Dear Readers, thank you for your patience and support. And of course I'm sorry for the late update. Life is incredibly busy for me now.

I am so happy for reading every review or notice every follow and favourite. Thank you for them again.

Dear Oswin, Wheezzy8, and Guest, I couldn't pm you back, but thanks for your enthusiasm. It warmed my heart.

So here is the next one, prepare for battle with their hearts and with tactic as well.

I hope, you will enjoy it. Let me know.

After Sherlock elaborated his plan to Mycroft and John, the doctor grimaced in disapprobation.

'Moriarty is far from stupid, he will know that it's a trap.'

'Of course he will.' Both Holmes said simultaneously.

'Then what...?' John shrugged uncomprehendingly, looking from one to the other.

'He obviously will know but the temptation will be too strong to resist. Humiliate and beat me and Mycroft and take revenge on Molly at the same time; he won't miss this opportunity. Though we really have to be careful. We have to make him believe that our plan failed and things slid from our hands. 'Sherlock explained while Mycroft nodded thoughtfully.

John was nothing but unsatisfied with the plan. 'Did Molly agree? It's really dangerous.'

'I...uhm...I explained to her the plan. Partly.' Sherlock answered plainly.

'Partly?' John slightly turned his head and narrowed his eyes. Sherlock knew what would follow this expression. A throughout going-over.

'John, I can't risk telling her the whole truth. She has to look authentic when Moriarty takes her as a hostage or something, and she is horrible in acting, as we all know well. If she breaks down, she might spoil the whole plan, so I told her half of the plan. Obviously.' Sherlock spoke easily till John interrupted him.

'Jesus, do you hear yourself? You are talking about Molly, who had been hiding your secret for two years. And you just talk about her as she was some stupid, whimpering girl who can't endure any pressure, and you leave her in the dark about your plan, which contains letting a bloody psychopath possibly abduct her. You are unbelievable. But the game is on, isn't it?' he added ironically in fury.

As John spoke with wide eyes his face became redder in anger and Mycroft saw him clenching his fists beside his body. But he also saw his brother's tensed jaw and widening nostrils. He knew him too well. 'John, may I suggest you to...'

It was all too late though. But surprisingly instead of any violent act, Sherlock calmly walked to the front door and opened it widely. 'Out.' His voice was silent but trembling from the suppressed anger.

'...shut up?' Mycroft finished the previously started sentence followed by a long sigh.

Sherlock's eyes were on John's, his expression left no doubt about his seriousness. But John didn't move, he just swallowed hard and shook his head. 'Out,' Sherlock repeated louder this time.

'No.' The doctor pursed his lips and blew out his air quickly through his nostrils, crinkling his nose.

Sherlock tilted his head clenching his jaw and slowly neared his friend. 'I don't need anybody in this situation who has even the smallest doubt in my decisions. I don't need anybody who questions my motives while I am trying to end the worst nightmare I've ever had. It's been running for years now, John.' Sherlock's face was now so close to John's that the doctor could see the veins on his forehead.' Moriarty has been trying to destroy everything has ever been dear to me, and now he has the woman I love as his main target. So if you can't shut your mouth and have faith in me, get out!' He held his gaze strictly on John's face.

John swallowed hard and whispered with a frown. 'Sorry mate, I'm so sorry. You are right. I have total faith in you.' John reached up and strongly hugged his best friend trying to assure him of his loyalty. 'Of course I have.'

Sherlock let John hug him, he only cleared his throat, but his surrounding behaviour told John what he needed to know, that he was allowed to stay and help his friend.

'If you ended this touching embrace, could we start act instead of whimper like newborn kittens, for God's sake?' Mycroft was more then impatient. Quite understandable, John thought.

'I can hug you too, you know, if you want it,' John said as the two friends parted. Sherlock snorted at Mycroft's dramatic eye-roll. Though he was right, they had the most important case to be solved.

Sherlock started to pace up and down in the room, with his fingers steepled in front of his mouth. 'Mycroft, choose one of your men. Somebody moderately trustable but with a possibility of being blackmailed. Somebody with a family, an affair, or old and ill parents. Doesn't matter. He has to be reachable but not too easily.'

...

The days in the little Scottish cottage passed miserably slowly. Waiting for something to happen, something to move them out from this maddening uncertainty was unnerving. The centres of Molly's days were Sherlock's phone calls. They became more and more frequent. Though they were awkward mingles of truth and lie.

'Hello Molly.'

'Hello.'

'How is your day?'

'Quite calm, it's actually relaxing.'

'So you are bored to death.' Sherlock chuckled.

Molly sighed. 'Yeah. I could endure some cadavers to slice up.'

'I've always loved your jokes. Do you have any particular candidate on your mind?'

Molly puffed. 'God, I so want this to end.'

'Hold on, we have the perfect plan. Mycroft's men are already on it. We hunt him down and everything will be back to normal.'

'Hmm, good, good.'

'I miss you Molly.' Sherlock said in a low voice.

Molly was taken aback. Would he really say something like that if it wasn't a kind of a fake phone call? 'I...uhm...I miss you too.' She decided it was safe enough to repeat his words.

'So, I'll call you tomorrow, right?'

'Yes. Be safe.'

'I'll try my best,' Sherlock said gently.

So these phone calls were nothing but meaningless drabbles. Molly sighed and remembered their night together without any pretending when there was no reason not to be honest about their feelings. She felt the gap between them starting to widen. Sherlock was somehow alienating himself for the sake of solving this case. Lately he didn't even call her from Mycroft's safe phone. It was easier for him this way, to keep her at a certain distance. Molly understood though she was determined to be as useful as she could when the time came.

Molly entered Anthea's room to return her phone after a light knock.

'How are you? Is the morning sickness already gone?' She asked gently.

'Mostly.' The other woman sighed, leaning back in her old comfy armchair. She saw Molly hesitantly standing around with pursed lips. 'Out with it, Molly.' A slight smile was dancing on the edge of her mouth.

Molly gulped than sputtered, 'Teach me how to shoot!'

Anthea's eyebrows lifted in surprise. She put down the book from her hand and stood up. 'To shoot?'

'Yes,' came Molly's trembling answer while she was fidgeting with the hem of her jumper.

A wide, amused smile spread on Anthea's face.