-John-

"Eh, sorry we couldn't do a double room for you boys" The barman hands me a key for our room.

"That's fine. We're not.." I stop myself, there's no point. People always assume "There you go" I say, giving him the money for my drink.

Sherlock, as always, is looking around and deducing the environment. He's not always so obvious about his searching, maybe he just gets like this in new places.

At least he doesn't sleep on a case. It won't be awkward in the room that has one bed if he doesn't sleep.

"Oh ta, I'll just get your change" He smiles. He was a kind man, bit chatty, but after living with Sherlock everyone seems chatty.

"Ta"

As he goes to the register I spot a bunch of receipts. Glancing at the barman I take a closer look at them.

Meat supplies. Odd. A vegetarian restaurant doesn't need meat.

Before anyone sees I pocket the receipt, smiling as the dark haired man returns.

"Well, there you go" He hands me my change.

"I couldn't help noticing, on the map of the moor, a skull and crossbones?" While Sherlock wonders around I might as well make myself useful to the case. Sherlock would get more done if he just asked sometimes.

"Oh, that" His eyebrows raise a little before he moves down the bar to start pouring a drink.

"Pirates?" I ask, unable to not remember the time Mycroft told me Sherlock wanted to be a pirate.

I could seriously imagine the man running around, all dressed up in a pirates costume-- including hat and eye patch-- and waving a fake sword around pretending to be a pirate.

"Eh, no" The man snakes his head, moving back towards me. He settles my drink down. "The Great Gimpen Minefield, they call it"

"Oh, right"

"That's not what you think. It's the Baskerville testing site. It's been going on 80 odd years. I'm not sure anyone really knows what's there anymore" He made a face as if to say 'and no one wants to'

"Mm. Explosives?" I question. After all, this could be vital information.

"Oh, not just explosives. Break into that place and if you're lucky ye just get blown up, so they say. In case you're planning a nice wee stroll"

"Ta, I'll remember"

"Aye. No, it buggers up tourism a bit so.. thank god for the demon hound." He comes out from behind the bar, collecting glasses. "Did you see that show? The documentary"

"Quite recently, yeah" Until Sherlock turned it off to show off, I added mentally.

"God bless Henry Knight and his monster from hell" He's standing beside me now.

"You ever seen it? The hound?"

"Me? No, no" He points out the open door. I follow his line of sight, spotting the man who was talking to tourists easier. Sherlock's beside the doorway and he turns to look too. "Eh, Fletcher has" The barman continues "He runs the walks, the monster walks, for the tourists, you know? He's seen it"

"That's handy" I say, knowing it could be extremely helpful to the case. "For trade" I add, to seem more natural.

A short man, shorter then me, in a chefs uniform walks past behind the bar and the barman turns to him "I'm just saying we've been rushed off our feet, Billy" He sounds a little like he was reassuring the chef. Are they together? I can see the chef, Billy, being gay, no offence to him, but I'd have to think twice about the barman.

"Yeah" Billy leans on the beer taps, looking at me. "lots of monster hunters. Doesn't take much these days. One mention on twitter and woomph" I'm pretty sure he's gay. And not just because he's a little camp but because I have a feeling. Also he just gave me a look, like he was making sure I'm no competition. Content I'm not, he looks to the barman who I now believe is his boyfriend. "We're out of WDK"

"All right" The barman nods, walking behind the bar.

"What with the monster and the ruddy prisoner, I don't know how we sleep some nights, do you Gary?" Billy asks as he looks back at Gary who is just walking behind him.

Gary briefly puts hand on the chefs shoulder and looks at his partner "Like a baby"

They really are rather cute. You just have to look at them look at each other and you know they're in love. I wish I could have that.

"That's not true" Billy's eyes widen as he looks back to me "He's a snorer"

"Hey. Hush down" Gary frowns, lightly hitting Billy's arm.

"Is yours a snorer?" Billy asks, nodding behind me to Sherlock.

"Got any crisps?" I ask, ignoring his question.

"Yeah, yeah" He nods, giving me a look to say he understands.

Great, now he thinks we're in the closet.

"We're not.." I look to the door way, where Sherlock has disappeared outside. Looking back at the couple I smile.

"Billy" Gary taps him lightly on the shoulder "You've gone and made it weird for the lad"

Billy looks back at me, eyes widened again. "I'm sorry, I saw that yous are sharing a room and assumed.."

"No worries. People often think we're.. together"

"Well I think you'd make a lovely couple" He smiles, holding up a packet of pawn cocktail crisps. "These do? We ain't got much, waiting on deliveries"

"Erm, nah I think I'll pass. Not to big a fan of pawn cocktail" I shake my head, and lift my drink "See ya"

"You too" Billy nods while Gary just smiles at me.

I turn and walk outside to find Sherlock. I spot him talking to Fletcher. Walking over I place my drink in front of the seat beside Sherlock.

"I called Henry" I tell him.

"Bet's off, John, sorry"

"What?" I ask as I sit.

"Bet?" Fletcher asks, confused.

I know how you feel, mate. Try living with the man.

"My plan needs darkness" Sherlock ignores us and continues talking as he looks at his watch "Reckon we've got another half an hour of light"

Fletcher steps closer, holding a hand out "Wait, wait, what bet?" He asks.

I'd like to know, that's for sure.

"Oh, I bet John here fifty quid you couldn't prove you're seen the Hound" I almost roll my eyes at how manipulative he is.

"Yeah, the guys in the pub said you could" I say, going along with it

Fletcher chuckles, looking back to Sherlock. He points at him briefly, smirking "Well you're going to lose your money, mate" Clearly Sherlock had already managed to irritate him. What a surprise? Not.

"Yeah?" Sherlocks eyes get bigger, almost challenging Fletcher.

"Yeah" The man nods "I've seen it. Only about a month ago" He looks up at something to his left as he gets his phone out his pocket "Up at the Hallow. It was foggy mind" He taps on his phone. "Couldn't make much out"

"I see. No witnesses, I suppose?" Sherlock gives him a look that says you're-a-complete-idiot.

"No, but.." Fletcher tries to get his attention.

"Never are" Sherlock rolls his eyes.

Fletcher steps forward a little "No, wait" He shows his phone screen to Sherlock "There"

Sherlock snorts "Is that it?" Fletcher shows me the screen and as ever Sherlocks right, its not much. Just a blurry picture a black wolf or big dog from what I could see.

"It's not exactly proof is it?" Sherlocks lifts his pint. Where'd he get that? He didn't order a drink. "Sorry John, I win" Sherlock smiles at me.

"Wait, wait" Fletcher was really determined to prove Sherlock wrong. Sherlock lowers his pint, good, god knows where that's been! "That's not all. People don't like going up there, you know" Fletcher continues, pointing in the distance. "To the hollow. Gives them a bad sort of feeling"

Fletcher looks at me before his eyes return to Sherlock.

"Ooh, is it haunted?" Sherlock mocks, pulling this adorable face. Wait.. adorable? "Is that supposed to convince me?"

"Nah, don't be stupid. Nothing like that. But I reckon there is something out there. Something from Baskerville. Escaped" This guy is a good story teller, I'll give him that.

"A clone? Super Dog?"

"Maybe" I sip my drink, listening to Fletcher "God knows what they've been spraying on us all these years. Or putting in the water. I wouldn't trust 'em as far as I could spit"

Sherlock looks away, 'uninterested' "Is that the best you've got? "

Fletcher looks down, debating something. "I had a mate once, worked for the MOD. One weekend we were meant to go fishing, but he never showed up. Well not till late," He gives Sherlock a look. Sherlock really is manipulative, I should be worried "When he did, he was as white as a sheet. I can see him now. 'I've seen things today, Fletchy', he said, 'I don't want to see again. Terrible things.' He'd been to some secret army place. Porton Down, maybe? Maybe Baskerville?" He lifts his bag onto the bench seat. "Or somewhere else. In the labs there, the really secret labs, he said he'd seen.. terrible things. Rats as big as dogs, he said. And dogs," He reaches into his bag "Dogs the size of horses" He pulls out a large shape from his bag and shows us a mould of a huge paw print.

Sherlock stares at it for a moment, silent for once.

"Uh, we did say 50?" I say, because why not?

Fletcher smiles as Sherlock takes out his wallet. He hands me a fifty as I attempt to figure out whats going on in his head. As usual I have no clue.

"Mmm. Ta" I put the note away as Sherlock stands.

I finish my pint before chasing after Sherlock. When I catch up to him, he briefly smiles at me. "I want my money back"

"Uh, no, you made the bet up, it's your own fault you lost" I grin back.

Sherlock rolls his eyes. "Fine. C'mon let's go"

"Where?"

He chuckles, giving me that mysterious smile of his. I half expect him to pull his collar up. "You'll see"