Nicotine (Sheriarty)

22

Moriarty

Mrs Hudson ran up the stairs.

"Sherlock!" Her voice hinted at fear, "What have you done?"

Sherlock didn't reply. He just stared ahead. He showed no signs of emotion but Jim could see his eyes were full of dread.

Jim placed his hand on Sherlock's leg and whispered, "Sherl?"

Sherlock remained robot like.

"Sherlock, what are we going to do?" Jim's voice wavered.

The detective didn't even acknowledge his question.

"Jesus Sherlock. No. Please don't do this to me. Not now." Moriarty shook his head as his spoke as if he was determined not to believe what he was hearing, or more what he wasn't hearing.

The sirens were soon accompanied by blue and red lights that slid through the curtains and danced around the room.

"Sherlock." Jim tried desperately, "I won't let them take you back. I promise. I mean, surely they'd rather arrest a criminal rather than a detective. Please, just listen to me."

He grabbed Sherlock's hand and trailed his thumb along the man's knuckle.

"Just... I love you." Jim looked at Sherlock sadly.

"Jim." Mrs Hudson said suddenly. Surprised, Moriarty looked up at her. "Follow me... And bring Sherlock."

~

"So this is 221c?" Jim asked the landlady.

"Yep. Couldn't get anyone to buy the old place. You can hide here if you want."

"Why are you helping me?"

"I'm not. I'm helping Sherlock who just so happens to love you... And you love him so..." The woman faded out.

Just as the old woman turned to leave, Jim stopped her.

"Mrs Hudson," she turned to look at him, "thank you."

The woman gave him a little nod before saying, "I better go let the police in. Look after Sherlock."

With that, she left.

~

Jim could hear the men barging through the doors. He sat down on the abandoned sofa next to Sherlock.

The detective still said nothing. It was like he was under some sort of trance.

Jim leant his head on Sherlock's shoulder.

"Sherlock..." The man whispered quietly, "I know you're scared but listen. I promise you that I will never let anyone lay a finger on you. I won't let you go through that again. Okay, Sherl?"

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while. The men concentrated on each others breathing. Communicating through breaths.

Suddenly, their perfect moment was ruined by the door creaking open.

~

"John." Sherlock said, suddenly getting up and knocking Jim off his shoulder

"Sherlock."

"Doctor Watson..." Jim said pulling on his sleeves and staring down at his shifting feet.

"Jim." John replied.

"What are you doing here?" Sherlock asked.

Jim was slightly irritated by the fact that Sherlock was suddenly talking. Why didn't he talk to him? Why John and not him?

Of course he'd said none of this out loud. He was just happy that he was finally talking.

"I'm here to save you." John said as if he was their knight in shining armour.

"Yeah, well thanks for that." Moriarty replied manoeuvring his way around John and out of the door, careful not to attract attention. The two other men followed.

They exited through the back door and got into John's conveniently located car. Jim sat in the back expecting Sherlock to sit in the front with John. Instead, the detective sat in the back with his boyfriend.

Jim turned his head slowly to face the man next to him. Sherlock did the same. For a few moments, they were lost in each others (car-light lit) eyes.

"Okay lovebirds," John said from the front seat, "you can stay at my place, but no funny business."

Sherlock rolled his eyes at John's comment whilst Jim just blushed.

John started the engine and drove towards their destination.