Erna had arranged to meet Dr. Watson to discuss Moriarty. They met at a local pub.
"So how do you like London?" asked John.
"It's alright. I mean I haven't really went around exploring." she said.
"Well, I suppose London has not made the best impression with you starting off by being mugged." he said.
"Trying not to hold that against the whole of London." she said.
The waitress walked up to them, "May I take your order?"
"Uh, sure. What stouts do you have?" she asked.
As the waitres listed the drinks Erna's phone shown a text. The sound muted but the message flashed on the screen. It caught John's attention as he innocently looked at the phone reading the text upside down. It read: 'Prepare to meet J.M. bitch' The text stayed up a bit then vanished as the waitress turned to John.
"Your order, sir?" she asked.
John stammered, "Uh, what she's having." His gut told him it was not a friendly text. His mind raced thinking about the possibilities. Was Erna in danger?
"I think your phone got a text?" he said innocently.
She picked it up looked at it and set it down.
"Friend?" he pried.
"Yeah." she said lying. John took note of what he susoected was an untruth. "So you worked wih Sherlock on the Jim Moriarty case?" she asked changijg subjects.
It struck him. The initals? Could they stand for Jim Moriarty? His gut told him to take it to Sherlock but his heart wasn't ready. He would phone Lestrade later.
"Yeah." he said. "It was terrifying. Sherlock enjoyed the challenge though."
"Why did Moriarty choose Sherlock?" asked Erna.
"The press. He was gaining attention. I had started a blog. He somehow stumbled across him and whether the game of it all or ego, he choose Sherlock." explained John not getting into Mycroft and his part.
"You said he was insane." she asked. "What did you mean?" Her real question was who was he referring to?
"So you read into that, eh?" he said smiling.
"Moriarty, definitely but for Sherlock to understand and anticipate, he has to be a bit touched too." he said.
"He's your friend, right?" she asked.
"Was." he said as the waitress sat down their drinks.
"Let me just hear from you why you think Moriarty did what he did?" she asked.
"For sport. It was all a game to them." he said.
"Them?" she asked.
"Him." he said taking a drink.
"He strapped a bomb to me and then faked that he was an actor paid by Sherlock to play Moriarty and then he shot himself in the head. He was insane. No other explanation." said John.
Erna jotted down some notes. "So why did Moriarty want to kill you?"
John looked at her, "Honestly, I think to just see what Sherlock would do. How he would solve the probelm of his friend facing certain death."
"And Sherlock saved you?" she asked.
"Yeah." he said.
"So is that how you view him? A great hero?" she asked.
"He said he's not a hero." said John.
"I didn't ask if he thought he was one. I asked if you do." she said.
John looked at her before speaking, "I used to."
"What changed?" she asked.
"He couldn't save my wife." said John.
Erna watched as John looked down at his glass on the verge of tears. She had no words that could comfort him. She could see the pained look that told her he still was his friend but the bubble had burst. The hero he thought he was shattered. His friend whom he had seen save so many had failed to save the one that mattered most.
"What happened?" she asked genuinely curious.
"I'm not being charged for a sesion here, am I?" he asked,
"Of course not." she said,
"She jumped in front of a bullet that was heading for Sherlock. " he said,
Erna felt the sadness. "Moriarty?"
"No." he said. "No. Someone from her past."
"How are you doing?" asked Erna.
"I'm still figuring out how to answer that." he said.
"No rush." she said smiling.
He gave a slight chuckle. They spent the rest of the conversation light as she shared about her education and thoughts of London. John contemplated if to let Sherlock know about the text or Lestrade. He knew Lestrade had an interest in Erna and he didn't want to interject speculation that could mar that. He knew what he needed to do.
"John?" stammered Sherlock. "Please come in."
John walked into the flat. He marveled at the mess. Sherlock had never been one for cleaning but this went beyond John's wildest imagination. Sherlock uncovered John's chair which had been covered in case files, various photos, and books.
"Uh, no need to do that. I won't be long." he said.
Sherlock straightened and looked at his friend.
"Do you know Erna Halbeck?" asked John.
"Uh, yes, I've made her acquaintance. " he said.
"I met with her tonight. She had questions about Moriarty. " he said.
"Yes, Lestrade mentioned something about her interest." he said being cautious not to give way yo their counselor-counselee relationship
"Well, as we were ordering I glanced a text she received." he said.
"And this concerned you? Otherwise you would not be darkening my door." he said.
John ignored hin, "It said 'prepare to meet JM bitch'."
"And you feared they meant Moriarty?" he asked.
"Well, whether he is alive or dead." started John.
Sherlock cut him off, "He's dead."
John stared at him, "That doesn't make it any better." he said looking at his forner friend.
"Yes, well, seems we have a case." he said.
"No. I just knew you could work this out and since Lestrade seems to be interested in her I didn't want to involve him right now." explained John.
"I see." said Sherlock showing a hint of disappointment. "I'll look into it."
"Thanks." said John leaving.
Sherlock knew he could not force a reconciliation with John. He had to be patient. He felt a hope that his old friend came to him. A hope that he did miss this.