TheDarkestShinobi: Originally, I wanted to write a crazy Moriarty that had no rhyme nor reason and that would allow me to have him do anything without being questioned. Having the split personality is a bit different and if any one of you lovely readers has any experience/knowledge and would like to tell me I'd be more than wanting.
Please review!
Start
Sherlock spins slowly as his eyes close. His hands lead the bow back and forth across the violin string. He takes a step back and spins slowly as he went through the notes he penciled in on the paper. He stops as he reaches the end. He doesn't move the violin as he stares at the paper. The music is smooth; Mrs. Hudson complemented him on it earlier today. Oh, but it needs a name, something so beautiful needs a name.
He has two ideas for the next bar and so he starts at the top of the page again. He closes his eyes as he plays. He spins slowly again and tries to block out the sound of John's groan. He takes a step back as there is a sharp exhale of pain upstairs. The next bar isn't gentle but a harsh and pained movement that builds as John's dream gets worse. Sometimes the music calms John. He should play louder.
"No!" John shouts and Sherlock's eyes widen as his body stills. There is a scream and Sherlock flinches, causing the violin to screech and his wrist to throb. John is up now, sitting and panting on his bed and Sherlock closes his eyes to take in a deep breath. Sherlock spreads the score he was writing out and starts from the beginning letting the music calm him and hopefully calm John as well. He leaves John his space and doesn't say anything while John starts to make tea. He lets his music offer the comfort he knew his words couldn't. When John settles in his chair Sherlock turns halfway and John's eyes move to his wrist. Sherlock's brace is on the table.
"It's fine." Sherlock offers as he plays louder again. He repeats the harsh and pained movement on the strings to remember the notes. He turns away from John moving the bow and violin down and shakes his head.
"Keep it." John speaks up and Sherlock picks up the pencil.
"Good?" Not frightening?
"It's building." Sherlock fills in the notes as John stands up to get everything ready for the tea. "Good pace, feels like something big is going to happen."
It's what Sherlock is afraid of.
John doesn't take the tea upstairs. He sits in his chair and Sherlock continues to compose as the time passes. Soon John moves to the couch and falls asleep but Sherlock keeps playing. He has no cases and cannot think of a better use for his time than to ease the torment that has befallen his closest friend because of him.
…
"He's shell shocked." Moran breathes as he leans back in his seat; the new position gives him a full view of both entrances to the restaurant. Moriarty brings the glass to his lips and puts it down without taking a drink.
"Broken?" He sounds disappointed. It was expected but still, Jim had such high hopes for the soldier that Moriarty's hopes had risen as well.
"Eh," Moran stretches it as he shakes his head "bent." Moran leans forward losing sight of the doorway. "Men like that always come back."
"Men like what?" Moriarty prided himself on reading people, but he respected and valued Moran's views on people, he had an expertise in people twisted in a different way than Moriarty did. Moran shakes his head slowly before shrugging
"He's been through hell and the devil sent him back." Jim stirs and Moriarty picks up the water to take a sip.
"How long?" Moran shrugs before leaning back.
"Few weeks? The nightmares and flashbacks are already receding."
…
John listens to the violin as he sips his tea. He's putting off sleep to be honest because it has been almost a week without an incident and he doesn't want to chance it. Sherlock's piece has been coming along nicely, but it seems that most of the progress isn't done when he's sitting beside him.
"The murderer left a scuff on the right side of the door, meaning left handed." John nods.
"But stabbed her with the right hand." He inputs and Sherlock inhales. "Ambidextrous?" John offers but Sherlock shakes his head and turns to John.
"Everything points to the killer being left handed." Sherlock sits on the couch.
"Accomplice?"
"No." Sherlock dismisses the thought with a wave.
"Okay, let's go the other way, who are the suspects."
"Let's just forget what we don't know," Sherlock says mockingly before letting out a huff. "There are only 6 possible murderers." He begins as he turns towards John.
…
"It's been a full week without nightmares Seb?" Jim asks.
"Yes." Jim smiles, Moriarty frowns.
"Bring him back to me." Moriarty says as he hangs up the phone. He'd have a nightmare that night. John Watson would be a mess of tremors that destroyed Sherlock.
…
John pulls the last stitch through her eyebrow and ties it off. Bathtub accident. It's the second time he's hand to stitch someone up today , the first was a child who cut open her face at a park, and he is thankful his hand isn't shaking like it was last week.
He looks up as Sarah pops her head into the doorway. The girl is looking in the mirror at her stitches and he smiles up at Sarah.
"One more, yeah?" he responds as he places a hand on his patient's back as she looks up towards him.
"Actually, I took him, I knew the stitches would take a bit," She glances at the girl who closes her eye and tilts her face to show off the stitches and John reaches for the medical equipment he'll have to dispose of. Sarah nods and sends the girl to her family. John turns away and when he turns back he notices Sarah staring at his hands. He flexes his fingers before tidying up the room. She returns her gaze to his back and leans against the doorframe.
"You didn't take the time off?" She asks and he shakes his head.
"Wouldn't have helped." He smiles slightly and she nods wondering what Sherlock had gotten him into.
"You can take the time if you need it." John looks up and smiles wondering how she could be so perfect before thanking her. She disappears down the hall and he makes his way out.
…
"John!" John looks over as the man starts jogging up towards up. John doesn't recognize him, but he could be from Bart's or any number of patients so he smiles and extends his hand for the other to shake. The man grins and shakes John's hand. At the same time John feels a needle enter his neck, but by then it is too late.
This time, John wakes up in a bed. He's fully clothed and not missing anything-no, his phone is gone. He sits up and looks around while pursing his lips in confusion. What the hell is going on? He stands and rolls his head, shaking off the last of the sedative in his system. He couldn't have been out for more than an hour. He opens the door cautiously, but it seems he has been dumped in an ordinary flat. In fact, the only thing out of the ordinary is the consulting criminal siting in the living room. John shakes his head as he notices Moran off to the side, still in all black. He glances down to the crease in his suit, armed then.
"Much better than the bed in Baker Street I would think." Jim says conversationally. John is too shocked to reply so he just glances around to see a cage in the corner. At least it's the entire length of the wall so he'll have space. He knows it is for him and wishes he stayed in the bed. Ten seconds later and Moran's gun is held to the middle of his back; a minute later, and John is sitting on the floor of the cage glaring at the other two. Much better than last time, although he is already starting to feel hot.
"Why am I here?" He asks and isn't entirely surprised when he doesn't get an answer. He crosses his arms as he leans against one wall and spots his phone on the table. He wills it to ring, but it doesn't.
"What do you want with me?" He didn't notice before, but Jim is wearing jeans and a red hoodie. That's different. Moran leaves the room later and John is left to count the cracks on the ceiling as the hours go by.
Jim is enjoying this. The buzz of Moriarty has faded to the point where he can think again and all of this due to good old Dr. Watson. Moriarty isn't fighting either, because he thinks this will cause John's PTSD to flare up and completely envelope him. He wonders if John does something like this for Sherlock. He wonders if he can keep John. It's enough for today though, he has accomplished what he wants and Sherlock has yet to notice John's situation. Well, time to return him. He can always take him again later. John is standing as soon as Jim moves, and the criminal notes this with a small smile. Jim leaves and sends Moran in.
"Make sure he gets home safe Seb." Moran nods and Jim passes him a small wad of bills. John is standing when Moran walks in; he is not going down without a fight. Whatever they wanted to do with him was not going to happen, not again. Moran opens the cage and tosses the wad towards John at the same time. Instinct takes over John as he reaches out to catch the bills. He glances at them quickly before looking back to Moran.
"Moriarty said you wouldn't trust our cars to take you back so that's for a cab," Moran notes John is expectantly skeptical and takes four steps backwards. John pockets the money, way too much for a cab, before stepping out of the cage, angling towards the door. Moran lifts his hands in surrender.
"I'm serious, you're free to go."
John runs.
…
"Sherlock?" John calls as he runs up the stairs to the flat. "Sherlock!" He opens the door to see Sherlock lying on the couch. "I've just been kidnapped." Sherlock shakes his head at that.
"Nonsense, you're right here." Sherlock notices it's dark. He looks to John then, reads the day in his appearance and stands.
"Oh." Interesting.
The next morning, 4AM to be exact, Sherlock plays the new composition as John jerks up in bed because that's the only way John allows himself to be comforted.