#another way ​you can see it is sherlock shot down by mary

[buckingham-ashtray]

The Two Deaths of John Watson

- A BBC Sherlock Fanart by Sa

[readercognito]

A Nearly Sleepless Night

Modern!Sherlock x Reader

(yes, it's got a truth potion plot point.)

(Y/n)’s peaceful slumber was rudely interrupted by the telltale ringing of her cell. Blindly reaching to the charging device she barely managed to get a look at the caller ID before she groggily slapped it against her ear. 

“What on earth are doing calling me at-” I lift up the phone, eyes tearing up due to how bright my screen was. “-2 A.M. John?” I mumbled into the receiver.

“It’s Sherlock, he needs you.” Johns voice crackled over the line, a worried twinge entering his voice at the last two syllables.

But I was too fogged with sleep to notice “Unless he’s dying, he doesn’t need me.”

“I’m really sorry to wake you up (Y/n). But he won't. Stop. TALKING. I'm at my wit's end! He was out on some mad errand and now he's at my home and divulging anything that's come across his mind!" Said John.

"Oh, dear." I said the claws of sleep slowly loosening it's grasp on me. "Tell me poor Mary wasn't anywhere near him…"

"No, thank God. She's asleep, but he's getting louder, and in all honesty I don't know how long this will last." John that thread of worry turning into a full blown tapestry.

I sighed, knowing just what I was going to sacrifice. Just what my dear old friend was alluding to. But I had to give a good night's rest one last try.

"John, do you love me?" I asked pitifully.

"Not that much I'm afraid." Said John, an air of relief in his teasing tone.

I huffed "Fine. Bring the twat over! You owe me a great deal for this."

And just like that, my night was sleepless.

John brought over Sherlock in less than ten minutes after the call. He was unceremoniously shoved into my home without another word, John left. That is where the fun began.

“Sit down on the couch Sherlock so I can look you over”, I commanded.

And like a puppet on strings he rather oddly walked over to my couch and sat down. I shook it off as soreness from a beating he surely had gotten.

His button up and jeans were wrinkled and dirty. Any semblance of his usual leather jacket was nowhere to be seen. He had a split lip, and what looked like a developing shiner. His hair was ruffled and looked a little burnt. All in all he looked like hell. But what really startled me is what came out of his mouth next.

"You look very pretty when you're concerned. About me that is." He blurted.

To be perfectly honest he looked as surprised as I felt. Afterwards he rather promptly (and childishly) slapped his hand over his mouth. A series of muffled mumbles following.

"Aside from that Sherlock, what on earth happened to you? I thought you weren't taking that case with the mob ties." I said, a little disappointed he went against my back for this.

"I lied, I didn't want you getting involved. I can’t stand seeing you-” And back went the hand, a slight blush painting his pale freckled face.

I was getting a little upset by all the mystery right about now. “Shirley if you don’t explain yourself I will tie your hands together behind you! Now stop muffling yourself, and speak to me clearly!”

Then Sherlock did something I really wasn't expecting…

He did exactly as I said.

Sherlock's hand shot from his mouth as if burnt by a hot coal. 

“I can’t stand it when you get hurt. Especially when it’s because of a case I’m on.” He blurted the faint pink of his cheeks starting to redden.

I was shocked to say the very least. Only able to mumble a faint “what?” In my own shock, failing to notice Sherlock desperately trying to cover his mouth. His hand only hovering in front of his mouth. Honestly with the way he treated me most of the time. Well lets just say near constant aloofness, and dismissal of one's general opinions and ideas isn’t really grounds for growing affection. But then again, more recently he’s had moments of a strange gentleness and being unusually thoughtful.

Just last week he had fixed my beloved locket when it broke. It was honestly the most thoughtful thing I had ever seen him do. Which got me thinking thoroughly of our time together, and how protective he’s gotten over the last four months. Getting less and less forthcoming with his exploits, trying to keep me out of entire cases on occasion! Which honestly is more infuriating than anything else, he did hire me to write about his exploits after all. (Since he wasn’t really fond of the paper constantly getting details wrong.) 

I looked at Sherlock, he was unusually quiet and rather fidgety. He sent an nervous glance, and though he was trying to hide it he looked very tense. But strangely still on the exact spot of the couch that he sat on when I asked him to sit on my couch.

Sherlock being the sort of person he is, usually paces or shifts from chair to chair, often room to room. Usually by this point in the conversation we would be in the kitchen or even my bathroom by this point. But here he was still as a statue, on my couch. 

“Sherlock, please don't keep secrets from me. You look like you’ve been through the ringer, and you’re acting weird... Well, weirder than usual.” I said sitting next to him. 

Sherlock winced, then spouted.

“It wasn’t just tied to the mob. It was a trap, I was so stupid! How did I not see something so obvious!” Sherlock puts his head in his hands. Looking defeated and frustrated.

I put my hand on his shoulder, in an effort to comfort him. I knew he hated feeling outdone, or worse out thought…

"Why don't you tell me what happened?" I asked softly.

It turns out that the “missing” man wasn't missing at all. He was a murder victim of The Vipers, a new and ruthless gang. The police had been trying to find the gang’s hideout but everytime they got close the Vipers moved and the police had to start from square one. Sherlock had been asked to be brought in, but refused because the case didn’t sound “exciting enough”. He thought that the mysterious murder he took up was related to the Vipers. He got more interested and even found the Vipers Current hideout. Unfortunately, that was exactly what the Vipers had wanted. After a heated scuffle, he was knocked out, and when he had come too there was the Viper leader. Gage Boyd, spent ten years in the clink for the murders of three fifteen year-old girls, though the police (and Sherlock, who had actually put him behind bars) believed there were more. 

Gage bragged about the supposed "obedience serum" saying that he would make Sherlock tell all that he knew. Which Sherlock being himself, meant an awful lot.

"Is Steven safe?" I asked, worried for our mutual friend.

"Yes, his cover is intact. I was able to make my escape before any truly important information was wrestled from me. But it seems that their 'serum' has quite a long lasting effect…" said Sherlock, his hands fidgeting with the remnants of this shirt.

"Oh, so what you said…" I trailed off.

"Yes, it was due to the serum." He said. Refusing to look me in the eye.

"Sherlock, what were you saying before about me going on cases?" I asked, sitting next to him.

The redness in his cheeks returned full force and fidgeting but seemingly unable to move from his spot on the couch. 

"W-well with what ha-happened with the last case we were on I-" He stopped for a moment, seeming to reminisce…

Ah yes the last case I was on… let's just say some nasty men got a little too close to me for comfort.

"I don't want to have you in that situation ever again. I-I don't know what I'd do with myself if you really got hurt. I lo- I love you too much for that…" he said pulling at his shirt collar, as if trying to hide the furious blush creeping down his neck.

I'm not going to lie, I was shocked. Not in a bad way mind you, because I had been harboring feelings for the scruffy detective for the last two months.

"You might not believe me Sherlock," I said then grabbed his hand, shocking him out of his crimson stupor. "But I might just love you too…"

Sherlock turned to me, a soft smile adorning his face. I nearly recoiled, this was an expression I haven’t ever seen my shrewd detective wear. But honestly it was something I could get used to. 

I then remembered what time it was, and my first "order".

"Oh Sherlock I'm so sorry! You can move however you like now… and you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to. I'm so sorry for forcing any of this on you..."

Sherlock stood slowly, as if getting used to having legs all over again. After getting used to gravity again, he turned and fixed me with the softest look I had ever seen from him.

"It's… alright. I don't blame you for any of it, you didn't-couldn't have possibly known of my condition. In all honesty, I had thought the toxin would have worn off by now…" he said that defeated tone creeping in towards the end.

"Now Sher-" I was about to say 'now Sherlock don't worry about that' but to avoid ordering him around. I said "Whatever happens we'll get through this."

And so ends a nearly sleepless night.

[sofi1sstuff]

🔎Sherlock Holmes recommendations🔎

Ongoing

🔎

Completed (series/miniseries)

🔎Blinding Jealousy (by @writingliv​): After a terrible date, you are stuck in the rain just around the corner from the house of your bosses.

Part1 | Part2 | Part3

🔎Lets have dinner (by @classickook​​): as sherlock’s neighbor and friend, you’ve spent quite a bit of time with the detective and developed feelings for him. unfortunately for you, however, his heart belongs to another.

Part 1 | Part 2

One Shots/Drabbles/ Prompts

🔎Thursday thrill (by @french-vanilla-in-the-clouds): When Sherlock comes home high off the thrill of case solving, he proceeds to drive Y/N insane (in the best way, of course). Though he refuses to wind down and take a break, Y/N must use her wits to CALM. HIM. DOWN. 

🔎safe in your arms (by @classickook): sherlock can only fully relax when he’s in your presence so after he comes home from a frustrating case one day, he’s more than happy to be in your arms again.

🔎Deep Water (by @starks-hero): When a case goes wrong and leaves you in a bad way, guilt begins to get to Sherlock, who’s holding himself accountable.

🔎Always On My Mind (by @starks-hero): Sherlock's mind is a cursed thing that decides to torture him with everything he fears most whilst he tries to rest.

🔎His Remedy (by @starks-hero): You are one of the few people that can handle Sherlock when he has had a bad day. In fact, you're the only one.

🔎Touch Starved (by @starks-hero): It's taken you a while to realise. But Sherlock Holmes is a very touch starved man.

🔎Love as Deep as Ours (by @multific): Every morning Sherlock doubted he deserved you. And every day you prove him more than worthy.

🔎unintentional mystery (by @fool-who-dreams):The mysterious Sherlock Holmes has unintentionally been keeping his biggest secret from everyone: you.

🔎Soulmates (by @writingliv): Sherlock Holmes has finally found his match. One could say he has found his soulmate. 

🔎505 (by @annesthaeticc): Sherlock finally comes back to the land of the living. Is it truly possible that after two years, he'll be welcomed back? 

🔎Personal (by @annesthaeticc): He's sick and tired of being just friends. Sherlock finally lets you know what he truly feels for you on your special night. 

🔎Puppy Luv (by @annesthaeticc): While on a case, Sherlock Holmes stumbles upon a new friend. And hopefully your new friend.  He brings her home and fluff ensues. 

🔎Sentiment (by @goldencherriess):Sherlock finds himself entranced by Lestrade's best friend and co-worker.

🔎And they were roommates (by @goldencherriess): Y/N quickly discovers that being roommates with Sherlock Holmes has its own benefits.

🔎Spiraling (by @stupidthoughtsinwriting): After an accident during a case, a hostage situation leaves you in a coma for a week. During that week in the hospital, things are going horribly in Baker Street

🔎The London eye (by @french-vanilla-in-the-clouds​): Y/N has a problem; she’s in love with Sherlock Holmes. She’s decided to bury her feelings, but we all know that nothing gets past the consulting detective and his deductions. But could he be hiding something himself? A tour of one of England’s greatest landmarks might just reveal a couple secrets... after all, love is in the air, right?

🔎measurements (by @classickook​): as you join john and sherlock on a case, you’re not too pleased to see the infamous irene adler flirting with your boyfriend.

🔎Not You Watson, I Meant Watson! (by @french-vanilla-in-the-clouds​): It’s been a near week since Sherlock has had a new case, and he’s positively vexed. But when John arrives with an unexpected visitor, things certainly liven up for the consulting detective. 

🔎Safe Place (by @lykaonimagines​): During an argument over one of Sherlock’s experiments, Y/N realizes some events in his life have impacted him more than he usually let on.

🔎Come Home (by @lykaonimagines​): Sherlock had sent Y/N away shortly after Mary’s death in hopes of protecting her... and preventing her from stopping him from doing what he felt he had to do to save John. Now that she’s back and has all the details, she’s not sure their relationship can survive it. 

🔎Absence of You (by @lykaonimagines​): Y/N’s sent away on a mission for months, leaving Sherlock to wrestle mentally with his importance in her life and how badly he wants her home.

🔎Meet the Parents (by @starks-hero​): Whilst visiting 221B, you finally get the chance to meet Sherlock's parents. Embarrassment ensues.

🔎Danger Night’s (by @starks-hero​): Sherlock never really cared what the drugs did to him until he saw what they were doing to you.

🔎Comfort (by @starks-hero​): finding comfort in his arms after a long day

🔎Different (by @starks-hero​): After a night in together, you find that Sherlock Holmes is rather endearing whilst drunk.

🔎Fixation (by @french-vanilla-in-the-clouds​): Sherlock and Y/N have always teased each other relentlessly, claiming one was fixated on the other. One day while on a case, they realize that their banter holds a ring of truth.

🔎Darling It's Cold Outside (by @starks-hero​): A snowstorm falls over London and you're left trapped at 221B with Sherlock. It doesn't sound all that bad, but keeping Sherlock entertained poses as a challenge.

🔎The Right One (by @starks-hero​): Sherlock's previous experiences with love left a few cracks. But you're more than happy to help mend them.

🔎It’s just a head cold (by @starks-hero​): Sherlock may make a great detective, but he's a bloody awful doctor.

🔎I Took Care Of It (by @starks-hero​): Mycroft is horrified to discover that one of his old insults no longer applies to his little brother.

🔎Missed You (by @sherlockxreader​): You come home from months away climbing Mount Everest and Sherlock tells you just how much he as missed you.

🔎The Case of the Unread Article (by @sherlockxreader​): Sherlock tries his hardest to gain your attention after weeks of not having a case

🔎I Want One (by @victoriaholmeswriting​): Sherlock and his girlfriend (reader) are watching Rosie on John and Mary's date night when he makes a life changing request.

🔎The Holmes Family (by @victoriaholmeswriting​): When refusing to dress up for Halloween results in an argument with his wife, Sherlock re-evaluates his priorities and tries to make it right.  

🔎Ballroom Blitz (by @french-vanilla-in-the-clouds​):John and Mary suspect a spark between their friends Sherlock and Y/N, but they just can’t go about proving it. When the Baker Street gang is invited to a prestigious ball, the Watson’s suspicions might just be confirmed amid the grandeur...

🔎the feeling is mutual (by @classickook​): you've been harboring a crush on sherlock for quite some time now but are determined to keep it a secret for as long as you can. foolish of you to think he wouldn't figure it out... and maybe he’ll even return your sentiment? 

🔎ILY (by @annesthaeticc​):On a quiet Sunday evening, Sherlock contemplates how he feels for you, and finally the three sweetest words you ever heard fell from his pretty lips.

🔎Merry Christmas, Sherlock (by @writingliv​): Sherlock craves your attention and a bet may just do the trick.

🔎Every second (by @imeternallylove)

🔎Late Nights & Violins (by @daydreamtofiction)

🔎You wanted my attention now you have it! (by @asherloki)

🔎Imagine accidentally drinking the spiked Christmas punch at Sherlock’s family home… (by @theladyofmanyfandomsfanfiction)

🔎Sherlock and the Green-Eyed Monster (by @thepokyone)

🔎Compared to you (by @thepokyone)

🔎The stray (by @thepokyone)

🔎Pillow (by @thebaileybugle)

🔎Bubble Bath (by @classickook)

🔎Your Hidden Strength (by @okay-j-hannah)

🔎small jealousy (by @specialagentlokitty)

🔎good to you (by @specialagentlokitty)

🔎Second chances (by @thepokyone)

🔎Relatioship advice (by @thepokyone)

🔎Merry christmas to all (by @geeks-universe)

🔎Bedside manners (by @luxwritesfanfic)

🔎On tap (by @luxwritesfanfic)

🔎You’re the only thing that matters (by @annesthaeticc)

🔎Here comes the sun (by @aephereal)

🔎Right where you left me (by @luxwritesfanfic)

🔎Christmas at 221B Baker street (by @strrvnge)

🔎skeletons and sugar rushes (by @thepokyone)

🔎Kids in love (by @thepokyone)

🔎Dislike (by @thepokyone)

🔎Ridiculous costumes (by @thepokyone)

🔎Time goes on (by @thepokyone)

🔎Violin lessons (by @thepokyone​)

🔎Empath (by @grace-writes-shit​)

🔎

You can check other characters recommendations here

[iamsherlocked1479]

Chapter 8

The smell of gunpowder was sharp and sour, its scent filled your nostrils as you opened your tightened eyes to see you were still alive. Your shoes slipped in the gooey ruby red blood trailing ever so close to surrounding your chair, you followed the stream with your eyes eventually locking on the open cold eyes of your captor’s dead smile still gleaming at you. You took a moment before looking at Sherlock, his shoulders rising with every breath he took.

“Y/n it’s okay you're safe now.” John stepped over the body and began un-tying your wrists. You didn’t say anything, you were trying to make sense of what the hell just happened, he found you.

You watched him stare at the body, you hadn’t seen this side of Sherlock, he was confused and almost looked scared.

“I don’t understand, why would he kill himself?” he said, pushing the body with his foot.

“That doesn’t matter now, I called the police. They should be here to meet us any second, let's just focus on getter y/n out of here, she’s got a pretty nasty mark on her head.” John helped you out of your seat and the pair led you outside where Greg and an army of police and medics were waiting for you outside.

You were ushered to an ambulance and wrapped in a blanket, the medic spent time fussing over your head, but at this point you didn’t notice it.

“He didn’t save me.” you muttered to yourself. As strange as it was, the only person you should be thanking is Moriarty, he was the one who dealt the final blow.

“Can you give me a detailed description of what happened?” Sherlock stood over you, his eyes locked on your own. He needed answers, he needed them now.

“Leave her alone, she’s in shock.” Greg pulled Sherlock away but his lecture was interrupted by a cautiously approaching detective.

“Sir” he paused

“Go on, spit it out!” Sherlock interrupted, the detective looked at Greg confused.

“Ignore him, what's the problem?” he sighed

“It’s gone.”

“What's gone?” Greg stood perplexed

“The body sir, it's gone.”

“I don't understand, you said he shot himself?” Greg turned to Sherlock who lit up 

“Yes! I knew it, he wouldn’t just kill himself like that.” he clapped his hands together in delight

“So all that was for nothing, to confuse you for twenty minutes?” you added stopping Sherlocks celebration

“You’re mad at me?” 

“Of course I am, you could have just shot him. But you didn't, what the hell! Is everyone I know a psychopath?”

“Actually it's high functioning sociopath, but yes one way or another.”

“I don’t believe you. Can someone just take me home?” You stand up leaving the blanket on the pavement.

“Y/n wait, you’re in shock clearly.” Sherlock followed behind trying to place the blanket around your shoulders, you turn and stop him in his tracks with a harsh slap across his face. His hand covered the flaming area as he watched you walk away looking for a ride home. “Maybe I deserved that.” he muttered to himself.

……………………………………………………………

John helped you find a way home, accompanying you in a police car and making you a cup of tea while you listened to your aunt's cries on how much she missed you.

“He doesn’t mean to upset you.” John sat besides you refilling your cup.

“Doesn’t always seem that way.” you say rolling your eyes to Mary who sat across from you.

“What John is trying to say is, Sherlock doesn't understand the way he feels about you. And we all know how much he enjoys his cases.” 

“What do you mean the way he feels about me, he doesn't care about anyone.”

“Y/n we saw the video of you two, he has to have some form of emotion towards you, even Irene Adler couldn’t accomplish that.” John added

“Irene Adler had to flee the country, I'm sure she would have. And the video, that reminds me.” you got up dragging a chair behind you. You placed the chair down and used it to pull the camera down from the ceiling. 

“What a creep.” Mary stated

“Believe me it gets worse.” you went around the apartment removing all the cameras Moriarty managed to hide from you. It felt good finally doing something about the situation, his body was gone which meant he would absolutely come after you again, to flirt or to finish the job. You didn’t want either of those things.

 Finally you made it to your room, everything was the same apart from your laptop. “Shit shit shit!” your laptop was destroyed in the explosion, your writing, your work are all gone. Then you remembered university, the paper was due yesterday. Surely the fact that you were kidnapped was a good enough excuse and now it was the end of term,you had two weeks of waiting before you could find out if you were still somehow able to go. But after both drugs incidents you didn’t think the university board liked you very much. You stared at your room. It was exactly the same, Mycroft had left it for a change. You saw the tip of your bridesmaid dress poking through the gap of your closet, the wedding was in twelve days and you’d barely prepared yourself to put the outfit together, the dress was chosen for you but everything else? Well that was a mystery. Your thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door.

“Y/n can I come in?” Sherlocks deep voice rattled your ears, he knocked he never usually did.

“I don’t want to be around you right now, I don’t need the sarcasm.” you spat back

“What sarcasm?” he asked confused

“Go away sherlock.”

“Nevermind, I'm not going. If you wont open the door i’ll just say it” Sherlock stood behind the door his face close to the door ensuring every word could be heard, he shuffled at his feet clutching the portion of chips he bought close to his chest. He was nervous, he couldn’t explain the feeling it was new to him, his stomach was knotted and his brow was sweaty. “I don’t have girlfriends and I certainly don't have physical relationships with people. I think the very idea of committing to a person's mind, body and if it exists soul, i don’t like the fact someone is constantly relying on you or wanting to be around you, the very thought of it repulses me. But then I met you and I agree yes at first that opinion still stood. I failed to connect the logic of a relationship to the reason, until I met you. I would say this goes against all my morals but I have very few of them, but to me if I had a relationship with someone I’d consider it a crime almost. It was the one thing me and my gastly brother could agree on, but then I never thought about a relationship with you, it's a crime I know but it’s my favourite crime” his mouth was dry he gulped waiting for your reply but nothing, he bowed his head and sighed heavily “I’m sorry for what I did, maybe I- maybe I was wrong. I should’ve protected you when I had the chance too” The door handle clicked as it turned and opened slowly revealing your warm glossy eyes staring at his how, you were sure but you might have even seen tears beginning to form at the corners of his.

“Do you really mean it?” you smile

“Every word.” those words where all you needed to hear your eyes moved from his to his lips, you moved in closer but he just grabbed you and pulled you in for a desperate kiss. 

His hands ran through your hair, dropping the chips he had bought for you. It was at this moment you felt safe, you had imagined it so many times in your head but it never felt like this. And that's when it ended, his arms no longer felt safe, they felt dangerous, caring for him had already cost so much, your education, your future and nearly your life. You pulled away breaking his grasp,

“What's wrong?” he asked his pupils dilated at the sight of your fear

“I can’t do this.” you say gripping your arm

“Do what? What's wrong?” he came closer trying to hold you again but you stepped away

“Think logically Sherlock, this isn’t safe. Look at who you are and look at your enemies, people get hurt not just me but what if it was John or Mrs Hudson. Moriarty knows he can get into your head. I know it's selfish but us being together is dangerous for you and for the people we love.” Sherlock went quiet for a moment, he was deducing his options, he had to make human decisions,

“I can stop him, I’ll find him.” 

“You were looking for him for over a year, Moriarty can only be found when he wants to be. We both know that.”

“You’re right, this an irrational decision, Mycroft is right I can't deal with these kinds of emotions. I’m too smart, here.” he handed you the chips, brushing off his jacket and headed downstairs.

The rest of the night was quiet, only filled with the sounds of Sherlocks soft tune, he played for hours, thinking. Mycroft is right, ordinary people make stupid decisions and Sherlock wasn’t ordinary. He was a high functioning sociopath, and he liked it.

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A/N: horray fnally past the parts i was struggling with uploads should be a bit more frequant now! really hope you're enjoyng ths as much as i do! as always enjoy and luv you all <3

[lifewithparanormal]

Butterfly effect

Chapter 5: Puzzle of distrusts

Index

Previous chapter

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''Gang…..we have to get out of here NOW!'' Navarro alarmed, face turned to his interlocutors.

''Wh…why?!'' Mary asked promptly.

"It's an elemental, and judging by how we don't see it, I'm guessing an air elemental!'' the leader warned, showing the remote.

Harold just looked at the netherrealm's sky, indeed, there was nothing more than green and white dots, with some colors moving around.

''So we have to escape something we don't see? In supernatural terms I call that bull-''

All the rocky area started moving quickly and horizontally like a rocket, making everyone move and fumble under the winds. Hal, still caught up in his line he was about to finish before all this event, began to change his vocals into a scream.

''-SH-EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP!!!'' he finished.

Everyone was flown away while holding hard to their gadgets and looking for something on the ground to grasp: the only thing that was without surveillance was the second soul collector, who flew and hit right on Inspector Kenneth's head, rendering him unconscious because of how hard the shot went. The offensive weapon ended its course by falling out of the zone, into eternal emptyness.

''O-O-O-OF-BLBL-BLFICER!'' Mary's lips flapped under the air flow.

And it was only until the big rocky area was struck into another rock that the former started to fissure itself.

''QUICK, ALL ON THE SAME SIDE BEFORE IT BREAKS IN TWO!'' Navarro screamed with assurance.

Harold rolled his vacuum to Navarro while Mary passed the morph box to Willard. The latter hurried himself to Navarro while Hal and Mary transported Officer Kenneth's uncounscious body.

On the other side, Shadowcop Wibbly just looked at the PIs trying to wake up the officer.

''Well….it seems this elemental will do the hard job for me. Thanks for the challenge though, this was fun! But I value my own life over a possible demotion!'' Wibbly thanked without remorse.

With a sign of salute, once Matzarathulu's house rock broke in two separate bits, the new jelly then jumped out of the surface, under the PIs's looks of bitterness.

''A jerk, but he's right, we have no chance, specially not against something we can't see!'' Hal said.

Mary used her telepathy to try to follow the signal of the air elemental. While it was not close yet, it was coming fast.

''RUN!'' she shouted in a panic.

Running as fast as she could towards the throne room, everyone followed her still holding their weapon. Harold put Kenneth on the Vacuum Ormal and teleported himself along with the two things by touching the handle of the gadget.

Once again all hiding behind the throne, they tried to discuss about a plan, but it was really more stressful than last time.

''OK, we NEED to get out of here, but we're very far away from the portal we've been through and there's no telling if there's any more close! This place is too big!'' Felix said.

''But we have to at least TRY fighting that thing!'' Will argued.

''Willard, we found Fred's father and got rid of what got in our way, we have nothing to do here anymore, the most important thing right now is saving him and ourselves while we have the chance!'' Felix counterattacked.

''OK then, Sherlock, how do you propose we do that? Luck seems to not be in our favor right now and we don't have time to mimick a big fight to open an existing nethergate!'' Will debated, impassible.

Mary stayed silent, hoping to calm down the adrenaline by holding Navarro and Will's hands with her two own ones.

''I……..I think I can tempt something I trained a few times over, but we all need to hold hands!'' Mary suggested.

''But, what are you think-''

''The longer I explain the more you probably won't be conscious to know the rest, just DO IT!'' Mary interrupted Harold really harshly, as never seen before.

''All right all right!'' Hal panicked, picking Navarro's other hand.

''Alright, keep your hands held together! Concentrate very hard and fill your head with your WILL to get out of this place!'' Mary ordered, eyes closed.

Everyone mimicked her moves by closing their eyes as well, telepathic waves went out of Mary's head, focused on what seemed to be the whole place. For some time, nothing seemed to happen.

''Come on…come on, I can feel that elemental coming closer!'' Mary spoke with despair.

Willard started grimacing as he started to turn his head towards the open space behind him. Suddendly letting go of Mary's hand, he stood up. Hearing the footsteps, Hal opened his eyes.

''Uh, what do you think you're doing?!'' the latter asked.

''Trying to hold the elemental off.'' Will just dryly answered.

''Stop trying to play the hero all by yourself! Elemental beings are too strong even for your power reflecting!'' Hal shouted, desperate from Willard's hot-headedness.

''You prefer to perish and not getting all smooshy with your girlfriend anymore?'' Willard scoffed, still waking away while hugging himself as a sign of mockery.

''What?! You idi-''

''HAL STOP! I agree with you about Will, but if anything, it's going to buy us time and you can teleport to save him anyway! We still haven't went through with my attempt. Keep focusing!'' Mary angrily ordered.

Seeing that Navarro, the leader, was not saying anything, trusting her and Willard even if he agreed with the duo's opinion about the lone wolf PI, Hal complied with bitterness. Closing his eyes and clenching his teeth, holding Navarro's hand, he kept focusing.

Meanwhile, Will Plowright got out in the open.

''Yeah, I'm one of Matzarathulu's party invites who keep disturbing the neighborhood, what are you gonna do? Mess up my hair?!'' Willard provoked, waiting for the unseen.

He heard an increasing growling, like the entity was getting closer. As soon as Willard felt even the slightiest change in the force of the wind, he surrounded his arms with aura, lifted them so the palms faced the front and bended his knees.

The invisible elemental pushed him with a strong wind , which only made Willard's shoes drag backwards on the ground, as he struggled to keep his balance while redirecting some of the wind in several directions. He even tried to push some of the wind forward with his hands but how could it even hit an element present everywhere?

Back on the PI trio's side, Mary started to smile while keeping her eyes closed.

''Yes….yes….I can feel….a portal opening!'' she cheered.

Everyone opened their eyes, like Mary said, a portal started to manifest.

''How….it really worked!'' Hal said, like he was dreaming.

''These two worlds share more psychic links than you think, you would be surprised what our combined wills and determination can do!'' Mary boasted, tapping Hal's back.

''Yeah, well done, but something tells me that portal is not going to be open long.'' Navarro worried himself.

Mary took Kenneth's body on her shoulders and immediately went through the portal, Navarro and Harold turned around to Willard, still busy.

''WILLARD, THE PORTAL IS OPEN, COME BACK!'' Navarro shouted as loud as he could. ''ALRI-''

Willard got immediately interrupted by a stronger force of wind. This time, even the power reflecting was not strong enough for him to redirect, his feet lifted from the ground while being pushed as a big speed close to the edge of the rock.

''WILLARD!'' Navarro shouted.

Harold, holding the vacuum despites it not working, teleported himself with it towards the edge of the ''cliff'' , where he was ready to receive Willard. The latter was so quick to be projected that he almost fell in the abyss, but his friend took his hand just in time before he could fall.

Sensing a change of force in the wind, Harold used his other hand to place the vacuum vertically behind him to be protected by the blast happening 1 second after.

''Gn……hold on, I'll teleport us all with our shield close to the portal!'' Hal shushed to Will.

Unfortunately, one split second before they disappeared, the direction of the wind struck them from the left, they almost directly fall but thankfully, Hal's team teleportation worked. He and Will, along with the broken vacuum, appeared close to Navarro and the portal, though not without rolling on the ground a little due to the gravity.

''Good, everyone's here, now OUT!'' Navarro shouted

Willard got back up and rolled the vacuum, Navarro followed him, but stopped himself. He noticed that Harold didn't get back up yet. He looked at a sheet of paper in a bag flying in the air.

Distressed, Harold ransacked his pockets: the sheet of paper covered in orange stuff he hid on him way earlier after entering the netherrealm, unknown to his team, was not here anymore. And looking at the various colors on the sheet flying right now, no doubt in his mind: it was the same!

For an unknown reason, Harold got progressively more hesitant, angry even, as he looked at his parachute backpack he had on himself all this time. Then, looking at Navarro, the portal, all the netherrealm, then back at the sheet of paper, He stood up, not even facing his teammate.

''Hal…wh-wh....what are you-'' Felix stuttered

Without saying anything, the glassy PI teleported away.

''HAROLD!'' Navarro screamed, mixed with worry and anger.

He noticed that Harold appeared right in the air side to the flying sheet of paper, he catched it, and as he was about to fall in the void. He remembered the parachute on his backpack he was still wearing, he opened it to not miss the dry land. But he almost forgot about the air elemental who pushed him far away, and because of the parachute, he even gained altitude.

''NO!'' Navarro shouted, while running.

''WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! WE MUST GO!'' Willard suddendly appeared, taking Navarro by the arm.

Despites Navarro's protests, Willard cleared his memory that their teammate could teleport anytime, even if it did calm him a little, after all, a good leader is worried about all his team getting safe.

Finally getting through the other side of the portal, the two PIs ended on the grass of an unknown location, where Mary was waiting for them, trying to wake up officer Kenneth. All the gadgets were scattered around.

''W-….Where's Harold?!'' Mary worrily asked to the two panting PIs.

Taking some time to catch a breath, Navarro and Willard then stood up. Willard looked at the portal with a gloomy look, trying to hold back any commentary, Navarro rejoined him, also looking at the portal, getting worried.

Mary was the most distressed of the trio, trying hard to hold back tears, just looking at the empty portal getting smaller and smaller.

...

...

...

But suddendly, at the last second, Harold went through the portal, without his backpack. He fumbled on the ground but softened his fall with his hand, breathing heavily.

''Ha….Harold! Thanks the spirits!'' Mary exclaimed.

Navarro had a severe look, but he was really pleased that his best friend came back alive. He and Mary stood him up and gave him a big hug.

''Don't ever attempt something like this again without warning us. ¿Lo entendiste?'' Navarro ordered, looking at him with an harsh but fair tone.

''Promise!'' Hal just said, though he side-eyed a little.

Willard scoffed from almost disgust.

''So once again, the imbecile just gets a slap on the wrist due to the years of friendship!''

What Willard said to Harold, was met with a cold silence, the trio of PIs changed their expression of relief for surprised looks, all turning at Willard.

The silence could've went on forever, but more vocal noise resumed.

''Are you THIS dense about saving any atom of this UNIVERSE that you're ready to risk your LIFE for an INEPT object?!'' Willard lifted his voice, pointing at Harold.

''Wh-This is the thanks I get for saving you?….You're giving me LESSONS about sometimes doing my own thing?'' Harold went of Mary and Navarro's grip, walking towards Willard. ''YOU, who stands aside during all of our missions and didn't bother once to help people except for THAT PARTICULAR CASE?'' his voice rose up as well.

Mary almost pulled her hair out of despair, Navarro scratched his head. Another argue between these two that easily? What was happening? Not so long ago, everyone seemed happy, and to him, Willard seemed to improve himself even if there were some easy slips. After all, it takes time to really change.

Confused, Willard put his hands on his temples before energically moving them away.

''Wh-What do you even try to imply?'' Willard stammered lightly.

''If you have nothing to blame yourself for, than why what I just said is getting to you?!'' Harold reprimanded, crossing his arms.

He leaned himself towards Harold, he was not just confused, he didn't even UNDERSTAND what he implied with his vague arguments.

''Which amount of breath I stole from your mouth for you to have this much of a problem with me, man?'' Will spat out.

Navarro went along and separated the two, really frowning and annoyed.

''Look, I swear to both of you we'll find the time to talk about this, but right now, look at the situation.'' the phantom leader called order.

Willard and Harold looked at the environnement….the place was unknown to them. Just a grass and a freeway, gadgets scattered around, an unconscious cop. Mary tried to call hitchhike with her thumb, close to the route.

''Right now, we must figure out how we're going to get back to our destination.'' Felix curtly proposed.

''Oh….sorry about that.'' Mary said, her thumb still out. ''The idea of combining wills to make our own nethergate appear worked. But it's not perfect, I can't control the destination!''

''…..Yeah, at least the mission is accomplished.'' Hal reassured.

Willard chuffed, abstraining himself for any more commentary. Everyone lifted their thumb, hoping for someone to take them.

It took some time, but a big car finally stopped. Though the single short-haired black woman with earrings in there was confused seeing the situation, she let everyone get in, including the gadgets and the ''asleep'' inspector.

Driving to the destination of the adress of Omega Alpha Pi Navarro told her to go, she glanced a few stares at the policeman sitting behind.

''But hey….isn't that the missing guy I saw spreading on the news?'' the driver said.

A long silence, to the point that the motor of the car was the only thing heard.

''You four, if you don't want to get in trouble, you better explain yourself now!'' the woman in her middle-30s warned.

''It-It's nothing….it's just that we saw the cop in trouble from abductors. We followed them and managed to make them go away, we saved him.'' Felix awkwardly excused.

''And now….he has a son to see, a son who he dearly misses!'' Mary added, more confident.

''Well….he sure looks saved to me.'' the car driver remarked, glancing at the unconscious policemen through the interior mirror. ''Well, you better wake him up before we get here, and I do mean before!''

The woman then drove us back to our car after a long, silent, painful hour of roadtrip. We took the gadgets with us, thanked her and let her drive the cop to Omega Alpha Pi to meet back his coworkers searching for him.

….We were really fatigued, night was falling, we spent an entire day non-stop on this case. Whatever was the resolve with Frederik and his father…..and for Omega Alpha Pi, we would've learnt the following morning anyway. But for now…….I had to resolve an important conflict…….

It didn't escalate how I wanted.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

To Mary's attic, Mary and Navarro sat down on the couch, taking some time to breathe. Willard was standing up and moping around while Harold laid on the bed, the most tired of them all.

''Don't you know it's rude to lay on the owner's bed?'' Will sassed.

''Really now? It bothers me when you act like this: trying to clown away from the subject like it's no big deal.'' Harold expressed with acidity, lifting his head up.

''What do you want me to do? Exorcise the spirit of indiscipline out of you to show what you just did was selfish?'' Willard almost laughed while saying that. ''Clearly you don't seem to care due to your social status with these two here.'' he pursued, nonchalently waving his left arm.

''Willard!'' Navarro named.

Both ignoring him, Harold agressivly jumped out of the bed.

''I'M the selfish one?! Do I need to bring back up your huge CV of solitary actions during all our cases? Anyway, with my teleporation, I was never in danger.'' Harold excused with confidence. ''And my friends were not ready to make this much of a case about it since I made it safe and sound! You're the one taking this personally!'' he pointed.

''You just don't understand how narciss-''

''You're right!'' Harold interrupted Willard, getting closer. ''I don't understand! We all dont! One day you're like this, today you act the opposite, and just when we think that you're apte to improve yourself, you revert back to that mysterious not-telling-anything attitude that gets on my nerves!''

Navarro stood up, as well as Mary.

"You two…'' Mary warned.

She said that, but she was mostly looking at Harold, almost like she was anticipating why he was mad.

''Almost THREE YEARS you joined that club slash PI job, and we have NO IDEA what's going on with you despites what you told us! I really try to understand, to avoid any conflicts between this team, but you're not helping yourself!'' Hal verbally overflowed to his subject of conflict, kneeling and pointing his chest with his ten fingers.

Willard shook his head, crossed his arms and grinned from almost-laughter. Navarro and Mary got more defensive and prepared.

''My childhood was fine, poindexter! And admit it: you're never gonna be satisfied no matter the number of times my powers saved you, right? Especially you!'' Willard accused to Hal with a lot of bitter.

''That's not what I said!'' the accused denied.

''OK, you two, that's starting to be enou-'' Felix started.

''OH COME ON, you both saw it too right?'' Willard waved his arms, turning to the two other PIs. ''Ever since I started getting more open he took every chance to be bitter with me, rejecting harshly all my propositions and ideas.'' he looked at Navarro. ''You, Navarro, you always want to go with the most optimal plans, don't make me believe you didn't see it.''

Navarro hesitated, which left Mary to interject.

''…To be honest..It's kind of true Harold….'' Mary started.

Harold turned to Mary with surprise, almost disappointed not only for Mary thinking like that, but with himself….for deceiving her.

''Look, It's just that….there's something that was on my mind since a while, I didn't want to believe it…'' Hal started.

He gazed at Mary while saying that, quietly, she was shaking her head without speaking, gacing intensly at her friend at the same time.

Stuterring, Harold started getting the sheet he found at the netherrealm out of his pocket.

''If-if you would just list-''

Daemona's future grandfather got his arm suddendly grasped by Willard.

''Whatever crack theory you've got, I've had it! Give me that sheet!'' Plowright struggled with force.

''Gn…let-let me go!'' Mr. Prune pulled to get the sheet out of Willard's other hand.

Navarro shouted as the struggle degenerated into a fight with Will and Harold getting on the ground, both too tired to even use their powers. Mary followed and helped her friend separating the two.

''OK, ENOUGH! You're in MY attic!'' Mary imposed, blocking Willard's road.

"And I won't condone any personnal physical fights between teammates in here! It's the straw that breaks the camel's back!'' Navarro harshly reprimanded, blocking Hal's road.

''Please, like I need to listen to mama's baby boy-''

Willard's spiteful remark was immediately interrupted by a strong stomp on the ground stopping everyone's movements, it coming from Navarro's foot. Turning at Willard slowly, he intensly glared at him, with an anger never seen from his friends before.

This time, he would not accept it!

''Siéntate, ahora!'' Navarro ordered, pointing at Willard and Harold with a lot of contempt.

Harold and Willard both sit on the couch, in silence. Standing in front of them, Navarro shook his head.

''Willard, Harold is right on one thing: you don't get to be arrogant just because of the sympathy we had for your past at Omega Alpha Pi! Standing aside and alone is one thing, completly disrespecting the efforts of teamwork and what we've built? No! And you can't expect us to magically forget all the attitude you had in only one case! Do I make myself clear?!'' Felix seriously asked, never more serious in his life.

Not even speaking and side-eying Harold, Willard just nodded. Navarro turned to Harold, this time more disappointed than angry.

''And you, Hal, I can't say I liked what you risked! You almost didn't make it back in the human world, and for what? Some evidence with 50% chance to have nothing to do with the case?'' Navarro paused, shaking his head from how baffled he was about that whole situation. ''Also, do you really think antagonising Willard at every turn is gonna make things easier? It isn't like you! His powers have been a great addition to the team despites of the way he used them, I need you to respect that and whatever problem you have with him, keep that outside of our cases from now on! Got it?!''

They were not arguing often, so Harold was able to see when his best friend was serious. …….But something on his mind….pushed him to talk back slowly, despites Mary grabbing his arm, begging him by telepathy.

''If….If I can just tell you something I saw-''

''What. did. I. just. said?!'' Felix emphasised without even lifting up his tone.

''….C….Clear!'' Hal stuttered.

Sitting on the couch, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, Navarro sighed.

''Look! This has been a rough day, and we honestly need a good night's sleep. ……Once we get up, we regroup with gadgets to Omega Alpha Pi where the cops will probably be gone and pick up the loose ends with Matzarathulu…..this time, we finish him!'' the dark blue lavender-hair leader proposed.

He then stood up, looking harshly at both Hal and Will.

''If you two really care about this team and why we built it, I expect you to be here tomorrow.'' he finished, getting away, under Mary's worried look, Harold and Willard didn't even dare to look at him.

….It can happen to anyone, tense days like this, but never have I got to assert my leadership like that, specially not at any of your grandparents, Daemona.

…Maybe, in better circumstances….if we were not tired by that whole case…..things would have gone differently!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The next morning, a familiar car drove on the street, a male english-latino accent voice was heard on the inside.

''So, how things are going with your father Frederik? …………………Really? …………..Well….sorry about his head…..but maybe it's best he doesn't remember the argue or what he witnessed at the netherrealm………………………….What? Doesn't remember why he went to the fraternity either? The place will not be closed for hazing scandals? …………………………………….Well, at least he remembers his family and profession.''

The voice continued as the car parked itself to a place not so far from Omega Alpha Pi. On the inside, it was revealed to be Navarro talking on a phone linked close to the clutch of the car.

''Well….hope you two will have a good future together, also, don't lose anymore self-respect to any kind of club, OK? ….Good….adiós!'' Navarro hanged up.

Putting the telephone back in the base in the car, the leader sighed from relief. It's not always an easy activity being a PI. On the front seat, Harold looked at him.

''Hey……we'll get Matzarathulu….alright?'' the aforementioned PI reassured to Felix.

Both male PIs present at the moment looked at each other, with a sly smile.

……Nothing needed to be said, they were friends since the start of middle school, they had other small strains to their friendship. Getting though sadder, Navarro looked through the mirror at the backseat…..where only Mary Beyer was present. His two other friends could only sympathise with him.

…….What needed to be said more? ….A choice was made.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Same parking place at last time, the three PIs made some detour to not be noticed by some members of the fraternity. They peeked at the back of the house, but something surprised awaited them.

''N…How is that possible?'' Hal started.

Compared to last day, no orange cement was there, there wasn't even a trail leading to the forest. The team was really confused.

''It just…magically disappeared?!'' Navarro theorised.

''……Something in my head is bothering me….can we go to where that portal appeared?'' Mary proposed slowly.

-...-

And that's what they did. Getting to the pavement where it all started: where Frederik once argued with his father; where the PIs entered in the netherrealm.

Experts at their job, and following Mary's weird suggestion, they tried everything: mimicking a big fight, insulting each other with generic words! All the negative energy possible to make the nethergate open.

….But to no avail.

''….If it opened so easily last time, why do we have so much difficulty to make it appear now?!'' Navarro seeked, desperate.

''You're losing your time!'' a voice manifested in all their ears.

Everyone looked at each other, some signs of head were told that nobody here talked……they turned behind them, and to their surprise: Willard was here. ……In his same disguise he had to not be noticed by Omega Alpha Pi yesterday, but still here. Harold was impassible, but Mary and Navarro were more than satisfied to see him. Even despites all the name-calling from yesterday.

''Wi…Willard! You came back in the end!'' Navarro got closer to his teammate, smiling.

''Yeah yeah, I took some time to think.'' Will brushed off, avoiding a hug. ''Listen, let me refresh your memory: why are nethergates initially created?''

It's true that in the heat of the moment, some things could not be mentally retained, the three PIs took some time to think.

''They are created by their respective monster, to try to influence our world or to build a passageway for their objective! ….Yeah, for this case: Matzarathulu created it like I said yesterday!'' Mary retold.

''…..But if a portal can be created by a monster, it can be erased by that same one, you're OK with that line of logic so far?!'' the disguised PI informed.

''But wait, usually these gates are erased in two ways: if we neutralise its owner; or if it sees the errors of its ways!'' Hal politely argued.

Navarro turned around the area where the nethergate was not so long ago. Getting more and more worried.

''No….there could be another way!'' he started.

''I see we're thinking the same.'' Will remarked.

''Yeah, what if……Matzarathulu accomplished his objective!'' Navarro walked around. ''He judged he has enough source of energy: humiliation! Then, by some way we don't know, he erased any of his traces before getting back to the portal he created, then, once he entered from the inside, he closed it!''

Mary snickered at the thought of one thing.

''He must have had a good surprise now that he has no home at all!'' she remarked.

''……He would really go back to the netherrealm after getting more power? And without harming anyone like he said he would do? What amount of energy did he need to consider it ''full power'' ? How did he acquire humiliation energy with a swarm of cops invading the fraternity without being seen? That theory seems a little farfetched.'' Harold expressed his opinion.

To the leader, Hal was making very good points. Hand on his chin, he reflected on carefully, walking around.

''Unless…….yeah! Too much public force was present at the fraternity, close where he remained hidden, and Matzarathulu's not dumb! With his energy not at full capacity, he wouldn't DARE to manifest himself in public.'' Felix Navarro interpreted, then resumed. ''In the knowledge we were going back from him, he prefered to return to his own dimension once everything calmed down, erasing his traces….and now, he'll probably wait for another opportunity to attack!''

As he explained, Navarro got more and more discouraged.

''We….we weren't fast enough!'' he then finished, clenching his fist.

Tapping Navarro's shoulder, Mary reassured him.

"Don't worry, we will prepare ourselves for Matzarathulu, we will survey every of his movements….and when he comes back, we'll be ready!'' she said, full of hope.

''Yeah, I don't doubt it….but I honestly think we should inspect the fraternity one last time….to be sure not any members of the fraternity has disappeared.'' Navarro suggested, chest lifted up, walking with determination.

He went side to Willard while passing, hand on his shoulder.

"Bienvenido de nuevo al equipo.'' the latino-heritage leader cheered quietly.

Mary followed Navarro with energy, meanwhile, Will and Harold started at each other from afar, the former full of resentment, head looking away…….

….Lots of things were said between these two….and it was going to take time before even talking to each other normally….specially if Hal could not explain what went on in his mind...in the end, he chose to ignore it, for the benefit of the team.

Chuffing a small noise with his teeth, Will turned his back on his teammate and went away, following the two other ones. Harold dragged his feet while rejoining the team, taking some time to be at peace.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in present times, Daemona, Jericho, Kira and Casey were really shocked by what was told to them….imagining all this time how the things have gone in the argue, like they were here to witness it.

''Wow…my grandfather really didn't like Willard didn't he?!'' Daemona theorised.

''He was able to accept him, but his first impressions of him didn't quite leave his mind unlike me and your grandmother! However, he always was careful to not cross the line when no conflict was present.'' Navarro explained.

The now-mentor then got more bleak, looking aside.

''Back then….I had no idea why he crossed that line during that case….if only I….''

He couldn't even finish his sentence. Raising his hand to have permission to speak like he was at school, Casey started once everyone noticed him.

''So I take it that you didn't manage to capture Matzarathulu? Since we're the ones who got rid of him in the end!'' Casey revealed.

Navarro stood up, while starting to search something inside the collar of his red-brown jacket and blue shirt.

''Exactly, and I think you're already aware of why this case was cut short.'' Navarro then showed something attached around his neck, who was hidden in his clothes all this time.

A weird necklace manifested out, Navarro was always wearing it, and the children were already aware of it. Their breath was almost lacking when they realised what was already known.

''That cursed day…..how could I ever forget it? It happened one month after that case!'' Felix revealed.

All small portions of ''that day'' flashed in their head…..and it was not pretty, specially for Navarro, who knew all the details!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

July 1958, in Mary's attic. Navarro, Harold and Mary were kneeled at the table, looking at the map trying to see sections of where Matzarathulu could strike.

On the couch, Willard was on his own, fist on his chin, looking away for some time. But as he started to bend his back at a straight stature…..he started smiling………gloomily, menacingly. He then got several spasms in all his body. His growls got everyone's attention.

''Wi…Willard?!'' Navarro interjected.

-…-

The three same PIs threw everything they could at Willard, who was now completly changed. He wasn't even human anymore, instead, he was a big, furry, winged, green vampire with sharp teeth, face like a prune, and ready to attack them!

''He…..How….We must try to resonate with him!'' Navarro said, stopping to throw stuff.

''Do you really think he'll give us that chance?! It's him or us, Felix!'' Mary ansered roughly, keeping throwing stuff.

-…-

''We….we'll try to keep him away for some time, in the hope we find a solution, Mary, think you can do what we did in the netherrealm again?!'' Navarro panically proposed.

Without even answering, Mary took both Navarro and Harold's hands.

-…-

Navarro and Harold were pushing the corrupted Willard together, getting closer and closer to the portal. However, Willard pushed away the two PIs with his elbows, turning himself torwards them.

Without even talking, he took Navarro's arm and dragged him with a great force towards his zone, both persons were now very close to each other. Navarro struggling to get out of Willard's grip.

''N-no!'' Mary rushed towards the vampire.

But she wasn't quick enough, before anyone could do anything about it. Willard bited Navarro's neck. The latter's scream was so loud it froze Hal and Mary's movements, processing what just happened.

''……..You….WRETCHED…..''

Harold couldn't even finish his sentence because of the deep rage he had inside him. Taking another rush towards Willard, he pushed him, all by himself. This time, the fury somehow gave Daemona's grandfather great force, as Willard was completly ejected despites his size, and he let Navarro go under the shock.

While the nethergate got hold of Willard, vacuuming him inside under a piercing scream, Navarro felt on the ground behind Harold. He was shivering, eyes closed, his male best friend was to first to kneel towards him, holding his pulse. Mary rushed in, while looking at the portal closing.

Once she got sure there was not any danger, her gaze shifted towards the two remaining Phantom Investigators, gasping with her two hands covering her mouth.

''He…he didn't do what I think!'' Mary almost hyperventilated.

''C-…..Call an ambulance right now!'' Harold ordered, too distressed to hold his calm

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

That day…..the many times it was in Navarro's mind, how the PIs from the present sympathised with their mentor. They knew about what happened in a nutshell, but not what was said, and Felix didn't currently revealed anything to them, why? The story was pratically done….

''Right….that day where right after you stayed the same for 45 years! Still not digging that!'' Kira said.

''But that's the truth isn't it? …….Hal and Mary were so much scared that day! The…the struggle it took to find me when I unfortunately changed into…..that! The great ends they had to reach just to control this new curse! Building a totem of spirit control….searching me, eering in the streets, the week it took.'' the mentor stacked.

There was a long silence, enough for leaving the heavy dust fall over quietly. But something was on Casey's mind….Daemona noticed it too.

''OK, ….that was a pretty good story for what it was worth! We get a lot of situations, like why you know so much tricks, knowing exactly what we need to vanquish the supernatural…'' Casey started.

''….Yeah, but it's weird! …..What you described about your team, it doesn't fit!'' Monie dared to say.

Navarro didn't even interject to that, he was calm and attentive. Hands on his hips, he let Daemona reveal the bottom of her thoughts.

''Last time you revealed your past to us….clearly you had a big desire of vengeance towards Willard!'' Daemona opined.

''I mean yeah, even I think that's weird. Clearly in this case you didn't hold that much of yang towards Willard despites how he acted. In fact, he was helpful when he wanted to! Nothing to do with the Willard who wanted us to perish, made alliances, and how you were determined to sent him back to where he belonged!'' Jericho said.

''And anyway, this has nothing to do with our argue. I fail to see it, why you were so insitent of telling us that story?'' Kira Williams asked, pretty curious.

Navarro nodded, hesitating for some time before speaking.

''I'll just say this to you, Phantom Investigators: Willard was part of our club and became our friend for a good reason.'' he started.

Lifting his gaze towards the ceiling, arms crossed, he then dropped the bomb that made the PIs think a lot.

''……….If I knew about what I know now earlier than that fatidical day, he would have been thrown away from the team without hesitation!'' Felix hinted.

''And serves him right, …………….wait, what?'' Daemona jumped from confusion.

Felix gazed at the ground, taking a deep breath, tremolos in his voice.

''When Willard manifested as a vampire that….day….we all initially thought he was possessed!'' Navarro dropped.

''Wh-….WHAAAAAAT?!'' All the PIs said at the same time, almost having to back away from the shock.

''T-Tell me that's not true, not after what you initially told us about Willard! How he was easy prey from……..no!'' Daemona denied.

''And what I think and know about him now is still true, but I did say that everything happened for a reason, right?!''

While Navarro said that, Kira closed her eyes and used her powers to read the head of Navarro.

What she saw inside her head..…..she was in a room, on a bed…..from her point of view: Daemona's grandparents were standing in front of the bed, looking disgusted and not even daring to look in the direction of Kira.

''I….never wanted to believe it….but…..'' Mary's presence gloomily said.

Gasping, opening her eyes, Kira was so shocked by what she saw that she couldn't finish the mind read. But she had enough experience to know that…..that scene…..why Daemona's grandparents were there…what she saw inside….was Navarro's mind, and she was in her place in the bed, she was sure of it!

Standing herself up, she glanced straight at her mentor.

''Professor Navarro! …..There's something more about that story am I wrong? And it's something that became difficult to accept?!'' Kira theorised.

''I can't fool your telepathy can't I?'' Felix smirked with some bitterness, not directed towards the student. ''….But yes….there was more! Both to that cursed day, and to the past case I told you about!''

Navarro paused, looking at the students who started to exchange quietly between each other.

''Honestly….you seem to already get the big picture, am I wrong? What I expected from sharp investigators….'' he commented.

....And how different would it have been if I wasn't so naive...

To be continued

[sarah-dipitous]

Hellsite Nostalgia Tour 2023 Day 268

Stuck in the Middle With You

But, Sarah, it’s the end of the month. SURELY you have an episode of Sherlock to watch. You WOULD think that. However, the good people at the BBC and whoever puts together their DVD sets for shows neglected to put The Abominable Bride on either season three or season four’s DVDs. And now it’s night so I don’t want to go searching for it. Also, just to get it out of the way, not gonna watch Sherlock on Halloween either. That can be another day I swap some stuff around

“Stuck in the Middle With You”

Plot Description: Mary keeps her involvement with the British Men of Letters a secret as she brings Sam and Dean in a case. But a double-crossing changes everything

Would I Survive the First Five Minutes??: No one died —scratch that. The cold open was just really long. RIP random hunter who called on the Winchesters for help

Oooooo Dean did not like that waitress calling Cas handsome. Oh, now he’s DEVASTATINGLY handsome, Dean??

Was that demon the waitress????

I love “trying just a tad too hard to relate to humans” Castiel, but…I don’t like what’s going on with Mary…like I get the Winchesters lie to each other and those closest to them ALL THE TIME but come on

How powerful is this guy that bullets didn’t slow him and Ruby’s blade didn’t work? AZAZEL??!!??!! Maybe??

Ok. Now that we’ve gotten a better look, it’s definitely not her

JESUS, MISHA. I know Cas just got BADLY stabbed and can’t heal himself, but the whimpering as you try to drag yourself away from getting stabbed again is A LOT to process

He is not just some really powerful demon. He’s literally just a guy. Hit him with your car —Mary Winchester, probably

Casssssssss what is happening to you???

Oh, she roped this other hunter in so Sam and Dean wouldn’t ask questions

This whole British Men of Letters thing is taking this show in a direction I don’t think it had to :/

I hate watching him be in painnnnnnn. My poor poor angel

Crowley!!!

Oooooo, so this guy is a prince of hell

Ooooooh, Mary took whatever Crowley gave Ramiel…excuse me?? Ramiel just LET Crowley take over hell after Lucifer got put back in the cage at the end of season 5?

Ah, fuck. Crowley’s in trouble with Ramiel for letting people(the Winchesters) bother him

Oh, Cassy…baby, you look terrible.

I love that Sam’s getting the holy oil, Mary’s getting the angel blade, Crowley’s trying to make another deal…and Dean? Dean’s putting on some brass knuckles to fistfight the prince of hell who hurt Cas

Well, that backfired…sorry, Crowley

I think Mary should dye the tips of her hair red…just something about the way that blood is looking in it. She could rock it

Cas telling the Winchesters that they’re his family 😭😭😭 you know he doesn’t take that lightly.

I know I should be sad about Cas being so close to death, but to hear him say “I love you” *camera pans to Dean* “I love all of you” *back to Dean…….and then Sam*

SAY SOMETHING, MARY!!! WTFFFFF. You got SO LUCKY Sam got a hold of that lance

What a strange and uncharacteristically heroic thing for Crowley to do, snapping Michael’s lance to save Castiel

I “love” the number of times they throw in a brief shot of Sam to cut down on it just being Dean and Cas with the “I love you”s and the “let’s go home” 🙄

Waaaaaaait, does Mary see Cas as one of her boys??? That’s so cute!! Wish she hadn’t almost gotten him killed by secretly working with the British Men of Letters tho

REALLY?!?! We did this all for the Colt?! The gun the boys got like TEN SEASONS AGO??

Oooooo, Crowley’s trying to keep Lucifer the way he’d been kept. Sadly (for Crowley), Lucifer’s gonna prey on his inadequacy complex

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Quick question sorry if this has been asked before: do you know any Johnlock fanfic where they’re extremely sensual? Like not just making love but just super methodically drawn out and slow and sweet?

Hi Nonny!!

Ahh, because of this ask, I went through my bookmarks to see if I have any listed with “sensuality” so that’s what this list is!! It definitely doesn’t have all of my fics because I have to go back through them and tag them, but in the meantime, enjoy what I started tagging a few months ago when you sent me this ask, LOL <3

As always, add your own fics here, Lovelies!!

SENSUALITY

See also:

Emotional Love Making || [MOBILE POST]

Emotional Love Making Pt. 2

Loved. by inevitably_johnlocked (G, 1,231 w., 1 Ch. || First Sherlock POV, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Nose Kisses, Morning After, Love Confessions, Morning Cuddles, Emotional Sherlock, Sentiment, Bed Sharing) – Sherlock reflects on his relationship with John. Part 5 of I-J's Tumblr Ficlet Collection

Morning Sunlight by slashscribe (E, 3,565 w., 1 Ch. || PWP, Morning Sex, Fluff, PWP, Established Rel., Soft Idiots) – A thin band of soft morning light peeks between the curtains and stretches across John’s torso, laying dormant across his forearm, dipping into the space between his arm and his chest, illuminating his right nipple but just brushing the edge of his left, disappearing into his armpit, and reappearing again right over Sherlock’s eyes where his head rests, nestled against John’s shoulder. Sherlock is not annoyed by the light’s intrusion on his sleep, not when it rests so soft and tantalizing on John’s skin, a work of unintentionally erotic art. A PWP with so much emotion.

Living Musical by VeeTheRee (G, 4,149 w. 1 Ch. || Est. Rel., Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Domestic Fluff, Hobbies, Summer, Song Fic, POV Sherlock, Painting, Play Fighting, Soft Sherlock, Dancing, Love Declarations, Hair Petting, Promise of Forever) – A one-shot of John and Sherlock being domestic during summer. There is paint, fluff, and music from Imagine Dragons, namely from the album 'Speak To Me', specific song in this one-shot is 'Living Musical'. Part 1 of the Happy Fluffy Johnlock Time series

London Gods by a_different_equation (E, 11,092 w., 5 Ch. || American Gods Fusion || Magical Realism, Sex Magic, True Love, PTSD John, First Kiss/Time, Marathon Sex, Sensuality, Genie Sherlock, Human John, Internalized Homophobia, Star-Crossed Lovers, Soul Mates) – Sherlock Holmes is a jinn who does not grant wishes. However, when Dr. John H. Watson, recently returned from the war in Afghanistan, gets into his cab by "accident", it might not even need magic to grant both men their deepest wish: love.

To be loved by Strange_johnlock (E, 12,436 w., 8 Ch. || Post S3, Established Relationship, First Person POV Sherlock, Pet Names, Soft Sherlock, Mild ADHD, Protective John, Captain Watson, Body Appreciation, Bottomlock, Rough Sex, Travelling for Holidays, Introspection, Sherlock Loves John So Much It Hurts) – John is so deeply integrated into the work, both as my conductor of light, and as a great shot with a vicious right hook who tackles men -and women- no matter their size all in my defense. He protects me with all he can without question, and this loyalty is surely more than I deserve. Or: Sherlock is counting his blessings.

The Invocation of Saint Margaret by Ewebie (E, 15,831 w., 1 Ch. || POV John,  Crossing Timelines, Light Angst, Fluff, Series 3 John / Series 1 Sherlock, The Matchbox, Mushy Romance, First Time, Bisexual John, Pining John, Bottomlock, Love Confessions, Sensuality, Emotional Love Making, Snippets of Time) – When Sherlock Holmes opens the matchbox from The Sign of Three and John finds himself years in the past, back to that first dinner at Angelo's with a much younger Sherlock Holmes. Is he dreaming?

Permanent Fixture by vitruvianwatson (E, 18,836 w., 9 Ch. || Post-S4, Parentlock, Slow Build, Friends to Lovers, They’re Good Parents, Blushing Sherlock, First Kiss/Time, Explicit Consent, Sexual Content, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Mutual Pining, Big Feelings, Crying, First Kiss, Fluff, Anxious Sherlock, Inexperienced Sherlock, Emotional Communication, Love Confessions) – Now, as Rosie sat curled up against Sherlock’s side, John watched and wondered exactly how he had ended up here. Domesticity had never suited him before, not at any point in his life. His disastrous marriage had been proof of that. But somehow, here in the warmth and safety of 221B Baker Street, here with Sherlock Holmes reading medical jargon to his daughter, Sherlock’s bony feet nudging against his leg, John couldn’t imagine anyplace that would make him happier.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

Through the Clouds by Mazarin221b (E, 20,004 w., 6 Ch. || Retirement, Sussex, Bees, Home Improvement, First Time, Romance) – Sherlock takes a remarkably early retirement at 47, and convinces John that a change of pace would do them both good. They buy an old cottage on the South Downs, and exchange their nonstop life in Baker Street for quiet contemplation, bee studies, and book writing. They might go completely insane, but sometimes it takes stepping outside of the life you're living to find the life you want. Part 1 of Through The Clouds

How To Unfold a Heart by elwinglyre (E, 25,477 w., 7 Ch. || Post S4 Fix It, BAMF John, Mentioned Eurus, POV First Person Sherlock, Case Fic, Fluff, Slow Burn, Topping from the Bottom, 3 Yr Old Rosie, Introspection, Sexual Fantasies, John Worship, Ogling, Hand Holding, Kidnapping, Domesticity, Sherlock Whump, First Kiss/Time, Doctor John, Caring John, Soft Sherlock, Sensuality, Touching, Crying, Love Confessions, Anxious Sherlock, Rimming, Toplock, Fingering, Bossy Bottom John) – To Sherlock’s dismay, John’s return to Baker Street with Rosie is only temporary. Sherlock’s daily visits to Regent Park with John and Rosie illuminate his lost childhood memories and missed opportunities. But with each trip to the park, Sherlock also feels a growing sense of hope. That is until the past horrors return unexpectedly in a cryptic note folded in the shape of a heart. To decipher the message, Sherlock must uncover the nature of the hearts around him, including his own.

Lucifer's Gardens by ampersand_ch (E, 32,679 w., 12 Ch. || GERMAN VERSION || Romance, Friendship, Friends to Lovers, Murder, Poison / Drugging, Mystery, John Undercover, Academic Club, Therapy, Rituals, Jungian Archetypes, Doctors & Physicians, Grief/Mourning, Esotericism, Hospitals, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions, John Falls In Love With Another Man, Jealous Sherlock, Crying, Doctor John, Hand Holding, First Kiss/Time, Mysticism, Hugging, Touching) – John goes undercover for an investigation as a favour to Lestrade in a village in Suffolk. The events surrounding the case awaken deep-seated fears in Sherlock. While John begins to come to a realisation of what he needs in Lucifer's Gardens, Sherlock tries to find a way to reach John – in more ways than one.

A Promise Made to Be Broken by PlantsAreNeat (E, 37,018 w., 7 Ch. || Fake Relationship, Pining, Slow Burn, RST, Eventual Relationship, POV Sherlock) – A young John makes an ‘if we’re still single at 40, we’ll get together’ pledge to a woman who ends up all wrong for him. She keeps reminding him of the promise, and won’t let go of it. John asks Sherlock to pose as his boyfriend at a family wedding, so as to dash her hopes permanently. Sherlock, who has at last acknowledged his feelings for John, reluctantly agrees despite knowing how painful it will be to ‘have’ John, but not keep him.

Gold Rush by ShirleyCarlton (E, 71,783 w., 17 Ch. || Post S3 / No Mary, Friends to Lovers, Mentions of Past Sexual Abuse, First Kiss, Case Fic, Slow Burn, Alternating POV, Switchlock, Angst with Happy Ending, Marriage Proposal, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Abduction, Anxious/Insecure Sherlock, Miscommunication, Emotional Lovemaking) – John has divorced Mary and pops round to 221B one evening to find Sherlock in the middle of a case. As Sherlock tries to find the identity of a young woman’s stalker, John realises he can no longer deny his feelings for Sherlock – which then, to their befuddlement, turn out to be mutual. Shy kisses and tentative embraces ensue. But will Sherlock be able to cast off a shadow from his past that he thinks might prevent John from wanting to stay?

Repairing the Broken Things by BakerTumblings (M, 75,252 w., 15 Ch. || S4 Compliant, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Medical Trauma, Hospitals, Big Brother Mycroft, Misunderstandings, Realizations, Severe Accident, John Whump, Pneumonia, Medical Procedures, Bed Sharing, First Time, Healing, Happy Ending) – "I'm calling today to notify you that there's been an accident."

Northwest Passage by Kryptaria (E, 95,157 w., 27 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Canadian AU ||  BAMF!John, Canadian John, PTSD, Anal / Oral Sex, Rimming, Emotional Hurt / Comfort, Drug Rehab, Falling in Love, Pining Sherlock, Love Confessions, Sherlock’s Violin, Panic Attacks, Switching, Anxious / Protective Sherlock, Hugs for Comfort, Suicide Mentions, Healing Each Other) – Seven years ago, Captain John Watson of the Canadian Forces Medical Service withdrew from society, seeking a simple, isolated life in the distant northern wilderness of Canada. Though he survives from one day to the next, he doesn't truly live until someone from his dark past calls in a favor and turns his world upside-down with the introduction of Sherlock Holmes." Part 1 of Tales from the Northwest

Against the Rest of the World by SilentAuror (E, 151,714 w., 20 Ch. || PODFIC AVAILABLE || Post-TRF, Hiatus Fic, POV First Person Sherlock, Present Tense, First Kiss/Time, Big Brother Mycroft, Escaping from Capture, Soft Sherlock, Toplock, Insecurity, Infidelity, Travelling, Introspection, Pining Sherlock, Depression, Fantasies, Yearning for the Past, PTSD Sherlock, Suicidal Ideation) – Sherlock has been away from London for nine hundred and twelve days and counting, and has no idea what sort of reception to expect when he finally returns.

[blackspoon99]

The Empty Hearse Pt. 4

Sherlock x Female! Reader 

TW: Kidnapping, Mortal Danger, Mild Language, Potential Spoilers to Season 3

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 5

Part 6

Monday – 6:18 pm

You stepped out of the cab, nearly rolling your ankle on the uneven cobblestone. Withholding a slew of curses, you waved to the cabbie and moved to the sidewalk. The cold hit you with a sharp gust of wind. You pulled your coat tighter around you and jogged across the sidewalk. You paused a few feet from the doorway. You gazed up at the windows above Speedy’s. A warm glow shone gently from the living room obscured only by the silhouette of Sherlock playing the violin.

For a moment, you took in the sight, noting the odd silence and the way your breath was visible in the dry cold. For some reason, you felt the need to catalog the moment in your memory. Suddenly, a man bumped into you roughly. You let out an involuntary gasp and turned to watch him walking away. Nice. Not even an apology.

Before you could finish the thought, you felt a hand around your upper arm and a sharp pain in the side of your neck. You reached up to touch your neck, but your arm lost its strength on the way up. The street lamps blurred in your vision. Your sounds of struggle became a low ringing in your ears. Panic shot through you just before you finally lost consciousness.

Monday – 6:45 pm

John walked down Baker Street, on the way to 221B. Mary was right, he had planned on going to see Sherlock. Sometimes the way Mary saw straight through his thoughts and intentions as if they were an open window was only occasionally humiliating. He was still waiting out the sting of embarrassment from the memory of saying “I do not shave for Sherlock Holmes” in a way that wasn’t at all believable.

John knew he could be a proud man, but this self-assessed character flaw apparently wasn’t enough to stop him from seeing his best friend despite everything. It wasn’t even enough to get him to stop thinking about him during his workday. He nearly tore the beard off one of his patients this morning because he thought Sherlock had planned an encore to his acting performance in his clinic. Even in his mind, Sherlock Holmes could be one persistent son of a bitch. Just then, his mobile chimed. He looked down to check his text messages.

Save Souls Now!

John rolled his eyes. Another spam text. Ignore. He stopped reading after the first line and slid his phone back into his pocket.

One step at a time,��He told himself as he walked through the front door. He was greeted by the sound of Sherlock’s violin. John hoped Mrs. Hudson wouldn’t hear him come in. He loved the woman, but he really couldn’t handle her excited laughter in this moment. He successfully made it past her door and up the stairs. As usual, the door to 221B was open. He awkwardly cleared his throat and rapped at the door.

Sherlock stopped playing and turned quickly towards the door. A look of surprise flashed across his face

“John?”

John glanced at the floor. “Is this, uhm a bad time?”

“No! No. I was just expecting- never mind.”

“So, what’s all of this then?” John asked, gesturing towards Sherlock’s web of photos and clippings on the wall. He shifted awkwardly on his feet.

“Ah, yes, I suppose you should have a look.” Sherlock crossed over to the wall. “Mycroft has alerted me to an incoming underground terrorist threat. As you can see, I’ve outlined a few potential markers. Just got to see which one … jumps ship first…” Sherlock trailed his sentence off at the end and narrowed his eyes looking at John’s face. “You shaved?”

“Yeah, Mary didn’t like it, and I thought I needed a change—” John knew he was rambling. The situation was decidedly awkward.

“For the best. I like my doctors clean shaven.”

“That’s not something you hear every day.” John cleared his throat again and tried to look deep in thought, studying Sherlock’s case. “None of your markers have moved yet, then?”

“Not yet and we’re running out of time. That’s where you come in Dr. Watson. What do you say? Are you ready to come back to the war?”

Before John could answer, they were interrupted by the opening of the front door and a frantic voice downstairs.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Hudson, I need to get through.”

“Hold on, who are you?”

“I’m Mary, I’m John’s fiancé”

“Oh!” Mrs. Hudson said with a surprised smile “Nice to finally meet you”

“Mary?” John yelled from atop the stairs

“John?”

“Mary, hold on, what’s going on? Why are you here?”

“I think someone has y/n,”

“How?”

Mary pushed in between John and Sherlock. She pulled out her phone to show the same text message John had just received minutes earlier.

“Someone sent me this. See, I thought it was just a bible scam but it’s not”

“I think I got that too.” John immediately snatched his phone out of his pocket and read the rest of the text message.

Save Souls Now! Y/n or Jane L/n!

Saint or Sinner? James or John? The more is Less?

“See, it’s a skip code”

A skip code. How could John have messed that up? He had inadvertently ignored his own friend’s ransom note.

“First word and then every third” Sherlock muttered

Save Y/n L/n Saint James The Less

“St. James the Less. It’s a nearby church. Go. Now!” Sherlock yelled forcefully, running down the stairs. If she hadn’t been kidnapped, would she have come for chips anyway? No. relevant. Focus. Sherlock mentally slapped himself as the three of them made it onto the sidewalk outside. “It’s 20 minutes away by car. Did you drive here?” he asked Mary.

“Yes, I did. It’s right there”

Sherlock paced around. “Too slow, too slow.” He wandered straight into the middle of the street.

“Sherlock, what the hell are we waiting for?” John asked, growing impatient.

“This” said Sherlock as he held his hand up to an oncoming motorist.

“No, Sherlock. We can’t all fit.” John said exasperated as he watched Sherlock yell ‘police!’ and climb aboard.

“You’re right, John. Mary?” Sherlock said, extending the other helmet out to Mary. She nodded, tossed John her car keys, and started to climb on.

“You’re joking. You’re leaving me behind?”

“She saw the code, John. I need her to keep up with the messages!” He shouted over his shoulder as they drove off.

“But I’m a bloody doctor!” John shouted after them. “Shit!” he yelled under his breath and raced to Mary’s car.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You were awake now. Sort of. Whatever drugs your captors injected into your neck had left you completely incapacitated. You had your eyes as wide open as they could possibly go, but you still couldn’t see. You could barely make out thin slivers of light shining through the walls around you. No, not walls. You felt grass beneath you and smelled fresh pine. You tried to roll over. Nothing. You felt like every muscle in your body was straining but to no avail. With all your breath you tried to cry out. You weren’t sure you even made a sound. All you could hear was the high-pitched ringing that was making your ears bleed.

All your senses were being assaulted all at once. What the hell happened? More importantly, where the hell were you and how were you going to get out of here if you couldn’t move? Your hands were unbound, but they didn’t need to be to immobilize you in your current state. Damn it, how could you let this happen to you?

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The GPS said 10 minutes. Not fast enough. Sherlock wracked his brain for the best possible route. He sped through another red light. Sherlock heard car horns and the sound of rubber skidding on pavement behind him but didn’t look back. He struggled to keep his breathing steady.

“Sherlock!” Mary yelled, and held up her phone

Getting warmer. You have about 5 minutes

“I don’t understand. What’s going to happen to her?”

“I don’t know!” yelled Sherlock. He looked to his left. A faster route. He swerved to the left and onto the sidewalk. Pedestrians dove left and right to avoid his path. Sherlock took off down an alley way towards a flight of stairs. “Hang on Mary.” Speeding down the street, Sherlock did everything he could not to lose focus. Moments later, Mary received another text:

Things are really hotting up here. 2 minutes

“Sherlock, hurry!” She yelled

“Damn it” Sherlock cursed. Immediately, he stepped on the gas and swerved right into an alley. He was running out of time to save you. Back on the main road, Sherlock knew even with the fastest possible route, there was barely enough time. He couldn’t lose you now. Not when he’d just managed to see you again. The church was in sight, but Sherlock had no idea where you could be.

Time’s, up Sherlock

“We’re out of time!” Mary yelled frantically

Sherlock looked to his left and saw a bonfire and a man with a torch. A Guy Fawkes Day celebration? “Oh my god.” No. As soon as it hit him, the woodpile went up in flames.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

As the world around you burned, you felt nothing but raw terror. Though no flames touched your skin, the heat was immediately unbearable. Your eyes stung from the smoke and fumes as tears formed. Of course, now, the drug had worn off enough to let you scream.

Your head felt dizzy. As morbid as it was, you hoped the smoke would take you before the raging fire had the chance. You could have sworn you heard someone yelling your name. Suddenly, a pair of arms tore through the fire and dragged you from the flames. Sherlock. You immediately cried out for him and clung to the lapels of his coat as he pulled you to safety.

You could hear the crowd around you exclaiming in horror with the realization they’d nearly burned you alive. For a moment you just lay there, choking on cold air and struggling to breathe. Sherlock had one arm around you, yelling for the onlookers to stay back. Mary leaned down with her hand over her mouth. “Oh y/n. Thank god”

After a moment, Sherlock brought his arms around you and softly whispered words of comfort. “You’re alright now y/n. It’s okay. You’re alright, I’ve got you.” He let his head hang back towards the sky taking in heavy breaths of relief.

“Thank you, Sherlock” you wheezed out, still clinging to his coat. You finally realized you were safe. Shakily, you sat up, moving your hands to Sherlock’s forearms.

From across the yard, John pushed through people rushing to get to you.

 “Move! Out of the way”

Finally, he reached you. “Oh god, y/n.” He kneeled down, eyes scanning over you, looking for any injuries.  

“John,” You croaked out, your throat still dry from the smoke.

He then turned his head to Mary. “You okay?”

She nodded with tears streaming down her face.

“Let’s get her the hell out of here,” said John.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait for an update! Hopefully the longer chapter and lack of cliffhanger makes up for it 

Taglist: @the-chaotic-cow @amoeebaa

If you want to be added to the taglist, like the post I made about it on my blog

[ebaeschnbliah]

The Liar Series - a summary

Disguise, mask, façade, lie .....

Already on their first meeting, at the beginning of ASIB, dominatrix Irene Adler tells Sherlock that every disguise reveals something about the one who hides behind it. The ‘Woman’ presents herself as the ‘naked truth’ while Sherlock (the virgin) tries to hide behind the mask of a vicar - a priest in the church of England. The word ‘vicar’ derives from the Latin ‘vicarius’ which can be translated into: representative, replacement, surrogate, dummy  (more here).

We are not a couple - Yes you are

First thing Irene arranges when she comes back from her hiatus is a secret meeting with John. When ‘the woman’ confronts John with a question about his jealousy regarding Sherlock, John negates a possible romantic relationship with his friend. Irene disagrees with great determination. Sherlock, who secretly followed John to the meeting place, overhears the conversation between John (the eternal friend) and Irene (dominatrix, ‘naked truth’, Mrs Sex, instructed by ‘Mr Sex’ Jim Moriarty).

Just a big old liar

Inside a London black cab Sherlock watches a short film, created by Jim  Moriarty. In his story the master criminal calls Sherlock ‘Sir Boast-a-lot’ and a ‘big old liar’. The next day, on Barth’s roof, Jim (Mr Sex ‘you should see me in a crown’) and Sherlock (sex doesn’t alarm me) talk each other into suicide. Both men end with a broken skull - like Irene with a bashed-in head in ASIB. And just like 'the woman’, at least Sherlock was able to fake his death as well and leave London.

Who are you?  

That’s what Sherlock asks after he wakes up in hospital. During his break-in into CAM tower, to retrieve delicate informations (X) from the keeper of ‘secrets and scandals’, he gets shot by Mary. Sherlock starts to investigate John’s wife inside his mind palace. The word ‘liar’ swirls arround her in various different sizes, surrounding her - but also Sherlock - like a cloud. Sherlock imagines that his observation takes place at the same location (Roland-Kerr Further Education College) where John shot serial killer Jeff Hope in ASIP, at the beginning of the story.

The lie of Leinster Gardens    

Sherlock asks Mary if she knows about the lie of Leinster Gardens while he leads her into a trap to expose her double identity in the presence of John. The first part of the unveiling takes place in front of and inside the twin houses at Leinster Gardens, which are Sherlock’s property. They were ‘demolished years ago to make way for the London Underground, a vent for the old steam trains’ and consist only of a fake façade. Projected on that façade appears a picture of Mary in her wedding dress. And that’s what Sherlock calls John’s wife as well - a  façade. 

My lying wife

The second part of the unveiling takes place at Baker Street 221b. When Sherlock asks John “what is she?”, meaning Mary, the doctor responds with ‘my lying wife and the woman who’s carrying my child who has lied to me since the day I met her.’  At this point though, Sherlock is finally ready to go deeper and he urges John to accept Mary as their new client. As a result the A.G.R.A memory stick makes its first appearance. It is the beginning of a process in which Sherlock finally chooses to put down his ‘façade’.

You lied and lied  

That’s what Janine (diminutive of Jeanne=John) accuses Sherlock of, because he pretended to be her boyfriend (but no sex - that was never gonna happen) to retrieve letters, once written by Lord Smallwood to the young Helen Catherine Driscoll, more than 30 years ago and before his marriage with Lady Elizabeth/Alicia Smallwood (codename ‘love’). While Sherlock tries to obtain the evidence regarding this secret about Lord and Lady Smallwood, Mary tries to obtain evidence about another secret, concerning ‘Mr and Mrs Watson’. In the end it turns out that nothing is there to obtain at all, the cupboard is empty (an illusion almost like the elephat glass in Eurus’ cell).

The version of you I present to the public    

During Sherlock’s mind palace detour at Christmas 1884/85 in TAB, John’s Victorian version confirms to him that the way the great detective is presented to the public by his biographer/blogger, is not in accordance with the truth. The conversation takes place in a greenhouse, while both men are waiting to expose the ‘ghost bride’ who sent 5 orange pips to Mr Carmichael and threatened to kill him, just like Jim sent 5 Greenwich pips to Sherlock in TGG. And it is indeed Jim who hides behind the white veil of the bride, while Mary - foreshadowing her approaching demasking/death - wears already black.

You lie all the time

After drugged Sherlock had been brought to the house of John’s new therapist Elizabeth, in the boot of Mrs Hudsons fiery red Aston Martin and accompanied by the strains of Beethoven's Ode to Joy, he asks for John’s help in the Culveton Smith case. Just like Jeff Hope in ASIP, Smith is also a serial killer with striking teeth and a strong preference to talk to his victims. John insists on a medical examination of Sherlock (second opinion by Molly Hooper) and accuses him in the presence of his new therapist (who later turns out to be Sherlock’s secret sister Eurus) and Mrs Hudson, to be a liar who lies all the time ... ‘It’s like your mission’.

Lie or truth ... that’s a main topic in Sherlock BBC and maybe ‘lie or truth’ equals  Sherlock’s own question in TAB: ‘Poetry or truth?’ ... meaning, the lie lies in the poetry and the poetry (canon) hides the truth .....

.

August, 2021

[thebaileybugle]

Love

Pairing: Nicholas Holmes x fem!reader

Warning(s): Angst, talk of smoking(Don't smoke kids), a hint of depression (if you squint), talk of neglect and break up

Part 2

The whiskey burned in my throat as I finished my sixth glass of scotch the night. I was sitting at a dimly lit bar, trying to drink away my troubles. My hand went up to a slight tilt to let the barkeep know I needed another bit of whiskey, a hand stopped mine, holding it by the wrist and dragging it with them to the doors of the establishment.

Thin cut arm hairs, well-kept nails, strong grip- calloused fingers but still a bit soft- works in an office but often does fieldwork, cigarette residue... *sigh* Mycroft.

I quickly tipped and waved the keeper bye before we stepped out into the cold streets of central London. I sighed heavily not even looking up to see who had interrupted my plans of getting pissy drunk. Twat never lets me have fun. I cursed under my breath as I pulled a cigarette from my suit coat pocket.

When it was lit I tuck a long drag then breathed it out. I felt a judging gaze being directed at me.

"Don't be a hypocrite, Mycroft. You are probably dying to have a drag- the way you're shifting from one leg to another. Your gaze is judgmental but longing... and not for me- thank God." I could feel the eye roll from the gentleman in front of me.

"Oh please, I'm a month clean-"

"That's what Sherlock said. He is now terrorizing John, Mary, Mrs. Hudson- hell even Rosie. Don't lie to me brother, there is simply no use." I took another drag, still not meeting my brother's gaze.

“Why, Nicholas.” I looked up at him finally with a confused face. "You're slowly killing yourself; you're not picking up your phone- that I know you paid for to stay on, you've been distant, even from the Watsons and Lestrade. Y/N left you because you've neglected her presence multiple times. What has gotten into you." I shrugged.

"I don't know, Mycroft. I'm just not feeling life currently. I have- I've had everything I wanted and needed, but I felt and feel unworthy of what I had." My head shook as the cold breeze of London passed by. I took another drag and threw my cigarette to the ground, putting it out with my foot.

"I guess the Holmes blood finally kicked in after all of these years." Mycroft huffed. Something lit in me, and my head snapped to my older brother, anger written all over my face as I pointed a finger at him and shook my head a bit. Mycroft’s eyebrows shot up in amusement and shock.

"Don't you dare, Mycroft. I chose to be a loving person, I had a wife, friends, I have the best relationship with our parents since I actually visit them… I chose to not let those brooding genes carry from you to me, might not have stopped it from getting to Sherlock- but hey, the middle child seems to be skipped over for everything.

*Puts finger down*

Myc, I may have gotten the smarts, the snarky comebacks, the taste in clothing, but don't you dare think I got the ability to be immune to feeling or emotion because I assure you brother that’s not me."

My elder brother was speechless after I spoke. His lips pressed into a fine line.

“At least call Y/N. I heard from Mary that she misses you. Lord knows you do her, so just call.” I didn’t reply as I looked up into the black sky. To our side a black car of Mycroft’s pulled up and stopped, my gaze never leaving the sky, I can see a bit up a constellation from here, I thought. Y/N and I would lay on the roofs some nights and point out things we saw in the cold, dead of night, though she made it the warmest nights with just her smile.

Mycroft huffed at my ignorance and went to get into the car at which I caught him right before he closed his door.

“I'll think about it.” I lately replied. He gave me a curt nod, closed the car door and the car drove off to who knows where. “What the hell are you thinking Nicholas? You had an almost perfect life with the woman you love, what the hell are you doing neglecting her, the only woman who loved you for you and not your brothers.” The words spilled from my mouth unwillingly as I hailed a cabbie.

“Where to Mr. Holmes?”

“221b Baker Street, please.”

“Yes sir.” And with that, I was off to get back my wife… my love.

[robinrunsfiction]

It’s A Love Story - Part 3

Part 2

"What the hell Frank," (YN) heard Ray shout from where she was sitting on the steps in front of the school, digging through her backpack. Her head snapped up as she looked between them, trying to figure out what was happening.

"What did I do?" He asked defensively.

"Tucker just told me he delivered a pizza to you on Friday night, and he saw girls shoes and a purse by the door. You lied about being sick to go on a date?!"

(YN)'s eyes wide as panic ran through her. She hadn't seen Tucker, she was in the living room, so there couldn't have been any way he would have seen her. Ray would have said if he knew it was her, right? Tucker would have surely told her brothers.

"You got a girlfriend?!" Mikey asked, clearly surprised.

"Umm, yea, I do," Frank answered, rubbing the back of his neck nervously.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Gerard asked.

"Who is she?" Ray asked, not even giving him time to answer the last question.

"She doesn't go here," Frank lied.

"Is she cute?" (YN) finally piped up, a wicked smile on her face.

"She's gorgeous," Frank replied emphatically and (YN) grinned even wider.

"Are we gonna meet her sometime?" Gerard asked.

"I dunno, maybe, if she wants."

"What's her name?" Mikey asked.

Frank opened his mouth to answer and (YN) was genuinely curious to see how he was going to respond when the bell rang, signaling that they had five minutes to get to their homerooms.

"I'll tell ya later," Frank replied as they all made their way into the school.

(YN) hung back and Frank slowed down so he could walk with her. "Saved by the bell," she smirked.

"Who knew Tucker was fuckin Sherlock Holmes," he muttered and (YN) laughed.

“What name were you gonna give them?”

“Yours,” he smirked.

“Stop it,” she said, smacking his arm and he laughed.

“I’ll see ya in algebra,” he said before heading down the hall. (YN) watched him go and sighed. One day they’d all know she was the girl at Frank’s house. One day she’d be able to kiss him before they parted ways. One day couldn’t come soon enough.

~

A few weeks passed, and (YN) was still living for the thrill of being with Frank. There were small moments like (YN) coming out to the garage to watch the band, or rather Frank, practice, to them spending more time doing homework together, to Frank taking her hand as they sat next to each other during the weekly movie night, even though her brothers were right there. Then there were the more exciting moments, like when she found Frank between the shelves, deep in the library.

“Hey,” she whispered, making him jump.

“Shit, oh hey (YN)," he grinned. "What are you doing here?”

“I'm in study hall, but I came to get some books for my research project for history. I saw Mikey up front and he said your English class was in here so," she shrugged, leaning against the shelf.

"You thought you'd come find me in the stacks?" He smirked.

"I thought I'd come find my books for my research project. Come on Frank, what did you think was gonna happen?" She replied with a smirk of her own.

Frank glanced over his shoulder, before grabbing her waist and kissing her hard. (YN)'s mind began to spin, partially because of how amazing the kiss was, but also because her brother was also in the library. Hell, anyone could wander over and find them making out. It'd take all of a minute for the entire school to find out. And (YN) loved it.

She ran her hands through his hair, as they made out against the historical fiction books until they heard footsteps and they pulled apart and both turned their attention to the books. Whoever it was, kept walking, not even slowing down to do more than glance their way.

“Close one,” Frank whispered.

“Mmhmm,” she agreed, stealing a look out of the corner of her eye.

“Kinda awesome.”

“Oh yea,” she giggled.

That afternoon at lunch, (YN) was at her usual spot with the guys, minus Mikey. Ray and Gerard had been practically bouncing out of their seats, clearly having news to share.

“Where is Mikey?” Ray asked, looking around anxiously.

“I dunno, but I’ll fill him in later,” Gerard said. “Let’s just tell ‘em!”

“There’s a battle of the bands coming up and we’re signed up!” Ray announced.

Frank, Bob, and (YN) all exchanged a look of surprise.

“Wait, when is it?” Frank asked.

“Next month!” Gerard grinned.

Bob put his head in his hands. “We have so much more practicing to do.”

“I think we got a real shot!” Ray explained. “And when we win, we get prize money and  real studio time to record an album!”

“We’ll be taking off in no time!” Gerard nodded.

“Can I help?” (YN) asked. 

Before anyone could answer, Mikey walked into the cafeteria with a cute blonde girl. 

"See ya there Mikey," the blonde waved before going off to join her friends and Mikey had a smug smile on his face.

"About time!" Ray said.

“What was all that about?” Gerard asked.

"Me and Kristin are going to the fall formal together."

“Oh nice,” Gerard replied.

(YN) almost choked on her sandwich. "Wait, what?! That's not fair! I wanted to go to fall formal!"

"Who's stopping you?" Mikey replied.

"You and Gee! When you two, the least intimidating nerds at this school, somehow convinced the entire male population to stay away from me!"

She could feel people were starting to look at her as her voice raised with every word but she didn't care. She was angry and sick of how she'd been treated.

"Just go with Christine and Marie," she heard Gerard say, and she began to see red.

"I don’t want to because they have dates and I don't want to be a third wheel!" She snapped. "The double standards in this family are such BULLSHIT!"

"Miss Way!" Mrs. Simon barked. “The office, now!”

(YN) felt her cheeks burning red and her shoulders slumped in defeat as almost everyone in the cafeteria started laughing at her while she was marched down to the office by the teacher. She sighed in frustration at yet another way her brothers were ruining everything for her.

~

A few hours later the school day was over and (YN) reported to detention.

"Is this your first time in detention?" The teacher, Mr. Rodriguez, asked as she slid into the desk and she nodded. "Ok. The rules are there is no talking, you may do your homework, read, or sit silently."

(YN) wondered who she would even talk to since the room was empty. She pulled a folder out of her backpack and was about to get started on her homework when someone else walked into the room.

"Mr. Iero, please take a seat, you know the rules," she heard the teacher say. She looked up to see Frank coming to sit down at the desk next to hers.

"Hey," he whispered.

She grinned and then turned her attention back to her homework. They both worked silently until the teacher announced he would be right back.

"He's gonna be gone at least 10 minutes," Frank said once the door was closed.

"How do you know?"

"He's taking a smoke break."

"Oh, right. Well what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't let my girl go through her first detention alone," he smiled.

(YN) covered her face, partially because she was blushing, and partially because she was embarrassed to be in detention in the first place. "What did you do to be here anyway?"

"I threw a ball at Mikey's head during gym."

(YN) could hardly stifle her laughter. "Oh my god, were you playing dodgeball?"

"No, soccer."

(YN) burst out laughing, thankful Mr. Rodriguez was not in the room. "Thanks for that."

"He deserved it," Frank nodded.

"I agree,” she grinned.

When they walked out of the school almost an hour later, (YN)'s mom was sitting in her car waiting to pick her up. "Ugh, I can't wait to get grounded."

"Maybe it won't be that bad?" Frank said sympathetically as they walked down the steps.

"Hello Frankie, did you wait for (YN)?" Her mom called out the open car window.

"No, I had detention too," he shrugged.

"Oh," her mom seemed taken aback. "Well would you like a ride home?"

"Please," (YN) whispered, hoping to delay the trouble she was certain to get into.

"Sure, thanks!" He nodded, getting in the backseat.

"That Mrs. Simon said this wasn't your first outburst this year, (YN)," her mom said as they started to head home.

"Yea, I know."

"That's not like you," her mom replied, more concerned than angry.

"I know," she muttered, head against the window.

"No one asked me, but I think Gerard and Mikey should back off," Frank piped up from the backseat.

"What do you mean Frankie?"

"Don't worry about it," (YN) mumbled.

"They're too protective of her. I know she's a girl, and the youngest, even if it's just by a few minutes, but they don't need to treat her like every single guy is a predator," he explained.

"Did something happen?" Her mom asked, now very concerned.

"No, some guy in Gee’s class was talking to me at that pool party this summer and Gee freaked out. It doesn't matter, the social damage is done. I don't even care anymore."

"Do you want me to talk to them?"

"No, I don't wanna make it worse. Just let me handle it," (YN) answered.

The rest of the drive was silent until they arrived at Frank's house. "See you tomorrow," he said, reaching forward to rub (YN)'s arm sympathetically before getting out.

"He's a good boy," her mom said as they started back toward their house and (YN) hummed in quiet agreement. "And that necklace he bought you for your birthday is lovely."

(YN) didn't even realize she was playing with it until her mom drew her attention to it. "Yea," she agreed.

"If you ask me, I think he likes you, I've always thought that."

(YN) blushed. "Don't tell anyone, but I know he does."

"Because you like him too?" Her mom asked. (YN) nodded as they pulled into the driveway. "I'll keep it our little secret."

"So am I in trouble for getting detention?"

Her mom laughed lightly. "No, but don't let it happen again. If you want to yell at your brothers, wait until you're home."

"Will do," she nodded, a relieved smile crossing her face.

(YN) didn’t say anything to either of her brothers that night at dinner, eating quickly before running back up to her room. It still wasn’t fair that she got in trouble, or that Mikey could date whoever he wanted to and she couldn’t. She curled up in bed with her sketch book, and tried to let her frustrations come out through her pencil.

"Hey," she heard Mikey say from her doorway after a while.

"Go away," she muttered, not even looking up until something landed at the foot of the bed. It was her favorite candy bar.

"Sorry for being an ass," he said.

"Whatever," she said, grabbing the candy, but still not even looking his way.

"Did you hear what Frank did?"

"Gave you what you deserve," she replied.

"I guess you could say that, but we’re just looking out for you."

She glared at him. "I'm not that fragile Mikey! I can handle myself, now go away!"

“Sorry,” he muttered as he retreated back to his room next door.

(YN) got up and slammed her door and settled back onto her bed when there was another knock. 

“Oh my god, leave me alone!” (YN) shouted, but the door opened anyway.

“Can we talk?” Gerard asked, peaking in.

“No! Go away!” She said getting up to push the door shut, but Gerard was stronger than her.

“I’m sorry! I was thinking about how you said you wanna help with the band, and I was wondering if you’d design our logo for us, and maybe like some shirts or something?”

(YN) stopped pushing on the door. “Wait, really?”

“Yea, like when we win this thing, we’re gonna need some merch to sell to help get our name out there, and posters for gigs, stuff like that,” Gerard shrugged.

“Yea, I guess I could try,” she nodded.

“And I know Mikey tried to apologize, but didn’t do a good job of it. We just didn’t want a guy like Adam to get a chance to do anything, because then people would start talking and-”

“Hang on,” (YN) cut him off. “This isn’t the Regency era, I don’t need my older brothers telling me who I can and cannot spend time with, out of fear that I’ll disgrace the family!”

“That’s not it! I just… I just feel like it’s my duty to protect you. You and Mikey both, but it’s different with you because you’re a girl and I’ve seen the way the guys look at you and I can imagine what they’re thinking and it’s gross and it makes me mad.”

(YN) sighed. "I just wish that if you felt like making a decision in my best interest, you’d actually ask me what I want first."

"Sorry," Gerard mumbled.

"Doesn't do much good now, but whatever," she shrugged.

Gerard stepped back from the door, and she shut it behind him. It didn't really matter, she had Frank, but it was the principle of the matter that still left her steaming.

Part 4

[afishlearningpoetry]

Hi! I've loved Sherlock since 2012 but I'm new in the Johnlock fandom. Your meta is one of my favorite! I totally agree that S4 is John's story/blog/alibi etc, but I wanted to ask you: if this time Sherlock is working with John to take Mary down, why is John jealous? How can he think Sherlock has feelings for her, if Sherlock wants her dead? Also: how do you think John faked his suicide? Is there a body? Maybe it's David's? I really hope it is all John's plan! It would be so smart and badass.

Hi, thank you so much.

It's funny you ask that first question because this (John's enduring jealousy) is a thing that was established the series 3 finale in 2014, and the particular scene in which it culminates is so convincing that it's not an exaggeration to say that currently almost no one knows what actually happened in it, which is in large part due to how manipulative Sherlock acts to John in the latter half of that episode, and also how people believe Mary's stated intentions (especially after her death, which was supposed to make her look like a saint, which definitely worked on viewers) and and underestimate John's intelligence.

Just to recap for anyone else: John's jealousy is conceived when Sherlock and John enter Magnussen's office and Sherlock deduces that the smell of perfume is Claire de Lune, which is the perfume Mary uses. This also comes right after the scene outside the elevator to his office, where Sherlock manipulates Janine into letting them in. John says, "But Sherlock, she loves you," and Sherlock says, "Yes, as I said –– human error," as John looks on, terrified. Later in the episode, John confronts Mary and says that the first thing Sherlock said when he woke up was her name. When Sherlock disappears from the hospital after being shot, in part because he doesn't want to be questioned by the police after who shot him, because he's trying to protect Mary to protect John, Lestrade asks John why he would disappear, and who he would be protecting from whatever happened in Magnussen's office. John asks the same thing, and then looks at Mary's perfume, which is sitting on the table next to him (he doesn’t even consider Sherlock is protecting him). To summarize, he assumes Sherlock is protecting Mary because he secretly loves her and that they had an affair, which in his mind is only confirmed later in the episode when John learns Mary was (is) an assassin, because John draws a correlation between him assuming Sherlock loved Irene and now Mary, to Sherlock being a sociopath and only being able to care about other sociopaths who enable him, which also means he could never love John. He says during the loft scene where they treat Mary as a client, “You two should have gotten married.” There's some comfort in the idea that Sherlock isn't capable of love to begin with, it's another thing to see this. (Something cool about its shape is it's echoed in Mary's wedding earrings, which are hearts with a hole in them, as well as the coin she shoots; "I will burn the heart out of you.")

So there are a couple explanations why John would still be jealous, even after him and Sherlock team up to stop her. The most simple is that it doesn't even matter to John that he's trying to kill her now, because he's convinced he's a sociopath for the majority of series 4, so he doesn't have any lingering feelings about turning against her now because he doesn't care about other people in that way. John isn't jealous to the extent that he wants whatever their relationship was (at least consciously -- there's a lot to talk about how he makes his subconscious insert of Eurus into a brazenly over the top sociopath that Sherlock has to learn how to love, but even then, John still locks himself into a sibling relationship where he's caged up and they can only see each other when there's glass between them to stop him from attacking him), so much as that there was any initial love/connection or sexual affair between them. Throughout TST, Sherlock follows a trail of breadcrumbs he thinks will lead him to Moriarty, but actually leads him to Mary, so the real events of that episode involved him realizing the two of them are working together (if he didn't already realize this at the end of TAB -- there's debate whether he is or if it's still subconscious, but either way he's right on the edge).

So John wants to stop Moriarty, or Mary for working for him (she's working with him, but they wouldn't know this yet, because it's being saved for the series 5 reveal), which compounds his anger at her betrayal, but he doesn't know that right away. He already has enough motivation before that because he still thinks they had an affair. Sherlock doesn't have sex with Janine, but John thinks he did. John doesn't even understand what that kind of relationship would be like, if there are any emotional feelings involved, which is why he asks, "So how does it work, you and the woman?" at the end of TLD. His jealousy is also magnified by the idea that he fell for a sociopath in Sherlock, so a lot of it is just swelling self-hatred that John can't escape, that keeps growing and growing until he's choking on it by series 4, so it still doesn't matter Sherlock is trying to kill her now. In the teaser for series 4 they were both drowning.

If anything, their covert mission being focused around her means that John probably can't stop thinking about it. If Sherlock loved her then he could he do this now?

Then he looks at himself, and he starts thinking about how whether or not he ever loved Mary to begin with, and then he thinks about how Mary was supposed to be different, and oh John actually fell for a sociopath for a second time just like Sherlock, so is he any different? Of course he should know that he is, even if he's wrong about Sherlock, but then he starts thinking about how his love for Sherlock actually makes him a monster, and that his love for him isn't real either because it could never be the same thing as him loving a woman, or maybe he could never love anyone to begin with, not really, and that maybe John himself isn't real either, maybe he isn't even a real person, or a person who should stick around at all. But no no no, first he has to stop Mary. He has to stay around to stop Mary. His goal for the first two episodes of series 4 isn't about trying to fuck Sherlock anymore, it's all about stopping her.

Of course we know that he can't stop thinking about it, because not only does he write Mary and Sherlock having a perfect relationship that doesn't exist where John is considered more worthless than a dog (calling back to Moriarty calling John Sherlock's pet by the pool in TGG), the cheating subplot established two episodes ago (and clarified by Sherlock in TAB, which is another explanation, but he isn't even aware that John thinks they had an affair), isn't addressed at all, even on the surface text/blog level in series 4. It's just dropped completely, which went over the heads of most viewers watching because they didn't even pick up on or remember it from before (fitting because it's not mentioned in John's blogs in series 3 to begin with iirc). John does this to absolve both himself and Sherlock, because there's no way he could resolve it without offering motivations for either Sherlock or himself to kill her. He finds ways to sublimate it though, because he has to make them flawed so it's a believable event. So to answer: John's jealousy is a huge, invisible, growing monster sitting at the heart of series 4 and everything that happens in it. It's largely irrational and trying to ask him why he would even think any of this would just make him retreat further into denial of the truth: that Sherlock loves him, which he's deeply afraid of.

When Sherlock manipulates John into thinking that Mary shot him non-fatally in order to cover for herself while saving his life, he's lying, because he literally died lmao. But he decides not to let John in on the secret, which is a huge mistake, and John can see through what he's doing and that Sherlock is using him, but he plays along in order to take Mary down. Sherlock underestimates John, so it's only fitting that Sherlock underestimates John again when he fakes his suicide, because John doesn't let Sherlock in on his secret, in part so he can know what he felt during and after the fall, because all of this is about the fall (and John tries to communicate with Sherlock while Mary is manipulating him, as we see at the end of TST with John’s note that is also dropped from the plot completely) (Sherlock does let John in on their plot to stop Mary sometime after the loft scene, but by that time John's already operating on his own to some degree, because Sherlock still isn't letting him in on the biggest secret of all that would explain everything to John). So because John is mastering the level of deception Irene, Sherlock, Moriarty and Mary (and Emelia Ricoletti) showed him over the course of the show, he would also leave a body behind. He would have planned it extensively, and part of that is by manipulating public opinion. He even gets really blatant with his prose and has himself sitting in front of a carpet of blood (calling back to how Sherlock sees the pile of blood before Mrs. Carmichael, explained here). You already saw this post but he would also need a body to draw Mary out of hiding by making the suicide convincing, which he also does by writing so many suicidal themes into series 4 so that when news gets out and people in-universe (and real life) react to his death, they put the clues together, which is like a double deception in order to make it seem impossible that he could have faked it. (#tw suicide)

So these plot points have been ongoing for seven years now lol and they’ll be key to series 5.

[onthecrosslook]

Three Acts

Note: Fuck it, I’m just going to post this now. @call-me-moo.

Act Three

I dial Mary’s number on my dying mobile. “Do c...come in. It’s a little cramped…I must warn you.”

I’m sitting on a rickety old chair in an abandoned building. No, not even a building- a mere façade.

Just like Mary.

I shake away the thought and concentrate. I don’t have long before I start bleeding through the stitches. Every passing minute is crucial to both the plan and my survival.

I’ve already gotten through the bulk of the phone call with Mary. It’s mostly filler to keep her from storming inside and shooting me on sight, and it’s working so far.

Like scenes from a play...

She’ll be coming inside soon, judging from her initial distance from the building. It won’t be long now.

I can hear her breathing quicken over the line as my question grows more and more personal. “What do you want, Sherlock?” she growls, her voice lower than I’ve ever heard it.

“Mary Morstan...stillborn in 1972. Thought it’d be...a-awfully clever, taking her name like that,” I say softly, clutching my chest with my free hand. “It’s why you don’t have any...f-friends from before...then.”

Common enough tactic.

Mary’s sharp laugh rings out. “You don’t sound very well, Sherlock. Perhaps we should get you to a hospital.” Her voice lowers. “Or a morgue.”

“How...how good of a shot are you?” I ask, biding my time with the questions. I need to stall. Answers can come later, hopefully with John’s assistance.

Even so…

I need to know.

I can almost hear her smirk from the other side of the line. “How badly do you want to find out? I’d be more than happy to demonstrate. I can see you’re right in front of me, it would only take a single pull of the-“

“If you’re such a good shot…” I take a few shaky breaths and continue to interrupt her, “…th-then...demonstrate. Unf-fortunately, I don’t have any l...live targets, forgive me. You’ll h-have to...settle for a coin.” I force a weak laugh that makes my stomach ache and my labouring lungs burn. “That is...i-if you can…”

The line crackles a bit on her end. “You think you can bait me, Sherlock? I thought you knew me better than that.”

Yes, Mary.

Hook, line, and sinker.

“I want to...know how good you are,” I say encouragingly. “Go on...the doctor’s wife must b-be...rather bored, by now...Because…” I gasp for a much-needed breath.

“Because what?” she snaps, frustrated, as she adjusts the leather strap of her heavy purse.

Added weight of the gun. Obviously unaccustomed to carrying it around. Is she still a good shot?

“Because...you’re a psychopath...and p-psychopaths get bored.” I groan into my coat collar in pain. At this rate, I don’t know how long I’ll be able to hold out.

“Ha,” she scoffs. “I’ll entertain you, Sherlock. God knows you can’t have much left in you, anyway.” Mary pulls out a fifty-pence piece from her purse and holds it aloft. She glances above, gauging the height of the ceiling with a critical eye, and flips the coin in the air. In one swift move, she aims the gun and fires. A metallic clank is heard, and she smirks triumphantly.

I hang up the phone with a flourish. “Impressive,” I whisper, the faintest smile on my face visible in the flickering light.

Mary turns to look at me, clearly startled. “You’re…standing. Then who...Ah. I see. A dummy? Fairly obvious trick, don’t you think?” She slides the coin over to me with the tip of her boot.

I lean over with a grunt and pick it up, pausing only to examine it. I straighten up, the stabbing pain making it harder to stand. My breathing is growing more and more erratic, but I choose to ignore it in favour of my deductions.

Ordinary fifty-pence coin, no obvious assistive modifications. Hole where the 0.38mm bullet penetrated is precisely in the center. Fifteen-plus years in the killing business, at least. She’s a remarkable shot, I’ll give her that.

Not good enough, though.

“Impressed?” she asks, not a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

“Spectacularly...accurate sh-shot, yet you...failed to place...a kill. Sentiment, or d-did you...not want to...blow y-your cover?” It’s a risk to taunt her so openly, but unfortunately a risk I must take.

“Neither. John wasn’t supposed to come save you. The doorframe creaked fairly loudly and that alerted him. You would have died if it hadn’t been for my damn recklessness,” Mary snarls, looking more angry at herself than anyone else. “It’s not a mistake I’ll make again.”

Wait-

She raises her gun to my forehead.

-this isn’t how it’s supposed to-

I hear a click and a loud shot.

When I open my eyes again, I see Mary crumpled on the floor, her chest weakly moving up and down as blood leaks from her body, filling spaces it shouldn’t be. I can hardly breathe from the shock of seeing her so suddenly vulnerable.

“You...d-don’t...you didn’t…h-have a...g-gun…” she chokes out. “H-how…?”

“Sorry,” I hear a bitter voice behind her say, and suddenly John is standing there, his gun pointed straight ahead, and it all makes sense. “Not that obvious a trick.”

“John- b-but-“ I stutter out, my mouth moving, but hardly any noise coming out.

How…how did he…?

Mary groans loudly, and I move to ask him again, thinking perhaps he didn’t hear me.

“J-John…”

“You. You don’t get to speak,” John hisses, before leaning down to Mary’s side. “Mary, I can still…”

“N-no…” she says softly, obviously straining to sit up. “It’s...t-too late, John. I...I suppose...n-now I know how...Sh-Sherlock f-felt...Ah-!” She cries out in anguish and lifts a shaking hand to John’s face.

He doesn’t push her hand away. “You’re a pathetic liar, Mary. You lied to me, you shot my best friend, you- you-“ He’s practically hyperventilating with anger now, each breath harder than the next. “You killed our baby.”

Mary is eerily silent for a moment, but she nods eventually. “I d-did...John...Will...w-will it matter...i-if I say...I-I’m sorry…?”

“No,” he says honestly. His face is more pained than I have ever seen, contorted with unspoken rage and agony. “You’ve destroyed it all, Mary. I will never forgive you.”

“P-please…” she begs, clinging onto his collar with an almost frightening desperation. “I c-can’t go...n-not like this...J-John…”

“You should have thought about that…” John swallows back a sob, “...before you shot Sherlock.”

Tears stream down her pale, stricken face. “I th-think I l-loved you...o-once...d-did you ever...l-love me...J-John…?”

“Once,” he says softly, closing his eyes for a moment. “Not anymore. Not since Sherlock came back, I think.”

I’m silent.

What could I possibly say…?

Her face grows sadder, if that’s possible. “I...c-could never...c-compare...not t-to…him…”

“I’m not gay,” he says with a weak smile, forcing a small chuckle.

“A-and...I’m...n-not an...a-assassin…” she gasps out with a laugh, pulling harder on his coat. “I...w-would have...n-never really...k-killed you, y-you know…?”

His face is grim. “I don’t know that, Mary. Because I don’t know you at all. I- I bet...I bet your name isn’t even Mary.”

“It’s n-not,” she admits, her grip beginning to fail. “Th-that- ...wh-what I just s-said…- was a lie...I w-would have…” she coughs out, dark blood trickling from the corners of her pink lips. “I w-would h-have...I w-would...b-because I’m s-selfish…”

He nods. “I didn’t believe you, anyway.”

“I e-even...w-wanted...R-Rosamund…” Mary’s trembling hand slips from his jacket.

“Mary…”

“R-Rosamund...f-far better...th-than...Sh-Sher...Sherlock…” Her breath hitches on my name, and her face tightens with the effort. “G-goodbye...b-both of you…”

“Mary,” John breathes. “D...don’t…”

“G-go b-back to B-Baker S-Street...J-John...And Sh-Sherlock…?” She turns her head slightly to look at me. “I-I’m...s-sorry…T-take c-care...of...J...John…”

Her eyes go glassy and dull as she quietly exhales for the last time. John looks numb as uses two fingers to gently push her eyelids shut. Pressing a final kiss to her clammy forehead, he abruptly stands up and snaps his fingers. “Sherlock. Let’s go,” he says, his tone deathly quiet and clipped.

“J-John…”

“I said...let’s go. There’s nothing left for us here.”

I open my mouth to speak, but no words come out. I’ve waited too long. I should have called someone. I should have called the hospital. I can almost hear John scolding me already- ‘Why do you never call the police?’

My vision goes blurry as my legs fail me. This wasn’t how this was supposed to go, but then again…this night has been full of surprises. Nothing short of dangerous encounters and yet another miraculous deus-ex-machina from John Watson.

Not dead. Not yet.

“Amb- ambulance…” I whisper hoarsely, before collapsing on the floor next to Mary’s cold, limp, unmoving body.

John rushes towards me, and I get a glimpse of her pale face as my eyes flutter shut. Her lips are slightly parted, almost upturned. She seems to be finally at rest. She doesn’t deserve it, but I don’t think I could think of a better way for her to exit this world. A brutal display of karma…

…And yet…

I feel my flat expression become a weak smile.

She looks...so peaceful...almost like she’s sleeping…

The End (?)

~

Act One linked below:

https://benaddicted-linfanuel.tumblr.com/post/656892650818011136/three-acts

Act Two linked below:

https://benaddicted-linfanuel.tumblr.com/post/656968775195934720/three-acts

Epilogue linked below:

https://benaddicted-linfanuel.tumblr.com/post/657054522939686912/three-acts

[ashthewaterghoul]

The Ball - A Wolfstar One Shot

Tonight was the night. The night that the class of 1978 had been anxiously awaiting. The seventh year leavers’ ball. Every girl had meticulously perfected each element of their outfit and the lads had some help from their dates in finding the right dress robes, corsages and other accessories. Each couple was perfectly matching one another, and the Great Hall was decorated with magic aplenty. Confetti sprinkling down from the ceiling, banners that flashed different messages of good-luck and goodbyes, self-refilling plates and bowls of food and drinks and tables that grew depending on how many people were around it.

The couplings were just as anyone expected, Peter and Mary going as friends, James and Lily, Marlene and Dorcas, and who could forget, Sirius and Remus. Sirius had been fussing over each detail of their ensembles since Remus asked him out in a much less extravagant way then James did for Lily. Sirius was wondering how he could tie a tie and fold a pocket square without magic and trying to find spells so that his robes’ shade of black was exactly the same as Remus’.

The night was finally here, and Remus was on what he calls “the perfect day” of the lunar cycle, it’s the day when the moon has very little effect on him, his strength, his senses, anything. He could enjoy the time with his date like any regular lad going. Even though Sirius had started getting ready at 1 o’clock that afternoon, he still wasn’t done, and it was nearly 7 o’clock, the start of the ball. Remus was the only one left in the common room, he was nervously fidgeting with the positioning of his corsage, which Sirius has picked out to match the dress robes. He was about to go see if Sirius was okay, even though he was given strict orders to not see him until he was done.

Just as Remus started towards the stairs to the dorm, his date walked down. Remus’ breath escaped him completely. The wait was definitely worth it. Sirius’ long, silky curtain of hair was pulled into the signature bun with his wand going through it, small pieces of hair purposefully pulled out, perfectly framing his already perfect face. His makeup could be described as nothing less than gorgeous, blue shimmering eyeshadow accompanied by a large wing of eyeliner, the dash of blush brought even more warmth to his face and the bright red lipgloss was the cherry on top of the cake. The robes that Sirius was panicking so much about were just as perfect as the boy wearing them, the midnight blue tie and pocket square folded and tied perfectly, adorned with a dog paw print tie pin.

“You going to stand there gawking or are you going to take me to the ball?” Sirius said jokingly, a wide smile on his face. Remus found the ability to speak.

“Sirius, you look beautiful.” He said adoringly.

“You look very handsome.” Sirius replied.

“Thanks. Well, shall we?” He held an arm out.

“Yes, we shall.” Sirius replied, linking arms with his date.

They walked down to the hall, smiles gleaming and unchanging.

When they got down to the area before the hall, they instantly spotted their friends and walked over.

“Finally!” James said, spotting the two.

“We almost thought you weren’t coming.” Lily said.

“After all the effort that went into this?”he gestured to his entire body, “You’d have to be barking.”

“I reckon I look better though.” Marlene butted in, dramatically adjusting her robes and orange tie, which she favoured over a dress.

“Attention students!” McGonagall announced by the entrance to the hall, “If you get into your pairs, you may enter in a moment.”

Everyone instantly jumped into a line, joined tightly to their partners. The doors swung open, revealing the decorations that Lily and Dorcas were in charge of, every one walked in and sat at their allocated seats, ready for their meal which promptly arrived, well, appeared. Soon after, everyone was done eating and ready to dance.

The first dance was to a traditional wizard’s ball song, with a specific dance to accompany it, Sirius assumed what was usually the female’s part. The music started and everyone started dancing in synchronisation. As Remus and Sirius danced together, they felt strangely connected in a a strange way, each move, each lift, each second caused the connection to grow. The last lift at the very end of the song went well, but Remus lowered Sirius slowly and gently, not wanting the moment to end. Sirius looked deeply at Remus as he slowly descended. After a few moments of silence before the next song a million emotions flowed through each lad, and an equal amount of words were silently exchanged. The next song started playing, this one very slow and no specific dance, the two just held each other. Sirius wrapped his arms around Remus’ shoulders, and Remus held onto Sirius’ waist, their foreheads were pressed against each other’s, eyes shut as they gently swayed to the music.

Lily and James were holding each other in a similar fashion, her red hair in bouncy curls over one shoulder, James didn’t want to wear green, but after seeing Lily in her dress for the first time he could not resist. Dorcas and Marlene chose to wear orange, Dorcas in a light, flowing dress that actually managed to get Marlene at a loss for words and Peter and Mary in yellow to “symbolise the happiness of friendship” as they put it, Mary had a rather simple dress on, that worked surprisingly well with the dresses of her friends. The three couples all kept staring at Sirius and Remus, happy that they had finally found that bond that had always been lurking within since they met.

The volume of the song started to increase, Remus and Sirius separated their foreheads and nodded in unspoken understanding. As the music suddenly swelled, the two boys pulled each other into a kiss, a passionate kiss that cemented their bond with each other, forever, no matter what.

A few songs and a lot of dancing later, the two lads had snuck off outside to their little spot on the grounds that no one else knew about. Sat with not even a centimetre between them, silently smoking while enjoying the company of each other. Remus finished his cigarette and threw it to the ground, and turned to face his boyfriend. He just stared at how perfect he looked.

“You’re gawking again.” He said while casually taking another puff.

“I know.”

“Okay, then.” He said, shaking his head with a smirk.

“Merlin, you’re gorgeous.” Remus let out and caused a massive smile to grow on Sirius’ face.

“You are just,” Sirius said chuckling, not quite being able to find the right word.

“I’m just what?”

He placed a small kiss on Remus’ lips.

“That, you’re just that.”

Remus chuckled, but a thought crossed his mind and caused his face to drop.

“Are you sure you want us?” He asked, motioning between the two.

“What do you mean?” Sirius’ expression unchanged.

“I’m a werewolf and you’re a Black.”

“Yeah, no shit Sherlock.”

“We aren’t exactly going to have it easy.”

“Remus,” he said softly, throwing his cigarette away and moving to sit on his boyfriend’s lap, “I don’t care. I just want you, and you are a werewolf, and that’s amazing, and you are amazing.”

Remus started to tear up at those words.

“Padfoot, that was beautiful.” He said gently tucking one of the stray bits of Sirius’ hair behind his ear.

“No, Moony, you are beautiful, in whatever form.” His silver eyes twinkling in the starlight.

Remus gently pulled Sirius into another small kiss. Remus was staring at Sirius, something was clearly dancing around his mind.

“What is it, Rem?”

He took a deep breath before saying: “I love you. I always have, and I always will.”

It was Sirius’ turn to tear up now. He let of a happy sob and flung his arms around Remus, nuzzling into the crook of his neck. After a few moments of a bone crushing hug, Sirius looked at Remus fully.

“I love you, and I will never stop.”

Remus took another deep breath and said: “Pads, I never want to spend a day without you, never again, so would you consider spending this night with me? And tomorrow, and every day after that?”

Sirius was speechless. His happy crying replaced with a shocked expression that was fixed and impossible for Remus to read.

“I’m sorry, that was too much to quick wasn’t it? You can forget I said that, if you want. I-”

Remus was cut off by deep kiss.

“Of course I will.” Sirius said in a soft whisper.

The two went back into another tearful, bone crushing hug.

“We should tattoos as well.” Sirius said, finally looking at his boyfriend again.

“What of?”

Sirius looked around for ideas until his eyes landed on his tie pin.

“What about we get each other’s paw prints?”

“That sounds great, Pads.”

The two pressed their foreheads together again, just next with each other. They enjoyed a long few moments, until they were abruptly bombarding with their friends dog piling on top of them. All of them rolling on top of one another in an entanglement of limbs, laughing so much that most of them were losing their breath completely. When they were finally all free of each other, Dorcas piped up: “We were wondering where you got to!”

“Yeah, we thought you’d gone back to the dorm to-“

“NO, that was just you Mary!” Lily cut her off.

“How did you find us?” Remus asked.

“You forget that one of us can turn into a very small, somewhat undetectable animal.” Peter answered.

“Oh yeah, forgot about that.”

“Why’d you guys sneak out here anyways?” Marlene asked.

“We were trying to get some peace and quiet.” Sirius said.

“Yeah, probably so you could-“

“Mary MacDonald, I swear to God!” Lily shouted.

“Shall we go back in? It’s freezing out here.” Dorcas said, brushing the grass from her dress. All the girls made their way in as the boys stayed behind staring after some of their closest friends, Sirius and Remus clinging to each other’s side like there’s no tomorrow.

“They all look great tonight don’t they?” Remus said aloud.

“They always do, mate.” James said, clapping an arm around Remus’ back.

“You know what I mean, you were absolutely gawping at Lily, more than usual that is.” Remus joked.

“I could say the same about you with that one.” He gestured towards Sirius.

Remus let out a light chuckle.

“Can you blame me? He looks gorgeous.” He turned his head to look at Sirius, who was giggling and blushing.

James walked around to Sirius’ free side and put an arm around his back which was promptly returned, and Remus waved to Peter to join him. The four boys walked back to the castle, linked together like brothers, well two were closer than brothers. The special, unique bonds that each shared were ones that would last a lifetime. And Remus and Sirius? That bond would surpass a lifetime.

Hello there, sorry this one was so long, it’s ~1880 words so if you made it to the end then have a cookie 🍪. This was inspired by a part I put in ‘Take Me Back - A Wolfstar One Shot’. Thank you for reading! Any feedback would be greatly appreciated as well as other ideas for future fics!🥰

You can view my other one shots here

[japaneseadventures]

[Summary] YnM Volume 12, Chapter 47: The Two Criminals, Act 4

[Previous Chapter]

Milverton manipulated William and Sherlock into coming to him to get Sherlock to catch William for him.

On the other hand, Louis is being held up by Harry downstairs. Harry informs him that Sherlock is also up there, and unfortunately Loius can't defeat Harry so easily.

On the second floor, Milverton starts gloating about everything he has planned. If William kills Milverton, the whole country will find out who the Lord of Crime is. However, if William lets himself get captured by Sherlock, Milverton offers to hand him over to the government without revealing that he is the Lord of Crime.

As for Sherlock, if he captures William, Milverton offers to give back the evidence he is using to threaten Mary. He then implores Sherlock to catch the Lord of Crime.

Milverton cackles, amused, because everything is going as he planned.

However, Sherlock did not act as Milverton expected. Once Milverton has finished talking, Sherlock asks, "Are you done?"

And comments that if this was a comedy act, Milverton would surely not be the King but the Jester. Sherlock then informs Milverton that he has made 2 miscalculations.

First off, Sherlock explains that he is not the type of person Milverton thinks he is. Among all the cases he has tackled, there is only one person he finds particularly unforgivable-- The one who cackles from a safe place as he manipulate others into doing bad deeds. And that person is Milverton.

The Lord of Crime being here just proves that Milverton has done things that the Lord of Crime would kill him for.

Sherlock starts laughing, delighted that Liam truly is the Lord of Crime. He hoped it would be. He would not have accepted anyone else to be the Lord of Crime.

Milverton finally panics, because Sherlock and William are only focused on him. He wasn't aware of any connection between the two. They should be on opposite sides of the law.

Milverton wonders if this is the other miscalculation Sherlock was referring to. He then asks, all flustered, what exactly Sherlock means.

Meanwhile, Sherlock directly asks Liam if he minds his name being exposed to the public, as Sherlock does not care what happens here as long he is able to help his partner with his marriage.

William replies that getting his name out there has always been the plan.

Now Milverton really is in a bind. He tries to trick Sherlock into thinking that he has arranged for Mary's evidence to be exposed beforehand, but Sherlock was immediately able to tell that Milverton was lying.

This is the first time Milverton has ever been in a pinch, and he desperately tries to come up with a way to escape. Behind him is a balcony which is on a cliff with the sea below it, and the weather is terrible.

There is no guarantee that he will be saved, but it is the best chance he has. He hurriedly turns back to jump down to the sea, but he was shot several times in the back as he does so.

And the one who shot him was Sherlock.

William now has his gun pointed at Sherlock. Unfazed, Sherlock just tells him that now William's name will be plastered all over the media. He then lights up a cigarette and and throws the match to the curtain, starting a fire in the villa.

Up until now, Sherlock has been the one dancing on top of William's palm, but he bets that William never expected him to kill Milverton.

He then claims that everything won't go according to William's plans. He won't let it. This is where the real fight between them will begin.

William then chuckles and replies with the same thing he told Sherlock on the train-- "Catch me if you can, Sherlock."

And leaves the room.

Downstairs, Harry and Gosling give up on fighting Louis and Fred after seeing Milverton fall down to his death.

Meanwhile, Sherlock burns all the blackmail material. Since William did not kill him, Sherlock surmises that he still has a role to play in William's plans.

Due to the fire Sherlock started, the whole villa is now burning. Once he was out of the villa, he tells John who arrived with the police that he took care of the evidence about Mary. Sherlock then confesses to the police that he used the gun he is holding to kill Milverton. They won't find the body though since it fell from the cliff. He then asks them to arrest him.

Sherlock also apologizes to John, seeing as it seems he would not be able to attend their wedding.

Meanwhile, in a carriage, William was feeling down after making Sherlock into a killer. Louis comforts him, telling him it was not his fault.

William had not meant for Sherlock to kill someone this early in the game. Vigilantism should have been Sherlock's biggest hurdle.

However, now that Sherlock has killed one person, he should be able to kill another. William is now sure that Sherlock would kill William as William hopes he would, much to Louis' alarm.

Since things are advancing faster than expected, William says they need to start passing judgment on all the demons on their list.

[inevitably-johnlocked]

Do you have any good coffee shop au fics? Danke schön!

Hey Nonny!

Ahhh, Coffee Shop AUs aren't totally my thing, BUT I did find a couple I loved, and I've a few on my MFL list that's tagged with Coffee Shop. Check it out, and feel free to add more, friends!

COFFEE SHOP AU

See also:

Coffee Shop AU (Updated Nov 2020) (COMM RECS)

Coffee Shop AU Fics (Alexx's)

Coffee Shop AU – Part 2 (Alexx's)

Teenlock Coffeeshop AU (Alexx's)

Caffeine and Adaptive Programming by DemonicSymphony (E, 5,540 w., 1 Ch. || Androids AU / Bond Fusion || Android Sherlock, Coffee Shop AU, Pining John Hinted Bond / Q, Toplock) – Sherlock is a coffee shop android slowly falling for a regular customer. But he's not supposed to be able to feel emotions.

Division by MrsNoggin (E, 19,542 w., 11 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || First Kiss/Time, Fluff, Barista Sherlock, Clingy Sherlock, POV John, John’s Limp, Bed Sharing, Fluff, Sleepy Cuddles, Sensuality, Touching, Virgin Sherlock, Insecure John) – John likes mysteries. And every morning he dips into the local independent coffee bar with his newspaper and ponders another... one Sherlock Holmes.

-----

MARKED FOR LATER (TO READ)

Espresso Patronum by zigostia (T, 1,750 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Clueless Sherlock) – “I'm joking,” John said breezily. “Girl's name or not. I don't mind, if you know what I mean.” “Ah,” Sherlock said with uncertainty.

Giveaway Fic #4 - Coffee Shop/Mary Has Left/Sherlock Is Not Okay by ConsultingPurplePants (T, 2,498 w., 1 Ch. || Angst, Everyone is Unhappy, Happy Ending) – They sit in silence for a moment. Sherlock fumbles a sugar packet when he tries to get it into his coffee. He looks up to find John staring at him. “It’s… good to see you, John,” he tries. John doesn’t look at him; he’s too busy looking at the way Sherlock’s hands are trembling. Too late, Sherlock realizes that no matter how well he washed his hair this morning, there’s no hiding his emaciated appearance. “When did you last eat, Sherlock?” John asks, but there’s none of the friendly teasing from Before, only a hard-edged, muted anger. Part 4 of the 1000 Tumblr Followers Giveaway Fics series

Whatever you say, Gobbo by Ewebie (T, 4,608 w., 1 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Balletlock, Rugby John) – “I purposely get your coffee order wrong just so you’ll talk to me again” AU. Part 33 of the Tumblr Shorts series

Crossing Paths by prettysailorsoldier (T, 5,346 w., 1 Ch. || Uni/Teenlock Coffee Shop AU || Crosswords, Christmas, Fluff) – It seemed like a great idea, a 24-hour coffee shop near a thriving university campus, but, when everyone goes home for the holidays, John finds himself trapped in a ghost town, wiling away the hours of the overnight shift any way he can. Of course, that gets a whole lot easier when a handsome insomniac starts making regular visits, and, somewhere between the case files, crossword puzzles, and copious amounts of coffee, John discovers he doesn't mind the late shift so much after all.

Not Your Doctor, Not Your Captain by weneedtotalkaboutsherlock (E, 8,645 w., 1 Ch. || AU || Daddy John, Barista Sherlock, Legal Age Difference, First Kiss/Time, Blow Jobs, Texting/Phone Sex, Anal, Rimming, Felching, Praise Kink, Hurt/Comfort, Pet Names, Doctor John) – "Coffee for John Watson," a voice calls, a low, deep rumble that sends a shiver down John's spine. The thought is pushed aside, his shoulders sagging at the sight of his long-awaited coffee. "Thank God." His eyes lock with long, elegant fingers around the rim of the cup, dimpling the carton in a way that John can only describe as sensual. It shouldn't be. It's seven-thirty in the bloody morning. "I'm afraid that God had not much to do in making your coffee this morning," the barista replies. "I, on the other hand…"

Percolate by cwb & Ellipsical (E, 13,793+ w., 6/16 Ch. || WiP || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Mutual Pining, Misunderstandings, Insecure Sherlock, Patient John, Case Fic, Flirting) – This work is a collaboration between Ellipsical and cwb and promises to be a lighthearted, fun romcom with strong themes of mutual pining, awkward flirting, and panicked impulsiveness. POV will alternate between Sherlock and John; cwb writes Sherlock, Ellipsical writes John.

Mistletoe and Misdemeanours by Robottko (T, 20,738 w., 12 Ch. || Coffee Shop AU || Christmas, Fake Relationship, Coffee Shops, Victor Trevor, First Kiss, Holmes Family, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Family Drama, Kidnapping) – When Victor Trevor backs out of the Holmes family Christmas at the last minute, Sherlock panics because he has no way to impress his parents. Thankfully there is a handsome army doctor with nowhere to go in his coffee shop, though it would be more helpful if he were a bit more willing.

sherlock and his daddy series by rory_kent (M, 24,433+ w. across 6 works || Series WiP || BDSM / Sugar Daddy AU || Sugar Daddy John, Age Difference, Sub Sherlock, Daddy Kink, Military Kink, Subspace, Hurt/Comfort, Coffee Shop AU, Unilock) – Sherlock didn't mean to upset daddy he really didn't!

A Wizarding Barista's Field Guide to Seducing a Muggle by paradigmfinch (T, 29,344 w., 9 Ch. || Harry Potter Coffee Shop AU || Fluff, Wizard John, Muggle Sherlock, Bisexual John, Flirting, First Dates, Harry Watson, Secret Identity) – To help pay for Healing tuition, John Watson gets a job at a coffee shop in Muggle London, where he soon sets his sights on a particularly gorgeous customer. John's seen plenty of Muggle films. How different can it really be to woo a Muggle?

Four Shots Series by Opy3332 (T, 34,736 w. across 5 works || Series WiP || Coffee Shop AU || MI6, Barista John, Developing Relationship, First Dates) – Series of stories revolving around John and Sherlock meeting under different circumstances--when John takes a job as a barista at SIS headquarters and meets Sherlock there.

Blond Barista Seeks Dashing Ballet Dancer: Inquire Within by prettysailorsoldier (E, 43,847 w., 1 Ch. || Unilock Coffee Shop AU || Rugby/Barista John, Ballet Dancer Sherlock, Fluff) – Between classes, his job at a local cafe, and being captain of the rugby team, John Watson's life is plenty stressful enough without the addition of a mysterious ballet dancer he can see through the windows of the dance studio across the street, but, somehow, he can't bring himself to mind.

Captains of Industry Series by 221b_hound (E, 131,398+ w. across 34 works || Series WiP || Australian Hipster Coffee Shop AU || Barista John, Security Consultant Sherlock, Awkward Flirting, First Kiss/Time, Panicking Sherlock, Patient John, Cuddles, Grooming, Anal, Bathing/Washing, Coming in Pants, Frottage) – Captains of Industry is the most hipster of Melbourne hipster cafes. It's bespoke suits, artisan shoes, sculpted facial hair and the most exquisite food and coffee all the way. Sherlock Holmes, Digital Security Consultant, has become a regular patron. And one day, perhaps one day soon, he will work out how to successfully flirt with the hot barista, John Watson.