The Roads We Walk

by Irene Moriarty xx

Welcome to the Final Problem. It's an alternate AU where Eurus isn't able to prevent Sherlock's self-sacrifice as he shoots himself. He may have saved John and Mycroft, but at what cost? Aftermath of the incident told through John's, Molly's, and Mycroft's eyes. Work-in-progress, please review. Thanks!

4. It's Not the Fall

Everything slowed down. John was rooted to the spot, unable to move, as his best friend toppled, almost gracefully, to the floor. Sherlock's curly hair bounced up and down, his face calm and serene like it had always been. The gun fell with a clatter, and that seemed to jolt out John out of his stunned paralysis.

"Sherlock!" Mycroft ran forward, kneeling in the pool of blood quickly forming behind Sherlock's head. "Sherlock, no, no..."

The Iceman had shattered. Mycroft shook Sherlock vigorously as two drops of water rolled down his cheeks. John wasn't sure what surprised him more, seeing Sherlock shoot himself or Mycroft crying.

Sherlock's not dead. John thought.

"It's a magic trick, it's just a magic trick." He said aloud, his voice cracking. Sherlock still lay lifeless on the ground, but John knew it wasn't true. He would come pop up any moment, explaining how he survived with a small, arrogant smile on his face..

"It's a magic trick..." John repeated, and this time he looked at Mycroft, who was still hugging Sherlock. Why is he doing that? John asked, confused. Sherlock's not dead. He's not dead.

The TV screen with Eurus's face on it had gone white, but John hadn't noticed. There was just him and Sherlock and Mycroft, all huddled together in the dark room.

And suddenly John was Sherlock, standing at the top of Bart's Hospital. He looked down, and saw himself, standing outside a cab.

Is this real? John wondered. Everything was perfect, down to the last detail. He was experiencing the Fall through Sherlock's eyes.

"You want to know how I did it?" Sherlock spoke up from behind him, his rich baritone ringing through the air. "I'll tell you. All you have to do is jump."

Jump. Yes, jump. It was very easy.

Between you and me John, I always survive the fall.

John spread out his arms and tilted his body forward, and suddenly he was rising up and up.

"What is this?" John exclaimed, flying high into the clouds.

"It's not the fall that kills you, John." Sherlock shouted from down below, his coat flapping in the wind. "It's the landing!"

Then the scene dissolved and John was back in the dungeon. He swayed on the spot, the ground coming faster and faster towards him.

He's not dead, was his last thought before he passed out.