How They Met Alice (BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

Chapter 29

(Alice’s POV: )

The door closed. Sherlock and I didn’t move for a few seconds, our weapons still ready. Sherlock’s gaze drifted across to John and he instantly bended, putting the pistol on the floor, then dropped to his knees in front of John as he started unfastening the vest to which the bomb was attached. I put away my knife and stood behind Sherlock, not wanting to get in the way. I picked up his pistol, looking into the pool for mine but not moving.

“All right?” Sherlock asked. John tilted his head back, breathing heavily.

“Are you all right?” Sherlock repeated urgently.

“Yeah-yeah, I’m fine.” John assured him. Having unfastened the vest, Sherlock jumped up and hurried round behind John, starting to pull the jacket and the bomb vest off in one go. “I’m fine.” John repeated. Sherlock, also breathing too fast, continued trying to tug the jacket and vest off. “Sherlock.” John tried to get his attention. Finally Sherlock managed to roughly strip the jacket and vest off John’s arms. “Sh-Sherlock!” John stammered. Sherlock bended and skimmed the items as far away along the floor as he could, while John staggered at the vehemence with which his friend just ripped them off him. “J*sus.” John mumbled. He reached up and pulled the earpiece from his ear, breathing heavily as delayed shock begins to hit him. Sherlock turned and stared at him for a moment, then hurried back to me, demanding his pistol from me. I quickly gave it to him and stepped closer to John as he raced towards the door that Moriarty left through. John’s knees buckled and he staggered towards the nearest support, which was the edge of one of the changing cubicles. “Oh, g*d.”  He turned and dropped down into a squat, bracing his back against the cubicle’s edge as he blew out a long breath and tried to calm himself down. I bent down next to him, rubbing his back and rocking back and forth a bit to calm myself. Sherlock came back in, having apparently seen no sign of Moriarty outside. He started to pace up and down near John, so hyper and distracted that he didn’t even realize that he was scratching his head with the business end of a loaded and cocked pistol. My eyes widened and I wanted to jump up and take it away from him, but I stayed by John, who needed comfort a bit more than Sherlock at the moment.

“Are you okay?” John asked breathlessly. I had calmed myself down and sat cross-legged to John’s left, leaving my hand on his back for a moment before putting it in my lap.

“Me? Yeah, I’m fine, I’m fine. Fine.” He replied quick fire, still pacing and scratching his head with the gun. He turns to us, wide-eyed and breathless. “That, er... thing that you, er, that you did; that, um...” He cleared his throat. “...you offered to do. That was, um... good.” He added awkwardly and incoherently. I exhaled deeply and closed my eyes, as amused as I could be at his attempt at complimenting the doctor.

“I’m glad no-one saw that.” John said, staring ahead for himself. “Aside from you.” He tilted his head towards me. Sherlock had temporarily lowered his hand long enough to not be risking accidentally shooting himself in the head – although he had terrible jitters as he held the gun down by his side. Now he lifted the gun again as he raised his hand to rub his chin while looking down at John in confusion.

“Hmm?” He asked.

“You, ripping my clothes off in a darkened swimming pool. People might talk.” John shrugged, still not making eye contact with anyone. Sherlock shrugged.

“People do little else.” He replied, looking down at us and then grinning. I managed a real smile and John snorted in laughter. He leaned forward and prepared to stand up, but before he could move, the beam from a sniper’s laser began to dance over his chest again. John looked down at it and his face filled with horror, as well as me. I immediately jumped up and brandished my knife, standing somewhat in front of him.

“Oh...” He said quietly, his voice understandably full of anguish. A door near the deep end of the pool opened and Jim came through, clapping his hands together and turning to face us.

“Sorry, boys! I’m soooooo changeable!” He looked at me. “And girl, sorry.” He added. John grimaced in disbelief. Sherlock kept his back to Jim, looking up into the gallery to try and judge how many snipers there might have been up there. It was becoming clear that there were quite a few because there were at least two laser points hovering over John, six on me (which didn’t seem fair) and at least three more travelling over Sherlock’s body. I stood imbetween Sherlock and John, still gripping my knife. Jim laughed and spread his arms wide. “It is a weakness with me but, to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness.” He lowered his hands and put them in his pockets. Sherlock turned his head and looked at me and then down at John, who lifted his own head to meet his gaze. “You can’t be allowed to continue. You just can’t. I would try to convince you but...” He laughed and his voice became sing-song again. “...everything I have to say has already crossed your mind!” Sherlock, who had looked away for a moment, now turned and looked down at John again, his face showing no emotion but his eyes screaming a silent request. John responded instantly with a tiny nod, giving him full permission to do whatever he deemed necessary. Sherlock did the same with me and I gave his the same response.

“Probably my answer has crossed yours.” He raised the pistol and aimed it at him. Jim smiled confidently, with no fear in his expression. Slowly Sherlock lowered the pistol downwards until it was pointing directly at the bomb jacket. I breathed in and out, reminding myself I gave him permission to do this. All our eyes locked onto the jacket, John breathing heavily, Sherlock calm. Jim tilted his head, looking a little anxious for the first time. I looked at it sadly but confidently, straightening my back and standing a bit taller. As Sherlock held his hand steady, continuing to aim towards the jacket and Jim lifted his head and locked eyes with his nemesis. Sherlock gazed back at him and Jim began to smile. Sherlock’s eyes narrowed slightly.

Okay, so I was planning on doing the next three episodes, but I wasn’t sure how long that would make this book. I have to do Reichenbach Fall and at least the beginning of A Sandal in Belgravia no matter what, so I was trying to decide if I should do The Hound of Baskerville or not. I want to put it to a vote to any readers I have.

Put “Alonso” if you want me to do Baskerville.

Put “Ruffles” if you want me to finish the pool scene and skip the rest of the episode.

Put “Sheet” if you want me to do the whole episode. Or just specify =)

Thank you, peoples! Vote and comment please! This is important and I will not be able to update until I have votes! Sorry, this isn't just to get more comments; it's really for the sake of the flow of the book and what you guys want! So vote, comment, and enjoy fun peoples! =D