I'm not that happy with this but I'm not sure why, but I thought I better post it anyway, I've been staring at it for days and no improvements are coming. If I suddenly think of something I will re-upload it. Anyhoo this is next chapter, please enjoy. All reviews welcome

Soundtrack: Adagio for Strings – Escala

Harold walked up the marble stone steps to Elias's office, the only marks on them, Shaw's blood. He turned a corner and stopped. Before him, on the cold marble steps, lay Shaw's lifeless body in a large pool of her own blood. Her eyes were still open. Harold pulled the top of the gun back hearing the heavy clunk of metal from within. He continued his way up the steps, mind focused on one man. He heard a noise behind him and spun around, gun at the ready. John stood before him.

'I came to help. I am your slave, it is my job to protect and serve you.' Said John.

Harold hesitated then sighed. 'Ok, but you will leave Elias for me. This is between me and him. No one else.'

John nodded and gave Harold a second gun. Harold nodded and loaded it. They stood, side by side, guns ready dwarfed by two huge doors. They hesitated then pushed them open. The corridor leading to Elias's office was guarded by around sixty Larrelle's, thirty down each side in their combat uniform: black plastic like suits, all with heavy machine guns. Two Larrelle's ran from the far end and stopped midway, sending a hail of bullets at John and Harold. Harold ducked and returned fire whilst John jumped, spun and landed gracefully. Harold stood up again. Side by side, a gun in each hand. The Larrelle's took a millisecond to raise and fire at them. Harold and John moved down the room: twisting, turning, sliding as a well-oiled machine in a single synchronized choreographed movement. Bullets hailed the room, burying themselves deep in the marble walls. The Larrelle's fell to the floor around them. The two men moved effortlessly down the corridor, never more a few inches from each other. Harold crouched and John leaned over shooting two more Larrelle's. Harold ran forward and spread his arms out in a curve shooting dead a line of four advancing Larrelles. Silence. Harold ran to the door with John close at his heel. Harold stopped and put his hand on the large handle.

'This is where you leave me John.'

'Harold… I um, wait.'

Harold looked up at John, grey eyes clouded. 'What is it John?'

John cupped Harold's face and leaned down for a kiss. Harold reciprocated, deepening it. His eyes fluttered shut, this could be goodbye. Harold stopped moving his lips and John pulled back.

'This isn't goodbye John.'

John nodded and stepped back. Harold pushed the door open and walked into the circular office belonging to Carl Elias.

Elias sat at his desk, he tapped a steady rhythm on the desk. His eyes snapped up at the opening door. He smiled.

'Ah Harold. To what do I owe the pleasure.' Harold drew his gun and pointed it at Elias. The smile dropped from his face. 'I always knew you were an offender Harold, even since you read out Grace's name all those years ago. Bet you thought no one would notice. You're weak Harold. You always needed someone, whether you were dishing out orders or receiving them: you always needed someone. The human condition, the flaw in our design. But you created a remedy.' He smiled again.

'What I created has destroyed humanity.'

Elias chuckled and stood up. 'No, it has improved it.' Elias walked around the desk, his smile dropped. He looked into Harold's blue eyes. 'Be careful Harold. You're treading on my dreams.'

Harold anticipated Elias's next move and leap forward, pushing him back over the desk. Elias pushed forward again and grabbed a gun off the desk and started shooting at Harold. They stood close, a flurry of bullets flew in all directions. They battled, pushing each other's arms out of the way whilst trying to get a clear shot. They moved around the room. Bullets flew again. Elias knocked Harold's gun out of his hand and it clattered on the marble floor. Harold stumbled back and held his arms up. Elias smiled broadly and raised his gun slowly.

'See, the human flaw.' Pointed out Elias.

John entered the room, gun pointed at Elias. His solid, almost dominant figure commanding attention. His arms at length, gun nestled in his strong hands, his steady shoulders relaxed, his feet flat and knees locked. This is what he had been trained to do. Once a Larrelle, always a Larrelle.

'Oh this is fitting. Three men, two lovers, one outcome.' Said Elias mockingly.

Harold squared his shoulders. John glanced sideways at him. 'Elias, I can assure this isn't necessary.'

'Oh but it is, you see, you two are in deep trouble.'

'Remember who I am Elias. A mistake on this scale won't be taken lightly.' Said Harold. John recognised his voice and stance, this was Dominant Finch. 'I can crush you without even batting an eye lid.'

'Oh really.'

Elias chuckled again and shot John in the knee. He fell to the ground, the gun skidded across the floor out of his reach, he clutched his bleeding wound.

Harold moved to help John, he froze when Elias held the gun to him. He sighed. 'I told you to wait.' Harold almost begged, quietly.

'A friend doesn't leave a friend.' Said John, gritting his teeth at the pain.

'And there we have it. The Great Harold Finch, creator and controller of the world, a sense offender. And here we have him, with his… lover.'

Elias walked over to John and knelt down, John tried to push him away but failed. Elias dug his thumb into the bullet wound on the inside of John's knee. John groaned. Harold stood stony faced, his eyes glued to Johns. All void of emotion.

'Just admit it Harold.' Elias pushed his thumb deeper into the wound. Harold watched the pain on John's face. His resolve collapsed.

'Elias please stop this.' Harold begged. Elias pushed in harder and wiggled his thumb, John shouted out in pain. Harold raised his voice. 'Stop! Enough. Fine, I live I breath I feel. I feel.' Harold paused and looked John in the eye. 'I… I… I love you John.'

Elias laughed loudly. He stood up; he wiped his bloodied hand on John's trousers. An unspoken message passed through Harold's eyes. John kicked Elias in the stomach then pushed a gun over to Harold with his foot. Harold grabbed it off the floor and sent a single shot into Elias. The bullet hit him square in the chest. Elias dropped his gun and stared open eyed at Harold. He dropped to his knees as Harold stepped over to him. John watched him; this was Harold in his element. Elias looked up at Harold.

'Oh this is fitting. Three men, two lovers, one outcome.' Harold paused and dropped all the emotion out of his face and voice. 'And zero emotion.'

Harold punched Elias, hitting him under the jaw and knocking his backwards; he was dead before he lit the floor. John watched as Harold stood frozen for a few seconds: balanced on his tiptoes, hands still clenched. The tense anger dissipated. Harold ran over to John and knelt down, he took John's hand in his.

'John… I'm so sorry.'

'Is it true? You love me?'

'Yes. Yes I do.' Harold sighed at the wound. 'We need to get help.' Harold pulled off his tie and tied it around John's leg, just above the knee. 'This should stop the bleeding.'

Harold stood up again and sat at Elias's desk, a computer appeared out of the desk. Harold typed furiously, eyes flicking between the screen and the keyboard. He stopped as suddenly as he started and pushed the chair back. He limped over to John and helped him up.

'John lean on me.'

'I don't want to hurt you.'

Harold's gaze met John's. 'Please.' John gave in and leaned on Harold, being careful not to hurt him. Harold walked John over to the window behind. 'You'll want to see this.'

Harold and John stood at the window looking over the concrete jungle. John scanned the skyline. Two explosions filled his views. It took a moment to realise what was happening.

'The factories.' Whispered John.

'No more TyRon. The human race feels again.' Harold turned and helped John out the office.