As Molly collided with the consulting criminal, he let out a fierce growl. Drawing back as quickly as she could, she looked up to find a small stream of blood that was quickly turning to a gushing one coming from his nose. Despite the fear that could only come with being faced with a now angered psychopath, she felt a small swell of pride in knowing that she'd been able to draw blood from him.

That moment, however, was short lived, as nearly the second he drew his hand back from his face and focused on her, his eyes darkened and his hands were clawing at her waist, gripping her hard enough to stun her into stillness. His fingernails dug into her skin enough to draw blood and she whimpered out in shock, raising her hands and shoving her palms into his shoulders. She tried copying his technique, but sinking one's nails through a blazer jacket was much more difficult than a thin blouse. Opting to try something else, she threw back one hand and slammed a fist into his throat, forcing him back spluttering for a moment. She began stumbling back at the sudden release of pressure, a burning sensation in her hips.

Her moment of believing she had the upper hand, or had at least disabled him for a moment to catch his breath was unfortunately brief. Almost as soon as he'd staggered back and gasped in for air, his hands were back on her sides and he shoved her below him against the bordered edge of the roof as hard as he could manage. Molly tried squirming out of his grip again, but there was no hope of it with the brief second he took to react. She felt a rush of pain to her abdomen as his foot slammed into it. She yelped out in pain, though she still wriggled as much as she could despite the instantaneous screams of protest from her middle.

Turning her head to the side (instinctively, she believed the next blow would be to her head), she ducked to her left as best she could. She winced as she heard his foot crash into the concrete border behind them, and she seized the very brief opportunity to grab one of his forearms and yank it back as hard as she could. Molly was no fighting expertise; unknowing of defense mechanisms or any of the martial arts she was sure that both Moriarty and Sherlock were masters of, but she did understand what needed to be drawn away for her to fight back.

Her chest ached as she arched forward, wriggling as hard as she could to get herself out of his grip. Surprisingly, even to herself, she was successful enough in the endeavor to back away. She wasn't trying to be a hero; she had no intention of trying to take him down there. From what she'd heard from Sherlock, it wouldn't quite surprise her if there were snipers on her from all directions. Still, it wouldn't make sense for them to actually kill her now, but she didn't want to take that chance. Not with the plans Moriarty had apparently had for her.

What she needed to focus on most was getting herself off of the rooftop.

She began to make a beeline for the rooftop's door when there were hands circling her middle and crushing her against another figure. This time, she was met with a blade to her throat. Sputtering and coughing, the breath promptly knocked out of her from the force and the thought of the knife that close to her, she swallowed thickly and tried desperately to think of how she was supposed to get out of this grip. She never should have turned her back to him; of course this would be the outcome.

"I'll give you a bit of credit," Moriarty growled, flattening the blade on its side against the hollow of her throat, forcing out an involuntary and frightened whimper from the pathologist. "You have changed since I last saw you. Everyone evolves over time, I suppose, but you, my dear…you've become a fine specimen indeed, pet." He slid the cold steel over her skin and she felt her knees shaking as she leaned back as much into him as physics would allow. Granted, she was sickened by what was both behind and in front of her; they could both kill her and were both equally terrifying, but without the knife, injury would take longer to conspire within her other. Although, her ribcage and hip bones seemed to tell her another story. She winced, knowing they'd probably be bruised.

"I'm not your pet." The words left her before she could filter them, and the knife was turned again, the dull end pressed against her. "This isn't truly the time for you to try your hand at a heroic banter, little mouse. I don't believe I can call you that anymore. You aren't too quiet, and but you're clearly still a blind follower. Do you even know why you're fighting against me?" He drawled, a hint of annoyance seeping into his voice. "Is it because of him? You did help him fake his death, but I do believe that that was more than you just being smitten with him for so long."

Molly bit the inside of her cheek, not wanting to say anything. In truth, she was barely trying to pay attention, but rather attempting not to scream or move even a fraction of an inch despite her knees wanting to give out on her. If she said or did something he decided he didn't like, it could easily be the end of her. Any ounce of courage she'd gone into with this was fading more and more by the second. He pressed her tighter against him, his arm wrapping over her stomach and crushing it against his chest. She hissed and grunted in pain, breathless and beginning to see dots in her vision as a result.

"No, I think it's far more than that. You think that because you saved him because of sentiment, he would want to save you for the same reason? I can admit that I have underestimated you, kitten, but don't you believe for a second that it means you matter an inkling to him. Pity, that's all this is. You scratch his back, he scratches yours. He does have a heart in some form." He tutted. "What a shame. I liked him better when he wasn't so predictable."

"Then why do you care?" she asked suddenly, and instantly regretted it. She pressed herself further backward, pleading with whatever deity was up there that he wouldn't kill her right there. What he'd said was sticking with her, but she didn't have time to process it in full. If his point was true, then why bother coming to get her at all?"

Instead, Molly was only met with a laugh. "Clever, you are," he mumbled, before giggling out again as if she'd made a cute joke involving a pun about office supplies, like when he'd been Jim from I.T. "Why would I take my time in taking you to burn him if he doesn't care about you? I suppose I'm contradicting myself a little bit, then. Allow me to rephrase. It can still very well burn him for you to be hurt, or in my grasp. He still needs you, though. Access. Lab access, someone to run tests for him, and what if he needs to go and die again? He'll need someone to help him, won't he? He's willing to fight for his pathologist. Just, quite simply, not for Molly Hooper."

As she absorbed what he said, she felt herself limp a bit in his arms, and her shoulders slouching somewhat. The amount of sense that was beginning to make, though she hoped it was pure adrenaline and pointless rambling that was making her think he was right, was frightening. If that was truly all she was, why wouldn't he want to keep her here? It would be easier to keep an eye on her, and therefore simpler to protect her. Besides, he could go to the lab anytime he wanted to now; only go upstairs and pull her with him.

She blinked furiously. No, he was tricking her. He had to be. Distracting her enough to make her submit to him. Then again, she wasn't aware of really any other option. Her legs held her up and her arms were trapped beneath his. If she moved her head, it took one flick of the wrist on his part to have her bleed out within two minutes.

Just then, a loud thumping noise could be heard below them, followed by hasty and swift footsteps up the staircase.

I AM SORRY.

I DIDN'T THINK I'D EVER BE THIS LAZY.

I don't even have an excuse. I JUST GOT SWEPT UP IN LIFE

(life being Tumblr and series 3 analysis and watching Netflix. I am deeply sorry. I'M BACK NOW THOUGH I'LL TRY NOT TO DO IT AGAIN)

If you can find it in your beautiful hearts to forgive me for my ridiculous absence, I'll be posting frequent chapters throughout this and next week. I'm honestly completely unsure of how many chapters this is going to have. LOTS. I do have the story plotted out, though. I just seem to have been lazy. For months. *cries* Anyway, I hope you like this chapter, more to come tonight :)