Guardian Angel

Loughton

Mycroft wasn't even surprised to see us, but acted like it, just to tease Sherlock. The never ending taunt between the two was equally amusing and annoying.
"Ah brother mine! What's the reason for the pleasure of seeing you on this lovely day?"
"You know why I'm here!"
"Sure! But where would be the fun in that!"
"Fun?! Baker Street looks like Swiss cheese now, cause someone shot a hundred bullets through it!" I was angry and scared. Something bigger than usual was going on.
Mycroft didn't even look at me, just kept on talking to Sherlock. "Ah, right! Still got your little friend! She looks a bit ill..."
Mycroft sat down behind his desk, folding his hands, laying them on the dark wooden table top. "For the record! I didn't know they would attack you like this... Turning Baker Street into Swiss Cheese..., but there has been serious evidence for an attack.. That's why I'd sent Dr. Watson. Just in time, it seems!"
"Maybe he's responsible! Maybe he sent the signal to the shooters!" I said with the most scratchy voice in days.
"No, Cathy! Look at him! He may hate his job, but he's not working for a network of criminals!" Sherlock interrupted his thinking face, as I called it, to point out, why John was a man on our side.
"Thank you!" Dr. Watson just said in the background, not sounding very pleased.
"So what now, Sherlock? Any spectacular idea?" I would never get used to the tone in which Mycroft was speaking to his little brother.
Sherlock didn't say anything just turned around and left the room.
We all followed him startled. John, because he was told to by Mycroft whom we left behind.
Fresh hit air hit us, chilllier than before, but it brought no clearence to my spinning mind. I clung to Mrs. Hudson, watching Sherlock stopping a cab.
"Cathy, you and Mrs. Hudson go with Dr. Watson to that safe house. I'll go back to Baker Street!"
Before we could all protest, he'd already entered the cab, ready to leave.
"Wait! Wait!" I reopened the door and got in as well. Sherlock sighed.
"Sherlock! You said.... network! Is it...?"
"I don't know! But if it's him! I need you out of the way!"
"Couldn't I help? I mean, I..."
"No Cathy! I need to do this on my own! He wants me, not you! Now would you please get out of the car!" He said bugged.
"Alright! Take care!" I snapped.
Sherlock's farewell gift was a deep sigh and rolling eyes.
I got out and watched the black cab disappear in London weekend traffic, a famous sihoulette fading in mirrored winter sunlight.
I didn't expect something like sentiment from Sherlock. That wouldn't have been him, but my own feelings made it hard to understand that he never will be a man of big words and gestures, even though his goodbye meant more than he would ever admit.
"All right then!" John said, bringing me back to here and now.
"Follow me! I got a car parked around the corner!" He linked arms with Mrs. Hudson and I followed them, freezing and feeling way sicker than before.

~

We got to Loughton in pitch darkness, mostly caused by the night sky and the woods that were surrounding the little cabin we would stay in from now on for an unknown time. I'd spent most of the ride with spinning thoughts and trying not to fall asleep. I was knackered and felt every breath hammering in my head. Hardly being able to stand upon my feet, yet being able to walk, I stumbled after Mrs. Hudson and Dr. Watson into the one level cabin with a cosy living room that also inhabited a little kitchen and two doors that apparently each lead to a bed- and bathroom.
"I'll light a fire, shall I?!" John claimed after he'd locked the door and got to work.
Mrs. Hudson sat down in an armchair and looked at me with a horrible amount of pity in her eyes.
"Oh darling! You look like a ghost!"
"I'm fine!" I sighed and let myself fall down onto the sofa.
John turned around, a little orange glimmer of the climbing fire on his jacket. "She's right! You look like... a ghost!"
"Thanks for not saying shit!" I smiled wryly. "But I'm fine really! I just need to rest!" I leaned back and closed my eyes.
"Oh no! You'll get the bed! Come on! Get up!" John pulled me out of the pillows that just seemed to get it right with the curves of my back. I opened my mouth but before I could say anything I was.. interrupted.
"No! You're getting the bed! I'll go and get my meds bag from the car! No back talk! Go on!"
He pushed me into the bedroom and I heard Mrs. Hudson saying that she'll make tea for all of us. She was one the people that believed a warm cup of tea would make everything better, and somehow it really was, at least for a while.
I pushed my shoes on the dark wooden floor, but stayed in my jacket as I slipped under the heavy fluffy blanket and jumped a little as John came in, cause I'd almost fallen asleep to Mrs. Hudson's humming.
"Ok! Here we go!"
He sat down beside me and checked my pulse and temperature.
"You're fever is too high! I'll give you something so you can sleep and rest! That's always the best!"
"Okay! Just don't sedate me!" I said, a little panic in my voice as I felt the needle push through my skin.
"Why? Don't you trust me?" John said and smiled in a weird way.
"No! I don't!" I mumbled already half dozen off.
"Quite right!" He sighed.
I felt how his weight disappeared from the mattress and only got glimpses of him walking back into the living room, closing the door behind him, leaving me in pitch dark, unable to do anything but fall full of fear into dreamland.