In the Nick of Time

by EliseHart

The story occurs after The Hounds of Baskervilles, but before The Reichenbach Fall. John still hasn't gotten over the incident with Moriarty at the pool. When Moriarty pays them a visit, he gives Sherlock a hint for upcoming events. John doesn't understand, but Sherlock figures it out quickly and tries to use a poem to explain.

2. Poem Interpretation Based on the story

Interpretation of In the Nick of Time (poem), based on the fanfiction: In the Nick of Time.

Stanza 1:
Sherlock is standing on the roof of St. Bart's. The waves rushing to shore could be cars passing by, or more specifically, John's taxi arriving at the building.
Staring to the west could be Sherlock looking out at John; or when he first stepped onto the ledge after Moriarty killed himself, he stared out across the city.
The painful, cruel goodbye could be Moriarty's suicide, taking Sherlock's hope of saving his friends.
"But why am I still not free" would work with the previous interpretation of Moriarty's suicide, since Sherlock is still not free from saving his friends from the snipers.

Stanza 2:
As it goes down could be the line of Sherlock's vision. When you look down from a very high place, it sometimes seems like the ground is going down and you yourself are lifting up.
The sunset and the new start could refer to Sherlock's faked death so he could take out Moriarty's web as a new person.
"Its beauty, captivating, Gives endless hope to my heart" could be hope Sherlock has for saving his friends by faking his death. Hope that it would be believable enough, a beautiful magic trick that would have to captivate and fool the snipers.

Stanza 3:
The dark blue, color of night and darkness reminds me of Sherlock's scarf and coat. Things he obviously likes that he would have to give up for his disguise, at least for a little while, hence saying "But here goes..." as if he's letting them go.
The cruel smog could be the conversation between John and Sherlock on the phone.
The conversation is filled with fear and loneliness, like the smell of the smog. It would be John's fear, but also possibly Sherlock's since he is the one about to jump off the top of a tall building. And the loneliness would come from both of them having to live without the other for however long it would take.

Stanza 4:
Painting the wind could be Sherlock's actual fall, or taking out Moriarty's web.
I say this because of the second line, where they mention it being the color maroon. Maroon is similar to the color of dried blood.
But the colors change to brighter ones because after all that is over, Sherlock could return to Baker Street, which would make him and John "become cheery".

Stanza 5:
This stanza, I think, could be Sherlock speaking directly to John.
The sea's whisper would be Sherlock's "note" or him saying, "Goodbye, John."
It says to "Look up above", which would tell John to look at Sherlock, as Sherlock did in the episode.
The clear night sky would be Sherlock's clothing (as I said before, the dark blue, night, and darkness). The young moon would be Sherlock himself. And the bright stars would be Sherlock's eyes. The stanza says to look to these, so it would only make sense that they would represent Sherlock physically.
And finally, when the "Moon ages". This would signify however long it would take for Sherlock to take out the web, since Sherlock is the moon in this interpretation and he would age when time went by. He will be happy again afterwards, also referring to his return to Baker Street.