Sherlock x OC It is what it is Book 2

Choices

"When this day is over I'm going to start praying" I muttered annoyed under my breath, gaining a chuckle from Mycroft. "Her flat is rigged to explode in approximately three minutes ..." Euros broke the silence as her face came on to the screen again. Mycroft rolled his head back in frustration.

"... unless I hear the release code from her lips. I'm calling her on your phone, Sherlock. Make her say it." "Say what?" John asked, I looked down at the lid and it was obvious "Oh this is going to kill you" I told Sherlock who pursed his lips together closing his eyes in frustration. "Obvious, surely?" Euros asked, "No" John said. "Yes" Sherlock said motioning to the lead with his eyes. "Oh, one important restriction: you're not allowed to mention in any way at all that her life is in danger." "You may not – at any point – suggest that there is any form of crisis. If you do, I will end this session and her life. Are we clear?" Euros explained. Sherlock nodded, "Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tick." Jim's voice come out again as the phone was ringing.

We saw Molly's head in her hands, she seemed upset. She went and looked at the phone ringing we all took a deep breath. We waited for her to answer the phone, Sherlock shifted his weight impatiently. Molly went to the chopping board and cut out the lemon in front of her. "Pick up" I mutter tapping my fingers on my hand. "What's she doing?" Sherlock asked frowning "She's making tea" Mycroft answers. "Yes, but why isn't she answering her phone?" "You never answer your phone." John responded. "Yes, but it's me calling." "Hi, this is Molly, at the dead centre of town..Leave a message." her voicemail sound came. We heard a buzz suggesting that the phone call ended. Sherlock was obviously nervous as Sherlock ran his hand over his mouth, "Okay, okay. Just one more time."Euros said and the phone started ringing again. We all exhaled in a bit of relief, "Come on, Molly, pick up. Just bloody pick up." John said.

Just when we were hopeless, Molly picked up after squeezing her lemon in the tea cup. "Hello, Sherlock. Is this urgent, 'cause I'm not having a good day." "Molly, I just want you to do something very easy for me, and not ask why." Sherlock said quickly. "Oh, God. Is this one of your stupid games?" Molly asked irritated. "No, it's not a game. I ... need you to help me." Sherlock stuttered. "Look, I'm not at the lab." Molly said genuinely. "It's not about that." Sherlock responded. "Well, quickly, then...Sherlock? What is it? What do you want?" "Molly, please, without asking why, just say these words." Sherlock took a deep breath. "What words?" "I love you." We saw Molly sniffing down at the phone as she moved her finger over to disconnect the call. "Leave me alone." "Molly, no, please, no, don't hang up! Do not hang up!" "Calmly, Sherlock, or I will finish her right now." Euros warned.

"Why are you doing this to me? Why are you making fun of me?" "Please, I swear, you just have to listen to me." Sherlock urged. "Softer, Sherlock!" Euros announced. "Molly, this is for a case. It's ... it's a sort of experiment." "I'm not an experiment, Sherlock." Molly sounded genuinely upset now. Sherlock widened his eyes freaking out "No, I know you're not an experiment. You're my friend. We're friends. But ... please. Just ... say those words for me." Sherlock pleaded. "Please don't do this. Just ... just ... don't do it." Molly sniffed. "It's very important. I can't say why, but I promise you it is." "I can't say that. I can't ... I can't say that to you." "Of course you can. Why can't you?" "You know why." "No, I don't know why." Sherlock responded a bit puzzled. "Of course you do." "Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tick-tick-tick ..." Jim's voice tuned again with urgency. "Please, just say it" He blinked quickly pleading. "I can't. Not to you." Molly refused. "Why?" "Because ...because it's true." "Because ... it's ... . true, Sherlock." Molly admitted as Sherlock stared wide-eyed at the screen. "It's always been true." "Well, if it's true, just say it anyway." Sherlock said regaining his composure a bit. "You bastard." Molly sighed heavily laughing. "Say it anyway." Sherlock said sternly this time. "You say it. Go on. You say it first." "What?" Sherlock looked confused as Molly responded with all seriousness. "Say it, say it like you mean it" "Final thirty seconds." Euros reminded. "I-I ...I love you." Sherlock managed to get out hardly. "I love you." He repeated as Molly closed her eyes eyeing her phone screen. We all looked anxiously waiting for her to say it back "Molly?" "Molly, please." Sherlock begged panicking. We all took an anxious step towards the screen waiting "I love you." Sherlock gasped and stepped back from the screen as we all took a heavy breath out from relief. The call disconnected "Sherlock, however hard that was ..." Mycroft started as Sherlock exhaustedly looked at the screen, he was drained from the little exercise. "Eurus, I won. I won." Sherlock said sternly. "Come on, play fair. The girl on the plane: I need to talk to her." Euros looked at him with little emotion "I won. I saved Molly Hooper." "Saved her? From what? Oh, do be sensible. There were no explosives in her little house. Why would I be so clumsy? You didn't win. You lost." Sherlock frowned "Look what you did to her. Look what you did to yourself." Euros said "All those complicated little emotions. I lost count. Emotional context, Sherlock. It destroys you every time." Euros said with pity. Sherlock dropped the pistol as he put the lid on the coffin. "Now, please, pull yourself together. I need you at peak efficiency. The next one isn't going to be so easy. In your own time." I saw Sherlock literally exhausted from this. "Are you alright?" I asked him, I pitied him. He was so done with this, this drained him. He didn't answer, I heard a very quiet unnoticable sob "Sherlock?" He put his hand across the lid and turned to the coffin unbuttoning his jacket "No no" his voice was breaking.

His face looked angered, I saw him smash the lid, his hands curled into fists as he had a fit over the coffin lid smashing it over and over again. He cried out with anger, and frustration. We left him be because this was hard on him, he needed to get this out. I saw him kneel down on the ground sitting against the wall to catch a breath after his small tantrum.

"I know it's terrible for you, but I just killed a man even though I've been suffering from blood nightmares every fucking night. Pull your shit together because these are just words you had to say. You didn't take anyone's life. Sure, you hurt Molly but when haven't you" I was somehow trying to comfort him but it came out extremely rude and painful. John shot me a look "Look, I know this is difficult and I know you're being tortured, but you have got to keep it together." "This isn't torture; this is vivisection. We're experiencing science from the perspective of lab rats." Sherlock responded to John.

He took a deep breath and stood up looking at us then John "Soldiers?" "Soldiers." John nodded.

He pulled Sherlock up to his feet, he straightened up buttoning his jacket again. Jim's voice came on the speaker again as we proceeded to the next door "Tick-tock, tickets please!" "Hey, sis, don't mean to complain but this one's empty. What happened? Did you run out of ideas?" Sherlock said. "It's not empty, Sherlock. You've still got the gun, haven't you? I told you you'd need it, because only two can play the next game. Just two of you go on from here; your choice. It's make-your-mind-up time. Whose help do you need the most – John, Mycroft, or Viola?"

I stayed in the corner, Euros wanted two of us killed. I was pretty sure this was going to come up from the hints Euros dropped earlier. If anything, I knew I wanted a bullet in my name. I had a lot of reasons to think of death as a liberation right now. Mycroft and John frowned, "It's an elimination round. You choose one and kill the other two. You have to choose family, friend, wife. Mycroft, John or Viola?" "Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick." "Oh fucking hell" I took a deep breath trying to tune Jim out. "Eurus, enough!" Mycroft snapped at her. "Not yet, I think..But nearly. Remember, there's a plane in the sky, and it's not going to land." Mycroft turned to Sherlock rubbing his face as Sherlock looked pained, actually pained.

"Ill make this easier for you Sherlock" I stepped closer to him then gave him a long hug planning my next move. Sherlock stayed silent, I quickly stepped back snatching the gun away from him and back to the corner. "No no no no" Sherlock's eyes widened as I put the tip of the gun on my throat. "Viola, Viola, no no just put the gun down" "Christ" John and Mycroft turned to me "You have two kids, they need you" Mycroft breathed out trying to talk sense into me. "I have every reason to be a part of the bullet taking" I felt myself shaking, the gun strongly vibrating in my hands.

Sherlock stepped a bit closer shaking his head, looking at me carefully "Dont Viola dont, look at me Viola" I closed my eyes, straightening up as I held the gun firmly in my hand "I'm sorry, this will be much easier on you.." "NO! NO VIOLA NO!" Sherlock yelled out, I fired as I felt his body weight coming on mine.