No Hesitation

"Tom? Where did you get a gun?" Nina asked uncertainly. She took a step towards him, but stopped when he focussed his aim on her.

"I've had it a while. Got it from a guy in Manchester, in case of any problems. Never thought you'd be the problem, Nina." He spat.

"Please, Tom. Just think about this. The game is over, we've been found out. From now on the best thing we can do is be as co-operative as possible in hope of a more favourable sentence. If you use that thing you'll only make things worse for yourself."

"No!" Tom shouted "The game is not over yet. I refuse to give up. I don't want go to jail Nina. I don't want our boys to go to jail. Do you? Would you really put them through that?"

"No. But that's why I never wanted them involved in this in the first place! That's why I've been saying to stop for years! Because I knew if we didn't that's where it would lead." Nina told him "And now it's too late. So I'm doing what I can to help-"

"No you're not! If you wanted to help, you'd be helping me come up with a plan to dispose of this guy without the cops finding out. You're the smartest woman I've ever met. If anyone could figure out a way it's you." Tom turned to charm, holding out his hand to Nina, to draw her to his side.

She slapped the hand away.

"No. I'm done being used to mastermind your criminal activities. I'm not helping you dispose of anyone." She told him vehemently.

Tom shook his head, then cocked the pistol. "Then you leave me no choice. Don't worry, I won't tell the boys about your betrayal. I'll tell them he killed you, then I killed him. Actually, that could be quite a good story for the cops too."

Suddenly there was a loud crash, as the frosted glass in the front door of the caravan was smashed out. Sherlock was relieved to see that Tom's gun had previously had the safety on, as the noise caused him to pull the trigger. The second he was over the shock however, he turned it off, bracing himself for whoever was coming through the front door.

"Alright, drop the weapon." John instructed, pointing his own browning through the broken glass with one hand, while his other reached inside to open the door.

"I could say the same to you. Whoever you are." Tom said, his gun now pointed at John. Sherlock considered using the distraction to disarm him, but then thought better of it. John would be able to handle it better than him. Instead he looked to Nina, giving her a nod and small smile to reassure her.

"Captain John Watson." John introduced himself by his military rather than medical credentials, to make a point. "You've never shot a gun before have you? If you had, you wouldn't be holding it like that, the recoil will hit you in the face."

Tom adjusted his grip at John's words, mimicking how John was holding the gun. "Doesn't mean I won't use it though." Tom stubbornly asserted.

"I didn't say you wouldn't" John replied calmly. "But you will hesitate. People always hesitate the first time, especially when shooting at someone. Only for about a second, maybe a little more. But in that second between you making the decision to fire, and pulling the trigger; I won't hesitate. Last chance. Put the gun down."

For a second it seemed like Tom was considering taking his chances, but finally, with a defiant glare, he set the weapon down on the floor.

Sherlock stepped around Nina and scooped it up nonchalantly, while John kept his gun trained on Tom.

"Excellent work, John." Sherlock praised him. "I assume you have alerted the police of our location?"

"There wasn't time." John said, shaking his head. "And there isn't now either. Molly has gone into labour."

Sherlock's eyes widened, having temporarily forgotten the missed calls from Molly, in all the excitement. He turned back to Nina, who nodded and held his phone out for him to take. Instead of taking the phone though, he wrapped his fingers around her wrist and giving her a gentle pull out the bathroom.

"No time to lose then. Come along, Nina." He dragged her out the door, heading for the car he could see John had arrived in, while John followed, backing out slowly to prevent Tom from trying anything, and giving only a curious glance to Sherlock's companion.

"Where are you taking me?" She asked nervously, though making no attempt to escape.

"Away. You said you had thought about leaving, and now seems like the best time, does it not? You can ride with us down to London, from there you should be able to get anywhere you wish." He offered, letting go of her hand so she could get in the car voluntarily, or reject it if she chose.

"You're giving me a head start?" She asked in confusion.

"More than that." Sherlock told her, getting into the car and encouraging her to follow suit. "I can give you a favourable word with the police as well. After all, both John and I are witnesses to Tom holding you at gunpoint for attempting to defy him. Shouldn't be too difficult to convince the police that you were acting under duress the whole time." He smirked.

Tears welled in Nina's eyes. "Why?" She gasped out.

Sherlock turned to fix her with a solemn stare as John got in and sent a quick text before starting the car.

"You were wrong when you said I don't care about seeing justice done. I do, I simply have a different view of justice than others at times. You helped me. You wouldn't help them kill me even if it meant dying too. I don't forget that kind of thing." He assured her, before giving her one of his most charming smiles and turning back to the front of the car.

"Thank you" She whispered, before lapsing into silence for the rest of the journey.

AN: Again, thanks to everyone for reviews and follows.

In answer to Arcoiris' question; John is the patient kind, not the dramatic. He wouldn't make a scene by dragging the band off stage and questioning them in front of a room full of the rich and famous without enough evidence to justify himself to security (of which his military mind would be well aware of) and since all the evidence he has is Sherlock's music cipher theory, that even he doesn't understand, and seeing shadowy figures, whose faces he didn't see, dragging his friend away, and the number plate of the van, i believe he would opt for patience until he has more facts.