Before making any rash decisions to completely abandon his old life, John went to seek the opinion of his newer best friend, Molly. John and Molly had become very close after Sherlock's death, and so it only seemed fair to tell her about Sherlock's return before dropping everything (including Molly) to be with Sherlock. Of course, while going to Molly Sherlock insisted on being with John "for protection". A military veteran himself, John objected, but Sherlock shot him down quite literally with his .5. John limped up the steps to Molly's work place in downtown london. The limp was not from his war injury, but from the wound Sherlock gave him just hours before. Entering the building Sherlock and John walked in silence not needing to communicate just as they had before Sherlock had decided to die. Shortly, they were outside of the examination room where Molly was. John had decided to talk with Molly alone while Sherlock waited in the hall. John slowly turned the handle of the door and silently entered the room like a burglar (which was normal for him to do). "Molly!" John exclaimed. "Guess who's in town!" His proclamation was met with silence. Molly Hooper was not there and there was a note taped to the open window written on Moriarty's floral stationery and signed with a flourish. John was on the verge of tears for the second time today. Sherlock saw this in John, but thought not a lot of it. Instead he gave his friend a hug before offering him a gun. With one swift move, John had the fun loaded and ready before slipping it into a holster Sherlock happened to be carrying. Sherlock swiftly strides to the window to take a look at the note while john stood absently in front of a microscope. In one swipe Sherlock ripped the stationery from the window and read it aloud. "Welcome back old friend. ..or should I say foe? Where your fall was is where you should go." The duo both agreed to go to Sherlock's suicide place, but not before calling the police and looking for signs of struggle. To be safe, John called Molly's phone-both cell and house and on speaker. "Hello, you've reached the house of Molly _ I'm probably at work, so I will be sure to call you back when I get home." The beep sounded and John hung up. "It's alright. We'll try her cell. Moriarty would be one to pretend to hold someone hostage in order to get us," said Sherlock. "You're right," John replied. The corner of Sherlock's lip turned up at hearing that. John called Molly's cell. "Hey guys," a particularly happy, yet seriously sinister voice whispered into the phone. "Have you tried our new chicken salad sandwiches? They are to DIE for. Come on down to the villainous diner on wing st to discover ALL we have to offer!" John heard all this is the familiar voice of Moriarty. But why would Moriarty tell them about a chicken salad sandwich? He had dialled Molly's number and Moriarty had answered. Maybe Moriarty did have Molly after all. But that doesn't explain why Moriarty was even more confusing than usual. Could he and Molly both be victims? "NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE!" screamed Sherlock, reading John's mind and scrambling his thoughts. He grabbed John's hand and pulled him out of the building. Sherlock called for a taxi and a minute later one appeared. The cab ride was quie- "How did you survive?" John broke the silence at last. "I don't want to talk about it." Sherlock said. "You've been gone, out of my life, for two years. I'm pretty sure that demanding a well deserved answer is allowed." John turned towards Sherlock, who in turn, turned to look out the window. "I don't want to talk about it." He said even firmer than before. Five minutes of silence came and went before the cab finally slowed to a stop outside of Sherlock's death building.


Moriarty's breathing was heavy. He was no longer the man he had been earlier that day in the limo. Now he was dirty, broken, and strapped to a chair back to back with Molly Hooper. He didn't know who had taken him and the girl but he was trying to figure it out. This person was as skillful as Sherlock or even himself. Moriarty didn't want to admit it but there was a possibility their actor's intelligence exceeded his own. For the first time in his life, Jim Moriarty was terrified.