Unfixed

TWENTY FIVE

"Shot in the Dark"

It seemed Sherlock's only use for Genesis that day was to make sure he was tended to when the paramedics arrived after John and Mary's confrontation. While they were discussing the 'private matter' Sherlock had mentioned previously she sat on the steps outside of the apartment with her head in her hands and elbows resting on her knees. The first indication that something was dreadfully wrong was when the paramedics ran up the stairs questioning about a shooting. Scrunching her eyebrows up, Genesis showed them into 221B only to find Sherlock collapsing to the floor.

Of course that was about five months ago. It was Christmas eve and what was left of the Magnussens were gathering around a table decorated only with a row of candles and foil covered dishes; it really contrasted to the last Christmas she spent with a family. The gathering was small, unnatural and awkward on the most part. Genesis hadn't seen Aria or David in twenty seven years and hadn't considered home much either of them had changed.

Of course it was obvious Aria would be extremely different from the four year old she left behind- however she wasn't expecting her to look so alike to their mother. David, on the other hand, was not the skinny twenty-something she remembered. He was all muscle now, he still towered over her yet that was to be expected. Compared to her siblings, Genesis did not look alike to them. She had dyed her hair red while she was away and was currently regretting her decision.

While they waited for the turkey to cook, the four of them sat around the table tapping glasses of red wine and discussing their current day situations and over all catching up with each other. Eventually, Genesis asked the question that she was burning to ask. Where was Trinity? As far as she was aware, her older sister was still alive and no one had told her otherwise.

The breath of relief she released in learning that Trinity had left the day she disappeared was not because she was happy her sister was missing. She was happy she didn't hear that Trinity was dead.

Clearing his throat after the discussion fell quiet, Charles excused himself from the room claiming he had to attend to a meeting. They had watched him leave to the far end of the room and disappear through a door. While he was gone the three of them sat in silence for a while before Genesis placed her glass down and leant towards Aria slightly.

"Does he ever stop working?" She purses her lips in a tight smile and shakes her head.

"Never." Rolling her eyes, Genesis looks to David who was lifting the foil on a dish and raises an eyebrow as she watches him sneak a slice of pork into his mouth. He looks up as his sisters watch him attempt to sneak the slice, eyes wide and unsuspecting. "Really?" Aria snorts at the piece of meat sticking from the corner of his mouth. Genesis joins her briefly- their amusement cut short by the sound of helicopters surrounding the building and bright lights filter in through the windows.

The three of them slowly rose from their seats and watched as armed police marksmen ran past the windows and towards the back patio. Yelling and wind and a voice over speakers filled the area.

"Sherlock Holmes and John Watson. Step away." Genesis' eyes widen, immediately recognising Mycrofts voice.

"What the fuck?" David mutters, approaching Aria who was beginning to breath heavily, her eyes darting around the room frantically. Genesis glanced over to them, waiting for David to confirm she would be alright. With an affirmative nod, she jogs in the direction of the back patio where all of the commotion was coming from.

The first thing she saw when she entered the large tiled hall was the helicopter's headlight and the multiple marksmen lining the patio steps. As she approached closer, hands raised in case they noticed her, she saw Sherlock and John stood outside with their hands raised parallel to Charles who also had his hands by his head.

"Sorry!" Charles yells over his shoulder to Sherlock. Genesis steps closer to the open patio door, wondering what the hell was happening, the wind from the helicopter buffeting Genesis where she stood, copper hair blinding her vision momentarily. "No chance for you to be a hero this time, Mr Holmes."

All Genesis could do was watch. She couldn't charge outside because she ran the risk of one of the marksmen shooting her or one of the men. She couldn't deny she was worried. Her dad's work was dangerous. Sherlock's work was dangerous. While both of their paths were crossing anything could happen and, knowing Sherlock's recklessness, Genesis knew that anything could potentially be catastrophic.

As Charles turns away from the crime solving duo and focuses solely on the team ahead of them- he hadn't noticed his daughter watching, neither had Sherlock, nor John. Mycroft had noticed. From his seat in the helicopter he continued to yell for his little brother and his friend to step away, his gaze constantly flicking to the woman who had a habit of finding herself in the heart of danger every now and then.

"Oh, do your research!" Sherlock yelled loudly, circling John and sneaking his hand into the shorter man's coat pocket. He stepped away from his friend and closer to Charles. "I'm not a hero..." As Charles turned back to look at him, Genesis noticed the gun he was hiding in the folds of his coat by his leg. "I'm a high-functioning sociopath. Merry Christmas." With eyes wide and wild he raises the gun and fires without hesitation.

As the bullet buries itself in Charles Magnussen's head, Sherlock dropped the gun and turned back to the helicopter with his hands behind his head.

"Do not fire on Sherlock Holmes! Do not fire!"

"No!" Dropping her hands, Genesis sprints out of the door and skids to her dad's side. Unwilling to touch him she sat, staring at his dead body while the blood spilling from his head pools around her knees. "No!" Ignoring the tears that fell down her cheeks- the drops burning her wind flushed skin- she looked up at Sherlock as he looked to a surprised and stunned John.

"Give my love to Mary. Tell her she's safe now." Looking down at her dad, John also looks over to her. He watches as she sobs numbly, each of them processing his words. Sherlock sunk to his knees, hands behind his head as he looked out at the policemen and the helicopter that was slowly lowering to the ground.

"Safe?" Genesis yelled over the noise. She stood slowly, ignoring the shrill scream that was undeniably Aria's. "You killed my dad and you talk about safety?" Her knees tremble, whether out of shock or anger she couldn't tell. Sherlock didn't look at her. She knew he was listening. She could see the desperation in his eyes as he fought to keep his eyes trained on the approaching marksmen. "I'll kill you..." she begins slowly. "You bastard!" Charging at Sherlock with every dark intention she could think of, Genesis hadn't even acknowledged David running out to her.

He wrapped his arms around her waist, lifting her from the ground kicking and screaming. Announcing with each cry and yell that he killed her dad. He killed her dad.

"I know. I know." David lets her down and draws her in for a bone crushing hug. Stroking her hair against the back of her head as she cried into his shoulder. "I know." He whispers, making eye contact with a solemn looking John.