Warning: There is blood in this chapter and injured characters.
Immediately there was a sharp intake of breath from beside him as John saw Mary. He had to fling out an arm to restrain John from barrelling towards her. The room was large but there was barely anything in it. He knew that there was more than what just awaited them at the other end of the room and he was assured that because right after entry bright red dots appeared right over their hearts.
Guns trained on them from varies corners of the room and Sherlock could just make out the men watching them from the shadows.
But he had expected all of that, it was who stood at the other end of the room that surprised him. It was the person who held the gun shakily with bright slightly maniacal eyes. He stood frozen in that horrid room as he pieced together what Moriarty had done.
Emily Broadweather.
That was when everything fell together. That was when the cogs in his mind suddenly came to life nearly tearing themselves apart as his head worked overtime.
Of course. The death of Hayden had destroyed her, had utterly ruined her. Hayden had been her favourite then he had died and she had been left with James. The younger brother with whom she loved but did not care for with the same amount of emotion. She had been left to rely on him. He had been the only person she had left but with the death of James she had lost it. Her whole family was dead and she was expected to live a normal life.
"John do not go to her." Sherlock whispered it in his ear as he leant in to push John back. If he got too close she would kill her. Emily was on a fine thread between sanity and fantasy, one wrong move could mean Mary was dead.
"Glad you could finally come!" Emily waved to them, smiled and then gave them a little bow. Her clothes were ruffled and she looked extremely pleased with herself. "Poor Mary here has missed you. You should hear her beg. So sweet." Mary stayed perfectly still as Emily ran her hands down Mary's face. She strained against the bonds holding her to the chair but she stayed silent. John tensed next to him but didn't move. Sherlock could guarantee that Mary had not uttered a word but it was simply a ploy to get John worked up. He had to stay calm they had to play for time. They needed to turn the tables.
Sherlock steadied his breathing and tried to focus. He blocked out the panic and fear which brewed beneath the surface and instead worked on ways that they could get out of this. They were all getting out of this building alive.
"Let her go now!" John ground out the words with barely any breath. But Sherlock had to restrain himself for scorning John for his lack of tact. They needed to go about this how she wanted to. Emily was waiting for her time and they needed her to get distracted. Moriarty always got what he wanted and so does his clients when it suits him. Moriarty had no doubt played with the women before him to get what he wanted. He wanted Sherlock to break, he was going to make everything that mattered to him burn. This was why Emily was alive, this was why he had not tossed her out, he helped her because he knew it would always end up destroying Sherlock. The death of Mary would simply be the start. Moriarty was using Emily to get to him. He allowed her to do this.
He had to play the game.
"Go ahead shoot her she deserves it." As Sherlock spoke John turned to him in utter disbelief and betrayal. He needed to know how Emily would react. If she would know of the lie or if she would comply. But he locked eyes with John and made sure he understood.
"Well if you really want me to..." Emily turned back to Mary and raised the gun.
"NO!" John yelled out but didn't move. Sherlock silently thanked him for not moving. If he had things could have gone wrong. But Emily simply laughed and faced them again.
"Oh you can't fool me that easily Mr Holmes. Jim told me about you. He told me how you play your little games and how you'll play mine." He tensed at her words. He did not play games with those around him. But she laughed after saying this and turned her attention to John. "Your wife is a murderer Dr Watson. Did you know that? She killed my brother."
But it was after this statement that he realised. Sherlock could not help the fear he felt. Mary was going to die no matter what he or John did to prevent it. Moriarty had made his move. This was his move and there was nothing and no one who could stop the outcome. It was then that Sherlock realised that there was nothing that he could do to prevent the death of Mary Watson. He looked sideways to John who was barely holding himself together, then to Mary whose eyes shone with determination. She was not afraid. Mary had always known that one day her past would truly catch up with her. And this time Sherlock could do nothing to stop the oncoming storm.
But he would try. For John, for Mary he would try to save her life.
And so he started to play his hand.
"Why was your brother killed Emily?" Sherlock spoke calmly and started to walk forward towards where Mary and Emily were. He needed to get her talking. She needed to be distracted. If she was talking, he could get closer. John seemed to understand so he slowly followed after him.
"Why don't you ask this bitch?" Emily struck Mary across the head with the butt of the gun. John tensed at his side but stayed still. "Tell them Mary dear, why don't you? Tell them why your organisation decided my brother was worth killing." Mary just glared at Emily but she raised the gun towards where they stood. Mary's eyes flicked to John's and Sherlock saw such pain and sorrow in her eyes.
"He was assigned to me because of his, occupation."
"Oh that man had a name and that's not all. Tell them the whole story." Mary clenched her Jaw but she kept speaking because that shaking hand was still pointed at them.
"He was the head of the biggest crime gang in London. We had finally tracked him down. He needed to be gotten rid of. He was getting in the way and prying. So I was sent to kill him. Quick in and out. Bullet to the head." Emily turned away from where they stood and faced Mary again. She let out a bark of laughter which echoed in the hideous room. It was so fitting of Moriarty to choose this place. The place that already meant death and destruction to Sherlock.
"Stop holding back Mary, there's more." But Mary kept her lips sealed and continued to glare at Emily. She struck out at her again and Mary flinched away.
"And then she killed James too." She spun back round to them and raised her arms in a show of welcoming. "Mary Watson killed my brothers without mercy and without a thought. It is time that they receive justice."
"How could she have killed James. Why would she? Mary is not even working for them anymore!" John had spoken up finally and Sherlock could see how much it was draining him having to stand here while his wife was beaten.
"It is her fault!" She spat the word at Mary's face who flinched in disgust. "James died because she killed Hayden. Tensions grew. People thought James wasn't worthy of his position so he was killed. I have lost everyone, I have no one left. And it is all because of you!"
"You don't have to do this Mary did not kill James." John tried to speak in a consoling voice but he didn't manage to hide the fear in his voice.
"But she killed Hayden and now James is dead because of her. She deserves death. And it will punish her more with the knowledge that she will die and now you will never have a family. John Watson will never have a family thanks to his wife's acts. She ruined your future John Watson." Emily walked to stand beside Mary again and looked to where John stood.
Every inch of his body was written with tension and grief. Sherlock could tell that he was only just keeping himself together. This was the perfect end game for Moriarty. To destroy John's life and to ruin Sherlock with it. Sherlock knew that it was Moriarty who had James killed. He knew that it was because he was getting in the way. And Moriarty had toyed with Emily had made her believe that it was because of Mary that James was now dead.
"Mary did not kill James. It was Moriarty who killed him. By his word that he was killed." Sherlock had to try and convince her. It was the only way which they might have a chance to stop Mary from dying. Emily was driven by grief and had been tricked by Moriarty. Sentiment and emotions had led to this shell of a person. "James was getting in the way, so Moriarty killed him and the only reason that you are still alive is because Moriarty wants you that way. He killed James so that you would go after Mary. Because he is using you to get to me. Moriarty killed James not Mary."
But Emily just laughed at him and continued to speak, "Moriarty has helped me get revenge and what use would killing James give him. But the same goes for you Mr Holmes, you and Dr Watson are only alive because that is how he wants you. He has helped me bring Mary to her knees. Now you will suffer. I get to kill Mary and you get to watch, Jim gets benefit both ways. We both win. But he promised to protect James and he did not. That is why as soon as I'm finished here I am going to kill him too." She spun round and yelled into the roof. "You here that? You said you would protect him but you didn't you let my James die. You let Mary kill him."
"I would not have done that if I was you. Moriarty does not die and he will not let you live after this encounter. We can help you. If you just stop, we can protect you from Moriarty. He will kill you as soon as your usefulness has ended." Sherlock made to take a step in Mary's direction. If he could just get close enough then he could get Mary away.
"NO! Don't you take a step closer!" Emily had raised a shaking hand and pointed the gun at where he stood. "I have to do this. For Hayden, for James. You have taken everything from me and now I am going to take everything from you." Emily started to turn her shaking hand onto Mary who thrashed against the ropes tying her to the chair.
Tears ran down her face as she spoke. "I'm sorry John. But its ok. Everything is going to be okay." She locked eyes with John who stood frozen and shaking. He turned his attention to Emily who was staring happily down at Mary. She had finally gotten what she wanted.
"Please stop this. She doesn't need to die it was Moriarty who killed James! Kill him he killed him it's his fault." John took another step closer and Sherlock could almost see the world crumbling down around John. This was his fault. He should have tried harder. If only he had solved the case faster. Mary was going to die and it was all because to of him. Moriarty was not attacking John or Mary he was attacking him. "Sherlock. Please do something!" John's voice broke with emotion as he turned to him. Such an unfathomable sadness broke over Sherlock in that moment because he knew that this was not the last of the grief John Watson would be subject to. He could do nothing to save Mary. There was no way that they would all be walking out of this building.
"John there is nothing I can do. Moriarty will kill her if Emily does not."
"No Sherlock. Just help me. Let her go. Please just let her go take me instead. Just let Mary live."
"How selfless of you John Watson. But it is not you who I want dead."
Sherlock took a step forward. He had one last item he could us to try and stop this. To try and stop the inevitable outcome.
"You take one more step and I will kill her."
"The only reason why Moriarty is letting you kill her is because he wants her dead. You are only alive because that is how Moriarty wants you. You have been bent to his will and he has tricked you. Just stop. We can help you."
"He warned me you know. He told me how you would do this. How you would try to convince me that he had tricked me. But he gave me his word."
"And you think a man who organises crime will keep to his word. How much do you think his word is worth? What did he swear by? I know you're smart you would have made him swear by something."
"You're right I did make him swear. I am not stupid. He swore by your inevitable death that he has not tricked me. You are right, Mr Holmes, I am smart. Because I know that all this chatter is just you buying time. But you cannot stop me from pulling this trigger, Mary is going to die and it will be by me that she does. Just like you are going to die Mr Holmes. I will not be the one to do it but he will."
Emily tightened her grip on the gun and steadied her hands. Sherlock knew this game. It was exactly like the one Moriarty played with him on a roof so long ago. There was no way out except to play the game. Mary was going to die and there was absolutely nothing that he could do to stop it. If Emily did not kill her then one of the snipers would. He was resigned to his future he knew that he was going to die but not Mary. Sherlock would do anything to stop her from dying. The pain that her death would cause to John and all of the stolen futures. His daughter. And there was absolutely nothing that he could do. For the first time he had failed. His greatest fear had been enacted. The great Sherlock Holmes had failed and because of it his best friend's wife and child were going to die. He had been so stupid. This was why he never became attached this was why he never, not once paid any heed to the hurt that he caused to those around him. Look where caring had gotten him.
Sherlock tried one last time to stop the oncoming death. But he knew he was simply prolonging the inevitable. "Who is going to kill me. Moriarty didn't and you certainly aren't going to."
"That is because Moriarty wanted to see what you would do. He wants to savour your death. You are alive because that's how he wants you when you are nothing and no one anymore. He wants to see what you are after this. And there is no point me killing you because I have nothing against you. Moriarty gets what he wants and he has already got you." John gave a choking noise beside him at Emily's words. He slowly started to stand from his crouching position but he kept his head high even as his chest heaved.
"Please. It's Moriarty who killed James, go after him but please leave Mary. Just stop."
"Moriarty did not kill my brother but he did fail to protect him as was his word so that is why I am going to kill him." She cocked the gun and placed it at the side of Mary's head.
"NO! Stop!" Both John and Sherlock took a step forward but Emily merely looked at them sadly.
"Now what did I say about taking another step?" Smiling she turned back to Mary and pulled the trigger.
A stunned silence followed the echoed bangs from the gun as Emily stumbled back and laughed hysterically while she waved the gun about her. But it didn't last as immediately after another shot was fired but this time it was at Emily. She crumpled to the ground just as all hell broke loose around them.
He stood there for mere seconds in confusion from all of the noise and shocking turn of events. Mary could not be dead. But John was already running to where she sat, still. He followed after John as suddenly shots were being fired from all directions. Lestrade with his men had come but now Moriarty's men fired back.
"NO!" There was such a terrible pain and agony in John's voice as he ran after him. Sherlock could hardly process what was happening with his exhausted mind but he knew that he had failed. That he had failed so terribly that now Mary lay dead before John and his daughter along with her.
Havoc and confusion was all that became of that terrible room. John had almost made it to Mary when one of those deadly bullets struck. All Sherlock saw was John stumble to the ground and yet time seemed to slow. As if falling through water he saw John slowly make his way to the ground while everything around him seemed to pause.
"JOHN!" His heart had frozen within him as he ran to catch up to him. He was so focused on reaching John that he hardly felt it as he was struck in the leg. It wasn't until the world tilted and his leg gave out that he felt the pain which ripped through his leg. He fell face first towards the ground where his head smashed against the hard floor.
He blacked out for a few seconds before coming to and remembering with such panic what was happening. John. He had to get to John. Blood was pouring from his nose but he could hardly move with the pain that was his leg. Guns still fired around him and shouts of pain echoed around the room but Sherlock knew that Lestrade's men outnumbered those who tried to make a stand.
He needed to get to John. He was only a few metres away but Sherlock was determined. Shoving away at his exhaustion and the growing darkness which called he slowly started to drag himself across the floor towards John. He was not dead; John would not be dead. This was why Moriarty had chosen this location. Because to Sherlock it had meant death and destruction. It had always meant that to him and now Mary was dead and quite possibly John too. Sherlock had been played and now he had lost everything. Anger and hatred rose in him and it drove him on as he drew near to John.
"John?" Sherlock had finally managed to make it to John and now leant over him to roll him onto his back. He was finding it hard to focus but again he pushed away the darkness and willed his body move.
He almost choked when he saw the blood covering John's shirt.
"Sherlock." He practically fell on top of John at hearing his voice. He was alive. John was still alive. But there was so much blood. Sherlock quickly located the wound and shuddered with relief as he saw that it was at least not fatal. But John was losing blood and he needed to stop the bleeding. He clumsily took off his scarf and pressed it to John's side. His hands shook and for once he knew fear. True and wicked as it was. For the first time he understood the pain John had endured when he had jumped.
Panic shone in Sherlock's eyes as he continued to press the now blood soaked scarf against John's side. John would not die. Sherlock would make sure of that.
John gave him a faint smile before closing his eyes. Sherlock panicked. No John would not die. Sherlock could not lose John, his only friend. His hands trembling terribly, he checked John's pulse. It held steady. Sherlock released his pent up breath and turned his dwindling attention back to John's side. He had slowed the blood loss but now he was faced with the fact that he could no longer focus his eyes and he was having trouble sitting upright. With John no longer in imminent danger and safe with the knowledge that he wasn't dying Sherlock was finding it incredibly difficult to stay awake. Pain was ripping through his leg and blearily as he looked down, with some surprise he found his whole leg to be covered in blood. More of it still came from his wound and now he could no longer properly hear what was going on around him. His body was past the tipping point. How he had still been awake as it was had been a miracle but he knew that his body could no longer hold out. Dully he realised that he could be in more danger than John. He could end up dying of blood loss. His wound continued to bleed bright red blood covering everything. He didn't have the energy to dwell on it though because he could no longer sit up. He tried to hold on for just a little longer, he needed to make sure John was okay but he couldn't stop it. Just before he finally laid to rest his exhausted body taking over once again he knew that soon it would be all over. Soon Sherlock Holmes would lie for the last time.
***
Authors Note
How was that? Nice and ominous and sad? Well this is just the beginning my friends, be prepared for anything. I'm considering writing some one shot fics between John and Sherlock. Should I do it? Anyway I hope that if you happen to read this terrible story that you are having a great day and that you continue to do so!