Chapter Five: Blank

"What?" I hear a female voice squeal in terror as both women beside us took off into the crowd. I followed close behind as they shoved their way through the mass of students and other onlookers.

A security guard held out his arm to stop Ana but Zoey grabbed hold of his arm and spun him around, making it possible for Ana to run into the ambulance doors in time and go with Danni.

"That's my sister!" She said as in defense he also spun and grabbed her arms behind her back. To my surprise, she didn't pull rank as a police officer; granted she was London branch and held no authority here. Neither did she struggle to get free. Instead, I made my way over to her as she took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and let her legs give out under her as a sob escaped her throat. "That's my baby sister…"

Once she buckled, the guard carefully lowered her onto the ground and slowly released her, allowing me to take my place beside her. She was staring at the ground as the sirens faded off into the distance. Even when my hand touched her shoulder she didn't respond. "Zoey?"

"Danni… Not Danni…" was all I could hear her mumble as she closed her eyes tight, tears rolling down her face. Perhaps it was best that she hadn't gone along with the medics. "Why?" She turned and looked over at me, but her eyes weren't focused on me as she asked that question. She was facing me, yes. She said it loud enough for only I to hear, yes. But if I was correct and no one had moved, she was staring past me and looking directly at Sherlock.

"I don't know," I answered anyway. I knew she needed the comfort as I wrapped my arms around her and helped her to her feet. "But until we find out what happened to her, there's nothing anyone can do. Do you want to meet up with them at the hospital?" Good, she responded with a nod. At least she wasn't completely lost. "You're in shock. Come on, let's sit you down for a bit."

Lily was standing beside Sherlock, a hand over her mouth as the other gripped her arm. She looked as though she was regretting telling us who the medics were whisking away. With the way her friends had responded, I can't say that I blamed her.

Sherlock, however, just stared off in the direction we had come from, his eyes narrow in thought, brow furrowed. "John."

"What is it?" I asked, looking up at him for a moment before I started to sit Zoey down.

"We have to follow them."

"Now? Sherlock, Zoey is in shock. She needs a moment to recover before-"

He walked over and pushed me aside, scooping up the still dazed girl into his arms bridal style with ease. "She can rest at the hospital. I need to inspect that girl before any evidence is tampered with or lost."

He took off walking then, flicking me Zoey's car key as we headed to the parking lot. I followed behind with Lily and as we watched the detective walk briskly and exceedingly determined, we saw Zoey move just a little so as to wrap her arms around his neck and rest her head on his shoulder.

Zoey hadn't uttered since she had collapsed on campus. Lily had been the one to direct me to the hospital, in a very confusing American manner, I might add. Sherlock had sat in the back with Zoey, seeing as how he couldn't seem to release her hand from the collar of his shirt. That being said, he also had to carry her into the building which granted them with unneeded attention.

"Is everything alright, sir?" The nurse at the front desk practically jumped to her feet but remained where she was as Sherlock shook his head.

"We're following someone who just arrived by ambulance. A young girl." He was still using his American accent and refused to put Zoey down even when a young man came over and offered a wheelchair.

"Right. They came in about ten minutes ago. You are…?"

"This is her sister. We're friends of the family." He said as Zoey remained silent and stared ahead, down the hallway and at the doors where doctors were walking in and out.

"Follow me." Another nurse appeared and touched Sherlock's arm to guide him slightly in the direction desired. Lily looked at me and motioned to a nearby chair in the sitting room.

"I'll just wait out here. They don't need a bunch of people gathering around in a panic." She smiled slightly and headed to sit down as I followed Sherlock and the woman in the pink scrubs.

Ana was leaning against the wall beside one of the rooms, several doctors and nurses alike buzzing about inside as Danni was still being hooked up to machines and monitors. "Zoey!"

Sherlock put Zoey down and the two girls held each other for a moment before either one spoke. "How is she?"

"I don't know. They were saying things like 'shock' and 'coma' and other big words which have me scared. She hasn't responded since they got her from the campus, Zo. She was unconscious the whole way here and then they ran off with her." Ana was now tearing up as the elevator dinged and a frantic family stepped out.

"Zoey! Ana!" a man's voice called out an instant before their father scooped them into his arms. He was in uniform, no doubt called while on the job. The two girls didn't seem phased by that fact at all, even when his gun holder appeared to jab Zoey in the hip. "Are you two alright?"

"Yeah…" Ana replied, nodding and hugging her father tighter.

Zoey was the opposite as she pulled back, smiling slightly as she scratched her head. "I'm fine…" She said softly, making Sherlock raise a brow as he watched.

"What happened?"

"We don't know. One moment we're hanging out in the lounge going to investigate, Danni went with Lily to her dorm… Then the next…" Ana shook her head.

"She was poisoned. Like Rachel." Sherlock said, making all eyes turn to him.

"Poisoned? Danni was?" Edwin asked as he looked at Sherlock and then towards Victoria who was holding both of her boys. Ian understood something bad had happened to his sister and was staring at the door, eyes wide and full of worry. Kayden also was staring towards the door but he seemed to be watching instead of concerning himself with his sister. He was still young so he probably was curious and didn't fully grasp the situation.

"Yes, now if you'll excuse me…" Sherlock mumbled as he moved Zoey out of the way and walked into the room as if he belonged.

I merely looked away as commotion rose from the room bustling with doctors and a now very determined Sherlock. Ana was hugging Ian and Kayden was holding his mother's hand, still staring towards the room. Victoria had Edwin's arm around her as she leaned into his chest, both visibly concerned.

Zoey, was a different matter. She was standing in the middle of the hallway, watching Sherlock push his way about and order people back so he could look. Her eyes were not fully watching him, however. They appeared foggy, distant. She had the same expression that she had back at the college. She was doing the opposite of what she had always done before.

Before, when something happened to one she cared about, she would barrel ahead full of fire and emotions. But here, now, I was seeing something completely different. What I saw now was a Zoey who was pushing aside her normal emotions. Fighting and blocking out the feelings she needed to function. She was shutting down.

"Zoey?" a woman's voice called out, making Edwin turn quickly and Victoria flinch. Ana's head perked up and turned to look at the middle-aged woman rushing out of the elevator and towards the group. They were all off to the side except for Zoey, who hadn't responded. "Oh, Zoey!" Arms were thrown around Zoey in a hug as the woman pulled her close. "There's my oldest baby! I'm glad to see you."

"Mom, Danni…" Zoey said as she turned to look at her mother, only to have her cheeks squished, making talking impossible.

"It's been far too long. We really shouldn't have to meet up like this. Now then, tell me about this boy."

"Boy?" Zoey managed to mumble out between her squished face.

"The one Ana was telling me she saw in your house over webcam! Are you finally working on those adorable little grandchildren?"

"Lynn…" Mr. McCarron tried but was obviously ignored, sighing as he shook his head.

The woman who was apparently oblivious to the situation around her, was now no doubt the McCarron sisters' mother. I could see similarities in the noses and jaw structures. Ana had her mother's eyes. The woman before me was in her fifties but still had brown hair. It was an odd color, almost faded. No doubt she dyed it on occasion.

She was focusing on all the wrong things at present. No doubt she came for her youngest but once she saw Zoey her attention was diverted. She was now ignoring the fact that one of her daughters was dying; although she may have made the decision to leave the doctors alone to do their job; unlike someone else. She was also unaware of the fact that Zoey was in pain since her injured arm was currently being crushed between their two bodies. She was blowing off her ex-husband and his new wife, their two children, and Ana who she no doubt talked to every day, and was focusing on all the wrong things about Zoey.

"Ma'am…" I stepped forward and touched her shoulder in an attempt to release Zoey's pained hand. "My name is Doctor john Wats-"

"Oh, my! A doctor! Good choice, my dear." She released Zoey and nudged her slightly, smiling at her. "You must be the young man I've heard so much about. The one from England, correct?"

"Yes, I am from England but I'm not…" Again I was interrupted.

"You are adorable. A handsome doctor and such an attractive accent." She beamed and put a hand on Zoey's stomach, not noticing her flinch. I saw Zoey's muscles tighten and her skin pale at the area grabbed. It was where the scar was. Zoey hadn't said a word in protest as I saw her shut herself down further as a defense mechanism. I wondered if she knew anything about her daughter other than what she chose to remember from when she was younger. "I'm sure you and Zoey will have beautiful grandchildren."

"Madam," a deep voice suddenly said from behind her, making her spin around as Zoey was pulled back away from her and against Sherlock's chest. "While I'm sure your daughter is flattered that you believe her offspring will be of an attractive nature, I'm sure she would rather you call them her children and not grandchildren. Grandchildren are what you desire and it seems a rather selfish act to force something so intimate upon your daughter. Furthermore," I noticed that he had his arm wrapped around Zoey, his hand now resting upon what remained of Moriarty's first true encounter with her. However, Zoey seemed more at ease than she had when her mother had touched her. "Doctor Watson is not the man of which your middle child spoke of but it was I."

Lynn looked Sherlock over and I once more questioned what she saw. I wondered if she noticed Sherlock's protective hold on Zoey or the fact that he was analyzing her every move. I wondered if she noticed that Zoey had almost completely shut down yet seemed aware of Sherlock when she hadn't taken any notice of me. Did she notice the pain her daughter was in as she cradled her wrist gently?

"Well, you are a handsome one as well." She smiled and put her hands on her hips approvingly. "Tall, dark and handsome indeed! I heard that you spent the night at my baby's place then, didn't you?"

"Yes, we did spend some time together in her flat." He replied coldly.

"And I do hope you were a gentleman. What is it you do, Mister…?"

"Yes, I try. And I, Mrs. McCarron, notice that you have just come from lunch. You had a salad and a tomato bisque soup, seeing as there is a hint of spinach between your teeth and a splash of the soup on your blouse. You also recently got your nails done, only a few days old but it's rather pointless if you ask me if you insist on biting your nails despite the fact that such a luxury can be pricy. I can tell that you have two cats and a very energetic dog, either that or an ill behaved one, from the scratch marks and hair covering your arms and clothes. The dog, I deduced that by noticing the faint traces of the leash wrist loop still on your skin. No doubt you took him for a walk during your break. I am a consulting detective. The only one in the world, and I, am Sherlock Holmes."

Everyone was silent. Ana was stunned, their mother was speechless, and Victoria and Edwin merely stared as Ian let his mouth hang open. Kayden was grinning wildly as Zoey turned to look over her shoulder at Sherlock. He glanced down at her and then looked back at her mother.

"I notice everything while you fail to notice the obvious. One: your youngest daughter was poisoned and is currently in the next room fighting for her life. Two: You failed to notice Analise's change of hair color. It's a fairly drastic change as well, no doubt done within the last twenty four hours. Three: You failed to notice that Zoey had a severe injury to her right hand; proven by the fact that you strained it when you forcibly hugged her. That action could have further damaged the wound."

"I… I didn't…" Lynn was stunned and was glad to rush into the room once the doctor's cleared and Okayed it a moment later. The rest of the McCarron's followed except for Zoey who remained with Sherlock and I in the hallway.

"Don't you want to go check in on your sister?" I asked.

"No…" She replied quietly, making Sherlock move around so he was standing before her, a hand cradling each cheek as he looked directly at her.

"Yes, you do. But you can't." He said, locking eyes with hers. "You're not Zoey at the moment. You're not the woman I knew in London. No, you've shut down on me."

"Shut down?" She asked as she looked back at him instead of pulling away like she usually did, or other did. Including me.

"You are ruled by your emotions but aside from the university, you have yet to show even a hint of one. You've blocked feelings from touching you at the moment. No doubt from your worry over your sibling, but still… You've become blank." He frowned. "Even if it is temporary… You've become like me."