A/N: For those of you who haven't seen it already I have written and upload a companion one-shot called Life with the Lestrade-Holmes Family as part of the Summer Mystrade Exchange on Tumblr. At this point it's content is a bit spoilery to the main plot seeing as the person I wrote it for is my unofficial beta/sounding board.

Speaking of RBnC, have you seen the lovely cover art she's done for the story. I was so ecstatic when I got the final version and couldn't wait for you all to see it.

Lastly we're going back to one chapter a week updates since we've gotten through Reichenbach and the Return. I know I spoiled you all the past couple of weeks, but I couldn't in good conscious draw out Reichenbach any longer than I did.

xXx

It had been a month and a half since Sherlock had returned to 221B; he still hadn't heard from John, but the young genius was taking Greg's advice and giving the little blonde space.

Sherlock was in the flat looking over the reports he had gotten from Greg, the case was perplexing to say the least.

There were 7 victims that were similar, in that they were all terminally ill and were killed in a way that put them out of the agony they dealt with from their illness. These deaths were mercy killings.

But the perplexing part was that there were 6 other victims that were killed in a completely different manner. These 6 were murdered in the most brutal and bloody way Sherlock had seen in awhile. There was a lot of rage behind these murders. In a way the victims had deserved it. Each one had at least a few police reports written up about them involving dropped assault charges and suspected spousal/child abuse.

The two types of murder were completely different but one thing was connecting it all. At each crime scene there was DNA evidence that came from the same person, the murderer.

The case had Greg stumped so he had asked for Sherlock's help, seeing as the genius didn't have any other cases at the moment.

Sherlock was reading a report about the last victim, filed by a nurse, saying she suspected the man of breaking his 7 year old son's arm, when it all connected in Sherlock's mind.

Every last victim had been at the same hospital shortly before their death. Sherlock jumped up and grabbed his coat, swinging it on as he left the flat.

In the cab ride to the hospital, he texted Greg the possible lead as per a condition of working with the Detective Inspector.

Sherlock stalked the halls of the hospital keeping his eyes out for the killer based on the evidence she had left behind and his own deductions. He was prepared for almost anything but what happened next.

Sherlock was walking down a random hallway, not quite keeping track of where he was going, and froze. Coming out of a patient's room was John.

The blonde closed the door and looked up. He froze in place like he saw a ghost. The fear he saw made Sherlock turn to leave, deciding Greg could look for the killer.

"Sherlock wait" John said quickly. This made the genius pause and look back at the blonde.

John was still thinner than before the fall, but it looked like he was starting to take better care of himself. His face was still scruffy but his eyes weren't bloodshot like the last time Sherlock had seen him.

Sherlock let out a breath, glad that his deductions had told him John had stopped drinking. He would never forgive himself for the fact that the pain he put him through caused the former army doctor to drink.

"Hello John" Sherlock said quietly, "You're looking better than the last time I saw you."

"Yeah well Harry threatened to kick me out if I didn't stop and start seeing Ella again." Sherlock nodded and shifted on his feet awkwardly.

"What are you doing here Sherlock? Did Harry tell you where I work?" John asked when Sherlock remained silent.

"No, I'm following a lead on a case Lestrade needed help on."

"So you're able to work cases again?"

Sherlock nodded, "Between Mycroft and Lestrade, I'm consulting the Yard in a more official capacity, in order to avoid something like the last time."

John nodded then looked at his watch. "Listen, I have to finish my rounds, but if you wait another half hour I'll be done with work. I'd like to get a coffee and talk if you're up to it."

Sherlock swallowed thickly, his heart racing at spending some time with John. "I-I'd like that."

John smiled making Sherlock's heart skip a beat. "I'll meet you at the café across the street when my shift is over." John said before walking down the hall away from Sherlock.

Sherlock stood there for a bit, a little surprised by how the chance meeting had gone. The last time he had seen John it was disastrous to say the least. Sherlock had a small feeling of hope that things between them could be fixed as he started to make his way out of the hospital and over to the café John had indicated.

xXx

John quickly dashed across the street, his jacket collar turned up to try and keep the pouring rain from sliding down his back. He got to the dry area under the awning and shook his head, flicking most of the rain out of his hair. As he walked inside and saw Sherlock waiting in corner of the shop, he ran a hand through his hair hoping it didn't stick up all over the place.

John sat down opposite Sherlock and shrugged out of his wet coat. There was silence between the two, Sherlock not knowing quite what to say.

"So, what's the case you're working on at the moment?" John asked, finally breaking the silence.

"It was a bit perplexing at first but it's becoming clearer as I investigate. The killer seems to have a multiple personality disorder and chooses different victims based on the different personalities. One type of victim that's chosen is people with a terminal illness. She kills them in ways that are relatively painless and from what I can tell thinks she's sparing them the painful death they're bound to have."

"She? How do you know the killer is a female?"

"Most people who kill for mercy are female and by a DNA sample Lestrade's team collected under one of her other type of victim's finger nails. Which brings me to the other type of victim; they are mostly abusive drunks and she kills them in a bloody manner that makes me think she had an abusive father when she was growing up."

"I'm assuming she left DNA or fingerprint evidence at the other crime scenes, otherwise these murders wouldn't be connected." John mused out loud. How easily he slipped into his role as Sherlock's assistant.

"You'd be correct to assume that." Sherlock replied smiling.

"So what led you to the hospital then?"

"All the victims had been discharged or visited the hospital shortly before their death. Lestrade didn't see it, but it was glaringly obvious when you looked at everything." John couldn't help but smile at Sherlock's statement.

"So you think the killer is one of my coworkers?" John asked.

"Most definitely. You could probably help me narrow down the list of suspects."

"I could try, tell me all you can about your killer."

"She's probably in her late 20s, blonde, about 5'7", approximately 10 ½ stone. She wouldn't be a doctor or nurse having forgone medical school for taking care of a terminally ill mother."

"That sounds like Natalie, but I seriously can't see her as a murderer; She's so sweet, actually she somewhat reminds me of Molly."

"You know just as well as I do that anyone can be a murderer given the right motive. It could be that she blacks out when one of the other personalities take over. People with Dissociative Identity Disorder don't normally know about the other personalities."

"I suppose you're right." John said thoughtfully. He looked at Sherlock a curious expression on his face.

"What is it John?"

"Why didn't you storm off the second I mentioned Natalie?"

"Lestrade made it one of the conditions for me being allowed to work with him again: I'm not allowed to confront suspects on my own."

"And you're actually following his rules?" John asked suspiciously.

"For now" Sherlock replied deadpanned. A few seconds later, both men were laughing. When they calmed down Sherlock asked what he'd been wondering since accepting the invitation.

"What is that you want to talk about? I highly doubt it was to question me on the case I'm working on."

John chewed on his lower lip, "As I said I've been seeing my therapist again and she's helped me. You saw how I was when you came back, so that gives you an idea of how badly yo-your, you know, affected me. Recently Ella has encouraged me to reach out to you, to find out why you did…what you did." When Sherlock didn't answer right away John took a deep breath. "Please Sherlock tell me why did you do it?"

"John I had to. Moriarty had assassins watching you, Lestrade and Mrs. Hudson. If I didn't jump he would have killed all of you. I couldn't lose you John, so I jumped. I had Molly help me pull it off and the time I was away was spent destroying Moriarty's web. It would've been avoided if that spider hadn't shot himself in the head."

"Why didn't you just tell me you were alive?"

"Could you have acted like I was dead if you knew I was alive?"

"No" John looked away from Sherlock, "I suppose not."

"John I spent every day of my year away, working on getting back to you." Sherlock bit his lip, hesitant to say what he wanted to say next. He finally decided to forgo holding anything back, the last time he did he nearly lost John.

"John I love you."

John turned his head back sharply to see if Sherlock was serious. Seeing the nervousness in the younger man's expression, John took the confession for the truth it was.

"I love you too Sherlock, but you hurt me by faking your death. I can't quite forgive that right now." Sherlock expression had brightened then fell as John continued talking. "That doesn't mean I don't want to try. We're just going to have to take things slow."

"I'll try anything if it means I can be with you."

John smiled and got up, putting on his coat. "I have to get going; I promised Harry I'd be home for dinner with her and Clara."

"They've gotten back together?"

John chuckled, "Yeah, Harry's been sober for a year now and she and Clara got back together about 3 months ago."

"So she threatened kicking you out, because your drinking was testing her resolve." Sherlock said without thinking.

"Yes" John said sadly.

"I'm sorry John; I didn't mean it like that." Sherlock apologized quickly.

"It's fine Sherlock. It happened and I can't change that. I've been sober for about a month now and it's a challenge, as I'm sure you can understand." John sighed. "Seeing Ella helps though."

"I do understand John, that's why I'm sorry I brought it up."

"It's alright" John said smiling. "I do have to get going, but I want to see you again."

"How about dinner at Angelo's this Friday?"

"I'd love that." John turned and started walking out of the café. Sherlock stood up and opened his mouth to ask what Natalie's last name was, but was cut off when John called over his shoulder. "Natalie Noone. See you Friday Sherlock."

"See you Friday John" Sherlock said softly, watching through the window as the blonde briskly walked in the direction to the nearest tube station. He sat back down smiling as he texted Greg the information he had gotten from John.