Chapter 10

"What the hell do you think you are doing?!" I screamed at my brother. He barely spared a glance for me, his steely blue eyes were focused on James, and the hatred behind them scared me.

"Cassandra step away from him now," Sherlock commanded.

"Like hell I will! You have no right to come in here and pull a gun on someone just because I decided to snog him! Put that thing away now before I make you!"

"This is not a case of protective brother I assure you. Listen to me Cassandra, that man is James Moriarty. He is so evil he is barely human. He attempted to have John and I killed a while back and I am sure this is all part of some elaborate plot of his, so get behind me now." My hurt lurched at his words, I wasn't sure how many more shocks I could take in one night, I felt like I was on the edge of a nervous breakdown. I know I had never asked James what he did for a living, but this was preposterous! He couldn't be some sort of evil mastermind could he? But then how would he have met Sherlock in the first place? And I did meet James on the same day that Sherlock decided to pay me a visit...but it could all still be a coincidence. The gears of my brain felt like they were smoking, logic and love were fighting a bitter battle inside me and it was making me sick. Sherlock was lying...he had to be. I glanced back at James but he wasn't saying a word to defend himself, he was just smirking at Sherlock like this was all a game.

"You better have a good explanation for all this..." I growled at James. "Did you really try to kill my brother?" James sighed and looked down at his immaculate shoes.

"I may have had a disagreement with him yes...but it was obviously resolved without bloodshed so I say let bygones be bygones."

"Oh don't try to feed her some half story in the hopes that you can still crawl into her bed. Tell her who you really are Moriarty. See if she still cares for you then!" Sherlock gloated triumphantly. That was the final straw for me. I couldn't think with both of them here, my head literally felt as if it was cracking open. I swiftly reached up and snatched the gun out of his hands; he never did keep a good enough grip on his weapons. He tried to grab it back from me but I smacked his knuckles viciously with the butt of the gun.

"Try that again and I will shoot you. Now go stand over there where I can see you both." Sherlock dejectedly moved next to James wringing his injured appendage. My hands were shaking so badly I almost dropped the gun but I needed answers now.

"Don't you dare lie to me James, is what my brother says true. What do you really do for a living?" James splayed his hands out in front of him in a gesture of innocence and tried to take a step toward me.

"No!" I shouted. "Stay there...just tell me the truth..."

"Kitten...I wanted to tell you but you have to understand I thought it was too soon. I wanted to get to know you better before I tried to broach this subject. But if you must know I am a consulting criminal...people pay me to set up crimes for them because I am smart enough to make sure they don't get caught. Sherlock has been interfering with my clients so I did threaten him...I know it sounds bad but please just give me another chance. I just couldn't stand the thought of scaring you off but I was going to tell you the truth of everything eventually."

"Don't listen to him Cassandra he is just manipulating you to get to me! This is all just some sick trick," Sherlock snarled.

"I know you believe everything is about you Sherlock, honestly your ego is so exhausting," James teased.

"Shut up now! Both of you just shut up!" Both men jumped at my outburst and instantly fell silent.

"I need time to think without you two bickering, so both of you get out of my house now!" James lowered his eyes, but not before I saw the look of absolute hopelessness in them, pity tugged at my heartstrings but I stamped it down ruthlessly.

"Go? Go where I might ask? Last time I checked I was staying here!" Sherlock stuttered looking so baffled I would have laughed if I wasn't so upset.

"That isn't my problem, you can go sleep at the Cross and Keys or in a bush for all I care! Now leave before I really lose my temper. And don't you dare kill each other on the way out or I will bring you back from the dead and kill you again myself!" I saw James grin at that but I was in no mood. When neither of them made any move to get up, I pulled the hammer back on the gun and the click echoed ominously in the silence.

"Well Sherlock I guess we should be going." James brushed by me graceful and as he passed he tucked a folded piece of paper into my pocket. Sherlock followed behind, he wouldn't even look at me and honestly I couldn't blame him, but I couldn't have either of them in my house right now. As the door slammed shut behind Sherlock, I heaved out a breath and almost collapsed as my legs began to shake uncontrollably. I dead bolted the door behind them, not that I really thought they would try to come back in after that scene I had just made but I wanted to be safe.

I dragged myself into my bedroom, my movie and ice cream forgotten about in the other room. I unloaded the gun and dropped it on my nightstand table, then pulled out my phone and sent a quick text to John telling him not to come back to my flat tonight. Then I turned it off completely. I wasn't emotionally stable enough to deal with anything else.

The sobs I had been trying to hold back finally broke through my defenses and I collapsed on my bed in a pile of misery. I had truly believed that I had met the most perfect man in the world and he was a psychotic criminal who had tried to kill my brother...

I don't know how long I cried but eventually exhaustion overtook me and I sunk into peaceful oblivion.

Sherlock's POV:

I leaned back against the door to Cassandra's flat just as she slid the deadbolt home, the sound was as loud as a gunshot in my ears. I couldn't believe she had actually thrown me out, I was only trying to protect her from Moriarty and she had pulled a gun on me...well I did have a gun to her boyfriend...but that is just a small detail. Speaking of the aforementioned boyfriend, he was lounging insolently against the other wall. I had been hoping he would just leave, I was in no mood to deal with him tonight. First the moor, then that awful scene I made with John, now this! My head was pounding, I shouldn't have drunk all that scotch.

"What are you planning Moriarty?" I asked wearily. "Why do you have to involve my sister. Is that the only way you can get to me now? By threatening my friends and family? It isn't very original, honestly I am quite disappointed."

"Well those are two different questions completely...which one do you want me to answer first?"

"Oh don't tell me she isn't involved somehow, you wouldn't go to all this trouble if it didn't involve me."

"Honestly Sherlock your ego needs to be deflated, did it never occur to you that I am generally interested in dating your sister. I don't see why it should affect you, you two aren't exactly the picture perfect family. You haven't even seen her for a year."

I reached into the pocket of my jacket for the gun that was no longer there because Cassandra now had it. Moriarty noticed, of course, and an evil grin split his face.

"Ah ah ah Sherlock remember what your darling sister said, you can't touch me."

"Actually I believe her exact words were…and don't you dare kill each other on the way out…and I spot numerous loopholes in that statement don't you? And believe me if you hurt her, I won't kill you. Oh no...I will make you suffer though."

"Oh Sherlock how you bore me! Now could we move this argument out of the hallway, I am not sure about you but I am not keen on the idea of Cassandra hearing us out here and making good on her threat of killing us. I wouldn't put it past her..." If I hadn't known better, I would have said a fond smile had passed over Moriarty's face for just a second, but when I looked closer it was gone. It must have been my imagination. I followed him as he strolled down the hall, I didn't want to admit it, but he was probably right about Cassandra. She did have a temper on her and I had already pushed her too far tonight.

"Well if you won't talk about my sister then tell me, why are you drugging Henry Knight? I know it has to be a drug...what else could make someone hallucinate like that...but why? To what purpose are you driving this man insane?"

"Why do you think I have anything to do with it?" Moriarty smirked.

"Because you are here, obviously. There is no other logical reason for you to be in Grimpon, so you must have something to do with this. Did someone hire you or is this some sick game you are just enjoying?"

"I really don't think you are in the position to interrogate me Sherlock. You have no weapon no leverage...I feel no need to tell you anything. But if you are as smart as I think you are, you will figure it out soon enough I am sure." They had left Cassandra's flat now, the cool night air was making their breath visible, like puffs of smoke, which of course made me long for a cigarette.

"Well this has been fun, but duty calls Sherlock. I will be seeing you soon, I guarantee it." Before he could turn away I grabbed him by his collar of his coat and lifted him up off the ground.

"Stay away from my sister, or I will make it my mission in life to hunt you down and kill you, and you do not want me as an enemy." Moriarty laughed a high pitched sound that did nothing for my headache.

"Why do you think I want to hurt her Sherlock? Can you not trust her judgment on this? You can't control her heart"

"She may have been fooled into believing that you have a heart Moriarty, but I know better and you cannot trick me."

"Did you know I have a sister?"

"No I did not. I have absolutely no interest in your personal life so it never occurred to me to ask."

"Well her name is Lalaith, and I care for her dearly. You are me Sherlock, you know that, but you have never once considered going after my family, of looking them up so you can use them against me. I know you aren't going to believe me, but for once I had no evil intentions behind this. We just ran into each other, I didn't even know who she was until later on. So yes this may look suspicious, but I have been seeing her for some time and I haven't once used her as leverage against you. So maybe you could just give me the benefit of the doubt before you decide what is best for your sister."

"She could never love a monster like you!" I snarled throwing Moriarty backwards with all the strength I could muster. Much to my disappointment, he landed on his feet. "I won't let you manipulate her, and now that she knows the truth you can't hide behind your facade any longer."

"We shall see Sherlock. Until next time." He tipped an imaginary hat at me before he walked away. I grinned as I realized he was favoring his right foot, I had done some damage after all. Left alone at last, I realized I had no idea where to go now. John was most likely still at the Cross and Keys, and even though I was regretting my words earlier, I was in no mood to see him right now. Well there was only one other place I could try, not everything could go wrong tonight right?

I walked the familiar path back to the cozy looking flat about a block away from Cassy's and knocked on the door.