When they got home, they were surprised by a voice coming from the kitchen. Both rushed there to find Jim Moriarty sitting on the table.
- You performance at the restaurant was hilarious! It's unfortunate that because of it that silly little girl has died.
Sherlock was about to attack Moriarty, but was stopped by John.
- You can't do anything against her. - John said. - She knows your face, you won't be able to approach her.
Jim laughed, further angering them.
- It's done. While you two were arguing in the restaurant, I putted a small amount of poison in her cup. It must have been effective, if you hadn't left running so fast, you could have seen her die.
They were shocked to hear those words. This time, John didn't stop Sherlock from picking up his gun. The first three shots missed Jim, who left laughing and running around the flat. The consulting detective followed him and only stopped shooting to reload the revolver. He seemed incapable of hitting his enemy, but he wouldn't give up.
At no time crossed his mind that had already killed Moriarty, because if he remembered it, he would realize that it was him who poisoned Molly. He was no longer able to face the world without his illusions, and completely ignored the part of his mind that knew what was happening.
He was shooting so uncontrollably that he didn't hear the footsteps coming to the door. It was only when he heard the sound of a body falling down the stairs that he realized one of his bullets had pierced trough the door. He ran towards it, ignoring Moriarty's laughter. Lying on the ground was Mrs. Hudson, in a pool of her own blood. John approached her to check for vital signs, but it was too late.
- Sherlock ... - John began.
- Moriarty caused it!
- Sherlock, someone must have heard the shots, they will call the police. We need to get out of here, fast!
It was then that John realized that Sherlock was shaking. He would have thought it was a reaction to what just happened, if didn't know very well the signs of what was really happening.
- Sherlock. – he now called with a worried tone. - Sherlock, you're having an abstinence crisis, you need to get a new dose and then rush out here.
Sherlock was in a nearly catatonic state, caused by shock and withdrawal. He allowed John to take him into the apartment and waited on the couch while John prepared his drugs. They had little time before the police arrived, but they knew he was much more mobile under the influence of cocaine than suffering from the lack of it.
- We won't be able to escape, will we? – he asked finally, while John was looking for a vein.
If he wasn't so sick, he couldn't have missed the guilty look on John's face. Instead, he let the drug get into his body, without consciously knowing that the dose was much higher than he was used to.
- We don't need to flee. You can come with me and Mrs. Hudson.
And so the wave of murders committed by Sherlock Holmes ended.