You See But Do Not Observe

HOSTAGE

Greg began to walk away, but Serena stopped him on the stairs.

"You can not be serious?" She asked incredulously.

"Standard procedure." Greg answered, but he wouldn't look at her.

"Him, a kidnapper? Let's be honest, if Sherlock was going to kidnap someone, he would pay someone else. There wouldn't be any mistakes like this one. It's too obvious, can't you see that? This is exactly what Moriarty wants! He wants you to believe Sherlock is a fake."

Greg put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, but the Chief Inspector insisted. I have no choice anymore." He walked away, and Serena headed back up the stairs, her heart racing. She could hear raised voices.

"You're worried they're right about me." Sherlock said.

"No."

"That's why you're so upset. You can't even entertain the possibility that they might be right. You're afraid that you've been taken in as well."

"No I'm not." Serena emerged from the stairs but stayed in the doorway.

"Moriarty is playing with your mind too!" Sherlock said angrily, slamming his fist on the table. "Can't you see what's going on?"

There was a long pause.

"No, I know you're for real."

"A hundred percent?"

"Well, nobody could fake being such an annoying dick all the time." John turned away from Sherlock, and Sherlock spun, meeting Serena's eyes.

"And you? Do you believe it?" He asked her quietly, moving towards her. She shook her head.

"Not at all?"

"You could never be someone you're not." She whispered, pulled him closer so she could kiss him.

He nodded, pulling away slightly. "I need a favor."

"What is it?"

He produced a letter. "Can you deliver this to the homeless woman near St. Bart's?" He handed her a note, and she took it, nodding.

"Whatever you need. Be back soon." She said quietly, heading back down the stairs.

(Sherlock's POV)

It was quiet for about twenty minutes. Twenty more minutes of breathing in and out and thinking.

"So, still got some friends on the Force. It's Lestrade. Says they're all coming over here right now, queuing up to slap on the handcuffs. Every single officer you ever made feel like a tit, which is a lot of people." John announced loudly.

There was a quiet knock, and Sherlock looked up, expecting Serena, wanting Serena.

"Oh, sorry, am I interrupting?" Mrs. Hudson said, bustling in.

"Some chap delivered a parcel. I forgot. Marked 'Perishable'-I had to sign for it. Funny name. German, like the fairytales." Mrs. Hudson said, and Sherlock's head snapped up. He took the package from John and ripped it open. A gingerbread man slipped out, and Sherlock flipped it over.

"Burnt to a crisp."

"What does it mean?" John asked, but before Sherlock could answer-

"Police!"

"I'll go." Mrs. Hudson said.

"...Sherlock..." That was Donovan's voice. Of course she was hear. Oh, it was all going according to plan. Not Sherlock's plan of course, but dear Jim's.

"Evening, Mrs. Hudson." Lestrade was here. Good, good. He got to witness Sherlock's fall.

"We need to talk to you!" Donovan shouted up the stairs.

"Don't barge in like that!" Mrs. Hudson said, and Sherlock picked up his jacket, putting it on slowly, savoring it.

"Have you got a warrant? Have you?" John said, on the stairs, on stage. And off stage, Serena was delivering a letter that meant nothing.

"Leave it, John." Lestrade said.

"Really! Manners!" Mrs. Hudson always did defend him, to her last breath.

Lestrade walked in, followed by Donovan, who looked smug.

"Sherlock Holmes, I'm arresting you on suspicion of abduction and kidnapping." He said, snapped handcuffs on Sherlock, who didn't do a thing.

"He's not resisting." John said angrily.

"It's all right, John."

"He's not resisting. No, it's not all right. This is ridiculous!" John said.

"Get him downstairs now." Lestrade ordered an officer, and Sherlock was taken out of his home. He wondered if he would get the chance to see Serena again before the end.

(Serena's POV)

Serena was on her way back when she saw the lights flashing and began running, sprinting, because she had to get there before they took him away.

"Please, let me through!" She shouted over the confusion. An officer pushed her back, and she shoved him away.

"Sherlock!" She shouted. "Sherlock!"

He turned from where he leaned against the car and smiled at her. John was beside him.

"Let me see him. Please, let me see him." Serena begged the stone-faced officer.

"Let her through." Greg said loudly, and Serena looked at him gratefully before she ran for Sherlock.

"It's going to be okay." She said to Sherlock. "It's going to be okay. I'll bail you out. I'll be a witness in the trial. I'll do anything."

"I know." Sherlock said quietly, and Serena broke. She leaned against him, his forehead pressed against hers. His arms wounds around her waist, and hers lay limp around his neck.

"I love you." She whispered, feeling the chaos around them disappear.

"I suppose I do to."

She smiled a little at that.

"I have to leave, to find him." Sherlock whispered in her ear. She held back a shiver.

"I know." She whispered back. "But I'm scared, Sherlock. I'm scared I won't see you again."

"You will."

"Promise?" Serena asked him fiercely.

"Promise." Sherlock's reply was just as sure.

He kissed her then. Not like a usual fleeting pass. Passionately, pulling her against him, taking her breath away. She ran her hands over his neck, feeling the bones there before tangling them in his hair.

She finally pulled away, his lips lingering on hers. She pulled away reluctantly, and he winked at her. She smirked coyly before stepping back.

She saw him exchange a few words with John before his hand slipped inside the car.

An ear-splitting screech of feedback echoed throughout the air. Serena's ears cried out in pain, and she clapped her hands over them. When she looked at Sherlock again, he held a gun.

"Ladies and gentlemen, will you all please get on your knees?" He said commandingly, and Serena began to smile. No one moved, so Sherlock pointed to the sky and fired twice.

"Now would be good!" He shouted.

"Do as he says!" Greg commanded, and Serena sank, still grinning broadly.

"Just, just so you're aware, the gun is his idea. I'm just a...you know-" John began to stumble over his words as Sherlock dragged him away.

"-my hostage." Sherlock turned the gun to John's head.

John muttered something, and Sherlock turned, running off into the black.

Serena stood up and looked where they had gone.

She could still taste Sherlock's last kiss.