I am not lonely [Mystrade]

CHAPTER 139 : Bees

Gregory walked out of the lifts to his old department where his ex-team was still working, just to see Sally hastening to hide an enveloppe on her lap under her desk. He didn't really cared, assuming that it might just be a romantic note sent by Scott she didn't want anyone to see, The detective simply sat on the edge of his friend's desk, waiting for her to be ready to go out for lunch.
Despite not being really part of the crime anymore, the policeman still had lunch with his ex- right arm twice a week or so. He appreciated those lunches because it was a way for him to get his head away from his work and to get a glimpse of what was happening with his department and, of course, with Sherlock.
"So, how's life boss ?" the young woman wondered while she was gathering her stuff and seizing her coat.
"You never call me boss." the detective retorted, surprised.
"I might miss you ..." Donovan chuckled, following him to the elevators.
"Really ? Well, as you are saying this, would you like to come around for Aelane's little "arrival tea" ?" Greg proposed.
"Yes, of course I want ! When is it ?" Sally nodded enthusiastically.
"Saturday at 5." the DCI replied with a little grin. "You can bring Scott of course if he wants."
"Oh, I'm sure he will be delighted. But by the way, I though her name was Leane but you jut called her another name ..." the young woman questioned, quite confused.
"Ah yeah, actually her legal name is Leane-Aelane, but she is more used to her Lao name so I suppose we just got on with it." the detective explained as they were exiting the Yard and making their way to the nearest Wagamama they could find.
"Oh, alright, I thought I had been mistaking this all time." the policewoman laughed. "It's a beautiful name although. Both are. Who chose it ?"
"Hum ... I don't really remember. Aelane was already her name but I suppose it might have been Mycroft who chose Leane. Actually, he is quite gifted with finding names ..." Gregory shrugged, his hands in his pockets to protect them from the piercing cold coming from the wind.
They entered the restaurant soon after and sat there, relieved of the warmth and comfort of the atmosphere, until a waiter came to place their orders. As every time he was seating here, Geg couldn't help but hearing the voice of Mycroft whispering to his ear that he could afford to go and have lunch in a better restaurant but it had been years since him and Donovan were coming to this place and despite all the prejudice the elder Holmes could have about those kinds of places, they had never been disappointed either with the food or with the staff.
The lunch lasted quite longer than they would have planned but as they left the restaurant, they both had a clearer view on the cases they were working on, thanks to their collaborative chat and the policeman had a visit to Sherlock planned after hearing how rude he had yet again been with one of Sally's staff member. Even tho he wasn't strictly working on the crimes anymore, Greg was regularly called to scold the younger Holmes. Of course Donovan was trying her best to sort the things out herself but as they haven't always seen each other eyes to eyes, it wasn't always possible and the DCI was to be called. The relation between Sally and the sleuth had been way more positive now than it ever had been but even like that, Sherlock was still his usual self and wouldn't listen to anyone who hadn't had an effective power over his  electricity.
The policeman sat back behind his desk, grabbing on file laying on it and yawned at the prospect of the boring case he just had been assigned. It was only Tuesday ad the man was already knackered, and he spent the next ten minutes wondering how he would get through the week before scolding himself into work. When he looked up again, the sky was already dark and a heavy rain was pouring. Despite the interestingness of the case, Greg was quite happy as he had been able to solve it in less than half a day, a performance he wouldn't have believed himself capable of doing and it's with a large smile on his lips that he made his way to the coffee machine on the other side of the corridor.
For some unknown reason to him, all the office he ever had been assigned since he had entered the Yard were always the farthest from the coffee machine, despite him being one of the most frequent consumer of the beverage. He was thinking about this funny situation when he bumped into no one else but Sherlock who was apparently on his way to his office.
"Oh Gavin ! Here you are ! Could you please go and tell those stupid morons to stop doubting my words when I say Mr Phillips isn't the guy they are looking for ?" the sleuth requested heartedly.
"First of all, it's Greg. And no, I'm not part of this team anymore and I'm not going to interact in their cases." the policeman refused. "But talking about this team, could you please stop being so harsh with them all the time, it's starting to rub them off."
"If they weren't utter idiots I would call them idiots." retorted the detective, stubborn and apparently quite pleased with the other man's replie to his first demand.
"Well, you can think it but I would advise you not to say it too loud if you don't want to find yourself case deprived." the yarder warned him while ordering himself a coffee on the machine.
"Is it a threat ?" the younger man retorted, shocked.
"Yes, it is. Now, if you don't have anything else to say, I have to go back to my office and I would prefer if I could go back in there alone." the DCI smiled, collecting his goblet and turning on his heels.