CHAPTER 10. HEROS and FRIENDS

Lestrade laid on the cold damp ground, he should feel scared or some what concerned, instead he felt ready to drift off, the ground wasn't to bad, so softer than he'd originally thought.. In fact it was like being on a raft in the middle of the ocean the waves of darkness lapping at the edges of his vision. Oh, and he had company, that couldn't be right, one of the henchmen or hired muscle of DI River's was lying next to him holding a hand to his nose and Lestrade tried to roll away from him not likening the proximity but someone pulled the thug away, was there shouting.

Someone was talking to him? And he blinked trying to focus watching the downed henchmen, a hard kick to the side of the head sent the thug motionless. The other one was a couple feet away, some more talking, all a distant mumbling, like putting your ear to the end of a seashell trying to hear the ocean. He'd done that as a kid once, but he wasn't near the ocean was he? Was that the sun in the sky?

Hands, kind gentle hands, a doctor's hands. And he realizes now that imaginary Sherlock is kneeling next to him, and he's talking to an imaginary John.

"Greg?" Oh, this is definitely the end if the imaginary Sherlock was sounding worried. "Stay still Lestrade or you'll make it worse. Stop moving."

John heard the gun shots, Sherlock had hit one of the mafia thugs in the leg but he charged the surprised detective. John could see he hadn't expected this reaction. He took out the mafia thug standing over Lestrade with a knife, Lestrade wasn't moving, God he wasn't moving. Then Sherlock brought a hard palm to his opponents nose then a hard chop to the adams apple he keeled over gasping for air. Sherlock growled pulling him away from Lestrade. John took out the zip ties he always carried on him he subdued both men, immediate danger pacified. That was the soldier in him, now the Doctor in him sprang into action.

"Greg?" kneeling now at the still form he knew to be his friend. Sherlock noted the DI was no longer wearing his completely useless coat, to thin to protect against rain. His shirt had been ripped at the collar, and the knees of his slacks filthy, blood everywhere, on his face, his shirt. Sherlock couldn't think of anything to say, but he heard a soft moan and relief flooded him.

"John! He's alive!" John nodded and started to take inventory of the damage. Sherlock removed his own coat, as John put his jacket under the DI's head, Sherlock covered him.

"He's cold, and his blood pressure is low, we have to keep him warm he's in shock. Keep his head supported."

Sherlock examined his friends face, yes Greg Lestrade was his friend, he'd become apart of him like an arm or a leg, you can't function without it. The injured Detective Inspector grinned, he tried to move.

"Greg, don't' move. You're going to be fine. An ambulance is on the way." Lestrade showed no sign he heard John, but Sherlock took the mans hand and squeezed "Stay still Lestrade or you'll make it worse. Stop moving." This did the trick he laid back starring up the dawn had come up hours ago, but he still looked up at the warm sky.

" You know your not real." He coughed wincing.

"Of course I'm real Greg." Sherlock caught John's eye, the paramedics finally showed up .

"Nice of you to show up. What took you so long?" Lestrade whispered

"Sentiment Greg, sentiment." Sherlock admitted as they lifted the DI onto the cot covering him with an awful orange blanket.

THE HOSPITAL 2 DAYS LATER

Molly blushed as Sherlock and John entered the hospital room, DI Lestrade was sitting up, his right wrist still bandaged, the swelling in his face finally going down some that when he smiled he didn't look like a ripe tomato ready to pop.

"Well, Detective Inspector-er Greg" she stammered. "I do have a morgue to get back to. I'll pop in later before I leave to say goodbye." She squeezed his left hand, nodding to Sherlock and John shyly.

"I'll be here Molly, and looking forward to that cup of coffee, you promised." She threw him a million dollar smile and left the three friends.

"Well look whose up and coherent." John looked over the DI with the eye of a master craftsmen inspecting someone else's work, it was a Doctors look, and Lestrade held back a laugh, how was it that he easily forgot John was a Doctor. A damn good one at that, well at least that's what his second or was it third doctor had said when Lestrade had first managed to stay awake longer than five minutes.

"Well look whose not spouting orders at poor Emergency Room Physicans." John smiled brightly.

"Just wanted to scare them enough that they kept on your treatment. By the looks of your chart they have."

"They come in enough. Every half and hour to check if I'm in pain. Really I don't need such a close eye. I'm not to bad off, I wouldn't mind going home and getting back to work."

John shook his head checking the IV bag, "Are you in any pain Greg?"

"Oh piss off John, I've been asked that same question in that same tone at least 30times today. Next you'll ask if I'm seeing double, have headaches then you'll ask my damn name and if I know where I am." He rolled his eyes "You know what you can get me-some nicotine patches. That old witch of a nurse keeps saying she'll have to clear it with the Doctor. Do me a favor mate-" John smiled.

"I'll go check with your Doctor, I did have a few questions-"

"Please John don't be to hard. Poor kid is going to need to be hospitalized with anxiety disorder. And I just learned this ones name. Dont make me learn another ones." After John left Sherlock moved from his position by the window to Greg's bed side, proudly tossing down the paper in Lestrade's lap.

"Whats this?" he picked it up, "Scandal at Scotland Yard." The cover had a very smug looking Dimmock, and Srgt. Donovan escorting an unhappy commissioner and DI Dodson. Lestrade chuckled seeing that pompous ass Dodson looking defeated. He read; hero Detective Inspector uncovers more than just bribes and perjury. Scotland yard compromised by mafia. Right under that was a picture of himself. "I'm no hero he couldn't read the sensationalized account according to some young reporter of how he put his life on the line- There was a bit of an awkward silence, so Lestrade went first pushing the paper from him.

"Thanks for being here when I first woke up."

"You remember that?"

"Hard to forget, besides it was worth remembering hearing John fire the first two Doctor assigned to me? Really he's gotten such a temper since you've returned. And he's worse than a mother bear protecting her cubs."

"Try telling him you dont want a multivitamin even if its in the form of cherry flavored gummy bear." Sherlock shivered remembering their argument from a day ago. "John has no real power here, but they seem to jump to attention when he barks. Besides that man whatever his name was, certainly wasn't fit to practice medicine, John caught at least four mistakes. That idiot had no idea you were allergic to penicillin. By the way, how does John know that?" Lestrade laughed and winced again, he coughed harder now, damn a cigarette would be nice.

"No, no it wouldn't." Sherlock sighed. Lestrade frowned leaning back against the hospital cot, he'd managed to maneuver it so he could sit up. He wondered if this had been a good idea, and again if he was imagining Sherlock again. "That would be cheating. We are in this together." Sherlock grinned taking a nicotine patch from his pocket.

"Wait-"

"Don't worry I know your doctor. I'm sure he'll understand." Again another awkward silence, as he put it on Listrade's undamaged arm.

"How is that kid, what was his name?"

"Clarke." Sherlock grinned briefly; Lestrade had thought him incapable, especially since he'd returned from the dead. Sherlock had seemed more haunted and distant, but Lestrade also noticed just how much more protective this man had become, of John, Molly, Mrs. Hudson and maybe even him.

"Yes that would be him. Poor kid had no idea what he was getting into mixing up with you two."

"He's unscathed. He's a smart one. You should have him on your team, he's slightly smarter then the idiots you have well at least he's less annoying. He kind of reminds me of John. I think John has taken to him, while we were giving Dimmock our reports, by the way how that fool Dimmock became a DI is beyond me. He looked out of his league and uncomfortable, I had to practically write the report for him. But that aside, John and Clarke were talking army stuff. Funny how some people underestimate John and even this Clarke, and you." Sherlock cleared his through dropping his voice on the last words of that sentence.

"Oh, I bet." Lestrade pretended not to hear this compliment " Seeing how you got him to play bate. Oh, I'm just a man, I don't think if I hadn't worked with you all these years I'd have caught the discrepancies. Thanks again Sherlock, really, for a minute there I did believe I wasn't going to see the light of day."

"No. Thank you Lestrade that message was the best yet. You really gave me a case, it did the trick breaking me out of my boredom. And I have a few new ideas for an experiment." Lestrade shook his head; Sherlock caught how he laid a bruised arm over his aching ribs.

"I thought when you said in your message, you would be seeing Molly soon that you had thought you were lost. That I wouldn't find you." Lestrade stiffened hearing a quiet sadness an unusual tone for the impartial man.

"No, of course not. A man has nothing to fear when he's friends with the only consulting detective in the world. Besides I knew it would be a matter of time before you'd show up. And I had my own mind to keep me company till you did." Sherlock could see the exhaustion settle into Lestrade's still bruised face.

"Good. You would have to be an idiot to believe otherwise. Now, maybe you should rest before your doctor comes in has me murdered for keeping you from your sleep." Before Sherlock could go Lestrade's hand grabbed hold of his forearm, Sherlock flinched and with the strength of a healthier man, he was pulled into an uncomfortable hug. After what seemed like a long bit of time, Lestrade released the thin man, who coughed uncomfortable, looking around making sure no one witnessed a show of affection.

"Go on than, go find Dimmock and harass him, I bet he's enjoying the extra work load and no doubt Donovan and Anderson are adding to that. Be polite."

"No promises. For future reference Greg, I'd appreciate it if you would not get yourself kidnapped and nearly executed, if you have a question find me. Going off on your own is far to dangerous. We are in this together you know. All of us. " Lestrade could only grin and nod, satisfied with this answer the tall thin consulting detective, took his leave the tail of his dark coat trailing after him like a cape.

~C'est finis~

A/N : I'd like to thank you all for reviewing. Especially Archea, dogonit, Vivacohen and Mayre for such lovely encouragement! thank you all for reading.