Benedict story

Forgotten Memories, Chapter 34

A disclaimer: Sherlock belongs to BBC along with the talented writers and amazing Martin Freeman and Benedict Cumberbatch. No money was made. The story however is my original thought, and comes out of my overactive imagination. Other characters introduced are also mine.

** Thank you for your latest reviews and PMs since the last post.

Cyber tea with or without cream.

T rated but some future chapters may be M.

A/N: Important. Benedict will at times be referred to as Ben or Benedict since he believes that to be his name.

*Thanks so much for reading. Please do not forget to comment. *

"Memory is not so brilliant as hope, but it is more beautiful, and a thousand times more true."

George Denison Prentice

John's eyes were closed. His mottled mind heard steps. He quickly became alert as a hand came down on his mouth. He was about to reflectively strike out when a voice stopped him. "Is that any way to treat your rescuer?" Mary Myers asked with a twinkle in her eyes. John fully awake now sat up.

"The guards?" John asked.

"One was knocked out, the other was not here. We must move quickly, he can return at any time," Mary said as she handed him the gun.

John took the gun along with a stolen kiss. "Thanks Mary."

"You're welcome love." She said with a smile. He got up and quickly moved.

Mary looked John up and down with her gun extended toward the door. She noticed the bruise on his face. "Are you alright?"

"Just a little roughing up." John said as he walked to the door. He extended his gun to join hers. They both froze as they heard running coming in their direction.

"We could use a little help," John said to the air.

"You have a chip in you?" Mary asked.

"Yes," John replied. They now stopped talking as they nodded to each other and took opposite sides of the door.

Everything happened suddenly.

Fists flew and grunts of pain were heard. There was a popping sound followed by the sound of a bullet striking flesh. John's gun dropped. At the same time, the first guard to arrive gun slid across the ground and slammed into the wall. The first guard howled in pain. He grabbed his leg as he rolled on the ground.

Three guards were left.

Guard one was wrestling with John as the two remaining guards attacked Mary.

Guard two grabbed Mary, She kicked guard two in the groin and elbowed guard three. Guard two fell to the ground cursing. Another kick to guard two's head sent him into unconsciousness.

Two guards left.

She could not enjoy the victory as a hand came around her throat. The guard fell away when John hit him with the end of the gun that he had recovered from the ground.

One guard left.

That guard chose that unguarded moment of John's, to punch him in the face. John noticed him out of the corner of his eye and ducked but not enough. The guard's fist grazed the side of John's chin. This knocked him back. John staggered a few steps.

Mary ran toward John to help as the last guard threw another punch as he advanced on Watson. Before Mary could reach him, John duck completely this time and swept the guards leg out from under him. The guard's body was off balanced as he swung. A sicken crack was heard as the last guard's head met the concrete floor.

Mary raised an eyebrow as they both caught their breath. "You've been practicing."

"Yes, a bit," John confirmed. Mary smiled as she assessed the situation.

Mary quickly took out her phone, she call on one as she entered a code on the other.

"I need back up, repeat… I need backup now. Surrounded by hostels. Guards, heavily armed on all four levels. I have recovered Watson. Adler and Holmes is still on the premises. The alarm has not sounded yet, come in quiet if you can." Myers listen to the other line for a moment then disconnected.

John listened impatiently as adrenaline took over. He felt the familiar rush. He felt as if he would jump out of his skin if he did not start to move soon.

"This phone is to both communicate, ten minutes undetected. And ," She pointed to an orange button, "… this button is to be pushed if you should need a dramatic distraction, use it wisely."

"What is it?" John asked as he took the phone.

"This is from Mycroft," Mary reminded him with one raised eyebrow.

John smiled as he put the phone in his pocket.

"Don't get that beautiful arse of yours shot," John said with a smile but his eyes were serious.

"Watch yourself as well… third bedroom on the southwest side of the house is his, ground level. Try the library second floor northeast corner. I'll look in the other possible locations." Mary said with equally serious eyes.

With a quick kiss and a nod, they were both off running.

Moriarty's guard was walking close to the parameter of the forest. He looked around as he pulled out a pack of cigarettes to smoke.

A moment later his unseeing eyes lay on the carpet of moss as soldiers quietly stepped around him. On opposite sides of the mansion, three other guards were meeting similar fates.

Several snipers lay on the forest floor in concealed positions.

An agent raised his hand silently, and feet in cadence noiselessly pounded the soft ground.

A group of soldiers made their way quietly as they slowly overtook the mansion

.

"A man's real possession is his memory. In nothing else is he rich, in nothing else is he poor."

Alexander Smith

Moriarty was walking on his way to Benedict when he ran into John Watson. Sebastian froze as he noticed the gun that was pointed at Moriarty's chest.

Moriarty turned his head slightly as he process the fact that not only was Doctor Watson loose in HIS home. One of many granted. But, the man was actually pointing a gun at him. No one except Sherlock ever pointed a gun at him. He did not know whether to shoot him or be impressed.

At that moment, gunfire was heard, Sebastian's phone sounded a repetitive chirping that indicated a breach. Sebastian pushed a button. There was supposed to be a picture of the outside perimeters of the mansion. Instead, only a snowy screen was seen. Someone had gotten to the computer system and jammed it. Sebastian could not tell what was happening on the outer edge of the mansion.

More gunfire sounded now.

Moriarty smiled to himself, "Mycroft Holmes?" He asked John ignoring Sebastian's growing apprehension. He had underestimated the man's reach. He admitted to himself that that was a mistake with Mycroft. He would never admit it out loud.

"Sherlock Holmes, I've come to retrieve him," John said without his gun's aim leaving Moriarty's chest.

Another soldier walked in. He looked at the intruder with surprise, as he quickly pulled his gun aiming at John.

Sebastian whispered to Moriarty, "Sir, we're blind. I don't know what's happening outside. There's a breach. It's time for you to retreat. You have to use the tunnel and emergency escape."

"Go erase the computer files, and get Benedict. I'm right behind you. Meet you at the Land Rover." Moriarty ordered.

"Sir," he said incredulously, "I couldn't leave you," Sebastian was interrupted.

"Go, I'm right behind." Moriarty said calmly.

Sebastian grunted as he gave his gun over to Moriarty and with a hate filled look at John, left the room running. John frowned as he watched Moriarty put the gun in his belt and look at him.

"Sorry about that. STUFF, to take care of," Moriarty waved his hand in the air dramatically. "Now, where were we pet."

Gunfire randomly sounded. "Oops, that was closer," Moriarty, giggled. "You have my full attention now, promise. You were talking about Benedict."

"I've come for Sherlock. Where. Is. He?" John said as he started to get irritated.

"Isn't that adorable, the pet's come for his master." Moriarty said as he glared at John Watson. All humor was gone.

Two other guards entered the room. Their guns were on John. He ignored them, with the exception of giving a warning with a shake of his head, when one tried to come close and slip behind him. John's gun was on Moriarty. If he went down at least the Monster would die too.

"That's where you got it wrong, that's what you'll never understand." John said unflinching as one hand now held the gun with a straight arm. One hand held the phone up so Moriarty could see. Moriarty eyed it curiously but said nothing.

"Am I to guess what that mean, PET?" Moriarty asked aggravated.

"It's not a pet that's come for his master. It's a friend that's come for his friend." John smiled as an explosion rocked the mansion behind him. One hand held the gun now, the other held the phone in his hand.

The men in the room instinctively dropped to the ground. There was another explosion. The room shook. Moriarty and John did not drop.

John and Moriarty locked eyes. Moriarty seemed to look right into John as irritation and hate radiated from his dark soul.

John's eyes widen as he suddenly looked beyond Moriarty to the door at his back. Moriarty knew instantly who it was. John still pointed a gun at Moriarty. Moriarty's men pointed a gun at John. Moriarty walked up to John until the gun was at point blank range with his stomach.

Moriarty smiled evilly and whispered so that only John could hear. "Say one word to him, say anything at all. And that man over there will shoot your Sherlock."

John looked in the Master Criminal's eyes as he said incredulously, "You went through all this preparation and you would do that?"

"I'm a bit unpredictable, especially with my house burning around me, call me old fashion but, I consider that rude." Moriarty smiled. "Now take me prisoner." Before John could process what was happening, Moriarty turned around with a worried look as he stared at a very angry Benedict.

"Let Benedict go and I'll come with you willingly." Moriarty said as his acting included a grim look.

Benedict advanced on the two men. One of Moriarty's men stayed slightly behind, had his gun out, and pointed. However, the angle was wrong. It was aimed at Sherlock. John cursed to himself.

Benedict's gun was aimed at John's chest. "Let him go, now." Ben demanded.

John would have smiled with relief under any other circumstances. He almost took a step toward him until he saw the look in Sherlock's eyes.

John nodded and with a look of satisfaction pushed Moriarty toward him, Moriarty almost tripped but caught his balance on time.

"Go brother, I'll take care of him and be right behind you," Benedict said.

"Shoot him Benedict." Moriarty instructed.

Benedict nodded as he felt a strong urge to do just that. He was not sure why a part of him was fighting the urge.

John looked confused from Moriarty to Sherlock, but dare to say nothing as he eyed the guard still behind Sherlock with a gun on him.

Jim gave Benedict's arm a squeeze as he walked away. Once his body was behind Sherlock's, he gave an evil smile and wave to John as he walked toward the door.

"Make sure he kills Watson, Jim said quietly so that only the one guard left in the room could hear. "Shoot Watson yourself if he does not then bring Benedict along to the backup location. If Benedict does not want to come, do not give him a choice."

"Yes Sir," The guard said without taking his eyes or gun off the two men. Moriarty walked more quickly as he heard gunfire increasing.

Sherlock walked close to him and stared. "Why are you insistent on killing us…?"

Sherlock stopped and stared. "You. Who are you?"

John opened then closed his mouth when he saw the guard behind him walked closer to Sherlock.

John looked in his eyes. He used to be able to communicate with Sherlock without words. Maybe Benedict would be the same. John was about to lower his gun when he saw the guard smile and shake no silently with his head.

John brought the gun back up.

"Your name," Sherlock said more loudly.

John stared grimly but said nothing.

"Your name!" Sherlock yelled.

John looked in Sherlock's eyes and attempted to communicate.

Who was he, Benedict wondered as his head pounded. Was he being silly not shooting him? What was holding him back?

What was holding him back?

The man before him was the man his brother had warned him about. Images floated to his mind as a sharp shot of pain seemed to race through his skull.

He blinked as he saw images of the man before him torturing him, touching him, and laughing at him. Warning him that he would do the same to his family because he was too weak to stop him. He did not notice that his fingers tightened around the trigger of the gun.

He did not agree with all of his brother's methods, but this man deserved to die, a voice inside of him said.

Kill him and you'll be free. Kill him or he'll kill those you love. You have no choice.

Shoot.

Shoot him.

"No." His ears heard someone say.

Shoot him now! The voice floated inside his head said more urgently.

"No!" He heard again and frowned when he realized that the voice was his own anguished words.

His head and the heart that he kept denying that he had were in battle. He always claimed to be a man of logic, of facts. The fact was that the man in front of him would kill if he were not stopped now. Why did he feel like he was about to cut a piece of himself apart? Why did he feel like he would die with that man, or like the man's last breath would be his own?

Pain again shot through him when he tried to think deeper. Blood ran down his nose. He ignored it and kept his now shaking hands on the gun. His brother said that he had to get his hands dirty sometime, didn't he?

He looked into the man before him eyes for the first time, really looked. The familiar pain increased. He winced as he tried not to show any weakness. Two names warred in his mind. One brought comfort, the other fear. One floated up and stayed the other floated away.

His vision came back into focus as a grim look came on his face. His attention was violently pulled in front of him. He suddenly raised his eyes and the gun, as he looked in the Doctor's widened eyes.

The sound of gunfire broke the silence.

A/N: I will not leave you in suspense long. A bit more in 30 hours or less.