Chapter Five
Alright so we all know how this is going to end, because I've made these chapters longer for your enjoyment this final chapter will be far shorter however it also means I will be able to finally move onto the next season of the world's most awesome tv show! *does excited happy dance, (family looks up and wonders why daughter/sister is dancing in front of the computer)*
I just want to thank absolutely everyone who reviewed my FF series, you guys have been amazing and I hope that this next chapter lives up to your expectations. There will be blood (not really), tears and revelations so I pray you guys like it.
Charlie POV:
It was getting late and the bomber still hadn't called. From her curled up position on the couch Charlie watched miserably as Sherlock paced back and forth across the living room, his eyes fixed on the pink phone and his brain obviously whirring at 100 miles an hour. She sighed as she looked over at the clock. She looked at her own phone and decided that now was better than later, who knew when she'd get another chance.
"Sherlock, I'm going out for a bit… this waiting's sending me crazy." She muttered, relieved and only slightly offended when he continued to pace and ignore her. She stood and walked to her coat which was hanging by the door. She pulled it on and turned once more to look at her obviously irritated flat mate. He had paused in his movements and was looking at her. She smiled tightly and waved.
"Call me if anything happens… I want to get this son of a bitch." She said and he nodded. Her stomach in knots she walked down the stairs and passed her aunt in the hallway.
"Charlie dear, where are you going at this hour… its far too dangerous for you to go alone." Her wonderful Aunt exclaimed and Charlie smiled comfortingly.
"I won't go far, just need some air… like John." She said and Aunty Em nodded.
"Alright, be safe." She begged and Charlie nodded.
"Make sure he," She indicated with her head up the stairs,
"Tries to relax at some point this evening." Her aunt laughed and shook her head as Charlie left the apartment. It was freezing outside and she was glad that the cab didn't take too long to arrive.
"The hospital please." She asked and the cabbie smiled.
"Visiting?" He asked and she nodded.
"A friend." She lied and sat back, pulling her phone out of her pocket and dialling Sarah's number. It was picked up on the third ring.
"Hello?" A familiar voice asked and Charlie sighed.
"Sarah, its Charlie… I need your help." Charlie whispered into the phone.
"Charlie? God! Are you okay?" Sarah asked and Charlie smiled at the woman's worried tone. She had hoped that although John and Sarah had broken up that the nurse would have no grudge against herself. They had after all nearly died together that time when crazy Chinese smugglers had kidnapped them.
"I'll be at the clinic in a few minutes; can you possibly stay a little later tonight?" She asked and there was a pause.
"Of course… what's wrong?" She asked and Charlie sighed.
"I'll explain when I get there, Sarah I just want to thank you for this." She said and she hung up. A few minutes later she arrived at Sarah's work. John wasn't working tonight and she was extremely grateful. The final decision to go through with this had been when the child had moved, something had changed and now…
"Charlie?" A voice called out and she looked up to see Sarah in the door of the clinic, her white nurses' outfit starchy in the neon glow of the atrium.
"Hi Sarah I'm so sorry about all this." Charlie began but the other woman simply smiled.
"Don't be ridiculous. Come in and tell me what's happening." She ordered and Charlie followed her through the corridors to her office. Once seated Charlie's calm began to crack. She swallowed and gazed around the tiny room, gathering spit in her suddenly dry mouth. Sarah sat patiently behind her desk and finally Charlie couldn't help it.
"I didn't know who else to go to… he would find out if I went anywhere else; this whole thing is just one big mess Sarah and I… I don't know what to do." She said and buried her face in her hands.
"Charlie? Please don't cry; it's going to be alright, whatever it is." Sarah said comfortingly and Charlie felt a warm hand rest on her shoulder. She looked up into Sarah's kind face and sighed heavily.
"I'm pregnant." She whispered and Sarah's eyes flashed wide.
"What? Well that's unexpected… I mean it's great news and everything… congratulations." She said breathlessly and Charlie grimaced.
"Yeah right." She muttered and Sarah clucked sympathetically.
"How far along are you…? I'm assuming you want to start having check-ups here at the clinic so I have to ask." Sarah said and Charlie nodded, glad that she was begin infinitely more professional than she'd previously thought.
"About a month… give or take a few days. I had a bit of a fall today so I'm a little worried." Charlie said and Sarah flew into medical mode. For the next half an hour they went through the basics of the prenatal appointments that Charlie would now be attending and had a gynaecologist come in to check her over. She sighed in relief when everything was declared to be normal. The session closed on a much more serious note however when the subject of paternity came to the surface.
"You said you were worried about the father finding out, why is that Charlie?" Sarah asked and Charlie slumped in her chair.
"He doesn't remember us ever being together… how can I tell him he's a father if he can't even remember that?" She asked cynically and Sarah quirked a brow.
"Who is the father, if you don't mind?" She asked and Charlie smirked. Shaking her head she looked over at Sarah sardonically. Sarah's eyes flew wide and she mouthed a name. Charlie nodded slowly, closing her eyes and collapsing slightly in the chair. There were a few moments of silence whilst Sarah filled in Charlie's records.
"There." She said and Charlie stood shakily.
"All done, I've taken the liberty of putting the father into the unidentified category, I know the guy… he could easily crack the firewalls of this place so it's just our little secret okay?" She said and Charlie felt her eyes fill slightly.
"Thank you Sarah, I honestly don't know what I'd do without you." She said and the smaller woman embraced her lightly. Charlie checked her watch and sighed.
"I'd better head back, the case is still going and we've a bomber to catch… you did not hear that from me." She said firmly and Sarah grinned.
"Staying away from that one, I've had enough excitement to last a lifetime." She remarked dryly and they both laughed.
"Bye Charlie, take care." Sarah called and Charlie waved as she exited the room. She walked down the neon lit hallway much less worried, feeling as though a weight had suddenly been lifted. She walked out into the night air and looked around.
"Col cúigear?" A familiar voice called and she whirled around in panic.
"Jim?" She asked warily and he appeared almost like mist out of the gloom.
"Yes, my little Charlie… why were you in the medical clinic, you are well aren't you?" he asked and she nodded, still looking at him tensely.
"Yes of course, just a check-up." She said smoothly and swore she saw a hint of amusement in his eyes.
"Of course my dear. Can I give you a lift anywhere?" He asked and she shook her head and smiled. He grinned and indicated to the cab rank.
"How's that bomber case going?" He asked and she nodded, yawning slightly.
"It's going alright… not a lot happening right now but… I don't remember us ever telling you about the case." She said suddenly and turned just in time to see a fist fly towards her. It stuck her on the temple and her whole world pitched slightly. She slumped and felt him catch her around the waist.
"Now, now my dear don't panic… Jimmy's going to make it all better now. Hush and be a good girl, she's fine." He yelled suddenly and she flinched.
"New medication is kicking in." He continued and she fought desperately to stand straight, to call out but all that escaped her mouth was a weak groan. The last thing she saw was Jim's smiling face and the flashing of traffic lights before her vision tunnelled and blackness overcame her.
There was a harsh smell of chlorine in the air when she finally came to. Slowly Charlie opened her eyes to see light dancing on the white tiled wall and immediately shut them when the glare burned her eyes. Her groan of pain must have alerted someone near bye because a familiar voice suddenly called out.
Charlie, you're awake… thank god." It was John and painfully she reopened her eyes to find him starting down at her, his kind blue eyes widened with worry.
"He got you too." She remarked dryly and he nodded.
"Some cousin of yours." He said and she groaned, rolling stiffly to lean up against the wall.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't know… I thought perhaps I was wrong, that I was missing a fact that pointed to something different but now I know I wasn't mistaken… Jim is Moriarty; I should have guessed it from the start." She said miserably and John wrapped and arm around her shoulders.
"Don't be stupid, why would you suspect your own family of being a mastermind criminal, could happen to anyone." He joked lamely and she grimaced.
"John?" She asked quietly after a moment's silence.
"Yes?"
"Why am I wearing five pound of C4?" She asked calmly and John opened his mouth to speak when a shrill laugh bounced off the glowing tiles.
"Oh cousin, I would have thought you were smarter than that… have a guess." He said and she frowned up into Jim's face.
"James Coleson Moriarty, you have some serious explaining to do… I don't have time for your stupid games now." Charlie reprimanded calmly, her temper flying to the boil in less than two seconds. He simply smiled and waited.
"Let me guess, Sherlock's coming here, to the pool where little Carl died because you're a sick, twisted psychopath with little or no respect for the rest of humanity." She said and his smile broadened.
"You want to kill him?" She asked and he snorted.
"Kill him? Well yes alright I do want him, dead but it might be just a little more fun to play with him for a little while longer, that's why I have you and little Johnny of here… you're both going to help me." He said and Charlie spat at him.
"Now, now let's be a nice, polite little girl. Didn't your parents ever teach you manners?" He taunted and she flew at him. She stopped sharp at the detonator he pulled out of his coat pocket, very much aware of the three lives that were now dependant on the 8 pounds of C4 strapped to her and John. They were the fifth pip. The final end to this game.
"James, you are…" She began but he cut her off with a small flick of his hand.
"Please, I'm tired of hearing you voice, just like I tired of hearing your parent's voices and look how that turned out." He said and she gasped. He grinned sadistically before walking over and clipped some more wires onto their jackets, pressing some sort of device into their ears.
"Here is what you're going to do. If I say something into your earpiece, you say it to Sherlock. You say anything different and he gets a bullet to the brain, got it?'" He asked and she scowled briefly before realising the fruitlessness of her actions, numbly she nodded and walked over to John, pulling him up. There was a sound as a door opened and Sherlock called something out.
"Ah, here he is now. Right on time. Johnny boy first..." Moriarty cooed and John stumbled forwards.
"Evening." Said John as Moriarty spoke into his earpiece.
"John...what?" Sherlock said and from her hidden position Charlie saw his eyes widen. She could see his brain racing now, John couldn't be Moriarty, he just couldn't... She closed her eyes and listened.
"Bet you never saw this coming, did you Sherlock?" Charlie was forced to say as Moriarty's voice came through her own ear piece. She glared at her cousin before stepping out into the main pool area. At this Sherlock's face transformed completely. He stared at her for about five whole seconds, his usually expressionless face becoming a highway of emotions. Anger, disbelief and (incredibly) hurt... she could see his thought train rattling through, for all he knew she could be the killer. She had studied criminal psychology, she knew all about the cases they'd been on, she even knew how he himself operated. She knew exactly how to point the finger elsewhere. Then something in her face must have alerted him to something and the disbelief disappeared. In its place was a far more worrying emotion, determination. Her entire body began to shake and she brought a hand subconsciously up to her stomach as she stared across the water at the father of her child. Realisation dawned on his marble-like countenance and he took a step forward.
"What would you like me to make them say next?" John asked and Sherlock's attention snapped back to his friend.
"Gottle o'gear, Gottle o'gear, Gottle o'gear..." John continued as Moriarty spoke into his ear.
"Stop it! Just stop, leave them alone..." Sherlock bellowed and the sound reverberated off the tiled walls.
"I can't do that Sherlock, this is too much fun." Charlie said hollowly.
"I stopped little Carl's heart...I can stop Charlotte's too. I can make you watch her die, knowing you could have saved her... It's your choice Mr Holmes, which one do I kill first?" She continued and a single tear slipped out. His piercing blue gazed followed its path down her cheek and in his eyes Charlie could see him begging her to believe in him. Telling her to trust him to get her home. She smiled slightly and straightened slightly. James spoke in her ear and she froze, she shook her head.
"No." She said and all eyes turned to her.
"You have to tell him Charlie, he's going to find out sooner or later anyway so…" John said, his face creasing in puzzlement. She shook her head and now the whole pool had gone completely silent. Sherlock was staring at her curiously and Moriarty spoke upon more, his threat repeated just one last time and finally she caved.
"I'm… I'm, please don't make me… okay, okay I'll say just don't hurt them." She drew a shaking breath.
"I'm pregnant." She said hoarsely and you could have heard a pin drop. The silence stretched out like a blanket over the three figures in the room. She looked over at John and he looked thunderstruck, immediately flicking his eyes to her stomach. Slowly she brought her eyes up to look at Sherlock and she nearly cried. He didn't look thunderstruck; shattered would have been a better word for describing the expression on his face. He was staring at her in shock, his blue eyes trained on her green ones, begging her to say she was joking even though they both knew she wasn't. She could see him mentally flicking through her behaviour, connecting the dots and finally arriving to a factor that hurt him more than anything. She saw the moment when a light bulb clicked, the moment when his memory failed him and the paternity of her child came into question. He straightened and the shattered look disappeared, replaced by a blank, marble look.
It's yours! She wanted to scream but her mouth failed her and she remained silent.
"Hi!" Trilled Moriarty happily as he stepped out of his hiding place. His melodramatic side came into play and he grinned.
"Jim Moriarty!" He gasped theatrically
"Jim? Jim from IT? Was I honestly that forgettable? Then again that was rather the point, even my dear cousin Charlie here didn't notice! I suppose one can forgive her though, baby brain and all…" He trailed off and stepped close to her, running a hand through her crimson hair.
"Is that an Army Browning L901 in your pocket or are you just happy to see me?" He asked. Sherlock withdrew a gun from his pocket and pointed it at Moriarty.
"Both." He announced and Charlie stiffened.
"Charlotte?"
"Go on col cúigear, John, you can talk now. Tell this nice man how you're feeling." Moriarty jeered.
"I'm fine..." John said stiffly and Charlie just stared blankly across the water.
"Sherlock, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry..." She began but Jim cut her off with a hand over her mouth.
"Oh how adorable!" Moriarty shrieked.
"They must make such nice pets!"
Sherlock reached into his pocket.
"I have the plans." Sherlock held out a memory stick. Moriarty gasped moved forward to take them.
"The missile plans...boring!" He threw them into the pool. Charlie just stared.
"I could have gotten them anywhere!"
"Did you like my work? I did it all for you...you see I'm a specialist too. I've given you a glimpse...just a teensy glance, of what I have going on out there in the big bad world Sherlock, so what do you think?" Moriarty, asked, eyes locked on Sherlock. It was almost like some sick show and tell moment, like he was looking for approval.
"A consulting criminal...that's brilliant." Sherlock murmured softly in a semi-awed, semi-loathing tone, his eyes never left said consulting criminal as he continued to point the gun directly into his face.
"Isn't it? So did you like my game?" Jim asked and Charlie felt the sudden urge to kick him rise within her.
"People have died..." She began and whirled at her.
"That's what people DO!" He roared and she stepped back. The villain himself smirked and walked closer to her.
"Charlie, you of all people should know about the mortality of this pathetic race, look at you family. You parents and Francis are gone, I could easily get rid of your Aunt and you know it, it would be like setting up that car accident all over again." He said and she cried out.
"You killed my parents?" She demanded and she smiled.
"Please, that was cake walk. They were annoying, self-righteous people and you were going to grow directly into their shoes. You were just one big happy family and I hated you all for that." He said and she gasped.
"They loved you like a second son, they loved you and you killed them." She screamed and ran forwards to grasp his jacket. His eyes flew wide and she glowered at him.
"Have I touched a nerve?" He asked jokingly.
"Let. Them. Go!" Sherlock shouted, his usually calm face contorted into a livid mask.
"Well I'd love to but the flirting is over Sherlock! Daddy's had enough now!" His voice was high and mocking as he pushed Charlie away and she stumbled, slipping on the wet floor. John launched himself forwards and caught her before she hit the cement. Both were breathing hard and she glanced at him gratefully. There was a strange look in his eye at and he nodded towards Moriarty's back. She smiled and stood straight.
"Sherlock run!" John yelled as he grabbed Moriarty. He paused however as the red sniper dots appeared on Sherlock's head, glinting off his unruly dark hair. Charlie pulled at his jacket sleeve desperately.
"I'm afraid you two have rather shown your hand there." Moriarty mocked as he let go and stepped back.
"Why are you doing this?" Sherlock asked, gun still raised.
"Because it was fun for a while, playing games. Now you're in my way! So I've decided that I'm going to destroy you Sherlock Holmes, I am going to rip the heart out of you." He said and the Irish brogue strengthened as he spoke. Charlie growled.
"Lá breá ag do chaired, dod adhlacan." She muttered murderously. He chuckled.
"Oh I'm sure they'd have a wondrous time my dear, I always liked a good Irish wake." He said and she snarled.
"I've been reliably informed that I don't have one." Sherlock said flatly. Moriarty giggled, eyes drifting over to John and Charlie, lingering on his cousin's form ever so slightly.
"But we all know that's not quite true is it? For example if I was to tell my men to pull the trigger, if you had to hear Charlie here screaming as she was blown apart by four pounds of quality C4... wouldn't that break your heart Sherlock?" He asked and Sherlock seemed to flinch, slightly.
Sherlock POV:
His entire stomach felt as though it were made of lead. If he wasn't aware of the fact that he was a sociopath, Sherlock would have been sure his heart was actually hurting. He wanted to go over to Charlie. What he would do he wasn't quite sure; he was still deciding whether to embrace her tightly and never let her go or to strangle the life out of her. He remembered when he had told her that heroes didn't exist… her green eyes had blazed with fury when he'd said that and now they looked dead. This whole time she'd been limp, standing beside her insane cousin strapped to explosives and trying to keep herself and now obviously a baby alive. The baby. The very thought made his gut feel as though it had been struck with a fist. How on earth hadn't he seen it before? The fatigue, the temper tantrums… the mood changes, he remembered grimly. Not to mention the even more interesting conundrum of how the hell she'd managed to get pregnant without him ever seeing a male friend/lover. He puzzled then remembered the job at hand.
"And what if I was to shoot you right now?" He asked, pointing his gun at Moriarty's eyes.
"Well you could cherish the look of surprise on my face..." He mocked him, pulling a shocked face.
"Then again you wouldn't be able to cherish it for very long would you?"
The red dots appeared in force on John and Charlie. He swore internally, not good. Alright, now he was over the games.
"Well it's been fun. Ciao Sherlock Holmes..." Moriarty said as he began to back away. Charlie turned to face him and when she spoke Sherlock felt himself shiver slightly, knowing that if he were ever on the receiving end of that tone of voice he would probably run like buggery to the nearest airport.
"I will find you James and I will kill you." She promised solemnly before turning away and fixing her gaze to the floor.
"Catch...you...later." Sherlock said coldly stepping forwards with the gun still trained on Moriarty's form.
"No you won't!" Came his squally reply. The red dots disappeared as a door slammed and Sherlock ran over to check if he had actually gone. He had. He ran back in just as Charlie and John sagged, leaning against the changing cubicles. John began to rip off the bomb vest Charlie wore and Sherlock sprinted over. He knocked John's hands out of the way, tugging the heavy thing off her and throwing it as far away as he could. John also ripped his off and it joined its cohort some ten or so feet away.
"Christ..." John muttered and Sherlock shared a relieved glance with him over Charlie's head. The woman in question was now slumped over, her face hidden within the recesses of her hair.
"Charlie you're okay, you're all right, I'm here..." Sherlock said and she looked up at him before a small sob broke from her lips.
"I'm glad no one saw that," John joked.
"You pulling everyone's clothes off in a darkened swimming pool...people would talk."
"It's all they ever do." Sherlock replied as Charlie flung herself into his chest.
"Oh Sherlock I'm sorry I shouted at you! I didn't mean it I swear I was just so angry with you, you're such a stupid jerk and I suppose it was my hormones going schizophrenic…" She trailed off and reached up to stroke his cheek. The touch seemed spread warmth throughout his body, despite the chill of the pool room.
"Charlie…" He began but a door suddenly slammed and Moriarty walked in, the sniper dots reappearing.
"Sorry but I'm SO Changeable! It's a weakness in me...though to be fair it is my only weakness! You know too much, cliché but true. I can't let you live." He said and Charlie raised her head to look at her cousin and Sherlock realised he would be her hero right now, he would get and John back to the flat and he would bloody well find out how the hell she got pregnant.
Sherlock raised his gun again, pointing it at Moriarty. At the unimpressed look on his face Sherlock lowered the gun to explosive ridden vests between them and him. Moriarty's face betrayed a glimmer of his fear. His head tilted slightly, undulating not unlike a serpent's. Charlie stood and wrapped an arm around his waist as she looked up into his face. John glanced at him and the two men nodded. He stared at Charlie for a long time before levelling the gun at the bombs. The world stood still Sherlock just hoped half way to hell that he deserved the trust in their eyes. He took and deep breath and…
OH MY GOD! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'VE FINALLY FINISHED THIS! This must be the shortest story I have ever done but not to fear, I will return with a whole new series of Sherlock/Charlie. OMG he knows! What will happen now? What will he do? Hope you enjoyed this story and I have plans for a new story called… A Scandal They Call It.
Translations:
Col cúigear- Cousin (once removed)
Lá breá ag do chaired, dod adhlacan- May your friends have a good time, at your burial.
