as he picked up his own drink to take a sip. 'Mmm, that hit the spot.'

'Bad day?' inquired Greg.

'Flu season, had the world and his wife at the surgery today, all of them wanting antibiotics for a virus! It's so frustrating, they won't listen.' John replied, 'anyway I've finished for the week, so I'm just going to relax this weekend, may even go see a game, I think West Ham are at home this week. How about you, how was your day?'

'Oh you know, the usual, though I did have a bit of luck this morning, came into a bit of money, hence why I'm buying.' Greg grinned as he carried on drinking his pint.

'Ooh, win the lottery did you? Should I start sending the begging letters now?' smirked John.

Greg laughed out loud at this point. 'No nothing like that, I just got hold of some information that meant I could claim my winnings from a bet I placed a few months ago.'

A hint of worry briefly crossed John's face, but was quickly dismissed.

'There was no way Greg could know about him and Sherlock, they'd only been together one day, and this was the first time either of them had seen anyone from Scotland Yard since the incident at the surgery' thought John. 'That was a stroke of luck' said John, a little nervously. 'I ... erm ... I didn't know you were a gambling man?'

Greg grinned, 'ordinarily I'm not, but this was too easy.'

In the silence that followed, both men finished their drinks and John offered to go to the bar for another round. Whilst he was stood waiting to be served, his mobile chimed a text alert.

"I'm bored! Come home! SH x"

John sent a quick reply as he got served.

"Just got another round in. Back later. Finish an experiment! JW x"

Collecting his drinks and pocketing his phone, he made his way back to Greg and sat down putting the drinks on to the table. Greg thanked him and they both took a sip.

'So how's Sherlock been doing?' asked Greg, as he slowly lowered the glass from his mouth, watching John's reaction.

At the sound of his flatmate's name, John quickly lowered his eyes to the table as the tips of his ears turned pink. Noticing this, Greg raised the glass to his lips, to once more hide the grin spreading across his face.

'Oh ... you know ... same as usual' answered John, still staring intently at the surface of the table as though it held the answers to the universe.

Greg spluttered slightly into his drink as he attempted to stop the laughter whilst simultaneously trying to breathe and take a drink. The result was a rather strangled sound somewhere between a snort and a cough. At this point John looked up in surprise at the sound, and saw Greg put down his pint (to prevent spillage), raise his hand to his mouth and proceeded to cough for all he was worth. When the coughing finally subsided, he wiped the tears of laughter from his cheeks and apologised. 'Sorry mate, must have gone down the wrong way.'

John resumed looking at the table in front of him, occasionally flicking a glance across at Greg, who was grinning openly now, his warm brown eyes sparkling.

'Okay, what?' asked John frowning slightly.

Greg's grin widened, 'so ... Sherlock?'

The pink colouring which had begun to fade from John's ears returned with a vengeance. John cleared his throat. 'What about him?' his eyes flickering away.

'Just friends ... yeah?'

The blush was now tinting John's cheeks as Greg removed his mobile phone from his pocket and laid on the table.

'Well ... erm ... yeah' John eyed the phone with suspicion.

'I give you exhibit A, m'lud' said Greg as he pressed an icon on his phone to play back the recording he had made that morning on the bus.

As the recording continued, John's blush grew to encompass not only his cheeks and ears but his neck too. Greg's grin grew so big, it appeared to almost split his face when the recording finally came to an end.

'Would you care to amend your previous statement, Doctor?' asked Greg.

John looked across at his friend, trying to decide how to answer. He sighed and replied.

'Okay ... fine... yes, Sherlock and I are more than friends, is that what you wanted to hear?' a defensive tone entering his voice.

'Hey mate, if the two of you are happy, then I'm pleased for you, honestly. I do have a couple of questions though.' answered Greg.

'Why have I been telling everyone I'm not gay?' inquired John.

'Yeah.'

As John sighed again his mobile chimed a text alert.

"Still bored! Where's your gun? SH x"

John smiled fondly whilst shaking his head in exasperation. "No shooting Sherlock! JW x"

'Is that Sherlock?' asked Greg quietly.

'Yeah, he's bored, I guess he's finished his experiment' John smiled, then sighed as he thought of how to answer his friend's previous question. 'I told everyone I wasn't gay, because at the time, I really believed that to be the truth. I'd never been attracted to men, not in medical school or in the army. Then I met Sherlock. He's incredible, like no one I've ever met before. I fought against my feelings for so long, I refused to see what was right in front of me. That's partly what the argument was about in the surgery yesterday.'

'Yeah, that was my next question' said Greg with a small smile.

John huffed 'We'd been snapping at each other for days, Sherlock was bored because he didn't have any cases, and I was stressed out about my feelings and because of that I wasn't sleeping well and I was tired. Anyway another argument started, I think this one was about milk, it's difficult to remember we had so many about stupid little things.'

'I'm sorry, milk?' Greg looked at John with a puzzled expression on his face.

John chuckled, 'yeah, you know how it is when you're tired, everything gets blown out of proportion. Anyway, long story short, I lost my rag and ended up blurting out how I felt, and then just stormed out. Not very mature, I know but as I said I was absolutely knackered. He came to the surgery, we argued some more, Sherlock called me an idiot and the rest you know.'

'He called you an idiot?' Greg was completely baffled by this point.

'You know what he's like, he's not very good at articulating his feelings, apparently he felt the same and I was an idiot for not realising. He kissed me because he felt his actions would speak louder than words.' replied John with a grin.

'But you're both happy, yeah?' Greg asked giving John a serious look.

John raised his head and looked directly into the inspector's eyes. 'Yes. We are. Very happy' John's mobile chimed again.

"John come home please! SH x"

John sent a reply "On my way, will be home shortly. JW x"

'I'd better get going, are you sure you're okay with this Greg?' John felt he needed to ask as he wanted to absolutely certain and didn't really want to lose a good friend.

'Yeah, I mean I don't really want to see you going at it in the middle of a crime scene, but like I said earlier, if you're both happy, then so am I.' replied Greg.

'Thanks, that means a lot to me, and Sherlock too. I'll see you.'said John as he stood up to leave.

When John arrived back at Baker Street, Sherlock was laying on the sofa, his hands in prayer position under his chin and his eyes were closed. As John closed the door, Sherlock leapt up and swooped down on the doctor to pull him into his arms and buried his face in John's neck inhaling sharply, he then began kissing him as he moved from his neck to his jaw before finally claiming his lips. When John eventually pulled away both men were breathing raggedly.

'I missed you.' Sherlock's voice was deeper than usual.

'Mmm, missed you too' replied John as he reached up to pull Sherlock's face down to his own and reclaimed his lips in a bruising kiss, whilst manoeuvring them both towards Sherlock's bedroom.