A/N: Sonseeahray: Thank you! I'm glad you are still enjoying this story. And I do hope you like this chapter :)
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(Later, 221b Baker Street)
(Emily's P.O.V.)
I knocked lightly on the open door to Sherlock and John's flat and saw Sherlock lying down on the couch in his pajamas and robe. His back facing me.
"Sherlock," I said, coming inside the flat. "Are you awake?"
It was silent for a couple seconds, then Sherlock asked:
"Why didn't you come to the party?"
"I heard what happened." I said. "With the woman from the case you're currently working on…..I'm sorry."
Sherlock turned around so he was lying on his back and stared at me.
"Why didn't you come to the party?" He asked.
"I had to cover for a colleague." I said.
Sherlock narrowed his eyes at me. I knew he knew I was lying.
"You don't need to apologize." Sherlock said. "It wasn't your fault."
"I'm here if you need to talk though." I said, a little surprised he didn't call me out on the lie.
It was silent as we stared at each other.
"Tea?" I asked.
"…..Sure." He said.
I walked into the kitchen and noticed a piece of paper on the table with the title 'Victims' on it, followed by a list of names of women I knew, thanks to Mycroft introducing me to them.
Deciding not to ask about the list, knowing it must have something to do with Mycroft, I went over to the kettle and put water in it.
As I was doing that, I heard Sherlock get up and join me.
"You don't have to be worried about me." I heard Sherlock say softly, as I sat the kettle on the burner. "I'm fine."
I turned to see he wasn't so far away anymore.
"I'm serious." Sherlock said. "You and John are completely the same. Caring, worry, love, sentiment…..How can you stand it? It's a complete waste of time. Let alone a weakness no one needs."
"I think it makes you stronger." I said.
"It holds you down." He said. "Clouds your judgment. You just end up getting hurt in the end."
"Not always." I said. "Not when it's true."
"You're living in a fairytale if you believe that." Sherlock said.
"Maybe." I said. "Would explain a lot."
"It certainly would." He said.
I stared at him.
"Why didn't you come to the party?" Sherlock asked.
"I think that would classify as caring about where I was instead." I said.
"More curiosity, without the caring." He said.
"Then I don't see why it would matter." I said.
Just then, the kettle's whistle blew.
I turned around and took the kettle off the stove, and grabbed two mugs out of the cupboard.
"….It wasn't because…." I heard Sherlock begin, as I poured the water in the mugs. "It wasn't because you didn't want to….see me, was it?"
Confused, I turned around and looked at him.
"No." I said. "Why would you think that?"
"Well, you do have a deducing friend of your own that you compare to me sometimes." Sherlock began to explain.
"Sherlock, I like spending time with you." I said.
Sherlock looked at me with a hint of surprise on his face.
"And I consider you a friend, too." I said. "You don't think I just come here because of John's charming ways, do you?"
The corner of Sherlock's lips twitch. Threatening to turn into a smile.
"So I'm not the reason?" He asked.
"No." I said, assuring him.
Sherlock composed himself, and gave me a stiff nod.
"Let's have tea now." I said. "And you can tell me about the latest experiment you've been working on."
"Very well." Sherlock said, excitement showing in his eyes.
He then sat himself at the table. Quickly grabbing the piece of paper that was on it and tucking it away in his robe pocket shortly after.
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(A couple days later, Emily's Flat)
(Emily's P.O.V.)
"Remember, I will be gone for the entire weekend." Mycroft said. "Mummy's orders. If you need to reach me for any reason whatsoever, I will have my mobile with me. If for some reason Mummy confiscates our mobiles, I will have my 'in case of emergency' mobile in my bag."
Mycroft and I were standing in the living room of my flat. Mycroft was telling me the basics, like he always did, whenever he had to go somewhere I couldn't go.
"Got it." I said. "You know you don't have to say this every time you leave, right?"
"I just don't want you forgetting." He said.
"Oh I don't think there's any fear in that." I said. "Now, quit stalling, and go pick up Sherlock."
Mycroft sighed.
"Fine." Mycroft said, walking over to the door. "I'll see you in a couple days."
"See you in a couple days." I said. "And don't you dare mention Irene Adler to him. I mean it, Mycroft."
Despite what Sherlock said, I knew Irene Adler's death was affecting him more than he was willing to admit. John agreed.
And I knew Mycroft might have some idea how her death was affecting him also.
"Yes, Emily." He said, sounding annoyed.
Then, Mycroft opened the door and left.
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(Outside 221 Baker Street)
(Sherlock's P.O.V.)
I was standing outside Baker Street for a minute when the black car finally came into view.
Once it stopped in front of me, I opened the door and got into the back of the car with my bag.
"Sherlock." I heard Mycroft say, as I closed the door.
"Mycroft." I said. "You're late."
"Only a minute." I heard Mycroft say. "Not like it killed you."
"What a disappointment for us both." I said sarcastically.
It was silent.
"How's your friend?" I asked, looking at him. "Since you were just with her before picking me up."
"She's fine." Mycroft said. Then he looked at me. "I take it you haven't figured it out."
"Not yet." I said. "But I'm close."
Mycroft chuckled.
"I don't think so." He said, looking out the window.
I glared at him.
I looked out my own window as Irene Adler and Emily came into my thoughts.
Two women. Completely different. Yet, both very compelling. One relying on her sexuality to be noticed, the other on her brain. But both could use the other if necessary.
I didn't admit it, but John and Emily were right. As much as it pains me to say it.
Irene Adler's death did affect me in some way.
It has also reminded me why sentiment was overrated.
Though, whenever I thought that, Emily would pop into my head. Almost as if the memory of her was trying to prove a point. To show me something I might have over looked.
"Tell me you're not comparing Irene Adler to another woman." I heard Mycroft say.
"Eat the turkey sandwich you packed in your bag and leave me alone." I said bitterly.
It was silent for the rest of the drive.
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"Mycroft!" Mum said, hugging him in a vice grip, then letting him go. "Sherlock!" She then pulled me to her and hugged me. "I'm so glad you two are here!"
Mycroft and I just arrived at our parent's home.
Mum let go of me and looked at both of us with a big smile on her face.
"Let's go inside and have a nice cup of tea." Mum said, happily. "Your father can't wait to see you two."
Mum then walked inside. Mycroft and I followed her in. Setting our bags down by the stairs as we passed.
"Sherlock! Mycroft!" Dad said as soon as we entered the living room.
"Hello, Dad." I said, taking my coat off and sitting on the couch. Mycroft falling suit as Mum walked into the kitchen to get the tea.
Father and Mycroft talked a little as I did something on my mobile.
It didn't last long, however, when Mum came back and said:
"Sherlock Holmes, you put that mobile down this instant!"
"But, Mum," I began, looking up at her.
"No 'buts' Sherlock." Mum said, setting the tea tray down. "No mobiles for the entire weekend."
"But," I began again.
Mum held her hand out to me.
I sighed, shut my mobile off, and gave it to her.
"You too, Mycroft." Mum said seriously.
"That's not fair." Mycroft said. "Sherlock was the one using his mobile."
Mum stared at him, waiting expectantly.
"Are you aware of my job at all? Or do you just not care?" Mycroft asked.
"Mycroft," Dad said.
Mycroft sighed angrily, took his mobile out of his pocket, shut it off, and handed it to her.
"Thank you." Mum said.
Then, she left the room once again to hide the mobiles.
Mycroft glared at me.
"Thanks a lot." Mycroft muttered.
"Oh, please, we both know you have another one in your bag." I muttered back.
"That's not the point." Mycroft snapped.
Before I could respond, Dad began to talk once again.
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(Emily's P.O.V.)
I was walking down the street and enjoying the winter day, when I thought I heard a voice.
I stopped walking and looked around me.
"Help!" I heard a weak voice say. "Help!"
I looked to my left and saw a man holding his stomach area.
I ran over to him without hesitation and knelt down beside him.
"Help," He said.
"It's alright. I'm here." I said. "I'm a doctor. Can you tell me how this happened?"
I eased him onto his back and removed his arms to reveal a very bloody shirt. I knew instantly he lost a lot of blood.
"Shot." The man said. "I-I-I was sh-sh-shot."
"Who shot you?" I asked, lifting his shirt up to see the wound.
It did not look good.
When the man didn't respond, I pulled his shirt back down, and looked at him.
His eyes were closed. And he was too still for my liking.
"Sir?" I said.
No response.
I check for a pulse. There wasn't one.
"Hey!" I heard a voice call. "Everything alright?"
I turned around and did a double take.
Standing at the end of the ally, was Lestrade.
I could tell he recognized me in an instant.
"You!" Lestrade said in disbelief.
He looked at the now dead man and back at me.
I knew what he thought.
"Stay right where you are." He said.
"Lestrade, it's not what you think." I began, standing up.
"I said, stay!" Lestrade said, pulling his gun out and aiming it at me.
He began to walk toward me slowly. I took steps back just as slow.
"Don't make this harder for yourself." He said.
"I'm not the one who is making another mistake." I said.
A couple seconds went by, when I suddenly hit the wire fence with my back.
"You have nowhere to go." Lestrade said. "There's no way you're getting out of this one."
Once Lestrade finally reached me, he said:
"Turn around and put your hands behind your head."
"Can't do that." I said.
"Don't make me repeat myself." Lestrade said.
"Lestrade, have you ever thought for just a moment, I didn't do this?" I asked.
"Right." He said, sarcastically. "You only have the victim's blood on your hands, but, no! Of course you didn't do this. How could you?"
"Fine." I said. "Arrest me then."
I held my hands together and out to him.
"With pleasure." Lestrade said, holstering his gun.
He took out his handcuffs, and was about to handcuff me, when I quickly took the handcuffs from him, and handcuffed him instead.
"What?" He began, flabbergasted.
"Can't stay." I said. "See you later."
I then ran out of the ally, as Lestrade yelled after me.
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"Mycroft, this is the seventh time I am calling you." I said, going up the steps to my flat. "Please, please, please call me back as soon as you get this." I took my key out, as I reached the door. "Something is a bit not good, and I'm fairly certain I won't be able to get out of this one on my own. And you know I wouldn't be calling you unless I had to." I unlocked the door and opened it. "I need you."
I then walked into my flat, as I hung up my mobile, and instantly stopped walking at what I saw.
A dead body was lying on the floor in the living room.
It was my landlord.
"Oh, god," I whispered as I saw the cause of death.
Someone had slit his throat.
I looked around and saw a piece of paper taped to the wall.
I walked over to it cautiously and took it off the wall. It read:
Hi Agent Grant!
Let's see how the Iceman does without his loyal guard dog to protect him.
M
"Moriarty." I whispered.
Just then, I felt something hit me just below the left shoulder. Causing me to fall down and pain soaring through me.
I looked at my window and saw a bullet hole in it.
I put my hand where I felt the pain and lifted it up to see fresh blood on my hand.
"What. A. Pity." I heard a voice say.
I closed my eyes.
"We could have used someone like you." I heard the voice say. "Unfortunate you have to be wasted."
I opened my eyes and saw Moriarty staring down at me. Shaking his head in fake sympathy.
"Don't worry." Moriarty said. "When the Iceman asks, I'll tell him you died a slow, and painful death, where every last bit of blood leaked out of you."
I mustered up the best glare I could.
"It's nothing personal." He said. "Sebastian, yes. Me, no. I just needed you out of the way. You were the one who said I couldn't get to him unless I got rid of you."
Moriarty squatted down beside me. Getting very close to me.
"I also needed something that would make the Iceman vulnerable." Moriarty said. "There are so few things that would get to him. Of course, there is Sherlock, but I'm having so much fun with him at the moment. It would be tragic to lose him so soon….And without you in the playing field, who else is going to protect him? It's not like he has another John Watson at his side."
Moriarty stood back up.
"In your last breath, don't think about how I beat you. Think about how you lost." He said.
Then, Moriarty left the flat.
Stay awake, I thought, Fight unconsciousness. You can do it.
Mobile. Get your mobile.
I put my hand in my pocket to find it empty.
I looked around me and saw my mobile was on the floor and out of my reach.
It must have fallen out of my hand when I got shot, I thought.
I could feel darkness welcoming itself.
I blinked fast a couple times, and tried to move myself closer to my mobile.
I suddenly felt weak.
And the next thing I knew, I saw black.
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(Holmes' Parent's House)
(Sherlock's P.O.V.)
I was sitting at the table in the kitchen while Mum cooked dinner, in my thinking pose, eyes closed.
I was trying to narrow down the people that could possibly be Mycroft's friend, while trying to keep thoughts of Irene Adler and Emily at bay.
But it was hard to concentrate when the wind kept blowing and making the bloody wind chime Mum had up make noise.
Huffing out of irritation and frustration, I got up and walked over to where the wind chime was to take it down.
I reached the back door and stopped dead in my tracks upon seeing the wind chime.
"Oh! There you are, Sherlock." I heard Dad say. "I see you found the wind chime."
"Yes." I said. "Yes. I did. Where did you get it?"
"Mycroft gave it to your Mum for her birthday." I heard Dad say. "Isn't it lovely?"
"Yes." I said, as I continued to stare at the wind chime that was a sun with five chimes around it. "Very lovely."
And that's when I figured it out.
Emily's deducing friend.
Mycroft's employee, yet friend, that he trusted and respected so much for the past five years that was a woman, but not Anthea.
Mycroft was Emily's deducing friend. Emily was Mycroft's employee and friend.
Which meant Emily wasn't a doctor, and her last name wasn't Beaureguard.
"Ok." She said. "Sherlock. Are you here for a gift too?"
"Yes." I said, looking at the wind chimes. "If I don't get a gift, I'll never hear the end of it. Despite how pointless I think it is."
"For your mum?" Emily asked.
"Yes." I said, looking at her, wondering how she knew. "How did you know that?"
"Well, mum's never let you hear the end of things." She said.
"Hm." I said, studying her once more, before looking back at the wind chimes. "Yes. That's true….To answer your question, wind chimes will work. I haven't met a mother yet who doesn't love wind chimes. But I'm sure you already knew that."
That's how she knew, I thought, Mycroft sent her to get a gift because he forgot about Mother's birthday.
And I played right into her hands of what to get her, unknowingly.
It would also explain why she compared me to her deducing friend sometimes.
"Sherlock," I heard Mum call from the kitchen. "Go tell Mycroft dinner's almost ready."
"With pleasure." I said, as anger surge through me.
I turned on my heel, and marched straight to Mycroft's bedroom.