Yes, public, Jim is back on the streets :o) Nothing more to say apart from a HUGE Thank You for all of your reviews.

Disclaimer: See chapter one, plus, title from this chapter taken from T.a.t.u.'s All about us.

Chapter Twelve: There's a thing that they can't touch

Sebastian Moran was not an idiot. People thought because he was tall and muscular, because his language wasn't as refined as other people's, because he didn't dress like a businessman, that he had no brains. But that was bullshit. James Moriarty would never hire an idiot and make the idiot chief of staff. In contrast to his boss however, Sebastian kept a low profile, rarely talked to other people in meetings, just so they would underestimate him, and then pay the price. But since Sebastian Moran was a smart kid, he knew something was up when, even after a month, he hadn't heard anything from his boss. He had started making inquiries, trying to figure out where Jim had last been seen. He had done pretty well. He had talked to some people he knew from his time as a junkie and gambler, right before Jim had hired him, and one of them had told him that he had heard about a guy who had been talking to some very fishy people in suits, and then gotten into a car. All happened next to Big Ben, which gave Sebastian his next lead: There was an on-and-off Hunger Strike thing quite opposite Big Ben. When he went there to show the people Jim's picture, one guy told him that it had in fact been him who had been led to a car with tinted windows. The moment Sebastian had heard that, he had known his boss was in trouble. He had tried everything to find out where Jim was, and the fact that he didn't find out anything made him realize it had most possibly been the government who had taken care of it. Which meant that there was no way Sebastian could help Jim. All he could do was to ensure that the empire was running. But he didn't like it the least bit, being helpless.

And then one night, he was at Jim's place, going over some papers, when the door opened. It didn't take Sebastian more than a second to aim his gun at the door, ready to shoot anyone who would come in. He was more than surprised when it was in fact Jim who entered the office. Or at least, he guessed it was Jim: that skinny bloke with the greasy black hair, dressed in plain white clothes and limping had nothing in common with the Jim Moriarty he had seen the last time the two had met. Only a look into those big brown eyes confirmed that this was in fact his boss staggering into the office.

And the voice, "Sebastian. Figured you were here."

Sebastian got up from the chair, "Work needs to be done, boss. You've been gone quite some time."

"Really? How long?"

"Almost two months. Had a nice stay with the government, I suppose?"

Jim smiled mildly, "Can't hide anything from you. How did you find out?"

"Research. I asked some people." Sebastian let his eyes rest on Jim's face, "You look like crap, boss."

"You should have seen me after I was kept in isolation for three weeks. Actually I think I look quite okay again."

"If you say so… Do you want me to fill you in on what has happened?"

"Later. Let me take a shower first, please." Jim rubbed his eyes. "And can you order something to eat? I'm starving."

"Sure. Any preferences?"

"Anything but chilli. In fact, nothing too spicy. Pizza." Jim limped to the bathroom. "And Sebastian?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Thank you."

Sebastian gave Jim a weak smile, "Of course, boss."

Two hours later, Jim came out of the bathroom again, fully dressed. Sebastian thought it was pretty weird. Normally, Jim would only wrap a towel around his waist, being much too busy with whatever was going on in his odd brain to properly dress. Now, he was wearing tracksuit trousers and a sweater.

With a sigh, he sat down on the couch next to Sebastian, "It's good to be back. What did I miss?"

"Holmes and Watson were off to Dartmoor. Little vacation I suppose. They are back again, though. I prepared the lock at their door, so, whenever you're feeling well enough to go and do the video, everything's ready."

"Let's do it tomorrow. Is somebody watching the house?"

"Sure." Sebastian looked at Jim. "Are you sure you're up to this already? You could sit back, rest for a few days. I'm sure it wasn't all fun and games where you were. You lost at least ten pounds."

Jim rolled his eyes, "Don't worry, Sebastian, I am alright."

"Your finger says otherwise." Sebastian knew the ice he was walking on was very thin. Jim could be terrifying when he was angry. And Sebastian saying things like this were more than likely to make Jim angry. But Sebastian, who had seen what the Government could do to people, who had done things to people, needed to make sure Jim was alright. Especially in a case where the victim- oh God, he hated to think of his boss as a victim- was already pretty insane before the treatment started. Jim could be anywhere now from suicidal to I'm-gonna-build-a-fucking-atomic-bomb. During the years Sebastian had worked for Jim, he had learned how to look beneath the surface. And even though Jim didn't look affected or hurt, Sebastian could just feel the difference.

And the fact that Jim just looked at his finger and didn't snap at him confirmed it, "Oh yeah, that. I might need to see a doctor about that. Seems like it's grown back together all wrong."

"I'll make the necessary calls. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Jim shook his head, "No. Just… stay here. I don't want to be alone right now." He mentally slapped himself for saying that. But it was the truth. He couldn't be alone right now. He needed something to get his mind off the… assault.

"Sure thing. I don't have anywhere to be now." Sebastian knew the next question was probably going to get him killed. "Do you want to talk about what happened?"

Jim rubbed his eyes tiredly, "Not really, no. It's not really a bed-time story. At least not for us. I'm sure the other people involved will tell their children and grandchildren about it." His voice suddenly sounded much darker.

Sebastian nodded absent-mindedly, "You know I wouldn't think any less of you if you told me, right? Every person has their pressure point. You told me so yourself. And, you are still human. Jim, I have been there, I know what they do to people. You hired me because breaking people is what I do best. There is nothing they could have done that I haven't heard of. I don't want to push you, but…" He shrugged, "I just want you to know I am there, if you need me. And if not, I'll still be there."

Jim sighed, "Sebastian, I do appreciate your concern, but I have to tell you I'm this close to cutting your tongue out and having it for breakfast. What do you want me to tell you? I have been through hell this past two months, yes. But it's not like I can't cope with it on my own."

"Only two minutes ago you told me you don't want to be alone." Sebastian replied calmly.

"Oh, you're so clever. Okay, what do you want to know? I was kept in isolation, I was beaten, I was fed chili with spit, if they didn't starve me or fed me some… whatever that was. I had to go through a pretty tame waterboarding session, and I should have enjoyed it, because I didn't shower for the whole time until Mycroft Holmes took over. I will probably have to go to the dentist because my molar is loose, and you know I hate dentists. I had to look at myself in a mirror after they finally got me out of the isolation cell, and I tell you, if you think I look like shit now, you should have seen me then. And because that wasn't nearly enough to break me, they did the one thing I always forbade you to do to anybody. I had to keep my brave face up, but I am telling you, I'm closer to the edge than ever before."

Sebastian had to let it sink in. The words might have sounded matter-of-factly, but the hatred in Jim's eyes told the truth. He had seen Jim angry before, which alone was quite scary. But this here, this was absolutely terrifying. Sebastian was sure many grown men would start begging for their lives if Jim looked at them like that. The fact that Jim, who was normally, apart from the crazy outbursts, all cool with no feelings peeking through his façade, was able to feel hatred like that told Sebastian everything he needed to know.

So, he nodded, "I understand. When do you want me to kill them?"

"This time, dear Sebastian, I will get my own hands dirty." He looked at Sebastian, "Give me a week. I need to make the necessary arrangements."

"Alright. But save me a piece of them."

Jim, out of nowhere, smiled, "There's six of them. I think it's enough for both of us."

Jim found it hard to find sleep that night. He didn't even have to look out of the window to know that Sebastian, whom he had send away after dinner, was standing in front of his door, gun in his hand, ready to shoot anybody who would dare to come after Jim. Bless him. But Jim couldn't think of him now. So he just stared at the ceiling, trying to figure out how he felt. It had been at least twenty years since he had last felt like that. Powerless, helpless. He knew he wasn't; tomorrow, he would start planning his revenge, and it would be good. But right now, with nothing to do but think of what had happened to him, he felt… vulnerable. Of course he had known from the start it would be bad. Actually, the rape hadn't shocked him that much: it had been the logical consequence of his attitude. What shocked him… no, shook him, to the core, was how he felt about it. Of course he knew that rape wasn't something people could easily cope with. But he wasn't people. He knew most people would have cracked long before him. He could handle pain, he had experienced pain throughout his life, and he could live with it. To him, anything that couldn't destroy his mind wasn't that bad. What he hadn't expected though was the effect the rape had on his mind. The assault, he could live with. But the feelings he had had while it happened, utter powerlessness and the feeling that he didn't own his body anymore… He closed his eyes. He needed that revenge before he could go any further with his plans of burning Sherlock.

So he jumped out of bed again, put on his best suit, opened the window and yelled, "Bastian? Changed my mind. Get ready."

"Yes, boss."

Jim closed the window again and smiled. Sebastian was a darling. If this ended badly, the whole Sherlock business, Jim had to make sure nothing would happen to Sebastian. Send him to a place where drinks were cheap and girls were pretty and where he could spend the rest of his life enjoying himself. That much he owed to his most faithful soldier. He had never found out why Sebastian was so loyal to him, but he had a pretty good idea why he himself would destroy anybody that laid a hand on Sebastian.

Aw, Sebastian is so cute. Now, I hope Jim isn't too OoC. It's hard writing a thing like this, coz, I know you all want to have those special bromance moments with Sebastian, and yes, I do want them too, but I cannot see Jim crying on Seb's shoulder, soooo... Anyways, likey?