𝘎𝘶𝘪𝘭𝘵𝘺 𝘜𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘭 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘐𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵 | 𝘖𝘴𝘭𝘰𝘤𝘬 1 ✔︎

Chapter IXX - I Am Truly Sorry...

'Clara? What does he mean?' Sherlock turns to her.

'Did she not tell you, Sherlock? She's been keeping me from you for a while now,' Moriarty smirks. Clara avoids Sherlock's gaze.

'But... why?' Sherlock asks her.

'Come on, Sherlock! It's obvious! She loves you!' Moriarty says. Sherlock stares at Clara, dumbfounded.

'You... love me?' Clara nods her head, looking at the floor. Now a question comes to Clara: does he love her?

When Sherlock doesn't say anything, Clara begins to doubt. He never loved her, she thinks. She was foolish to imagine that he did, or ever would. Clara immediately shoves those depressing thoughts out of her mind and looks at Moriarty. Her stare is stony and business-like. And although the criminal was a good 6 inches taller than her, it isn't hard for her gaze to become menacing.

'Jim, let's skip the pleasantries. Why did you bring us here?' she asks.

'Oh, I didn't bring you here--you came of your own free will. As for why, however, I'm afraid your Sherlock has been snooping around my network too much.' Moriarty answers. Clara mentally curses at herself for not keeping Moriarty away from Sherlock and doing her job. 'Oh, Miss Oswald. Did you really think you were doing that good of a job on your 'mission? No one can withhold Sherlock Holmes--surely you knew that.' Jim taunts her as if reading her mind.

'What are you going to do about it, then?' Sherlock asks the question that is on Clara's mind as well.

'If you don't mind, I'll show you,' Moriarty answers, grinning evilly.

'Snipers?' Sherlock guesses.

'No, those are just precautions. You, no doubt, have your gun on you, correct? And I don't want to kill you just yet, Sherlock. Oh no no no,' Jim smiles and turns his gaze on Clara. She glares at him continuously. 'Oh, Clara!' he sings her name, 'Would you be a dear and please come here?'

Clara doesn't budge, being as stubborn as she is.

'Come now, wouldn't it be a shame if I had one of my snipers shoot you, just because you wouldn't listen?' he coos. Reluctantly, Clara rigidly shuffles over to him, with Sherlock watching her every move.

Once she approaches Moriarty, he speaks directions again. 'Good girl, now turn around and face Sherlock.' Clara does so, still not looking Sherlock in the eye. She stands stick straight as Jim sticks his hands into her coat pockets and fumbles around, looking for something. He grunts when he seems to have found it and pulls it out of her pocket. Without letting Clara see the object, Moriarty pushes it into her hand, then covers Clara's eyes with his hands. 'Can you guess what it is, Clara?' he asks.

Clara feels the shape of the object with her hand. Round in some places, partly glass, two... handles?... protruding from the object...

'What use are sunglasses right now?' Clara hears Sherlock asking. She feels Jim's hands leave her face and she opens her eyes. In her hands are the sonic sunglasses.

'Way to spoil the fun, Sherlock,' Moriarty sighs exasperatedly, putting his hands in his pockets.

'Why do I need these, Moriarty?' Clara asks him. 'What, am I going to unlock something?' Clara says snarkily. Sherlock shoots her a confused glance.

'Oh, no no no, Clara. Remember the last thing you did with these glasses? These special glasses?' Moriarty asks. Clara tries to. It was a while ago, but the last time she used them was when... No. Please, no! Oh no...

'Yes... Why? What are you going to do?' Clara asks nervously. She hears Moriarty's laughter as he starts circling her and Sherlock like a hawk. Sherlock is watching his every move.

'You see, Clara, I can't kill Sherlock. I have something much more... magnificent planned for that. But yet, Sherlock still needs to be punished.' Moriarty grins. 'My plan is rather brilliant if I do say so myself.'

'Now Sherlock, reach out and hold onto the glasses that are in Clara's hand.' Sherlock does so, but not without comment.

'What is going on here, Moriarty?!' he demands. Clara's breaths come out ragged and quick.

'Oh, why don't you ask Clara? I'm sure she already knows.' Moriarty laughs. Oh, no... Clara panics.

'Moriarty, don't do this. You don't have to. Let Sherlock and I go; we won't interfere with you anymore.' Clara tries to reason. Looking away from Moriarty, she finally looks into Sherlock's eyes. She tries to tell him, I love you, but the words get stuck in her throat. Tears come to her eyes as she tries to imagine what it would be like if she didn't remember Sherlock, but she doesn't want to. They could do so much more, maybe even solve crimes together. She would like that, she realises, and painfully is brought back to reality by Moriarty's voice.

'Oh Clara, I don't think you speak for Sherlock when you say that.' He smiles. 'Alright. Sherlock, Clara, when I say so, you are both going to press the button on the glasses, 'kay?' Clara feels a tear stray down her cheek. Sherlock's eyes show confusion. 'If you do not, I will have my snipers shoot you. And that you would be too bad because I have so much planned for you, Sherlock. I will give you three chances before they shoot. Ready?'

Clara immediately weighs her choices. Would she rather forget, or have them both die? If they forgot, she could possibly meet Sherlock again in the future. But if they both died... There would be no future. Clara doesn't want to forget or die.

'Go.' The words are spoken and not obeyed. The moment passes for them to press, but neither of them do. Oh, how Clara is regretting not having Ash take out the memory wipe function on the glasses. The decision hovers in her mind again. Forget or die. For them to forget, they have to press the button at once, so Clara worries that Sherlock might not press it. She moves her thumb over his. Time seems to slow down. Clara gulps and watches Sherlock's face. He still shows confusion, but he seems to understand what he has to do. She wants to say the words. I love you. I love you. I love you.

'I love you.' The words crawl out of her mouth, barely a whisper. 

Sherlock seems to hear and he stutters 'I... '

'Go,' Moriarty says again, this time more agitated. The moment passes once again and Clara lets out a shaky breath. She feels like a fish underwater, gulping for air. Time seems to speed up, and Clara begins to feel rushed. Moriarty could tell them to press any moment now.

'I... am truly sorry.' Clara tells Sherlock, quoting what the Doctor had once said. She feels more and more tears run down her face and she looks to the floor, not wanting Sherlock to see her cry.

'Clara... I--' Sherlock begins.

'Go,' Moriarty growls. Clara presses down Sherlock's thumb.

This time it's different. It happens quickly. It feels as if Clara is falling down a never-ending hole, into an abyss. Questions flash before her closed eyes. What was Sherlock going to say? Why didn't I just die? Wouldn't that be better than forgetting? What was I doing? Who even is Sherlock? Jim who? Ash... Where's Ash?

She hits the bottom, and everything goes black.

~~~~~

Last chapter! Plot twist!
I will be posting a preview to the next book, just for you guys, so keep reading!

I hope you liked it, and thank you all so very much!

~Sofia xo

Edited 2.26.19

WC: 1237