Disclaimer: None of Sherlock is mine. You know who it belongs to, starting wir SACD, to Moffat and Gattis and BBC, and so on...

A/N: So, this is my first attempt to add something to this huge Sherlock-fandom. Actually I never felt so unsure about posting something. There are so, so many amazing fics out here and I wouldn't count mine as one of them. English is not my first language, so forgive any mistakes I made. I re-read everything and spotted all of them, but if you still find something, let me know. Help is always appreciated. :)

~oOo~

Molly was typing away on her computer, entering the report of her recent autopsy. She tried very hard to block out any thoughts about Sherlock, who had waltzed in in is usual manner a couple of hours ago, apparently only to shower her with his typical unkind and hurtful remarks. They had a huge argument and in the end Molly had kicked him out of the morgue.

After all those years she had finally mastered to do talk back to him and Molly was quite proud of herself, ignoring the part of her heart that wanted to run after him and apologize for everything. Maybe she was finally able to block this part out for good now. Even though she loved him – if possible, even more since he faked his own death in order to protect his friends – reason had finally kicked in and told her that she had to stand up to him if she ever wanted his respect. Sure, he respected her professional input but Molly knew that he didn't respect her as a person, as the woman who was in love with him. Of course he knew. She knew that he knew. Still, she had never said it, seeming a pointless thing to do. It was like pointing out that his eyes were blue or that he looked damn sexy in that coat of his.

Molly also knew that he didn't return her feelings. She had come to terms with it. She didn't hope anymore. And, to her own surprise, it had been a relief when she finally let go of that hope. It was so much easier to just love him, without expecting, hoping that he would look at her differently, that he would finally see the real Molly that was buried deep under self-consciousness and loneliness.

Molly was fine with the way it was between them now. Yeah, all right, she wouldn't call herself 'happy'. But who in this world is, really?

Her mobile beeped next to her on the desk and her flying fingers stopped. She took it in her hands and looked at the display. A text from an unknown number. She clicked on the little envelope.

Care for a little game of Russian Roulette?

Wrong number, obviously. What a horrible message. She just didn't get some people's humor. Who on earth would text that to a friend?

Molly started typing again, not caring for texting back, when it beeped again. She let out an unnerved sigh and picked up her phone.

This time, it was an MMS. It took a few seconds for her old mobile to open up the file. She really should get a new one. Wasn't there a great offer on…

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the picture popped up. Molly gasped.

Sherlock.

Face bruised.

Blood running down his forehead.

Handcuffed.

Blue eyes glaring into the camera.

Molly's heart forgot how to beat. Then she read the text beneath the picture.

Come play, Molly. We're here. You know whereJim

Molly shot up from her chair. She didn't even hear how it crashed loudly to the floor. All her senses were blocked. A mental image of soft black eyes appeared in front of her. A warm smile. A happy laugh…Jim from IT…No, it had been a lie. There had been no Jim. Only a disguise…

Moriarty.

The name etched through her brain down to her heart. It had hurt so much to find out this nice guy was a criminal mastermind who had only played with her in the most degrading way possible. And now he had come back. She had thought he was dead. All of them thought! How was this possible?

Her eyes could see again and looked down at the hurt Sherlock.

Sherlock!

- Come play, Molly. You know where.

Yes, she knew. He had shown her the room once and she recognized the colorful wires in the corner of the picture. She had to go help him!

The panic that had slowed down her senses suddenly vanished from her body. Something inside her made 'click' and her mind was clear. Molly Hooper made a very dangerous decision.

She texted John and Lestrade on her way to the hospital's server room. She thought about alarming her colleagues, but this would only stir a panic. She needed to buy time until Lestrade arrived. And she would have to do it on her own.

One last breath and a silent prayer, then she shut her phone off, slid it into the pocket of her lab coat and opened the door to the server room.

The small, square room was well lit. High towers were lined up in four rows, containing the servers of the hospital, it's virtual heart. The room was cold and carpeted in black. Molly didn't notice any of it. Her whole being was focused on the two men in front of her. As she looked into those black eyes again, she was shocked how they had changed. There was nothing left of the gentleness, the kindness that they had contained. Now, there was only hatred and a hint of madness in them.

"Ah, Molly! I knew you didn't forget our little snogging place."

Moriarty chuckled as he saw her blush. She slowly walked to them, her eyes wide, but her heart beating suprisingly slow.

She looked at Moriarty one more second, scanning if there was acute danger, then she looked down at Sherlock. He was handcuffed to one of the servers in a sitting position, the stream of blood now running past his cheek. His eyes glared angrily at her.

"Are you all right, Sherlock?" she asked, her voice shaky.

"No, I'm not all right, Molly. Instead of calling the police you panicked as predicted and walked right into a more than obvious trap. Why didn't you just think, woman?!"

He narrowed his eyes and shook his head in anger.

"I wanted to help you!" she defended herself, smart enough not to point out that she did think of that.

"Oh, splendid! Go ahead, then! Overwhelm Moriarty and free me!"

Moriarty laughed heartily while Molly blushed again.

"You know, he has a point. It was quite stupid to just come down here, sweetie. But that's just how you are, isn't it? When your heart tells you to save the man you love, you follow. Poor, poor girl."

He shook his head sympathetically with a crooked smile on his face. Then he drew a weapon out of his black suit and pointed it at her.

"I always knew Sherlock will be the death of you."

Molly's eyes widened as she saw the devlish expression on his face. He pulled the trigger and Molly flinched, waiting for the 'bang'. But only a 'click' was heard. Moriarty started laughing again and Molly opened her eyes.

"Oh Molly! Don't you know me at all? No, of course not!" He chuckled. "You only know Jim from IT, don't ya?"

From one second to another, he had changed back into Jim. Voice, posture, eyes, everything. He was brilliant in this, Molly thought and couldn't believe that she would think something like this with a gun pointed at her head.

Moriarty returned to the surface and he reached into the pocket of his trousers, pulling out a single bullet.

"Told you we were to play. You know what Russian roulette is?"

Molly slowly nodded and the black-haired man smiled approvingly. He flipped open the revolver, inserting the bullet before spinning the little drum and flipping it shut. With an evil smirk, he held it out to her.

"You go first, love."

She looked down at the revolver, then back at Moriarty, a question mark plastered on her face.

"Why on earth do you think I would play with you?"

Jim looked at her for a second, then down on Sherlock.

"Really?" He asked him in a shrill voice and Sherlock rolled his eyes and shrugged.

"You know how she is", the sitting man retorted annoyed.

"Yeah, sure. But that's just weak, even for her!"

"It's the adrenaline."

"Gosh!" Moriarty shouted angrily, hands flying through the air. "Why are ordinary people so stupid?!"

"Exactly", Sherlock agreed which made Moriarty laugh again.

Molly was shocked how fast his mood changed.

Moriarty raised the gun again, pointing at her.

"You will play with me, 'dear Molly', because if you don't, I will play with Sherlock!"

The meaning behind his words sunk into her and her heartbeat accelerated. Still, she couldn't understand.

"Why are you doing this?" she asked breathlessly.

"Because I once promised our beloved Sherlock that I would burn his heart out", he chirped, grinning evilly again.

Molly looked from Moriarty to Sherlock and back. Her brows furrowed while she weighed his words.

"Sherlock doesn't care for me in that way."

Moriarty tilted his head.

"That's what he told me. But I'd like to find out for myself."

He waited for Molly to move, still holding the gun out to her. When she didn't, Moriarty rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Fine, I'll play with Sherlock, then…" he said in a bored tone and leveled the gun down at him. The two men looked at each other and Molly saw how Moriarty's finger crooked.

"NO!"

Adrenaline was pumping through her veins and her body started shaking. For a split second she thought he would die. For a split second she thought she would lose him forever. She realized this was not an option. Her lonely world would be unbearable without him.

But the revolver didn't shoot, the trigger only hitting air. Sherlock was still alive.

So this is how it goes, she thought. It was either him or her. Well, the choice was quite simple, wasn't it?

Molly looked down on Sherlock, taking in every detail of his lovely features. He was so beautiful. To her, nothing in this world was more beautiful than him. Even the clear summer sky couldn't match the beauty of his eyes, the sunrise couldn't match the beauty of his smile. Without him, the world would be a much darker place. At least, to her.

The decision was easy. It surprised her how willingly she made it. She didn't panic, no self-preserving instinct kicked in. It felt like she had just waited to sacrifice herself for him. If there is a reason why people are in this world, why shouldn't this be hers? It wasn't the worst of fates, she thought. And smiled. Facing death, she managed to smile at him. A smile not filled with regret or fear. Just love. Love for the brilliant consulting detective, who had never loved her back. It didn't matter.

Sherlock's face was an emotionless mask, but his neck stiffened as he understood the meaning of her smile.

A single tear fell from her eyes before she averted her eyes from his to face Moriarty.

"I believe it's my turn", she said, her voice calm and steady.

Moriarty's smile vanished for a second before it returned even wider.

"See, I told you she would play, Sherlock. Little Molly has more strength in her than you think."

Very pleased, Moriarty handed her the gun. Molly took it, let it dangle next to her thigh. She felt the weight of the weapon, the metal cool in her hand. She was holding death.

Finally, her heart wanted to beat faster, wanted to waken her instinct to protect her own life, but she wouldn't let it. Molly needed to be stronger than her body now. She needed to be strong for him.

"Molly!" Sherlock said in the exact same warning tone he had used the day when she told him that he looked sad, shortly before his fall. His deep voice echoed through her body. Beautiful, she thought.

"When I lose, you will let him go" she said, ignoring Sherlock.

"Of course, Darling" Moriarty replied, grinning, obviously having fun.

"Cross your heart?" Molly whispered and his smile vanished.

For a fleeting second, Molly and Jim were back on her couch on that rainy sunday. He held her close, blanket around both of them, wrapped in each others warmth. His lips were close to her ear when he whispered those words to her, making her tell him all her stupid little secrets.

Never had she told anyone those intimate things, feeling all comfortable with it. She had felt comfortable with him. It had been a lie...hadn't it?

"And hope to die" he added after a few seconds, the smile returning.

Molly swallowed hard as the memory made her eyes water again. She had really cared for that Jim on her couch.

"Never, never tell a lie" Molly finished in a high pitched whisper, stumbling over her breath.

"Take a breath. Take it deep. Calm yourself" Moriarty whispered in a soothing way, trying to prepare her for the game. Molly did as instructed, her lips slighty parted when she let the air out of her lungs.

"Take the gun and count to three", Moriarty grinned. "Close your eyes. Sometimes it helps."

Molly closed her eyes, feeling sweat spreading on her back and her forehead. Her body tried to protest, to overrule her mind. She wouldn't give in.

Her heartbeat was hurtful, her chest rose and fell heavily. The grip around the revolver tightened. It was shaking in her hand.

"One..." Molly's sweet voice echoed through the room.

"No! Molly, stop! Enough, Moriarty! This is about you and me!"

Sherlock fidgeted with his handcuffs, trying to free himself.

"Don't interrupt her! God, you're so rude!" Moriarty shouted angrily. He looked down at him, saw how he struggled and grinned again.

"Oh, it will be sweet pain, Sherlock. You'll see. When the bullet races through her brain, her body relaxing immediately...crashing to the floor...It's like an overdose. Burning through your veins...and through your heart."

"What do you want?" Sherlock asked angrily.

"Your heart!" Moriarty shouted maniacal.

"I don't love her!"

Moriarty's laugh echoed hurtfully through Molly's ears.

"But I love him. Does that count?"

Both of the men turned their heads in her direction. Moriarty straightened.

"Yes. It's a nice bonus."

"Molly, run! You have the gun" Sherlock shouted angrily.

She shook her head.

"No. He will kill you."

"Smart girl", Moriarty chuckled.

Sherlock knocked his head into the wires and closed his eyes.

"Love is not an advantage. Love makes you weak" he said, frustrated.

"No", Molly replied in a beaming voice.

Sherlock turned his head and their eyes locked. Him looking at her calmed her down in a way she didn't understand. She felt strong enough now. Strong enough to let go.

"Love gives you strength to protect the ones you love."

Without hesitation she pressed the revolver to her head. Her finger crooked.

"MOLLYYYY!"

BANG!

~oOo~

A/N: So, what do you think? Feedback would be really appreciated. Thanks to all. :)