Brother Dearest; Chapter 7

Turn me into someone like you

Find a place that we can go to

Run away and take me with you

Don't let go I need your rescue (Muse-Save me)

When Sherlock arrived at Piccadilly Circus with Lestrade, the police had already tried to evacuate part of the surrounding streets. Sherlock’s eyes were searching in the crowd of people. Of course it was a busy day today of all days. There were tourists all over the place on this beautiful first day of spring. It was still early but more people were coming, busloads of them! Lestrade went to talk to his colleagues to try and get as many people away from Piccadilly as soon as possible. Sherlock however was still looking for John. Finally he found him on the corner at a traffic sign. He had his jacket zipped but Sherlock could see some wires underneath his coat. John just stood there, hands in his pockets. He was looking at the people coming from the bus and the police directing them back in the bus. John looked at his watch. Then he crossed the street and walked to the Eros statue where he stood still.

All of a sudden without any warning John took out a gun from his pocket and shot in the air. People started screaming and running in all directions. The police tried to get them out of there in an orderly fashion but people where panicking.

In that panic John grabbed one of the passer-byers and held him at gunpoint. It looked like it was a random man from the crowd but Sherlock; who still observed John saw another man push that man towards John and then running off himself as if he didn’t have anything to do with it.
 

John started to yell out loud: ‘I’m going to shoot this man if you don’t listen!’

Nobody did listen; the screams where to loud and there was too much panic. Sherlock still watched John and started to shout across the street: ‘John! John stop this! Don’t do this, John we are here to help!’

John looked around when he heard Sherlock’s deep baritone voice. His eyes locked onto Sherlock’s when he saw him. Sherlock could see the unwillingness in his eyes. There was something else, something that drove him to this. ‘Stop Sherlock, or I’ll have to shoot this man and I will’ John said.

Sherlock was halfway across the street but stopped in front of the statue of Eros. He looked at John standing in the middle of the street. ‘Let that man go, John, take me in his place, please’

John saw the look on Sherlock’s face; ‘You know I can’t do that’ he said with a cold tone in his voice that frightened Sherlock.

John firmed his grip around the man’s neck and pointed the gun at his temple. In the meanwhile the police had managed to get rid of the crowd of people at Piccadilly Circus and was busy putting up a perimeter. It was now just John, Sherlock and the police. John had to know this wouldn’t end well for him.

Sherlock started to walk towards him holding out his hands; ‘I just want to talk to you John, please, let me come nearer’ and when John didn’t respond; ‘John, Nothing is what is seems. I know what you mean now. This is not you, this is Moriarty, obviously. I am sure there are several marksmen behind me, pointing guns at me, am I right?’ Sherlock stopped and faced John. He saw John’s eyes looking quickly up and down to Sherlock again.

‘I don’t know what you’re on about’ he then said and again his eyes where flashing up to a building across the street and to Sherlock again. ‘I want them’ looking at the police ‘to listen what I have to say, now Sherlock’ John started pulling the trigger. He held the man close and said; ‘I don’t have to tell you who this man is, do I?’

Sherlock who hadn’t given the man a second glance, turned towards the man and gasped. John had an arm around the man’s neck and held him close. It was the judge who had put Mary in jail. How did Moriarty know the man would be on this exact spot at this exact time?

Sherlock’s phone rang again; before he looked at it, he knew who it was. ‘Moriarty’ he said looking at John as he spoke.

‘Oh Sherlock, you’ve already wasted half an hour. And I don’t see Mary anywhere. Well, I am very disappointed in you, baby brother’ Moriarty heaved an exaggerated sigh. ‘You are trying my patience. Put the speaker phone on so John can hear’

Sherlock put the phone on speaker phone; ‘John’ Moriarty said ‘You can shoot the judge now. Go on, I’m watching you’

John hesitated. Sherlock saw he loosened his grip on the judge and whispered; ‘I don’t want to, please don’t make me. Sherlock, save me for God’s sakes’

‘You don’t have to’ Sherlock said looking at a police van driving towards them. ‘I believe there’s Mary. You can stop this now Moriarty and come and get your girlfriend yourself or she stays right here’

Moriarty started to laugh; ‘Oh Sherlock, you are so funny. I forget that sometimes. You did remember the BOMB now did you? Good, because if you don’t let Mary go, you know what will happen? Look at John Sherlock’ and as Sherlock turned to face John red dots appeared from across the street. Sherlock knew them all too well; the red dots from the marksmen. Sherlock put his phone back in his coat pocket.

The police van opened and out came Mary. Lestrade brought her to Sherlock. ‘What did the bastard say, Sherlock?’ Lestrade asked.

‘Give her to me, Greg. We have to think of John and the judge’ Sherlock was pointing at the red dots all over John’s jacket.

‘Bloody hell’ Lestrade said rubbing his unshaven chin. ‘You can see the wires of the bomb underneath his jacket. The bomb squat is standing by but you have to get it off of him Sherlock and quickly!’

Sherlock walked over to Mary who looked at him with a smug look on her face. ‘Don’t talk to me’ Sherlock said to her. ‘Not a single word from your lying mouth, or the deal is off, understood?’ The look Sherlock gave her whipped the look away and she started to get frightened of him; ‘You can’t hurt me’ she whispered ‘not here anyway’

Sherlock stopped and wanted to walk back. ‘Oh don’t be dramatic’ Mary said sighing ‘I’ll be quiet’ She rolled her eyes at him and they walked over to John.

When they got there John glanced quickly at Sherlock, pushed the judge away and grabbed Mary out of Sherlock’s arms. He held his arm around her neck and his gun pointed at her head.  

Sherlock didn’t hesitate for one second. He jumped forward and grabbed the judge’s arm. Lestrade, who had watched it from a small distance, came running. But he came too late.

John cried out to Sherlock; ‘Sherlock look out!’ and Sherlock saw all the red dots pointed at him and the judge. He tried to shout at John, but a gun firing deafened him for a short while. John screamed; Lestrade came running and the judge collapsed. He had been shot in his shoulder from somewhere out of the buildings on opposite side of the street. Sherlock turned fast and saw those red dots on John’s jacket and under that jacket was a bomb. He started running back to John shouting at him to duck. John looked down at the dots on his jacket. He manoeuvred Mary in a way that she covered him. 

‘Stand back!’ he shouted across the street ‘Stand back or I’ll blow her up as well!’

Sherlock’s phone rang again. He looked at John. ‘No’ John said ‘He has to come himself this time. Let him safe her. If he wants her so badly, he has to come and get her’ He put the gun at Mary’s cheek; ‘Shout his name, go on! Let him come over here. Now Mary!’

Mary screamed at the top of her lungs; ‘Jim, please come help me, he is going to shoot me, please!’

They waited for Moriarty to come but it didn’t seem that he would. ‘Well Mary, goodbye’ John said pulling the trigger. Mary started screaming and pleading with John as they heard a voice coming up from behind them.

‘Well, here I am, let her go’ Jim Moriarty came from behind the statue and stood there with a grin on his face.

‘I’d rather shoot her’ John said ‘She’s no good and neither are you for that matter’

Moriarty shrugged his shoulders; ‘I really don’t care what you think, GIVE HER TO ME’ He pulled his own gun and pointed it at John. 

John slowly pulled the trigger of his gun which he had placed on Mary’s cheek; ‘I wouldn’t if I where you’

Sherlock tried to take a step closer to get to Moriarty. ‘Oh no little brother’ Moriarty said ‘Try something and that bullet goes straight into Johnny boy’

They were at a stalemate. Neither side could move without the other one pulling the trigger.

‘Oh give it up already Moriarty’ Lestrade shouted from a small distance ‘Don’t think for one minute you two are escaping from here!’

‘I swear’ John said looking at Moriarty ‘I’m taking her with me if you let those thugs take one shot at me’

Moriarty looked up at one of the buildings, nodded and all of a sudden the red dots disappeared. He slowly lowered his gun but then suddenly with a frustrated cry he fired and hit John’s leg.

Lestrade signalled and policemen came from everywhere to arrest a screaming Moriarty.

John was shocked at the sudden sharp pain in his leg just after he heard the sound of a gun firing at it. He let go off Mary who tried to run away but was arrested by Sergeant Donovan.

As John caved to the ground he felt Sherlock’s arms around him, freeing him of the bomb jacket and then holding him and he looked up at him and smiled before he closed his eyes in pain.

                                                               

           ------------------------------------------

‘How are you feeling?’ Sherlock rearranged John’s pillows on the sofa and pulled up a chair.

‘Good good’ John smiled ‘A bit tired but otherwise just good. I’m glad to be home again’

‘Turns out Moriarty wasn’t such a good shot after all’ Sherlock smirked

‘It certainly doesn’t feel like that’ John sat more upright with a pain stricken face.

‘Can I help?’ Immediately Sherlock rose next to him.

‘I can get used to this you know’ John smiled up to him. ‘But before I forget; who was on the phone this morning?’

‘Ah, yes, I almost forgot. That was Greg Lestrade. I told him I knew who I thought the man in the Thames was.’

‘Well, don’t let me wait, it’s not that I’m going anywhere or anything’ John sighed

‘Sorry’ Sherlock sat down again. ‘The man found under Blackfriars Bridge was Mary’s lawyer as it turns out’

‘Really? Well, Moriarty doesn’t do things half way apparently’

‘Hm, no apparently not’ Sherlock seemed distracted.

‘Well case solved then?’ John turned and faced Sherlock. ‘Or not; you’re looking like you’re going to be sick or something. Are you alright?’

Sherlock fidgeted with his hands and scuffed his feet. He was nervous.
He knew he had to say something but he didn’t know how to start.

He didn’t have to. John put his hand on Sherlock’s. ‘It’s alright Sherlock I know. It would be lovely if you’d said it, but I know.
Of course I know! How could I not?’

Sherlock looked up at John. He could mean anything by saying that. But when his eyes met John’s all hesitation melted away;
‘John’ he whispered ‘I have been so alone before you came in my life. And ever since I met you, I… I just am not alone anymore.
I can’t explain it properly, I’m sorry’

‘It’s alright, like I said, I’m not going anywhere for a while. I can’t walk very well with that damn leg, so I’ll just lay here and wait till you’ll be ready, alright?’ John took his hand away and leaned back into his pillows. He sounded disappointed Sherlock thought.

Sherlock stood up and walked to the kitchen trying very hard not to cry. Damn you, he cursed himself. Now you have blown probably the only chance you’ll ever get! Sherlock got angry at himself for being that weak. He hated being weak. He leaned against the kitchen sink and felt the tears welling up in his eyes. ‘Caring is not an advantage, Sherlock’ he heard Mycroft’s voice saying in his head. His hands where clinging to the counter as he tried harder to push the tears away. He waited so long for this moment and now it had gone and passed. In the living room he heard John sighing. He couldn’t let this moment pass him by, he just couldn’t. It didn’t matter what the world would think, or even what John would think. He had to get it off of his chest. It was killing him. He had absolutely no idea what John would say or feel for that matter but he just had to try!

He turned around and rubbed over his face and whipped the tears out of his eyes. He straightened his back and walked back to the sofa back to John who was laying eyes closed on his pillows. He looked tired. From a small distance Sherlock looked at him. Then Sherlock bent down and carefully planted a soft very gentle kiss on John’s lips. John opened his eyes as Sherlock withdraw and smiled.

‘Finally’ he said ‘You don’t know how long I’ve been waiting for that’

‘You have?’ Sherlock looked surprised.

‘Oh God yes!’ John sighed. ‘I didn’t want to make the first move; I didn’t want to scare you off. I knew you had to take your own time.
But I’ve seen you struggling Sherlock and I so wanted to let you know it wasn’t necessary!’

‘I wish I knew but you are probably right.’ Sherlock sat down in his chair again. ‘Everybody knew but me, even you! And I thought I was smart!’ Sherlock shook his head.

‘Well you are, only not when it comes to matters of the heart’ John smiled at him lovingly and took his hand again and squeezed it.

Sherlock looked at John and when he bent down to kiss him again he said; ‘I love you John Watson, I always have’

‘I love you too, Sherlock Holmes’ John said before Sherlock’s mouth touched his with a gentle long kiss. 

________________________________________________________________

Brother Dearest; Chapter 6

Hang on; help is on its way

I’ll be there as fast as I can

“Hang on” a tiny voice did say

From somewhere deep inside the inner man

(Little River Band-Help is on its way)

After panicking sometime after John was taken by Moriarty, which was not Sherlock’s way, he started to think of it like it was a new case. He had put photos of John on the wall like he had done in other cases and was looking at them, pondering. He stayed up all night, only to sleep for a few hours, not eating and only drinking some tea. Mrs Hudson came upstairs every now and again worrying. But he brushed all her worrying aside and pushed her out of the door. He phoned with Lestrade if there was any news; Mycroft came over more then was normal for him with a concerned look on his face.

‘Sherlock I really feel you should get some rest and eat something’ Mycroft tried to persuade his brother.

‘Oh please Mycroft; don’t baby me and leave me be’ Sherlock waved his hand as if he was brushing off a fly.

‘He has not phoned you I gather?’ Mycroft asked carefully.

Sherlock turned his head. Mycroft saw he had bags under his eyes and his eyes where reddish from not sleeping. He sighed; ‘No Mycroft he hasn’t. If he does I’ll let you know. Goodbye’

‘Sherlock…’

‘Goodbye!’ Sherlock walked over to his brother and practically pushed him out of the door and shut it behind him. He could just hear his brother’s voice from the other side softly saying; ‘I know it must hurt Sherlock. Take care of yourself please. You can’t help him, if you don’t take care of yourself!’ And then he heard Mycroft walking down. He stayed there listening until he heard the front door closing.

Mycroft was right of course, he thought. He needed to eat. He needed sleep too. He felt so tired all of a sudden.  He must have stayed awake for about 3 days now, more or less, walking around London, staying up looking at his wall, looking at the pictures of John, thinking.

He walked to the kitchen and looked in the cupboard. There was only some moulded bread. That meant he had to go out to do some grocery shopping and he really didn’t feel up to that right about now. He was so tired. He walked to his bedroom, dragging his feet. He really should be out there looking for John and his mother, but the sleep was taking over his brain. He never in his life had felt so tired. He fell on his bed, not bothering to undress and immediately fell asleep.

In the middle of the night he woke up from a frightening nightmare. John’s face was screaming at him without making any sound. He mouthed a word; ‘Help. Help me Sherlock’ and then all of a sudden a loud scream and when he awoke he realised it was he who was screaming. He closed his own mouth, hoping he hadn’t awakened Mrs Hudson. His head hurt and he his stomach rumbled.

A knock on the door told him that Mrs Hudson had heard him screaming; ‘Sherlock? Are you alright? Sherlock! It’s me, open the door please’

He ruffled with his hands through his hair and scuffed to the door. ‘I’m sorry Mrs Hudson’ he said with a guilt stricken face ‘I didn’t want to wake you. I was having a nightmare’

‘Oh Sherlock, sleeping in your clothes again, dear?’ Mrs Hudson took a good look at him; ‘You haven’t eaten for days have you? Come on, I’ll make you breakfast’ and when Sherlock started to protest she said; ‘No I don’t want any arguments from you’ She took him by the hand and he went willingly too hungry to protest further.

It was almost 5 o’clock in the morning when they finished they’re early breakfast. Sherlock hadn’t eaten this much in ages! Mrs Hudson was standing at her kitchen sink with a smug face; grinning.

And that’s when Sherlock’s phone rang.

Both of them jumped up; scared. Mrs Hudson’s hands where fluttering about and Sherlock’s face was turning green; if he’d only not eaten so much…

He picked up his phone; ‘Hello?’

‘Sherlock, Greg here. We found your mother’

                                                         

        ----------------------------------------

Sherlock was told to stay where he was, but of course he couldn’t. It took him only 10 minutes to be at the sight where Greg had said his mother was found.

‘What did I tell you?’ Greg said when he saw him.

‘I know, shut up, where is she?’ Sherlock wanted to continue walking but Greg stopped him.

‘Sherlock, stop’

‘Greg? Is she alright? Tell me she is alright?’

‘She is alive but that’s all I can tell you so far. The medics are working on her. And no you can’t go there now, let them do their job first’

Sherlock paced back and forth until Mycroft showed. Greg could tell his whole story from the start and they both started pacing.

Finally the medics were done and their mother was stable enough to be transported to the hospital. As they came walking with her on a stretcher Sherlock and Mycroft both ran towards her. ‘Will she make it?’ Sherlock asked a medic.

‘She’s badly injured sir, we will know more in the next couple of hours. You have to go to the hospital and ask her doctor’

At that moment Sherlock’s phone rang; ‘Hello Sherlock, well how’s mummy doing?’

‘Damn you!’ Sherlock growled into the phone. ‘How could you! She’s barely alive’

‘She’s alive, isn’t she? Don’t whine Sherlock! It’s BORING!’

Sherlock started to get angry but he remembered that Moriarty still had John; ‘Let me speak to John please’

‘Oh you are so demanding. I don’t like having a little brother. But I’m in a good mood today, so alright than… Oh lover boy… someone wants to talk to you’ he said handing the phone to John.

Sherlock turned around quickly although no-one could hear what Moriarty said. He felt he was blushing when he heard him say that.

‘Sherlock’ John’s voice sounded weak and he had hoarseness in his voice but Sherlock was so happy to hear him.

‘John! John are you alright? How is he treating you? Did he harm you in any way? John, don’t you worry, I’ll find you!’

John had trouble talking. He cleared his throat before he tried to talk. ‘How’s your mother?’

‘She’s alive’ was all Sherlock said.

‘Good, good’ John coughed. ‘Sherlock, listen, I’ve have time to think. I thought about some of the cases we’ve done you know?’

Sherlock wanted to answer him but John said quickly; ‘No think Sherlock, people don’t think anymore, do they? Nothing was what is seemed in some cases we did. Remember in Baskerville? How I saw things that weren’t there? Sherlock, just don’t…’ John got cut off by Moriarty.

‘Well that’s quite enough from him. I really don’t know what he is babbling about, but he is doing that now. He’s starting to bore me too! Why are you having such boring friends and family Sherlock? Really, a complete and utter boring life you have! Well, nice talking to you! Have to dash! Talk to you soon, real soon!’

And before Sherlock could reply he heard the disconnected tone.

Greg Lestrade was standing next to him as he turned around; ‘What did the bastard had to say for himself?’

Sherlock had to digest it all himself. Thankfully John was alive but what he had said bothered him. Nothing was what it seemed? What did Baskerville have to do with it? He needed to think. ‘I have to go’ he simply said.

‘Oh no you don’t!’ Lestrade stopped him by taking his arm and looked him in his eyes; ‘Sherlock, I’m going with you to your house and you are going to tell me what he said, understood! You are not doing this alone, you hear?’

All of a sudden Sherlock felt so tired, so very tired. He began to falter. He looked up at detective inspector Lestrade and nodded; 

‘Alright’ he said.

                                                    

                       ----------------

When Lestrade walked into the living room of 221 B Baker Street, he tried to ignore the mess Sherlock had made, however difficult. He stepped over stacks of paper, brushed aside newspapers and more photos of John and Moriarty from the couch, and emptied the table from empty tea cups. And John had been away for only four days now?

‘Tea?’ Sherlock asked him. One look in the kitchen told Lestrade that he didn’t want a single thing. If it was messy in here it was even messier in the kitchen.

‘If John comes home he will love what you’ve done with the place’ he tried joking about it.

Sherlock turned around and faced him angrily; ‘WHEN he comes back you mean’

‘Yeah, sorry when he comes back’ Lestrade looked at Sherlock’s angry face. He was right to worry about him; he had changed. He felt it at the Holmes Cottage and now he knew. ‘Sherlock, may I ask you a personal question first?’

Sherlock sat down, his long fingers folded under his chin. ‘Yes you may’

‘I’m not sure how to put this really, but you and John…’ Lestrade hesitated.

‘Me and John what, Greg, you can say it out loud you know. There is nothing going on if that’s what you mean’

‘No, no, I mean, I noticed something different, you are different. And I just felt, well I just wanted to know if there is something I should know; you know what will help the case of course. Oh bollocks, I am worried about you, that’s it, there I said it’

Sherlock couldn’t help but smile; ‘Greg, there is nothing going on between me and John. But yes, you are correct. I am different. I am worried; extremely worried about John’ Sherlock leaned forward towards Greg; ‘Can I trust you Greg, I feel that I can and I don’t trust people quickly’

‘Of course you can!’ Lestrade was offended Sherlock had to ask.

‘Greg, I’m telling you this off the record alright? I don’t know about John, but I eh, my feelings for John, well they have changed’

Lestrade slapped himself on his knee; ‘I knew it! You are in love with him aren’t you!’ and when Sherlock nodded ‘I knew it!’

Sherlock told him about the phone call he got from Moriarty and what John had said. ‘Nothing is what it seems?’ Lestrade said.

‘What isn’t what it seems? I don’t get it!’ Lestrade hadn’t finished his sentence or his phone rang. He answered and listened and then looked at Sherlock in shock ending the phone call.

‘What?’ Sherlock said ‘What was that about, why are you looking at me like that? Tell me Greg!’

‘John was seen on CCTV. He is wired with a bomb and has a gun. He is walking towards Piccadilly Circus.’

‘Oh my god’ Sherlock whispered.

Sherlock’s phone rang; ‘Hello’ he said softly.

‘Sherlock, dear brother, how are you? I know the detective inspector is with you and you heard the news. Well, our boy is turned against you brother dear! He is working for me now! First he going to kill loads of people and then he willingly is taking his own life for me, isn’t that sweet? Just because you’re such a bore! Of course he is taking loads of people with him when he explodes, in thousands of pieces. Yes John Watson is definitely in danger!’

‘What do you want, Moriarty?’ Sherlock couldn’t talk normally, his voice was failing.

‘I want Mary Morstan back, a free ‘get out of jail-card’ just for her. And then a nice place for us both, far away from you boring people!’

‘And you think I can get you that?’ Sherlock shook his head in disbelief.

‘Well, you’d better hurry, or else; BOOM! Bye bye John Watson! You have one hour!’ and Sherlock stood there with his phone in his hand listening to another disconnected tone.  

Brother dearest; Chapter 5

You might be a big fish in a little pond

Doesn't mean you've won

'Cause along may come a bigger one

And you'll be lost

Every river that you tried to cross

Every gun you ever held went off

Oh and I'm just waiting 'til the firing's stopped

Oh and I'm just waiting 'til the shine wears off

(Coldplay-Lost)

Just as Sherlock and John were arriving at the cottage they could see the fire trucks driving away from it. John carefully parked his car somewhere remote so it wouldn’t be seen and they went nearer for a closer look.
It wasn’t all too bad. Of course Mycroft had been exaggerating over the phone.

‘You wait here’ John said ‘I will go and find Mycroft. This is absurd; he can’t blame this on you. I will find out what’s going on without you getting arrested.’ And before Sherlock could protest John walked away leaving Sherlock waiting by the car.

Mycroft was outside at the cottage talking to Lestrade when John approached. Lestrade saw him first. ‘For fuck’s sake John, where is Sherlock? Don’t you dare let him come here; I’d have no other choice than to arrest him.’

‘Don’t you worry’ John said ‘He isn’t here with me’ knowing very well Sherlock could hear everything that was being said.
‘Now, what is this nonsense of Sherlock being the culprit to all this? You all know very well it’s Moriarty and don’t you dare’ he said pointing at Mycroft ‘say otherwise’

Mycroft looked to the ground while speaking; ‘John, I promised Sherlock he’d be safe. And now this tape showing up; I… I failed him, I’m sorry’ Mycroft looked up at John and raised his voice; ‘It’s alright Sherlock, you won’t be arrested, the tape has somehow ‘disappeared’ and we are still looking in on that. You have my word’

‘I don’t really know what your word is worth anymore’ Sherlock’s voice came from behind the cottage. ‘You said John and I would be protected and safe after all’

Mycroft turned his head to where Sherlock’s voice was coming from; ‘You do have my word, Sherlock’

Lestrade was standing there with his hands in his pockets staring at Mycroft; ‘I’m not hearing this right am I?’

‘No inspector, you’re hearing is perfectly okay. You will find the tape missing if you look for it and there are no copies either. I know that if we’ll look at it eventually, we will see a glitch on it or something where it’s been tampered with. Moriarty has his tugs everywhere no doubt about that.
Oh don’t look shocked will you? We both know it was Moriarty all along. He is trying to hurt my brother, my whole family I might add, and he must be stopped. We must concentrate on getting our mother back, protecting my father and locking up Sherlock for something he did not do doesn’t help getting all that accomplished now does it?’ Mycroft looked at Greg Lestrade; ‘Besides; we knew he was going to do something to discredit Sherlock and that’s why the damage is minor. Because we were prepared, so stop it with all those nonsense and those idiotic rules’

Sherlock appeared from behind the cottage and stared at his brother ‘I never heard you bending any rules, ever!’

‘There’s a first for everything, little brother’ Mycroft smiled at Sherlock ‘Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go back to London. Oh Sherlock, I’m taking father with me, that seems the safest thing to do right now’

Sherlock nodded. He stepped forward and put his hand out to shake Mycroft’s. ‘Thank you Mycroft’ he simply said.

Mycroft nodded and went off to get his father.

‘Well, I’ll be damned’ Lestrade said shaking his head. ‘Seems like I just have nothing more to say’

‘Don’t you know Greg? He is the bloody government’ Sherlock smiled a weak smile.

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John and Sherlock drove back to London in silence. They decided it was no use staying near the cottage. Moriarty would have taken Mrs Holmes somewhere else by now. Maybe even back to London. Every now and then John looked at Sherlock. He felt uneasy with this silence between them. Of course he was very relieved that Sherlock wasn’t arrested, it would be such a stupid mistake if they had, but he knew there was something else bothering Sherlock, something other than Sherlock’s mother that is.

Back at Baker Street John wanted to ask Sherlock but as soon as they entered their home Sherlock said he was tired and went off to bed. It was late, or should he say early. It was probably the best thing to do, go to bed. He’d better ask Sherlock in the morning.

The next morning Sherlock was already up and pacing around when John got up. ‘Good morning Sherlock’ John said.

Sherlock didn’t even seem to notice him and kept on pacing. John walked to the kitchen and made some tea as Sherlock’s phone rang.

‘Sherlock how wonderful to hear your voice again’ Moriarty said ‘Slept well?’

‘Moriarty’ Sherlock growled.

John put the tea in front of Sherlock and sat down in his chair. Sherlock looked at him as if he only noticed him now.

‘Sherlock I’m surprised you’re not under lock and key. Maybe I have to be more careful next time’

‘There won’t be a next time. If you want me, take me. Leave everyone else out of it’ Sherlock grinded his teeth.

‘Don’t be like that. You’re always doing that. Let me have my fun. You’re always spoiling it for me… You’re such a BORE!’ Moriarty shouted that last word and Sherlock had to hold his phone further away from his ear.

‘Mummy doesn’t want me to shout. Well what about a trade for mummy. Mummy is a bore too, no fun at all. I don’t like her, she loves you more. What do you say? We’ll exchange John for mummy? You think about it, I’ll get back to you’

Before Sherlock could answer Moriarty hung up the phone.

‘What did he say? Sherlock, what did he say? John stood up and walked towards Sherlock.

‘He wants to make an exchange’ Sherlock whispered.

‘What kind of an exchange’ John asked.

Sherlock turned to look at John; ‘He wants to exchange my mother for you’

                 -----------------

‘No John you can argue with me until you see blue in the face I won’t let you go change places with my mother. Moriarty can’t be trusted’ Sherlock looked at John with a disturbed and worried face.

‘But Sherlock, at least your mother will be safe’ John tried to persuade Sherlock.

‘You know very well that Moriarty has no intention of letting either of you go. No John, I can’t have the two people I love most in this world put to risk’

John, who had opened his mouth to say something, slowly closed it again. He looked at Sherlock. Did he hear that right? Sherlock was pacing up and down, looking every now and again at his phone not knowing what an impact those words had made on John.

‘Sherlock, what did you say just now? John asked carefully.

‘Hm what?’ Sherlock was preoccupied and was now looking out the window to see if inspector Lestrade was coming already.

‘Sherlock look at me please! What did you say?’

Sherlock slowly turned around and looked at John; ‘You heard me John, I’m not in the habit of repeating myself’

Sherlock turned to the window and looked outside again. He could kick himself for letting those words come out of his mouth. If he had only said ‘care most about’ it would have been okay, no he had to say the L word. He didn’t dare turn around again and face John. He fiddled with his phone. Where was Lestrade when he needed him? Behind him he felt John walk towards him. Oh dear God what should he do now?

When he turned around his blood ran cold. John was standing in the middle of the room with Moriarty behind him holding a knife to his throat and his other hand over his mouth. The grin on Moriarty’s face was repulsive. Sherlock’s stomach turned in disgust.

‘Let… him… go…’ Sherlock growled.

Moriarty laughed ‘Why should I? You are so boring, Sherlock really, you are. And predictable too! ‘Oh don’t touch my precious John… Or I’ll hurt you!’ Well I would love to see you try, baby brother’

‘What do you want?’ Sherlock whispered ‘You clearly don’t want mother or John, you want to hurt me, and you want me. Take me then!’

‘Oh Sherlock, I can so easily hurt you. I will DISTROY you. If I kill mother and John, where will you be? You’ll be nothing. You’ll be lost’

‘Don’t forget I shall take my revenge if you do that’ Sherlock took a step closer to John and Moriarty.

‘Ah ah ah… don’t!’ Moriarty pressed the knife closer to John’s throat and Sherlock could see a drop of blood running down and John cringed.  ‘Any last words Capt. Watson?’ Moriarty laughed as he removed his hand from John’s mouth.

‘Sherlock’ John said with a hoarse voice ‘Don’t; let me exchange places with your mother, I’ll be alright’

‘See? That’s a brave little soldier’ Moriarty started to walk backwards out of the room. ‘Don’t try to follow or he’ll be dead before you can say; ‘I love you John!’

Sherlock felt shivers going up and down his spine as he could not do anything else but to watch John being dragged away by Moriarty, whose words were hanging in the room it seemed. Did everybody know? Was he that transparent?

‘Moriarty’ he called as he collected his thoughts together. ‘Don’t you dare change your rules again. I will hunt you down, you can count on that’

All he could hear was Moriarty’s giggle as the front door opened and closed again.