Sherlock walked along the dark street toward the hospital, making sure to keep out of sight. Moriarty's end game was Sherlock's death. He knew that now, though he supposed he knew that all along. Part of him wanted to give in to it, wanted to for a few months, but there was Moriarty's criminal web to think about. That had to be dealt with. He had to make sure the people he cared about were safe, protected.

His pocket chimed and he wondered who would be texting him. John, likely, since he walked away saying he had to take care of something. He pulled his phone out and paused. It was her building. The text was sent by one of his homeless network. He didn't call off the search from last time, but…it couldn't be her. She was gone.

He wasn't too far from her flat. There were things he needed to do, steps that must be put into place tonight, but he made the decision almost without thinking. He slid his phone into his pocket and ran.

Rose walked into her room and changed into her jimjams. Her mum came over and insisted on taking her down to the chippy on the corner and she'd gone, even though she didn't want to because she couldn't let them worry. Couldn't let anyone know how close she was to the edge.

So, she went, listened to her mum talk about a coming out party. Something to do with letting everyone know who she was and some story they concocted about having been off at boarding school and how her dad would take care of all the necessary documents. When she was ready, but her mum talked about it as if she ought to be ready now, but it'd only been a few weeks. You're going to need documents, a past, but that's a good thing, sweetheart. It means we'll be together.

Rose sighed as she flopped down on the bed, not even bothering with the covers because, really, what was the point? She didn't see much point in anything anymore. After what she went through to find the Doctor, to get back to him and he just…left. Then the new Doctor. What happened to him was something she knew she'd see in her nightmares probably for the rest of her life. To watch him die like that and there was nothing she could do. He just…burned up minutes after the TARDIS vanished.

She sighed, rolling over to face the wall as she pulled her knees up, wanting to close her eyes, but not daring because when she did she saw it, all of it happening again. Her mum tried to insist on her staying with them, but she couldn't. She knew her mum meant well, but she couldn't stand to hear one more word about the Doctor or what happened and that was all her mum wanted to talk about at first, well, yell about was more like it.

She heard someone drop down on her balcony, heard the door slowly open, but she didn't even care to turn around. If someone was there to murder her she'd almost welcome it at this point. At least she wouldn't have to think about that bloody beach again.

Sherlock saw her, lying on the bed, facing away from him. He watched the steady rise and fall of her breathing and knew she wasn't sleeping. The air seemed to permeate with a sense of despair and that was enough to move him slowly, but steadily across the room.

"Rose?" he asked, quietly as he drew up beside her bed.

The sound of his voice was able to do something both of her parents had been trying to do for the past few weeks. It lessened the ache in her heart. She turned around and the sight of him brought fresh tears to her eyes. He was beside her then, wrapping his arms around her.

Sherlock couldn't explain why he was overwhelmed by a need to comfort her. It wasn't something he did. He was more inclined to push those feelings to the far reaches of his mind, to a dark unused place he never accessed, but she, somehow, managed to reach into that place, to draw those feelings out.

He found his hand stroking her blonde hair as she cried. His mind, that usually kept him out of these situations, had gone uselessly blank.

"He left me," she finally managed through a choked sob.

"Then he's an idiot," he replied before he could stop himself, his better judgment having taken leave along with his mind.

A sobbing laugh escaped her, but it was belated as her tears continued to fall. He knew it wasn't right and he'd never openly admit it, but he couldn't help feeling glad that she was back, that she was there, even with the loss she felt. Then he remembered that he was leaving and his happiness was short lived.

"Why?" she asked.

He knew she was referring to her friend leaving her. It was a question he couldn't answer so he remained silent, tightening his hold around her. After a few minutes her sobbing died down, but she didn't pull away.

"We did it," she continued, almost as an afterthought. "We stopped the stars from going out."

"I noticed, but no one remembers."

For a few weeks after she left there were news articles about the stars disappearing. It was everything anyone talked about and then they returned and it was as if it never happened. When he tried to search the news articles to prove to John that it was real he couldn't find them.

She pulled back then and gazed at him.

"I know. Only me and mum, and dad remember, but I think that's because we've all crossed the Void."

"The Void?"

"'S the place between universes. The Doctor, that's my friend, he calls it hell."

"But I've never crossed the Void."

She smiled then and he found himself brushing away her tears, almost subconsciously.

"You're mind's different. Special," she explained, giving him pause as he caught her gaze unprepared for the pain radiating from her dark eyes, like a deep laceration, pain he felt once before and the sight worried him. "You see things that others don't and you remember them."

"I don't want you to be alone," he said, the words tumbled out of their own accord. Something she seemed to do to him.

"I'm fine. Really."

"No, you're not."

"I'm not alone though," she replied, choosing not to comment on his deduction because he was right. It was as if he could see through her, something she noticed early on. "I've got my mum, dad, Jake…" she caught his gaze, "…and you."

Something in the way she said that made his stomach drop as if he missed a step, but he couldn't be sure if he heard an underlying meaning or if he simply wanted to. There were times when he could read her and there were others, like this one, where he couldn't trust his own judgment.

"I…" he cleared his throat, the word having come out nearly a whisper. "I'm leaving."

He watched it happen and it fairly destroyed him. The way her face crumbled, the pain in her whiskey colored eyes deepening.

"What?" she whispered, but even whispered he could hear the emotion…fear.

He made a decision then. One he knew Mycroft would hate. One he knew might very well get her or both of them killed, but he couldn't leave her like that, even for her own good.

"I assume you haven't read or listened to the news of late," he continued. Her brows drew together in confusion, but she still seemed to hurt to reply. "There's a man, Moriarty." Her expression changed and he knew she recognized the name. "He's managed to make everyone believe that I'm a fraud. That his real name is Richard Brook and I hired him to play Moriarty while I pulled off the crimes and then pretended to work them out."

Rose recognized the name Moriarty. She knew he was Sherlock's arch enemy from the stories. She never read them, having dropped out of school before getting her A-levels and then going to work in a shop after her relationship with Jimmy Stone didn't work out, then traveling with the Doctor, then getting stuck in that parallel universe and spending all her time trying to get back to him. There really hadn't been much time for reading books for fun. She could put two and two together though. If Sherlock was leaving there had to be a good reason.

"He wants to kill you," she deduced.

He smiled, knowing she'd come to the conclusion on her own. It was in her voice. Only she was off.

"He is going to kill me," he replied.

"No," she said, surprising him as that determination he remembered flooded her dark eyes. "We'll stop him. I'll help you."

The fact that she would risk her life to help him stop Moriarty made him, once again, feel as if he missed a step. All he could do was stare at her, something she misunderstood as she continued.

"I know he's dangerous, but he has no idea how dangerous I can be. I've fought creatures that you wouldn't believe and there's no way in hell I'm letting some human, mad or otherwise-" she ranted.

He pulled her into a hug because he had to do something and he very nearly kissed her, something that surprised him, but luckily his better judgment kicked in at the last moment because he knew she wouldn't have taken that well. She returned his hug and he knew she was taking that as his acceptance of her help so he pulled back after a minute.

"He's going to kill me and I have to let him," he put his finger to lips to stop her protesting, "I have to let him believe I'm dead. He's going to use John against me. It's his way. He's going to leave me with no other choice and with him believing I'm dead I can take down his criminal web."

He dropped his finger and she mulled over his words.

"So you've got a way out of it, but you have to leave to stop him, take away everyone who's helping him." He smiled. "How long will you be gone?"

"Long enough for my brother to uncover evidence that Richard Brook is, in fact, Moriarty and for me to find everyone involved."

"I understand," she said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "You're doing it for your friend."

She didn't mention that he was doing it for Queen and country as Mycroft would because she knew his motivation. It was the same motivation she had. He knew if he hadn't already made the decision he would have by then.

"Come with me," he said, revealing the decision he made.

"Sorry?" she asked, her brows drawing together.

"It'll be dangerous."

A grin surfaced at his words, so close to words she once heard from someone else.

"I can handle myself."

He smiled.

"I know."

"When are you leaving?"

"Tomorrow morning. I'll have my brother send a car before he picks me up. If you want to come."

Tomorrow morning? There was Torchwood, but she hadn't been back there since she got back. Jake had been by a few times, but he was busy with assignments. Her parents, well, they wouldn't be happy about it. She couldn't tell them the truth, of course. That she was running off with Sherlock Holmes after he faked his death so she could help him take down Moriarty's criminal network. Wait. Was she actually considering this? She caught Sherlock's gaze as he waited for her answer. No, she wasn't because she already knew the answer.

"I'd love to come with you," she said, throwing her arms and his neck and hugging him.

Sherlock pulled her close, burying his face in her hair, inhaling the scent of strawberry that clung to her golden locks. She was back and this time he didn't have to lose her. Tomorrow Moriarty would take everything away from him, everything except for her. She would be the light in the dark times that lay ahead. He couldn't help grinning at the way he knew Mycroft's stomach would turn at that thought.

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

Reviews are always welcome. :)

Part 2 is up...Moments Between Time