The boys upstairs

Gratitude

"You're a Moriarty? You're a Moriarty?" Repeats John in disbelief.

You sigh. "Unfortunately so"

"Jim Moriarty is your brother? He tried to kill me you know" says John bitterly.

"Yeah well join the club" You cut and they both stare.

"So you're not here to spy on us for him?"

"No, I told you. I'm here to avoid him. And the last place he'll expect to find me is the direction he's looking- which is at Sherlock" You finish. "I'm sorry. I realise this is a selfish plan and yes, I travel light. So if you need me to go I will understand. I will leave within ten minutes and without fuss" you say solemnly. And you mean it.

You look up and impossibly, Sherlock is smiling.

"Leave? Leave? Oh no I don't think so- you're Jim Moriaty's sister! And you're in our flat! And even better you're not here to kill us!"

"Yes well that is definitely a bonus" mutters John and you smile sheepishly.

"This. Is. Brilliant" breathes Sherlock, bouncing from the coffee table to the sofa and back again, all while running his hands through his hair.

"Is he alright?" You ask in slight concern.

John nods and rolls his eyes.

"Yes he does this. Sherlock would you shut it Rosie's sleeping!" He threatens and Sherlock finally stops beaming. He climbs down and laughs manically, stopping suddenly and texting rapidly on a phone he conjured from god knows where.

"That's my phone" sighs John.

Ah. From there.

"Brilliant deduction John your talents are wasted as a doctor" he mutters sarcastically, still typing. John has apparently learnt not to react.

"Ok so what's going on now?" You say tentatively. Sherlock looks up suddenly.

"You've given us the biggest clue (Y/n). He's looking for me, he knows me, and these puzzles are for me. What he never anticipated was that you would be involved. Well, I say he. I guess Moriarty is a criminal organisation now. A collection of masterminds to carry on his work" he says absently.

"Sherlock..." you start but he isn't listening.

"I digress. The girl was found with the play, Macbeth, but there will be others. We won't know what extract from each play, assuming they continue in a similar manner, but we have a start line-"

"Sherlock-"

"-All we have to do is interpret the pattern and there will be clues in the novels! We find the extract and boom- everything is the opposite and we can gather clues on our killer!" He divulges excitedly. His smile falters as he catches sight of you finally. "What, what is it?" he asks quickly and you swallow.

"Sherlock... Moriarty isn't dead. It's still him." you say and Sherlock is silent.

"He blew his brains out on a rooftop" hisses John. "He left prerecorded messages for the Holmes sister to use, he's dead okay?"

"I'm sorry you have a sister-?" You start

"(Y/n) are you quite sure he isn't dead?" Interrupts Sherlock

"I'm sorry. He definitely isn't dead" You state. John falls backwards into a chair and Sherlock looks at his feet. They didn't need to know how you knew. They didn't need to know about how he tortured you mentally for years. How you were his plaything, so easily manipulated and so easily conditioned. They didn't need to know what you did for him. Except Sherlock never asked. He wasn't one to miss things so this was deliberate. He deliberately wasn't asking about your dysfunctional relationship with you brother because he knew what it would do to you.

"Thank you"

It comes out without thought. Both men look at you and you look away, wishing you hadn't said that thought out loud. There is some movement and they are in front of you. You place your head in your hands and Sherlock crouches, taking your hand into his own.

"(Y/n). I don't do well with people... and emotions. But I know gratitude. Coming here was one of the bravest things you could have done. And as much as you want to believe it, it wasn't a selfish move. Fuelled by hatred for your brother, maybe. But also by compassion for his enemies. Because you know what it's like to be one of them" he finishes. You lean into him and he simply holds you, rocking you gently in silence and for the first time in months, years perhaps, you feel safe.