John watched as his best friend blanked out in front of him. Mycroft wasn't looking too stable either.
"Someone start talking. Now."
John's demand cut through whatever was gripping the brothers.
"John, imagine the worst human being and infinitely multiply it." Mycroft quietly stated.
Molly's voice floated from the other end of the room.
"So, Moriarty then."
"Moriarty would be sane and rational in comparison Molly." Mycroft answered.
"That is a bit of an overstatement. Isn't it?" John quipped.
Sherlock's eyes just bored through John. John flinched under the look.
"Moriarty would be sickened by most of what this... thing has done. John."
Sherlock couldn't even call him human? That is frightening.
"Fantomas dosed random perfume bottles in Paris, with sulfuric acid. 20 deaths. 80 disfigurements." Mycroft stated.
"Remember, the cruise ship Carnival Triumph? There was a fire in the engines and the entire ship turned into a floating disaster?" Sherlock asked.
"Yes."
"The thing caused it. The people were infected with the plague, John. The Plague!"
"Wait. That isn't what was reported."
"John do you really think that the C.I.A. and Obama would tell the world that they had a plague infected ship?" Sherlock calmly stated.
"The panic, John. This Fantomas, does not need any encouragement." Mycroft added.
"It has as network of apaches that cover Paris completely."
"Oh like your homeless network."
"No, they are street thugs!"
John looked surprised at Sherlock's outburst.
"Sorry John. I know you meant no insult."
John was trying not to smile. Sherlock just defended his network. He didn't treat them with much outward respect. Until someone insulted them. John nodded at Sherlock that his apology was accepted.
"Is he based in Paris, Sherlock?"
"Yes, Molly but he can influence worldwide."
"Ok. Why would he be teamed up with Magnussen?" John asked.
"I truly fear that answer." Mycroft softly said.
"Maybe Magnussen is growing tired of just blackmailing his way into power?Mycroft, now is the time to confess. What does he have on you? You looked..nervous when you came in."
Mycroft studied his younger brother. Sherlock could see more of him than most.
Other than you?
"On me, Magnussen, has nothing."
Sherlock raised an eyebrow at that.
"Nothing more than office scuttlebutt."
Sherlock turned away from Mycroft and mouthed to John and Molly;
"Basically, who is in his little black book."
Mycroft didn't have to see Sherlock's lips to know what he just said. Mycroft smiled and announced;
"At least I had one."
Molly and John winced. They both looked at Sherlock waiting for a comeback. Sherlock just sighed.
"Touché Mycroft."
"Don't need it now." Mycroft softly added.
John and Molly saw a smile trying to pull at Sherlock's lips. John and Molly exchanged a look before uttering a duel:
"Awwww."
Sherlock gave into the smile. Mycroft rolled his eyes with a sigh.
"Oh, Please. Would you like to now know what was bothering me?"
"Yes. Please continue."
"Fantomas or Magnussen has broken into your childhood records. The one's that were personally sealed by me. Not Mummy's. Not Father's. Yours, brother dear."
Sherlock, always trying to be in charge of the situation stated:
"Why should that worry you or I? How do you know it was Magnussen?"
Mycroft closed his eyes and sighed.
"Magnussen has already proven that they have and can use the information."
"Wait nothing happened when I was with Sherlock."
"No. It happened when Sherlock demanded,rightly so, that you take a nap."
Molly was now protectively hovering behind Sherlock.
"What did he do to you?"
"Molly and John, Sherlock won't remember. That is what is so scary for me."
Sherlock had a strange mix of rage and fear on his face.
"Before you fly off the handle, Sherlock. Just think. When did it start snowing?"
Mycroft watched as Sherlock stilled for a moment. Sherlock hefted the microscope he was studying as if to throw it. Molly, quickly, grabbed him from behind and held the arm with the scope.
"If you break any more of my equipment I promise you will not set foot in this lab for months."
Sherlock tried moving his arm. He could not. Molly was not the weak kitten everyone thought she was. Molly got a growl in response.
"You can't make me."
Mycroft and John were suitably impressed with the murderous smile Molly produced.
"My lab. Mine. You have always been my guest. You are a dear friend. I believe I have more than proven that to all. Sherlock it doesn't mean you can do what you like in here. Do you understand?"
Sherlock was impressed and shocked. It was a struggle not to let his mouth gape. Mycroft was beaming a true smile to Molly. Sherlock gently placed the scope back on the lab table. Even petting it for emphasis. Sherlock tried to rise from the stool but Molly kept a firm grasp around his torso. Molly whispered in his ear.
"You are safe. Please don't run."
"Getting furious won't help Sherlock." Mycroft stated.
"You don't trust us?" Molly quietly asked.
"Of course I trust you all with my life. I find this embarrassing."
"Why? What does snow have to do with it?"
"I can't totally control my brain, John."
"Since when did you become a robot?"
"You have called me a machine."
"Sod it! Sherlock! I'm sorry. It was said in anger. I thought you said you heard me."
"I did, John. This...scares me."
Molly loosened her grip. Sherlock felt the warmth from her radiating into his back. Sherlock gently leaned into Molly with a sigh. Sherlock closed his eyes to retreat into his Mind Palace.
When did I blank out? What was the last thing I remember?
Mycroft could see Sherlock wasn't going to tell them anything.
"John. Molly. Sherlock can be induced into seizures."
"He isn't an Epileptic. I know that. So what type of seizures are you referring to?"
"John I believe the correct term is an Absence seizure."
"Explain John. Please."
Molly quietly asked. She was afraid to bother Sherlock too much. John turned and looked at Molly. Sherlock had relaxed into Molly's embrace. His head was leaned back into Molly's right shoulder. His face wore a serious expression. Sherlock's eyes danced beneath closed lids.
"Molly the major symptom involves a brief, sudden lapse of consciousness. Mycroft when was his first seizure?"
"Age nine."
"How many more has he had?"
"Five in total before this."
"How old was he when the last one happened? Before tonight."
"Fifteen."
Molly could see John was onto something.
"John?"
"Sherlock shouldn't have been triggered as an adult."
"Why?"
"Molly he should have outgrown it. Almost all children do."
"I'm a liability now."
Sherlock had not changed position. It sounded to all like he was sleep talking.
"When have you not been?" Mycroft said.
Sherlock was reconstructing the events right before his world went white. Mycroft filtered into the scene. Sherlock picked up the empty box and threw it at him. Mycroft disappeared.
Molly didn't move as Sherlock's right hand grasped at something that wasn't there and heaved it at Mycroft. Surprisingly, Mycroft ducked. John and Molly laughed.
"I do believe he heard you." John stated.
"Obviously."
Sherlock finally realized what had triggered him. He had four distinct lines of thought going when everything went white.
First, Mycroft needs to look at the property reports. He can call more resources to bear. He also needs to return to his post. There is a storm coming.
Second:What chemical were in those test tubes? Molly needs to swab those. How or do they tie into the concrete?
Third: What does Bing Crosby have to do with any if this? Is it a time mark?
Fourth: How long do we have before he starts harming the hostages? Why are they toying with us? What is the motive?
Then it started snowing in Lestrade's office. Sherlock was about to leave when he felt a vibration. The source could only be Molly. Had she coughed? Sherlock's mind was silent. The white out was almost complete.
Sherlock focused on the sound. Molly's laugh radiated through Sherlock. The snowflakes themselves were vibrating with her laugh. Sherlock was intrigued with the effect a simple laugh was having on him. Memories of John's laugh had gotten him through the tough nights of his "death".
I'm more than hearing Molly's laughter. I'm feeling it.
Sherlock noticed the snow start to disappear. The scene became clear. He immediately forgave John for all the times he resisted human contact when in his mind place.
"My transport is contaminating my intellect. Please only touch me if it is an emergency."
John stuck to that rule. Sherlock could see he was wrong in enforcing it. Molly's laugh let him see what had happened. Finally.
Sherlock opened his eyes and slightly turned his head to look at Molly. Her eyes were glistening from the laughter. She truly looked stunning. Sherlock's movements had gone unnoticed by everyone so far.
John's statement of: "I really drew him out and mucked him up." was rather harshly couched but true. Sherlock was gradually learning to control his emotions. He found it better to give into them in a controlled way rather than hiding from them. John's reactions or lack of them helped Sherlock a lot.
Sherlock closed his eyes again to a memory that Molly would likely categorize as a "warm and fuzzy" one. It had been two weeks since Moriarty tried to explode John. They were working on the murder of a CFO from a manufacturing company. The murderer was so sloppy that the evidence was all muddled. No one was a clear suspect. Everyone was frustrated. John had left Sherlock thinking on the couch for grocery shopping. Sherlock had gotten up five minutes after John left to put on some music.
"If I can't think maybe I can relax." Sherlock told The Skull.
Vivaldi's Orlando furioso floated into the room from the stereo. Sherlock reclined on the couch and let the music wrap around him. Sherlock was minimally aware that John had returned in the middle of Act Two. Sherlock drifted back into the music.
John had quietly put the groceries away and stood before Sherlock. All the tension was gone from his face. He was alternately conducting and playing violin to the music. John sat down and quietly listened. He had heard opera before. It was a complex piece. John would later research the piece. He was curious as to what started the tears rolling down his friend's face. A small snuffle alerted John of their presence. They continued till the music petered out. John always knew what to do.
"Sherlock that was beautiful. You need to tell me about it."
Sherlock opened his eyes and realized that his face and collar were a bit beyond damp. Only then did he realize he had been crying. John's smile calmed Sherlock's fears that he would think this outburst a weakness. John handed him a box of tissues and went to make tea.
Sherlock suddenly realized why John had "detoxed" Mycroft. Sherlock had solved the CFO's murder within 24 hours of his outburst. John explained that Sherlock had been holding on to a lot of stress. It eventually paralyzed his logic. Sherlock had, unknowingly, relaxed enough to let go of the stress. The trick was to monitor his stress level. That is after he could admit to feeling stress.
John had made a quick decision that Mycroft needed it more than Sherlock. Sherlock was shocked with the state John had put Mycroft in. Mycroft was smiling and happy about it. John obviously had some sort of deep insight on Holmes' psychology. Sherlock had to admit that Mycroft's attitude was much more like when they were both young. Thus the two of them could work easily together.
And John calls me a manipulative bastard.
Sherlock opened his eyes with a smile.
"Thank you Molly."
Sherlock slightly turned his face and placed a kiss on Molly's cheek. A few years ago, that would have sent her into a tailspin. They had both grown since then. Molly smiled at him as her cheeks darkened.
"Your thanking me for being a pillow?"
Sherlock could read the smile on her face. Half serious. Half teasing.
"No and Yes. Yes you are quite comfortable to lean against. You cleared the snow away Molly."
John noticed Mycroft gasping silently.
"No one has explained the snow yet. But, you are welcome."
Sherlock raised his head and stretched.
"The snow refers to everything going white when the seizure hits. I call it going snow blind."
"Sherly. Did you figure out how the seizure initiates?
"Yes I did."
"Can you control it?"
"I will attempt to next time Mycroft."
Mycroft sighed and leaned forward.
"That is all I ask."
Mycroft's phone rang. He answered and put it on speaker.
"Greetings Greg. Have you found it yet?"
"We have found one. Still looking for the others. Mycroft I need all of you back here."
"Oh Lord! Is Varley there?"
"Not yet but he is on his way over. Sherlock and John I need you two for bug hunting. Before we can do much else."
"What do you want me to finish Sherlock?"
"Molly, I'm sorry but I need Sherlock here."
"Greg. You all are only a phone call away."
Mycroft disconnected and started for the door. Sherlock and John followed him out the door and down the hall. Mycroft stopped.
"I will return in a moment."
Mycroft turned and went back to the lab.
"Forgot his umbrella." John noted.
Mycroft quietly opened the door and noticed Molly running another test.
"Mycroft?"
"Forgot my umbrella. Also I want to thank you."
"Why?"
"Those stupid seizures have scared me since he had his first one. I don't need to know how you did it. I am just grateful you did."
Molly wasn't the greatest at reading body language but took a chance anyway. She opened her arms toward Mycroft and nodded. Soon she was getting a warm bear hug from one of the most powerful men in England.
"My pleasure. Anytime Mycroft."
Sherlock and John looked in from the cracked door and smiled.