A/N: I am so so so sorry for being gone so long. I started a new job, had a really bad period of depression where I couldn't write, and have been hoping I could finish up one of my other WIP's so I can focus more of my attention on this fic (but it took longer than I thought). Anyhow, hoping to be back on this fic in more regularity from now on. I really do want to finish this one off. Thank you all for your patience. Sad to see some of you have left due to the wait, so thanks to any who stuck around.

This is likely to be a controversial chapter. Please don't flame me. I'm open to suggestions, but not blatant attacks. If you're not enjoying the story please leave. I'm really nervous about putting this out here, so I'm having faith in you to not be cruel about it.

Warnings: Character death. Not explicit, but mentioned.


The call came while they were driving.

Mycroft's people had pulled up a few minutes after Sherlock had made the call. Molly made hurried excuses and said goodbyes to her sister while he and the boys entered the van outside. Mrs. H. was in a state, but Sherlock had no words to comfort her. Everything in him was thrumming with anxiety. Anything could happen now.

Johann had buried himself into Alex's arms. It was one of those terrible signs for Sherlock. He glanced again at the older boy, Alex's face ashen even as he ran a hand through Johann's hair. Molly too was gripping him tightly. He had no words to offer them. Especially not when his phone rang.

The man up front motioned to him, and with a deep breath he pulled the phone up to answer it.

There was a tisking sound on the other end. "Sherlock, Sherlock, Sherlock. You never learn do you?"

He closed his eyes. "Learn what? That you enjoy causing destruction wherever you can?"

Molly was staring at him, eyes flicking between the boys and Sherlock. He tried not to lose himself in her gaze. It was a temptation he couldn't give in to at the moment. He had to face Moriarty himself.

"That I can do whatever I like to you," Moriarty purred. "And you can't do a thing about it."

"Your ring is gone," Sherlock said. "You have no supporters left."

"I don't nee-eed them." He chuckled a bit. "Why don't you go ahead and look out your window."

He froze as he scrambled to gather his wits about him. Bluff? Or reality? Either could set him in the path of danger. Sherlock clenched a fist wishing desperately that he'd found a way to bring some kind of a weapon with him.

"Nowhere is too far for me to reach, Sherlock." Sherlock could picture the crazed grin on his face. "Even off on vacation. To be honest, it was a hard choice for me. Come after you….or create a little destruction back in London? Figured maybe it would be a fun time to get rid of your darling Greg. Or maybe that your brother would be a good next target…but really I'm not ready to go back to London yet…"

Sherlock closed his eyes, doing his best to practice the breathing techniques his counselor had taught him. In, out. Counting off as he did so. In, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Out.

"Why don't you look outside your window, Sherlock?"

He did after a moment. Nothing. Just the night roadway. But he knew, there was every possibility the man could turn up.

"Don't ever try to run from me," Moriarty hissed. "It was quite foolish of you. Daddy's quite angry."

"You have nothing," Sherlock said. "No power. In time we'll have you too. And then it will be over."

He made a noise of discontent over the phone. "Oh Sherlock, still so unaware. The game's still in play. And I'm still playing. I'm afraid you've been very naughty…you need to be punished."

Sherlock frowned. There was something in those words.

"Would you like that, Mr. Holmes? I could make you beg. Won't you beg for me?"

There was a scream from the phone and he jerked in his seat. No, it wasn't possible. But it was undeniable in a matter of moments.

"Please, Sherlock," her voice rang out. "Don't…"

"What do you say, Sherlock? Will you beg for me?" Moriarty purred.

He closed his eyes.

Irene's gasps were shallow, but she managed to speak. "Don't, Sherlock. It's not worth it."

Of course. So that was how it was to be played.

"Please," he said after a long moment. "I'm begging you. Don't hurt her."

Moriarty laughed. "God, those words over this scheming lying little bitch? I can't even imagine what I could get you to say for dear Molly. Shall we try this with her next time? See how prettily you'll beg with my knife against her throat?"

"Please," Sherlock said again. "You don't need to hurt her."

Irene screamed and then there was silence for a moment. Moriarty's laugh was the only thing he heard.

"Too late." There was a long pause and Sherlock found he was holding his breath, everything in him clenched in anticipation. "Remember this next time, Sherlock. Call your little police friends and tell them they can start looking for her body."

There was a click and the call was over.

"What was that?" Molly whispered.

Sherlock had to look down at his hands to confirm they weren't shaking.

"Nothing. We go to the safe house like Mycroft will have planned. Things will be fine from there."

"And how long will we be there?" Alex whispered, eyes flicking between his two parents and then back down to Johann.

"As long as necessary," Sherlock answered, glancing out into the darkness. Still nothing in his sights, but he was all too aware of the danger, and he'd do what it took to let it pass.


A week. Sherlock cursed Mycroft a thousand times over as they finally walked back into Baker street. A week in a cabin in the northwest hiding in solitude. A week with five people clustered up together in fear. A week with no internet and nothing to do other than feed off each other's misery. Even Mrs. Hudson had grown entirely bad tempered in the time.

He heard the door below slam shut and let out a sigh, hoping he didn't have to see his landlady for a few days at the very least. Molly urged the boys to go unpack and get cleaned up for bed before she ushered Sherlock into their room and closed the door.

"You need to relax," she whispered, moving him to the bed. He sat without any resistance, all too ready to give in at this point.

She moved behind him, hands coming to rest on his shoulders and then beginning to knead.

"Did Mycroft say anything about Irene?" Molly asked quietly.

Sherlock swallowed before managing to nod. Yes, it had been confirmed. The body found a few days ago. His only comfort was finding out she'd died quickly. But still, for all her help it was a poor reward. He should have been more cautious.

"We're back," Molly said after a moment. "You ought to be glad of that at least. Can breathe in the London air again." He could sense her smile even though he couldn't see it.

"Things will never be normal," Sherlock murmured. "He's determined. He'll destroy everything we love before it's over."

Molly sighed and leaned her head against his shoulder. She didn't move for a long while. Sherlock even began to suspect she might have fallen asleep before she spoke again.

"We must have faith," she said. "It's all there is now."

"I don't care for faith," Sherlock said. "I trust reason. And reason says…it says this is hopeless."

She squirmed around slightly, leaning more weight on him. He didn't find he particularly minded,

"Then let me be your faith," she whispered. "I'll have enough for both of us. Everything will work out, Sherlock. We'll make it. I know you don't believe in that sort of thing, but I believe that good will win out."

He sighed and closed his eyes for a moment.

"Then I'll leave such things to you," he said. "And I'll work on this myself. If there's any solution to this problem I'll find it."

Her hand slid into his grasping it tightly. He squeezed back, wondering how he'd ever gotten on in life without someone here. It was easier in so many ways. The comfort and reassurance she provided…he could never have enough of that.

"Things will be normal someday," she promised again. "Just us and the boys, as it should be. And we'll live like any other family would, and it will be just perfect. Just you wait and see."


"So how was your date?" Johann asked as Alex came in the doorway.

Sherlock's head snapped up and he turned to examine Alex. Date? A quick scan showed no evidence of that, though he could certainly see a much more impressive smile than usually. Other than that there was only the slightly rumpled hair, though it didn't look to be from anything unsavory.

"Shut up," Alex said with an eye roll.

"Ok, so it wasn't a date," Johann confirmed. "But I think mum and dad probably still want to know what you and Reena were up to."

Sherlock's brow furrowed

"We just went to the shooting range," Alex said, flopping down in his chair. "Her dad has a membership at one and he offered to take us. It was fun. Nice way to let off some steam."

"And do you have any spoils of your little conquest?' Sherlock asked.

Alex smiled and reached into his pocket to pull out a folded target. He opened it up and slid it over to Sherlock on the table.

The target revealed a smattering of dots, though a majority of them were concentrated in the bullseye area.

"Looks as though you made a good start," Sherlock remarked.

"Yeah, that's my first one. Second's here." Alex said, pulling out the other and pushing it over as well.

That one had Sherlock staring. Just one larger messy hole in the middle. A conglomeration of smaller shots all mixing to form one piece of evidence about Alex's ability to shoot.

"Very good," he said, even as his thoughts went racing.

"Sure thing," Alex said. "Might go back with Reena again. It was fun."

"Oh yeah, really romantic for a date," Johann said with a grin.

"Yeah, you come talk to me when you have your first girlfriend," Alex said with a glare. "Then you can act all smug about it. Till then you lay off."

Without another word he grabbed the two targets and headed to the stairs. Sherlock sat still for a moment, thinking over what he'd just seen.

"Do you think he'll ever have a girlfriend?" Johann asked, plopping his chin into one hand and staring in the direction of the stairs.

"In time, perhaps," Sherlock said. "When he's ready."

Johann frowned. "He's gotten asked out loads of times."

Sherlock glanced at his younger son. "And how do you know that?"

A light shrug before he answered, "seen the texts and all. He's bad at picking passcodes."

Sherlock might have chastised the boy, but he knew full well Molly would probably shoot him a knowing look if he did. There really was no point.

Johann went back to working on his homework. Sherlock pondered if he should ask more questions about what he'd seen. After all, Molly would be angry if he invaded Alex's privacy…but if Johann was already doing so.

"Anything else remarkable about what Alex keeps on his phone or computer?"

Johann looked up, eyes glinting. "And what do I get if I tell you? He'll come after me if he realizes I've sold him out."

"So long as it's nothing particularly unsavory, he won't be punished," Sherlock said, leaning forward. "So, anything to tell me?"

A light smile and then those warm brown eyes were looking back at the maths book on the table.

"Nope."

Well, that settled it then. Sherlock smiled and leaned back in his chair. He was somehow proud of Johann for being unwilling to rat on his brother. He'd had far too many times in his own childhood where Mycroft had made a point of telling his parents things he didn't want told.

"Well, he'll have a girlfriend before you know it," Sherlock said. "By how fast you're both growing, I'm half expecting you'll have one next time I blink."

Johann rolled his eyes. "Oh please, I beat Alex in that contest long ago. Lily Turner and I kissed after school one day."

"Oh?" Sherlock said, doing his best to keep his expression even. "And why was that?"

"Silly dare," Johann answered, brow furrowing as he glanced at one of the equations. "But that's all in the past now. First kiss and that nonsense. For now I need to focus on advancing myself. There will be time in the future to worry about girls."

"I hope so," Sherlock said. "And to be honest, as much as I suspect your brother will start dating soon, I'd rather begun to hope he will follow along that exact same idea. Perhaps it will be years before we ever have to host a girlfriend at the supper table or whatever nonsense it is that happens when you two select a significant other."

Johann's smile was contagious.

"Oh dad, you're ridiculous," he said. "You've got five months maximum. And then it's over."

"Want to bet?" Sherlock asked.

The boy looked up and frowned. "Bet?"

"You say five months? I say ten," Sherlock said. "If I win you have to do the dishes for a month. If you win, I'll give you twenty pounds."

Johann grinned. "Better have that twenty pounds ready then. I'm coming for it."

Sherlock just shook his head, unable to hide his smirk. "Oh you'll be sorry."


Four months passed. With the ring of criminals mostly gone, Sherlock spent most of his time trying to track Moriarty's whereabouts. There would be bodies that would turn up, havoc that would appear in random cities. But it was almost impossible to predict a pattern. So he took up clients in his spare time, did his best to stay focused on that and on family life and everything else.

After a long day hunting down a murder suspect, Sherlock returned to the flat feeling ready for a rest. Perhaps a little violin playing would sooth his fraying nerves.

However, just as he was entering into the flat, he paused as he heard voices. His mind ran through the schedule he'd half attempted to store at the beginning of the week. Supposedly Johann had piano lessons this afternoon. Molly would be at the morgue for another hour. And he'd thought Molly had mentioned something about Alex having a study session.

He glanced into the living room in time to see Alex and another boy at the table.

"So you're saying it would be phosphorus pentoxide?"

Alex leaned closer, peering down at the paper.

"Right!" He smiled. "See? I told you it would just take a little more practice for you to get a hold of it. Try the next one?"

The boy grinned and looked back at the book, finding the next problem.

"I'm afraid I don't know. Can you help?"

Alex placed a hand on his shoulder. "Well, all you have to do is balance. It's simple math really. So if I combine these two to make aluminum hydroxide, what is the other product?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes. These were ridiculously simple questions. He was almost certain Alex was in a more advanced chemistry class than whatever it was they were discussing. However, before he could step forward and ask for an answer, Alex had moved his chair a little closer.

"You're learning fast," he said with a warm smile.

"Do I get a reward… teacher?" the other student asked, one hand moving to slide down Alex's thigh. For a moment Sherlock almost stepped forward, but he noticed Alex didn't seem to react in the slightest to the touch. Familiar then. Welcome.

"Of course," Alex said, and he leaned forward, eyes shining. "I told you how I'd help you, didn't I?"

While Sherlock was sorely tempted to stand in silence a moment longer, he knew this couldn't go on. It was too much of an invasion of privacy. He cleared his throat and stepped into the room fully.

Alex's reaction was instantaneous. He pulled away, sitting back in his chair and folding his arms. The other boy's hand had returned to the table as he glanced timidly towards the door.

"Hello," Sherlock said, doing his best to keep his tone even. "And how's the studying going?"

"Fine," Alex said. "Just finishing up, actually. Conner was just heading home."

The other boy shifted and reached for the chemistry text. "Er…right."

Sherlock went into the kitchen, listening as Alex whispered to the other boy. He couldn't make out quite what all it was, but he did hear Conner make a promise to text him. Alex walked to the door, and he could see the hesitation on his son's face as Conner stood there waiting.

"Go ahead," Sherlock muttered over his shoulder. "Give him a proper goodbye."

Alex flushed and shot him a glare, but after a moment he did lean in and place a soft kiss on Conner's cheek.

"I'll see you tomorrow," he said quietly.

"Bye, Alex."

They both waited out the footsteps. Alex stood with folded arms, face paling as the door downstairs closed.

"You were supposed to be out late," he snapped. "With the case and all."

Sherlock sighed. "Solved it quicker than I expected." He eyed Alex up and down. "I'm actually trying to solve another one now. Wondering what I must have done to make you think you needed to sneak around."

Alex's shoulders drooped.

"I…"

"You can tell me anything, Alex," Sherlock said. "I hope you'll know that from now on."

Sherlock watched as Alex wrapped his arms a bit tighter around himself.

"I didn't want…" he let out a frustrated sigh. "I didn't know how to tell you. I…you always talked about how I'd be just like my dad. And now I'm not."

"You're not your father," Sherlock said. "And I'm sorry if I've made you feel you need to be. You're two completely different men, Alex. You have some of his character, and a lot of his looks, but you're in all ways your own person."

He paused and considered, looking Alex over again, noting the product in his hair. A few of those stereotypical signs of course, but not many. Deductions really could only take him so far.

"How long have you known?" Sherlock asked. "How long have Molly and I failed you in not being here if you needed to talk?"

Alex shrugged. "Since I was eleven maybe? Twelve? Figured it out pretty quick."

"Sounds like it," Sherlock said. "So…you and…Collin?"

"Conner," Alex corrected with an eye roll. "Yeah. About a month."

"I'm happy for you," Sherlock said. "And I'm sure Molly will be too. And Johann I suppose."

"Jo already knows," Alex said. "Or at least I assume he does. He deduces everything. Better than you usually."

Sherlock might have taken offense at the comment about anyone else, but with Johann, he couldn't fault him.

"I suppose he does," Sherlock said. "Do you want to tell Molly or shall I?"

Alex sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. Do you think…she'll be all right about it?"

"She's fine with your Aunt Harry isn't she?" Sherlock said, raising a brow.

He and Molly had never specifically talked about this, but he assumed she wasn't the type to reject someone based on something like this. He thought back to her remark about being with Irene Adler and smirked. No, there was no plausible way someone as loving as Molly would turn away in a time like this.

There was a long pause and then Alex swallowed, arms tightening around himself a little.

"Do you think…do you think my dad would have…?" he broke off, and Sherlock thought he saw tears for a moment. But whatever was there Alex pulled back quickly.

"I don't think anything you could have done would have made your father love you any less," Sherlock said, keeping his voice steady. "He was the most loving man I've ever known. He would be so proud of you, Alex. As would your mother. I know that if they could see you now they would be so incredibly delighted with how much you've grown…with how far you've come."

Alex offered a slightly watery smile before lunging in for a hug. It had been a long time since the last one. So long Sherlock wasn't even sure he remembered when it had last been. The joys of teenagers and all that. So he squeezed tight and quickly pocketed the memory away in his palace for later. It would be good to have that one.

After a few seconds, Alex huffed and pulled away. Sherlock stood there and watched as the boy snatched up his mobile, likely to send Conner a text about the day's events. He disappeared up the steps in a matter of seconds leaving Sherlock to think. He went to sit back down.

A half hour later, there were footsteps on the stairs, and he found himself smiling when Molly appeared in the doorway, four large bags of groceries weighing down both her arms. He rose and came to take two from her.

"Thank you," she said, leaning in to peck his lips before following him to the kitchen. "How was your day?"

"Fine," Sherlock said, easily sliding the bags onto the counter and then grabbing her last two as well. He moved to help her out of her coat, and watched as her eyes crinkled in amusement.

"Well you're in a good mood at least," she said. "That's a good sign."

"I am," Sherlock confirmed. "Though depending on how you take some news that could change."

"News?" she asked, moving to unload the bags. "What sort of news?"

"Well…I am happy to inform you that our Alex has officially found his first significant other," he said carefully.

Molly turned around, jaw dropping. "No, really? After all this time? Did you meet her?"

"I did…I walked in on the two of them actually," Sherlock said.

"Walked in on…" Molly trailed off, eyes going wide. "Dear god tell me they weren't having sex?"

"No," Sherlock confirmed. "Though we've already discussed that we're not enforcing abstinence."

Molly sighed. "No, but I still don't like it really. He's too young. And besides, I don't want him doing it in the house."

"How old were you for your first time?" Sherlock asked.

Molly thought for a moment. "Seventeen? Eighteen? Somewhere in there. With my boyfriend of two years. What about you?"

"Nineteen," he said. "At university. It was as unspectacular as I'd imagined it would be. Hence my waiting. But Alex isn't asexual. He's a thriving, active, healthy young man. And it wouldn't surprise me if he and his boyfriend will at some point have sex."

Molly sighed. "Well, I suppose I'd best just stop thinking about it…" she trailed off, brow crinkling. "Hold on, did you say boyfriend?"

"Boyfriend," Sherlock confirmed. "Noun. A significant other of the male variety. Yes. Boyfriend."

She stared at him for a moment, blinking a few times. "He…oh…I hadn't…" She continued to look quite puzzled. "Well I suppose that will do just fine then."

"Good," Sherlock said. "He was worried you might be upset."

Molly waved a hand and went back to her groceries. "No. But I want to meet him. Whoever he is. And I'm just trying to think if there's anything I've got to change? Should I start asking if Alex'd like to go shopping with me? And maybe I should you know…bake him a cake or something? I think I have enough different colors of food coloring to make some sort of rainbow… but is he out to his friends? Maybe I shouldn't then if that's not all that special. Perhaps he'd like it if I—"

"Molly," Sherlock said firmly, "there's no need for any of that. Really, treat it like any other day or you'll make him uncomfortable. No rainbow cakes necessary. And I would suggest you continue to treat him as himself, not as some gay stereotype. He's still our sporty rambunctious boy. If he expresses interests in any of those things in the future, go ahead and provide them. But for now, best to say congratulations and move on."

Molly turned to smile at him. "God, I never thought I'd see the day you'd understand someone better than me. I suppose you're right. I'll leave it be then."

Sherlock gazed at her, though he was unable to keep a smile away. "You care for him, and that's completely reasonable. But we should do what we can to make this easy for him."

There was a second's pause before Molly moved in to kiss him. Sherlock allowed the attentions.

"Thank you for telling me," Molly said.

He could see the joy in her eyes and was glad that there weren't any repercussions as Alex had feared there might be. He let himself relax some now that the news was broken.

"I'll just have to think about everything," Molly said. "I just always pictured him marrying a nice girl and settling down to have children one day. I suppose maybe I'm just projecting or something like that." She smiled in spite of herself. "But I'd love a son-in-law just as much I suppose. And he could always adopt or find a surrogate or something, couldn't he?"

Sherlock groaned. "For heaven's sake, Molly, he's fifteen."

She giggled, flushing a bit. "True. I know. I'm sorry I'm just so excited. I suppose since I never got to plan my own wedding I'm already excited by the prospect of helping our son plan his."

He started to roll his eyes, only to stop and consider that. "It means that much to you? Planning a wedding?"

"I had sort of thought I'd have one most of my life, yes," Molly said with a shrug. "But really, you have a point in some ways. Weddings are silly things. We're living together. We have children. Aren't those the important things?"

"Well, I suppose there are some benefits," Sherlock said. "Taxes and all that."

Molly squealed and threw a slap his way that he easily dodged. "Oh, don't you dare say that!"

He smiled and moved away from her. "You're being absurd, that's a perfectly logical reason to get married."

"Oh yes, because that's what a good marriage is made out of logic," Molly said, crossing her arms, although her eyes were still glittering. "I can see why you'd be so against it if you went in like an attitude like that."

Sherlock moved forward, catching her hand in his. "Oh, of course. And I suppose it's different for you."

Molly lifted her head, still smiling. "Only the deepest love will persuade me into matrimony. Which is why I will end up an old maid."

"Hardly," Sherlock said. "Old maids don't usually take up residence with bachelors and have children with them."

Molly giggled again. "No. It's a quote, silly. But you're right, it's not that important given all we have so far."

He managed to swallow, keeping her hand tight in his as he ran through the facts.

"Molly, when he's….he's finally gone, I'd be glad to give you what you want."

In a matter of seconds Molly's jaw was hanging open.

"Sherlock, what…you…are…are you proposing?"

"Sort of," he muttered. "In a manner of speaking. If we defeat Moriarty I'll tie the knot. But I can't until this is put to rest, Molly. I really can't."

"I don't ask you to," Molly said easily, squeezing his hand in hers. She leaned in to peck his cheek before pulling away with a warm smile. "I love you so very much, Sherlock. And I'd never ask you to do what you don't want to. If there comes a time when we want to consider it, we can. But for now you're right…it does no good to dwell on things that might not come to pass for some time."

"We will plan when they come up," Sherlock agreed, moving in to kiss her lips this time. "And until then we'll live quite well, enjoying the moments we have."


"Can I go to France for the summer?" Alex asked.

Sherlock looked up from his computer, furrowing his brow as he worked over the question again.

"What?"

"France," Alex said. "This summer. With Conner. He asked if I'd go with him."

Johann made a gagging noise from the sofa. "Dear lord, you two have been dating for a few months and you're already planning your honeymoon to the city of love? I'm going to be sick."

"City of lights," Sherlock muttered. "And why do you believe you need to spend an entire summer there?"

Alex shrugged. "Not much to do here is there? You're ridiculously busy with your casework. Molly's taken over all that new work at the lab. And Jo will probably just lock himself in our room out of the reach of the sunlight most of the day like the little vampire he is."

"I resent that," Johann said. "There's absolutely nothing wrong with spending time inside."

"Beyond vitamin D deficiency," Alex scoffed. "Please, Sherlock? It'd be for a few weeks. Just during the hols and then I'd be back. Conner even promised he'd bring study material and we can work on that too."

"What, you're bringing maths because you don't have something hard that you'll be doing all day?"

Sherlock shot Johann a look, which quickly had the boy bowing his head. Honestly, the boy had developed a truly vulgar mind.

"I don't see why not," he said after a moment. "We'll run it past, Molly, but I believe there shouldn't be a problem."

Alex beamed while Johann continued to sulk. Sherlock thought it over one last time, but he couldn't see any reason why not. Let Alex go for a bit, achieve some independence. And besides, the boy was right. He had so much to do to be ready for Moriarty.


A/N: Please please please don't flame me over Alex. If it's not your cup of tea, please just stop reading. I tried to hint earlier by saying I would prefer readers offended by Harry/Anna to leave, but who knows if you listened. There won't be anything explicit between him and his boyfriend. Anyhow, he's my character (technically since we know nothing about Baby Watson yet and it's supposed to be a girl anyways), so I can do what I like with him. Hope you understand that.

I'll try to keep posting when I can. I actually am tempted to just write the rest and post it all in one big chunk, because I'm scared that if I write it chapter by chapter I might just lose confidence and stop altogether. So, don't lose faith if you see other projects being updated before this. The likelihood is that I'm working on this one in private to put up all together. Should only be a few more chapters anyways. We're coming close to the end.

Thanks to SammyKatz, BelieverofManyThings, and Jesuslovesmarina for reviewing!