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24 – Falling

Helena observed quietly as Jim explained his plan to Sebastian and her. The man was all giggles and evil smiles, and Helena felt relieved to see him back to his old self again.

"Boss, shouldn't we wait for you to be 100% before doing anything?" Sebastian asked. Jim turned to him, his features tense and angry.

"I'm fine, Sebastian. Just do as I say!"

"Alright, alright," the man said, shaking his head dismissively.

"I'm not sure I can do this, Jim," Helena sighed.

"Why not?" Jim asked, snorting.

"I just don't want to," she spat out, and the man gave her a dirty look. Helena left the room in a hurry, and locked herself in the bedroom.

She didn't want to do anything to Sherlock. Not again. She couldn't stand to be Jim's second choice one more time. The man only cared about getting Sherlock yet again, and she wouldn't stand for that, not in a million years. She wasn't going to help him.
There was a knock on the door, then Jim's voice demanded for her to open up. She did, and Jim stood there, madness deep in his eyes, his smile almost a snarl.

"You will do as I tell you, Helena," he hissed.

"No, I won't," she calmly stated. The man scared her, but she wouldn't let it show.

"Why not?"

"I thought it was over!" she yelled. "I thought he was dead, and after all we've been through I thought things would finally go back to normal! But of course he's not dead, and of course you care about him more than you care about me!"

"That's not true," he growled. "How could you say that?"

"It's the bloody truth, James, and you know it!" she shouted at the top of her lungs. "I can't stand this anymore. I should have never come back here!"

"Don't say that," he said, suddenly calm. He features relaxed into a sad smile. "I love you, honey."

"Stop saying that!" she yelled once again. "It's not true!"

With that, she left the room and ran downstairs. Jim didn't follow her. She ran outside into the garden, and sat down on a bench, smoking nervously. Sebastian got to her after a few minutes, and he sat beside her.

"Is there anything I can do, kiddo?"

"Leave me alone."

"You know, your best chance at getting Jim back is to follow the plan."

"I know that. See? One way or the other, he always wins. You know what's scary? He could do anything he wants to me, and I'd still stand by his side. But not this time."

"You can't leave again, Ellie. That would kill him."

"And why should I care about that?"

"Helena…"

"And what about me, huh? I'm already dead, Sebastian. I died when he shot himself. I don't see anyone giving a shit about that."

"So what, you're just gonna up and leave?"

"Maybe I will."

"You'd have a bullet in your head before you walk out of the house."

"Poetic, isn't it?"

"No, it's not. It's suicidal."

"Leave me alone, Sebastian."

"Whatever you say," he sighed, and left.

Helena threw away her cigarette and held her head in her hands. Sebastian was absolutely right, she couldn't leave. Then what was she supposed to do? Just swallow the rage and the bitterness and play along with Jim's little game? She couldn't do that, no.

She went back inside the house and found Jim.

"Okay, fine, I'm in," she said to him. The man smiled.

"Great, then you should go to London with Sebastian," he smirked, and Helena nodded. She left with Sebastian and they got to London in the middle of the night. He dropped her off at her apartment, and drove away into the night.

As soon as she was alone and safe inside her flat, she took her phone and sent out a text.

"We need to talk. Come find me. –H"

Then, she went into her bedroom and tried to sleep. She couldn't. She was going to betray the man she loved. She had a perfect plan, and Jim would never even suspect anything, because he was too used to her doing everything he said, he was so sure of her loyalty he'd never see this coming.

Helena cried that night, at the thought of doing that. She loved James to death, but she really couldn't take anymore. That was the only way to rid herself of him, and she would go through with her plan no matter what.

At some point she fell asleep, and had nightmares all night long. When she woke up, she felt something wasn't right, so she looked for the gun she kept under the pillow. It was gone. She slowly opened her eyes and saw a dark figure towering over her at the foot of the bed. She gasped in surprise, and sat up. She blinked a few times, to clear her vision, and finally recognized the man.

"You scared me," she sighed, getting out of bed. The man's stare lingered on her exposed body as she covered herself with a nightgown. "I thought you wouldn't come."

"No use in hiding anymore. You knew I'm alive," the man said, and his baritone sent shivers down her spine. She looked at him, and for a second she felt like she'd… missed him.

"Sherlock, we need to talk."

"You said so in your text. What about?"

"I need coffee first," she smiled, and he followed her into the kitchen. Helena made coffee and Sherlock observed her closely as usual.

"I have to ask," she said. "How are you alive?"

"A magician never reveals his tricks," the man said with a complacent smirk.

"Fair enough," she smiled, and drank some coffee.

"So what is it, Helena?"

"Jim knows you're alive. He's going to kidnap John and Mrs. Hudson to draw you out."

"I figured."

"He wanted me to play my part—"

"But you won't," the man interrupted her.

"You're perspicacious as usual," she smiled again. "I want to help you help me."

"Meaning?"

"Jim must die."