PRESENT DAY
After explaining to John on what happened while all of you went back inside, John stares at you and Mrs Hudoson as his therapist goes to her laptop. "Did you call the police?" He asked. "Of course I didn't call the police; I'm not a civilian!" Your aunt said as you roll your eyes.
"Culverton Smith?" His therapist asked you.
"Yeah." You replied.
"This, I think, is relevant from this morning." She said and she shows you three the blog about how Sherlock has accused Culverton as a serial killer.
"Christ, Sherlock on Twitter. He really has lost it." John mutters.
Anger flared inside of you as you glare over at John. "Don't you dare make jokes, don't you dare!" You growled as your aunt said. "We were terrified!" John was taken aback by your sudden anger, usually you were very calm but now you seemed to get angry very easily now.
"You need to see him, John. You need to help him!" Your aunt said.
"No." John said, flatly.
"He needs you! (Y/N) needs you! She needs your help!" Mrs Hudson begs.
"Somebody else! Not me, not now." John said as he turns away from the two of you.
That really angered you as you march over to John and got into his face and said, in a threatening tone. "Now, you just listen to me for once in your stupid life! I know Mary's dead and I know your heart is broken, but if Sherlock Holmes dies too, who will you have then?!"
John stares at you as you pause then shouted. "Because I tell you something, John Hamish Watson, you will NOT have us!" And you stormed out of the room and out towards the front door.
"(Y/N)!" Mrs Hudson cried out as she follows you outside.
John looks over to the doorway and sees Mary standing there. She nods as if signaling him to follow the two of you, he sighs and does as she asked.
You walked out on the lawn as the anger suddenly turned into fear and sadness and tears start falling out your eyes. You walk up to the car and folded your arms over on the roof of the car and begin to cry. You aunt comes up beside you and rubs your back, comforting you, as John walk up to you two.
"Have you spoken to Mycroft? Molly? Anyone?" He asked.
"They don't matter, you do." You said.
Your aunt turns to John and said. "Would you just see him? Please, John? Or just take a look at him as a doctor! I know you'd change your mind if you did."
John looks between Mrs Hudson's pleading face to your shaking, crying form then said. "Yeah, look, okay, maybe. If I get a chance."
You unfold your arms and turn around to face him as your aunt a asked. "You promise?"
"I'll try if I'm in the area." John replied.
"Promise us?" You asked, shakily.
"I promise." John said.
"Thank you." You and your aunt said and the both of you walk over to the trunk of the car.
John looks at you two in confusion when your aunt opens the trunk to reveal Sherlock Holmes lying inside of the trunk, looking up at the two women fearfully, shaking and handcuffed.
"Well? On you go: examine him." Mrs Hudson said with a smile.
"You two are out of control! I asked for a cup of tea!" Sherlock said as all four of you walk back into the house and he grabs a vase of flowers, from a near by table, and removes the flowers. "How did you two get him in the boot?" John asked.
"Boys from the café." Your aunt replied.
Sherlock turns, angrily, to face the three of you and shouted. "They dropped me, TWICE!" and he begins to drink the water from the vase.
"And do you know why they dropped you, sweetheart? Because they know you." You said and Sherlock walks off and notices the therapist.
He points at her and said. "Who's this one? Is this a new person? I'm against new people."
"She's my therapist." John replied.
"Awesome! Do you do block bookings?" He asked the therapist, who was on the phone.
"Whose car is that?" John asked you and Mrs Hudson, pointing towards the door.
"It's hers." You said, pointing at Mrs Hudson.
"How can that be your car?!" John asked, surprised.
"Oh, for God's sake! I'm the widow of a drug dealer, I own property in Central London, and for the last bloody time, John: I'm NOT your housekeeper!" Mrs Hudson said and she turns and leaves the room for a moment.
John's therapist walks over to John and said. "I'm so sorry, I answered your phone. You were busy. I think you'll want to take it." She said and she hands him the phone as you stand by John's side. "Yes, hello?" John said.
"Is this Dr John Watson?" A voice asked.
"Yeah, who's this?" John asked.
"Culverton Smith. You've probably heard of me." Smith replied.
"Um, well, yes." John said as his eyes widen.
"Get me a fresh glass of water, please, this one's filthy!" Sherlock said, raising up the vase in his hand.
You roll your eyes as you walk over to him. "Hmm, I wonder why?" You asked him, sarcastically, as you take the vase away from him.
"I mean, I'm aware of this morning's developments." Culverton said to John.
"Yes, I'm sure he was being hilarious. Sorry, did you say all still meeting?" John asked him.
"You, me, Mr Holmes and his wife. I've sent a car; should be outside. Mr Holmes gave me an address." Culverton replied.
"Well, he couldn't have given you this one." John said and right on cue the doorbell rings. John walks to the front door and sees a man standing there, with a limousine waiting on the side of the street. "When you're ready." The man said as he does a slight bow and walks away as John closes the door.
"When did Sherlock give you this address?" John asked over the phone.
"Two weeks ago." Culverton replied.
"Two weeks?" John asked him, confused.
"Yes, two weeks." Culverton said and John hangs up and turns to you, who was busy cleaning the vase Sherlock drank out of.
"How did you and Mrs Hudson know where to find me?" He asked.
"Oh, Sherlock told us. He's not difficult when you've got a gun on him." Mrs Hudson replied as you set the vase off to the side to dry.
John walks over to the other room where Sherlock is lounging on a chair, sleeping, but John startles him awake. "How did you know? How? On Monday, I decided to get a new therapist. Tuesday afternoon, I chose her." John shouts as he points at the woman. "Wednesday morning, I booked today's session. Now today is Friday.....so two weeks ago, two weeks before you were abducted at gunpoint and brought here against your will, over a week before I even thought of coming here, you knew exactly where you'd need to be picked up for lunch?!" He asked, angrily.
Sherlock looks up at him and said. "Really? I correctly anticipated the responses of people I know well to scenarios I devised? Can't everyone do that?"
"How?" Mrs Hudson asked as you and her walk into the other room, standing next to John.
"Except the boot. The boot was mean!" Sherlock said, glaring over at you and your aunt.
"Never mind how, he's dying to tell us that. I want to know why?" John asked.
"Because Mrs Hudson and (y/n) are right. I'm burning up. I'm at the bottom of a pit and I'm still falling, and I'm never climbing out." Sherlock said, meekly, as Mrs Hudson walks out of the roo and Sherlock stands up.
"I need you to know, John and (y/n), I need you to see that up here." He points at his head. "I've still got it. So when I tell you two that this is the most dangerous, the most despicable human being that I have ever encountered.....when I tell the both of you that this....this monster must be ended, please remember, John, where you are standing, because you're standing exactly where I said you would be two weeks ago." He said as he walks over to the dining area and points at the laptop then sits down on the chair.
"I'm a mess. I'm in hell....but I'm not wrong, not about him." Sherlock said, scrunching up his face in pain.
"So what's all of this got to do with us?" You asked him.
"That creature, that rotting thing, is a living, breathing coagulation of human evil, and I want to drive him out of this world. But look at me! Can't do it. Not now. Not alone." Sherlock said as his eyes brim with tears.
"You know I'll always be here, Sherlock." You said as you walk over to him and place your hand on his shoulder.
He takes your hand and kissed the back of it then you look over at John, who stares at the two of you. "Alright." John said and he holds his hand out. Sherlock gets up and takes it but John pulls up Sherlock's sleeve to reveal the track marks.
"Yeah, well they're real enough, I suppose." John said as he drops Sherlock's hand.
"Why would I be faking?" Sherlock asked John.
"Because you're a liar! You lie all the time; its lie your mission! There are times where I am shocked that (y/n) still puts up with you!" John shouted.
"Because I love him!" You shouted back as Sherlock said. "I have been many things, John, but when have I EVER been a malingerer?"
"You pretended to be dead for two years!" John shouted at him. Sherlock pauses for a moment then asked. "Apart from that?"
"Listen, before I do anything, I need to know what state you're in." John said.
"Well, you're a doctor, examine me." Sherlock said as he sits back down in the chair and spreads his arms in preparation.
"No, I need a second opinion." John replied.
"Ugh, John, calm down!" You said, annoyed, as Sherlock said. "When have you ever managed two opinions? You'd fall over."
"I need the one person who, unlike me and (y/n), learned to see through your bullshit long ago." John replied.
"And who's that then? I'm sure I would have noticed." Sherlock spat at him.
"The last person you'd think of. I want you to be examined by Molly Hooper. Do you hear me? I said Molly Hooper." John said as Sherlock grimaces and rolls his eyes before he looks up to John and said. "You're really not going to like this."
"Like what?" You and John asked and at that moment the doorbell chimes. John sighs as you asked. "You did not?" Sherlock gives you that innocent look as you roll your eyes and both, you and John, walk to the front door and find Molly standing there.
"Um.....hello. Is, Er.....I'm sorry, Sherlock asked me to come." She said, nervously. Behind her, you could see an ambulance with paramedics preparing it. "What, two weeks ago?" John asked her. "Yeah, about two weeks." Molly replied as Sherlock approaches from down the hallway.
"If you'd like to know how I predict the future--" he started to say before John shouts. "No! I don't care how!"
"Okay a fully equipped ambulance. Molly can examine me on the way, it'll save time. Ready to go, Molly?" Sherlock asked. "Um well..." She said nervously before Sherlock talks over her. "Just tell me when to cough. I hope you remembered my coat. (Y/N), you're coming with me." He said and he passes Molly and heads for the ambulance.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know that you two were going got be here. And the last I heard, you disappeared (y/n)." She said. "I needed some time away from Baker Street but apparently that was a bad idea." You said.
"Why is that? I've no idea what's going on." Molly said.
"Sherlock is using again." You replied and she stares at you in shock.
"Oh God. Um....are, are you sure?" She asked.
"No, it's Sherlock, of course we're not sure! Just, check him out." John said and Molly nods at him, meekly.
"Come on, Molly." You said as you walk to her and place your arm around her shoulder as the both of you head towards the ambulance.
"Well, how is he?" John asked after the long drive to Village Studios. You and Molly were sitting on the step of the rear door, looking dejected. "Basically fine." Sherlock said from the back of the ambulance as he gets up from the bed and puts his coat on.
"I've seen healthier people on the slab." Molly remarked.
"Or at a crime scene." You said and Molly smirks at you.
"Yeah, but to be fair, you two work with murder victims, they tend to be quite young." Sherlock said as he steps out of the ambulance.
"Not funny." Molly growls.
"A little bit funny." Sherlock said.
"If you keep taking what you're taking at the rate you're taking it, you've got weeks!" Molly said, angrily.
"Exactly! Weeks! Let's not get ahead of ourselves." Sherlock said as he starts to walk away.
You stand up and shout. "For Christ's sake, Sherlock! It's not a game!" Sherlock turns back towards you until the both of you were almost inches from each other. "I'm worried about you, (y/n). You seem very stressed." He said as he looks into your eyes.
"I'm stressed, you're dying." You said, tears forming in your eyes.
"Yeah, well I'm ahead then. Stress can ruin everyday of your life, dying can only ruin one." He remarked.
"So this is real? You've really lost it? You're actually out of control?" John asked.
"When have I ever been that?" Sherlock asked.
"Since the day I met you." John replied.
"Oh, clever boy. I've missed you bumbling about the place." He mutters.
"I thought this was some kind of--" John trails off as you and Sherlock stare at him.
"What?" Sherlock asked.
"Trick." John finished.
"Of course it's not a trick, it's a plan." Sherlock said.
"Mr Holmes!" You hear a voice greet. You look over and see Culverton Smith approaching you three and he was being flocked by journalists.
"30 feet and closing, the most significant undetected serial killer in British criminal history. Help me bring him down." Sherlock said, quickly, to you and John.
"What?" You asked as John asked. "What plan?"
"I'm not telling you." said Sherlock. "Why not?" You asked.
"Because you won't like it." He said as he turns around to face Culverton, who walks up to him.
"Mr Holmes! I don't do handshakes. It'll have to be a hug." Culverton said. "I know." Sherlock replied as he bends down for Culverton to hug him. "Oh, Sherlock. Oh, Sherlock, what can I say? Thanks to you we're, Er, we're everywhere!" Culverton said as he breaks the hug.
"Mr Holmes, how did Culverton talk you into this?" A journalist asked. "Well, he's a detective and his lovely wife is a Sergeant of Scotland Yard. Maybe I just....confessed!" Culverton said the he and the journalists laugh. "Come on." He said to you and the boys and they begin to walk away while Sherlock looks back over to you and John in a pleading sort of way.
"Now, it's a....a new kind of breakfast cereal." said Culverton as another journalist asked.
"Mr Holmes, can you put on the hat?"
"Yeah, he doesn't really wear the hat." You said.
"Kids will be getting two of their five-a-day before they've even left home." said Culverton as all of you enter the building and he stops and signs something.
"Sherlock's been amazing for us." Smith's Assistant said.
"Breakfast's just got to be cool. And you know what makes it cool when you're a kid?" Culverton asked.
"What?" You asked him.
"Dangerous!" Culverton replied.