Chapter 13

When the police finally arrived, no one knew what was in the mysterious package on their doorstep. They didn't know if it was a bomb or some sort of sinister device that could harm either Sherlock or Joan, so the couple quickly found themselves rushed out of the brownstone. They watched as the bomb squad arrived along with thousands of New York's finest and yet, no one said a thing. They just left the couple to wait and wonder as they sat in a police car their eyes stuck on the massive amounts of police running in and out of their home. Sherlock had his arm around her, Watson's head was on his shoulder, and over an hour had passed.

"Do you regret staying?" whispered Sherlock a hint of laughter mixed with deep seriousness. When Watson's hand touched his cheek, he looked at her. He expected to see her tired, but there was more there as he looked into her eyes. She gave him a dull smile in that moment, but her eyes were shining as she looked at him. It was then that she snuggled closer into his arms and holding her, nothing had to be said. Sherlock knew there was no place she'd rather be.

"Wild horses couldn't drag me away, Sherlock, I love you, and even if I had left, I'd still be worrying myself sick. I wouldn't be under any less stress" whispered Watson looking up at him again as she finished speaking to plant a kiss on his lips. He laid his head atop hers and for a moment all was peaceful.

"You know what the sad thing is? Now, we might have to move" whispered Joan.

"We would have had to eventually I suppose…with the baby on the way and everything" whispered Sherlock his focus on her. She was just as focused on him and Sherlock kissed her this time. If they weren't being chased by a killer, they might have been spending their night very differently. They knew that even as they sat there in that police car sharing tender kisses.

"Yes, you're right, I know…it's something that was going to have to happen, and if we move, we can get a place with more room" whispered Joan smiling as she accepted another kiss from him looking at him with a glimmer in her eyes.

"Yes, more room would be good. We'll need lots of room, so we can give our little one lots of brothers and sisters" whispered Sherlock his hand finding its way to her stomach.

"Sherlock…lets get this one out of my body and walking before we think about more" said Joan, the words leaving her mouth, so quickly that Sherlock knew not to press the issue. As they were settling back into their contentment that's when the car door opened. Marcus poked his head in and sitting up, they gave him their full attention.

"Okay, they've given your house the all clear. It wasn't a bomb, so you can come back inside" exclaimed Marcus helping the two out of the car. Together, Sherlock and him helped Joan up the steps. When Joan walked into her own home again, she took a deep breath. No one could miss it as she did so. It wasn't just out of relief though, but out of exhaustion. The last few days were draining on her more and more and Sherlock knew it even as he didn't say it. He just promised to keep a closer eye on her as they entered their home again.

"If it wasn't a bomb then what was in that box" said Joan upon entering their home again, as she spoke, she approached the box stopping when she saw the very answer she was asking for. What lay inside that box was most definitely not a bomb. It was filled with human body parts. Fingers to be more precise, some fresh, others rotting from being cut off a long time ago. Sherlock and Marcus had just come to stand beside her when she bolted quickly from the room altogether, so quickly that Sherlock worried she might fall in her haste. Sherlock followed her into the next room and just as he came to stand behind her, she started to puke into the trash can. Sherlock knew this wouldn't have happened if she weren't pregnant. That was why he didn't say anything as she emptied the contents of her stomach into the trash can. Sherlock held her hair, his hand at the small of her back. When it had passed, Sherlock had an officer get her a glass of water as he sat her down in a chair then they were both keenly focused on Marcus.

"What the hell is going on? Whoever's doing this sent a box of human fingers to our home, but none of the known victims were missing fingers. There has to be more victims, but why would whoever it is send us the fingers and why would this person stop cutting them off all our victims?" exclaimed Joan accepting the water Sherlock offered her then even as she got all worked up. In that moment, she knew she was stating the obvious, but Joan couldn't help it. She felt overwhelmed, but not just that. Joan was tired of everything that had happened the last few days. They had had many cases over the years, but it had never gotten this bad. They had never been targeted this way and it overwhelmed her in that moment.

"I know, we've been looking into it, and that still doesn't fit. We're gonna fingerprint those fingers and we're doubling the cops posted outside. These guys aren't just focused on you…I'm worried you guys might be in real danger" exclaimed Marcus his eyes keenly focused on Joan. Looking at him, they both knew what he was thinking. She shouldn't have been there when this happened. She should have been in the safehouse he'd set up for her, but Joan took Sherlock's hand in that moment, regretting nothing. Joan knew he was going to say that she should leave now, and it only solidified her decision to stay.

"I think we need to move sooner then planned, Watson. We need to leave the brownstone and find somewhere else since this person seems focused on this apartment. My father has thousand of other properties, we can go tonight" whispered Sherlock rubbing her back as she spoke. This seemed to help Joan calm down. She breathed a sigh of relief and leaning heavily against him, she felt some of the tension in her leave her. Everything would be alright, at least, she hoped so as she made it to her feet to begin their move. This time, Joan didn't object, she only nodded, taking his hand. After all, it wasn't leaving the brownstone she was opposed to, it was leaving her husband.

Sherlock was her life and that was only one of the many reasons why she wouldn't leave his side. She had taken a vow to stay by his side as his partner. Not just when she married him, but when she met him. All these years, they had protected each other, and now, in their darkest hour, they would continue to do so. That was why they didn't leave each other's side for the rest of the night. Not when they stood arranging where they would move that night. Not when they went upstairs moments after that to gather their things to move to their new home. By the time they came back down, Marcus was at the bottom of the stairs waiting to escort them there. As they came into view, Marcus shut his phone with a nod that said they were all set.

"I just heard they approved the exhumation. They'll dig up the body tomorrow and we can take a look at the coroners office" whispered Marcus so only they could hear, as he spoke, he took the suitcase from Joan, leaving Sherlock alone as he escorted her out of their home. As Marcus helped her to his police car, Sherlock gathered what he could on the case, and only then did he leave the brownstone. Sherlock had this nagging feeling as he left though. A feeling that wouldn't leave him. The truth was, part of him felt emotional, because this wasn't how things were supposed to be. They were supposed to be preparing for their baby to be born, not being escorted from their home by the police. None of it sat well with him.

Some murderer was out there, targeting him and his wife, and now they were driving them right out of their home. It just didn't sit right with him, Joan neither, but they didn't discuss the matter that night. In fact, the car ride was relatively silent until they reached their destination. It was a penthouse apartment his father owned, but that no one lived in. His father only used it when he came to New York and Sherlock knew it would be the perfect place to stay until this was over. He only hoped it would be over soon. So did Joan as they arrived though part of her felt like it wouldn't turn out quite that way.

"There will be five officers outside the whole time you're here and three others with you when you leave. I'll come pick you guys up tomorrow" said Marcus before leaving them.

They did everything then in relative silence.

"This isn't so bad" they kept saying as they went about the events of the evening, first having dinner, then unpacking before finally going to bed.

"Tomorrow, we will begin tracking this person down, but tonight, we're going to try to forget everything that happened tonight" said Sherlock as he climbed into bed with her for the first time since this case had begun. For a while, they laid side by side, barely touching, just staring at the ceiling.

"It's going to be fine" said Watson, her voice soft, as if she questioned the validity of her words.

"You don't sound so sure" said Sherlock, his voice more tired then she'd ever heard it. The silence went on then until Joan unexpectedly reached out to take his hand as it lay on his stomach.

"I'm never sure of anything except you, with you, I always know it will turn out to be alright" whispered Joan.