Chapter Text
John was sitting on a bench when Sherlock found him, the night was cold and the light rain had wet all his cloths. But John wasn’t bothered by the cold or the rain, something else was in his mind making him suffer.
Sherlock stood up behind the bench and waited. The distress was deep in his soul and Sherlock had started to feel it in his own.
This was part of their newly bond.
“They’ll find out” John whispered, “They’ll find out and they’ll kill us” He put his hands on his face and sobbed.
Treaty
- a formal agreement or contract between two or more states, such as an alliance or trade arrangement
- the document in which such a contract is written
- any pact or agreement
- an agreement between two parties concerning the purchase of property at a price privately agreed between them
- archaic negotiation towards an agreement
- (in Canada) any of the formal agreements between Indian bands and the federal government by which the Indians surrender their land rights in return for various forms of aid
Sally Donovan wake up distressed, even under her duvet she felt the haunting cold touching her skin, her eyes had lost their fierceness so long ago that she had to use glasses. She found them at the night table at her left, she sat and dreaded to look at the walls of her room, she knew, they will be there, she knew they there, silently gazing her, their cold was what woke her up. She looked at the clock. It was late already. She nodded.
“I won’t fail” she whispered but they waited. “I won’t!” She shouted covering her face.
She left the bed and went into the bathroom, he cursed their cold because it made her bone ache in a way she had to take strong painkillers that left her dumb all day, and today she needed to be in all her senses.
“Please, please leave…” She begged, but the image on the mirror was there and so the cold. They won’t leave easily today, she thought. Sally sighed in resignation and took a hot bath.
Sally wore his best dress, a grey suit with ancient English lines on it, a white cravat and skirt knee long, she missed her heels but it was for the sake of her kneels. They watched her dress and she shuddered with the cold, she opted for take her old blue scarf.
His boys had the breakfast ready, the table at the middle of the hotel was filled with what looked a delicious breakfast, orange juice, milk, black tea, pancakes, fried bacons, scrambled eggs, german sausage, toasted bread with butter and only for her, a cup with coffee.
“Thank you boys” She sat down and ate, her children joined her after a while, the were reading the newspaper.
“Mom!” Exclaimed Paul, his oldest. “Here says that you’re the main even of the talks in the Holmes institute event”
“Yea!” Daniel joined. “They Holmes guys said that it’s the first time you will talk in their annual Hi, there and they felt so honoured”
Sally nodded, she glanced behind her boys and she saw them. I won´t.
“Mom tell us, how is that you now these guys” Paul hold up his tablet and show her a photo of her old friend Lestrade, at his side were Anderson and Molly. The years had been generous with them.
Lestrade had his hair white as snow, but his eyes were still fierce and his wrinkles served only to make his smile joyous. Anderson had his hair and beard grey, he posed serious at the photo but she knew that under the beard it was a hidden smile. And Molly, although she never met her directly, she looked the same the last time she saw her.
On the bench park in that August evening. It had been a long and hot summer, the shadows of the trees were dimly the heat but Sally barely felt it, they had been with her that same day and the heat was meaningless to her. Sally arrived late on porpoise, she didn’t want to face Greg or Phil, she had only wanted to stay in home, away from that, but she went anyway for the love she had for he friends.
Molly was in the bench, crying. Greg had been at his side, holding her.
Sometimes she still her sobbing question. “Why them? Why them?”
“Like the rest of the world you will find the answer on the conference, If I said something I will spoiling it for you” She said trying to sound happy.
Her children laughed and conceded.
After their breakfast, her children took their copies of Molly Hooper’s book and ready themselves, for them London was a new adventure and so they put whatever they bought the day before. But for her, it was returning to a home she had loved and had to leave, it was the returning to them.
The ride on the cab was uneventful, her sons were reading her the news about her coming to the Holmes institute, they were elated with that kind of welcoming on this country. They were used to the media back in their home, in the states. For them it was just part of life, some evil they saw necessary and sometimes Sally wondered if then enjoyed the attention the media gave them.
“Woa, mom look at this!” Paul said suddenly, he showed her a video.
The image showed a big concentration of people, men and women carrying signs with heart drown on them, they were singing the alpha omega hymn, they were so happy. “She is back!” Shouted a man happily “Our saviour, she is back!” then the camera focused on an old man, she remembered him and when he spoke, it seemed he never forgot her. “Sally help us in our blackest hour, and before that time, she went to our meeting. God bless you Sally!” He started to cry.
“Who is that mom?” asked Paul.
“That’s Mike Stamford” She answered. “I …” She closed her mouth, she felt on her shoulder a cold hand, she closed her eyes.
“The Mike Stamford? The Dean of Holly Holmes Hospital?” Paul asked in awe, when she opened her eyes, she saw on her boys that expression of proud, awe and happiness they held for her whenever she did something impressive to their eyes.
“Yes, Mike will not admit never, but he help me too” Sally said forcing a smile.
The street in front the Holmes Institute was filled with people, there were groups singing, others shouting when they guessed who will be out the cab and in the strangest of all, they were waiting patiently behind an imaginary line.
Sally and her sons descended from the cab, the mass welcomed them with applauses and singing. She felt his heart leap within the emotion, she hadn’t made anything special to earn their love. They will hate me after the conference, when the whole world hears my confession. Paul embraced her, supporting her weight.
They walked; the mass cleared a corridor for them, to the main door of the building. The Holmes Institute was an impressive building, with more glass than metal or stone, south face was decorated with the Holmes Institute crest. An H interlaced with an alpha and omega greek lower case letters, the building had at least fifteen floors and a whole block for itself.
She had to admit, the pompous brother had excelled himself this time. She smiled for a moment, admiring the tall and beautiful building. She sopped suddenly, in the main door she saw her old friends, she wanted to be with them and talk to them before the conference, but she felt the too familiar cold.
They were there. They were waiting. Sally took off her glassed and feigned she cleaned them, her knees were aching furiously for the cold but she endure the pain. This is part of my punishment, once I told them, my real punishment will come.
She put on her glasses and nodded at them, she resumed her walk toward her old friends.
The mass become silently once sally was in front of them, less than two yards away. Greg was wearing a black suit and a red tie, Phil Anderson a comfy knitted sweater, cream coloured with some cats on it, and Molly was wearing a designer formal suit with a long wool coat.
“Welcome home Sally” Greg greeted her first, she saw him hesitate he didn’t know, offer his hand for a shake or a hug.
“I offer you our thanks for your arduous labour” Phil said taking away the choice from Greg, he offered his hand. Sally shake it.
“Here” Molly gave her a copy of her book. Hi, there. Sally couldn’t help the smile on her face when she saw the picture on the cover. It hurt her deeply, fur she hid it. “It’s is signed, even Mycroft signed it for you” Molly added shy. Sally nodded and opened the book.
The signatures of his friends with beautiful phrases did the trick and some tears feel on his cheeks.
“Mom!” Paul said, he gave her a tissue and she cleaned her face.
“It’s has been so long since I saw the lot of them” She explained to her sons, Greg and Molly nodded.
“Paul and Daniel, meet Phil Anderson co-founder of The Omega Alliance for families in need, Commissioner Greg Lestrade and Doctor Molly Hooper bestseller author”
Her boys greeted them formally, she can tell they were astounded and internally screaming of happiness. She heard their pleas for coming to this event, how may essays they wrote on how much they admired them, how wonderful will be to had photos with them.
“I didn’t know you had family Sally” Greg said meanwhile Daniel hugged the man.
“They’re my blessing” Sally said.
“Come come, the conference will start in 20 minutes, we need you to be ready like now” Greg said hurried them in.
The halls of the Holmes Institute were white but decorate with photos of happy alpha-omega families, children with big happy smiles, couples holding each other’s, some photos held only children playing, others babies sleeping, Sally saw that above the reception desk was the same photo as the cover of Molly’s book.
“Here, your badges” Greg handed a couple of id to her children. “You had your sits in the front row” Her boys nodded and hurried into the hall, following the signals. “Enthusiasts” Greg smiled.
“They surprise me by this good behaviour” Sally admitted. “They’re your biggest fans”
Greg giggled, then he turned to the big picture, he kissed his fingers and raised his hands in direction of the image, Molly and Anderson did the same.
“It’s time old friends” Greg said. “You had to watch this, Sally had come finally.” Greg kissed again his finger and raised again his hand. It was such loving gesture that, it was like Greg was speaking to his wife.
Molly put a hand on his shoulder and Anderson looked away. Sally suddenly was aware of how much this still weighted him.
I will kill the bastard. Sally heard the echo of a past. Lestrade and Anderson were there when it happened, they both acted different in the moment but in the end they had the same goal.
“You will him” Molly said, “There is still time” She whispered to him and Greg nodded.
“The conference is about to start” Anderson said and he lead them for a different corridor. Sally saw more happy photos and more corridors and soon she found herself up in podium, waiting to be called, she can see her former friends seated in the first row. Mike Stanford, Henry Knight, Mary Morstan, , that young man now a man Bill Wiggins, even the infamous James Moriarty and friend Lord Sebastian Moran and she saw that other hateful character Charles Augustus Magnussen.
Then suddenly the light were dim, not so dark no so bright, it was comfortable for both, the speakers and the audience, a young woman entered the podium by the other side and began a welcoming speech, Sally didn’t hear it.
The cold hand on his shoulder made her shudder and close her eyes. The hand left when her name was announced and the audience roared with applauses and shouts.
They will hate me after my speech. Sally said to herself again.
She put her best smile and walked to where the girl was, Sally waved at the audience, they deserve at least them that. On the podium was set a large table with microphone and seats, already seate was Anderson, Lestrade, Molly and Mycroft Holmes. She will be seated next to Anderson.
She stood still a couple of seconds glaring at her chair, they were there. One seated the other behind like guarding them.
“Everything is all right Madame Donovan?” The young woman asked, Sally nodded, she went to sit is his empty seat.
I won’t fail, I won’t fail. She said her mantra.
Silence fall in the hall. They were waiting for someone to start.
“Sally won’t you open the talk this year?” Molly proposed, Sally looked at her. Greg and Phil interchanged glances and looked at her curious. “If you want of course?”
“It’s your call” Greg said. “You can start or wait until we finished”
The cold hand was on her shoulder and she knew that they wanted her to go first. She closed her eyes, he sucked air and answered them. They looked at her worrying, like she was scared, and she was death frightened since that day, but she smiled.
“I’ll start” Their eyes softened but the hand on her shoulders no. She looked at the audience, at the cameras posted in the corridors, and the microphone, at her son waiting exited. “I’m not sure where…” She confessed.
“How did you meet them?” Someone in audience shouted and Sally nodded.
“A good start.” She felt the cold hand gave her a light squeeze at her shoulder, like trying to cheer her up. She giggled but it sounded like a sob.
“Sally?” Anderson at his side asked her worried. “If you can’t we understand” He said.
“Sometimes I can swear he is pushing me” Sally suddenly said startling everyone. “Like he had his hand on my shoulder” and she felt another light squeeze. She giggled again, and wiped clean her eyes with the back of her hand. “He always was a pushing bastard, and I admired that. But when I meet him in the MET, I couldn’t help to say, what a pushing bastard”
She fell silent for a moment, she looked at the audience, there were only few words and they were already waiting for more. She nodded after she felt another light squeeze on her shoulder. “Sherlock Holmes had a way to stay in your mind….