Partners In Crime: Watch Them Fall Apart [COMPLETED]

Chapter 11: We'll Catch Aflame

"Burning a bridge takes too long. I prefer explosives."

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James Moriarty was like a spider at times. Constantly building his criminal web.

If James was the spider, than Sebastian was the venom, killing any victims that dared fly into the web.

Of course, Beth would be the web. Anybody to fly in would be unaware of the silent danger.

Then they'd be trapped.

That was all that was on Sherlock Holmes's mind as he walked into the courtroom the Wednesday after Moriarty's arrest. John had come as well, and they could both see Moran and Beth in the benches behind them.

The first witness to the stand for Moriarty's side was Beth.

"Mrs. Moriarty-"

"Beth. Please. I-I don't really want to be addressed like that right now." her voice was like when her and Sherlock had first met all those months ago. Sweet and kind and scared. Weak. As if she couldn't kill the entire courtroom in seconds.

"Alright. Beth," James' lawyer was one of the best in London, she knew how to play a jury, "Has your husband ever expressed any desire to do any criminal activity?"

"What?!" Beth acted surprised. To Sherlock, he could tell she was faking. But only barely. If he didn't know her, he would have thought she was saying the truth, "Of course not! My husband is a sweet, honest man! He would never do anything wrong..."

God, she sounded so sincere.

"And your husband has never kept anything from you, correct? Always been honest?"

"Ma'am, the only time he lies is when he tells me he doesn't have some wonderful surprise for me scheduled on our anniversary!"

James chuckled from his seat. The lawyer smiled at him.

"And finally, Beth, is your husband an over all good man? Doesn't drink or gamble or anything like that? May I remind you, you're under oath."

"Of course! He only drinks when we share a glass of wine or brandy on Valentines Day! He's never really been a gambling person! And he'd never hurt a fly!"

The lawyer smiled, "You may take your seat, Beth. Thank you for this information. We understand how difficult this must be to you."

She gave a tearful nod, slowly making her way to her seat.

Yet when the opposing side came along with their witness, Beth's convincing argument was gone.

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Two days later, John walked into the courtroom again. He watched as the jury filed into their seats painfully slow. He waited for their verdict.

"We declare the defendant..."

Everyone held their breath.

"Not guilty!"

John almost let out a swear.

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When James appeared in 221B one day when John was out, it was little of a surprise. The main surprise factor was that Beth wasn't with him.

Sherlock gave James a cup of hot tea, and the criminal accepted it.

James smiled, "You know, when Bach was on his death bed, 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, and finished it." Sherlock finished the story for him.

"He simply couldn't cope with an unfinished melody."

"Neither can you. That's why you've come here." Sherlock takes a sip of his tea.

"Be honest. You're just a tiny bit pleased."

"With what?"

"Me, back out on the streets." Moriarty smirked, "Every fairy tale needs a good old fashioned villain, after all."

Sherlock adds milk to his own cup of tea, looking away, refusing to admit James was right.

"You need me, or you're nothing. Because we're just alike. You and I. Except you're boring..."

"And what? Beth isn't?"

Moriarty grinned, "Not at all. You're on the side of the angels. We are working for our own demons." 

Sherlock looks Moriarty up and down. "You got to the jury?"

"Of course." James crosses his legs, drinking the rest of his tea. He licks his lips devilishly, "It's going to start very soon, Sherlock. The fall. But please, don't be scared. Falling is just like flying. Only there is a far more permanent destination."

"Have you told Beth any of this?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"How is she, anyway?"

"She's stealing a jewel in Baghdad."

"I asked how is she, not where is she." The younger Holmes brother got up, and fetched more sugar.

"It's basically the same. She's stealing. She's happy."

Sherlock growls his disapproval.

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VID ISNT MINE