Missing Piece - BBC Sherlock (Johnlock) *finally completed*

Chapter 8

It had taken Sherlock two whole days to track the paintings down but now he finally held the last missing piece in his hands. He had no thing for art. It could burn for all he cared and he couldn't understand how people were willing to pay so much for these things.

Sherlock had dark circles under his eyes from the lack of sleep and the exhaustion from running around the city. He had lost count of the cups of coffee he had consumed and the nicotine patches he had plastered on his arms in the last two days.

The abductors hadn't sent another message. Sherlock didn't know if John was alright or even alive. He clutched the frame of the painting so hard that his knuckles turned white. No, they John was still alive! Sherlock was sure, wanted to believe that John was still breathing and waiting for him.

While he had searched for the paintings, Sherlock had thought about the note and the DVD. Something hadn't been right. First there was the riddle, a far too easy one. The 'let's start easy' didn't fit. Because there hadn't been another code or anything. It had been too easy. The consulting detective almost hadn't noticed, engulfed in worrying about John and preoccupied with solving his task.

Of course Sherlock had noticed in the end. Just not right away. The riddle had been a diversion.  Supposed to substantiate what the abductor had said about himself in the DVD. It was a clever plan, but Sherlock had seen through it. Now he finally held prove to it in his hands.

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. A dark smile, promising vengeance. Sherlock would've been thrilled to work on this case in any other situation. It was a clever plan. The most evident mistake the criminal had made was to take his John away from him and hurt him. Even dared to send him a video of it!

The smile vanished and was replaced by a odium look on the consulting detectives face. Oh, the things he wanted to do to that person! He pressed his lips together fiercely. 

Sherlock looked at the 'After the Derby' by J.Sanderson Wells intensely. It looked just like any other watercolour painting to him. He turned it around and examined the frame until he found what he had been looking for. John wouldn't have to wait much longer. Sherlock would come to his rescue soon.

There was a small opening in the wooden frame. A SD-Card was stuck in it. It was nicely placed. No one would notice it if they weren't looking for something. That told Sherlock more than enough. He already deduced most of the things but with this last bit of information he could get his hands on the criminal's name.

The guy had to work or own the museum. Maybe he was the chief there. Probably the later because he was obviously rich and influential enough to pay professional kidnappers and get so much information about Sherlock.

Moreover, the guy had to be sure that he was the first one who'd get the painting in his hands after its return. That meant he was the chief of the museum or some guy who verified the pieces authenticity. No, if he wasn't in charge of the museum than he couldn't be sure to be able to remove the card before someone else took a closer look at the painting.

Sherlock turned around and stepped over the guy who had guarded the painting. He had taken the guy by surprise and knocked him out.

After he had left the building, Sherlock hailed a cab and told the driver to get him to Baker Street. The cabbie glanced at him through the rearview r now and then. The consulting detective probably looked suspicious to him with the painting. Hopefully he wouldn't call the police. That was the last Sherlock needed right now. Being hindered by the police. He had no time for that. The sooner he held John securely in his arms the better.  

The consulting detective had realized through these two long days that he felt so much more for John than he had ever felt for anything before. Even more than his work it seemed, since Sherlock didn't enjoy the rush of this case. He wasn't sure how he should handle these feelings. He had never been good with emotions. But he concluded that it was best to just accept them until he got John back. After that there was still more than enough time to sort out these confusing feelings.

Throughout the whole drive, Sherlock stared at the painting, his fingers twitching with the urge to find out what the card contained. When they reached his flat he paid and rushed inside the house and into the living room, where he opened the laptop and fumbled to get the card out of the small opening.

About ten minutes later he heard the stairs creaking. Mycroft had arrived. Of course his dear brother knew that Sherlock had found something. Perhaps he even worried what Sherlock would do to the guy once he knew his identity.

Sherlock had looked through the files that were on the card by now and he was pleased by his findings but they had only made his wrath grow further, if that was even possible. To know that his John had to suffer because of Alexander Birch's illegal activities. He would crush the guy. His face darkened at the mere thought of Alexander Birch. That bastard!

"Ah, Mycroft. Good to see you. I require your assistance" Sherlock tried to make a neutral face as he turned around to look as his brother. Mycroft was slightly out of breath. It seemed he had rushed here, his jacket wasn't fully buttoned. Sherlock's raised an eyebrow in mild surprise. It was rare to see Mycroft like that. His brother cared enough about John to not notice that he wasn't perfectly dressed.

Two hours later Sherlock knocked at Alexander Birch's door. Some time passed and Sherlock grew more and more impatient. Finally the door opened and the man he hated most at the moment himself stood in the doorway.

Alexander's eyes widened at he realized who stood there but it was already too late. Sherlock's fist connected with the bastard's nose and made a cracking sound. He deserved so much more than just a broken nose. Sherlock bend down, grabbed the whimpering man by the hem of his shirt and hauled him into the house.

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Uh, what's Sherlok going to do to that Alexander guy? >_>