Captive Truths

Chapter 17: John's birthday

6 months later, Sherlock's POV:

I forced my eyes open as Harvey started to jump on our bed. He was clearly excited about John's birthday. I had taken Harvey shopping a few days ago to find John a present but the shopping centre was like being tortured. So many rude and stupid people. We eventually found a present for John in the jewelers after much stress.

I rolled over and nudged John in the side. He was slowly waking up as Harvey started to climb all over him to sit between us.

"Happy Birthday John!" Harvey and I said together. Harvey handed John a small box wrapped in red wrapping paper.

We sat and watched as John ripped off the paper to reveal a black jewelry box. He opened it and inside sat a beautiful silver chain with a small tag. There was a sentence engraved on it.

"Dearest John, we love you with all of our heart's, love from Sherlock and Harvey." John read out. He leant over and kissed us both on our foreheads as his eyes teared up.

"Thank you. It's beautiful. I love you both with all of my heart too." We all smiled warmly.

"No problem, Harvey picked it out for you." Harvey smiled proudly at John.

John pulled him into his lap and kissed his head and cuddled him close. He then pulled me over to join them, causing me to gasp in surprise. John and Harvey giggled at my surprise.

I had booked us a table at the local restaurant for dinner tonight and I was so excited. I loved going out and showing the world my two boys. I felt so proud.

A while later, I decided to go to the shop to get some milk. I was feeling kind today as it was John's birthday and I didn't want to make John go.

I grabbed my coat and slipped out of the flat. Just as I was paying for the milk, my phone rang. I pulled it out of my pocket and saw it was John calling. I grabbed my change and the milk and answered my phone.

"Hey what's- " John cut me off before I could finish.

"Sherlock! Help it's Harvey. He's gone. The window of his room is open and I can't find him. I heard a crash and rushed upstairs to check on him and he was gone!" John said so quickly that I barely caught what he was saying. I could hear him sobbing on the other end of the line.

"John, calm down. I'm sure he'll be fine. I'm coming home now." I tried to reassure him and I broke into a run.

I ran all the way back to the flat and burst through the door. I found John pacing the front room, sobbing.

"Oh Sherlock! He's gone! How will we ever find him?" John cried out. I pulled him into a tight hug and rubbed his back to calm him down.

"Shh, don't worry we'll find him. It's going to be fine." I was trying to convince myself as well as John at this point. I had to keep myself together and stay strong for both John and Harvey's sakes. I was finding it really difficult though, no matter how hard I tried.

I tried to clear my mind as much as I possibly could so I could try to pull together a plan of how to get Harvey back. I tried and tried but I couldn't find a solution. My mind palace was fogged over with worry. John's sobs became louder, making me try harder.

"Ah yes, brilliant!" I cried out as I remembered something.

"What?" John stuttered looking confused.

"I had planned ahead in case this happened. I had an anklet made for Harvey which had a tiny tracker in it. We can track where he is." I grinned at John, pleased with myself for thinking ahead.

"You did what?!" John exclaimed, "Why didn't you tell me? And why is it an anklet of all things?"

"First question, I made an anklet for Harvey with a tracker, second question, I forgot and third question, because then it's hidden beneath his socks and the kidnapper wouldn't think about looking for it whereas a necklace they could easily suspect."

"Wow." John was amazed, partly at the fact that I had actually answered the first question.

"Come on, let's find Harvey." I siad, pulling up a chair at the table and opening the laptop.

Quickly, we set the tracker off to start tracking the anklet and waited with baited breath. I hoped it would work.

Finally, the laptop beeped, making us both jump at the sudden sound in the tense silence. The tracker had found something and I scribbled down the address on a bit of paper. We grabbed our coats and set off to the address we had been given.

Please let Harvey be there and safe, I begged as we made our way there. We shortly arrived at the address on the paper and started to search. We crept in through the front door of the enormous expensive-looking house. Nobody seemed to be around yet the front door just opened with a gentle push.

A floorboard creaked loudly in the silence under John's feet and we froze. We started to hear voices coming from down the corridor. I tiptoed over to the end of the corridor and stuck my head around the wall. I guessed the voices were coming from the kitchen staff in the kitchen at the end. I crept back to John and motioned for him to follow me.

Silently, we made our way into another empty room. Each room seemed to hold expensive furniture and wall decorations. However we didn't have time to stand and admire the contents of this house so we carried on our search.

Glancing around to make sure no one was around, I spotted a badly disguised door in one of the walls. I gave it a gentle push but it didn't budge. I turned to my left and lifted the vase off of the cabinet. Where the vase had once stood, sat a key. So typical. Hidden door in the wall and then the key under the vase. What's next, an alarm code of 1234?

John turned to look at me in complete confusion as I sighed at their typicality. I scanned the door for a key hole and slipped the key in when my hand grazed across it.

The key turned and the door opened to reveal Harvey sprawled out across the floor.