~Author's note~

Hello, everyone! I hope I didn't leave you waiting too long *ahem a few months* sorry about that I've still been juggling work and school. I do, however, want to make a habit of writing more frequently. I hope to write a Chapter every 2 weeks, but we will have to see so, with the news of Season 4 to begin filming in 2016, I give you my next chapter.

3

"I now have Moriarty's key, so what? What use are you to me? I destroyed Moriarty's network, why would you just show up without needing anything? Is that revenge I'm sensing?"

"I wouldn't call it revenge, Mr. Holmes. I don't want to hurt him. I want to know how far he would go," Kay answered simply. She carefully picked up the broken teacup pieces and brought them over to the kitchen and placed them in their garbage bin. John had stepped outside of the flat momentarily to calm down Mrs. Hudson and guide her back downstairs to bed. Sherlock needed to be alone with Kay.

"Obviously, it must bother you, hmm? Wasting all those years breaking down his network just so he could come back on top; it must be aggravating. And I'm not saying that to get your opinion I'm just pointing it out. I would certainly be a tad perturbed."

Sherlock gazed at the woman standing in his kitchen. Her thin figure could barely hold up the baggy clothes to her body. He watched as she reached for another teacup and placed it delicately on the counter and poured herself another cup of tea.

"Don't worry, I won't intentionally break it this time."

"I'm not worried."

Sherlock rubbed his chin and lightly paced the room. His gaze continued to situate on the mysterious woman who still wasn't making any sense. She is his key. The key. She can open anywhere in London and take whatever she wants. Why come here trying to impress Sherlock?

"Why are you so interested in knowing about how I feel after destroying his network? You're not a reporter, clearly, so why the urge to know an answer?" Sherlock asked impatiently. He abruptly sat down on his leather chair and pondered the question further as he waited. Slowly, she turned the spoon around in her teacup as she mixed the sugar and milk together. Carefully, she took hold of the handle and made her way over to Sherlock, sitting across from him. She took a small sip and sighed.

"I just needed to know."

"Why? Why would someone like you care? Someone who has so much power working for a psychopath wouldn't have feelings," Sherlock admitted dryly.

"Because you wasted all those years..."

"They weren't wasted."

"But they were. I am Moriarty's network and you didn't destroy me."

Sherlock's face erupted with shock and then fell into complete stillness as he stared calmly back.

"What you do not understand Sherlock is that I came here to help you. I had to put up with his craziness until you came along because you're someone who can challenge him. We all eventually get bored Sherlock and I am tired of being able to do everything. It's too boring..."

"Why would I trust you, let alone believe you?" Sherlock hissed.

"I think of all people, Mr. Holmes, you would understand. You can trust my word or you can let me die. I have protection but only to an extent. I've run away from him and his countdown has already started."

"What do you mean?"

"I want to see how far I can push his limit...everyone has a limit. I'm his. John is yours."

At this moment, John opened the door and poked his head in.

"Everything okay, Sherlock?"

"Yes, fine John. Do we need any more milk?"

"Nope...nope you're not doing this to me again. I'm listening to this conversation too," John stated as quickly came in and closed the door behind him. He made his way over to the couch and roughly sat down as he crossed his arms. "So, what did I miss?"

"There always was a key and now, apparently, the key has gotten bored of having power," Sherlock directed at John, keeping his eyes on Kay. "But, the key needs a brilliant mind to challenge Moriarty to make sure she isn't bored anymore. So, really, I'm helping Kay with her clever mind not going stale rather than she helping us; which is why I decline."

Sherlock had begun to move up out of the chair when Kay stopped him with three words.

"He's my brother."

"He's your what? Who's your brother?" John asked curiously.

Slowly, Sherlock sat back down.

"He's your brother?"

Kay nodded.

"He warned me. He knew we both had clever minds so he had made me his key. Gave me all the codes, access, everything. I can do anything at any time. But, at a price. I had to help him. It was fine at first because I really didn't care, but now I'm bored. We all get like that eventually. So he gave me a choice. Either be the key or he would plan multiple clever deaths to finish me. Of course, I was up for the challenge no doubt. But, I wanted to wait until I found you. Not because I want to live but because the game is getting a lot more interesting and I want to see if you can solve them. I might not be able to if I'm dying..."

"So I'm helping you?"

"No, I'm helping you with your boredom. My protection will most likely solve my murders, but I want to see if you can solve them. You also need a way of finding him, right? Why not have his sister around?"

"You wouldn't just die you're too clever for that," Sherlock commented.

"Not if I wanted to prove how clever I really was. I've repeated myself already Sherlock and have said that we all get bored. You've been there, I remember. I had hired that cabbie. Honestly, if you don't believe me I'll walk out of here. Again my protection is limited so I'm not sure how far they will go. I'm offering this from one clever person to another. Boredom is dreadful."

Sherlock stayed silent as John muttered with disbelief under his breath. He still couldn't understand how Moriarty's sister was sitting with them in their flat, and offering Sherlock a chance to save her life first.

"Come on, you must be curious to know what he has planned for me. Can you solve it before I die? You solve murders after they take place all the time so why not try and solve it before it happens?"

Sherlock rose from his seat.

"Solve your death yourself. I have more important things at hand," he said angrily. Sherlock left the living room and came back wearing his sweatpants and shirt. He walked to the door and opened it, motioning for Kay to leave the flat. "I'm sorry, but that does sound rather extreme Kay," John admitted, watching Sherlock grow more and more irritated as he waited. "I mean, you don't even mind the fact that your brother is trying to kill you?"

"He knows how important I am," Kay answered sweetly. "And being in the wrong hands allows anyone to be as powerful as he is. This is why he has to get rid of me. I just wanted to see if Sherlock could do it, but clearly he isn't up for the challenge. That's fine."

She climbed out of the leather chair and placed her teacup on the kitchen counter. Quickly, she snatched an apple that was sitting in a bowl and took a quick bite. She looked over her shoulder to see John's expression as Sherlock impatiently waited for her to leave as he held the door open for her.

"Obviously, Sherlock is up for any challenge, but this is too crazy even for him."

"Nothing is too crazy for me."

"Well, Mr. Watson, It's not like I had a choice or anything. He would have done it anyway, whether I was clever or not. I'll just figure them out as I go along. I would have had to stop being his key eventually. Thank you for the short hospitality Mr. Holmes and good luck stopping him."

Kay took one step out the doorway when her leg collapsed from beneath her. She crumpled down slowly as she breathed heavily through her nose.

"Kay! Kay can you hear me!" John shouted as he slammed his knee caps to the ground and examined her immediately. His voice became small. "Sherlock, Sherlock her breathing is getting slower."

"Oh please, this is just an act."

John sent him a hard glare, holding Kay's wrist as her body lightly shook.

"For God's sake Sherlock, she is dying. Call an ambulance."

He glanced down quickly at her widened eyes. She looked so pathetic; nothing like the strong, confident woman who had declared how clever he was. But she wasn't scared. She stared deeply into his eyes like she knew he would save her. And she was right. Compassion was always a human error in Sherlock. I mean, he has John for a reason right?

"She's been poisoned."

"What? How do you know?" John asked breathlessly as he checked her vital signs and was dialing the phone since Sherlock hadn't moved from his stance.

"The apples. You bought them at the market this morning, right?"

"Get to the point Sherlock. What do the apples have to do with it?" John shouted exasperated.

"An older woman served you, didn't she?"

"I'm going to hurt you. I am literally going to hurt you. A woman is dying beneath you and all you can think about are apples."

"Oh...oh he is good," Sherlock declared with a mischievous smile. He placed his hands on his forehead and afterwards grabbed out his phone. He peered down at Kay and saw that she was smiling too. She had figured it out too.

"Oh, he really likes his fairytales."

"It's his thing," Kay sputtered. She let out a loud groan and then went still.

"Nope, sorry Kay but you can't die. Not now that things are starting to get interesting," Sherlock announced. He ran over to John's side, bent down, and picked Kay up into his arms.

"She's Snow White John, don't you get it? His first death attempt was a poisoned apple and from what I've observed she has about seven minutes. Hurry!"

Sherlock ran down the stairs with Kay steadily in his arms. John, stumbling behind, tried to keep up with him. "How are we going to make it? We only have seven minutes Sherlock! Seven!" John called out behind him.

Swiftly, Sherlock flew down the stairs and was now tearing down the sidewalk picking up more speed. John was keeping up a foot behind. "Exactly, John!" Sherlock yelled. "Seven dwarves. Seven minutes. Oh, he is clever. "

Sherlock's eyes darted with excitement. Kay's eyes were closed and she had lost consciousness in his arms. Looking down at her, Sherlock had a sudden urgency in his run.

"And here you are. The fairest of them all. Moriarty's key dying in my arms and If I wanted to I could just let you die."

Sherlock's smile widened.

"But that wouldn't be any fun, now would it princess?" Sherlock asked between heavy breaths.

"Not when the game has just begun."