Chapter 12

Notes: I found another beta, yay! So this should be the last chapter without one!

Sarah struggled with her bonds, trying desperately to loosen them enough to slide her hands free. In her desperation she rocked herself a little too hard and tipped the balance of the chair she was tied too. The chair tipped completely over and smashed her into the floor. Sarah's head slammed against the concrete floor, momentarily befuddling her. She laid there a few moments, letting the stars that danced in front of her blindfolded eyes dissipate. When she was able to focus more clearly, she realized that in smashing the chair, she had inadvertently freed herself.

Her wrists were still bound behind her back, but the back of the chair had splintered when it had toppled over freeing her in the process. Sarah dragged her face along the cold concrete, trying to work the blindfold down enough for her to see. She managed to move it down passed her nose. She quickly rolled up onto her knees and pushed herself off the ground.

She looked around the darkened room wildly, checking to make sure she was indeed alone. She moved quietly and cautiously along the wall towards the door that had the barest amount of light coming through its cracks. Upon reaching the door, she turned her body, grasping the knob with her tied hands and opened the door. She quickly turned back around, scanning the room and saw that it was empty. She made a break for the door that led to outside. Once she reached it, she turned the knob and it opened. She began to think this was too simple. Perhaps Simon was toying with her in order to have an excuse to hurt her. But she didn't care. She had to try.

Once outside, Sarah ran as hard and as fast as she could, blood from her head wound dripping into her eyes, but she did not stop. She had no idea where she was, but she kept going. She could barely see a foot in front of her it was so dark. She knew she must be in the country somewhere due to the lack of street lights. She paused when she heard what sounded like cars passing by on a nearby road. She ran as hard as she could in the direction of the sound. She was running so fast that when she passed through a particularly thick brush, she couldn't stop in time and ran out into the road into oncoming traffic.

The truck managed to swerve just in time and ended up skidding to a stop on the side of the road. The door swung open and out stepped a very irate farmer. "What in bloody hell are you doing you daft woman? I could've killed you…" He stopped speaking and stared momentarily shocked by the state Sarah was in.

She ran towards him, gag still in her mouth, crying and pleading for help.

"Good God, you poor, poor woman. What on earth has happened to you?" He asked as he pulled the gag from her mouth.

"Please…please help me…." She sobbed, barely able to form a coherent word, due to her state of distress.

The farmer gently turned her around to untie her hands. The thin straps were so tight against her skin, he had to use his pocket knife to cut her free. "Don't you worry miss, I'll get you some help."

He helped her into his truck before climbing into the driver seat. As he began to pull away from the side of the road, he stopped quickly again in order to avoid being struck by a black sedan. The driver of the sedan slammed on the horn and drove passed him. Sarah quickly turned her face away, recognizing her own car. She held her breath, silently praying until she saw the lights of her car disappear into the darkness. Simon had not seen her in the old farmer's truck.

"Damn city driver's…" The farmer mumbled, pulling out onto the street, turning his truck, and taking Sarah in the opposite direction, towards the direction of safety.

Barnaby pushed the corridor door open as he and Troy entered quickly, walking down to the nurses' station. Sherlock Holmes was already there and was currently on his mobile talking quickly to someone.

"Yes John, she is here, come to Causton Hospital now!" Sherlock snapped, disconnecting his mobile.

"Sherlock how is the young woman?" Barnaby asked.

"She is concussed, bruised, severely dehydrated, and has a few broken bones, but she is conscious. They have given her a mild sedative as she was in hysterics by the time she was brought in."

Sherlock led Tom and Gavin into Sarah's hospital room. Sherlock began to tell Tom about the farmer that had found her. Sarah turned her head towards the voices. "Sherlock?" She asked weakly.

Sherlock moved to her bedside. "Yes and I have called John. He will be here soon."

"Where am I, Sherlock?" She asked, her words slightly slurred from the sedative.

"You are in Causton hospital. A farmer brought you in when he found you in the road." Sherlock said with a gentleness that surprised both Gavin and Tom. "Sarah, do you know who took you?"

Sarah nodded, fresh tears filling her eyes. "Simon…it was Simon…I told Molly he was dangerous…told her he was…" She struggled to speak with the dryness in her throat. Sherlock put a cup of cool water to her lips and she sipped. The cool seemed to revive her for her glassy eyes opened wide. "Molly…is Molly safe? Is she Sherlock?" She asked clutching at his sleeve.

"Molly is quite safe, I assure you Sarah. No need to waste energy worrying for her." Sherlock said grasping her hands in his.

Sarah used his hands to pull herself up a little from the mattress. "He said he…is going to kill you…" She said, her voice wavering. "And John…and Greg…everyone…he killed that boy Sherlock…I heard him…said he cut him up…"

The machine beside her bed began to beep louder, alerting them to her rise in blood pressure and heart rate.

Sherlock nodded and pressed her gently back onto the mattress. "It's alright Sarah. Everyone is safe."

"He said he would burn you and John…" Sarah began to cough and Sherlock pressed the cup to her lips again. She sipped the water. "He said he would burn you both…dump you both in an acid tub…Sherlock…"

Sherlock began to stroke her hair to try and calm her. "Sarah, it's alright. No one is going to harm John or Molly or anyone."

She reached out for Sherlock again, trying to pull herself up. He grasped her wrists and held her in place on the bed.

The alarm on the machine went off as her heart rate rose to over 200 bpm. She began to hyperventilate.

"Sarah…" Sherlock began as she started to struggle against his hold on her wrists. "Sarah stop, you're safe now."

"He's mad…"She said through her wheezing. "Wicked…evil…"

A nurse came into the room and stood beside Sherlock. She nodded at him to hold her still as she injected another sedative into Sarah's IV. The heart rate monitor immediately started to slow down to a normal rate, as with her respiration. Sarah struggled to keep her eyes open.

"He's insane…" She slurred. "Like…two of them…"

Barnaby moved to stand beside Sherlock. "Two of them?" He prodded while she was still semi-conscious.

"Two…Sherlock…like two…gentle and cruel…calm and psychotic…" Her eyes were closed but she still talked to them. "Talked to himself…"

The door to the hospital room opened and John came in. He shoved Sherlock and Tom out of his way and took Sarah's hand. "Sarah. Its John…I'm here."

"Insane…he's insane John…talks to himself and answers himself…" She mumbled barely audible.

"What, love?" John asked.

"Tell Sherlock…he's dangerous…going to kill…all of us…save Molly…" Her words trailed as sleep overtook her.

Sherlock looked at Tom and motioned for him to follow him out of the room. Gavin frowned when Sherlock didn't acknowledge him, but said nothing. Gavin followed Tom and Sherlock out into the hall.

"What do you think Chief Inspector? Sherlock asked.

"I'd be more interested to hear what you have to say Sherlock." Barnaby said with a peculiar expression on his face.

"I should think that was obvious Chief Inspector, there are two of them." Sherlock said

"Bloody hell!"Barnaby said flustered. "Two of them. I was hoping you would disagree."

"It's unfortunate, but that is the reality of it Chief Inspector. We have two killers as we both have suspected all along."

"Wait! Two of them?" Gavin said. "That's just bloody marvellous idn't it!"

The door to Sarah's room opened and John came out into the hall. His eyes narrowed on Sherlock before he drew his fist back slamming it into Sherlock's face. "You bloody bastard! I knew she was in trouble!" John yelled.

Sherlock stumbled backward under the blow, but caught himself on the wall. Sherlock shook his head to clear it. "Yes and I was wrong, I apologize."

John stalked up to him and shoved him into the wall. "You bloody sod, you…wait…what?" John asked.

Sherlock sighed. "You heard what I said John. I'm not going to repeat myself."

"He said he was wrong and that he was sorry." Barnaby said smiling when Sherlock glared at him.

"Yes, thank you Chief Inspector." Sherlock said.

Sherlock rubbed his jaw and looked at John. "John…"

"It's alright Sherlock. Even you are infallible sometimes. I'm sorry I clocked you."

"No you're not." Sherlock said.

"No I'm not, but I thought it would be polite to apologize." John said smiling. He looked around the hall. "Where's Lestrade?"

"Outside of Molly's hotel room with two of Mycroft's men." Sherlock answered.

Gavin's mobile rang and he stepped aside to answer it. "What? Where?"

Barnaby and Sherlock stepped towards him. "It would seem Simon has struck again Chief Inspector." Sherlock said.

"Right. We'll be right there." Gavin said hanging up. "There's been another body sir. A young woman raped and murdered. Its Simon sir, the officer said there was another message for Sherlock written on the body of the victim this time."

"Oh Simon what am I going to do with you? You left her alone and now she's escaped."

Simon stepped away from him nervously. "How was I supposed to know she'd get free and run away? Besides, she never saw anything, what harm can she do?"

Simon staggered backwards from the blow to his face. "What harm can she do? You pathetic imbecile!" He roared at Simon.

"Look, I'm sorry…I can get her back and…"

"Where have you been?"

"What?" Simon asked, his voice shaking.

"I asked you where you'd been. Where were you when Sarah escaped?"

"I went round to the pub. Just wanted a drink…" Simon said.

"And the young girl you brutalized and left dead on the side of the road, what exactly was that?"

"What's the big deal, she was just some fucking cunt…asking for it she was."

"She was asking to be violated and strangled, was she?"

"Please…I won't do it again alright and I'll…"

"No you won't do it again Simon. You've been nothing but trouble to me since I brought you in on this. First you invade Molly's cottage and write that filthy message to Mr Holmes on her wall. Then you murder that poor boy for simply doing his job and now this. You let our prisoner escape and then you stop on the side of the road for a little rape and murder? Serves me right for letting my little brother come in on something he couldn't handle. " He said pulling a gun from his jacket and shooting his brother point blank in the head. Simon slid to the ground with a stunned expression on his face.

The door opened and a tall fair haired man came into the room. "Finally killed him, did you?"

Jim shrugged. "You were right Seb, there are just some things that one shouldn't allow family to be involved with. He was a useless article and a most pathetic creature. Mummy always said he'd never amount to much. Oh well, I suppose I put him out of his misery. "

Over 100 reviews, you guys are so awesome! You really know how to motivate a girl! Thanks so much! Love you all!

P.S. I'll give you a tiny peek into the next chapter...Sherlock tries again to put the moves on Molly...