Live and Let Die

by Glory1863

In retrospect, Mycroft's top agent and Sherlock should have been working together from the beginning to bring down Moriarty and his cartel. The whole debacle of the Reichenbach Fall might have been avoided. Too late to worry about that now.

Caring is not an advantage. There was truth to that, but Sherlock remembered life without Lestrade, Mrs. Hudson and John Watson. Not good. It was a balancing act, and he'd taken a fall.

When you've got a job to do, you've got to do it well. You've got to give the other fellow hell. One thing he and Mycroft could agree upon.

Live and let die. For his friends to live, Sherlock must seem to die. For the plan to succeed, Sherlock must be simultaneously dead and alive. They hadn't considered that John would feel dead while still alive, an unintentioned special kind of hell.

A car pulled up outside the warehouse; by the sound of it, not a government car, but a souped-up Aston Martin. The driver entered carefully despite M's summons.

"Over here." Mycroft was testy. "I want you to meet your partner for this assignment."

"But you're dead, Mr. Holmes," the newcomer said upon seeing Sherlock.

"So I'm told."

"I appreciate the help with Moriarty."

Sherlock raised an eyebrow but said nothing.

"And the opportunity to repay a substantial debt to Dr. Watson."

Sherlock did show surprise at that.

"Got me out of a difficult spot. Saved my life, in more ways than one."

The man extended his hand. "By the way, the name is Bond, James Bond."