Title: Every Game Must End
Characters/Pairing: Sherlock/John
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to anything.
Rating: PG-13
Warnings: Angst. 'The Great Game' so might there might be spoilers.
Summary: Sherlock sees the damage his game with Moriarty has done and decides to end it for good.
Beta: rainbowwizard1 on Livejournal
A/N: For Death prompt at 10iloveyou on lj.
Lestrade once said he was a great man who, with a bit of luck, could be a good man. Some people think that he was finally becoming a good man. Sherlock believes that if this is true, it is because a very good man has helped him to be so.
He now watches this good man, his best friend, his lover cry in agony over his sister's bedside. Harry has become the latest pawn in Moriarty's game. Sherlock is ashamed to admit he has loved the game, the thrill of battling Moriarty. Now though, all he feels is a deep pain as he watches John. It doesn't matter that Harry and John don't get along, at times like this it never does.
John's a nervous wreck and carrying so much unnecessary guilt now. John blames himself for following Sherlock, for loving Sherlock. John never says anything but Sherlock can see it, just like he sees the constant fear in John's eyes.
When will he strike next? Who will he strike next? Is it safe to trust that nurse? Does she work for Moriarty?
And when that isn't going through John's mind it's:
Why hasn't Sherlock defeated him yet? Does he love the thrill more than me? Will I ever be enough for him?
Sherlock knows what needs to be done. He and Moriarty can not co-exist; one must die. He will willingly walk to his death so the man he loves can live a life without fear.
All that is left of Sherlock is a note found the next morning:
They are very simple words really, yet they hold so much weight. So much so, I never spoke them to you, but now they must be said, because there will never another chance.
Quite simply, I love you.
Sherlock