"Welcome to my lab, gentlemen."

John's eyes fluttered open as he looked about him groggily. He could feel the throbbing pain coming from the back of his neck but when he tried to feel it with his hand, he could only do so much as move his wrists about.

He suddenly remembered everything that had happened. The rooftop, the sunset, the man behind the doorway…

"Sherlock, Sherlock?" John whispered as nudged Sherlock who was tied back to back with him.

"I guess he hit him a bit harder than he was supposed to… But then he did put up quite the fight."

John turned his attention to the smiling man in front of them who was barely illuminated by the dim lighting, but it was unmistakable, he knew who this is.

"James…?"

"Oh, so you remembered my name! What a joy. People usually tend to forget me." He said dramatically in a sing song tone.

"Sherlock always had his suspicions about you." John glared.

"And all you did was trying to prove him wrong. Jealous?"

"No! I'm not jealous, I was trying to try to get him to think another way."

James only laughed. "So quick to defend yourself! Now there's definitely something going on!"

John scowled and looked down. "I will not be turned against him."

"I was just trying to get you to think another way." He shrugged. "To fix a problem you'll have to admit it first."

"How can I admit something that doesn't exist?"

"I don't know, how will you?"

John felt Sherlock move behind him.

"John…?"

"Sherlock, I'm here."

"Look at you two. I completely agree with everything that Soo Lin has said."

John narrowed his eyes, Soo Lin couldn't possibly…

"Looks like you were watched by two people that day." Sherlock laughed a little as John groaned.

"Lovely."

"Look on the bright side…"

"Don't you dare tell me to be optimistic you—

"ENOUGH!"

John and Sherlock's attention was immediately captured by the sudden outburst of their captor.

He took in a breath before a smile appeared on his face once again.

"Now that I have you gentlemen's attention." A pause. "As to the whereabouts of the rabbit I'm sure I can provide an answer."

With that, something was thrown in front of John and Sherlock and landed with a thump.

John looked away immediately trying to resist the urge to vomit all over the white tiles. He could feel Sherlock tremble behind him.

"What have you done with Bluebell?" Sherlock's voice had become dangerously low, he was seething.

The rabbit which lay on the floor was skinned but there were still tuffs of blood soaked fur left on the shiny red muscles which now lay exposed. Her eyes and mouth were sewed shut and dried blood clung unto every inch of her skin.

"Sherlock… I think she's still… alive…" John muttered slowly as he noticed the inconsistent twitch of her fleshy paws which used to covered by a coat of fur of snow.

"A little dose of stimulant does the job. We had such fun with her. Each of her scars bear a greater good for her kind, for every species of this earth!" The man grinned. "I won't tell you our discoveries but imagine the good we can do with even more animals! We could save humanity."

"From what? From ourselves?" Sherlock spat out coldly. "Tell me, how much money did you make off of her?"

"Oh Mr. Holmes, as a man of logic you must understand. Our ancestors didn't crawl to the top with mercy and love. Nothing might deserve this but what can they do when they get it?" With that he kicked the rabbit sideways as if to prove his point but the smile on his face made it seem as if it was just for his amusement.

"How do you think all the vaccines were made? To save lives, lives must be wasted. Do you know the official name we categorized mankind in? Homo Sapien, wise man in Latin, interesting isn't it? But after all we are all just animals, Mr. Holmes."

Sherlock looked away, he had failed…

"Now, I am a man of action and not one prone to idle around. So, I present you with two choices. You may choose to drop everything. Forget the note, forget the rabbit and the bully. You forget everything that has happened and we may never have to cross paths again." He paused. "But if you insist on wading in these deep waters, I'll make sure you never see the land again."

With a snap of his fingers, a red dot appeared on John's chest.

"Now, make your decision."

"We'll float thank you very much."

With that the rope dropped to the floor as John pounced and took him by the collar before pointing a swiss army knife to his jugular vein.

"Don't worry. I'm just an aspiring doctor. I know exactly where your veins are." John grinned seeing the villain freeze. "Now, you order the sniper to put down his gun and tell us where Moran is. Or I'll just have to crush the head of a snake."

"Mr. Watson, I'm afraid you know nothing."

The world spun around John before an excruciating pain came from his side which was thrown to the ground. He could only stare as James jumped onto Sherlock who was still holding his head in pain.

*BANG*

A stream of crimson blood started trickling onto the white ceramic floor. John and Sherlock could only look to each other in shock as the realization dawned on them. James had saved Sherlock…

Sherlock could only stare blankly at the dying man in front of him. This was impossible, he was J. M. why would he…?

But what if he wasn't JM?

"Who are you?" Sherlock asked aggressively holding the man by his shoulders.

"My name… is James Sheppard. Sa..save yourselves. I… I work for-

*BANG*

The man's body fell unto Sherlock once more from the second shot which was just centimeters from his heart.

"Moriarty."

That was the last word that came out of Sheppard's mouth before he fell limp under Sherlock's unbelieving gaze.

"John!" Sherlock pulled John behind him and the body as another bullet hit where John would've been if Sherlock hadn't pulled him away.

"Sherlock, what do we do?" John looked to Sherlock, fear written clearly in his watery blue eyes.

"We'll have to use his body as a shield. The door is just on our right, I have some paperclips and with luck we'll make it out of here." Sherlock looked back with determination. "John, believe in me."

John nodded firmly setting his lips into a straight line. He just had to trust Sherlock.

They started making their way towards the door. There were counters in the room which provided some cover. Sometimes the shot would hit the counters but almost always they hit Sheppard's body, they were dealing with a real marksman here. All it would take was one mistake and death would be inevitable for one of them.

Suddenly John felt a searing pain shoot from his calf. He gave a yelp of pain as he collapsed onto the floor, clutching unto his calf. It had only been a graze but it was unlike any other pain he had ever experienced before, he felt paralyzed by the pain.

The sniper had changed his angle.

"John!" Sherlock quickly started inspecting John's bleeding calf.

"Sherlock, you have to go on. I'll be fine." John squeezed out a smile. "The world needs a Sherlock Holmes more than it needs a John Watson."

"Well this Sherlock Holmes needs his John Watson more than the world." Sherlock took his scarf and started tying it around the wound tightening it a little too much and making John wince. "Don't you dare value my life above yours."

John's eyes widened as he heard a choking sound coming from Sherlock. Was he crying…?

"Are you alright?"

"Of course I'm fine, now come on." Sherlock took John's arm and started carrying him. Just a few more steps until the door which separated life from death.

Sherlock started picking at the lock as John held the body in front of them both. They were so close…so close.

John's eyes entire body froze as a shadow slipped down one of the pillars. He looked to Sherlock who was oblivious to it all picking furiously at the lock. He couldn't help but panic, his breathes hitching as he started rummaging through his own pockets for anything useful.

The shadow grew ever closer but Sherlock wasn't done, they were going to die here, unknown to the rest of the world, and all it took was two bullets.

A gun fell out of the dead man's pocket and John scrambled to pick it up.

"Stay away!" John aimed at the shadow with trembling hands, every muscle in his body tensed up and adrenaline rushed through his veins.

The shadow merely raised up their hands and stopped, their motion slow as if amused at all of this.

*Click*

John's speeding heart slowed down a bit as he heard the lock open. But this wave of relief was cut short as the shadow started running towards them.

John tried to pull the trigger but his body seemed to be frozen in place by sheer horror. He wasn't prepared for this… he didn't want blood on his hands…

Suddenly he felt a pair of cool, bony hands pull off the safety and wrap around his own trembling hands.

"I'll take the blame."

And together they fired.

*CRASH*

The man fell as the light crashed on top of his shoulders. He seemed to be barely conscious and a growl of rage which was not unlike one that a wolf lets out after losing its prey escaped from the man's bared teeth.

John could only stare at the man as he was pulled up by Sherlock who took one of arms and held his waist to carry him along.

"We're almost there John."

John turned to look at Sherlock who was now all rid of his usual aloof demeanor. His grey eyes were set like steel and his lips were pressed tightly together as if holding something back.

"We'll be *sniff* ok."

The tears came out like broken strands of pearls as they stepped slowly out of the deadly room. They walked out side by side into the unknown corridor both sobbing silently out of joy and fear.

It wasn't over yet and they will have to go through even more together down the road. But for now at least, they had each other. And that was all John could ask for as they walked in silent comradery.