For John Watson

[howdull]

[Sherlock is still finding pieces of the melted laptop in the carpet.

It had actually been quite an ingenious booby trap to be devised by a fourteen year old boy with only household chemicals to work with but, as Sherlock surmised, rather overkill to keep his mother from finding his extensive porn collection. Not one of their more illustrious cases, but it had been quite entertaining to watch both the boy and mother's faces as he revealed that he did know the how and why. He lost interest after the mother started shouting and John started shouting and the whole thing turned tedious.

He rather thinks John won't actually be doing a full write-up of this one on his blog.

It's been two days since their last case and he's beginning to get more than a little antsy. Lestrade has sent him nothing, just a boring hit and run that he refused to even leave the flat for, and nobody interesting has appeared through the blog. Said blog he is currently scrolling through on John's laptop, having borrowed it again.

He did ask, it's not his fault John hadn't been in the room at the time.]

Bored, John.

[He doesn't even know if his flatmate is even in, but that's hardly a necessity for him to actually speak to John. Frustrated, he throws the laptop across the room to hit the wall, where it summarily breaks. Which is where he can be found whenever John appears, sulking amidst pieces of laptop, both from the melted one of their last case and John's poor broken one.]

Comments

[jumpthegun]

[John's lips thin to an annoyed line. How had he not seen that baiting for what it was?]

He's an inch taller. At most. He could be going the sniper angle. What else is there to take after my family, my friend, and my career? Take out my ability to shoot. She lost her finger. Could be she thinks she owes me an eye in return for that.

[howdull]

Possible. Or it could mean nothing, a red herring to tie you up in knots while the real plans are being worked on elsewhere.

[Moriarty is, after all, brilliant from what he's seen so far. It's pretty damn exciting.]

Eat something. Sleep. I need you in your best condition tomorrow.

[jumpthegun]

[John eyes Sherlock uncertainly, wondering if this is a ploy to get him out so that Sherlock can run off somewhere.]

Are you going to be here when I wake up?

[howdull]

Where else would I be?

[That's not exactly a yes, though it is worded to make John believe it is one. He doesn't plan to go anywhere, but he's not going to hang around pointlessly if things develop.]

[jumpthegun]

[He continues to eye Sherlock for a long moment before nodding. John looks down at the rumpled suit he's worn since the funeral and sighs.]

Did Lestrade give you the clothes Molly bought for me, by chance?

[He should probably wear this for the meeting tomorrow with Jim.]

[howdull]

In the bathroom.

[He waves vaguely towards the tiny, grimy little bathroom. Not only are the clothes Molly bought there, but there's also a pack of boxers (Spider-Man themed), and two extra t-shirts.]

[jumpthegun]

[Those are certainly boxers... John shakes his head and takes a pair of them along with a T-shirt to sleep in. That should be easier than his other clothes. Although, it will leave him less ready to jump up and go if they need to in the middle of the night.

John chews his lip for a moment and pulls out his phone to text Molly.]

FROM: JOHN
TO: MOLLY

I'm really sorry about Sherlock throwing you out. If you could check in with me every hour while you're on the stakeout, I'd appreciate that. I'm going to try to sleep for a bit, but I'd still like to make sure you're all right.

[He starts to undress, resolving to go for just the boxers and T-shirt.]

[howdull]

[Molly's been feeling miserable and embarrassed ever since she parked her car up at the address she was given. She should be more assertive, she should have told Sherlock no. She's tired, she's worried about both of them, and she really doesn't want to be out here.

But she can't seem to say no. He has a way of making her feel guilty for normal human needs like sleep or emotions. She's in the middle of berating herself when she gets the text message, sending one back pretty quickly.]

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

Glad you got back ok! It's fine. Hard to say no to Sherlock sometimes. I'll let you know if anything happens but looks like everyone in bed here, all lights off. V. boring. Molls. xxx

[jumpthegun]

FROM: JOHN
TO: MOLLY

Shouldn't have left you alone with him. He's a right git. I just can't stand to be around him sometimes when he's being... himself, you know? Too much himself. Be really careful on the stakeout, though. Keep your doors locked at all time. Caroline just jumped into the car I was riding in with some kid when we stopped at a light.

[Maybe that's not going to help Molly feel safer, but under the circumstances, John would rather have her hypervigilant than nodding off at the wheel. She's had a very full and mad few days, as well. She should be getting sleep. After he gets fully changed he adds a little more.]

Don't worry about tomorrow. Sherlock and I will handle Jim. You just get some rest, okay?

-John

[howdull]

[She doesn't really want to be useless to them, so if sitting here all night will be more help than coming to the interview with Jim then that's what she'll do.]

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

What time is your appointment? I can make sure to have the car back by then so you can borrow it to get there. Get some sleep. Molls xx

[jumpthegun]

FROM: JOHN
TO: MOLLY

11:30. You really are an angel, Molly. Honestly. Sherlock would be dead and I'd probably be a complete mess without you. I want you to know that, whatever happens. I don't know how I'll ever be able to thank you for everything you've done. You want to rest back at the flat here? It's not the nicest neighborhood, and Jim and Caroline know where it is. Don't reckon there's much of anywhere we can go where they won't know it, though. At least we know Mycroft should have this place under surveillance.

- John

[John finishes changing, grabs the charger for the phone, and heads out to lie down on Sherlock's bed.]

Be nicer to Molly. [It's directly distractedly at the detective, wherever he is, as John plugs the phone in to charge.] She's a bloody miracle, and we're lucky to have her helping.

[howdull]

[Molly sees the message and it makes her tear up a little bit. She's so unsure of herself most of the time, especially around Sherlock, and to hear all of this-- or see it, technically-- is a lovely thing. She hesitates on what to reply for a while, settling on keeping it simple.]

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

What are friends for? :) Will sleep at the flat. C U later. Molls xx

[Sherlock glances up at the instruction, eyebrows rising in surprise.]

I am nice to Molly. [Nicer than he is to most people.] You've stopped making sense, likely sleep deprivation. Bed. Now.

[jumpthegun]

Says the man who barely sleeps.

[John tries to find a comfortable position on his side that won't aggravate the injuries on his back or his broken ribs. It's half an hour, perhaps, before he falls into a fitful sleep and his breathing evens out. Unless there's something loud to wake him, he'll sleep until either Sherlock wakes him or until about 6 AM, when he'd normally be getting up.]

[gallowshumour]

[Sherlock will actually also get some sleep, surprisingly enough.

He intends to stay awake and do some more thinking, but it turns out that having a fit is far more draining than he might have imagined. His whole body aches as if he's run a marathon, and he ends up fast asleep over a bag of M&Ms not much later.

When John wakes up at six, it will be to a number of text messages.]

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

There's lights on now. I thought I was just going to have to stare at a dark house all night, will let you know if anything happens! Molls xx

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

Jim is here.

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

A bunch of other men too, about six of them and one definitely has a gun. They look kind of like military?

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

Think I better move the car in case they notice me.

FROM: MOLLY
TO: JOHN

Going to sneak closer and see if I can take some photos or a recording. Sherlock, eat your heart out. It's Molly Hooper, detective extraordinaire! More info to come.

[And then nothing, last message sent at 03:46.]

[jumpthegun]

[John rises gingerly, grabbing his phone before heading into the loo. He eyes Sherlock's prone form, thinking he's going to have a hell of a crick in his back when he wakes up. He nearly drops the phone when he scrolls to the last message. Okay. Don't panic. John moves quickly back out to the room, checking the window to see if Molly's car is there, even as he's dialing her number.

Oh, god. He knew this would happen. He knew it.]

[gallowshumour]

[Sherlock remains dead asleep throughout this whole time.

Molly's phone rings four times before it's answered, though the voice on the other end is a different kind of familiar and probably not at all as comforting.]

Morning, Johnny boy. Up bright and early, aren't we? I usually like a lie in, bit of breakfast in bed, that sort of thing.

[jumpthegun]

[When he hears that voice, his blood turns to ice in his veins for a moment. But if it's Jim and not Caroline, Molly might still be alive. He's here to taunt. John moves back over to Sherlock and gives his shoulder a sharp nudge with one foot while he puts the phone on speaker. His tone is cool. Someone is in immediate danger. Losing his temper right now is not an option. If he can help it.]

Morning, Jim. See you have Molly's phone. How's she doing. I was gonna meet up with her this morning.

[howdull]

[Sherlock is awake pretty quickly, and his gaze turns from sleepy to intensely focused in the space of a heartbeat when he realises what's going on. He sits up to look at the phone, brow furrowed in concern, but he doesn't speak. Better to keep his presence a secret for now, no need to reveal all their cards.

Jim laughs, as if John's said something amusing.]

We are dating, you know? Isn't a girl allowed to spend the night with her fella these days? But I think she will be a little late to meet you, hope you can forgive her. Maybe reschedule.

[jumpthegun]

[The hand not holding his phone curls into a fist.]

Well, I expect her to turn up to work later today, fully intact and unharmed, young man. [He puts on his best mock-fathering tone. There's still a very hard egde to it. God, he loathes this man.] Can't have pathologists going missing. What'll Barts do without her?

[gallowshumour]

Don't you worry, if you go down to the morgue later, I'm sure you'll find her there.

[There's a lot of suppressed laughter in Jim's voice. Sherlock's expression, meanwhile, is darkening by the moment.]

Looking forward to our appointment, Johnny, it should be a real blast.

[jumpthegun]

[His heart jumps to his throat. No. No. God, no!]

Where is she, Jim. I have time before our meeting. Your house? I can drop by.

[gallowshumour]

[Sherlock is already on his feet and grabbing for a new shirt and trousers, utterly unashamed about stripping naked in front of John in order to get in fresh things to go out.]

Let me see, let me see.

[Jim muses to himself as if he has all the time in the world, humming and occasionally tapping his fingers loud enough to be heard in the background.]

Sorry, but I do have a life outside of you boys and I'm busy this morning. You'll just have to wait.

[jumpthegun]

Maybe I'll just stop by Caroline's, then.

[It's snapped in cold fury, John's efforts at putting on a show of being impassive crumbling. But he does have a thought, something tickling at the back of his mind. Jim being so blasé is good. Why is it good? It's infuriating. It's something to do with the phone. Records? No. Jim could say they talked about anything.

Talking. He's talking. On speaker phone... in a bugged flat. It clicks and John's eyes go wide. He holds his silence, but his mind is ticking back to the texts with Mycroft when he seemed to know what John and Sherlock were saying and doing in the flat. This is it! If he can just get Moriarty to tie himself to Caroline...]

[gallowshumour]

You can stop by wherever you want to, you're still a free man for now.

[He gives a bark of laughter, which is cut off with a muffled voice in the background saying something too inaudible to be made out. He sighs, demeanour fully changing.]

I'm a little busy right now, or didn't anyone ever tell you that it's rude to interrupt people on the phone? Do it again, and I'll flay you.

[jumpthegun]

[John's mind immediately jumps to Molly, held in this psychopath's clutches and being threatened with a flaying.]

Don't lay a hand on her. I swear to god, if you hurt her, Jim...