Chapter 22
Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or anything.
"Ah, so you've worked it out?" Moriarty asked.
"What is it, Sherlock? What does he want to do?" John asked.
"He wants to burn the heart out of me." Sherlock said and ran out of the room and into his own room.
"John! Don't breathe! Do not breathe!" Sherlock shouted and John held his breath with a look of confusion on his face as he heard Sherlock throwing things around in his own room.
"Sherlock, sweetheart, what are you doing?" Rose called out.
"Saving my heart." Sherlock shouted and John covered his mouth and pinched his nose in an effort not to breathe.
Sherlock ran in with an oxygen mask and tank that you would find in a hospital.
Sherlock knelt in front of John and John removed his hands as Sherlock turned on the oxygen and placed the mask over John's mouth and nose and then put the elastic over his head. John took gasping breaths.
Sherlock stood up and faced Moriarty.
"Don't think that you can play games with me." Sherlock stated.
"Why? I love to watch you dance, Sherlock." Moriarty said.
"This isn't a dance, or a game. This is you, trying to break me by using the people I am closest to." Sherlock said "But you're not stupid, you know that I am not close to anybody." Sherlock said.
"Ah, yes, because..." Moriarty trailed off and the screen changed to two photographs side by side. The one on the left was of Sherlock and John at the age of about two. They were stood in matching outfits, little blue jeans and red shirts. They sat on a picnic blanket and had looks of joy and laughter on their faces as they giggled. They sat side by side. The photograph on the right was of John and Sherlock at their present age leaning against a wall, both laughing. Then a voice rang out.
"Sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side." Sherlock's voice rang out.
Then Moriarty reappeared.
"You are close to somebody. Just one person. I have one person to hurt and you will break." Moriarty said smugly.
"But I've beaten you. John won't breathe this poisoned air." Sherlock said.
"What? The air is poisoned?" Harry asked.
"Not for you." Sherlock said "And not for me either any more. I took so many drugs when I was younger that I'm immune. I can withstand the poison that was inserted into my blood stream that, when mixed with the other poison would kill anyone within one minute. John, however, has no immunity to it." Sherlock explained.
John stood up "So, I have until this oxygen tank runs out?" John asked, his voice muffled by the mask.
"Well, yes, but I can find a way to make sure you live. We can't leave the building, we'll be killed anyway." Sherlock said.
"Oh, you are good." Moriarty said.
"Thank you... anyway, John, I will save you." Sherlock said seriously.
"Well, we have about one hour left of oxygen in the tank. What do you need?" John asked.
"Mycroft, I'll need you to go upstairs and get 2 syringes." Sherlock ordered.
Mycroft, surprisingly, didn't protest, and five minutes later, Sherlock had John sit down and role up his sleeve. Sherlock jabbed John's arm and took a sample of blood. Then Sherlock took his own blazer off and rolled up his sleeve. John took a sample of his blood and then Sherlock went over to his microscope.
A countdown appeared on the television and the title was 'Until John dies'.
When it came to two minutes to go, everyone was worried and many had asked if they could help, but Sherlock would just tell them to shut up. John was the only person Sherlock had even let enter the kitchen.
John stood up and walked across the living room to the fireplace and then turned to face everyone.
"Well, if I do die-"Sherlock cut him off "We have time!" he said.
"One minute, Sherlock!" John's muffled shout came.
There was silence and John looked down at the tank. It was verging on empty.
Sherlock edged into the living room and found John staring at the tank that was giving him life. Sherlock walked over and cleared his throat. John looked up and gave a small smile. Sherlock walked behind John and said "Hold your breath till I tell you to breathe." John nodded and took one last gulp of oxygen. Sherlock removed the mask and then put a piece of cloth over John's mouth and nose.
"Breathe." He said.
John took a breath and immediately started choking on whatever was on the cloth. John reached up to tug Sherlock's hand and the cloth away. But Sherlock kept his hand there.
"Breathe it in, John." Sherlock said.
But John could hardly breathe, whatever was on this cloth smelt vile and made his lungs feel like they were burning. John's legs gave way and Sherlock went down with him. John's back rested against Sherlock's chest and Sherlock wrapped an arm around John's front to calm the struggling doctor.
"Calm down, John. You're going to be fine." Sherlock said.
John shook his head and kicked his legs out.
"Stop struggling or it won't work!" Sherlock said.
John slowly stopped struggling and his eyelids began to droop. Sherlock held the cloth there. John's hand still tried to pull on Sherlock's hand, trying to let him breathe properly. But the tugs became weaker and eventually John's eyelids didn't reopen after they closed. Sherlock held the cloth there for a moment more and then slowly let it go. John was breathing faintly and he was unconscious.
"Sherlock, what have you done?" Mycroft asked.
"Saved him. The substance on the cloth is potent, so it knocked him out. But he is now immune. He should wake soon." Sherlock said.
"Oh, clever, very clever." Moriarty said with a grin.
Sherlock turned his head towards the television.
"I accept defeat. But know this, Sherlock. You and John will die, and at my hands. I will ensure it, one day. But for now, my dear, live well, because you really have no idea how long you have left, especially with me following your every move." Moriarty grinned, waved and then the television screen went blank.
Sherlock sat, staring at the screen.
"He's never going to stop." John's weak voice said. Sherlock looked down and met John's eyes.
"No, but we'll stop him. As many have said, we are 'dangerous'. So let's use that to bring him down." Sherlock said.
"Yes." John said "Now, help me up."
Sherlock smiled and helped John up, with Sherlock's help, John made it back to his seat.
"Thanks, by the way, for saving me." John said.
"You do the same for me." Sherlock said and sat next to him.
"It's over? We can leave now?" Harry asked.
"Yes. Anyone who wants to leave can leave." John said when Sherlock nodded.
After goodbyes the only people left were John, Sherlock, Rose, Hamish, Mycroft and Harry.
"We can be a proper family again." Rose said with a smile.
"I can't believe you all kept it secret." John said.
"It was hard." Harry whispered and Mycroft put an arm around her.
"Thank you." Sherlock said.
"What for?" Hamish asked.
"For protecting us." John answered. The twins smiled at each other.
The end- if you want it to be. (Please read the author's note.)
Author's note: Well, the story is basically complete. I really hope you enjoyed it! I loved writing it and reading your reviews! Please continue to review. But it doesn't have to end here. If you want, I can set up a new story for you to go to and I can write drabbles of them after this ordeal, them as twins, and if you want it, some before they knew and some when they were younger. But I want to know if you are interested, so please leave a review. If I do set up a new fic where the drabbles will be then I will add a chapter to here to tell you. If you are confused, just PM me Thanks!