Sherlock fixed his suit jacket as John tied his tie before the mirror. Sherlock had been called in as an expert witness at Moriarty's trial, and John and Marie were going with him for moral support. At least, that was what people thought- in reality, they were going to watch Moriarty and test Sherlock's theory.
As the boys finished straightening their jackets, Marie walked out of her shared bedroom with Sherlock. She was dressed in a smart suit, paired with black heels. She stopped before Sherlock, tucking his jacket and shirt neatly and smoothing out imaginary wrinkles.
The trio walked down the stairs in silence, and Sherlock stopped at the front door. Marie stood right beside him as John grabbed the doorknob. He turned to them and asked: "Ready?" Marie gave a curt nod while Sherlock murmured shortly: "Yes."
John pulled open the door and immediately cameras flashed while reporters shouted questions. Thankfully, the police were keeping all of them at bay so the trio could walk into the police car quickly. Sherlock opened the door and quickly gestured for Marie to get in first.
She slid in and Sherlock followed suit while John got in on the other side. They sat in silence as the car drove them to the court, and John piped up: "Remember..." Sherlock interrupted shortly: "Yes."
John took a breath and tried again: "Remember..." Sherlock repeated testily: "Yes." Marie sighed while John said determinedly: Remember what they told you: don't try to be clever-"
"No." Sherlock said petulantly. John ignored him as he continued: "... and please, just keep it simple and brief." Sherlock muttered sarcastically: "God forbid the star witness at the trial should come across as intelligent." John countered: "'Intelligent,' fine; let's give 'smart-arse' a wide berth."
There was a moment's silence and then Sherlock muttered: "I'll just be myself." John demanded angrily: "Are you listening to me?" Sherlock just turned to look out the window like a sulky child while Marie sighed again. He glanced at her and then at their driver.
Sherlock subtly took Marie's hand in his, giving it a gently squeeze. Her eyes slid across to him but he just turned back to look out the window. They continued in silence, Sherlock and Marie gripping hands the whole way and only letting go as they pulled up outside the court.
***********
John and Marie waited for Sherlock outside Court Ten. He'd gone to the loo, but he was taking longer than they were expecting. John kept checking his watch while Marie wondered what could possibly be keeping him.
They looked up as they heard footsteps and turned to see Sherlock returning from the washroom looking completely irritated and disgusted. Marie glanced at him and as he got closer, raised her brows. "Did you step into the wrong toilet," she asked and he looked at her irascibly, "or were you mobbed by a woman in the men's toilet?"
John looked surprised while Sherlock muttered: "It's not important. Although, I will be requiring your help later in dispelling that vile woman's perfume." Marie raised a brow but just nodded while John shook his head with a groan.
"Yeah, maybe focus Sherlock." John sighed. Sherlock glanced at Marie who just nodded encouragingly before she and John moved to the gallery while Sherlock took his place in the witness stand.
***********
"A 'consulting criminal'." The prosecuting barrister was saying and Sherlock replied shortly: "Yes." The prosecutor continued: "Your words. Can you expand on that answer?"
Sherlock replied flatly: "James Moriarty is for hire." The prosecutor turned to look at Moriarty as she asked: "A tradesman?" Sherlock replied testily: "Yes." The prosecutor added questioningly: "But not the sort who'd fix your heating?"
Sherlock replied dryly: "No, the sort who'd plant a bomb or stage an assassination, but I'm sure he'd make a pretty decent job of your boiler." Moriarty pulled a face, conceding. The prosecutor continued, beginning her line of questioning: "Would you describe him as..."
Marie rolled her eyes at the other woman's incompetence while Sherlock interrupted: "Leading." The prosecutor looked at him, startled, as she asked: "What?" Sherlock just went on: "Can't do that. You're leading the witness. He'll object," He nodded at the defendant's' attorney, "and the judge will uphold."
"Mr Holmes." The judge said tightly and Sherlock prompted the prosecutor: "Ask me how. How would I describe him? What opinion have I formed of him?" The prosecutor was staring at Sherlock, flabbergasted and Sherlock asked: "Do they not teach you this?"
John's face became grim as they watched, Marie rubbing her forehead tiredly. They glanced back as a woman entered the gallery, and while John just smiled at her politely, Marie glanced over, scanning her quickly and raising a brow. This woman must've been the one that had irritated Sherlock even before the trial.
She picked up on the amateur editor's signs, the ink smudge on her wrist that was a clear attempt to fool Sherlock. She returned her attention to the trial as the judge interjected: "Mr Holmes, we're fine without your help." The prosecutor amended: "How would you describe this man, his character?"
Sherlock smirked as he commented: "First mistake," he looked at the other man directly as he described: "James Moriarty isn't a man at all. He's a spider; a spider at the centre of a web. A criminal web with a thousand threads and he knows precisely how each and every single one of them dances."
Moriarty nodded slowly, looking almost impressed with Sherlock's description. The two stared at one another, and the prosecutor cleared her throat, before starting: "And how long..." Marie groaned and John glanced at her in surprise but his attention returned to Sherlock who'd rolled his eyes as he muttered to the prosecutor: "No, no, don't-don't do that. That's really not a good question."
The prosecutor folded her lips in anger and the judge spat: "Mr Holmes." John sighed while Sherlock snapped in annoyance: "How long have I known him? Not really your best line of enquiry." He told the prosecutor scornfully before he answered: "We met twice, five minutes in total. I pulled a gun; he tried to blow me up. I felt we had a special something."
He gave Moriarty a mocking look, which Moriarty returned although the criminal mastermind looked more amused. The judge asked incredulously: "Miss Sorrel, are you seriously claiming this man is an expert, after knowing the accused for just five minutes?"
The prosecutor opened her mouth but Sherlock interjected: "Two minutes would have made me an expert. Five was ample." The judge chided: "Mr Holmes, that's a matter for the jury." He indicated the jury and Sherlock asked scornfully: "Oh, really?"
His eyes narrowed as he looked at the jury and Marie muttered: "Uh, oh." John also knew what was coming, and he placed a hand against his temple, gently rubbing it as he felt a headache coming.
Sherlock began to list: "One librarian; two teachers; two high-pressured jobs, probably the City. The foreman's a medical secretary, trained abroad judging by her shorthand." The judge said indignantly: "Mr Holmes!" But Sherlock ignored him as he continued flatly: "Seven are married and two are having an affair – with each other, it would seem! Oh, and they've just had tea and biscuits. Would you like to know who ate the wafer?"
He asked the judge. One of the jury glanced down at the subtle crumbs on his suit while the judge snapped: "Mr Holmes." John sighed while Marie's eyes narrowed The judge said sternly: "You've been called here to answer Miss Sorrel's questions, not to give us a display of your intellectual prowess." Sherlock glanced at the gallery, where John gave him a pointed look.
The judge continued: "Keep your answers brief and to the point. Anything else will be treated as contempt." Sherlock smirked a little as his eyes met Marie's and she rolled hers, but he quickly wiped it off as he saw John's disapproving look. The judge snarled: "Do you think you could survive for just a few minutes without showing off?"
***********
John stood against the police desk with his arms folded angrily as he griped: "What did I say? I said, 'Don't get clever'." Sherlock finished signing out his release forms as Marie waited patiently, she and John having just bailed Sherlock out after the judge ordered him removed from the trial five minutes after Sherlock's observations, having had enough with Sherlock's snide remarks.
Sherlock muttered now to John: "I can't just turn it on and off like a tap." He turned to John as he asked: "Well?" John asked puzzled: "Well what?" Sherlock pocketed his pen and Marie handed him a bag of crisps, which he took gratefully.
He elaborated as they walked out the holding centre: "You were there for the whole thing, up in the gallery, start to finish."
John sighed as he described the defendant lawyer: "Like you said it would be. He sat on his backside, never even stirred." Sherlock muttered as they walked out: "Moriarty's not mounting any defence."
They returned to 221 in silence, each lost in thought. John started to speak as they walked up the stairs to 221B, saying aloud: "Bank of England, Tower of London, Pentonville. Three of the most secure places in the country and six weeks ago Moriarty breaks in, no-one knows how or why."
John sat down in his armchair while Sherlock placed his fingers over his mouth, pacing before John's chair. Marie sat in Sherlock's chair as John continued: "All we know is..." "He ended up in custody." Sherlock finished with a smirk.
John paused as he saw the smirk, and he said abruptly: "Don't do that." Sherlock frowned as he asked: "Do what?" John said shortly: "The look." Marie looked at him amused while Sherlock asked, confused: "Look?"
"You're doing the look again." John explained and Sherlock retorted: "Well, I can't see it, can I?" John nodded at the mirror on the mantle and Sherlock looked at it. He said confusedly: "It's my face."
Marie laughed at that, while John sighed as he explained: "Yes, and it's doing a thing." Sherlock continued to stare at John so he elaborated: "You're doing a 'we both know what's really going on here' face." Marie giggled as Sherlock retorted: "Well, we do."
"No," John snapped back, "I don't, which is why I find The Face so annoying." He glared at Marie as she giggled harder, but she just gave him an amused look. John returned his attention to Sherlock as the younger man explained: "If Moriarty wanted the Jewels, he'd have them. If he wanted those prisoners free, they'd be out on the streets. The only reason he's still in a prison cell right now is because he chose to be there."
John's face changed as he realized Sherlock was right. Marie sobered as John fell into thought while Sherlock murmured darkly: "Somehow this is part of his scheme."
***********
Marie winced as John slammed the door, leaving them with a huff. He and Sherlock had just had another argument about attending Moriarty's verdict. Sherlock had adamantly refused, leading to the argument. John had eventually stormed out when he'd pleaded with Marie to convince Sherlock, only for the woman to side with her boyfriend.
She sighed as she went to the window to watch John's departure. Sherlock sat on the couch, leaning back stiffly, unmoving since his argument with John. Marie sighed again as John climbed into a cab, turning to Sherlock. She saw his stiff posture and walked over, placing her hands on his shoulders and gently massaging them.
He closed his eyes, calming his tense muscles. She murmured: "It will work itself out." He nodded tightly, reaching a hand up to clasp hers tightly as he opened his eyes, staring into space.. "I just don't want you getting hurt." He said in a low voice and she sighed.
"It's too late for that. But I know you'll do your best to keep me as safe as possible, and that's enough for me, Sherlock." When he made no response, she added emphatically: "Really."
He didn't respond, letting go of her hand and falling back into deep thought. He closed his eyes again as she continued to gently rub his shoulders and they remained like that for the next half hour. They both tensed when Sherlock's phone rang, and his eyes snapped open. Marie dropped her hands as Sherlock picked up.
Marie could hear John's voice from where she stood, he was so angry, as he spat incredulously: "Not Guilty. They found him Not Guilty. No defence, and Moriarty's walked free."
Sherlock didn't even listen to the rest, dropping the phone from his ear as he sat in thought. John's voice continued anxiously: "Sherlock. Are you listening? He's out. You-you know he'll be coming after you. Sher..." Sherlock hung up as he stood abruptly.
"You shouldn't do that, John's worried enough as is." Marie chided softly but he just shook his head as he said tightly: "Which is why I must." She nodded as Sherlock walked to the bedroom to get dressed and prepare for his guest.
"Do you want me to stay?" Marie asked quietly. Sherlock paused before he shook his head. She nodded in defeat as the man disappeared. She walked to the kitchen, putting the kettle on before she grabbed her coat and slipped out of the flat and away from Baker Street.
***********
Sherlock P.O.V.
Sherlock stood fully dressed, playing his violin as he stood by the window. He heard the small creaks on the stairs, despite his visitor's efforts to be as silent as possible but he ignored it as he continued to play. Finally, he paused.
"Most people knock." He turned to face the man standing in his doorway. "But then you're not most people, I suppose. Kettle's just boiled." Sherlock placed his violin down as Moriarty looked around the flat, picking up an apple from the fruit basket on the coffee table.
"Johann Sebastian would be appalled." He commented as he bit into the apple and walked further in. "I'm surprised dear Victoire leaves the mess. May I?" He added almost carelessly as he stood near the chairs. Sherlock ignored the jibe at Marie as he just said politely, indicating John's chair: "Please."
But Moriarty strolled past to Sherlock's chair. Sherlock paused but didn't comment, putting down his bow as he poured the tea into the cups on the tea tray he'd prepared. Moriarty settled into his seat as he commented: "You know, when he was on his death bed, Bach, he heard his son at the piano playing one of his pieces. The boy stopped before he got to the end-"
"And the dying man jumped out of his bed, ran straight to the piano and finished it." Sherlock finished and Moriarty added: "Couldn't cope with an unfinished melody." Sherlock murmured: "Neither can you. That's why you've come."
"But be honest: you're just a tiny bit pleased." Moriarty teased and Sherlock asked nonchalantly: "What, with the verdict?"
He handed Moriarty his tea as the other man smiled and said darkly: "With me ... back on the streets. Every fairytale needs a good old-fashioned villain."
Sherlock met Moriarty's gaze evenly before turning to get his own tea and sit down. Moriarty continued as he picked up his own cup: "You need me, or you're nothing. Because we're just alike, you and I. Except you're boring." Moriarty feigned a sigh. "You're on the side of the angels."
"Got to the jury, of course." Sherlock interjected, ignoring Moriarty's words. Moriarty almost snorted as he replied: "I got into the Tower of London; you think I can't worm my way into twelve hotel rooms?" Sherlock paused and he murmured in understanding: "Cable network."
Moriarty looked pleased that Sherlock had figured it out so quickly as he relished: "Every hotel bedroom has a personalised TV screen... and every person has their pressure point; someone that they want to protect from harm. Easy-peasy."
Sherlock smirked, before his face became serious. "So how're you going to do it?" He blew on his hot tea as he added derisively: "Burn me?"
Moriarty just answered lightly: "Oh, that's the problem. The final problem. I mean, I could just have a go at Vicky," Sherlock's eyes narrowed just slightly, "but she'd probably have my head and I don't think it's dramatic enough for you."
Sherlock's brow quirked a little as Moriarty purred: "Besides, I need to get Vicky back, too. Thanks for packaging yourselves into a bundle for me- saves me trouble." Sherlock just nodded once, accepting the fake thanks with a fake smile as Jim continued: "Have you worked out what it is yet?"
Sherlock paused for a fraction of a second before he continued sipping his tea. Moriarty taunted: "What's the final problem? I did tell you ... but did you listen?" He said in a sing-song voice as he placed his cup back on it's saucer.
Moriarty began to drum his fingers on his knee, which Sherlock glanced at before he focused back on Moriarty as the Irish man continued: "How hard do you find it, having to say 'I don't know'?"
"I dunno." Sherlock replied swiftly, mockingly, and Moriarty smiled appreciatively as he commented: "Oh, that's clever; that's very clever; awfully clever." He picked up his tea again as Sherlock set his down, and Moriarty added: "Speaking of clever, have you told your little friends yet?"
"Told them what?" Sherlock asked and Moriarty elaborated: "Why I broke into all those places and never took anything." Sherlock steepled his fingers before his mouth as he breathed flatly: "No."
"But you understand." Moriarty commented. It wasn't a question but Sherlock replied: "Obviously." Moriarty picked up his biscuit as he said indulgently: "Off you go, then."
"You want me to tell you what you already know?" Sherlock asked with a raised brow and Moriarty corrected: "No; I want you to prove that you know it." Sherlock replied flatly: "You didn't take anything because you don't need to."
"Good." Moriarty encouraged and Sherlock continued: "You'll never need to take anything ever again." Moriarty nodded and said: "Very good. Because ...?" He hinted and Sherlock finished flatly: "Because nothing ... nothing in the Bank of England, the Tower of London or Pentonville Prison could possibly match the value of the key that could get you into all three."
Moriarty's eyes darkened as he said: "I can open any door anywhere with a few tiny lines of computer code. No such thing as a private bank account now– they're all mine. No such thing as secrecy – I own secrecy."
Sherlock tilted his head, watching the man carefully as Moriarty continued: "Nuclear codes? I could blow up NATO in alphabetical order. In a world with locked rooms, the man with the key is king; and honey," his voice became playful as he said in a mock diva voice: "you should see me in a crown."
"You were advertising all the way through the trial. You were showing the world what you can do." Sherlock realized and Moriarty smirked as he added: "And you were helping. Big client list: rogue governments, intelligence communities ... terrorist cells." He raised his brows at Sherlock suggestively, but Sherlock ignored the jibe again.
Moriarty didn't seem surprised by the lack of response as he simply continued: "They all want me. Suddenly, I'm Mr Sex." He hinted again as he bit suggestively into a biscuit.
Sherlock ignored that too as he continued: "You could break any bank." His eyes narrowed as he questioned: "What do you care about the highest bidder?"
"I don't." Moriarty replied shortly. He explained: "I just like to watch them all competing. 'Daddy loves me the best!'" He said in a mocking child's voice before he added in a normal tone: "Aren't ordinary people adorable?"
Sherlock didn't comment but he did tilt his head a little as Moriarty added: "Well, you know: you've got John. I should get myself a live-in one." Moriarty said in pretend thought.
"Why are you doing all of this?" Sherlock breathed and Moriarty ignored him as he said mock-thoughtfully: "It'd be so funny."
Sherlock continued: "You don't want money or power, not really." Moriarty dug a pocketknife into the apple he'd picked up earlier as Sherlock asked flatly: "What is it all for?"
Moriarty leaned forward as he sneered: "I want to solve the problem. Our problem... the final problem." Sherlock's eye twitched and Moriarty lowered his head, examining his apple as he warned in a dark tone: "It's gonna start very soon, Sherlock. The fall." He whistled a cartoonish dropping sound to illustrate his meaning. He added: "But don't be scared. Falling's just like flying, except there's a more permanent destination."
He made a splattering sound with his mouth and Sherlock grit his teeth. Moriarty lifted his head to stare at Sherlock menacingly. Sherlock stood as he said flatly: "Never liked riddles."
Moriarty stood as he said just as flatly, his eyes cold as he stared Sherlock in the eye: "Learn to. Because I owe you a fall, Sherlock. I ... owe ... you."
The two men stared at each other in a silent battle of wills before Moriarty moved past Sherlock, heading for the door. He called over his shoulder as he left: "Do give dear Vicky my love."
Sherlock just stayed where he was, not moving as he waited for Moriarty to leave. As the front door shut, he stepped forward, picking up the apple that had the pocketknife driven into it like a handle. He turned it slowly, reading the letters that had been carved on each side of the round bite mark: 'I O U'.