"You're the...what?" John stepped back a second to have a look at the man in front of him. Sherlock gave him a reassuring nod that this man was not one of Moriarty's. "Doctor who?"
The Doctor laughed. "I love it when you do that. So many questions, so little time. Not really, though, I have all of time and space. But no. I can't. It's just the Doctor." He gave John a wide grin that made John wonder if this man was all there.
"I see...Doctor." Sherlock walked around, all three men standing in a triangular shape facing each other. "This is him?"
Sherlock nodded.
"I don't understand. You say I died...then..."
"We went back in time just a bit and knocked old snipey out so he did not hear the signal to um...yeah! You're alive!"
Sherlock looked at John who was still trying to process everything. "Doctor, I think we should show him your vessel. I myself am rather curious to have a closer look at it."
The Doctor jumped, fiddling in his jacket for his key. "Yes! Allons...uh, let's go!"
They climbed to the top of the building on Baker Street to find a blue police box.
John looked around. "I don't recall that being there before."
"This is the TARDIS. Time and relative dimension in space. T-A-R-D-I-S. That spells TARDIS! It's an anagram! I love anagrams! Anagrams are cool!" The Doctor unlocked the door and stepped aside for them to go in. "Have a look inside." He raised in eyebrows in expectation.
John went in first, mumbling about how unbelievable this is, thinking this mad man was going to lock them in this blue box and run away with the key. But he trusted Sherlock.
"Wha-" John looked around with his mouth as wide as a fish. "How the...Sherlock?" John walked around, looking at the lights, the humming, the size. "It's..." John walked back out, then went around the TARDIS full circle before going back in. "Bigger on the inside."
"Ha! Yes it is! I should record all of these instances. They're so fun!" The Doctor threw his arms out to showcase the TARDIS. "This is my time machine. Can travel anywhere at anytime. Would you like a trip? I can take you everywhere at every time! Name it. I love companions."
John and Sherlock both looked at each other.
"Doctor." Sherlock placed a hand on John's shoulder. "I cannot thank you enough for saving John's life. But unfortunately, we have a major problem we have to fix. And-"
"Problem solved! Or will be! I love fixing things, helping people. I can never say no! Is it that man who killed you, well, now, almost killed you. Is he-"
KnockKnockKnock
"Well, who could that be?" John wondered, as the Doctor opened the door and yelped in surprise.
John pointed his gun and Sherlock turned just in time to see the Doctor yanked out of the TARDIS.
"Come on out, dears and introduce me to your new friend!" Jim said in a motherly tone, full of fake kindness.
"John, stay back." Sherlock made to go forward, but John protested.
"No, Sherlock, I'm the one holding a gun, let-" Sherlock yanked it out of John's hand, giving him a pleading look. John rolled his eyes and followed John.
"Stay in the doorway." Sherlock whispered.
John agreed, not liking his constant roll as the damsel in distress.
"Hello, Sherlock." The Doctor was waving, Jim pointing a gun to him. "Is this the man you were talking about?" The Doctor pointed at Jim with his hand shaped like a gun, clicking his thumb as if shooting his makeshift gun.
"Who the hell is he?" Jim asked Sherlock, not liking an added member to the group.
"This is the Doctor."
"Doctor who?"
The Doctor couldn't help but exhale into an almost laughter, even when Jim gave him a look that said to cut it out.
"You think you're funny?" Jim jeered.
"Well, I like to have fun, therefore I guess I am-"
"SHUT-UP!" Jim exploded. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath to compose himself. "You know what? I don't care who you are, I just want you out of my way, so I can kill John and destroy my enemy once and for all. Do you mind?"
"Actually, I do, cause see, I'm here to help them stop you, and-" The Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver, buzzing it on Jim's gun. Jim tried to shoot, but nothing happened.
"What did you do?" Jim poked the Doctor in the chest roughly.
The Doctor whined a little, rubbing his chest. "Careful! I've got two hearts in here, so please!"
Jim turned back to Sherlock. "Oh, Johnny boy! I know you're in there. Come out and play."
"John, stay in there!" Sherlock called.
Jim pulled a knife out of his jacket. It was smaller than the butcher knife he used earlier on Sherlock, but it still hooked dangerously, shimmering in the daylight.
"Now, come on, let's be civil and-" Jim pointed the knife at the Doctor, who backed away slowly with his hands up.
Jim continued stalking towards Sherlock. "I really don't appreciate you erasing my artwork. I'm going to have to start all over. That pretty little jacket. It's too perfect for someone like you. Let me readjust a few things. Here." Jim cut off a button. Sherlock remained frozen in place. "Here." Another button fell to the ground. "Here." Jim was about to cut open Sherlock's shoulder again when a bullet knocked the knife out of his hand.
"That's enough." John kept his gun positioned at Jim.
Jim laughed. "Well, it's about time you showed up! What were you doing in that little closet? Praying for Sherlock to come and sweep you off your feet so you can ride off into the sunset?"
"We're going to stop you this time. I've checked the perimeter, and Moran nor any of your snipers are not around, thanks to the heating signal of the TARDIS."
"The what?" Jim was getting angry.
"You were stupid enough to come into our home alone with no backup."
Jim faked a girlish "ugh" sound. "That was not a very nice thing to say to a mad genius. I did come with some back-up, though. Just not the usual type." Before anyone could react, Jim pulled out a needle, stabbing it into Sherlock's neck.
"NO!" John shot Moriarty in the shoulder, who collapsed on the floor. He got up and ran away as John and the Doctor both went to Sherlock.
"John...I-" Sherlock collapsed, John catching his head before it hit the ground. "Same...drug..."
"No. No, not again. Please, God, not again." John looked to the Doctor.
The Doctor's mind was trying to figure out what to do. He looked up at John. "Get him in the TARDIS." He helped John help Sherlock to his feet and into the TARDIS. It disappeared as soon as the door shut.
Jim was holding his shoulder, still in pain, but stared in horror at the sight before him that was slowly vanishing into thin air. "WHAT THE HELL?!"
"Take us back."
The Doctor was fiddling with his screwdriver, Sherlock's head in John's lap.
"You heard me." The Doctor looked at John, who had an angry, determined look on his face. "Now."
"I'm sorry."
"No. You did it for me, you can do it for him."
"I can't."
"Why bloody not? I will not have him living like a vegetable again. He deserves so much more than that."
"He does."
"Then go back."
"I can't do that because being a timelord, one can sense it's future self and as soon as we would even make eye contact with each other...everything will...destroy itself. All of your reality. I won't be the cause of another..." He could not say it. But he was not going to pull genocide again.
John breathed out through his nose audibly to show his frustration.
"John?"
"Sherlock? You're alright. We're going to have you in tip-top shape in no time. I promise."
"The same...drug..."
"I know, I know. But that doesn't matter. The Doctor will help." John gave a look that said no exceptions.
"Hang on." The Doctor ran out of the room for a second.
John focused back on Sherlock. "How did you not know?"
"I was too concerned about you and your safety." Sherlock closed his eyes for a second. "You are first."
John had tears in his eyes, kissing Sherlock upside down. "You idiot. I've ruined your mind."
"No. You've saved me. In more ways than even I can think of."
"I've got it!" The Doctor appeared over Sherlock and John, John sitting up in surprise. He can't keep up with him. "This-" He held up a little bottle that had some alien writing on it. "is an anecdote I was given by a sweet friend of mine that sucks the poison of any kind out of the body almost instantly."
John looked at it like it was the drug again, protectively wrapping his arms around Sherlock. "Who?"
"Trust me when I say, we go waaaaay back when and now and forward and-"
"Oh, for crying out loud, just give...me it." Sherlock was beginning to feel numb again, his head spinning. He jerked it out of the Doctor's hand and chugged the liquid down. It burned like a strong drink, but then his head cleared. He was fine.
"Sherlock?"
Sherlock looked up at John, then started to sit up and turned to face John. "I'm fine."
John laughed and they kissed. The Doctor let out a huge sigh. These two dying all of the time was going to be the end of him. They were like toddlers who had to be watched 24/7.
"Doctor?" Said man turned to look at John, who had stood with Sherlock just behind him. "I'm sorry for earlier...I-"
"Ahh...John, don't worry. Time travel is not always the answer. When one repeats a scenario too much, things get worse. Everything happens for a reason."
John frowned for a second in thought. "So, the first time Sherlock was...sick...why weren't you there."
"I regret to say that I could not stop this whole mess to begin with, but if I had, you two would have...well..."
"John?" John turned to look at Sherlock. "During that time...I got to spend every waking moment with you. And I came to realize that...I..."
"Wait." John cut him off. The Doctor felt sorrow in his heart. He knew the consequences of not saying it. Because it must always be said. "I get it. And, for the record...William Sherlock Scott Holmes...I love you."
They kissed again, Sherlock breaking him off for just a moment. "I love you, John. More than anything." After another kiss, Sherlock looked to the Doctor, feeling very awkward. "I...uh..."
"Don't. Please. You have no idea how happy I am for you two lovebirds." The Doctor smiled a genuine relief that he could never explain.
Sherlock's phone buzzed, Lestrade alerting him of another case. Clearly, Jim was bored and had caused more mayhem.
"Another case?" John knew what was coming.
"Moriarty has killed one of the Royal Guard." He looked up at the Doctor. "We best be off, then, Doctor." He held out his hand, to which the Doctor grabbed and pulled him and John both into a hug.
"You two boys look after each other now. Go and live."
"Will we be seeing you again?" John asked.
The Doctor just winked and walked them out onto the roof of their home. "You will. Just keep a lookout." He saluted them before setting off into the unknown."
"Well, then, that was...unexpected." John summed up the last hour or so.
"John." Sherlock took John's hand, staring into his eyes with assurance. "I love you."
John kissed him again. "I love you, too, Sherlock. And I always will."
The two ran down the stairs, calling a cab to meet Lestrade at Buckingham Palace.
No more tricks. No more repeats. Sherlock and John were living. For the here and now.
A/N: Wow! I was so happy and sad writing this fic. Thank-you to all of my readers! I love this story, and even though it has come to a close, I'm very satisfied. Left it at a not-really cliffhanger. They're running off into the sunset, but instead of running away from Jim, they are running to him to save the day! Yea! Oh, and BTW the Doctor was given the anecdote by River, just in case you didn't get it, sweetie! ;) Thank-you again! And check out my Wholock story "O Fortuna" and my Avengers fic "That's It!"