Author's note: The final part of the empty house! I promise no cliff hangers this time. You guys have no idea how great it is when I look at my email and see reviews, Anyway, I only own Cassandra while everyone else belongs to Doyle. Reviews are amazing, flames not so much.

"In taking revenge a man is but equal to his enemy, but in passing it over he his superior."

Sir Francis Bacon

Chapter 4

There was a knock and then Holmes walked. "Mycroft, would you know where Cassandra…"

"She is right here, Sherlock." Mycroft said as he stood up. "I need to send these messages, please refrain from violence when I am gone."

When he left Holmes turned to me. I looked away from him, but I still felt his eyes on my head. He sighed and walked over to the windows looking out. I stayed in my chair for a moment, before I stood and walked to him. Once I stood next to him, I did not know what to do so I stared outside. We said nothing to each other and stayed this way for a long period.

"I'm sorry, Holmes." I finally said softly. "I'm sorry about what I said."

He did not say anything. I regretted the words that I had told him, I really did, but I could see that he was deeply wounded. He would never admit it of course, but I could see that he was. I looked back out into the street and at the people passing by. I then remembered when I was nine and we were in the same position, though reversed. The idea came to me and I knew that it would work.

"A young couple is out in the street." I said picking them out through the crowd of people. "They seem to be very happy and in love. See how he is holding her arm a bit too close then how it is to be considered improper?"

"The young man is anxious." Holmes observed.

"Then he will propose to her. He must love her and is worried that she might reject him."

"A man prepared to do that would keep checking his coat pocket, not his vest pocket."

"Then what is he so anxious about, Holmes?" I asked, playing oblivious. I could tell what it was, how could I miss something like that?

"Cassandra, what does a man keep so very close on his person?" Holmes asked me.

"Wallet." I answered quickly.

"Wallet." He confirmed with a small nod. "When a man keeps checking to see if he has his wallet-

"He is having money troubles, or is in a very bad debt. He keeps looking at the wallet in hopes that he miscounted or that money suddenly appeared." I finished for him.

Holmes nodded his head. "Yes."

"Did Mycroft tell you?" I asked folding my arms across my chest. "About the way I was after you d…left?"

"Yes. He was very worried about you. He was afraid that you would hurt yourself."

"I did not know what to do." I admitting looking down.

"I know."

I shook my head. "Holmes, after…I was never prepared for something like that to happen and when it did…I was lost."

"I am sorry, Cassandra. I never wanted all of this to happen. I never meant for you and Watson to be hurt that much about my…hiatus. I never meant to leave you both alone when Mary died, to go through that and thinking that you lost someone else."

"You wouldn't have changed anything about what happened."

"Then you understand why I could not come back as you wanted me to come." Holmes said. "You know why I could not come back sooner."

"Yes I know. You knew that in the situation that the danger had to be removed. In this case, the danger was you so you stayed away."

He nodded his head. "Yes, Cassandra, well done."

"I understand why you could not come back." I said. I looked up and stared at him. "But, Holmes I had only finally accepted that you were gone and now you are back."

"I know." Holmes told me softly.

"Then you know that…Holmes, I am still very much angry with you."

Holmes nodded his head. "Yes, I understand and I do hope that you will not be as such for long. Now there is something that I must finish first, but I am staying for good this time, perhaps then you can tell me everything that has happened."

"All right." I said.

He moved away. "Come why don't we go back to Watson's? I know that dinner will be ready shortly."

I nodded my head and we walked downstairs. Holmes got a hansom and we climbed into the cab. We did not say anything on the way, but we did not need to. Once we arrived back, dinner was surprisingly ready. We sat around the trouble and soon we were all joking and laughing the way we have not done in three years. For once, I was truly happy.

When Holmes set his fork down and pushed away his plate, he looked at Watson. "We should leave in ten minutes."

"Leave?" I asked.

"Yes, there is something I must do before Moriarty's case can be put to rest." Holmes said.

"What is it?"

"I will finally catch the man responsible for the reason that I could not come back. Watson will be joining me."

"I will join you also."

He shook his head. "No, Cassandra." He said firmly. "You must not come."

"Holmes…."

"It is too dangerous for you to come." Holmes said.

I looked over at Watson for help, but he shook his head. "He is right, it will be dangerous."

"Holmes, if this is about Moran…"

"Cassandra, we will talk later, I promise you. But we cannot afford to lose time."

"Yes, sir." I said weakly.

He squeezed my shoulder lightly. "We will return late, but I know that you will still be awake. I will talk to you more about the hiatus, Cassandra and you can tell me some of what I missed over these three years with you."

I nodded my head. "Yes, Holmes."

Later when they had left, I went up to my room and pulled my violin from its case. I tucked the beautiful instillment under my chin and played as I thought. Holmes had said he and Watson were to go out to capture the last man of Moriarty's gang. Moran was released hours ago, but what made Holmes think that he could catch him? There was something that he was not telling me.

Moran...he was the only one who knew that Holmes was actually alive. Moriarty had clearly ordered that if he did not survive then Moran was to kill Holmes. Holmes had avoided him thus far, but he was about to place himself in danger. Moran knew that if he committed a murder, Holmes would come out to capture him. He could care less about why he killed Adair, but he knew that once Holmes found that he was behind it, he would come out of hiding.

Damn it, Holmes was going to be right in the line of fire. He was placing himself in harm's way again. I for one was not staying behind this time. I tossed the violin on the bed and ran downstairs. I grabbed my coat and went to Watson's desk and grabbed his extra revolver. I placed it in my pocket and walked to the front door door. I was about to turn the knob when I heard a click.

"Do not move another inch or I shall put a bullet right to your head. You will go back into the study, but keep your head turned." I did as the voice told me. "Now sit down in that chair, what a good girl. Now look at me, Miss. Vernet." A man's voice said coldly.

I recognized that voice though I had only heard it today. I slowly sat and looked up. A man in his fifties stood before me. He had a thin face with a thinner narrow nose. He had a high forehead that was bolding in the back. His eyes were a dark brown and his mustache did not suit him at all. In his right hand, he held a small handgun that was pointed to me.

"To what do I owe this pleasure, Coronal Moran?" I asked in the calmest voice I could master.

"You know why I am here." He said, walking further into the room, closing and locking the door behind him. "You were about to go protect Mister Sherlock Holmes."

"What makes you say such a thing?" I asked lightly, aware of the gun he kept pointed to my head. "I am merely staying here with my Godfather."

"You also framed me."

"Framed you? My dear, sir, I have no idea of what you are speaking about."

"I know all about you, Cassandra and I will not have you lie to me."

"What is it you speak of? When have I lied to you about anything?"

He strode over to me and struck me, the force from his slap sent my head wheeling. "Playing core with me will get you no where. I know that you are the same girl that Moriarty saw when he came to give one last chance to Mister Holmes. I know that you mean something to him, you accused me, and you are actually like him."

I glared at him. I was not about to play innocent any longer, not if he already knew the truth of the matter. "What did you do to the maid?" I asked.

"She will sleep well tonight."

"Drugging people now, isn't that a little bit below you? I have heard about you. Coronal "Basher" Moran I believe is what they call you in the slums."

He smiled a cold smile, his eyes gleaming. "I do not complain about any form of weapons or the method of achieving them."

"Do you really believe that trying to end something that ended the day Professor Moriarty fell from the falls will get you anywhere?" I said.

Suddenly he came from the front of the desk, sweeping arm across sending everything to the ground. He grabbed my shoulders and shoved me back against the wall. "Don't you mean pushed, by your precise Sherlock Holmes? The man who killed in cold blood without a thought to it?"

"Moriarty knew that there was a little chance that he would survive it himself!" I shouted. "He wasn't stupid; both men knew that only one of them would make it out alive in the end. Moriarty's plan to end Holmes died with him there is no use in trying to try it again."

He laughed. "No, my sweet. Moriarty had a plan see. If he didn't survive, I was to go after him." He leaned in and whispered in my ear huskily. "I was even told to get the young girl with anything went wrong. Shoot her, right in the head." He said digging the barrel into my temple.

I lifted my knee and kneeled him in his groan. I pushed past him, but he yanked my hair and pulled me. My back hit his chest and he grabbed my neck. I grasped his hands. "You believe that by killing me, Holmes will not come after you."

"You really are a bright girl. I thought that everyone was lying when it was said it was you who found out I killed Ronald. Once I found out, I know I should have gone after you when I had the chance."

"He will know that something is wrong…"

"Something will be wrong if you do not do as I say." He said. "Just as something went wrong with the carriage that afternoon two years ago."

"What?"

"You remember I am sure, you were there?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I believe it was a young blonde woman with child. She was wanting so ever patiently for her charge to finish shopping. I thought that by ending her life, it would crease the doctor's intentions at continuing his work, but it did little to nothing. He was not that much of a threat, he is not a very bright man when it comes to certain things, though, one must give him credit for carrying it on that he could…until you returned. You surprised me."

"I only did what I was taught." I replied.

"Indeed, and now with the Master back, the student will starve in the teachings." Moran said. "You will be eliminated." He squeezed harder.

"Holmes will stop you."

"He will also be sickened with grief that you are dead. After everything you both went through, after that touching confession you had in Pall Mall…"

"You bastard." I choked out.

"I will be long gone by the time he finds you. I will just have to kick the hound while it is down."

There was the sound of hoof prints outside as a hansom pulled He turned his head to look out the window, I pulled the gun out from my pocket. "He is too soon!" His grip on my neck grew tighter, black spots dancing in my vision.

I fumbled as I unlocked the safety. "It seems the hound has returned." I whispered. "And so has the young pup."

I fired as the front door slammed open. "Cassandra!" Watson shouted.

The doorknob jiggled. "Cassandra?" Holmes asked.

The hands loosed and I fell forward crashing against the desk. I grasped as air filled my lungs. There was the sound of a tinkling noise and a click before the door swung open. Holmes, Watson and Lestrade all ran in with their guns raised.

"Are you all right?" Watson asked me as he rushed over.

I slowly nodded my head, but I was trembling. "I'm fine." I chocked out.

"That bitch shot me!" Moran shouted.

"Only nicked in the knee." Lestrade told him as he and another officer hoisted him up.

"I want to press charges against her." He said. "She tried to kill me."

"Shut it."

I stared up at Moran. He met my eyes and smiled. "May have not gotten you, but I got the other one first."

My grip on the revolver grew tighter as I clicked it. Holmes walked over to me. "Hand me the revolver, Cassandra." His voice was soft, but firm and commanding.

When he used that voice, I was usually quick to obey it. But I could only stare at Moran. I could end it, end everything so that nothing like this ever happened again. I was sure that Holmes would have agreed and then we could make Lestrade leave the room and make it seem like I had no choice but to kill him. It was easy, it would be better if we did.

"Cassandra, do not even think of lowing yourself to that level. You will give me the gun, or I will be forced to take it myself." His voice broke my from my dark thoughts. I took a deep breath before I handed him the gun as if it had burned me.

I watched him pocket it along with his own. "Will I be taken to jail because of this?" I asked.

"It was self defense, Cassandra."

"But…I shot him."

"And he choked you." Holmes rested his hand on the small of my back. "Come, child."

Holmes pulled me out of the room and into the living room. He sat me down in a chair. "How did you know about Moran coming here?" I asked.

"I assumed that he would go after me, so I made it look that I was in the window of Baker Street so he could shoot me."

"You did what!"

Holmes smiled the smile of his. "A bust, I had a bust of my head made. Mrs. Hudson would move it every hour to make it seem that I was in Baker Street. Across the lane at an empty flat, Watson and I waited; I knew that Moran would be there to shoot me with the rifle that Moriarty invented."

"The same rifle that was fired at us in when we were at Mycroft's flat and killed Ronald Adair."

"Exactly, but as time went on, I realized it was not the case anymore. Moran was not there because he would go after you."

"Why me?" I asked.

"You are too much of an assent. He knew that you would figure it out soon enough and come to help me." Holmes explained.

"He thought that it would be Watson. He never thought it would be me, that's way he…" I stilled and looked away.

"Cassandra?"

I shook my head as tears came to my eyes. Footsteps entered the room, footsteps with a slight limp. Hardly noticeable, but I could hear it. No, no. not now, he cannot be here, not now!

"What happened?" Watson asked.

"I am not sure." Holmes answered. "Cass?" He placed his hand on my shoulder.

"It was him. I saw him. He was running from the carriage." I whispered as I hugged myself. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to block out the image.

"Who was running?" Holmes asked softly.

"Moran, I thought…I knew I saw him from somewhere. He was the one out the window; he was out there the day you left. That day I thought but…but I only was focused on her. I did not pay that much attention to it. It was on her."

"Who, who was it?"

"Mary. He was the one driving the carriage. It was not an accident."

"What?" Watson asked.

"That is what he told me. He was there…I can remember him now. He smirked at me. Everyone was trying to help, but he just stood there and smirked."

"So she was killed because of…" Watson shook his head. "All of this time, I never…had I wanted to believe that it was foul play, but…"

Holmes placed his hand on his shoulder. "I am sorry, my dear fellow, it seems this ran deeper then I thought it would."

"I thought something was strange about it, I told Mycroft, but he thought that I only wanted to place the blame on Moriarty because of what happened." I said.

"He must have known that you did see something, but did not want you to dwell on it because you would place yourself into danger. You would have gone after him." Holmes told me.

"It was no ones fault." Watson said as he sat next to me. "I wish I could say that it was better to not know what really happened to her. Nevertheless, a part of me is glad. For so long, Cassandra, you blamed yourself, but now we know that it was not your fault. I'm only glad that she was happy before it happened. You made her happy, Cassandra. She loved you, she wanted that time to be spent with you, I know she did." Watson went on, trying to comfort me.

"I am sure she did." Holmes said, taking on a kinder tone. "Why don't Cass and I got to Baker Street for the night? We can meet up in the morning and see about getting both of you settled in again at the flat. That is, if you still want to take up on the offer, Watson."

"I cannot think of anywhere else I would rather be, Holmes." Watson replied his tone, however had taken on a somber ring.

"Right then, come, Cassandra."

Holmes and I got a cab and sat in silence for some time. "Should we have left him?" I asked. "Was it the right thing for us to do?"

"He needs time, Cassandra. He found out his wife was murdered, which Moran will not get away with I will assure you. It may mean that you will be called into court. You will be willing to tell a jury about it?"

"I believe so." I admitted.

"Good."

When we arrived, Mrs. Hudson busied herself into making the rooms presentable, laying out a shirt and trousers of Holmes', and making tea and biscuits for us. I could tell that she loved to be taking care of someone again, she loved that her terrible tenant and the other misfits were back. I changed into the clothes she laid out, and was sitting on the settee with a cup of tea, when Holmes sat down next to me with his own cup.

"Are you all right?" He asked. "You haven't spoken since we got home."

I sighed. "Holmes, I wanted to kill him, I wanted him dead for what he did to Mary."

Holmes nodded his head. "I know, Cass."

"She…she didn't deserve this. She was the real innocent in all of this. Watson and I knew what we were into, but Mary…she did it for Watson's stake."

"I am aware, Cassandra."

"I felt so angry about it. I know it was wrong of me, but I wanted him dead. It was because of him that this whole thing did not end when Moriarty died."

"But you didn't."

"Only because you stopped me." I added. "It was wrong of me. I…It makes me like him for wanting to take a life."

"Yes, you are like him for nearly giving into your rage and wanting to kill. However, you know what you did is wrong, and you feel guilty for it. So you are not like him."

"And what does that make me then? What does it make me for having feelings like that?"

"You are only human, Cassandra, as we all. You are not perfect you have your moments of weakness, but you must learn to not become so enraged."

"I have learned, but...in that moment everything that I learned was gone. All I could think about was Watson. He was so broken, and there was nothing that I could do to help. I do not want to remember that day; at least I try not to remember. There was nothing I could have done to help; I was too late to help."

"You are not to blame for what happened that day." Holmes said softly as he turned and looked at me. "Whatever happened that day, you are not to blame for what happened to Mary Watson."

I have heard this countless of times and each time; I ignored everyone who said it. I bought myself to believe that they were all lying to me, even Mycroft. This time, I was hearing it from Holmes. It hurt because I remembered that day. How I promised I would take care of Watson for Mary, and how I failed at that.

"I feel like I should have done more." I whispered. "I should have never left her side, Holmes. When I found her, I never felt so helpless. Before she died…she…she made me promise that I was to look after Watson for her, that I was to take care of him."

"Cass," He said gently.

"I ran away, I left him alone. I should have stayed, but I left him! I was a coward; I went against her final wish."

"Cassandra, you did the right thing, you are anything but a coward. You did not fail at her final wish, you did follow on that promise, and it was only just not as soon as you thought it would have been. You left London in order to better yourself, so that you would be able to help Watson when you did return."

We didn't say anything for a moment. "You do know that I still intend of following into your area of work." I finally said.

"I know, but I wish you wouldn't."

I looked at him. "But you let me continue the lessons. You let Mycroft and Grand-mere teach me things you promised to teach me."

"I thought you would need a distraction."

"But, you do not think I should." I said.

"Cassandra, it does not matter what I or anyone else thinks. What does matter is what you think. If you want to be a detective, then you will be. If you do not think you want it, or are not capable, you won't. As I have told you before, Cassandra the mind is a very powerful thing."

"I want it, Holmes. More than anything."

"And you will, but there are still things you must learn."