Chapter 25
Disclaimer: Not mine
Warnings: F bombs dropped a lot in this one….Jim is pissed.
AN: Thanks to bennylover, cumbercookie1985, krazypyroshavemorefun, Bella Cuore, guest, guest, Rockingtheredhead, librasmile, poodlewarriors, freewaygirl, renaissancebooklover108, glitterlove, Iamsherlocked, Mrs Harrison Holmes, and Time Reviewer. And anyone else who I might have forgotten for you reviews and PM's of continued support of this fic! You guys are so awesome. And thanks so much to the people who are following this. You guys rock too and I appreciate you all so much!
This is off subject, but I have no other way of thanking many of. Thanks to all of you who have been reading my one shots. I have noticed that for some reason, one shots don't get as much attention as multi chapter fics, so thanks for reading, reviewing, and favoriting! You ARE ALL SO FREAKING AWESOME! And I have said before that writing for Sherlock fictioners is the best because you guys are BY FAR the most supportive readers that I have come across.
"Where. The. Fuck. Is. She?" Jim whispered dangerously.
"I…I don't know…she just…"
"I SAID WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?" Jim roared at Seth.
"She climbed out the window. Jack, Adam, and Finn are already searching for her." Seth said in a trembling voice.
"She climbed out the fucking window?" Jim said in an eerily calm voice. He began to laugh and looked at Sebastian. "She climbed out the window Sebby, how very fucking quaint." He turned back around to face Seth and whipped his gun from inside of his jacket.
Seth's eyes widened at the same time his hands came up and a futile attempt to stop the bullet. Jim pulled the trigger and the bullet tore through Seth's forehead and sprayed the back wall. Seth fell to the floor dead with a look of shock frozen on his ruined face.
"Sebby…he's here. I know he is. She climbed out the window because of him." Jim turned to look at him, his wide brown eyes maniacal. "I'll fucking burn him alive!" He screamed.
Adam had ran farther ahead than Jack and made it to the thicket first. He could tell by the broken limbs and rustled bushes that Sherlock must have come this way with Molly. "Jesus…did you actually drag her in here?" He whispered to himself as he reached out and ran his finger over a particularly dangerous looking thorn. He shook his head. "All of this bull shit over a woman."
Adam stepped away from the brush and looked back over his shoulder. "Finn, Jack, I found them. I have no fucking idea how we'll get to them, but I found them."
Finn appeared first followed closely by Jack. Adam pointed towards the mangled brush. "In there."
"Jesus!" Finn said. "They have to be cut to pieces. How do we get them out? If we shoot, we might hit her and Moriarty would skin us…literally."
"Now, now boys, don't go gettin' your dander up" Jack said his thick Irish accent cutting through the quiet evening. "That won't be necessary. And don't you boys go worryin about Moriarty either, you'll never see the likes of him again."
Finn and Adam looked at one another questioningly before turning to look at Jack who now held his weapon at them. Without hesitation Jack pulled the trigger and shot Adam in the head. Jack turned the gun to Finn.
"No…Jack…don't…" Finn's words were cut short as Jack cut him down.
Jack stepped over Finn and leaned into the thicket. "Molly, are you in there girl?" He stepped closer. "Molly its Jack. Come out, you're safe now."
It was a few moments before Jack heard the rustling from inside the thorn thicket. Slowly Sherlock emerged, his face bloody and cut to pieces. He Held Molly close to him, his coat covering her small body and his hand over her face to protect her. He stepped further into the moonlight and Jack could see the rest of the damage to Sherlock. His hands were bloody as were his arms and his neck. There were puncture marks in his skin along with long cuts and scrapes.
"Good God boyo!" Jack cried. "Here, give her to me. You sit down and rest yourself." Jack pulled Molly from Sherlock's arms gently. He sat her down on the ground and pulled the jacket back from her head. Molly's face was swollen, puffy, and red from her tears. She through her arms around Jack and cried.
"He did it to protect me. I tried to get him to keep his coat on but he wouldn't…Oh Jack…he's cut to pieces."
"Shh Molly darlin…it'll be fine. Your boy will be just fine. I'll doctor him up alright until we can get him to a hospital." Jack pulled away from Molly to look at Sherlock who sat dazed on the ground. He turned back to Molly, grasped her night gown at her knees and ripped the material. He went back to Sherlock and immediately set about wrapping what he could. "Now we don't have much time. I'm sure someone back at the house probably heard those shots and I know that Moriarty realizes you're gone, love. I'm sure the gun shot I heard was him killing the man who was supposed to be watchin' you."
Sherlock hissed in pain when Jack wiped the blood from his neck and then moved to his face to wipe the blood that was dripping into his eyes. "Your brother and Barnaby are on their way son with the cavalry."
Sherlock grasped Jack's hand in a surprisingly strong grip. "Moriarty is mine." He hissed.
"Now what just a minute son." Jack began as Sherlock pushed him away to stand. "You're in no condition to go off half cocked."
"I said he's mine." Sherlock said in a tone that brooded no arguments.
"And it's my job to make sure you don't do anythin' foolish like gettin' yourself killed." Jack said forcefully glancing at Molly who was staring at the both of them with frightened eye. "You take Molly and you follow the trail out of here. You're desire for revenge isn't going to do anythin' but get you killed and possibly the girl you love killed and I am sure that is not somethin' you're willing to risk, now is it son?"
Sherlock narrowed his eyes and stared hard at Jack. "No it's not."
Jack gave him a curt nod and pulled Molly to her feet. He pressed her gently into Sherlock. "Now you take her and go. I'll hold Moriarty and his dogs off."
"But you're all alone!" Molly cried horrified. "They'll kill you!"
"Molly, lass, this isn't my first rodeo. I know what I'm doing" Jack looked over her shoulder at Sherlock. "Take her and go now!"
Sherlock nodded and grabbed Molly's wrist and began to pull her away. She struggled looking back at Jack.
"No, wait! Sherlock make him come with us." She pleaded trying unsuccessfully to pull away from him.
"Keep her quiet and go now." Jack said harshly.
Sherlock wrapped his arm around Molly's waist and pulled her in front of him. He put his hand over her mouth and lifted her off her feet carrying her in the opposite direction of Jack and Moriarty.
"God go with you both." Jack said softly before turning and heading back in the direction of the house.
"How much longer?" John asked worriedly staring out the car window.
"Less than five miles according to Jack." Mycroft answered. "I'm sure Moriarty will be waiting for us, unless he has already taken Molly to the airport. Barnaby has men on the way there as well."
"Where in the hell could Sherlock be?" John demanded. "Fucking idiot!"
Mycroft looked at him wearing a funny little smile. "Yes." He said softly
Barnaby closed his mobile and looked at Mycroft. "Lestrade's request for help from Scotland yard was approved. They have two cars coming not 5 minutes behind us."
Mycroft nodded. "I want to make this clear to you Tom. This is like how it was in the old days, when we were in MI 5. This is not a capture…this is a hunt pure and simple. I do not want Moriarty taken alive. You tell your men to shoot to kill. I want this bastard wiped from this Earth."
Tom's expression became grim. "My men have their orders Mycroft."
Mycroft and Tom regarded one another quietly, a sort of understanding radiated between them. This was not the first time that the two of them had faced such a wicked and destructive force. This was not the first time that they had been on a purely shoot to kill mission.
John sat back and studied the both of them and had a sudden overwhelming sense of awe for these two men. Mycroft, always stating his position in the British government was minor, but he knew that was not true. It had never been true. Mycroft Holmes stood for justice and world peace and he could not imagine the stress and turmoil that Mycroft faced daily with some of the decisions that he must have to make for the good of the many. It was a stress and a duty that John Watson knew that he would never want and was not sure that he could handle. Mycroft Holmes on the other hand had shoulders made of steel and would not easily crumple under the weight of such an obligation and responsibility.
And Tom Barnaby. A quiet man. A very kind man who had fatherly eyes, but behind their gentleness was untold strength. This man, this Detective Chief Inspector had seen many horrors and had fought in many life threatening situations for love of his empire and humanity. He had seen the absolute worst in people. He had such wickedness and cold, brutal violence. He had seen despair and hopelessness. He had seen people maim, rape, and murder for their own narcissistic reasons and for their own pleasure. But yet he never walked away. This man had given over 30 years of his life to the protection of others. People he did not even know and would never see again, he put his life on the life and swore an oath to protect these people. And yet, he was a strong enough man to not let it make him cynical. He was able to still see the beauty in the world, the good in people, and to not be sucked into the decay of self pity and cynicism.
John Watson found himself suddenly very humbled setting in the presence of such two fine men.
Sherlock had released Molly to her own two feet and was dragging her quickly to the forest. He was fighting his own blood loss and it was his sheer will and desire to protect her that kept him going. Molly stumbled quietly behind him, her short legs barely able to keep up with him, but she understood that they were alone out there and Sherlock was unarmed, they were completely helpless. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she thought of Jack alone facing Moriarty with his many, many hired guns. And Sebastian Moran, a superb marksman who had never missed in his entire military career as well as his entire criminal career.
Molly gasped and stopped in her tracks when she heard the gun shots. Sherlock had continued forward so when she stopped, he pulled her to the ground.
"Molly…" He said hurriedly. He pulled her to her feet and continued on.
"Jack…"
"There is nothing that we can do for him Molly except to continue forward." He said pulling her faster.
"But…" She started when Sherlock stopped and looked at her.
"He wanted you to live Molly. That's why he stayed behind." He grabbed her arms and shook her. "He wanted you to escape Moriarty and live your life. Don't make his sacrifice in vain! Now come!"
He turned and pulled her on. The forest seemed to never end and there was no sound except for the breaking of limbs as they walked. Molly was barefoot, but her fear kept her numb to any pain she might be feeling. Sherlock desperately wanted to carry her, but due to his own injuries he was barely able to keep himself upright and all he thought of now was getting her to safety…then he would return for Moriarty.
Just when Molly believed that she would stumble and fall and this time not be able to move due to sheer exhaustion and exposure to the elements, there was a break ahead in the greenery. They both could hear the occasional car pass and the light from the moon hitting the street let off a warm, white glow. Sherlock seemed to find renewed vigor in spite of the state he was in and began to move even faster. Molly lungs burned and she could barely keep up with him, stumbling and falling.
Sherlock didn't even glance at her when he leaned down and scooped her up carrying her with renewed speed towards the light.
"Sherlock put me down. You're too weak." She begged but he ignored her.
Sherlock and Molly reached the break in the woods and he stepped out into the moonlight and sat her down. He finally allowed himself time to breath and rest. His body sensing that immediate danger was over, suddenly took charge and overrode his mental determination to stay on his feet. Sherlock sank to his knees, his blood loss overtaking him.
"Sherlock!" Molly cried and sank down next to him. She looked around wildly, tears stinging her eyes for someone, anyone to help therm. But she had no idea where they were or how far away they were from anything.
Headlights soon broke the darkness as some sort of vehicle made its way towards them in the darkness. Molly started to stand and wave for help, but stopped. A sudden fear ripped through her. What if it was Moriarty or his men? What could she do to protect Sherlock? They would kill him and take her.
"Oh God…" She whispered. "Sherlock, please…stand up…" She begged him.
He shook his head, his eyes fluttering as he tried to remain conscious. "Hide Molly…leave me….hide."
"No!" She screamed watching as the car came closer. She noticed that there was another car behind it and another one after that. Her heart caught in her throat and she stood, grabbing Sherlock under his arms. She tried to drag him, but his dead weight was too heavy.
"Sherlock, please help me…" She pleaded.
"I said hide damn you…" He mumbled, his words sounding slurred.
She stubbornly refused and pulled with all of her might and she was rewarded when his body moved an inch, but it was too late. The first car slowed and stopped followed by the next two.
Molly sank down beside him, fresh tears falling, and clutched him to her. Her mind began to frantically try and think what she could possibly say to Jim or promise him if he would just spare Sherlock.
"Molly…" A male voice said coming from the car. "Molly is that you?"
Molly looked up and stared at the approaching man. She could barely make him out through her tears but when he leaned down in front of her, she recognized John Watson.
Molly began to tremble, the anxiety and fear that she had struggled so hard to keep within forced itself free and she began to sob. "Oh John…"
John quickly put his arms around her. "Mycroft!" He yelled. "Come quick. Sherlock is hurt badly."
"He did it to protect me…" She sobbed into his chest. "I was so scared…I thought you were Jim and I thought you would hurt Sherlock and I didn't know what to do…"
"Molly…shh…it's alright…Sherlock is going to be fine. You're fine." He said holding her tightly and rubbing her back.
"I didn't have a weapon…I didn't know what to do and Jack is back there all alone and they'll kill him…" She cried. "He told Sherlock to take me and go…and I'm so afraid for him…."
John held her tighter and try to sooth her. Mycroft and Barnaby approached quickly. "Take her so I can tend to Sherlock." John said to Barnaby.
Barnaby gently pulled Molly to her feet and pulled her towards the car. "John please don't let him die…please…I love him…"
"Shhh Dr. Hooper, I'm sure it will be fine. Sherlock is too much of a dick to die." Barnaby said softly.
Molly stopped suddenly and looked sharply at Barnaby startled that he would use such language. He favored her with a gentle smile and she giggled. "Yes…" She sniffed. "He is…"
Barnaby's smile widened and pulled her close to him, wrapping an arm around her while he walked her back to the car. When he put her in the seat, she grabbed his arm. "Sherlock will be alright won't he?"
Barnaby knew better than to promise something like that to someone in such grief, but he also knew Sherlock Holmes. And if there was any way possible for him to survive, just so he could continue to run everybody out of their mind, then he would do so. Barnaby smiled confidently at Molly, taking her hands in his. "I am sure Dr. Hooper, that Sherlock Holmes will be just fine.
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