Title: our better part remains
Disclaimer: not my characters; title from Milton
Warnings: character death; implied torture
Pairings: implied John/Sherlock
Rating: PG
Wordcount: 195
Point of view: third
Prompt: The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. -Numbers 35:19
Sherlock dies alone. For that, John will never forgive himself.
0o0
Lestrade doesn't even pretend to believe that John will let anyone else find Sherlock's killer. Donavan is dry-eyed, but clenching her jaw, and Anderson's face is buried in her shoulder.
Mycroft's head is bowed. Mrs. Hudson hasn't stopped sobbing.
And John. John looks at Lestrade. Lestrade closes his eyes.
0o0
It wasn't Moriarty. John knows this because Moriarty himself tracks John down and demands the chance to go after Sherlock's killer.
John simply tilts his head and murmurs, Why are you asking permission?
Moriarty pauses. He would've died for you, the madman finally says.
Very well, John says.
0o0
It is a gorgeous spring day when John gives Moriarty first-go at the man who murdered Sherlock and left him to drown in his own blood.
Moriarty makes the man scream and howl and beg for mercy that will never be found in that desolate little chamber.
When Moriarty stands aside, there isn't much left. But there is enough for John to say, I've imagined this. And I think the best way is to simply stand here… and watch.
Sherlock's killer does not die alone. But he wished he had.