Chapter 16

Andrea's heart stuttered when they entered the house only to find a gun to Sherlock's head.

Jim Moriarty smiled and stroked Sherlock's cheek. "You get your brother back if I get my cousin back. Simple as that."

Sherlock was gagged, but he shook his head at Mycroft. His eyes were trying to give his brother a clue, but Mycroft couldn't pick it up.

"Step away from my brother, Moriarty."

Jim giggled. "No." His tone was petulant. He started rubbing the barrel of the gun against Sherlock's neck. Up and down. Up and down. "I wanna keep him." He pouted.

Mycroft sat on a chair facing the two men. "Sherlock, how-"

Jim snickered. "Eyes and ears everywhere, Mikey!" His voice turned sing song. Suddenly, however, his erratic mood shifted. His eyes became darker. "Sherly here paid off his guards. I came in and drugged him. Nice little bargaining chip, don't you think?"

Mycroft sighed. "What do you want with John Watson?"

Sherlock mumbled something against the tape. Mycroft stared at his baby brother. He knows. He must know. This means that no matter what I say, Moriarty isn't going to let Sherlock go either. He wants both John and Sherlock. Mycroft gave a theatrical sigh.

"What is to stop you from keeping both men?"

Jim smiled. "Ooh! Big Brother knows how to play the game!" His eyes twinkled. "The answer is, nothing~." Jim giggled again after he sang out the last word.

Sherlock felt like rolling his eyes. Jim was laying on the 'insanity' a bit thick. Both he and Mycroft knew that Jim never giggled.

Jim sighed. "Oh well…I've got to dash." He patted Sherlock's head lightly. "I'll be taking this sweet thing with me."

"John Watson is yours! Leave my brother here." Mycroft would deny till his dying day the tone a panic that was in his voice. Jim froze. He stared.

Intrigued.

"You do care about him after all…" Jim gave a noise of disgust. "Was that Magnussen fellow ever wrong?!" Jim stamped his foot down. "Fine. Keep Sherly. I want John completely free of all surveillance, except for the usual city cameras. Those are obvious." Moriarty rolled his eyes.

Mycroft nodded, his eyes fixed on the gun that was still caressing his brother's neck. Jim snickered. "Nighty night!" The room was filled with a gas, and Jim vanished. All three occupants of the room fell unconscious. Sherlock could hear Jim whispering in his ear.

"Don't tell. It would break John, and I would break you." Sherlock slumped unconscious.

Jim Moriarty got into his car and drove calmly away. He arrived at his flat bringing out his phone. "Seb, collect our guests John and Mary. Be careful of Mary. She's pregnant. Treat them nicely. Treat them kindly. No cuts, no bruises, no bad manners."

"Yes, boss."

Jim hung up and smiled.

Twenty minutes later, John and Mary were brought in. He smiled. "Hello Mary. Hi John!" He was seated at his dining table. "Have a seat. Don't be so worried, Mary. I'm not killing you. I'm actually protecting you. You're family now." He smiled.

John sighed and guided his wife to the table. "It's alright. He's changeable, but he wouldn't touch you." He stared at Jim. "Or me. Don't worry, he's telling the truth."

Jim nodded. In light of John's clairvoyant abilities, he had forgotten about John's lie detection.

"The Interrogation Consultant." Jim smirked. He started eating again. Sherlock was right. He was fastidious. About. Everything.

John sighed. "Interesting."

Jim looked up from his grouper. "What is?"

John continued looking around. "This…organization of yours. It's interesting…" The doctor smiled. "You create such chaos around the world and in people's lives, but your inner sanctum is…almost obsessively clean and neat."

Jim smiled. "Astute observation, cousin dear."

John smiled and the his smile became a worried frown. "Mary…Mary eat something. Perhaps you want to lie down?"

Mary shook her head. "You really are…related. I know you told me that, but it never really sunk in…"

Jim nodded sadly. "Never sunk in until you see us together."

Mary started at both of them. "I can see a faint trace…family resemblance…"

John's eyebrows rose. "Really?!"

Mary nodded. Jim laughed. His phone rang, and he looked at the ID. "Sorry. Have to take this." He walked out of the room. John sighed.

"Mary, if you'd prefer, he can get us a separate flat."

Mary looked at her husband. "John, what does he want with you? Family isn't so important to a psychopath!"

"Actually, it is, Mrs. Watson. It is." Jim's deep voice caused Mary to gasp in slight panic. "Family is very important to me, because this family is filled with secrets." He tilted his head to the side as he spoke. Slapping John on the back, he went back to his seat at the head of the table. "Very important to me." He smiled. "John, I was dead for a while, used it as vacation time. Could you tell me how those natural disasters turned out? Never got the chance to really talk about them with-" Jim cut himself off and looked at Mary. "This would be so much easier if she knew."

John sighed. "Not until the baby's born."

Jim shook his head. "She's going through enough stress not knowing, Jonny."

Looking at Mary in concern, John finally sighed. "Let me get my case." Jim nodded.

Mary stared at Jim. Jim just ate his fish.

John re-entered the room. "Sherlock and Mycroft are away by now." Jim smirked. "Here Mary. This is a common relaxant. If you get to stressed, then I want you to take this. Okay?"

She nodded. John quietly started speaking to her. "When you said once that you didn't think I was human sometimes…" Jim started laughing. John sent him a glare that shut him up quickly.

"Sorry." He fiddled on his phone while John spoke.

Huffing slightly, John continued. "You were actually right. Sherlock already knows this. Mycroft doesn't. It's imperative that Mycroft not know this. Mycroft is the British Government, Mary. He will destroy my family." John took a deep breath. "What do you know of Greek mythology?"

Mary froze. She stared at John. Her voice was faint. "I knew it was real…"