As soon as the cab stopped next to the hospital Sherlock opened the door and climbed out, wanting to put as much distance between himself and the other four occupants as possible. John, The Doctor, and Mrs. Pond questioned him the entire ride there. He hadn't answered any of them because he'd been busy texting the whole time, but that didn't stop their incessant barrage.
His entire being was focused on a name. As soon as The Doctor mentioned that name, a name he was already familiar with, he immediately thought of Molly. Adam, the man she'd been seeing, but had recently broken things off with because…well, he hadn't actually asked why. Merely noted that she was no longer with him.
He climbed the stairs and entered the building with all four of them on his heels. He tried not to let his mind wonder to Rose and what she might be going through because he knew if he allowed those thoughts, even for a moment, the anger would consume him. Anger that, at the moment, would be directed toward one of the men following him. He couldn't believe the Doctor had the gall to promise he'd get Rose back. As if Sherlock needed his help. The man stood by while she was taken. As far as Sherlock was concerned he was less than worthless.
"Sherlock, what's this all about?" John asked, but he ignored his friend.
Instead, he opened the door and headed down the stairs, not wanting to stand around waiting for the lift while questions were thrown at him. At the moment, Molly was one of two leads, and, if he was right, she might very well be the quickest way to locate Rose.
He threw open the door at the bottom of the stairs and stalked down the hall. The fluorescents flickered overhead, but he paid them less mind than he paid to the four people following him. The hallway seemed to stretch longer than it ever had, probably due to his need to reach the end. Reach the one person with answers.
"What part of the hospital is this?" Amy asked.
Sherlock rolled his eyes.
"I think we're headed to the morgue," Rory replied.
"The morgue? Why would he rush out of her flat to come here?"
"No idea."
He wished they would've stayed behind. He had absolutely no need for any of them. Well, perhaps John, but the others were more of a hindrance than anything else. He finally reached the end of the hall and a moment later stepped into the morgue. Molly was sitting on one of the stools, gazing into a microscope, but upon entering she looked up.
"Sherlock," she said, giving him a smile before noticing the group of people trailing him. "Um…do you need something?"
"Adam," Sherlock said as he strode across the room toward Molly.
"Adam?" she asked in confusion.
"I need his address, Molly."
"Address?"
"Yes, his home, you know where he lives don't you?"
"Well, yes, of course. It's just-" she began, uncertainly.
"It's important. I need it. Will you give it to me?"
"Sherlock," John cut in, in a low voice. "I doubt it's the same-"
Sherlock eyed his friend.
"It's too much of a coincidence. A man named Adam from Rose's past. The same name as the man Molly's been seeing. A man she broke things off with right before the murders began-"
"Murders?" Molly asked.
"Will you give me his address?" Sherlock asked, turning his gaze on Molly. She still wasn't sure so he gave her a smile, softening his eyes as he did so. "Please?"
She returned his smile, a clear indication that he'd gotten through to her.
"Um…yes, of course," she said, grabbing a pen and writing it down.
John leaned close to him, that half angry half disbelieving look on his face.
"You could've called Lestrade instead of questioning her," his friend chastised.
"I did contact Lestrade. He's running a search, but, as you well know, the police are limited and we don't have time to spare."
Molly handed him the paper with the address.
"Thank you, Molly," he said, then turned and walked back through the door. As he started down the hall the Doctor drew up next to him. Sherlock glanced at the man's insistent look before rolling his eyes and returning his gaze to the end of the hall.
"What are you up to?" the Doctor asked.
Sherlock ignored him.
"You have a plan. I know you do. Care to share it with the rest of us?" he continued.
"No," Sherlock replied, shortly.
"We could help. I could help."
He knew exactly what he was going to do. He didn't need any help, lest of all the Doctor's. It was his fault she was in Adam's hands in the first place.
"I neither want nor require your assistance," Sherlock shot back.
He reached the end of the hall, grabbing the door handle, but the Doctor put his hand on the door, keeping it closed. He eyed the detective, furiously. That darkness Sherlock noticed earlier barely held back, but the detective held his gaze with his own demons threatening to break free.
"Can't you put your petty feelings aside long enough to find her?"
"This isn't about feelings," Sherlock snapped, spitting out the word as if it was poisonous. "It's about time. You might be willing to take the time for explanations, Doctor, but every second Rose is with Adam is one second closer to her death."
"Adam isn't going to kill her. I'm not entirely sure why he took her or how he wound up here in the first place, but-"
Did he really not see? Sherlock gazed into his eyes. No, he didn't.
"According to Rose you're a genius. Obviously her view is flawed."
"Sorry?"
"Adam is the murderer, not James. If I'd known more than one of your…mistakes had found its way to my London I would've put the pieces together sooner."
The Doctor shook his head in disbelief, taking his hand from the door. Sherlock took his chance and opened the door, stepping through, and ascending the stairs.
"But Adam was just a stupid kid-" the Doctor argued, trailing him up the stairs.
"He's not a kid anymore," Sherlock cut in.
"How can you be so sure?"
Sherlock sighed. There really wasn't time for this. He pulled open the door and started across the lobby. If he had to explain he certainly wasn't going to stop to do so.
"Strangulation is an intimate form of murder. The killer had to be close, close enough to watch his victim die. We both know that James is more than capable of murder, but there were pieces that didn't fit. It took time for the first victim to die. Seven to eight minutes. There were clear indications of hesitation by the killer, as if killing was new to him. There was no hesitation when James killed Moriarty. His hands didn't shake, leading me to believe he's killed before. Memories, I'm assuming, you both share."
He glanced at the Doctor. The man betrayed to emotion, but he didn't refute the accusation. Sherlock knew from Rose's explanation that the Doctor had in fact killed millions.
"The second victim," the detective continued, "died faster. The killer was more sure of himself. A clear escalation. Between the two murders there was a note left at Rose's flat. To taunt her. The note could've only been left by James. It was meant to scare her and, although, the note claimed he was watching her it was not violent in nature, not like the murders, which didn't fit. Murderers don't deescalate. The only reason I believed James was responsible was because I was under the impression that he was the only one here from her past. The only one who could've known about Henrik's and her favorite color." They reached the sidewalk. Sherlock hailed a cab. "As I said, Doctor, I'm not willing to risk one second more than necessary." A cab pulled up and Sherlock opened the door, eyeing the Doctor as the others climbed inside. "I will find her and I'll save her, even if that means I have to put a bullet through Adam's head because I'll do whatever it takes."
"As will I, Holmes," the Doctor said, climbing into the cab.
Sherlock slid in next to him and closed the door. He gave the address to the driver before focusing his attention out the window. He knew the Doctor was right, even if he wouldn't admit it. With both of them working together they stood a better chance of saving her. Sherlock would do anything to get her back and if that meant working with the Doctor then so be it, but that didn't mean he had to be happy about it.
Standard Disclaimer.
Thank you to all my brilliant readers!
If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)