"Sherlock?" John called as he walked into the flat. The detective appeared in the sitting room from the kitchen. The man dressed in his housecoat and sweats. The assassin smiled slightly at the sight. He'd slipped back into his expected persona on the walk back to the flat. Not bothering to hail a cab as the air hadn't been too chilly, and he'd needed the time to think.

"Just seeing if you were here," John clarified at the look he was given by Sherlock. "Since you had that event to go to."

"Ah. Yes. Waste of time. The brother's appear to have had a hobby for funding criminals." Sherlock said with a dismissive wave. John had enough sense to blink in surprise. He wasn't suppose to know the information already, after all.

"Sorry, what?" John questioned, walking towards Sherlock and further into the flat. "Criminals?

Sherlock hummed in confirmation. "Yes. I don't believe they were actually aware of where their funding was going, and once they finally figured it out? They did what any sensible, law-abiding citizens would do and cut off funding and threatened to out the criminals."

"So these criminals killed the Marksteins." John concluded with a small nod, and he just barely noticed the slight tightening of the jaw, but dismissed it.

"Yes. Case solved. How was the date?" The detective was moving back into the kitchen as he spoke, and John followed behind a bit slower.

"Good." He answered slowly. "I…actually think I might be sticking with this one for awhile." If Sherlock was displeased with the idea of John having so much interest in another, then the man didn't show it.

"Very well," Sherlock said, looking over one of his experiments. John lingered for a few moments, sensing that something wasn't quite right but not sure what that thing was. Not wanting to appear overly suspicious however, John said his goodnights and headed upstairs. Going through his silent routine of hiding his pistol and slipping his knife beneath his pillow before changing. He slipped into his bed, but he didn't sleep right away…He had a bit too much on his mind.

This is how it will work, Johnny. I seem to be short on help because a certain sniper needs to take a bit of a forced holiday. You, however, are plenty skilled enough to do his job for him until then…and let's be honest. We both know you're not going to be doing this just for the money.

Have you ever thought that I don't want to help you? You did strap me to a bomb. I have enough trouble as it is.

Sherlock had decided that he didn't necessarily like lying to John, but it was a necessity none the less. He had solved the part of the case which involved why the Markstein brother's had been killed, who had hired their killer, and had even turned said people of to Lestrade…or had at least given the man the means to do so. He did not, however, know who the actual killer was. Not yet. For him, the case hadn't quite reached its end. He still had no intentions of informing John that he was hunting a professional killer. Likely a contract killer considering the whole situation, but he wasn't entirely certain yet...If it was a contract killer they would be even more difficult to catch. After all, there would be little tying them to their contractors besides a few texts or phone calls. While it would be worth looking into to just to be thorough, he somehow doubted the killer he was dealing with was so unintelligent as to leave such an obvious trail.

The detective looked up from the experiment he hadn't actually been all too concerned with in favor of glancing at the stairs John had disappeared up. The man certainly had every right to be acting a bit odd lately considering the time that the case had sprung up. The fact he'd forgotten about John's war injuries at all…Stupid. Even for Sherlock who claimed to be a sociopath. It was such a key part to the other's functionality after all. It just furthered his belief that he couldn't tell his flatmate what he was doing. Not yet. Not unless he truly needed his help on the matter of the killer he was now hunting. Until then, he'd allow John the time and space. That was reasonable enough, wasn't it? What a 'friend' would do? Sherlock was smirking a bit at the thought. It was still odd to be able to think of someone as a friend, but it was getting far from tiring. That much was certain.

Oh but Johnny, you're still here aren't you? You haven't killed me yet, even though I know who you really are now. There have been plenty of opportunities after all. If you'd have killed me when my guards walked out? You'd have been able to take out all of them afterwards. So why didn't you?

John slept on and off. It had been a long time since he'd had a restless night. If anything, he blamed it on the adrenaline still left over from his outing. It certainly hadn't been expected. The outcome having been far from what he'd ever assumed could have happened, and leaving him unsure as to what he should do next. Sherlock had 'solved' the Markstein case, but that didn't seem like Sherlock. To not have gotten to the conclusion that a professional had killed the brothers? Something else was definitely going on, and after getting a (limited) night's sleep it was easier to see that now. He'd need to find someone to take the fall for him. Preferably someone that could actually be convicted and serve as a convincing double for himself. They'd need to be an excellent sniper, for example.

The idea of framing Sebastian Moran wasn't displeasing. The problem? He'd have to get around Moriarty first. The man had made it painfully obvious that Moran was quite the asset to him. Despite the flaws and reckless behavior, even John could admit the mercenary had skill when it came to sniping. The real issue that John was now needing to worry about, on top of everything else, was that Moran was as much an idiot as he was a good sniper. With a vengeful crime lord out for blood, Moran had no choice but to stay underground until the heat passed. Now that John had been found out, he was apparently the next best thing to the mercenary. Considering he was actually capable of being discrete and stealthy among other things, he would hope so. If only it wasn't Moriarty that needed his services.

The assassin eventually got up and made his way to take a shower. Needing the hot water and steam. His body was just a touch sore from his scuffle with Moran, but a smirk twitched to life when he remembered that the other would be in far more pain than him. This was minor at best, and that was all because he'd been the one beating the mercenary. Forcing the other on the defensive for most of their short fight. By the time John was out of the shower, feeling better and more alert, he changed and headed downstairs to find Sherlock sprawled on the sofa. Eyes closed and breathing even. For a moment John figured the man was simply thinking, but it soon became apparent that the detective had actually fallen asleep. Probably while thinking, but after over a week of not allowing himself to sleep it was no surprise that Sherlock's body would have finally protested and forced the other to sleep. A further testament that the man was far more human than others seemed to like to believe. Sherlock himself included in that long list. Using this time to his advantage, however, John prepared some tea and a small breakfast before leaving a note for Sherlock. The day before had been his 'day off,' and now he'd be expected at the clinic for his normal schedule.

When John had left however, he wasn't heading to his normal haunt when on his hours where he was to be at the clinic as far as everyone else knew. No, he was pulling out his phone and glancing at the contact. Thumb hovering over the call button a bit hesitantly before he was hitting the call button.

"What do you need?" he asked once the other line was answered.

Its because you know what I can offer, isn't it? I'm far more dangerous than any of the people you've taken your contracts from before, and I can challenge you. Push you. That addiction to danger is driving you, is what keeps you here. I can see that hunger…and you'll call, Johnny-boy. It doesn't matter what's happened before all of this, because all that matters is that you'll be calling and looking for more fun than you've had in years.

*Shifts nervously* Hiiiiiiii…..I know I haven't updated for a few days, but that would be because Thor: The Dark World came out and … um … My feels couldn't really handle anymore after seeing that… *Hint, I love Loki for those who have seen it* *Hint, hint, see it if you haven't already…we'll cry together*

Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy this new chapter, I'm pretty sure what I want for the plot at this point, so it's just all up to being able to get that out and into the right words.

Have a good day,

Reaperess ^_^