I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 59 : Unexpected encounter

"Yes ! Good job Alden !" Mycroft cheered his son after the little boy had scored a goal. They were enjoying one of the first sunny day since the two men had been back from India by playing football in Hyde Park. The detective was acting as a goal keeper between two jackets that were delimiting the goals while his son and husband were trying to score, and he was faking to avoid that.
"Daddy, I'm hungry." finally complain the toddler after another half an hour of running after the ball.
"Right. What would you like to eat ?" wondered the auburn, picking up his jacket from the ground and dusting it before slipping it on.
"Hot dog!" required the young boy taking his father's hand and dragging him to a street vendor.
"It looks like this little devil already had planned everything apparently." laughed the detective, glancing anamused look at his husband.
"He knows what he wants. A brave little Holmes indeed !" chuckled the official, patting his son on the head.
They ordered three hot dogs and some French fries with ketchup before sitting down on the lawn a little further to savour their meal. The inspector and Alden started eating ferociously, apparently starving and enjoying the junk food when the auburn was looking, rather unsure, at the dish.
"What the hell are you waiting for Myc' ? It's gonna be cold." snorted his boyfriend,amused.
"What even is it actually ?" retorted the elder Holmes, suspiciously looking at the hot dog.
"It's bread and sausage with ketchup and mustard. Nothing to kill you don't worry." laughed Greg. "It can't be big news to you, can it ?"
"I've never eaten any of those before and frankly I don't know why I've accepted this one. It looks dreadful." answered the official, still looking at his food.
"Oh come on darling ! It's bread and meat, not a nuclear weapon !" the detective giggled, forcing the dish down his husband throat.
Surprised, the official chocked a little before starting to chew the hot dog, apparently not impressed by the taste but not finding it as ghastly as he could have expected it.
"So? An opinion your Royal Highness ?" wondered the older man in a smirk.
"Well, I suppose it's eatable." retorted Mycroft with an amused look. He was to add something else about the danger that ketchup could represent when someone in the distance caught his attention. "No ... It can't be ..." he thought, his heart beating more quickly in his chest. He couldn't see her back, but he was sure to know the woman who was standing 30 yards away, smoking a fine cigarette alongside another old woman, both carrying little bags from Tiffany&co.
"Mycroft. Are you ok ?" he heard the DI asking him, apparently worried by his sudden loss of attention.
"Hmm..."the auburn nodded, his eyes hooked on the two ladies in the distance. His heart was racing and he was divided between his will to be sure of who the woman was and his fear of being right.
"Love ? Do you hear me ?" questioned Greg, placing his hand on the other man's shoulder.
"Sorry ?" It's just ... I've seen ... I think I've seen..." stuttered the official, trying to focus back on his family but unable not to glance frequent look at the two old woman who were still standing in the same position.
"Yes ?" his partner encouraged him, now really looking worried.
"No. Nothing ... I was mistaking probably." retorted the elder Holmes with a voice he hoped to be convincing.
"Hmm ..." concluded the detective, still looking suspiciously at his boyfriend, not believing him for a second. From the time they had been together, the older man had learnt to detect the auburn's lies and whether they were about something really mattering to him or just convenience lies and it was obvious to him at that moment that not only Mycroft had seen something and wasn't mistaking but that, even more, it was really important to him and if Gregory hadn't knew him that well, he could have taught that it was frightening him.
They sat in silence, eating their hot dogs for a few more minutes, the detective noticing that despite what he had said, his partner was still glancing frequent looks to something, or someone, in the distance, without the policeman being able to guess what it was. Alden had finished his fries and was now pecking his dad's one without him even noticing, his half-eaten hot dog in his hand, a nervous twitch animating his face every time he was looking away. The policeman was to ask once more what was happening when the elder Holmes raised on his feet.
"Greg. We shall go. Now." he urged his husband, nervousness clearly visible in his voice.
"Why ? What is happening ? Myc' ?" wondered the yarder, lost.
"I'll explain later. Come on ! Hurry up." retorted the official, picking up his son from the floor. The detective stood up, collecting his jacket, really wondering what could possibly be going on for his partner to panic as he was. It was mightily rare that the official showed his fear and, according to Gregory's memory, it never had happened for no reason, which was making him wonder what could possibly had provoked such a reaction in such a short amount of time.