Chapter 3: Information Gathering

Kagome was silent for a long while as they walked away from the scene. John trailed along next to her, wondering where they were going. With a start, he recognised the basic direction as Kagome's apartment, which she still owned, not having given it up after moving into John's room with him at Baker Street. Her explanation had been that if their relationship botched up at some point, she'd always be able to move out immediately. Not to mention it gave her a place to rest if she'd been working on a special case and was closer to the apartment than 221b. Not really willing to walk all the way there and then have to go back, he gently held her hand as they walked.

Finally, she spoke. "Moriarty. Who was he?" Her tone was extremely distracted, and John wondered what it was that occupied her mind. Obviously, it was about whatever happened today. He started to explain with a sigh.

"He was the consulting criminal. Sherlock's opposite - I think that's how he thought of himself. He sponsored a serial killer, a cabbie, to kill as many people as he could with two bottles, filled with pills. One bottle was just an ordinary painkiller, the other was poison. He killed four people with that before he tried it on Sherlock and I shot him." John was definitely thanking any deity out there that there were no people around to hear any of this. "He… threatened to blow up five people, including me." He hesitated slightly with his next step when Kagome suddenly snarled. "He blew up one of them because she started to describe his voice and he couldn't afford to be recognised so early in the game. He dated Molly Hooper to get her to introduce him to Sherlock, pretending he was gay. He paid thirty million pounds for a fake painting - one of the puzzles in the great game - he'd threatened a child that time and gave Sherlock on ten seconds to figure it out. He did, thankfully."

"John." Kagome sighed. "What about after the game?" John frowned in thought.

"Umm, Irene Adler. The Woman, as she was professionally known, used some photographs to get Mycroft's attention, and thereby Sherlock's. Turned out that instead of a power play, she was really working for Moriarty. He 'gave [her] a bit of advice', apparently. Anyway, Sherlock stopped her and then she was beheaded in Karachi a month or so later. We told Sherlock she was in America, got herself into a witness protection scheme." Kagome nodded distractedly, before what he'd said sunk in. Her head turned to him suddenly, her feet pausing.

"Who did you say she was?" She asked quietly.

"Irene Adler. A Dominatrix - she was professionally known as The Woman." Kagome tilted her head.

"Did Sherlock go anywhere between defeating Irene and when you found out she was dead?" He nodded.

"He took a few private cases in-between. I had to work at the clinic during that time so I couldn't go with. He went to Cornwall for two weeks and then spent another week in Scotland." A smile appeared on her lips and she tilted her head to the side.

"Well I hate to disappoint, John, but Irene Adler is not dead. Those two weeks, they're the ones he was most likely able to get out of the country to Karachi and save her. Scotland was the actual case. He'd probably tracked her for that time and then saved her just in time." John's eyebrows rose.

"And why would he do that without telling me? And how do you know that?" Kagome shrugged and looked away.

"I may or may not have encountered Irene while in my depression about two months after I returned. She may have come to Japan a few weeks previous. She may have helped me come out of it a bit." She smiled in reminiscence. "She was very…engaging. And very confident." He smiled crookedly.

"Do I need to be jealous? My… what are you anyway? My lover? Anyway, you being involved with her and sounding like you'd like to do it again." Kagome grinned and winked.

"Oh, no need. Of course, you're always welcome to watch." She watched him choke on air before having mercy. "And what about the Fall. What did you call it? The Reichenbach Falls?" John nodded, completely sober.

"Yes. Moriarty broke into Pentonville Prison, the Tower of London and the Bank of England. He went to trial, offered no defence and still got away scot-free. He used an alias by the name of Richard Brook." He paused as Kagome shuddered. Curious and worried, he continued a little further, keeping the details to the interesting bits only. "Sherlock told me that Richard Brook in German was Reichenbach - the case that made Sherlock's name famous. He framed Sherlock for orchestrating the kidnapping of some ambassador's children. He dragged Sherlock's name through the mud and then summoned him to the roof of St. Barts. They had a little talk and then you know the rest." Kagome nodded thoughtfully.

"Have you noticed anything strange around you at all since the Fall? Like things going missing, or being moved somewhere else?" John frowned confusedly and shook his head.

"No, why?" Kagome narrowed her eyes and didn't reply for a moment. She wondered if it was her appearance in John's life, or if it was Sherlock's, or both, that had caused the spirit to decide to suddenly haunt them - her specifically, seeing as how it's power level was far too low to actually affect anyone without the spiritual sensitivity. But she had noticed little things going missing now and again, and she'd also noticed a tingling sensation sometimes that usually indicated a spirit was nearby. Well, technically, they were souls, but spirits tended to be the general term for them.

"Thank you. Sherlock will be wondering about where you are, so you go back to Baker Street - I'll be back by tonight." John nodded and started back, but Kagome called his name, making him turn around. "Also, can you explain to Lestrade about the basics of what I am and about my change? He wouldn't accept it well from me, I would think." John raised his hand and carried on walking. Taking a deep breath, Kagome continued on to her apartment.

She sat down on the sofa and sighed. "Okay. Let's do this." She looked to the chair opposite, unsurprised to find Moriarty sitting there, grinning. "What do you want?"

"I want Sherlock to complete my fairytale." He stood up and walked towards her slowly, tone conversational. Kagome bristled, sparks of reiki flickering outwards. "I want Sherlock dead, his name dragged down by the media, Big Brother ruined, Sherlock's pet useless and grieving, and the DI's career over." Kagome hissed.

"As if I'd actually let you do any of that. Sherlock is a good man, John is not a pet and Lestrade does not deserve to loose his job. As for Mycroft… I doubt he'll ever be ruined." Moriarty paused and seemed to think for a bit.

"I think you deserve to know more about what happened three years ago." He waved a hand and an apple floated out from the kitchen. It hovered in front of her. "Go on, touch it. Don't worry," He rolled his eyes. "It won't harm you or anything. You'll only see what happened at the pool, with John as my unwilling suicide bomber and after my trial." Kagome snarled silently at the mention of John, but still reached out a hand and grabbed hold of the apple.


"Do you know what happens if you don't leave me alone, Sherlock, to you?" Moriarty was threateningly casual. Kagome watched, standing inside the memory, the spirit of Moriarty next to her. She saw John behind Moriarty, strapped to enough semtex to destroy the building, and her heart clenched. She had to resist going to him, despite the fact that she knew that they weren't really there. Next to her, Moriarty chuckled, having noticed the urge by her body language.

"Calm down, my dear, no need to get worked up."

"Oh, let me guess. I get killed." To be honest, Kagome wasn't surprised Sherlock had come to this conclusion.

"Kill you?" Moriarty's expression twisted as if in pain. "Mm, no. Don't be obvious. I mean, I'm gonna kill you anyway, someday. I don't want to rush it though, I'm saving it up for something special - no, no, no, no, no." He looked Sherlock straight in the eye, no more nonsense, as he shook his head slowly. "If you don't stop prying… I will burn you. I will burn… the heart out of you." Kagome's eyebrows rose, surprised at the lack of detail.

"Don't worry, we'll get to that later."

"I've been reliably informed that I don't have one." Moriarty gave him a knowing smile.

"But we both know that's not quite true." Sherlock blinked and Kagome could practically see him thinking 'shit'. There was a pregnant pause before he spoke again. "Well, I'd better be off." The pleasant tone was back. "So nice to have had a proper chat." Though what he said gave the impression he was going to leave, his actions showed the exact opposite - he was making no move whatsoever to move away from the man pointing his gun at him. Sherlock took a deep breath suddenly and the gun jerked with it.

"What if I was to shoot you now, right now?" Moriarty looked amused. He clearly knew that Sherlock had absolutely no intention of shooting him. Gathering what information she knew about Sherlock, Kagome knew he had enjoyed the game, the puzzles, so she knew it as well.

"Well then you could cherish the look of surprise on my face." His mouth opened comically as he took on a mock surprised expression. "'Cos I'd be surprised, Sherlock, really I would. And just a teensy bit… disappointed. And of course, you wouldn't be able to cherish it for very long." Moriarty paused again. "Ciao, Sherlock Holmes." He walked out, Sherlock following him with his gun, moving closer to John.

"Catch… you… later." There was a pause, and then:

"No you won't!" False cheer and seriousness was heavy in Moriarty's parting words. As soon as Sherlock was sure he was gone, he knelt at John's feet and pried the bomb vest off of him. Kagome literally breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the strap getting undone.

"All right? Are you all right?" John seemed to snap out of whatever daze he was in.

"Yeah, fine. Sherlock. Sherlock!" His final call of his flat-mate's name was part scolding and part relief as he tugged a little too hard to get the coat off him and sent it sliding across the floor. When he went to check Moriarty really was gone, John's knees went weak and he stumbled forward, towards the stalls so he could lean against them. It seemed like the adrenalin was wearing off. Kagome sighed. Well, at least he wasn't hurt, I think. She thought, suddenly wondering how he managed to get himself kidnapped anyway. And what was Sherlock doing there?

Sherlock walked back in and paced, scratching the back of his head with the gun. Was wielding a gun in such a manner wise? Kagome didn't think so, though it did leave her quite amused.

"That er… thing that you er… did with the um…" Sherlock cleared his throat, clearly unwilling to be too sentimental and not sure how to voice his thoughts. "That you offered to do… that was um… good." Then he straightened his suit, obviously uncomfortable, making Kagome giggle.

"Well, I'm glad no one saw that." John said, trying to lighten the mood. Sherlock's reply was little more than an impatient, questioning grunt. "You ripping my clothes off in a darkened swimming pool - people might talk." Sherlock shook his head.

"People do little else." Then he stopped, grinning at him, and they shared a laugh. John made to get up, but paused, cutting off a curse when he noticed a red dot dancing on his chest. Kagome's breath hitched and she turned to Moriarty's spirit, who grinned at her, in surprise.

"Sorry, boys! I'm so changeable!" Moriarty appeared again, his tone joyful and not in any way apologetic. 'If you're going to apologise, at least make it sound convincing!' Kagome thought, glaring at Moriarty. "It is a weakness with me, but, to be fair to myself, it is my only weakness - you can't be allowed to continue. You just can't." Moriarty laughed shortly. "I would try to convince you but everything I have to say has already crossed your mind!" Both John and Sherlock shared a look for a tense few seconds before John finally nodded. Kagome held her breath - the tension was palpable.

"Probably my answer's crossed yours." Sherlock slowly pivoted on his heel, raising his gun as he did so. He first aimed at Moriarty himself, but changed his target to be the bomb vest and coat. Moriarty raised an eyebrow and moved his head in a way that said 'touché'. Things were tense for at least twenty seconds before Moriarty smiled a bit before straightened his face out completely as 'Staying Alive' by the Bee Gee's echoed through the near-deserted swimming pool. Kagome choked on a laugh. She couldn't help herself. The song was so out of context that it just… it was just funny. Moriarty smiled.

"Like my ring tone, Kagome?" Remembering where she was and what she was watching, Kagome glared at him. Seemingly knowing her thoughts, he just winked.

Meanwhile, Moriarty's face never changed, even while the song continued to play out. Sherlock was looking around to find the source. Finally, when it seemed it wasn't going to stop, Moriarty's face twisted with exasperation.

"Do you mind if I answer that?" It was said as if the phone call, as it was now apparent it was just that, had interrupted him making dinner or something equally mundane. Sherlock moved his gun in a go-ahead gesture.

"Oh no, please. You've got the rest of your life." His voice, while casual, had a threatening undertone that they all noticed, but Moriarty ignored.

Jim dug out his phone from his pocket and answered it with an annoyed, "Hello? Yes, of course it is, what do you want?" He looked towards Sherlock and mouthed, 'Sorry.' Sherlock just shrugged. 'It's fine.' "… Say that again!" It was shouted and it made Kagome jump. His voice had calmed down significantly when he next spoke. "Say that again and know that if you're lying to me, I will find you, and I will skin you." Sherlock and John exchanged looks. "Wait." He put the phone down and walked towards them, but kept his eyes on the floor to the right of the coat. He paused and, with a slightly spaced out look on his face, spoke as his eyes lifted to Sherlock. "Sorry, wrong day to die."

Sherlock nodded towards the phone in Moriarty's hand. "Oh. Did you get a better offer?" Moriarty looked down at the phone, as if he hadn't realised it was still there, and then looked back up at him, not answering the question.

"You'll be hearing from me, Sherlock." Then he turned away, putting the phone back to his ear and carrying on the conversation as if he hadn't been almost killed only moments before while he swaggered out of the room. "So if you have what you say you have, I'll make you rich. If not, I'll make you into shoes." Just before he got to the door, he raised an arm and snapped his fingers, removing the red dotted threats from the two occupants left in the room, and walked out the room.


The scene abruptly changed, and suddenly they were both in 221b's sitting room. Thankfully, there was no John being threatened and it was just Sherlock and Moriarty this time. It started from when Sherlock had just poured out some tea for Moriarty. Kagome chortled as she saw that the detective had put the teacup the wrong way round - on purpose, surely, as he'd most definitely deduced what Moriarty's dominant hand was at the Pool.

"Every fairytale needs a good, old-fashioned villain." Moriarty said and then smiled in the creepiest way Kagome had ever seen. Sherlock looked unimpressed. "You need me," He continued with a straight face. "Or you're nothing. Because we're just alike, you and I." Moriarty picked up his tea cup and silently scoffed behind it. "Except you're boring - you're on the side of the angels."

"You got to the jury, of course." Sherlock commented, seemingly unaffected by the criminal's comment.

Moriarty gave a disbelieving look. "I got into the Tower of London - you think I can't work my way into twelve hotel rooms?" Sherlock sighed, undoing his jacket button to sit down.

"Cable network."

"Every hotel bedroom has a personalised TV screen, and every person has their pressure point, someone that they want to protect from harm." His lips twitched. "Easy peasy." Kagome glared at the apparition next to her.

"Nothing changes, Kagome. Everyone's the same." Kagome scoffed.

"You think I don't know that?" Moriarty tilted his head, but said nothing in reply. She narrowed her eyes. Was she looking too much or too little into that? That could be a taunt, or it could be a warning. That was the problem with spirits - no matter what they did in their life, they could still choose to help people out if they wished, or simply stir things up.

"So how are you going to do it…" Sherlock blew gently into his cup, cooling down his tea. "Burn me?" Moriarty smiled slightly.

"Oh that's the problem. The final problem. Have you worked out what it is yet?" He grinned. Sherlock stayed impassive. "What's the final problem? I did tell you, but did you listen?" He sang and put down his left hand, resting it on his knee. There, the fingers began tapping a kind of - rhythm. Confused, Kagome turned to Moriarty. He shrugged.

"Binary code. It doesn't actually do anything, just as what I'm about to say isn't true. It was all part of the game, ensuring Sherlock tried to think that everything was clever, when it was actually very simple. It was funny," He said, gazing at Sherlock. "How completely Sherlock was taken in by what I was saying, not even suspecting for a moment that I was lying, despite the fact we were enemies." Kagome snorted.

"And this is why the stupidity of men will always astound me. And what is with the tea? What's the point of it?" Moriarty shrugged again.

"We may have been enemies, but we were still British." Was all he offered in reply. Kagome rolled her eyes. Why did she even bother?

"How hard do you find it? Having to say I don't know?" Moriarty asked casually.

Sherlock shrugged, putting his teacup down on the table nearby. "I don't know." The consulting criminal laughed.

"Oh, that's clever, that's very clever. Awfully clever…" He trailed off, taking a sip of tea. Sherlock smiled tightly. "Speaking of clever, have you told your little friends yet?" Sherlock put fingers together in front of him.

"Told them what?" An edge was underlining the words, threatening the man opposite.

"Why I broke into all those places but never took anything." He said lightly.

"No."

"But you understand." Moriarty picked up an apple and got out a knife, beginning to carve into it and eat it.

"Obviously." Sherlock said, as if bored. Kagome knew he was anything but.

"Off you go then." He ate a bit of apple, almost commanding the detective to tell him what he knew.

Sherlock looked at him in mild derision. "You want me to tell you what you already know?" He mocked.

"No, I want you to prove that you know it." He reassured.

"You didn't take anything because you don't need to." Moriarty nodded.

"Good." It was obvious he wanted Sherlock to elaborate.

"You'll never need to take anything ever again."

"Very good. Because?" Moriarty hinted.

"Because nothing, nothing -" Moriarty paused in what he was doing for a second. "In the bank of England, the tower of London or Pentonville prison could possibly match the value of the key that could open all three." Beside her, Moriarty chortled.

"I still can't believe that he fell for that. Originally, I had something else in mind to say, but then, after that, I just had to improvise and see how far I could string him along!" Kagome was only half-listening.

"I can open any door, anywhere, with a few tiny lines of computer code." Moriarty smiled momentarily. Due to what he'd said earlier, Kagome knew it was more out of amusement that he'd so completely fooled Sherlock than any smugness of his supposed power. "There's no such thing as a private bank account now, they're all mine. No such thing as secrecy - I own secrecy. Nuclear codes. I could blow up NATO in alphabetical order. In a world of locked rooms, the man with the key is king, and, honey, you should see me in a crown." Sherlock moved his hands down the arms of the chair he was sitting in. Kagome glanced at Moriarty sideways.

"God, you really winged it, didn't you?" He shrugged sheepishly, eyes still shining in amusement.

"He still believed it. Who's the one you should be mocking?" Kagome tilted her head forward in a small, regal nod.

"Touché."

"You were advertising all the way through the trial, you were showing the world what you could do." Sherlock smiled slightly with the realisation.

"And you were helping." That smile slid straight off Sherlock's face, transforming into a scowl. His features were so expressive in that moment, that it was just comical to Kagome. She snickered. Moriarty glanced at her, but said nothing. "Big client list - world governments, intelligence communities, terrorist cells - they all want me. Suddenly, I'm Mr. Sex." He took another bite of the apple. Kagome rose both eyebrows disbelievingly.

"Mr. Sex?" He ginned.

"What? It's true. Most people in the world want sex. It was the truest analogy I could think of." Kagome sighed and resisted the impulse to laugh. Sometimes he sounded like a child.

"You could break any bank - what do you care about the highest bidder?"

"I don't. I just like to watch them all competing. Daddy loves me the best. Aren't ordinary people adorable?" Moriarty asked knowingly. "Well, you know - you've got John." Kagome cringed. She hated the way the criminal said John's name just then. "I should get myself a live-in one."

"Why are you doing all this?" Sherlock asked, only to be ignored as Moriarty continued with his musings.

"It'd be so funny."

"You don't want money or power, not really. What is it all for?" Moriarty leaned forward in his seat, stabbing the apple with his knife.

"I want to solve the problem, our problem, the final problem." He looked down. "It's gonna start very soon, Sherlock. The Fall. But don't be scared. Falling's just like flying except there's a more permanent destination." Sherlock's lips curled, obviously displeased about being threatened in his own flat. Or maybe, piped up a small, immature corner of Kagome's brain, it's just he dislikes being accused of being scared of something. He stood up, doing up his jacket again in sharp, quick movements, broadcasting his irritation to the world.

"I never liked riddles." Kagome laughed before she quickly contained it. Sherlock liked puzzles, but didn't like riddles? Weren't riddles puzzles as well? Moriarty stood up as well, tugging his suit jacket down harshly to smooth out any wrinkles form sitting down.

"Learn to." He threatened. Because that voice couldn't really be anything else other than a threat, could it? Although, it did remind Kagome of a child protesting to doing something and then the mother just going 'tough, get used to it' before doing it anyway. "Because I owe you a fall, Sherlock. I. Owe. You." And then he walked away. Sherlock followed him with his eyes. Then the scene blurred and faded.


Kagome woke up, laying down on the sofa. Moriarty was obviously gone and it was getting dark. Really, how long had she been here? She stared up at the ceiling, thinking though everything she'd learnt.

It was obvious that Moriarty was showing these things for a reason, two separate scenes that involved direct conversations between he and Sherlock. Yes, most likely not the full conversations, but part of them. John was just added into the mix to annoy her. But why had he shown her these things? It wasn't necessary in any way, and it didn't change her opinion of anyone. There didn't seem to be reason to any of it. Although, she thought with a smirk, I now have something to freak Sherlock out with if he ever gets too annoying.

Apart from the fact that there was a playful side to the psychopath, which didn't really come as a surprise to her, as there was always humour in the personality of a killer, if you knew where to look. Everyone had their own special brand of humour - even Mycroft, if you looked carefully enough. Anyway, apart from that, there didn't really seem to be any reason to show her anything.

Kagome looked out the window in dismay. She couldn't figure it out right now, and it was getting dark and she should really be getting to Baker Street. Sorting out the presence of the spirit would have to wait for a few hours. John would want to know what earlier was all about, as would Sherlock, come to think of it. She groaned. Great. Why did I bother showing that side of me? Oh yes. John is mine and, by default, so is Sherlock.

And so, Kagome made her way back to Baker Street, contemplating what she should tell Sherlock and John. John knew about her reiki, and so did Lestrade now, she supposed. Telling Sherlock though… she didn't really want to unless the situation was dire, or she knew him very well - or at least longer than two or three days. She ran a frustrated hand through her hair. Christ, her life was complicated.

Trying to avoid as much confrontation as possible, Kagome crept up the seventeen steps to 221b. Unfortunately, she had forgotten about her bond to John. As usual, her mental, physical and emotional state was hidden from him, but she could do nothing to hide her location. As she made to creep past the sitting room, a voice stopped her in her tracks.

"Don't even think about it." Cursing mentally, she turned, mid-step, to see John sitting in his chair, still facing the telly. Sherlock was laying on the sofa, his head lifted up to see her. She sighed. Fine then, no chance of escaping the massive telling off she was about to get.

"Why, John," She started innocently. "What could I possibly be thinking about?" He turned his head and glared at her accusingly.

"Escaping from the imminent talk that we are about the have."

"Dear, I do hate to destroy any illusion you may be under, but I assure you, mind-reading is not possible." John snorted. Then he pointed to the chair opposite him.

"Sit." Oh dear, he had his Captain Watson voice on. Kagome thought as she hurried to obey, and then sat, slouching, in the chair, like a child about to be told off by it's parent. She stared at her hands, resisting the urge to twiddle them anxiously.

"I'm sorry." The words slipped out before she had the change to think.

"Eight hours, Kagome." He told her, his voice firm. She shrugged petulantly.

"I had things to do. I didn't know they'd take so long." She looked up at John and saw the frown. Valiantly, she pushed down any guilt she felt and looked back defiantly.

"Kagome." He warned. She blinked. No… surely he wouldn't?

"John?" She replied warily. He didn't respond, instead looking at her expectantly and tapping idly on the arm of his chair. Biting her lip, she tried to think of something that would get her out of doing something that was quite embarrassing in front of other people. "John, please… Sherlock -"

"Is fine where he is." John interrupted smoothly. He didn't even glance away to check that the detective was 'fine'. Kagome did though and saw him watching the exchange curiously. She felt a blush heat up her face.

"But John, surely -" She cut off when he crossed his legs and rose one eyebrow. The tapping was becoming more purposeful and impatient. She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, and let it out slowly, opening her eyes again. She found her centre and stayed there, willing herself to not notice that there were others in the room. She stood up gracefully, walked to John's chair, and dropped gently onto her knees in front of it. She saw John's expression flicker with surprise. What? Was he expecting her to protest? She knew she'd done wrong by making him worry with no word from her for eight hours, and so she was sorry.

"Kagome?" Now he looked embarrassed. Amusement flickered across her face for a second before a contrite look replaced it.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you worry. I was… distracted and very, very busy." Overcoming her embarrassment of her position, her mind once again focussed on the Moriarty problem. Clearly, she had get rid of him before he gained enough power to effect not only her, but John and Sherlock - even Mycroft. She narrowed her eyes. This would require a place and a weapon. Either that, or intense emotions mixed with a large amount of reiki. She hoped she had enough time to plan for the former.

"Fine." She looked up at him in surprise. What? John smiled fondly at her. "There is some leftover dinner if you want it." Kagome nodded, but didn't bother getting off the floor, deciding to turn around and lean against John's armchair, mind far too focussed to be bothered with the mental concentration it would take to eat something.

"What did Lestrade say?" She heard John run a hand through his hair and she could feel his hesitance. Now fully distracted by his reaction, she asked brusquely, "What is it, John?" John blew out a breath.

"He is considering terminating your service and sending you a mental hospital." Kagome froze.

"What?" She heard herself ask distantly. All she felt was shock and a small amount of hurt. John replied, but she didn't hear him. "But… we always got along." John was concerned, Kagome noted curiously. Why was he concerned? "How could he just…?" She distantly felt fingers lift her chin and John came into view, saying something, but she couldn't hear him. "I thought that he, of all people, wouldn't just immediately assume I was crazy." She muttered, John's face coming in and out of focus and she felt the edges of something both calming and worrying tingling at her senses. She sifted her gaze to the side slightly and she saw Moriarty, who looked amused and yet… was that concern? "We worked together for more than a year…"

A deep, smooth baritone penetrated the hazy fog she found herself in and it sounded so very much like Sesshoumaru that she just had to listen. "Kagome. Get yourself together. Honestly. This is pathetic." Is what it sounded like. He was right, Kagome realised. This was no time to mope. The betrayal of comradeship was not important right now, stopping Moriarty was. As she forced herself out of the haze, she also realized that the voice talking was not, in fact, Sesshoumaru, but Sherlock. Oh, she thought dazedly, well, easy mistake to make, I suppose. She shook her head.

"Fine. I'm fine." She said, not sure if John and Sherlock had asked any of that, but it felt like she should say it. John frowned in response.

"You do know that it's unlikely that he'd do either of those things, right? He doesn't have any idea how to react, and he'll most likely need a demonstration." Kagome sneered.

"I don't do demonstrations for the general public." John almost smiled at the return of Sarcastic Kagome. He hadn't had the pleasure of her presence for two weeks, nearly.

"Maybe we should get Mycroft to tape one of your cases and show him what happens." Kagome raised an incredulous eyebrow.

"Yes, because I do my job right in front of a security camera, and in broad daylight." She snarked. "Because I want to be seen by the general public, doing what I do best and scaring them in the meantime. Of course, how silly of me to forget to do so." John raised an eyebrow. This was certainly a change from earlier. Three emotional changes in one night? That was big, for her. And if the personality change of that morning was taken into account, then it was high time Kagome got some sleep.

"Come on." He murmured soothingly. "Let's get you in bed." Kagome nodded sleepily, the defensive sarcasm flushing out.

"Okay." She yawned. She looked at Sherlock, who seemed a bit overwhelmed by her mood changes. Oh well, if he was overwhelmed, he wasn't thinking about this morning. Even though he could just as easily be putting together her comments and John's comments and both of their behaviour. "Goodnight Sherlock." He waved, still a little bit stunned. John chuckled and led her upstairs, helped her into her bedclothes and tucked her in.

"Goodnight, Kagome." He was just about to leave when the hand circled his wrist. A lazy smile curled Kagome's lips.

"Join me." He smiled.

"Of course." John was very quick to say goodnight to Sherlock and get ready for bed. Needless to say, Kagome was a little later than expected in getting to sleep. Downstairs, Sherlock sighed. And he was meant to believe that there was absolutely no relationship between them? He would be sorry for doubting them, if only he wasn't so sure that playing a board game or merely sleeping doesn't sound like that. And while he did kind of want to know what had happened this morning, he was sure that he would be able to figure it out for himself without the need for questions. He smirked a little to himself.

He always did like a challenge.


A/N: Whew! This has got to be the longest chapter in this story! 13 pages! I'm feeling quite proud, to be honest. ;) Reviews are the air that sustains me…

BP