Alice and Moran had been working for days getting everything together, getting Sherlock to be in a certain place at a certain time, and getting the weapons they would need. They were either holed up in an office making phone calls or video calling people all day or out on the streets, buying weapons, hacking CCTV cameras, and making sure they had picked the right spot to orchestrate Sherlock's death. At night, Alice would show up at Baker Street, getting things organized on the other side. She and Sherlock held meetings with members of the Homeless Network, who would be making sure everything went off without a hitch. They rehearsed everything, just to be sure neither of them would mess up. Needless to say, Alice barely slept, but she got everything done.

Every evening, she would wait an hour after Moran went to bed before sneaking out her second-story window, making her way to Baker Street. She was sure to be back by the early morning, so she could sneak back in and get a few precious hours of sleep before she would have to be up and working with Moran again. Every day blended together, and soon enough, they had arrived at the day Sherlock was going to die.

The entire day seemed like it was waiting for something. Alice got up late, having orchestrated the final details with Sherlock the night before. She'd been out until early in the morning, and had been walking around London with him, finally wishing him a "goodnight. And good luck tomorrow. I love you. So much. Remember that for me."

Moran had let her sleep, since she wasn't going to be in on much of it until the very end. She would carry things out, and that was pretty much it. All of the broadcasting, the blackmail, and the footage was left up to others in Moran's network. All afternoon, she walked through the house restlessly. She tried to nap, but just ended up tossing and turning in bed, not being able to fall asleep. Alice eventually went out to the supermarket, picking up groceries because she could do nothing else. She just couldn't seem to sit still. Everything had to be pulled off flawlessly on all sides for this to work. Even a tiny fault in Moran's plan could ruin everything.

She had arranged to meet Sherlock around 11 o'clock at night up on the Westminster Bridge, which was a perfect location for Moran to hack into the CCTV cameras. Unbeknownst to him, Sherlock and the Homeless Network had been casing the area for days, working tirelessly to make sure everything would be in place well before Moran took control of the CCTV system. There would be no way to trace them there, and he would never notice a few people wandering around like vagrants. It was perfect. Now all they had to do was pull off another death.

Alice was more nervous than she had been when she had to fake her own death. All she had to do then was disappear and give some of her things to Moran, who would arrange for the corpse to be dressed in them and planted where they wanted it. She was home watching TV before her death made the news. Now it was up to her to make sure that nothing went wrong. Because if it did, she really would be the one who killed Sherlock Holmes. So she paced the house, barely ate dinner, and could do nothing to help Moran, which made her even more restless. He was holed up in his office making last-minute phone calls to be sure that everything was in place. He'd called in a technician to hack the cameras on the bridge earlier in the day. Her name was Alicia, and she was pretty nice, but she was busy in the office that Moran had set up for her. Alice didn't even have Chester to keep her company.

Finally, she was given the okay to go get ready, Moran telling her that a car would be waiting when she came downstairs. Putting her makeup on with one hand, Alice texted Sherlock, telling him that she would be on the way soon. Don't forget anything. You have to be exactly on the spot they marked when this all goes down. Oh God, Sherlock, I can't do this. What if I fuck up? I love you. I'm sorry in advance, even if everything goes right. I'm so sorry. I love you. I'll see you soon.

The ride to the bridge was relatively short, but Alice was still nervous, tapping her feet along with the song on the radio. The driver let her out and she thanked him, checking her watch as he sped off. He would be back as soon as they saw Sherlock die, ready to whisk her away in case any uncontrolled-for passersby happened to be in the area. She stepped into the shadows, waiting for Sherlock, playing her lines over again in her head. They had rehearsed this a thousand times back at Baker Street, but she still went over them, trying not to mess up.

As the clock struck 11, Sherlock stepped out of a cab a few meters away. He paid the driver before turning to the sidewalk, looking around for her. Look left. Look right. Look behind you. Step forward. Alice stepped out of the shadows, coming up to him as he turned to look at the sudden motion. "Hey," she smiled, taking a spot next to him and looking out over the water. "It's beautiful, isn't it? Especially from up here. All of the lights reflecting off of the water."

"You were dead," he began, reciting his lines for the cameras. Moran was watching, after all. As was Big Brother. Mycroft had people stationed everywhere, ready to move in if something went wrong on either end. "I saw you. I… I held you, covered in blood."

"Well, we can't all die that easily, now can we?" she smirked, looking at the detective. "You of all people could understand why I had to do it. I can't… I can't do this anymore, Sherlock. All of the crap you pull me into, I just can't. I lost my son because of you. I lost everything I had, everything I'd worked for, because I had to go and fall… fall in love with you." So much went unsaid in these lines, so much that she had wanted to say every time they practiced them in the Baker Street living room. But now wasn't the time. "All I ever wanted was a normal life. With you. And Charlie. And John, and Rosie, and Mrs. Hudson. But we both know that can never happen."

"What are you saying?" He raised an eyebrow, playing up the whole zero-emotional-intelligence thing.

She drew the gun from her coat pocket, twirling it in her hand. There was a split second of panic, Alice wondering if she had really loaded it with blanks. Of course you did. You did it this morning and you've checked a dozen times since then. "I'm saying that I can't live with you. I'm saying that no one really can. You're an ignorant arse who drags everyone down into your shit, and I'm sick of it. You killed our son. You killed John's wife. You've ruined so much, ruined so many people's lives, and this has to stop." She leaned in to kiss him, whispering, "I love you" before taking a step back. "I'm sorry, but no one can do this anymore. I'm just the one who's said it."

"Alice, you know you don't have to do this. Whatever he's brainwashed you with -"

"He hasn't brainwashed me, Sherlock. Seb's always been there for me, unlike you. He never ran out in the middle of the night on a case, telling me he'd be back later. Never left me wondering if he really would come back. He's never missed a restaurant reservation and made me wait an hour while he ran through London hunting some trivial clue down. He's always been a friend, and he's not brainwashing me. He's just showed me all of the shit I let you get away with."

He reached out for her, Alice taking another step back. "You married me. You have to feel something… you know killing me won't solve your problems. And you know you married me for a reason. Alice, you don't have to do this. I love you. And I know you're not a psychopath. I know you're a good person," he pled as she took the safety off of her gun.

"I know I'm not a psychopath… I'm a highly-functioning sociopath. Do your research. Goodbye, Sherlock Holmes," she spat, firing a blank into his chest.

He had been ready for it, but even so, he stumbled a little, Alice reaching out and shoving him over the bridge as he fell backwards. Her part was over. Now it was up to the Homeless Network, who would have a series of nets set up right below the bridge. They would catch him and release a dummy at the same time. From the grainy camera that sat by the bridge, Moran would never know the difference.

There was a definitive splash as her car rounded the corner. Something had fallen into the water. Now whether it was the detective or the dummy, she didn't know. She wouldn't know for a while, since there would be a radio silence order for a few hours. Sherlock couldn't contact her for a while, since Moran would want to congratulate her and talk over everything. And he would be watching her, of course.

The car arrived at Moran's house in record time, Alice getting out and numbly thanking the driver. She shed her coat, hanging it by the door before going into the office to meet Moran, who was rewatching the CCTV tapes. Alicia had left, her things cleared away. Alice took a set by his desk. "Hi, Seb."

"Good job. Flawless execution, like usual. It's good to have you back." He spun in his chair to face her, looking her over. "No signs of shock. No hand tremors. Good. Nothing's changed. I was worried that the years would have turned you soft, but you're as good as ever. Jim would have been proud."

"Thank you," she nodded as Moran poured them both a shot of whiskey. "And thanks again. Well deserved."

"Well deserved," he agreed. "Our technicians pulled everything off, and you were perfect. I'm glad. They should be finding a body in the next few days. All we have to do now is sit back and watch the press blow up."

Alice didn't go to bed until late that night. She and Moran had stayed up talking for a while, discussing old missions and the people they had spent years working with. Half of them had died, and another quarter were in prison. But that was normal in their line of work. All she could think about was Sherlock. She was waiting on a text from him, but her phone was up in her room, where she couldn't reach it. She had to try her best not to run up the stairs when she was finally able to go to bed, grabbing her phone to check for notifications.

There was a text from two minutes before, Alice sighing in relief as she dropped into bed to answer.

Made it. - SH

Thank goodness. - A

Quite the adventure. Tell you about it later? - SH

I'm exhausted and Moran's still on high alert. Probably wouldn't be a great idea to head out right now. - A

Okay. Tomorrow? - SH

Tomorrow. - A

I love you. - SH

Love you too. Glad you're alive. - A