Strange Coincidences: Johnlock AU

Chapter Thirteen

John felt uneasy the walk home from Hyde Park. His eyes kept flickering to Sherlock. John kept hoping to see the softened gaze in his normally cold eyes again. He felt slightly defeated when he saw no change in the detective’s hardened face.

“So, did you solve the case?” John finally said awkwardly.

Sherlock rolled his eyes and replied archly, “You know just as well as I do that there was no case. I assure you there is no need to emphasize your stupidity.”

Well that stung a little.

John clenched his jaw and decided it was probably best to stop talking, though he still had no idea why Sherlock suddenly was being more of a prat than usual; he seemed so happy earlier.

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When they sat down in their living room, John was exhausted and ready to go back to bed for several more hours of sleep before going to work when Sherlock stopped him in his tracks.

“Do you know who Charles Augustus Magnussen is?”

John turned and nodded. “Some newspaper guy isn’t he?”

Sherlock gave John a smirk that shined with I-know-something-you-don’t.

“He’s hardly just some newspaper guy John. He’s the napoleon of black mail. I won’t bore you with the details of how he manages it, but he is easily one of the most powerful yet discreet figures in Britain.”

John nodded again.

“You said something a long time ago, about how the corpses in the past two murders looked like your sister? I’ve being doing some investigating and I’ve come to a dead end, so after the murder two days ago, I had reluctantly gone to consult with Mycroft. After some meddling on his part, we’ve isolated some potential killers of those two women, and the most likely is Charles Augustus Magnussen.”

He stared at Sherlock, confusion written across his face.

“What does that have to do with my sister?”

Sherlock blinked and his eyebrows furrowed. “Wh-what do you mean what does that have to do with your sister?”

John shrugged, still looking at Sherlock with confusion.

“Dear god, what is it like in your funny little brain? It must be so boring. How can you not see the connection?”

John sighed. He was used to it at this point.

“Please continue then Sherlock.”

“Very well, if you are too blind to see it, then I must point out the obvious. I’ve just told you about Magnussen, a man who is extremely adept at blackmail and power plays. Now, the two women who were killed was chosen for a reason. It was because of their resemblance to your sister. Mycroft was able to shine some light on this matter by revealing to me that Magnussen works or at least helps Moriarty. You do remember Moriarty? Moriarty wants to destroy me. How would he manage that? By targeting the one person I care about, my pressure point as. He would target you. How would he target you? Your pressure point, your sister. As I’ve previously said, Magnussen is talented at blackmail, so he employs the help of Magnussen in hopes of destroying you using your sister and therefore destroying me as well.”

John gaped at Sherlock. Hardly capable of comprehending the extreme wealth of information had just being thrown at him, he sat on the couch and tried to replay Sherlcok’s words.

Pressure point. Me. Sister. Weak. Person he cares about. Magnussen. Moriarty.

Words swam in his mind.

Sherlock ignored his mini-panic attack and continued. “I assume that the murders of women who look like your sister are just the first steps, then Magnussen is likely to continue and take more drastic actions.”

“Wait. So. I’m the most important person in your life?” John said, sounding dazed.

Sherlock looked at him weirdly. “Yes of course you are. You’re my best friend.”

John felt inexplicably warmed by this.

“So. To sum it up. Magnussen is targeting me using my sister and therefore targeting you?”

Sherlock nodded.

He got up and sat on the sofa next to Sherlock. He grabbed his laptop.

“What are you doing John?” Sherlock asked as he went for his own computer as well. 

John smiled and opened the web browser, typing in Charles Augustus Magnuseen. “The game is on.”