A/N A little more plotless concern, because why not? And though many of you asked for it, I don't think I'll be doing a sequel to 55 (Waiting)... at least, not at this point in time. In response to mudkipz, I am DEFINITELY making a sequel! I just finished outlining it, and I think the first chapter should be out in just about three weeks now. Oh, and one more thing- HOW ABOUT THE FREAKIN' HOBBIT, HUH? It seriously blew my mind with how amazing it was.

Thanks to Hummingbird1759, Natalie Nallareet, Suki-chan36, johnsarmylady, CakeBook, DuShuZi, and mudkipz

Disclaimer I don't own Sherlock or any associated characters, events, etc.

LVI. Danger Ahead

"You don't have to come," he reminds John forcefully, a last-ditch effort. "It would probably be better for you to stay behind, you realize—safer."

"You think I care about safe at this point?" John half-laughs, his eyes somehow managing to be both bright and weary. "I gave up any concept of safe the day I shot that cabbie down, Sherlock. Safe is… not going to happen for me, anymore. And I don't want it to, either, so don't you dare feel guilty. Not that you would."

I might. Sherlock gives a quick, tight nod, but his head is still buzzing with desperation. Don't, you idiot, don't come, this is one time when you need to stay behind… but he can't deny that the attack he's about to attempt would be a lot easier with an assistant. It's just that he doesn't want to risk John like this, because the criminals he's going to try and convict, they've got to be the dangerous enemies the two have ever been faced with, excepting only Moriarty himself. Unpredictable, violent… he could list off their dangerous traits, but that would only get him more worked up, and a small amount of anxiety is already far more than he's used to.

"You'll have to be careful, though, you understand that?" he insists roughly. "I can't—we can't afford for you to get… hurt."

"You don't want me to die?"

"You're not going to die!" Sherlock says, the words tumbling over one another in their frantic effort to escape his mouth. "There's no reason why you should… expect yourself to… die. That's absurd, do you understand me? Ridiculous."

"Sherlock… calm down," John implores softly, reaching out to take the detective's wrist and squeeze it lightly. Sherlock inhales, trying to tame the strikes of desperation gripping his skull. "I'm going to be fine, and you're going to be fine, but we can only be sure of that if we both go. You wouldn't want me to go without you, right?"

"Why the hell would I?"

"And that's the same reason why I don't want you to go without me. Okay? I just want to make sure that we both come out of this unharmed, and the best way to do that is to work together. Two heads are always better than one, right?"

"Except for when one of those heads belongs to an absolute idiot who will only slow the other one down."

"Sherlock."

"…Fine," he exhales, looking away and trying to ignore the tightness writhing in his stomach. "We'll go together. But you have to be careful. Even if they have hostages, no heroics. Don't you dare risk yourself, especially not for other people." You're… you're a thousand times more important than any of them. A million times more. And if you forget it, I'm going to kill you… so long as you're not already dead.