Mrs. Holmes [Book III]

Sirens

Both John and Susanna looked at themselves. John had been grazed a few times on his forearms and once on his thigh. One direct hit had struck him in the right shoulder. Susanna had been grazed across her hip and waist, and had a direct hit to her abdomen. Also seemingly shallow. John froze. Of all places. That's around where Mary shot Sherlock. Blood -deep red and hot- was already flowing and seeped ever faster from the wounds.

If we're hit, then the others probably are too. Susanna's mind flitted weakly between thoughts as pain and light headedness started taking their toll. They looked back at each other with eyes going glassy, unable to think or process what else to do, "John! Susanna!" Molly shrieked, running over, "Get down on your backs! Now!"

Sherlock had come through unscathed with Mycroft. Lestrade and Brooklyn were minorly grazed. Sherlock had seen John disappear behind him and had deduced he wanted to get clear and protect the others, so he didn't react so quickly when the police arrived. He then ended up getting entangled with the responders, trusting that John and the others were fine. He knew Molly and Susanna and the children had made it into the trees.

A sharp pang of fear stabbed through him when he heard Molly's voice cut through the park- screaming Susanna and John's names. No. No. They couldn't. He split from Lestrade and power walked around the police transports and ambulances, hoping he hadn't truly heard what he had.

Sherlock's heart clenched and gained three tons when he saw Molly huddled over two bodies. Rosie was sobbing and running as fast as her little legs could carry her. She saw him and he knelt as she got to him, "U-U-Uncle Sh-Sherlock!!"

He pulled her to him and frantically checked her over, "Are you hurt, Rosie!?!"

"N-No but D-D-Daddy and Aunt Z-Zuzu a-are b-buh-bleeding!" She wailed, "Aunt Molly t-told me to run f-for hep! She s'okay!"

"William?! Rosie, what about William?!"

"He's alwight too..." Lestrade ran up and Sherlock flew back to his feet, nudging Rosie to him.

"John and Susanna are hit!" Sherlock barked and Lestrade paled. The DI shouted for the medical teams and Sherlock took off towards his best friend and wife, feeling tears sting his eyes. He skidded and fell to his knees beside John who happened to be closer, who was limply holding his jacket and Molly's jumper to his shoulder and thigh, "John!! What happened!!"

John pulled a face despite himself, "Use your bloody deduction skills and you'll see I've been SHOT, Sherlock! And so has Susanna!" The doctor's fingers slipped and Sherlock quickly reapplied pressure to the largest wounds. His heart was racing and his breathing had as well, "They were after us the whole bloody time and Susanna had to take another one of them down as th-they came from b-behind! Gah!"

"John, breathe and stay calm! Stay calm!" Sherlock instructed and looked over at Molly and Susanna. The pathologist blocked most of his view of his wife but there was blood staining the grass around her and Sherlock gulped back a cry. They will get through this. They will pull through. I'm not losing my two best friends today!! But the claws of doubt tore at his resolve to stay optimistic about their chances, "Don't worry, John, we got the snipers and you and Susanna are going to be fine!" John tsked sarcastically, losing the strength to comment, "Molly, how is Susanna!?"

"U-Um, she and John are very lucky that they weren't hit in the chest I-I suppose... but if they don't get to the hospital immediately-"

"LESTRADE!! AMBULANCES NOW!!" Sherlock yelled, turning his head. To his relief there were two teams running over with the DI hot on their heels. Brooklyn was standing with Rosie and Mycroft, who was on his phone. He looked back to Molly and saw William laying on his back in the grass on top of Susanna's cardigan, squirming and whimpering, "William..."

Sherlock's first order of business once he'd gotten John onto the gurney was to pick up William and cradle him tightly against him, using the cardigan to wrap him up, "Shh, Little one, you're alright. I'm here."

He stepped around and saw the whole of Susanna's own injuries as the other team got her onto the next gurney. Molly stood up next to him, "Sh-Sherlock?"

"What?"

"A-Are y-you going to go w-with them?" This posed a tough decision. Susanna or John, "Sherlock, they're leaving!"

He turned around quickly kissed her cheek, "Thank you for tending them, Molly, make sure to watch after Rosie!" He handed William to her as well after giving him a kiss on the head, leaving his scarf to help calm the little boy down by scent. Then he ran to catch up.

Sherlock chose to ride along with John, unwilling and unable to face Susanna. He'd let her plan the picnic despite his reservations and he hadn't checked behind him to make sure she had stayed clear of the guns. He was also unable to grasp losing one or both of them. But he knew that in the deepest part of him, he would favor John's survival over Susanna's.

And that fact disgusted him, in addition to the many other emotions racking his spirit, because he knew that it was incredibly selfish to pick his best friend over his beloved wife and mother of his child. Sherlock leaned onto the gurney, trying to keep himself together by burying his face in his hands and keeping his ears tuned to the many monitors and machines in the vehicle.

I should have known that the grace period of bliss would have been cut short. And now the two most important people in my life are in critical conditions that I could have prevented if only I'd said no.

Thank you for reading!