Human Error

Chapter 24

Sherlock didn't know how it got this far. This game, it was ruining him. How he's letting Moriarty prance around the roof, mocking him is beyond him. He could shoot him. He could shoot him and it could all be over. 

But then he'd win. He can't let him do that. He also can't will himself to jump off a building. 

"Let me give you a little incentive," Moriarty told him after Sherlock refused to jump, "all your friends will die." Sherlock looked a little shocked. "John," he said. "Everyone," Moriarty told him. 

"Mrs. Hudson," Sherlock said. Moriarty, again, told him, "Everyone. But that girlfriend of yours, she stays." Sherlock's eyes widened. Moriarty explained, "I'm going to keep her alive because she'll be so sad, so much crying. What will she do when James Moriarty comes in and sweeps her off her vulnerable, miserable feet? She'll have nothing left, she'll have no choice, but to come with me--."

Sherlock suddenly grabbed the lapels of Moriarty's jacket and shoved him near the ledge of the building. "You do not touch her," her snarled. "I swear to god, I will kill you." 

Moriarty put his hands up in surrender, then said, "Boring Sherlock. Loses his virginity and becomes a love-sick fool. I think I forgot to explain the part where if you don't kill yourself...she dies. She's in your bed now, right? Sleeping away the day, exhausted from the workout you two had. Her brains will be all over your pillows and sheets...all over your hands."

Sherlock started to gradually pull Moriarty up and let go of his jacket. "Unless my people see you jump; three bullets, three gunman, three victims. You do want to save your precious Cassie, don't you?"

There was no choice now. He knew he didn't have a choice. He didn't want to leave John, Mrs. Hudson...Cassie. How could he leave her like this? They spent the most wonderful night in bed together and now he has to end all of it. 

Without saying anything, he stepped up on to the ledge of the building and looked down. He tried to rattle his brain, think of anything that could possibly stop him from leaving his friends...his Cassie. 

Suddenly...he started laughing. "What?" Moriarty angrily called. "What did I miss?" Sherlock stepped back onto the roof and said, "There is a way to call off the killers. Perhaps a word, a code, or even a number. I've got you," he said in a sing-song tone. 

He started circling Moriarty like a shark. "You want me to shake hands with you in hell, I shall not disappoint you," he informed him, stopping to look down straight into his emotionless eyes. 

"You talk big," Moriarty told him, "but you're ordinary. You're on the side of the angels." Sherlock's demeanor turned dark. "I may be on the side of the angels...but don't think for one second that I am one of them," he told him.  

Moriarty looked almost surprised. "You're not ordinary," he said. "You're me...you're me. Thank you, Sherlock Holmes." He stuck his hand out and Sherlock timidly took it. 

"Thank you," Moriarty kept saying. "As long as I'm alive, you can save your friends, you've got a way out...well good luck with that." He suddenly took out a gun and put it in his mouth. 

"No!" Sherlock shouted...but it was too late. Moriarty shot himself, his brains were splattered on the roof, blood pooling around his head. 

Sherlock tried to think and think, he tried so hard to figure out what to do! He couldn't do this to John, Mrs. Hudson. He could not do this to Cassie. She would never forgive him. 

He would rather a lifetime of her being upset with him, than her being in danger...or dead. So, he stepped up to the ledge. He looked around, looked down and let out a shaky breath.