"So I have an issue," Moriarty spoke, sliding into the booth next to Madison, her eyes remained anywhere but looking at his as the three of them sat in the empty booth. Sherlock stared at Moriarty, tucking his hands onto his lap as he remained silent.
"And what would this issue be?" Sherlock asked him and Moriarty chuckled, his face turning to look at Madison.
"I think it is quite clear Sherlock," Moriarty said. "Miss Walters here apparently wants to flee. Is that correct?" he asked her and she said nothing. There was no use in lying to him when he had quite clearly heard their conversation. She hated him.
"She was never cut out for this," Sherlock said. "You should have known that."
"I had my doubts," Moriarty admitted with a shrug. "But she knew the consequences."
"You should just leave her alone," Sherlock spoke lowly. "She's not like us."
"You're not like me," Moriarty replied simply. "You've proven that by seeing Miss Walters."
"I know I'm not like you," Sherlock nodded. "But Madison is completely different."
"She's a coward," Moriarty snarled, looking at her as a single wet droplet fell down her cheek and she shook her head.
"I'm not," she said. "I just can't kill him."
"Then I will kill you," Moriarty spoke, an evil smile taking over his face. "It really is simple Miss Walters. You had your chance."
"I know," she said, finally looking him in the eye, her eyes glazed over as he shook his head, standing up and checking his watch as if he was bored of their presence.
"I have to be going," he told them. "I'd love to stay and chat but I have bigger fish to fry. I shall be seeing you both soon."
"Not too soon I hope," Sherlock drawled and Moriarty chuckled.
"Oh I do hope so," he spoke in a whisper and turned on his heel, leaving them alone.
"Listen to me Madison," Sherlock said, his voice urgent and his hands going onto the table as they grasped her free one, making her attention turn onto him in the process of doing so, "you need to get out of here. You need to run and never come back...I can fit you out with fake ID and you need not come back here again."
"And what do I do?" she replied. "Have you not met him Sherlock? He's good...what if he finds me?"
"I'll make sure that doesn't happen," Sherlock promised her and he stood up, holding his hand out to her. "Come Madison, we have no time."
"What about if I deserve it?" she asked Sherlock, taking his hand and allowing him to escort her from the cafe, his arm wrapping around her waist as he hurried her along.
"Deserve what?"
"What if I deserve to die?" she whispered whilst he hailed a cab and shook his head.
"No Madison," he simply spoke. "You're not going to die."
"But all those people I hurt...maybe this is revenge...fate?" she suggested and Sherlock stood still, grasping her shoulders and making her look him in the eye as people passed them by, staring on, thinking they were crazy perhaps?
"I don't believe in fate. I believe that we make our own choices," he informed her. "Do you understand?"
"Yes Sherlock, but what if-"
"Shush Madison," he told her. "Do you want to die?"
"Of course not-"
"Well stop speaking of fate and make sure that you don't get yourself killed. Now come on...we need to get you out of here."
...
"They've gone back to her apartment boss," some yawned down the phone to Moriarty as they looked onto the new apartment building where Sherlock had escorted her into.
"Good," Moriarty replied. "Keep your eye on them."
...
"No!" Madison snapped at Sherlock once they returned to her home and Sherlock held the scissors in one hand. "Are you insane?"
"Just a highly functioning sociopath," he replied with a shrug. "You have no option."
Madison held onto her brown curls in one hand and ran her other fingers through them mindlessly as she bit her bottom lip and shook her head.
"I will dye it," she spoke, trying to compromise.
"That's not enough Madison," he told her. "Even by being blonde they will still notice you. Did you not see the car watching you as we moved into this place?"
"Of course I did," she replied. "I notice everything."
"Then you will notice that you need a convincing disguise." Sherlock tried to make her see sense and she simply just shook her head, looking onto the floor in disarray as she did so.
"I can't..." she said.
"So you can have people murdered but you can't let me cut your hair?" Sherlock spoke, his brow raised in slight amusement as she folded her arms.
"It's my hair Sherlock," she spoke. "I like it."
"I'll only cut it up to your chin," he assured her.
"No!" she yelled at him. "Up to my shoulders."
"An inch above," he said.
"A centimetre," she said. "I'm not joking Sherlock."
"I can see," he said with a shake of his head.
"Come on then," Madison said and lead him into her bathroom where she sat on the closed toilet seat allowing him to stand and cut her hair, the remains of it falling into her bin as she looked into her mirror and at the concentrating consulting detective.
"You didn't answer my question," she suddenly piped up.
"And what would that one be?" he wondered.
"Why do you care what happens to me?" she asked and Sherlock shrugged awkwardly.
"I don't know," he replied.
"Okay," she said, understanding what he was trying to tell her.
"Okay? Is that all you have to say?"
"What else can I say?" she asked him. "I can't push you for an answer."
"Normally you would," he said and she chuckled.
"I get it Sherlock," she simply spoke.
"You do?" he asked.
"Yes," she said.
"Good."
For both of them to sit there and admit they actually liked each other would lead to nothing. So sometimes words were best left unsaid.
...
A/N: Thank you to TheDoctorsMistress and to BitChiVampire who has reviewed all my other Sherlock fics! Thanks very much! Please review.
