Chapter 1

Authors Notes: Hello. Thanks for even coming this far. I just wanted to take the time to say I honestly have no idea where I'm going with this story right now; I'm just writing so bear with me. Keep an eye out for updates, but I can't promise they will be regular. Please R&R to let me know what you think of the story so far. Now let's see where this goes…

Bang!

The sound of the gun shot still rang loud in his ears seconds after the gun was fired. He stood alone on the roof looking down in shock at a motionless body. Out of all the scenarios he had thought through so carefully this was not how he saw this meeting ending. He had many theories on how this meeting was going to pan out; each had a specific plan that would get him out alive, but this one, there was no plan of escape.

Moriarty was so keen on destroying Sherlock that he was actually willing to take his own life to make it happen. Sherlock should have known after the event at the pool that Moriarty was willing to do anything to get what he wanted, but he didn't. He didn't think Moriarty would go this far just to get what he wanted, but he did. Now Sherlock was looking at Moriarty's corpse laying on the high roof in the sun. He didn't and now he was in trouble.

Now Sherlock would need help.

Sherlock had minutes to act until Moriarty's men would carry out the order. He had seconds to think and he soon came to a decision; it was time to call in an old friend. All Sherlock could do was hope he would hear his call for help and be able to come and save him.

Sherlock slowly stepped up onto the roof for a second time so he could be seen. He looked down the side of the tall building he was standing on and looked to the ground below. He screamed in his head for help, quickly forming a plan, and willing his message to reach the man he knew well, where ever he was, the only man who could save him now, and hoped his friend would get the message. Sherlock was about to jump until he looked up and saw a cab pull in front of a shorter building ahead of him. John stepped out of it and started jogging around the building towards Sherlock. Sherlock called John and they started talking. Sherlock fed his best friend lies in hope that John would swallow it and be able to eventually move on.

Sherlock actually started crying. If his friend didn't come to help him then Sherlock was going to die today. He was going to die trying to save his friends, but this had to be done. Sherlock had to save Lestrade, he had to save Ms. Hudson….he had to save John.

"Goodbye John."

"Nope."

Sherlock heard his phone hit the roof with a clack behind him. John was looking up to him from the ground below with pleading eyes; he didn't believe anything Sherlock had said. How could he? John didn't know why Sherlock was doing this, but he knew something was wrong. If he could get Sherlock back to the flat they could figure something out, they could stop this all of this from happening, they could stop Moriarty, and everything would go back to normal.

Sherlock had come up on this roof to end things with Moriarty. He planned to beat him, get him to stop his games, and then return home to 221B Baker Street where things would return to normal. He looked down at John again for possibly the last time; John was here to take Sherlock home.

But Sherlock couldn't go home yet, not until he ended this, one way or another. He called for help, reaching out with his mind one last time….

Then he jumped.

He counted the seconds as he fell, hoping to be caught and be reunited with an old friend. Wind was blowing in his face and through his hair as he gained speed. He closed his eyes and waited to hit the ground, and then he heard it: a familiar, faint whooshing sound.

He landed on his feet with a quiet thud, the same sound now loud in his ears as he started moving again. He was now inside a building, he could tell, there was less lighting. He opened his eyes, he looked to the center of the room, to the controls, and The Doctor was standing beside him.

Floppy brown hair and small red bow tie, The Doctor turned and stood leaning against the controls in front of Sherlock. He might have changed faces again, but he still wore a warm and welcoming smile on his face. He looked younger than before, but his eyes had aged again.

Sherlock remembered the first time he meet The Doctor. He had short brown hair, a leather jacket, and big ears. The two had run into each other by chance when Sherlock was young and it wasn't long before The Doctor had convinced Sherlock to tag along for the ride. The Doctor swept Sherlock off on an adventure away from his home and they were gone for a week in total, and yet Sherlock was returned home in time for dinner the same day he left. The Doctor had saved Sherlock twice in that short week and Sherlock had proved to be an enormous help in The Doctor's 'work' even at a young age of seventeen. That one week lead into years of adventures and a lifelong friendship. The Doctor had worn the same smile on his face then as he did today. Usually fake and put on to hide his secrets, his fears, his past, and his demons. He was always happy when he took on new companions, but it would never last long. He loved everyone separate and dearly, every one of his companions, but eventually they all left him, one way or another. Then he was left alone and his smiling façade would return. He would stop smiling when he thought no one was looking.

But with Sherlock it was different; the smile was never put on. They had known each other for twenty years and they still meet up from time to time, though rarely now since Sherlock had John, but The Doctor was always there when Sherlock needed help. They were close and understood each other. The Doctor believed that Sherlock was as close as any human could get to knowing how he felt on a daily bases: Alone and Bored.

So when The Doctor looked at Sherlock now it was a warm and welcoming smile. The Doctor was welcoming an old friend back home.

"Alright Sherlly?" he asked with a welcoming smile.

"Alright Doctor," Sherlock greeted with a smile of his own. Sherlock's smile was never fake around the Doctor either. There was no acting around each other. The Doctor was the only person that could get Sherlock to actually open up even a little, except for John.

"You've changed," Sherlock noted.

"You haven't," The Doctor replied, still smiling.

The two met in the middle in a tight embrace. It was comfortable and familiar and the two basked in the moment before pulling away.

"How's John?" The Doctor asked curiously.

"Out of danger, for now," Sherlock replied.

"I got your message," The Doctor began, but was interrupted.

"Obviously," Sherlock stated, then added, "Perfect timing as always Doctor."

"Thank you, but I'm going to change the plan slightly Sherlock," The Doctor finished and waited for the coming argument.

"I told you what I wanted before you came to help me. If you won't help then you can take me back to Baker Street," Sherlock said starting to get offensive, beginning to think that The Doctor wouldn't help him.

"You said that you were about to die and needed help. You said you needed help to 'bring down Moriarty's network'. You want my help, with whatever this is, that's fine," then a little gentler, The Doctor added, "But we are picking up John tonight."

"The whole point of you helping me was to keep John safe. He has already almost died once from this. I need your help to finish this," Sherlock continued, trying to make a case.

"And I will help you as soon as you tell me what has happened and what it is you need help doing exactly, and we are going back for John tonight," The Doctor stated firmly.

"Why," Sherlock asked. "Why involve him?"

"Because I don't think you should be alone, either of you, and you know he can help Sherlock," The Doctor was trying to convince Sherlock and it was working. "We may need him."

Sherlock looked at The Doctor for a few long seconds before answering quietly, calmly, almost darkly, which was odd considering who he was talking to, "If anything happens…."

"I will take full responsibility and I will insure nothing bad will happen. We will pick up John tonight and together we will all fix whatever trouble you have gotten yourself into this time, eh Sherlly," The Doctor finished, grinning as he used his nickname for Sherlock. He looked as confident as ever and Sherlock knew he could trust the man in front of him. He always could and he felt a need to now. "Now do you want to tell me what happened?"

Sherlock nodded mutely as he followed The Doctor further into the TARDIS, through a few halls, until they arrived at a room The Doctor was comfortable enough with. They walked into a large sitting room area with plenty of tables and chairs that was connected to a kitchen. The Doctor made them both tea and they sat down in comfortable chairs at a round wooden table. Sherlock told The Doctor everything he knew about Moriarty and everything that had happened since he had been aware of Moriarty and his plans. Then the two began to form a plan.