The next chapter! I hope you like it, please let me know!
I don't own the characters or places!
"I don't like all this." John announced the following morning when they were having breakfast. "This man, Moriarty, he's fascinating you."
Sherlock looked up from his tea, his eyebrows raised. "Why should that bother you?" He asked, of course completely oblivious to the whole situation.
"Because he's dangerous?" John asked back and stared at his boyfriend incredulously. "He's the world's only consulting criminal. Even your brothers start to get insecure when it's about this man. I don't know Q that well yet, but it has to mean something. I'm sure of that. And I never saw Mycroft nervous before."
"I don't think that he's dangerous." Sherlock replied simply and took another sip of his tea. "You read the letter, John. Someone who writes that can't be very clever."
"Or he wants you to think that." He stated and crossed his arms.
Sherlock rolled his eyes. "I'm sure this will be an interesting case. We didn't have something like that in months! And he really seems to be interested in me. I should feel flattered."
"Of course you think so." John sighed deeply. "Ever considered that he might want you to feel like that? That he wants you to underestimate him?"
"I'm not underestimating him." Sherlock said seriously.
He raised his eyebrows. "You said that you don't think he's dangerous or clever."
"Alright, you got me there." Sherlock smiled slightly. "Maybe just a little bit."
"What, you underestimate him just a little bit?" Even if he'd already expected his boyfriend to react like this, John couldn't believe it. "That's stupid Sherlock and you know it. We have to take this seriously. Even your brothers do that."
"I've looked at the letter this morning." Sherlock changed the subject spontaneously.
John sighed. "Don't think that this is settled now." He warned his boyfriend. "So what did you find?"
"Nothing."
"Nothing?!"
"I think you heard me quite well, John. Yes, nothing. He knew what he was doing when he sent the letter." Sherlock frowned unhappily.
"And you said he's stupid." John muttered and shook his head. "You're impossible, Sherlock."
"I don't think that Q or Mycroft's people can find out more."
"You will give them the letter anyway." He said without hesitation. "They will have a look at this."
"I wasn't planning to keep it here." Sherlock held up his hands, most probably his attempt to calm John down again. "Just like I won't underestimate Moriarty. I promise, John." Of course he already knew how concerned John was because of this situation.
Now his boyfriend smiled. That stupid, wonderful, soft smile which always made John weak within seconds. Sherlock stood up and walked over to him, taking John's hands. "You don't have to be afraid, love. Everything will be fine. After all, we have a great team. Well, maybe except for Lestrade. I still don't understand why you wanted to include him in all this." Sherlock grimaced and opened his mouth to add something, but John interrupted him.
"Stop saying mean things about Greg." He muttered. "We need their help, Sherlock. And yes, I'm worried. You're far too fascinated by this man."
"I already promised to be careful." Sherlock reminded him.
"That doesn't have to mean anything." John sighed once more. "Not when you're solving what you call a good case."
"John..." Sherlock's expression turned soft and he squeezed his hand. "You don't -"
Whatever Sherlock wanted to say, he was interrupted by the sound of the front door and footsteps on the stairs. "Lestrade comes with new cases!" Sherlock exclaimed suddenly and jumped to his feet, leaving John alone in the kitchen. Holding back yet another sigh, he stood up and followed his boyfriend to the living room. He couldn't shake off the feeling that things with Moriarty would end badly if Sherlock wouldn't stop underestimating the whole situation. However, he also didn't know how he could make him realize that this man was dangerous. Maybe Greg and James had an idea about that...
Greg had already raised his hand to knock when Sherlock opened the door. "Lestrade, it's good to see you!" Sherlock exclaimed and took the folders in Greg's hand without waiting for a reply.
Greg already started to protest, but he stopped in the middle of the sentence and sighed. "Bad day?" He raised his eyebrows at John while Sherlock was already looking at the files, sitting in his armchair.
"He's restless ever since that letter arrived." John confirmed.
"Doesn't surprise me." Greg muttered and followed John to the kitchen. "I've already suspected that it would thrill him. A very big mystery and he's in the middle of it."
"I tried to make him understand that this can be dangerous." He told his best friend.
"He wouldn't listen?" It didn't sound like a question and Greg also didn't look surprised.
"No. Not at all. Even if he promised to be careful, but I'm not sure if he'll keep that promise."
"Seems like you have to be the careful one from now on."
John chuckled. "I always am."
Greg nodded with a smile. "So nothing new, right?"
They both laughed, but John got serious again very fast. "We have to make him understand that this isn't just a game." He was worried for Sherlock's safety, especially since he couldn't be with him all the time.
"He will understand." Greg said seriously. "It might take some time, but he will."
"I hope you're right." John muttered and decided to change the subject. "So what is it between you and Mycroft?" He smiled widely when Greg just stared at him.
"I have no idea what you're talking about, John!"
"He visits you on cases. You have dinner together. And he actually listens to you." John stated with a grin. "To me, that sounds like you're together."
"We aren't." Greg protested, but John couldn't help noticing that he looked a little disappointed at that.
"Are you sure of that or is it just because you didn't talk about it yet?" He asked. "You know, back with me and Sherlock -"
"I know, no need to explain it!" Greg interrupted him quickly. "I know that it was a very long, exhausting drama until you finally got together. We won't be like that. Mycroft isn't like Sherlock at all."
John didn't try to hide his amusement. "Well, I would disagree about that. They both have the deduction thing."
"He's calmer than Sherlock, though." Greg argued and John couldn't disagree with that. He nodded simply and waited for his best friend to continue. In the end, Greg sighed. "I don't know what to do about him. I like Mycroft so much, but when I'm with him, I feel so nervous..."
"That's normal." John explained. "I felt the same once I realized that I liked Sherlock. I thought that every word could be highly embarrassing."
Greg chuckled nervously. "Most probably because it is? I mean, come on! They're all so much smarter than we could ever be."
"But it doesn't matter." John said softly. "This isn't about how smart someone is or if you can solve cases just by looking at the files." While saying that, he glanced at Sherlock who was indeed frowning at the files, lost deep in thought. Most probably he was looking for something in his mind palace. "This is about the two of you. I think you should tell Mycroft how you feel. Because he might know everything else about you, but when it comes to feelings, the Holmes brothers are completely oblivious. Well, except for Q."
Greg swallowed nervously. "I don't know how, John." He admitted.
"You will know it when the time is right." He replied. "Just have a little faith, Greg."
"Are you two done with whispering in the kitchen?" Sherlock's loud voice interrupted them, making Greg flinch. "Because we have to leave now, Lestrade. I solved the cases and we have to act fast. The man with the pickaxe will strike once more today."
"The man with the pickaxe?" John repeated and raised his eyebrows.
"As I said yesterday, those cases are terrifying." Greg explained and followed Sherlock to the door.
"I'll come with you." John decided. "I have to see that."
"The mysterious man with the pickaxe?" Sherlock joked and kissed John on the cheek before they left the flat.
"Would make a good story for your blog, I'm sure of that." Greg noted when he also followed them.
"There he is." John said and pointed at the man who was sitting at a table in the corner of the bar. They made their way through the crowd slowly, until they arrived at the table. Until now, James Bond didn't notice their arrival yet and John glanced over his shoulder, curious to know what he was reading on his phone. Next to him, Greg copied the movement.
The mysterious man with the pickaxe.
Both John and Greg chuckled when they saw which story of John's blog James was reading. This attracted the attention of the secret agent and he looked up through narrowed eyes, but relaxed when he recognized John and Greg.
"What's so funny?" He wanted to know.
"The story you're reading." John explained with a smile. "It was a case we solved a few days ago."
"You mean Sherlock solved it just by looking at the file because it was so damn simple!" Greg corrected him with a grin. "He also had the idea for the title."
"It was meant as a joke." John said when James frowned at them sceptically. "But we thought it was quite fitting."
"Sometimes, I really regret not being able to go on cases with you." James muttered and smiled at the waitress who came with their drinks. Of course James had already ordered for all three of them. They were meeting every Friday evening in a bar not too far away from Baker Street ever since John got to know that Sherlock and Mycroft had another brother. And since Q got James his phone number so they could keep in touch. It was surprisingly easy, being together with the secret agent. John liked him and to his surprise, James also enjoyed his and Greg's company.
"I'm sure you'll see how we work on cases soon." John muttered, remembering his conversation with Sherlock a few days ago. Ever since, they didn't mention Moriarty again.
"It worries you." James noted and looked at John closely. "You're worried for Sherlock's safety."
"By now, you must have noticed that he tends to be far too reckless." John agreed with a nod.
"I can't blame him." James smiled slightly and John remembered what Sherlock had told him about James Bond once. That he also used to be the most reckless of the Double-Oh's. And the most dangerous.
"I think this waiting is weighing heavily on all of us." Greg threw in. "Mycroft is also nervous."
"Just like Q." James muttered. "Even if work keeps him from worrying too much. There's very much going on at the moment. But let's not talk about that." He turned to Greg. "Did you already tell Mycroft about how you feel?" When Greg just stared at him, James glanced at John. "John might have mentioned it when we talked the other day."
Now Greg turned to John. "You told him about it?!"
"Not in so many words." He threw in quickly, an apologetic expression on his face. "You have to admit that it's hard to miss when you're with Mycroft."
"I also noticed that something was going on between the two of you when we met at Baker Street." James agreed. "You should just tell him, it's not that difficult."
"Did you tell Q about your feelings?" Greg looked at him sceptically.
"Of course." James replied and when they both narrowed their eyes at him, he ran a hand through his hair. "Well, alright, I might have done it after this really dangerous case which nearly killed us both, back when I thought that I was going to lose him forever..."
Greg sighed. "Great." He muttered. "And John got to know that Sherlock loves him right after being shot on a case. So don't say it's easy."
"It can be." John emphasized. "It doesn't always have to happen like this. You can just tell him when you're having dinner together."
"I don't even know what to say." Greg stared at his drink.
"You will find the right words." John tried to encourage his best friend.
"Listen to him, Greg." James agreed. "John knows what he's talking about."
At those words, he raised his eyebrows at the secret agent, who shrugged. "I'm not good at romance. Ask Q, I'm sure he'll confirm it."
"You think I'm better at this?" John asked sceptically. "I'm dating Sherlock Holmes. He doesn't even understand the meaning of romance."
"You're both not very helpful." Greg interrupted them with a sigh. "I think I'll just wait, then. And now tell me something else or I'll go crazy and leave."
"Mycroft would know if you leave early." John said. "He would surely notice that something's going on."
"Not helping!" Greg repeated slowly.
"I'll have to go to Africa tomorrow." James changed the subject. "A new case, though it doesn't seem to be very dangerous. I should be back within a few days."
"I'm invited to a party." Greg continued. "One of my police officers turns thirty next week."
"Do I know him?" John quirked an eyebrow.
Greg nodded. "Though I doubt that you want to go to Sergeant Donovan's birthday party." He explained with a smile.
John grimaced. "I think you're right about that." He turned to James. "She hates Sherlock. Keeps calling him a freak."
"It got better with time." Greg threw in.
"She still looks at him like he's crazy." He argued. "So no thank you, I can live without that party."
"And what are you going to do, John?" James asked.
He shrugged. "Not much. Going on cases with Sherlock. Working. Helping Mrs. Hudson with the household. Maybe I'll also visit Molly, we didn't hear from her in weeks."
"I saw her two weeks ago." Greg exclaimed and began to tell them about the case that led him to the morgue.
They kept talking about their lives for some more time until they all agreed to call it a night and go home. When they were outside the bar, John turned to his friends again. "We have to keep our eyes open." He said seriously. "We don't know when Moriarty will make the next move."
They both nodded. "Was I the only one who thought that the Holmes brothers might really need our help with this case?" James asked. "To me, it looked like Sherlock and Mycroft were rather planning to do their own thing instead of working together as a team."
"They're always like this." Greg explained with a sigh. "So yes, we have to stay in touch to make sure that they don't start working against each other in the end."
"That also happened before." John said when James looked at them questioningly.
"We should talk every few days." James decided and they both agreed.
"We will stop Moriarty." John agreed with a grim expression on his face. "We have to."
"Together, we can do that." There was determination in Greg's eyes.
They agreed to meet again once James returned from his mission.
When John returned home, he wasn't surprised to find Sherlock sleeping on the couch. What surprised him, though, was the letter which was lying on the table once more. Both Q and Mycroft's people didn't find anything, so they gave it back to Sherlock.
"John?" Sherlock muttered sleepily and sat up. "You're back."
"And you really shouldn't be sleeping on the couch." John replied softly and took Sherlock's hands, pulling him towards their bedroom. On their way, he tried to ignore the uncomfortable feeling the letter caused him.