The clock on John's phone chimed in 11:45 as Lestrade and him snuck into the pool. He knew they shouldn't be there but John couldn't let Sherlock risk his life with this. Being on his highest guard, he pulled out the gun and held it up in case their criminally insane friend decided to jump out and say hi. Lestrade closed the door behind them silently as they came out into the pool room. The sounds of water echoed through the room as streams of steam rose off of the heated water. Lights danced on the ceiling from the lights that glowed below the waves.
"Lestrade!" John hissed below his breath, the DI turned with a gun raised as he growled out "Be careful! You don't want to mess with Moriarty. Last time I almost went up in a ball of flames with semtex."
The DI's eyes widened in surprise but then he nodded slowly "I'll be careful. Come on, if Sherlock is going to visit the guy who almost made him commit suicide, he's going to get hurt this time. I'm sure of it."
The Ex-Army Doctor nodded "Well, just get ready to shoot. Who knows what he has been doing."
John, with gun in hand, walked next to his friend and clicked a bullet in place. Lestrade tensed up as a growl split the air around them, almost like the crack of a whip. John whipped around just in time to see a large black shape glide straight into them. Lestrade went down first as the creature slashed out with it's wing, knocking him into a stone pillar, rendering him unconscious. Luckily John hit the ground before the avian lupin could land an attack.
The creature hit the floor just as John stood fully, gun in hand as he aimed at it. He shivered as bones shifted and after a few moments there stood Moriarty, a smirk on his face as he gave a mock-bow. But then the man's face grew guttural as he snarled.
"Idiots!" he yelled, his voice echoing off of the walls. "Didn't daddy ever teach you not to interfere with things that don't concern you?"
John narrowed his eyes, he threw a glance at Lestrade who was moving but only slightly. "If it's Sherlock's business it's mine. So tell me, since you're whatever you call that, what's your plan now?"
Moriarty shook his head as a smile cracked across his face, the yellow still covering the cold amber John was used to. "You're normal, so you wouldn't understand."
"Now why wouldn't I?" John snapped, hand shaking slightly as he held the gun up to the unfazed man. "For a genius, you're an idiot."
The Consulting Criminal snarled, a guttural sound that sounded exactly like a wolf's. John took a steadying step back as Moriarty approached, eyes glinting with murderous intent as he stalked forward. "I would be care Johnny Boy, saying things like that will get you killed. Maybe you should learn the hard way. I'd take that option right now."
John glanced at his phone, 12:00. Moriarty smirked as he crouched down, dark fur beginning to race across his body as a muzzle tore from his face while claws leapt from his fingertips that were quickly shifting into paws. Long wings extended form his back and in a few moments he stood tall as he bared his teeth in a snarl, ready to tear into the newly engaged man. John raised the gun once more as Moriarty jumped at him.
A gunshot rang through the air as a bullet buried itself in the man's chest, but the avian lupine ignored it. John shut his eyes, flashes of the war burning behind his vision. He waited for the feeling of claws to tear into his heart and he gave out a scream as he was thrown to the side. It took a moment for him to realize it wasn't claws that threw him aside, but hands.
John hit the tile floor and his eyes opened wide, terror burned into his heart as he saw Moriarty grab Sherlock's shoulder in his jaws. Sherlock gave out a scream of pain that pierced the air but Moriarty never gave up, all human essence gone from those yellow lupin eyes. Blood was beginning to strain through Sherlock's blazer but then Moriarty easily threw the Detective into the water. John managed to sit up, much to the protest of his aching chest, just as Moriarty held the struggling form of Sherlock under the water with nothing but strong paws around the Detective's throat.
"Sherlock!" John yelled with wide eyes as he fired more bullets into the avian lupine but he never paid attention.
He pulled the trigger one more time just to find that the cartridge was empty, all bullets in the flesh. John bit back a swear but then his heart dropped when he saw Moriarty was holding under a limp form. John blinked in disbelief and in horror but then Moriarty let the limp form go. The wolf turned towards him with a snarling face, teeth and muzzle stained scarlet with his friend's blood. John blinked, something was telling him that this wasn't Moriarty doing this, but the beast had taken over completely.
The wolf howled, the sound was ear-splitting as it echoed once more off of the walls. John was surprised the police force hadn't shown up. The creature snarled while John could only watch in horror, unable to swallow what was happening. As Moriarty lunged a gunshot rang through the air, the lead burying itself in the wolf's face. He was thrown to the ground while John just stared at Lestrade in amazement, the DI stood and then ran to the edge of the pool.
John was the first to jump in and swim to where the limp form of Sherlock was floating. His hand wrapped around Sherlock's wrist, it was strangely cold for the heat of the water. John managed to drag Sherlock to where Lestrade was waiting at the edge. Lestrade grabbed Sherlock by the arms and hauled him from the water as John slipped out, he had learned that in Military training. Lestrade set Sherlock down on the tile floor and crouched down over his friend, checking for a pulse.
It was sluggish and fading fast but it was still there.
"Oh god," Lestrade breathed, eyes wide as John began compressions "this is all my fault. If I hadn't have read that stupid text."
"It's not your fault." John said with a sly smiled, he gave breath to his friend and once and immediately Sherlock sat up, coughing up red tinted red water from his lungs.
Sherlock looked around, water dripping from his water-logged curls as he tried to find sight of Moriarty. He blinked a few times before catching sight of the form on the floor, the wolf was beginning to move as Sherlock fought to stand. John pulled Sherlock up and in an instant the Detective was taking a step towards Moriarty just to be yanked back by Lestrade.
"What are you doing?" Lestrade growled, his dark eyes meeting Sherlock's. "He will kill you!"
The Consulting Detective gave a smirk before shrugging Lestrade off. "I'll be fine. You just might want to take cover."
John grabbed Lestrade and nodded as he dragged the DI away towards one of the pillars. Lestrade watched in horror as Sherlock walked forward, but his eyes widened in amazement as he shifted. As Sherlock disappeared into lupine form, Lestrade could only gape in amazement but then his heart dropped when he saw Moriarty get up, all signs of any wounds gone. Lestrade blinked with eyes wide as Sherlock snarled coldly at Moriarty who only backed away with a burning gaze.
"What are they saying?" Lestrade whispered to John who shrugged.
There was a flash off movement followed by a growl as Moriarty lunged at Sherlock, taking his paws out from under him but the Detective was ready. He rolled under the attacker's paws and as Moriarty hit the tile floor, Sherlock drew his claws over the criminal's chest. Moriarty let out a whimper as blood stained his fur but Sherlock only snarled. Sirens sounded outside and instantly Sherlock jumped away with wide eyes. Moriarty clambered to his paws.
A door leading inside from the out was kicked in and instantly Sherlock threw a glance at John that said two words, I'm sorry.
Moriarty bolted towards the door and threw it open, not bothering to change form just as a bright light shone from the balcony above, straight on Sherlock. A gunshot rang clear through the building yet again, luckily Lestrade and John were out of sight. Sherlock jumped out of the way and bolted for the door, more gunshot followed him and just as he pushed open the door, a bullet landed straight in the tendon his his shoulder. Sherlock stumbled as blood dripped onto the floor but he did his best to run.
John shook his head in worry but then it clicked where he was headed. Molly's.
