Sherlock was treated and his shoulder was alright. He and Mycroft met at Baker street and entered the flat.
"That you, Sherlock?" Mrs. Hudson called from the kitchen.
"Yes, Mrs. Hudson. No time to chat. Mycroft and I will be upstairs." Sherlock replied.
He and Mycroft sat upstairs by the table, trying to figure out where Moriarty had taken John.
"He didn't leave a hint?" Mycroft asked.
"Nothing. He just shot me, grabbed John, and left." Sherlock replied, folding his hands and resting his chin on them.
"That's a bit unlike him, isn't it?"
Sherlock ignored the question and stared at the wall in front of him. John had been missing for days. Almost a week.
He stood up and paced around the room. Mrs. Hudson called from downstairs.
"Oh, Sherlock, I forgot to mention something!"
He continued pacing. "Not now, Mrs. Hudson!"
Mycroft looked at the open door as Mrs. Hudson's voice filled the air again.
"It's a package, dear! Came in a few hours ago!"
Sherlock stopped and glanced at Mycroft. He hurried down the stairs where Mrs. Hudson was waiting for him. She held a small, thin box and gave it to him.
"Who brought this?" Sherlock asked.
Mrs. Hudson shrugged. "Wish I could say, Sherlock."
He walked back up the stairs as he opened the box. Inside was a disk. He slipped it into his television and turned it on.
Mycroft joined him as he sat on the couch, keeping his eyes glued to the screen. Moriarty appeared on the screen.
He smiled, largely. "Well, hello, Sherlock! If you're watching this, I'm assuming you're not dead. Sorry about the shoulder, old boy, but you pulled my hand."
Mycroft glanced at Sherlock who stared at the screen. A sound could be heard in the background but neither of them could decipher what it was.
Moriarty continued. "Anyway, I just wanted to give you a news update on your little pet."
They heard the noise again, and, this time, Sherlock knew what it was. Moriarty stepped aside from the camera to reveal John in the background.
Tied to a chair with a rag tied between his lips, he kept shaking his head and giving muffled protests. Moriarty stepped behind him and placed his hands on his shoulders.
Sherlock's jaw tightened as he saw John's frightened eyes. Moriarty held John's head still by grabbing his chin.
"Smile, John! Smile for Sherlock. I'm sure he'd love to see how much fun we're having." Moriarty sang.
He pressed his cheek against John's and giggled. John struggled but Moriarty had a strong grip on his chin. John inhaled loudly through his nose and closed his eyes.
Moriarty planted a kiss on John's cheek and smiled.
"We'd love to have you join us, my dear Sherlock." Moriarty said, stepping in front of John once more to wave at the camera.
He turned his attention back to John. "Wouldn't we, John?"
John's cries were muffled as he continued shaking his head. Moriarty looked back at the camera.
"One second, Sherly."
He raised his hand and slapped John across the face, causing him to be quiet. Moriarty faced the camera again and smiled.
"Pets. They're a little difficult to contain, but they learn, eventually. We're at the old warehouse near the dock, if you were curious. You'll find John on the second floor. Happy hunting!"
The screen filled with static snow. Mycroft glanced at Sherlock as he got to his feet.
"Sherlock, wait a minute, will you? You can't possibly believe that he really gave you their exact location."
"I do." Sherlock said, loading his gun.
Mycroft rolled his eyes. "Sherlock, why would he do that?"
"All Moriarty wants is a show. He wants a show of John and me. That's all." Sherlock replied.
"You're not going alone."
"Oh, I don't plan to. You and your men must surround the area, but do it six blocks from the actual warehouse."
Mycroft winced. "What? Why?"
"I'm going inside alone. I'm not expecting them to be inside when I get there."
Sherlock hurried out of the room with Mycoft following behind.
"Wait, what are you saying?"
##
John hated when Moriarty was in the room with him. All he did was stare at him. It made him uncomfortable, but, of course, John wouldn't let Moriarty know.
"Not to be rude, but I'd really like some alone time," John spat.
Moriarty chuckled. "You don't get the purpose of all of this, do you, John?"
"To be perfectly honest, I don't see the purpose in anything you do." John said, closing his eyes in annoyance.
Moriarty inhaled deeply and shook his head. "Sherlock has gifted me with so many things. I feel like I owe him something in return."
"And, may one dare ask what that is?"
Moriarty smiled. "Desperation."
He leaned close to John's face and grinned. "Desperation?"
"Yes, my dear John. Desperation makes even the cleverest of men go mad. It, shall we say, reveals any negative traits about themselves."
John stared angrily into Moriarty's eyes. This made him smile and chuckle.
"You'll see. Soon enough, Sherlock will break because he doesn't have his loyal pet by his side."
John's face hardened. He spat in Moriarty's eye, causing him to draw back and wipe it. A laugh escaped from his mouth and he looked back at John, who kept a glare on the maniac.
"We'll be saying goodbye soon, John. I'm going to miss our little talks. I learn so much about you." Moriarty grinned.
John smirked. "Funny, I don't learn anything about you because you're exactly what I think you are. A maniac."
Moriarty's smile faded and he stepped closer to John. "Is that so?"
John said nothing. Moriarty suddenly gave John's injured leg a hard kick. He let out a scream of agony and was kicked again.
"Call for help, John! Call for Sherlock!" Moriarty laughed as he kicked John again and again in the same place.
John shut his eyes and tried not to scream or cry. However, it could not be helped. His cries filled the room until he had had enough.
"Please, stop!"
Moriarty ignored his cry and laughed aloud. His mouth was wide open as he laughed. His laughter was only fueled by John's pitiful cries.
"Sherlock!" John cried.
###
After a few hours, John heard police sirens from afar. He gave a hopeful moan through the rag in his mouth. His muscles were sore and his jaw ached. His leg was in need of medical attention, an he was exhausted.
Moriarty burst in the room and hoisted him up from the chair. He kept a gun aimed at John's back as he led him out of the room. John heard shooting and yelling from below. Sherlock.
Moriarty led him through a back door and across the dock. John eyed the freezing water and swallowed. It was freezing outside as he felt the cold air gnaw at his face.
At the edge of the dock, Moriarty had John get on his knees as he aimed his gun at his head. "Alas, this I where I say goodbye, dear John. It hurts me more than it hurts you."
John looked up at Moriarty, terrified at what he might do next. Moriarty smiled down at him. Before Moriarty could say another word, Sherlock ran across the dock, towards them. He held a gun in his hand.
"Ah, ah, put the gun down, Sherlock," Moriarty warned.
Sherlock froze and looked down at John. "John..."
"Put the gun down, Sherlock!" Moriarty snapped.
Obediently, Sherlock put the gun down and put his hands up in surrender. "What do you want, Jim?"
Moriarty smiled. "I want you to let me walk away without you or any of your police friends following me."
Sherlock smiled, amused. "I can't promise that."
The gun at John's head, cocked and John closed his eyes.
"Well, you're smart. I'm sure you'll think of an excuse. I'd hate for you to have a funeral for John and lose the body in the water," Moriarty replied.
Sherlock gave a small nod. "Don't shoot him. Let him go and you can walk away from this."
"Get rid of your gun, first." Moriarty replied.
With a kick, Sherlock sent his gun to the depths of the icy water. "Alright. Now, release him."
"Don't rush the goodbye, Sherlock. So rude!" Moriarty whined.
Moriarty knelt down and looked into John's frightened eyes. He closed his eyes and gently placed a kiss on his forehead. Sherlock's eye twitched and Moriarty stood up straight, content and happy.
"I'll come back to see him soon. Don't miss me too much!" Moriarty sang.
He lifted his leg and kicked John on the shoulder, sending him into the water. Sherlock felt his heart stop.
"John!"
Without thinking, he remove his coat and dived into the water after his friend.