Owning Our Mistakes

Oh, yeah, and I don't own any of the characters from Merlin either.

The Egyptian Afterlife

Sherlock returned to the group, storm eyes shining with deep thought. "So, where would we look to find a present from a sun god?"

Romana smiled. "The sun itself? Sun ripened wheat fields? Where else…"

Sherlock gasped. "Of course! I believe there were some fields back towards where we woke up. Come on!" They ran towards the location they woke up at.

As they approached, John stopped. "Sherlock. Something doesn't feel right about this."

Mycroft came to a stop beside the ex army doctor. "What is it, John?"

Before he could reply, a man in armor on a white horse rode out of the fields. "Get back! Get back! Dragon!"

Romana frowned, confused. "Dragon… wait, what?" She ran ahead, curious, following the young man as fast as she could. "Excuse me, but did you say dragon?"

He nodded. "I did. But you can see that for yourself."

Suddenly, a large flying lizard swooped overhead, bearing what looked like a person in its talons.

The young brown-haired man waved sheepishly. "You could help me down, you know."

The knight sighed. "You're the idiot who tried to tame it by offering it your horse."

Mycroft looked slightly amused by this. His eyes flicked to Romana, wondering what she would do.

Violet looked up and immediately regretted it. "Crap! A real dragon! I thought maybe the guy on the horse was joking!"

Romana beamed. "In all my years travelling time and space, I've yet to see one. Yet there it is!" She was rather excited, seeing the large beast as if it were a small, cute animal.

The knight coughed. "That guy on the horse? Pardon me, miss, but most people know me as Your Highness."

The man in the Dragon's claws scoffed. "Your Prattiness, more like! Seriously, you could lend me a hand, couldn't you Arthur?"

He rolled his eyes. "Well, I was planning on it until you called me a prat again. Will you ever learn?"

Romana stared at him. "Wait… your Highness… Arthur.. King Arthur!" It clicked quickly in her head. "And Merlin! Oh, this is brilliant! Ah… we should probably help him down, correct, your Highness?"

Violet looked at the 'guy on the horse' and laughed. "Ok you and that guy there," she said, gesturing at Sherlock, "can go have an argument about who is more important." She looked up at the Dragon and Merlin. "I have to say I like the guy up there."

Merlin smiled and waved at Violet. "Hello."

Arthur sighs, then rode over to Sherlock. "Who are you, then?"

"Sherlock Holmes. Consulting detective."

They stared each other down for a while.

John coughed. "So we should probably do something about this dragon, right?"

Mycroft continued to watch Romana out of the corner of his eye. This was Romana's test. If she failed, everyone lost.

Sensing Mycroft's gaze on her, she turned, nodded, and smiled at him.

Then she turned back to survey the situation. "Ok, typically in these stories… hmm, I wonder…" Raising her arms and walking up to where the dragon was flying, she started calling to it, trying to get its attention. "Hey, dragon! I bet you'd rather have me, right? That scrawny manling might be tough and stringy!"

The dragon yawned, showing its sharp teeth. "Young Time Lady. Yes. You do look rather tasty. But I do not intend to eat the boy."

She stopped short of him, momentarily caught off guard. "Oh, you speak! And you know what I am… Then what is it you want, dragon?" Romana was seemingly tickled that the beast was intelligent.

Violet looked at Arthur and tried not to laugh. "How did he even get there? What did you guys do to the dragon?"

Merlin frowned. "We were fighting it, and next thing we know, we were here. It was like riding through a portal."

Arthur pursed his lips. "Sorcery, Merlin."

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "There's no such thing. Sorcery is just a word for things you tiny-brained people are too stupid to understand."

Arthur turned on him, drawing his sword. "Excuse me?"

John put a hand on his shoulder. "It's ok. He does that to everyone. It's not personal."

Merlin grinned at the army doctor. "Know the feeling."

Violet still tried not to laugh as she watched Arthur and Sherlock. "I know they would be entertaining together, but I feel eventually they could be annoying."

The dragon sighed at Romana. "I want. . . to go home."

Romana sagely nodded, her hearts hurting for him. "I completely understand, I've been wanting to go home myself… Ok, if you gently put Merlin down, maybe I can help you get home? I'll do everything in my power to help. Please?"

The dragon deposited the young warlock on the ground.

Merlin dusted himself off. "Thank you. Now, where are we going? And where are we right now anyway? This doesn't look like Camelot."

John gestured about. "I believe that you'll find we are nowhere you know at all. This is the land of the dead. Well, one of them anyway. I guess we'll need to find the portal you stepped through to get you boys back where you belong, yes?"

Suddenly, the falcon-headed god Ra appeared, bearing a pair of golden sandals. "My lady Romanadvoratrelundar. You have proven yourself to be not only wise in your thoughts, but brave and honorable in your actions. Truly, you are among the best of your race. I am honored to call you my champion."

He placed the sandals at her feet, bowed, and disappeared.

Arthur stared at her, slack-jawed. "What the. . . that just happened."

The Temple of Osiris, Abydos: 29 July 204 BC

Faith, with the Red Cloud still wrapped around her arm, led Jack and Lestrade to Abydos, the Temple of Osiris. After a moment to take in the size of the temple, and how strangely empty it was, Faith began walking inside. She knew Osiris was waiting for her.

"Faith Harkness. Have you brought the things which we require?" he asked.

Faith pulled out the three items from her bag. "Just as you asked of me, Osiris. I apologize for the delay."

The green man smiled. "That is quite alright. You have done well. Now, however, we must evaluate your friends."

As he spoke, images of the others appeared on the wall. "John Watson, a man of talent and kindness. Even when faced with the loss of the man he loves to another, his reaction was to allow him to be happy. He has passed."

He frowned. "Susan Olivier, who is wise beyond her years. . . yet when her lover was replaced, she did not even notice something was wrong. She has failed. So to, Mira Jamerson, a creature of seduction and lust, immediately misused her powers. She too has failed. Further, Sherlock Holmes, wise and manipulative, also misused his powers to deny a truth. He too has failed."

He smiled. "Violet Conway alone saw the truth behind her lover's eyes. She has passed. And because of the loss of his love, Tobias Forth has turned his heart to stone. He is now a suitable warrior. He has passed. Romana is brave and kind to all. She too has passed."

He sighed, turning to her. "Do you remember what I told you? If even one member of your party fails, they will remain dead. So, how can I save them when half do not even deserve to live?"

With each failure, Faith felt her heart sink. But she must hope. There had to be a way. "Are the ones who passed to suffer for the fault of the ones who failed? All of us have failed at one point or another." She paused for a moment. "Have the ones who failed learned anything from their failures or are they too stubborn to see their mistakes?"

Osiris sighed. "I will give them one day. One day to fix what they have done."

Faith bowed her head, clenching her eyes shut. One day. "Is… Is there anything I can… do for them?"

Osiris nodded. "Pray."

Faith prostrated herself, her lips moving in a silent prayer, her face twisted in fear.

Please, Father of us all, Let them see the errors!

Wheat Field, The Egyptian Afterlife

Sherlock sighed. "So, now we have to fix time. Again. It should really be rather easy."

Suddenly, a brief look of horror crossed his face, quickly replaced by stoicism. "I've made a terrible mistake."

Mycroft's face became stone. "Yes, Sherlock. You have." He looked Sherlock hard in the eyes. "Are you going to fix it?"

Sherlock moaned. "How can I? Mycroft, this was all your fault. It has always been your fault!"

"I wasn't the one that decided to hide the truth, Sherlock," he replied calmly.

Sherlock's eyes went wide. "The truth? I. . . I can't. . ."

He turned away, looking over at Watson, who smiled slightly at him.

How can I make this right?

Mycroft put a hand on his shoulder. "He won't hate you for it, you know."

"Won't hate you for what?" asked John, wandering over to them. "What did you do?"

Sherlock looked away. "I. . . John, I did something I regret. And it's difficult for me to say. I'm sorry for it."

He sighed. "You aren't going to tell me, are you? Look, if it's about Irene. . ."

Sherlock scoffed. "It most certainly is not. Don't be an idiot. It's about. . . It's about you. I've done something terrible to you. I don't expect you to forgive me, but –"

John cut him off. "And what makes you think I wouldn't? Look, Sherlock. You don't have to say anything. Whatever it is, we'll get through it. What matters is that you're sorry."

"I don't think that's enough this time, John," Sherlock whispered.

John smiled warmly at him, his eyes full of compassion. It is a look Sherlock knew well, and his heart skipped a beat.

"It's always enough," John murmured.

Susie wandered in from the direction of the cave. It was clear that she was feeling little like her usual self. She slumped over to the edge of the field and watched with tear-reddened eyes.

Romana walked over to her, pulling her into an embrace, and the girl began to weep once more, sobbing into her shirt.

Mycroft shook his head at John. "Not in this instance, John. Your very resurrection is at stake. I'm sorry."

Sherlock gulped. "John, I need to tell you something. It's important, so just wait until I'm done to interrupt, ok?" He sighed, took a deep breath, and began.

"This thing. With us. I. . . I told you once that I considered myself married to my work. That is true. And I'm sure you remember that night. . . that night at the pool. That I said I have no heart. But Moriarty said that wasn't quite true. And I know it isn't. But I'm not so good with people. You know that better than anyone. So when I really care about someone. . . I push them away. And ever since I started having that nightmare, I. . . I've been pushing you away. I'm sorry for that. and I'm sorry for what I've done, which is to make you forget that. I was trying to protect you. That's what I told myself. But I was really trying to protect myself. I'm so sorry."

John looked at him blankly. "So, what you're saying. . . earlier. . . that wasn't a dream?" He frowned, then slapped Sherlock in the face. "What the hell is wrong with you? Don't give me that 'it's all for you' crap! Don't you think I'm old enough to make my own decisions? I stay with you because I want to. And I always will. So stop being an idiot, and just. . ." He turned away, tears in his eyes. "Just tell me the truth. Please. I need to hear it."

Sherlock sighed. "The truth is. . ."

"Wait!" bellowed Mira. "I need to say something!" She materialized, running towards the group. She collapsed at Susan's feet.

Susie shook her off, backing away from the girl who had caused her so much grief. When she answered, her voice was devoid of emotion. "Wait in line. There are more important people speaking first."

Mycroft lifted an eyebrow at that statement, but did not speak.

Mira's eyes were closed, but it was clear that she had been crying so hard her eyes were starting to bleed.

Merlin ran over to her and whispered in her ear. She didn't respond.

"I think she's in trouble!" he cried.

Susie sighed, then knelt down in front of the girl. Taking Mira's chin in her hand, she forced the girl to look her in the eyes. "What do you want to say Mira?"

"I. . . I'm sorry for what I. . ." she began coughing. "What I did to you. To both of you. I. . . I never meant. . ." She vomited blood. When she'd finished heaving, she smiled weakly at Susie. "I ripped my heart out. . . I mean, I can't die. But. . . I. . .Wanted to do something to . . . punish. . ."

Mycroft stared at her blankly. "You. Ripped. Your. Heart. Out." His eyes widened. This was bad. Very bad…

Susie just continued to look at Mira, then without change of expression she gripped her chin so hard the girl yelped. "Where did you put it Mira? I want to see the proof that you did this. I want to see your heart."

"Here." She tossed a small, blood-soaked bundle at Susie's feet before passing out.

John cried out in dismay. "What the hell is wrong with you?" He pulled her close, checking her chest cavity. He shook his head. "Even dead, I'm amazed she was able to do this. It looks like she tore her chest open with her fingers."

Mycroft frowned. "Can you help her, Doctor Watson?"

He shook his head. "I. . . I've honestly never seen anything like this. I wouldn't know where to begin. And I'm not a surgeon."

Susie picked up the organ in one hand. Surprisingly it was still beating and didn't seem too damaged from the treatment it had been given. She turned it around in her hands a few times before leaning over the girl and shoving the organ deep inside the chest cavity. Her face was a mask of concentration as she felt around inside for a few minutes before she removed her hand with a grunt of satisfaction.

"That oughta do it. Good thing about being 'dead', she'll heal quick, silly idiot."

Turning away from the rest of the band, Mycroft grasped his brother's shoulder and pulled the younger Holmes aside. Once out of earshot of the group, Mycroft stopped and faced Sherlock. "You have mended your mistake."

Sherlock sighed. "It doesn't feel mended. But I'm not even sure what I'm feeling these days."

"Oh?" mused Mycroft.

As Mira coughed back to life, she smiled at Susie cautiously. "I won't beg for your forgiveness. I know I don't deserve it. But please, look after your own soul."

As she was still speaking, Tobias and Lucian ran up. Tobias was wearing the collar, and Lucian the gauntlets. Apparently they had been doing some adventuring of their own.

John frowned. "Well, this is interesting. I wonder which one is which. Are they in their right bodies again? Are they still switched?" He stared at Sherlock, hoping he had the answer.

Sherlock blatantly ignored him and turned to Susie. "Perhaps it's time for you to fix your mistake."

Violet looked from Lucian, to Tobias, and then at Susie to see who Susie thought is Tobias.

Susie looked at the two boys warily, and with a good dose of fear as well. Then she steeled herself and walked over to the two of them. She stood in front of Tobias, looking in deep in his eyes, then leaned forward and touched her forehead to his. After a long moment, she moved to stand in front of Lucian and repeated the process. Then she stood back with a look of confusion on her face.

"How can this be?"

Mycroft frowned. "Well, Miss Oliver? Can you attemt to fix the mess you made?"

When Susie spoke, her voice trembled. "I don't know how this was done, but they're both Toby…and they're both not." She stepped back and tapped her own chest. "This is where I've always known Toby, yet I feel it with the both of them. There was nothing to tell Toby wasn't himself either in word or action. Someone is very, very good at what they do."

Sherlock sighed. "Perhaps you should shoot one."

Everyone glared at him.

"What?" he asked, tilting his head to one side.

Susie smiled at him. "Good idea." With one fluid motion, she pulled out her gun and shot Toby in the foot.

"Oww! Mother of all things fluffy! God damn it! Fuck!" He writhed in pain.

Lucian, on the other hand, grinned. "You deserved it. Cheating bastard."

Violet looked at the one that looked like Tobias. "Lucian? Is that really you? What does Tobias mean by cheating?"

Lucian sighed. "You. . . you didn't realize your boy toy hooked up with my fiance in my body?"

Tobias glared at him. "Damn it, Tobias! I told you I was sorry."

Susie marched up to Tobias and kicked him hard in the groin. "How the hell did you do it? How? Goddamn it! I should shoot your lying ass from here to kingdom come!" She kicked him again before turning to Lucian. "I'm so sorry Toby…Please believe me when I say I didn't know."

Violet shook her head. "No I didn't realize." She started to cry and turned to face the body housing Lucian. "Why didn't you say something to us? I should really hate you for this, but I don't. I am mad and hurt yes, but hate you, no. Yet. . .I am really questioning if I really love you right now." She turned and ran away.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light, and they all woke up in the shattered remains of the palace, their bodies healed.

Faith was waiting there, holding the hand of a very confused-looking man with silver hair.