I've tried to find out more specific time lines for the break between Season 2 and 3, but have had to make a guess at it, then changed it slightly to reflect the difference I think Faye would have had on John. That's my reasoning, just in case you were wondering :)

~0~0~0~

Sebastian Moran walked free, but then again he wasn't paying his lawyers an extortionate about of money to sit in a cell for smacking one measly little woman. He checked his watch as he stepped out of the police station, again a highly expensive number to go with the blue suit he was wearing, jacket unbuttoned and no tie. He'd been there four hours, his lawyers were getting sloppy. That wouldn't do at all, he'd have to do some rearranging

A black car that shone in the sunlight pulled up at the curb and the driver climbed out, holding the back door open for his boss. He climbed in without a word and found his underling Simon waiting for him as they drove off.

"Where is she now?" He asked, getting right to the point. Simon shifted uncomfortably, fearing Moran's wrath.

"She's at the Holmes estate." He replied, "I don't think Holmes is going to let her out of his sight for a while."

"That's to be expected." Sebastian replied calmly, unnerving Simon more. Everyone knew that Jim Moriarty had been the mastermind behind every crime gang in Europe, and he probably had stretched out into the rest of the world. No matter how high you climbed up the ladder, Moriarty would have always been at the top. But no one quite appreciated how terrifying Moran was until they worked with him personally. He could scream and shout, but when he was quiet was when he was his most dangerous.

"We've got men stationed around the estate." Simon was quick to explain, "And Baker Street is still under surveillance. The baby is still with the doctor, maybe she's not expecting Sherlock to be at his brother's."

"Maybe not." He agreed, reaching into the arm rest separating the two. Sat inside was a silver pistol, a lighter and four cigars. He reached inside and Simon flinched, but he pulled out a cigar and he relaxed, "Which would mean she knows where he's going to be, instead."

"Sir," Simon started nervously, "Have you ever considered that Holmes just might be dead?" Sebastian paused with his cigar part-way to his mouth.

"Sherlock Holmes is alive." He stated shortly, "There is no maybe about it. And that little bitch knows where he is." Simon nodded eagerly, not wanting to anger his boss further.

"Of course, sir." He replied, "I was just making sure." Sebastian fell silent, his lips pursed together in angry thought.

Jim Moriarty had been his best friend. More than that he'd been the person he thought of when going to sleep at night, the person that had flooded his thoughts every minute of every hour of every day. Of course, Jim didn't have friends or feelings of that nature, said they held him back. Sebastian hadn't minded, but then Sherlock Holmes had fallen under his radar and he'd become obsessed with the man and his quest to destroy him. It had gotten him killed. Sherlock Holmes had killed him, and Sebastian needed to get his revenge. He would prove Sherlock was alive, then kill his whore of a girlfriend. Show him how much it hurt.

"Speaking of the child," Sebastian drawled, "We do not threaten little babies, Simon. We have more class than that." Simon nodded again.

"It wasn't intentional, Sir." He apologised, "I will be more careful in the future." Sebastian nodded, reaching into the arm rest again.

"I'm sure you will be." Sebastian told him, pulling out the pistol and shooting the man at close range, killing him instantly. He grimaced slightly, wiping the splatter of the blood on his cheek before lighting up the cigar, pressing the intercom button.

"We're going to need a new car." He told the driver, closing the connection before the driver could reply.

~0~0~0~

John hung his coat up, glad to finally be home from work with two of his three favourite women. Bella was stood in her walker, bouncing up and down happily at the sight of her Uncle, waving a meerkat in one of her tiny hands. A couple of carrier bags in the corner showed the Faye had been Christmas shopping yet again, and the fact that she was sat with an Argos catalogue in her lap, one eye on her daughter and the other in the toy section, it looked like she wasn't about to stop now.

"You know it's still November?" He teased as Bella made grasping motions at him.

"Ja, ja, ja, ja!" She babbled happily and he reached down, picking her up and bringing her in for a hug.

"Hello to you too, beautiful." He cooed as she began to make noises in his ear, as if she was actually speaking to him about her day.

"Late November." Faye pointed out, turning a page and jotting something down on her pad, "I'm not risking these things being out of stock by waiting like a moron."

"She won't know the difference." He pointed out, "And you're not exactly leaving anything for me and Mary to get her."

"You'll find something." She dismissed, closing her catalogue for now, "How's the new job going?"

"Tiring." He replied instantly, letting Bella grab hold of his finger and shake it like the meerkat she'd dropped, "A lot of people with nothing wrong with them. The usual."

"You're loving it, aren't you?" She teased and he nodded.

"I am." He agreed. She stood up, stretching and placing a kiss on top of Bella's head as she headed to the kitchen, "I'm thinking something with pasta for tea, unless you're heading out?"

"I was thinking of getting something in, actually." He told her, sitting on the floor and helping Bella stand up, grinning widely, "Your choice, I'll go fetch it." Faye walked back into the front room, hand on her hip.

"All right, what's wrong?" She asked him, "Have you and Mary broken up?" He twisted, looking at her, confused.

"What? No, of course not."

"Something's wrong." She insisted, "You're trying to placate me with take away."

"No I'm not." He laughed and she stared him down until he sighed, defeated, "Mary's asked me to move in with her." He told her and her eyes widened, stunned. That was not what she had been expecting at all.

"Oh." She replied, "What did you say?"

"I said I'd talk to you first." He explained and Faye rolled her eyes, reaching down and taking Bella off him.

"Do you want to live with Mary?" She asked him and he shrugged.

"I suppose." Well, that meant yes, "But I was worried about how you'd pay the rent..."

"John." She interrupted, baby girl on her hip, "Do you want to live with Mary?" She asked it slower this time and he stood up, a silly grin on his face.

"Yes, I do." He admitted and she smiled brightly at him.

"Then live with Mary." She told him gently, "If you love her, don't let her go. I'd give anything to live with Sherlock. Please don't let her get away."

"It won't be 'til after Christmas." He promised her and she shrugged, "I didn't want to miss this little one's first Christmas Morning." He reached out, letting her take his finger again. She immediately starting sucking on it and the pair laughed.

"Whenever you want." Faye replied, "Now, do you want to get a take away or do you want to go spend the night with Mary and tell her that Big Bad Faye says you can move out?" He didn't reply immediately and she nudged him with her shoulder, "Piss off, Watson." She snapped jokingly and he shook his head, placing a kiss on her forehead.

"Fine, fine." He repeated, "I'll be back after work tomorrow, and we'll have Chinese. My treat."

"Go!" She laughed, nudging him again and he quickly left, practically running to his girlfriend's to tell her the plan was go. Faye sat down on the sofa, balancing her daughter on her knees.

"And then there were two." She whispered, making sure she kept smiling as her daughter rambled on. She wasn't lying to John, just because Sherlock was alive didn't mean anything had really changed. No one could know, she couldn't live with him, or see him when she liked, or tell anyone about their days together. His daughter could almost hold herself up on her own, and was starting to form proper sounds, but he couldn't experience it with her. She was still a single parent, the father of her child dead to everyone but a select few.

Her phone buzzed and she sat Bella down to check her text messages, smiling to herself softly. Speak of the devil.

Has John left yet? - S

She shook her head. She would bet every penny she had that he knew John was going to move out. Cheeky bastard. She placed a kiss on her daughter's head.

"What do you think?" She asked the little girl, "Time to meet Daddy?" The girl continued to babble, which Faye took as a yes.

He won't be back until morning. - F

A few moments later, the bathroom door opened and Sherlock stepped into the kitchen.