She made her answer, in fact she was at Magnussen's very own office to give him that very answer. She, like him, liked to visit her targets in their private homes.

She checked around the corner, only to see Janine at the computer. Mary wasn't surprised at this revelation. In fact she incorporated it into her plan.

You see, Mary made friends with Janine while she was still doing house calls to Magnussen's victims. Janine just became Magnussen's new PA at the time, and they could not avoid the occasional conversation. Janine just thought that Mary went there to get extra money for some articles Mary could get all sorts of information about Magnussen from her, and she proved be very useful. For instance Janine was showing Mary some things that she found out on the computer, unconsciously give Mary the password and a few interesting documents.

They became close over time and Mary stopped looking at her as a tool and more as a friend. It kind of hurt Mary that she had to knock her friend out, but there was no other way around it.

Mary poured some of the liquid over a rag, pinching her nose to make sure that she didn't inhale any of the fumes.

She snuck quietly behind Janine, who was staring at the elevator. Mary knew that meant someone was coming up and she had to act fast. She pounced onto Janine, with one arm strangling her neck while the other was forcing the rag over her nose and mouth. Luckily she went out like a light and collapsed onto the floor.

Mary ran towards Magnussen's office. She didn't bother with the niceties as she threw open the door in.

There Magnussen was, meditating in the middle of the room. Or to the unknowing eye, you would think that he was meditating. Mary knew different. She knew that he was in his Mind Archives. She called it that because unlike a mind palace which contains all sorts of information, the Mind Archives solely focuses on every person Magnussen had ever met or will ever meet, which to Mary seemed like the whole world.

"Magnussen!" Mary had the satisfaction of seeing him jump at the sudden intrusion. Mary pulled out her gun, and pointed it at Magnussen's face.

"What-what are you…" He began as his eyes widen with fright. Mary had to smile. That was his weakness. He couldn't afford to have bodyguards in fear of them learning too much so he was virtually unprotected. That was his mistake to blackmail an assassin, because how all of the information in the world would not protect him from a bullet.

"I have considered your offer and decided to give you my answer."

She cocked the pistol as he raised his arms in surrender.

"Pl…please…do…don't do this."

"Why are you so afraid Magnussen? Did you realise that blackmail does not work once the person holding it is dead?" She gave a humourless laugh. "I had no idea why I haven't done this before!"

"Ple..please…anything."

She tutted, "No the time for that is over. I am done doing your dirty work and I am done with you holding this over me. Once you are dead I can go back to living a normal life, free from you breathing down my neck. As far as society knows, this baby is mine and John's and the AGRA team all died in the Embassy. I am not Roselind the assassin, but Mrs Mary Watson, loving wife to Dr John Watson."

Magnussen stopped shaking as his horrible grin stretched across his face. Mary suddenly felt worried. Is this all an act? Does he really have security? Was there a silent alarm that I don't know about?

"Oh Mary." He purred. "You don't know, do you? The truth about your husband."

Mary was refusing to listen to his words. She had to shut him up. But she was curious.

"What about him?" Her voice cold.

"Oh you really don't know. Oooooh this is precious." He started to laugh like a maniac.

Mary pushed the gun between his eyes, finger on the trigger. "Tell me, you son of a bitch."

He stopped laughing when he saw the seriousness in her eyes. "Fine, fine I will tell you. Your so called loving husband is cheating on you."

Mary's heart sank. No! he is just lying to you to throw you off course! She told herself. Yet she knew deep down that there was some semblance of logic in what he said.

Married life was not as sweet as she thought it would be. After the wedding and the honeymoon, John was distant and cold. She could tell that he there was an internal struggle and that he was keeping something from her, but as she wasn't the perfect truthful wife, she decided to keep quiet and hope that whatever he was keeping from her was not serious.

But cheating. No that wasn't something that she expected from something from John. But then again Mary, you haven't been that faithful either.

"I found out..."

"I don't care how you found out. What I want to know who she is!" She deepened the push. She felt her heartbreak as she accepted the fact that John was in love with someone else.

"She?" Magnussen was confused for a few seconds, as if it was blindingly obvious to him. "Oh no, Mary, the person is not a woman."

There were many things that Mary was willing to accept, but John in love with a man. No. That was not possible! The only man whom John loved as much as her was…

"Oh. My. God!" Her hands trembled so much that she nearly dropped the gun. No no no no!

"Tell me that you are lying!" Tears started to well up in her eyes. She wasn't mad at John. She was mad at herself for being so foolish for not recognising the signs earlier. Maybe it was because she knew the truth, but didn't want to admit it because she wanted to keep the illusion of a happy relation.

She struggled to keep a hold of the gun, trying to keep her emotions under control. "This doesn't change things, Magnussen except by making me angry. Very angry."

"Please please!" He begged as backed up to the wall. "This won't hide change the truth…"

He was cut off by a deep gravelly, one she knew so well from behind her. "If you are going to commit murder might I suggest changing your perfume, Lady Smallwood."

XXX

Oh how Mary wanted to kill him. She wanted to watch the lights go out of his eyes as he fell down on the floor.

But she didn't. That would have meant that she did Magnussen's bidding. If Magnussen wanted him dead, she would do anything in the world to protect him.

And of course, he was still a dear friend and it would have killed John to see his friend die again. That would be the worst to see, because this time John would still cling onto some hope that Sherlock would rise from the dead. He would become more distant than before and she would have to bear that weight of guilt.

Mary was on the way home when she got the call from John.

"Mary! Mary it's Sherlock! He-he has been shot!"

"Oh my God, John!" She upped the volume in her voice, hoping it sounded convincing.

"The ambulance had taken him to the hospital. I am going with him."

"Ok I will come in a couple of hours, when everything has died down." She could hear John wincing. That was probably the wrong phrase to say. "There is no use of me being there, with the both of us worrying. I will see you later."

John hesitated for a moment, "Ok see you later." And he hung up.

Mary felt her head spin. She knew that she was stuck between a rock and a hard place. She couldn't confront John without revealing that she learnt it from Magnussen and opening a whole can of worms, but she couldn't stay in this marriage while she knew the truth. She silently cursed Magnussen. This wouldn't have happened if she just killed him.

Alas, there wasn't much she could do about it. She had to change plans and adapt to the new situation.

XXX

John sat in the reception area, feeling a whole mix of emotions. He would not know what he would do if Sherlock died on him…again. This time there would be no way for him to come to life again.

It had felt like a million years when a doctor came to him to tell him the good news.

"It was quite amazing actually. He had no indication that he was alive, until suddenly his heart rate picked up."

John was elated. Nothing can kill Sherlock. Not even Sherlock can kill Sherlock. "Can I go and see him."

The doctor nodded. "He is asleep though so there won't be much chatter from him. His room is the first door on the left."

He made his way down to the room before the doctor stopped him. "Before you go, he did say one thing. A name."

Oh God. Was it mine

"I think it was 'Mary'. Does that name mean anything to you?"

John was stunned. That was the name that was the first thing on his mind. Knowing Sherlock, there had to be a very serious matter if it pulled him from the doors of death.

"Yeah, she is my wife."

My dear bokkies

Another chapter down! I promise you there will be more excitement during the next few chapters. I just had to get these past ones out of the way.

***Note: Janine didn't know about Mary's past. She thought that she was bringing Magnussen articles for the newspaper for extra money.

Love from thecapefangirl.