"It's Jim, isn't it? He shot someone, shot himself or got shot. Any scenario is believable with him."
She looked at him. "The Jim you know, maybe."
"What do you mean?" He turned to her with a raised eyebrow.
"Jim. My Jim. This wouldn't happen."
"What do you mean this wouldn't happen?" John gestured to the blood on the floor. "Do you not see what I see?"
"I.. I do. But..."
"But what?"
"But I can't believe this."
"How can you not believe it?" John yelled at her. He noticed a trail of blood that he missed when they walked in. It ran all the way outside. "Follow me. Stay close." She did just that and didn't mind not answering his question. John, with Elizabeth closely behind, walked out the door and down the empty street following the drops of blood here and there. They turned the corner to see a dark figure running away. The man seemed to be clutching his shoulder as he ran. He also ran with a limp. "Who is that?" John asked Elizabeth.
"I..." She said. "I don't know."
"Hey!" John shouted at the man. He looked back then kept running as fast as he could with his limp. "Stay here." John instructed Elizabeth and ran after the man. John's limp magically went away.
She walked after him. The man kept running, knowing someone was following him.
"Hey! Stop!" John shouted as he got closer to the man. He started to look familiar. The man turned his head around enough for John to recognize him. "Sherlock! Stop!" John called and managed to catch up to him.
Sherlock took John's arm and pulled him into an alley, out of Elizabeth's sight. "John."
"Sherlock! What happened? Who did this? Was it Jim?" John examined Sherlock's shoulder and leg.
"It was Jim but it was an accident."
"What was? What happened?"
Sherlock heard Elizabeth's footsteps as she came closer. "I can't tell you now, I have to go. She can't see me. Not like this." Sherlock ran as fast as he could around the corner. Even though he has a bullet in his leg, it didn't stop him, he fought through the pain.
Elizabeth came around the corner. "Who was that?"
"I have no idea."
"I saw him pull you in here? What did he want?"
"He mumbled about something like time and space. I think he was a loony." John said as he shrugged.
"No sign of Jim?"
"Nope. Look, why don't you head back and gather your belongings. I'll continue to search the vicinity for him."
She nodded. "Alright. Be careful." She headed back to Jim's.
John dialed up Sherlock as soon as Elizabeth was out of sight. "John."
"She's gone back to Jim's to grab her stuff. What's going on?"
"Stay there. I'm coming back to you."
"Alright." It isn't long before Sherlock's coming around the corner again.
"John." Sherlock said out of breath. "Jim. He's in danger."
"What's going on?"
"He's going to kill himself."
"What? Where? Wait, why... Do we care?"
"Because he loves my sister. And she loves him. Despite your feelings for her."
"But she. She said she spoke with him this morning. She was going to get her stuff."
"God John. You think that after spending so much time with me you would know how to make a simple deduction." Sherlock stated in his normal, mocking voice.
"Okay, so I'm dumb. Fill me in."
"Elizabeth isn't leaving him because of who he is. She knew what she was signing up for when she started seeing him. She is leaving him because of me." Sherlock pulled out his phone, flinching at the sharp pain in his shoulder. "Here, read this message I received from Jim right after he left the park this morning."
Sherlock, our game was fun. I do wish we meet again in another life.
JM
John was confused. "Alright, but how is her leaving him your fault?"
"I can't explain now. All I know is when I opened his door, he had a gun pressed to his head. I ran to grab it from him but he hit the trigger and it shot my shoulder and my leg. He was crying, John. And real tears." Sherlock looked over John's shoulder and spotted Elizabeth coming around the corner. "I've got to go. I'll meet you and Elizabeth back at our– I mean, your flat."
John didn't know what to say. He didn't know what to do. "John? Are you alright?" Elizabeth's gentle hand was on his arm.
"Yes. Of course." He looked at her. "Got all your belongings?"
"Yes." They grabbed a cab back to 221B.
They walked up to the flat and John unlocked it with his key. He opened the door to find Sherlock pinning Jim to the ground. "Sherlock!" John shouted.
Elizabeth saw around his shoulder. "Jim!"
"Do it, Sherlock! Do what I asked you to do!" Jim shouted.
"Jim!" Elizabeth shouted again, pushing past John. "Sherlock get off of him!"
"Don't listen to her, Sherlock! Just kill me! Please!" Jim cried, tears falling down from his eyes.
"No!" She started pulling her brother off of him.
"I have to help him, Elizabeth!" Sherlock shouted, pushing her down.
"No!" She was crying now.
Jim stood up. "You said you wanted me gone forever!" Jim screamed at her.
"I didn't say that!" She looked up at him, tears streaming down her face.
"You don't want to be with me. And if I can't be with you, it doesn't really matter."
"Jim... I couldn't live without you..." Her hand was on his chest. "Don't leave me...please."
"You're lying." He refrained from looking into her eyes.
"I'm not!" She took his face in her hands, making him look at her. "Please."
"Then why did you take all your things?" He pointed to the bag on the floor by the door.
"My aunt left me her house. I was going to move in and bring you later. Surprise you. John was just helping me. I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"But, you," he paused, confused. "When you told me you would grab your stuff it, it sounded like, like I lost you for good."
"I'm never going to leave you."
Suddenly, Sherlock tackled Jim. "Sherlock!" Elizabeth started pulling him off.
"No!" Jim shouted. "This isn't right." Sherlock grabbed his collar. Jim held up a finger. He turned to Elizabeth. "Say it."
"I love you Jim."
Jim gave Sherlock a look and he let go. Jim strode over to her a placed a kiss on her lips. "Thank god." He muttered in between kisses. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Ahem." John cleared his throat. "What is happening now?
"Will you come to my aunt's old house?" Elizabeth said to Jim.
"Of course." Jim smiled and kissed her again.
Sherlock looked at John. "She's not in love with you John. I'm sorry but you were just there for her. Nothing more."
"I know. I always knew. I just, I'm confused." John shrugged.
"Confused about what?" Sherlock said.
"She said she didn't want him."
"When?"
"When... When she kissed me..."
"She kissed you?" There was a small look of disgust on his face. John nodded.
"Huh. I'll never understand the female species."
John shook his head. "How are you doing about Molly?" Sherlock didn't reply. He just looked at Liz; her smiles reminded him of Molly. John grabbed his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sherlock. I know how happy she made you."
Sherlock just nodded. "It was Jim."
"Jim? If he killed her, why were you trying to help him?"
"He wanted me to kill him. Why wouldn't I help?"
"Because it was what he wanted."
"But it meant him dead. How could I not oblige?"
"Because you know that would be too nice." He shrugged.
"Shall we go?" Jim asked, his arms wrapped around her waist.
"We should grab your stuff." Jim helped her out the door. He nodded at Sherlock. Sherlock nodded back. They all grabbed a cab and headed to Jim's place. Sherlock opened the door and spotted someone.
"Hello there."
Jim walked in behind Sherlock. "Moran? What are you doing here?"
Moran looked at Jim. "I need to do something."
John stood behind Elizabeth who took a step back.
"What do you need to do?" Jim asked. "I don't have anything for you."
"I need to kill Sherlock."
"Kill me?" Sherlock questioned. "What for?"
"What?" Elizabeth stepped around Jim.
Jim put his arm out to stop Elizabeth. "Moran, I am no longer in need of your services."
"I understand. I said I need to do something. Not you need me to do something."
"No! You can't kill my brother!" Elizabeth shouted.
"Actually, I can," Moran said.
Moran pulled a gun out and pointed it at Sherlock, he pulled the trigger. Elizabeth jumped in front of Sherlock and got hit in the shoulder.
"Elizabeth!" Jim cried.
She sunk to her knees. Sherlock crouched down and supported her. John hurried to Moran, grabbing the gun and pulling his arm around behind him.
Jim pressed the gun to the back of Moran's head. "If she dies, Moran, you will too."
"She's not going to die." Elizabeth had her eyes squeezed shut, biting her bottom lip.
"And what makes you so sure?" John asked, kneeling down by Elizabeth to inspect the wound.
"It's just one bullet. You've had that. You're still here."
"Molly had one bullet and she's not here." Sherlock stated with a choke. No one said anything. Elizabeth gasped. "That's because I had a good shot.
"Well you had a fairly good shot here too."
"She jumped in the way." Moran shook his head. "Give me my gun! I'll kill Sherlock like you've always wanted to do! And I won't make the horrible mistake of wasting time with silly little game!"
Jim looked at Moran. "You're not going to kill him."
"Why not? Have you grown a soft spot for him now since he's your 'brother-in-law'?"
John intervened, "There's no time for this, we have to get her to a hospital."
"Go! I'll deal with this." Jim said as he drilled the gun into Moran's back. John picked up Elizabeth and carried her away. Sherlock stayed behind with Jim and Moran.
"So, who's this, Jim? An employee?" Sherlock asked, putting his hands behind his back as he walked forward.
"Used to be," Jim said.
"Ouch, are you firing me in front of your enemy? That's insulting." Moran said, mockingly.
"We're not enemies. In fact we're more like best friends." Jim didn't take his eyes off Moran.
"Best friends is a bit of an exaggeration." Sherlock rolled his eyes.
"We know everything about each other, Mr. Holmes."
"Doesn't mean we're friends, Moriarty. You're just my sister's partner to me.
Moran smiled. "Well, this was fun. How about Mr. Holmes and I take a little walk."
"Let him go, Jim. Let's hear what he has to say." Sherlock said as he stepped forward again.
Moran smiled. Jim hesitated before bringing his gun down.
"Shall we go? And Jim, you are welcome to come along." Moran said as he headed for the door, Sherlock not far behind.
Jim looked between them. "I should check on Liz."
They both nodded respectively and said their goodbyes to Jim as he hopped in a cab, still in possession of Moran's gun.
"What can I do for you, Moran?" Sherlock asked when Jim had left.
"Well, since Moriarty fired me, I would like to apply as your assistant." Moran smiled.
"I don't need an assistant," Sherlock said stubbornly.
"I highly doubt that."
"I have John."
"No you don't. He hasn't forgiven you yet."
"Well, the whole world thinks I'm dead. I have no need for an assistant."
"Yes, you do. You need someone to kill Moriarty for you."
"I don't need him dead. I don't want him dead."
"Yes you do."
"No. I don't. It'd kill my sister."
"Nah, she's get over it sooner or later."
"Look. I don't want to hurt her. At all."
"I don't intend on hurting your sister. I intend on getting Moriarty back. I don't have to kill him if you don't want to." Sherlock didn't reply. "Well? What do you say?"
"Was it you who killed Molly?"
"Perhaps. I was the messenger. Jim asked me to."
"I was gone for ten minutes and she was dead."
"I know. I'm just that good at my job."
Sherlock looked at Moran. "Why did you do it?"
"Jim asked me to. I always do what my boss asks."
"So if he had asked you to jump off a bridge you would have?"
"Yes. I would have. Because I am a dedicated employee."
"Interesting. So if I said yes and told you to kill yourself, you'd do it?"
"Really depends on the circumstances and your reasoning. And, I'm not your employee yet."
"I see." He looked back in the direction of the hospital. "You seem to have changed your mind in killing me."
"Only because I'm no longer Moriarty's employee."
"He didn't want you to kill me. So doing so would have gone against him."
"He's always wanted you dead but had a strange way of going about it. He's just a little, frazzled, right now."
"I see." He looked back again. "You may have killed my sister you know."
"She jumped in the way. Like she always does..."
"You were driving the truck."
"How did you guess?" Moran smiled.
"You've nearly killed her twice now. Don't make it a third."
Moran frowned. "I never planned on killing her, or even hurting her. She just keeps getting in the way, like I said."
"So stop trying to kill people."
"It's my job."
"Not anymore?"
"True." Moran shrugged and began walking away.
"Hey. Do you want to work for me or not?"
Moran turned and smiled. "Am I hired?
"If you want to be?"
"What's my first job?" He asked, walking back to Sherlock.
"Check on my sister for me. I'm supposed to be dead."
"That's it? Sort of wasting my talents, don't you think?
"At this point that's it. I need to think."
"Alright." Moran nodded and headed towards St. Bart's.
"Elizabeth! Are you okay?" Jim asked, running into her room at the hospital. He hated always being in this situation with her. He had just waited about an hour in the waiting room to see her.
John sat in the chair beside her bed. The sight of her in a hospital bed hooked up to things seemed all too recent. She opened her eyes slowly. "Hi."
Jim smiled. "Thank god you're all right." She gave a faint smile. "I'm so sorry!"
She shook her head. "It's not your fault."
"It is! It always is!"
"Shut up, Jim."
"It always is, Elizabeth! I was the reason you were in a coma!" He cried.
"No, I jumped in front of the truck; I jumped in front of the bullet. I don't regret it. Don't blame yourself. Now shut up."
"Moran was driving the truck. He was trying to kill Sherlock."
"He would have if I hadn't gotten in the way. Same with today. I'm just a nuisance who keeps getting in the way of other people's plans. Now will you please shut up?" Jim nodded and headed out the door.
"Don't you think you were a little harsh? He did feel really bad." John asked, reaching for Elizabeth's hand.
"I didn't say leave..." She didn't pull her hand away, though her gaze followed where Jim had gone.
"Want me to get him to come back?"
She nodded. "Please."
John headed out the door and looked around for Jim. He spotted him sitting in one of the waiting room chairs. "Jim!" John shouted.
Jim looked up. "What?"
"Elizabeth wants you." John pointed with his thumb behind him towards her room.
"Not now." He got up and started towards the main door. "I'll be back later."
"Where are you going?" He called after him.
"Just need some air." John shrugged and headed back to Elizabeth.
"You should go home John," she said after he told her about Jim.
"But who's going to stay with you?"
"I'm a big girl John, I'll be fine."
John nodded and gave her a kiss on her forehead. He left hastily. She started to drift off. John pulled out his phone as he got into the parking lot of St. Bart's. "Sherlock, where are you?"
"221B. Don't come. I'm thinking."
"Thinking? About what?"
"A lot of things John. I must get back to it." He hung up. John rolled his eyes.
Where are you?
JW
Hawthorne Park.
JM
John read the text and walked over to Hawthorne Park. He spotted Jim and walked towards him.
"How's Liz?" He asked before John could say anything.
"Good. She asked me to leave."
"Oh. So what can I do for you?"
"What was that all about?" John gestured towards the hospital.
"What?"
"You made it all about you!"
He just shrugged. "I was mad."
"Mad at what? At Moran? Doesn't mean you should make Elizabeth feel like that!"
"I know."
"You don't deserve her, Jim. She deserves better than you."
"Who? You? Of course you'd say that."
John nodded. "Of course! Because I treat her right! You don't! She's only with you because you're exactly like Sherlock! She with you because of her family problems!"
"You like her because she's like her brother. How is that any better?"
"That's ridiculous! She's nothing like Sherlock! Why does everyone keep saying that?"
"You're in denial Dr. Watson."
"No I'm not! I hate Sherlock! He made me believe he was dead for a year! I hate Sherlock Holmes! And Elizabeth is nothing like him!"
"Isn't she?"
"No!" John shouted before walking away. He stopped and turned around. "And I hate you too. You don't deserve her! You never have and you never will."
Elizabeth was asleep when Moran went in to check on her for her brother. He walked quietly towards her and sat down in the chair by her bed. "I'm sorry I did this to you. Twice."
She had a bandage on her shoulder, a cast on her leg, had already been in a coma for a month and a half and yet she looked so peaceful, so content. People around her were yelling at each other, hating each other, and yet here she was, as if everything was perfect. Like a kid. Moran pulled out his phone.
She's just sleeping.
SM
Stay with her, will you? I don't like her being alone.
SH
I don't want to be here when she wakes up though.
SM
She's not going to lash out and attack you. You'll be fine. Just wait until Jim or John or someone shows up.
SH
I'd rather not be here when Watson comes.
SM
Fine. Alright. Don't stay.
SH
"Who are you talking to?" Elizabeth's voice made him jump a little.
"Oh. Umm, your brother. He wanted me to check on you."
"It was nice of you to do so."
"Least I could do." He shrugged. "I did nearly kill you. Twice.
"But you weren't trying to."
"But I still didn't feel all that bad at first." She let out a light laugh. "So, do you really love him? Jim?"
"Why wouldn't I?"
"He's just, how do I put this?" He paused. "Not your type."
"How do you know what my type is?"
"I have my ways. And besides, Jim's not anybody's type, really."
She nodded. "I don't know."
"And clearly Dr. Watson has feelings for you."
"I suppose."
"What do you think of that?"
"I don't know. He's certainly nice. And considerate. And doesn't put his work in front of me. And-Hm."
"Hmm?"
"Jim is... Determined. Outgoing... He's got a lot of potential. But John... You probably don't care."
Moran smiled and reached for Elizabeth's hand. "On the contrary. I do care."
"You..." She looked down at their hands.
"Me? What about me?" He stared at her. "Are you okay? Do you want me to call the nurse?"
"No. I'm fine. I'm just confused."
"Confused? Confused about what?"
"Why? Why do you care?"
"Even though my job is to kill people, I still do care, Miss Holmes. I know it may sound strange but, I was actually a decent human being. I was in the war like your friend, Dr. Watson."
"Were you actually?" There was a faint smile on her face.
He nodded. "They forced retirement on me though. I missed the war so much that I," He shrugged. "You know."
She nodded. "Yes."
"So, you were talking to me about John. What about him?"
"Oh. Um, I don't know. Exactly. Just that well... He's very respectable and not... entirely... ugly."
"You like him as well, don't you?" Moran asked, acting like a Elizabeth's teenage girlfriend.
"Well I... I suppose. Yes."
"So, who do you love more? Jim or John?"
"I don't know." She threw her hands in the air in exasperation and let them drop to the bedside.
Moran nodded. "Well," He checked his watch. "I best be off. I'll leave you to your thoughts. You clearly have a lot to think about. And again," He grabbed her hand. "I'm very sorry for what I've done."
She nodded. "I forgive you." Moran walked out. Elizabeth lay there thinking for a while.
"Knock knock." Jim appeared at the door, smiling. "I'm sorry I left earlier."
"It's alright."
"How are you feeling?"
"Fine."
"May I come in?" He asked, still standing in the door frame.
"Sure."
He walked over to her beside and sat down. He smiled at her.
"Hi." She didn't smile.
"Are you mad at me?" He asked, worried.
"No."
"Do I only get one word answers?"
"No."
Jim let out a small laugh. "I see."
"I just don't know what I'm doing anymore."
His face dropped. "What do you mean?"
"Everything, you, John. I don't know what I'm doing. Or what. Or why."
"John? What do you mean John?" Jim thought back to his little spat with him at the park.
She seemed to ignore is question. "I told you and Sherlock to grow up. Stop playing games. But I need to follow my own rules. I need to grow up and stop playing my own games."
Jim nodded. "I understand."
"I've decided to move into my aunt's house alone."
"Yes I know."
"You know?"
"I figured as much."
"Oh." She sighed.
"I'm sorry." He muttered quietly. "I really, truly am. You really deserve better than me."
"You're right. I'm sorry for wasting your time all these years. Please don't try to kill yourself or I might have to intervene again."
Jim felt hurt but sensed a bit of sarcasm. "All right." He nodded and walked off again. He stopped at the door. "However, if I can't have you in my life, Elizabeth, I may as well not have one at all. And I think that it's my choice whether I kill myself or not." He started off.
"I don't want you dead or out of my life. I just don't want... To be with you."
Jim didn't turn around. A single tear fell down his face. As he entered the elevator and the doors closed, his sadness turned to anger. If he couldn't have her, no one could.