After six months, Sherlock was closing in on her. Finally, she wouldn't be able to hide from him anymore. He had nearly had her at her last safe-house. It had only been sheer bad timing that he had missed her. Damn interfering Mycroft. This time if he dared to interfere, good of the country or no, he would find a bullet firmly lodged in his sub-cranium.
His contacts had assured him that she would be out of country for a few days, so this was it. She wouldn't be there to move John. He would have to forgo his revenge for a later date, but he could deal with that, so long as he had his blogger back. John was essential to his functioning effectively. He needed his John.
'Are you sure this time we'll get him Sherlock?'
Sherlock shot Greg Lestrade a look that proclaimed him one of the kingdom's greatest idiots. 'If I were not, then we would not be here, now would we?'
The DI shrugged. He didn't bother replying, since he knew that would only serve to agitate the younger man even further. They were parked down street from a medium sized cottage, in the town of Bath. Sherlock had tracked The Woman from London to Israel and now back to England. This time, he knew, there was no room for failure. Everything had been set into motion. Sherlock and John of Baker Street would disappear and Greg's 'cousin' and his new husband would move into their small country cottage in Sussex. He would be the only one to know the truth of the matter, as he had helped Sherlock acquire all of the necessary documents after all.
A movement from the door of the cottage drew both their attentions. The Woman's assistant was leaving. Perfect. As soon as she had disappeared down the street the two men left the car and headed towards the house. Each had a hand on a pistol, ready for whatever they might find. Nothing on the street moved as they worked their way closer to the door. After they had reached the plain red door, Sherlock quickly picked the lock.
Inside the silence was deafening.
'Back room?'
Sherlock nodded as he drew John's Browning. Keeping it at ready, he slowly moved towards the back of the cottage, calling John's name softly as he did.
The lack of a response worried Greg. Surely she hadn't moved him already.
'John answer me.' Sherlock's voice was louder and more demanding this time, a tinge of panic working its way onto his face.
A soft reply came from the back room, just as they had suspected. Sherlock and Greg shared a brief look before moving as one. Weapons ready they burst into the room and were very startled to find that rather than being a wreck, or being tied up, John was kneeling naked on the floor with his hands on his thighs his head bowed. Both men's jaws dropped.
'John?'
SH/JW
AN: Thank you to all my lovely reviewers and everyone who favorite'd and alerted. I'm feeling well loved today. Keep reading, cause it's only going to get more... interesting. :-)
Disclaimer: (Forgot earlier... oops) Sherlock is not mine, but sometimes I do wish he was...