in the morning, sherlock woke up before john and let him sleep as he packed up their things. he left out a pair of clothes for john then went into the kitchen, calling his mother about last night as he made himself a cup of tea. he sat in the kitchen as he spoke with his mother, getting on the phone with greg once he had finished his conversation with her.

around nine was when john came downstairs, dressed in the jeans and sweater sherlock had left out for him. "i'll call you when we get in, greg." sherlock said into his phone before hanging up and stuffing it into his pocket.

"did you pack my glasses case?" john asked sherlock.

sherlock nodded. "do you need them?" he asked as he walked over to john.

"yeah. i don't feel like dealing with my contacts." he said, resting his head on sherlock's chest. "when are we leaving?" he asked softly.

"whenever you want." sherlock said, rubbing john's back softly.

"okay." john said softly, pulling his face away from sherlock's chest and heading back upstairs.

sherlock followed after him, watching john dig through his duffle to try and find his glasses case, but then got frustrated so sherlock stepped in. he gave john his glasses then told him to go wait in the car, so john did that. sherlock packed up john's bag again then grabbed his own, leaving the cottage. he put the bags in the backseat before getting in the drivers side, glancing at john before starting the car.

the car ride to the station was quiet and then the train ride back to london was even more quiet. john looked like he had just witnessed someone pass away in front of him and sherlock hated seeing him like that. sherlock knew john was in one of his funks and he couldn't do anything about because john got short tempered and it would end up them being in a fight and then john would ignore sherlock for days and sherlock couldn't have that happen from what was going on.

once they got off the train and into the cab, john was on the phone with harry, telling her about what was going on. the conversation lasted for at least an hour and a half before john hung up and went to sherlock, sitting in his lap. sherlock set his phone to the side and held john, kissing his forehead.

"she wants to visit." john said, taking off his glasses. "i don't know if i want her to."

"did you tell her that?"

"she's my sister and she's just caring for me, but i don't want to face her right now." john said and looked up at sherlock. "does that make me a bad person?"

sherlock shook his head. "not at all. you just want time to yourself and i'm sure she'll understand that."

john nodded and sighed heavily, nuzzling sherlock's chest. "i know you want to go to the yard. i heard you talking to greg about it."

"he said he'd have someone bring it over."

john looked up at sherlock. "it's alright if you want to go in, i'll go with you. i want to see what he left at the cottage."

"are you sure?"

john nodded. "i am positive."

they both left the flat, getting a cab and heading to the yard. sherlock wasn't in official dress, he was in just jeans and a t shirt and everyone was shocked. he ignored everyone and told them to get back to work before taking john to his office.

"do they never see you in your normal clothes?" john asked as he sat in sherlock's desk chair.

sherlock shook his head and closed his blinds, using his normal cold glare to get everyone back to work. "they see the tattoo. that's why they're staring." he said, turning around and looking at john.

john looked at the inside of sherlock's bicep were the tattoo was. "it's not that noticeable."

"they're detectives seeing their boss in unusual clothing. they're gonna notice it." he said. "i'm gonna go to greg's office and get the evidence. okay?"

john nodded. "okay."

sherlock leaned over his desk and gave john a kiss before walking out of his office and going across the hall to greg's. he closed the door behind himself, causing greg to look up from his papers.

"is that a tattoo?" he asked, pointing his pen at sherlock's bicep.

"yes. i thought you knew i got one."

greg shook his head.

"i could've sworn i talked to you about getting it." he said then cleared his throat. "have you gotten the evidence from the cottage?"

"yes." greg said as he got up, going over to his filing cabinet. he opened the top drawer and handed the bag to sherlock.

"does anyone know?"

greg shook his head. "picked it up myself this morning. brought it straight in then put it in there."

"no one will know about it unless i say so, alright?" he asked, getting a nod from greg. "also, john is here." he informed greg before walking out of the office and straight to his.

"have you checked your emails at all the past few days?" john asked once sherlock stepped into the office.

"not since friday." he said and set the bag on his desk. "why?"

"you have a lot. and there's some spam in your inbox, but i just left it alone." john said then looked at sherlock.

sherlock walked around the desk and looked at his computer, taking the mouse and clicking the spam email he got. "fucker." sherlock muttered under his breath before grabbing his phone and typing in a number. "i need you to trace an email." sherlock sighed heavily. "i'm not forwarding it to you! get your lazy ass down here!" he shouted before slamming the phone down.

john flinched slightly and sherlock rubbed his shoulder.

"sorry, babe." he said gently.

"it's from jim. isn't it?" john asked, looking at the computer screen.

sherlock nodded. he took the evidence bag off his desk and put it in one of his desk drawers.

"why do you need to trace it if you know who it's from?" he asked.

"to see where he sent it from."

the power shut off and sherlock's computer displayed the same words over and over again: did you miss me?

"breathe, love." sherlock said softly to john. he walked around his desk and opened the blinds again, looking over at greg's office. "stay here." he instructed john before stepping out of his office. he looked around at all the detectives, seeing them all calm but with worried looks on their faces.

"is this a terrorist?" one of them asked.

"no." sherlock said, shaking his head. "gwen i need you in my office with john." he instructed. he watched the girl nod then walk to his office, stepping in. "kenny and diaz, take wilson with you and check on i.t. upstairs please."

"yessir." they all said before hurrying off.

sherlock walked around the office, seeing the same words on everyones computers. he went to the lift and pressed the button, seeing that there was nothing. "any phones up?" he asked.

"no." a person responded.

"any personal service?" he asked as he walked through the desks again, peeking into his office.

"all phones are offline, sir. nothing is turning on."

sherlock's attention turned to the ceiling when he heard a loud thud. "everyone get down." he said. "keep a weapon on you and keep an eye on my office."

"what's going on, sir?"

there was another loud thud. "voices down and guard up." sherlock said before walking to greg's office. "give me your gun." he said. "and torch."

"no. we're in a lock down."

"james is in this building and two of my men were just taken down upstairs. give me your gun and torch."

greg stood, taking his gun off his hip and handing it to sherlock along with his pocket torch. "don't be stupid, alright?"

"i know. keep an eye on john." sherlock said before walking out of greg's office and going to the stairs.

he stepped into the i.t. office and noticed everyone huddled in the corner. they all pointed to the breaker room and sherlock slowly walked over. he opened the door and shined then light on wilson who had a gun to the side of head.

"let him go." sherlock said calmly.

it wasn't jim who was holding the gun, but sherlock knew he was in the building. the man grinned and shook his head.

there was a loud bang from downstairs and shouts and sherlock knew. he instantly knew. he took out the man, telling wilson to get the power on before sprinting back downstairs. "no, no, no." he muttered as the door was locked. he stepped back and started kicking it, only denting the door.

"is everyone alright?" greg asked once the lights were on.

everyone nodded and responded, a few people coughing from the smoke.

"greg where's sherlock?" john asked eagerly.

greg looked at the boy before turning around and going to the door for the stairs. he opened it and saw his gun and torch sitting there with a few drops of blood. he ran back into his office and was on the phone in an instant.

"where's sherlock?" john asked again.

greg turned away from the boy and continued to speak on the phone.

"greg!" he shouted.

greg got off the phone and sighed. "they got him." he said softly.

john's eyes widened as he felt tears coming. "i want to go home." he said. "get someone to take me home."

greg nodded. "i will. just have a seat for right now and breathe." he said to the boy before walking out of his office.