His Empty Chair

Chapter 5

Warning: There is blood in this chapter and injured characters.

Immediately there was a sharp intake of breath from beside him as John saw Mary. He had to fling out an arm to restrain John from barrelling towards her. The room was large but there was barely anything in it. He knew that there was more than what just awaited them at the other end of the room and he was assured that because right after entry bright red dots appeared right over their hearts.

Guns trained on them from varies corners of the room and Sherlock could just make out the men watching them from the shadows.

But he had expected all of that, it was who stood at the other end of the room that surprised him. It was the person who held the gun shakily with bright slightly maniacal eyes. He stood frozen in that horrid room as he pieced together what Moriarty had done.

Emily Broadweather.

That was when everything fell together. That was when the cogs in his mind suddenly came to life nearly tearing themselves apart as his head worked overtime.

Of course. The death of Hayden had destroyed her, had utterly ruined her. Hayden had been her favourite then he had died and she had been left with James. The younger brother with whom she loved but did not care for with the same amount of emotion. She had been left to rely on him. He had been the only person she had left but with the death of James she had lost it. Her whole family was dead and she was expected to live a normal life.

"John do not go to her." Sherlock whispered it in his ear as he leant in to push John back. If he got too close she would kill her. Emily was on a fine thread between sanity and fantasy, one wrong move could mean Mary was dead.

"Glad you could finally come!" Emily waved to them, smiled and then gave them a little bow. Her clothes were ruffled and she looked extremely pleased with herself. "Poor Mary here has missed you. You should hear her beg. So sweet." Mary stayed perfectly still as Emily ran her hands down Mary's face. She strained against the bonds holding her to the chair but she stayed silent. John tensed next to him but didn't move. Sherlock could guarantee that Mary had not uttered a word but it was simply a ploy to get John worked up. He had to stay calm they had to play for time. They needed to turn the tables.

Sherlock steadied his breathing and tried to focus. He blocked out the panic and fear which brewed beneath the surface and instead worked on ways that they could get out of this. They were all getting out of this building alive.

"Let her go now!" John ground out the words with barely any breath. But Sherlock had to restrain himself for scorning John for his lack of tact. They needed to go about this how she wanted to. Emily was waiting for her time and they needed her to get distracted. Moriarty always got what he wanted and so does his clients when it suits him. Moriarty had no doubt played with the women before him to get what he wanted. He wanted Sherlock to break, he was going to make everything that mattered to him burn. This was why Emily was alive, this was why he had not tossed her out, he helped her because he knew it would always end up destroying Sherlock. The death of Mary would simply be the start. Moriarty was using Emily to get to him. He allowed her to do this.

He had to play the game.

"Go ahead shoot her she deserves it." As Sherlock spoke John turned to him in utter disbelief and betrayal. He needed to know how Emily would react. If she would know of the lie or if she would comply. But he locked eyes with John and made sure he understood.

"Well if you really want me to..." Emily turned back to Mary and raised the gun.

"NO!" John yelled out but didn't move. Sherlock silently thanked him for not moving. If he had things could have gone wrong. But Emily simply laughed and faced them again.