It always starts with the breaking of the glass.
He can feel the glass shattering around his back. Every edge is like a razor. The impact is hard, so hard that Sherlock's breath leaves him.
Sherlock expects to hit the ground.
Instead, already without any air in his lungs, he's suddenly under water. He tries to tear himself away from Ajay, to do anything to get himself above the water, get some air… It works once or twice… That is until Ajay has him pinned.
The water is sharp. He can feel it in his lungs. Burning his eyes and nose and throat…
He can feel nails digging into his scalp as his head is held under.
Sherlock holds his breath for as long as he can and he pushes and kicks and screams but his actions are useless. He can't get out of this. He's going to drown here.
Then he feels the yanking of his curls. His head is pulled above water. He can't see. The chlorine is burning his eyes and he can't see, can't see, can't see-
"Have you worked out what it is yet?"
Sherlock knows that voice. He knows that voice and it's not Ajay.
His vision clears and he realizes he's at the pool. The pool where Carl Powers died. The pool where John had a bomb strapped to his chest. His heart leaps into his throat, chest constricting…
"What's the final problem. I did tell you…"
Sherlock is dragged out of the pool by his hair. He yells and tries to turn to see if it's still Ajay who has him, but it can't be. He knows it can't be, but he can't accept that it's him… That it's the man he knows that voice belongs to…
Then Sherlock's on his back and he's nose to nose with the consulting criminal himself. Jim Moriarty is stroking his face, a menacing smile on his lips. Sherlock can't breathe. He tries to suck in a breath, but he's drowning.
He's above water and he's still drowning.
"But did you liiisten?"
Sherlock's whole body jerks as he gasps awake. He sits up and throws the sheets off of himself, swinging his legs off the bed. The sob forces its way out as he puts his face in his hands.
It's the fifth time in a row.