COD (Cause of Death): Unknown

Hello friends.

I'm super excited to bring this chapter to you. It's definitely an emotionally driven one. It came to me last night when I was dealing with a migraine and trying to sleep mind you. I hope you enjoy it.

23.

It's supposed to get easier. That is the first thing that goes through Molly Hooper's mind as she leans against the wall in the shower of the ratty motel that she is staying in for a few hours. She has to keep moving. There is a lot of red mixed in with the water that is circling down into the drain. It makes her hurt more as she watches the swirling mess that is trailing from her hands and her hair.

It never is supposed to get easy to kill someone. If you get used to it, you aren't human. You are a monster. Before she slipped out of her bloody clothes she sat next to Jack on the bed as he told her, "I wish I could have gotten there soon. It would be better if the blood was on my hands. I know you don't like it. You're strong but no one is fit to do something like this. I would hate to say that Irene deserved it either. The only thing I can say that might help is that she came at you with a deadly force. This wasn't cold blooded murder, you were protecting yourself."

Molly can remember what she said in response to that before she shut herself inside the bathroom to try to erase the mess she had made. "He's going to be greatly upset about this. It's easy for him to latch onto hating someone for interfering with the ones he holds dear."

"You think he would care about Irene's death?" Jack inquired as he covered his hand over hers which was clutching her jeans tightly. She was shaking slightly and he felt the need to comfort her about the situation.

"Before his suicide he was the one identifying her body at the morgue. It was Christmas time and I was there and we had a bit of a bad issue at his home and the way he looked at her gave me a very strong indication that something was there. He could still feel that way. I don't know what he feels exactly but if he does I can't stay around to find out. It's not smart."

"What will you do?"

"I don't really have a permanent place so it's not like it matters. I need to think." She told him before leaving him in the warm room and heading towards the bathroom. Jack let out a sigh, and shut his eyes. This wasn't supposed to happen. Not this way. Irene had always been a problem but not even he imagined the way it ended.

She might have gotten her wish, after all. Jack reached into the pocket of his jacket as he heard the water running in the shower and began to text a number he hadn't used ever. He had been more familiar with it as of late however. There was a time for a new plan. He was known for making heartbreaking decisions when necessary but this was a different matter. This was more than one killing; it was about what was coming.

Just because Irene Adler's body was no longer moving didn't mean that the people who she was working with were just going to stay still. These were forces outside of the circumference of the earth. It was hard to tell what they would do.

Before cleansing herself of the aftermath of her crime, Molly had felt a strong buzzing that came with the strong amount of adrenaline that had been still bubbling within her since it happened. However, now that she was done with that. She felt a sudden overwhelming sense of being hollow.

At first it was just an empty feeling but as she found herself sitting next to a man who she had come to call her friend over the past year without being here through text messages and the occasional call to see how everything was back at Baker Street. She had asked him to meet her again now. They weren't in a park, nor were they anywhere that anyone could find them.

It was an abandoned old church. She felt it to be ironic in the worst way that she came here instead of somewhere else. There had been no one around and she just needed to be somewhere that no one could find her. Jack had understood that, and hadn't asked where she was headed. He had things to take care of as well, she knew.

He told her to be safe, before leaving her with one of the keys for the room just in case she came back before he did. She would come back for a little while before they went on.

"They found Irene's body in Thames." That was the first thing that John Watson said after several minutes of silence between himself and Molly Hooper. He had been surprised to hear from her as she hadn't been back to Baker Street nor had she see made a move to include Sherlock in whatever she was dealing with. The man himself had seemed to know where he was going but didn't tell him not to go. In a way, John thought that Sherlock felt that he was his only tie to finding out anything when in regards to his pathologist. There was a moment when Sherlock had exuded frustration upon returning from visiting Molly's grandmother but that had slowly simmered back in to his usual level of overall distaste for the world.

John knew to expect answers about many things when he returned. Sherlock had seemed to be distracted before he left. He knew it couldn't have been by Molly. He had gotten a text before that and had looked to be in deep concentration over it before his departure.

It did surprise John now to see the slow nod of the small woman who he had come to get concerned over a bit more over the past months. "It was me." She stated quietly. There was a slight waver in her voice as she spoke. John angled his body slightly as he waited for her to say something else but she just sat there, quiet.

It was in the way she wouldn't look at him and the way her body sat rod straight that gave him the inclination that she wouldn't be saying anything for at least a little while. He was met with shock first before he found himself fumbling for a response to that. "You killed Irene? W-Why?"

"I know you like to know everything, John. I know he never clues you in on everything unless you ask but this may have been the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I know he'll hate me when he finds out that it was me. He'll know before anyone else besides you." She paused briefly as she inhaled a shaky breath. "I don't think anyone was looking for her currently. She had been elsewhere and came back for me and well, him obviously. This wasn't the first time we have interacted with each other I have to tell you. The reason why my grandmother was moved was because she had paid us a visit and well we had a scuffle there at my grandmother's home. I needed to protect her and in one way I was trying to protect him too by doing this. I can't really tell you everything. You do know now that this wasn't some accident. Anything involving Miss Adler is never an accident and I'm sorry about this. I truly am. I need you know that because I might not come back when this is all over. This is merely the beginning of a much bigger problem. It's almost over and then I'll probably be gone."

"What do you mean gone? Do you mean literally gone or will you go somewhere else?"

"I can't answer that at the moment, sorry." She said slowly as she stood up and without a halt in her step she told him goodbye.

John sat there for a good moment or two trying to decide whether it was best to just let her go like that. He knew one thing truly but at the same time he knew several other things. The feel of his phone vibrating insistently in his pocket didn't even register to him as he stood and slowly made his way out of the once holy place. This was more than anything he thought would happen when they found her, dead all those months ago. This was much more than he could handle himself.

The black car that sat waiting at the entrance of the church almost felt like a sign to him that maybe he wouldn't have to be the only one who would know what happened next. He walked over to it and without hesitating this time, slipped in the back seat.

He wasn't surprised to see both Anthea and Mycroft Holmes but he was surprised to see another duo. A man dressed in a large coat that mirrored something of military fashion and a dark skinned woman who wore a smile on her face as she addressed him, "Doctor John Watson, how nice to finally meet you."

"Um, who are you exactly?" He stated.

"Oh. Sorry, "She laughed as she noticed her mistake. "Doctor Martha Jones, UNIT and a friend in the war we are about to enter."

John just nodded without questioning of what UNIT was or about this war. He would no doubt be filled in eventually. Mycroft at least was good at giving the basics, if not all the variables. "And what about you?" He turned to face the man who despite his dress and young looking face looked to have aged several times over, he was thinking about something.

"Captain Jack Harkness, a friend of Molly's. She doesn't know about any of this by the way. Us meeting you and what we need you to do. It's more a precaution just in case something goes amiss."

"Amiss in what way, Captain?" John asked.

"I believe that can wait a moment. Tea and biscuits first." Mycroft stated as he slipped from the car which had now stopped in front of a large mansion like place. John had been here once before. It was Mycroft's own home. John found it to be strange that they would go here instead of somewhere more secure but as Sherlock had mentioned the last time they were allowed in the old family home, "there is nowhere more secure than this house."

From there they went inside and entered a new discussion. A new plan would possibly be put into play. John was both thrilled and confused about nearly everything but was willing to help if he could. He hadn't liked the way Molly Hooper had just left again. Something about the way she was threw him for a loop. Maybe he could help fix things there through this new alliance.

He certainly hoped so.

Sherlock was intrigued while at the same time conflicted on what he should do. There had been no sign of John for some time and the slur of messages he had gotten from an unknown sender. It was an odd number. It had several digits more than it was accustomed to having in any part of the world. He had thought military for a good time before discarding the thought as he read each message closely.

Molly Hooper. Is she important to you?

Is she as important as the WOMAN?

Or has there been a shift. Had you forgotten about the WOMAN all together?

The most important question: are you willing to fall one last time to save the one that is still breathing? If so, we need to have a talk.

a concerned friend

Certain parts of this chapter definitely changed from what I had thought up last night. Much of it came as I was writing it. Only 2 chapters left of this one, my dears. I hope you are ready for the finale. It's going to be something to read for sure. I would love to hear what you're thinking right now!

see you all very soon,

much love

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