lost in space

four

monday at school, john kept a look out for jim. but jim knew john. he knew that john got to school early. he spotted john at his locked and walked up to him quickly, slamming the locker close.

john wasn't quick enough and his fingers got caught and he moaned out in pain.

"what was that little stunt friday night?" jim asked as he kept his hand over the lock so john couldn't open the locker.

"jim..!" john gasped, tears staring to roll down his cheeks. "my hand!"

jim opened the locker and let john pull his hand out then slammed it again. "answer my question." he said forcefully, not caring about the boy's hand that was bloody and starting to swell.

"i-i ju-ust went to m-mrs huds-on." john stuttered, looking down at his hand, trying his best not to burst out in a sob.

"is that all?" jim asked. "did sherlock do anything?" he asked. john didn't answer and that caused jim to slam his fist into the locker. "answer me!" he demanded.

"i suggest you leave john alone, james, unless you want to get kicked off the rugby team." the voice of the elderly woman said from behind jim.

jim looked behind him then started to walk away, leaving mrs hudson rushing over to john. "are you alright?" she said as she looked at john's hand.

john let out a broken sob and shook his head.

mrs hudson helped the boy to the nurses station, staying with him as she cleaned john's hand, wrapping it then giving john something for the pain. after he was all taken care of, she walked him to the library and let him sit in the office while she contacted the head master about jim's behaviours.

around lunch, john and jim got called to the head master's office. john walked in and saw jim sitting in a chair and then sherlock and mrs hudson standing behind the head master. "have a seat, john." the head master spoke, gesturing to the chair next to jim.

john sat down heasitantly, glancing at tall figure behind the head master quickly before looking at the old, big man that sat behind the desk in front of him.

"mrs hudson has told me about the incident this morning between you two." the head master said. "and then mr holmes here has said a lot of other things concerning you two. now, john, you're fine. i just needed you in here to tell me what happened this morning, then you can go. but you have to stay." he said and looked at jim.

john looked up at sherlock and mrs hudson and they both nodded at him. he took a deep breath then spoke, "i was at my locker then jim came up and closed it. that took me by surprise because i didn't know he was there and my hand got stuck." he said and held up his wrapped hand. "he kept his hand over the lock so i couldn't open my locker to pull my hand out and he did once i said something about it, but he didn't have any remorse. he just asked his question more violently, hitting the locker with his fist." john said and sighed. "can i go now?" he asked.

the head master nodded. "go on."

john got up and left the room quickly, going to the chemistry lab. he sat at one of the tables and pulled out his book, starting to read it again, just wanting to get lost. the door closed and john looked up to see sherlock walking over to him. he sat down across from him. "how's your hand?" he asked.

john looked at his hand. "doesn't really hurt anymore, so i guess that's good." he said then looked back up at sherlock. "why are you here?"

"mrs hudson called. said that jim did something to you so i came to see."

"thanks, but i don't need you're pitty. i know how to deal with these things." john said and looked down at his book again.

sherlock sighed lightly and looked at the blond boy. "are you going to eat lunch?" he asked.

john shook his head. "i'll have to go to the commons for that and they're people in the commons. jim's 'gang' is in the commons."

"did you want anything? i have a granola bar in my car." sherlock offered.

john scoffed lightly and looked up at the officer, smiling softly. "i'm good, thanks."

sherlock got up from the stool his was sitting on. "so i'm picking you up from school because lestrade doesn't want anything to happen to you."

"lestrade?"

"my boss."

"oh." john said softly. "so are you taking me home then?"

"no. we can go do what ever you want."

"okay." john smiled timidly. "i'll see you after school then?"

sherlock nodded. "and remember, if anything happens, call me. you still have my number?"

john nodded. "i will call if anything happens."

"bye then." sherlock said and gave john a small wave before leaving. he lit a cigeratte on his way out to the car, pissed that greg didn't let him take his bike. he got in and rolled the window down, finishing the cigeratte before pulling out of the car park. he drove to john's house, staying in the car as he watched the house for a few minutes before turning the car off and walking up to the front door. he knocked on the door, pulling out his badge as the door swung open and a man appeared. sherlock now knew where john got the eyes and shortness from.

"hamish watson?" sherlock asked.

"what?" hamish snapped back.

sherlock caught a wiff of the alcohol and cringed slightly. sherlock held up his badge. "i need you to come in with me."

"did that boy finally go to the police?" he asked.

sherlock shook his head. "no. it was some one else. now please, come with me."

"i haven't done anything to the boy. i haven't seen him since last thrusday or some other day before that."

"this isn't about what's happened recently, it's about what's been happening since your wife passed away."

hamish looked at the ground then grabbed his coat off the rack. "take me in then." he said as he put his coat on.

sherlock nodded and let him walk in front of him, making sure he got in the car before getting in himself. hamish kept his focus out the window, knowing what he did over the year to john was wrong. sherlock glanced at him every so often, surprised he came along peacefully. they drove past the station and hamish caught along onto where they were going.

"rehab?" he asked and looked at the officer.

sherlock nodded. "it's for the best." he said and glanced at the man before putting his focus back on the road.

"how long?"

"six months." sherlock responded. "five if you do well. after a month, you'll be able to have visitors."

"there's no point in that. john won't want to see me and i haven't seen my daughter since marie died." hamish admitted sadly.

"have you heard from your daughter at all?" sherlock asked. "i'm trying to find her so some one can watch john or he'll have to go into a boy's home while you're gone."

"she wrote john a letter once. i read it and hid it in a box of marie's stuff in the attic." he said. "i should still be up there."

sherlock nodded then silence fell over them again. the rest of the ride was slient. they reached the rehab centre and hamish went inside willingly, letting sherlock check him in with out a fight. after he was checked in and everything was settled, sherlock left. he drove back to john's school and waited outside in his car, keeping an eye on the school as kids started to pile out of it. john was one of the last ones out and he stood there, fantically looking for sherlock, not remembering what his car looked like.

"john." sherlock called as he rolled the window down.

john's head snapped to the voice that said his name then ran to the car, getting into the passenger side quickly. sherlock caught a glimpse of the bruised cheek before john hid his face from sherlock. "i don't want to talk about it." he muttered, hugging his book bag.

sherlock nodded and rolled the window up, then pulled out of the parking space, driving out of the car park.