Nicotine (Sheriarty)

4

Sherlock led of the sofa in 221B doing his usual 'Sherlock pose'. He tried to clear his head. Forget Moriarty. But he couldn't. He just couldn't.

Jim knew how to control Sherlock. He knew how to take over his mind. Sherlock let him in. He should never have done that. Human error.

- - - - - - - -

Sherlock did nothing until John and Mary came to visit. He sat at home. He didn't eat. He didn't sleep. He couldn't do anything without thinking about Jim.

John walked into the flat and saw Sherlock on the sofa. He immediately knew that something was wrong.

"Sherlock?" John said as if he was addressing a dog, "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, John." Sherlock said turning away from him.

"Sherlock. You are not okay!" John argued. He never really knew how to help Sherlock, "You're as thin as a twig! You need to eat something."

Without allowing time for Sherlock to argue back, he made him lunch. Sherlock ate it slowly. With every bite, he saw Moriarty.

"How about putting on some music?" John said before heading towards the door, "It might help. Anyway, I've got to go. I'll be back later though. Okay?"

"Mmmm..." Sherlock said, clearly not listening. He lost interest half way through his sentence. He was trying to deduce John. It wasn't working. All he could see was Moriarty.

Sherlock suddenly realised that John had left. He had been alone without realising.

"What have you done to me?!?!" He shouted to no one in particular. It was obviously aimed at the psychopath.

Sherlock decided to put on some music, like John suggested. He turned on his dusty, old radio. He hadn't used it since he'd met John so he was surprised that it still worked.

The first radio station was playing "Stayin' alive". The next was playing a song that Sherlock didn't recognise. He continued listening to the lyrics. He was quite enjoying the song until he reached the chorus:

I taste you on my lips and I can't get rid of you,

So I say damn your kiss and the awful things you do,

Yeah you're worse than nicotine,

Nicotine.

Sherlock immediately tried to turn off the radio. It didn't work. Whatever he did, it wouldn't turn off. He couldn't control it. It was like somebody else was and Sherlock knew who.

He was forced to listen to the rest of the lyrics:

It's better to burn than to fade away,

It's better to leave than to be replaced,

I'm loosing to you baby I'm no match,

I'm going numb I've been hijacked.

The rest of the lyrics were similar. Sherlock was forced to listen to every single one of them. He sat in the corner of the room and rocked back and forth. Moriarty was playing a game with Sherlock. He was messing with his head. Taking over his mind.

He was worse than nicotine.