I woke up and immediately took in my surroundings: white room, bright lights (too bright for sleeping people), beeping and other annoying noises. Clearly I was in a hospital bed… But the fact that I'd just woken up alone worried me.

I tried to lift my hand to the dull pain in my shoulder, but stopped when the IV tugged. I cringed and laid my hand back down.

Staying still, as to avoid any further pain, I tried to remember what had happened and how I could have possibly gotten here. I could remember leaving home, on route for Moriarty… But I struggled to recall what had happened there, or even if I'd found Hamish. I growled in frustration. I hadn't had any blackouts since my drug days all those years ago.

When the door was flung open, I was two seconds away from pressing the nurse call button. I looked up to see my clearly out of breath husband. He walked over to me swiftly and took my hand. "Sherlock, I'm so sorry. I wanted to be here when you woke up, but Lestrade had to talk to me for a bit, and I had to give a statement downstairs, and I ran back up here as fast as I could, but I'm so sorry."

"John, calm down. It's okay. I'm glad to see you're alright. What happened? I can't remember…"

"You went to Moriarty's to find Hamish. You made me promise not to get involved, but you really should have known I wouldn't listen. Since when do I do what you say anyways? After you'd gone, I realized you really shouldn't have gone alone so I called Lestrade for backup… And I umm… borrowed a gun. I got there just as Jim shot you in the shoulder." John's eyes were now filled with tears. "I'm so sorry I didn't get there sooner. I could have stopped it."

I squeezed his hand lightly. "Shh… It's okay. We're both okay, that's what matters. We're both alive, and I'll get better. Did we get Hamish back?" I asked nervously, fearing the answer.

"Yes! Of course, we rescued our baby… Well technically you rescued our baby. He's perfectly fine. I think he's maybe just missing his father a little bit. Mrs. Hudson has him now." He smiled. "I couldn't trust anyone more."

I felt myself breathing normally again when I heard Hamish was fine. Finally I could ask the question that had been sitting in the dark, shadowy corners of my mind palace since I'd woken up. "And Moriarty? What of him? Did he get away? Or is he in custody? What happened to him?"

John's expression turned grim and I feared the worst. He had escaped. We still had no idea what this new compound was. Moriarty was out there. He could be anywhere, and we had no way to stop him. Who knew what he'd attempt next? "John? Tell me."

"I took care of him." John replied quietly.

I suddenly remembered sitting on the floor covered in my own blood, holding Hamish, and hearing that second shot ring out. My heart ached. Once again, John had come through and killed someone to save my life. This man had to be the bravest and most amazing person on the entire earth. And he was mine. "Thank you," I whispered.

"We don't have to fear him anymore." John tried to smile and failed.

"Are you alright?"

"Of course. You were the one that was injured, remember?"

"Yes. But you have just shot a man."

"Well he wasn't a very nice man." John grinned. "It's the same shoulder," he said, pointing to his old war wound. "We might even have similar scars. Now if that isn't meant to be… I don't know what is."

I chuckled. "I love you."

"I love you as well." John leaned down to press his lips lightly against mine.

"Forever and always." I murmured, choosing an overly sentimental phrase he had once used long ago. It was repetitive and illogical because we didn't really have "forever." However, it still made John grin like an idiot.

"Forever and always."

Ten Years Later

"John!" I shouted from the sofa.

"What, Sherlock? I'm making dinner! You're the one that didn't want to go out and now you're going to bother me from the sofa?" John yelled from the kitchen.

I groaned loudly and pressed my face into a cushion. I was frustrated, angry, and even a tad bit embarrassed.

"Hamish, what is wrong with your father this time?"

I could just see the smug face he was making without even bothering to look at him. "I beat father at Cluedo."

John chuckled. "Again? What is that? The eleventh time this week? And it's only Wednesday!"

"Shut up, John! And it's the ninth. I've won… Twice!" I complained.

"You cheated twice. It doesn't count if you cheat, father."

"Stop talking like you are thirty. You're not even eleven yet." I groaned. "Hey, how did you know I cheated?"

"Well I know you can't win against me. And once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth."

I was stunned into silence. I was hurt… But I couldn't help but grin. He was my boy, he was going to be so much smarter than me, and I was so insanely proud of him. I turned to look over at him, resuming my sulking face. "How am I supposed to know you didn't cheat?"

Hamish smiled and got up from my chair. How he always had the nerve to sit in my chair discombobulated me each time. "If you can't deduce it, you don't need to know." He walked into the kitchen. "Dad?"

"Hm?" John said, busy with his cooking and domestic things. Dull. But delicious… John had become a surprisingly good cook in the past few years.

"You should join us for a game after dinner."

John laughed. "I'd have to be an idiot, or have gone completely insane to get involved in a war between the Holmes boys. But there's a slight possibility I might be both."

And then John kicks both their asses at Cluedo. xD Haha, highly unlikely.. However..

I'm sad to see that this story has finally reached its end. Thank you guys so much for following it all the way through.

It was fun to write, and there is a happy ending.. So you all can go on with your lives without so much of a tear.

There is a possibility I might be taking a small break from writing for a while... I'm not really in the middle of anything anymoree.

If that's the case.. Live long & Prosper. c:

You guys are utterly amazing. I love you all! Leave your reviewss. If you'd like to see something specific in a future fanfic, feel free to give me ideas.

Until then... Good day. xD

xxx James Moriarty