After The Reichenbach Fall

CHAPTER 8

The four of you have been thrown out of the restaurant and have relocated to a nearby café.

Sherlock sits on one side of a table ,beside him is (y/n), both were wearing their signature coats, and their fingers steepled in front of them.

John and Mary, also in their coats, sit side by side opposite them with their arms folded.

"I calculated that there were thirteen possibilities once we'd invited Moriarty onto the roof." Sherlock said breaking the silence. "We wanted to avoid dying if at all possible."

"Of course.. I don't wanna die early.." you mumbled.

"The first scenario involved hurling myself into a parked hospital van filled with washing bags. Impossible. The angle was too steep. Secondly, a system of Japanese wrestling ..." He added.

"You know, for a genius you can be remarkably thick." John interrupted.

"What?" Sherlock said, shocked.

"I don't care how you faked it, Sherlock. I wanna know why." John said looking at Sherlock then to you.

"Why? Because Moriarty had to be stopped." Sherlock said. You nodded, agreeing with him.

But then, you see John's expression. "Oh. 'Why' as in..." you lifted a finger, pointing it in John's direction. John nods.

"I see. Yes. 'Why?' That's a little more difficult to explain." You said nervously.

You know that the only person that can make you feel nervous is John Watson.

"I've got all night." John answered darkly.

Sherlock cleared his throat and looked down, "Actually, um, that was mostly Mycroft's idea."

"Oh, so it's your brother's plan?"

Mary points towards Sherlock, "Oh, they would have needed a confidant ..." you and Sherlock is nodding at her in agreement. Mary trails off at John's look. "Sorry." She refolds her arms and looks down. John turns back to you then to Sherlock.

"But he was the only one? The only one who knew?" John asked.

Sherlock closes his eyes briefly and seems to force the next sentence out. "Couple of others." He answered. John lowers his head. Sherlock talks quickly. "It was a very elaborate plan - it had to be. The next of the thirteen possibilities .."

"Who else?" John said in a despairing whisper. "Who else knew?" Sherlock hesitates to answer but John wants to know. "Who?"

You pinch the tip of your nose and answered his question, "Molly."

"Molly?" John repated, angrily.

"John." Mary said softly.

"Molly Hooper - and some of our homeless network, and that's all." You added, looking at him.

"Okay." He sits up a little and glances round at Mary, who gives him a sympathetic smile. He turns to you and Sherlock again. "Okay. So just Mycroft, and Molly Hooper, and a hundred tramps."

Sherlock chuckles. "No! Twenty-five at most."

And as you expected John hurls himself across the table and attempts to throttle his old friend.

Once again, the four of you were been thrown out of the café and have relocated to a kebab shop. John and Mary stand leaning with their backs against the counter. John apparently managed more than just an attempted throttling, because Sherlock has taken his coat off and is holding a paper napkin to a cut on his lower lip. Luckily (y/n) just got death glares from John who's in his mind is punching her.

Trying to light the aura of everyone, you started talking again, "Seriously, it's not a joke?" you said as you gesture to your own top lip. "You're-you're really keeping this?" You asked.

John clears his throat and meets your eyes. "Yeah."

Sherlock knits his eyebrow, "You're sure?"

"Mary likes it." John said confidently.

"Mmmmmm, no she doesn't." Sherlock said.

"Yep." You said popping the 'p'

"She does." John argue.

"Nope" you said, popping again the 'p'

"She doesn't." Sherlock followed.

John glances briefly round at Mary, then does a double-take. She makes incoherent apologetic noises. "Oh!" He said while he tries to cover his moustache with his hand. "Brilliant."

"I'm sorry. Oh, I'm sorry - I didn't know how to tell you." Mary said, apologising.

"No, no, this is charming!" John points angrily at you and Sherlock, clearly referring to your talent of instant deduction. "I've really missed this!" He looks down, then takes an aggressive step towards you and Sherlock and gets into your face. "One Word, just one. That is all I would have needed. One word to let me know that you two were alive." He said and steps back, breathing heavily.

"I've nearly been in contact so many times, but ..." Sherlock said, you just stay quiet not wanting to say anything and John laughs disbelievingly. "... I worried that, you know, you might say something indiscreet." He added.

"What?"

"Well, you know, let the cat out of the bag." Sherlock said.

John stepping closer again, "Oh, so this is my fault?!"

Mary laughs with disbelief. "Oh, God!"

John shouts angrily, "Why am I the only one who thinks that this is wrong - the only one reacting like a human being?!"

"Over-reacting." You said, rolling your eyes.

"Over-reacting?!" John said furiously.

"John!" Mary said.

John still shouting, "Over-reacting. So you fake your own death ..."

"Shh!" You and Sherlock said in unison, stoping him from being loud.

" ...and you waltz in 'ere large as bloody life ..." John added.

"Shh!" You shush him angrily.

John said initially more quietly, but getting louder all the time, "... but I'm not supposed to have a problem with that, no, because Sherlock Holmes and (y/f/n) thinks it's a perfectly OKAY THING TO DO!"

"Shut up, John! I don't want everyone knowing we're still alive!" Sherlock said shouting.

"Oh, so it's still a secret, is it?" John said shouting too.

"Yes! It's still a secret." You said loudly and look round at the other customers in the shop.

"Promise you won't tell anyone." Sherlock said casually.

"Swear to God!" John said angrily and sarcastically. Finally he looks round at the other customers and backs down a little, blowing out a long breath.

Sherlock steps closer to him and speaks quietly. "London is in danger, John. There's an imminent terrorist attack and we need your help."

John stares at him in amazement, then turns to throw a quirky 'can you believe this guy?!' look at Mary. He turns back to Sherlock. "My help?"

Sherlock's eyes narrow as he deduces John's genuine reaction to his request, then he smiles. "You have missed this. Admit it. The thrill of the chase, the blood pumping through your veins, just the three of us against the rest of the world ..."

But before Sherlock finish what he is saying, John grabs him by lapels, rears his head back and then moves in for the kill.

You groan, here we go again.