Clique of 221B

Chapter 14: Mary

Sherlock texted you to say that the person you've been looking for is at the London Aquarium. Nice place I've heard. But anyways, you and Mycroft are on your way there now. You've contacted Scotland Yard and Greg will arrive at a similar time to you. When you arrive you both get out quickly and walk through the empty aquarium until you find them. You hear Sherlock's voice first,
"...the red wine stain ghosting your top lip. So yes. I say jealousy was your motive after all – to prove how good you are..." He's deducing someone. The person who betrayed AGRA. As you and Mycroft enter the person glances at you. Vivian Norbury. With a gun pointed at Sherlock and Mary. "-to make up for the inadequacies of your little life." Sherlock finishes. Vivian's eyes stay on you as Greg comes behind you, followed by three police officers.
"Well, Mrs Norbury. I must admit this is unexpected," Mycroft says.
"Vivian Norbury, who outsmarted them all. All except Sherlock Holmes." Sherlock's voice is dripping with sarcasm. Careful Sherly, she does have a gun on you. He takes a step forward, holding out his hand for the gun. Mary and the police officers step forward as well. "There's no way out." Sherlock adds, softly. She smiles,
"So it would seem. You've seen right through me, Mr Holmes."
"It's what I do." He replies. She tilts her head to the side.
"Maybe I can still surprise you." She holds the gun tight and aims at Sherlock. You quickly slip the gun out of your pocket. Mycroft nudges you, and you glance up at him as he shakes his head. Frowning, you put the gun away.
"Come on. Be sensible." Greg tells her. She shakes her head,
"No, I don't think so." She fires. Before the bullet can hit Sherlock, Mary dives in front of him. With a cry Mary collapses against a nearby bench. "Surprise." Vivian says spitefully. You can only stare at her in horror, but then you recover and rush to Mary, pulling your jacket off and pushing it on the wound. It's useless. Stupid mind. Why am I always right? Tears are already collecting in your eyes. Sherlock drops to his knees and presses his hand over yours. She looks up at you her eyes wide, and winces,
"[Y/N]?"
"Yes, Mary?" You choke out through the tears.
"Look after them for me?"
"I promise." She pauses,
"You... you're doing good. [Y/N]. We're not.. who we used to be."
"You did good too, you know?" Sherlock turns to Mycroft, "Get an ambulance." Mycroft hurries away. "It's all right, it's all right." He continues to tell Mary. When you glance up you see John rushing in.
"Mary!" He cries out. He drops down next to her.
"John!" She cries. You and Sherlock stand up and step back as John holds his hand against the wound and takes the back of her head with his other hand.
"Mary? Mary?" She looks up at him. "Stay with me. Stay with me."
"Oh, come on."
"Don't worry."
"Oh, come on Doctor, you can do better than that." Her voice brakes at the end.
"Come on, Mary." She sobs.
"God, John, I think this is it." Her words are panicked now.
"No-no-no-no, it's not." He insists. It is, it really is. Heavy tears are blurring your vision.
"You made me so happy. You gave me everything I could ever, ever..." I can't look.
"Shh shh."
"... want."
"Mary, Mary."
"Look after Rosie." She says tearfully. "Promise me."
"I promise." John's voice comes out as a whisper.
"No." Mary sobs.
"Yes, I promise." He says louder now. You turn back to look at them.
"Promise me." She repeats.
"I promise, I promise." She looks up at Sherlock,
"Hey, Sherlock." He looks down at her stunned,
"Yes?"
"I... so like you." Mycroft comes back with his phone in his hand and stands a short distance away near you. But you can't look at him. "Did I ever say?" She asks. Sherlock smiles slightly as his eyes fill with tears,
"Yes. Yes, you did."
"I'm sorry... for shooting you that time. I'm really sorry."
"It-it's alright."
"I think we're even now okay?" He takes a deep breath, trying to hold back tears,
"Okay." She cries out in pain.
"Mary. Mary." John repeats.
"I think we're even, definitely eve... even." She gasps in pain. She looks at John, "You, you were my whole world." John grimaces. "Being Mary Watson... was the only life worth living." You swallow hard at this.
"Mary." John says softly.
"Thank you." Her head drops down. She's gone. He reaches to touch her chin then drops his hand. You, Sherlock, Greg, and Mycroft watch silently. For several long seconds no one moves, then John lifts his hand and cradles her head and rests his chin on top of it. Lifting up again, he looks at her face. Sherlock stares down at them as if he can't believe what just happened. To be honest neither can I. John's head drops, and a sob comes from his clenched teeth. He draws in a breath and sobs again, and then again, louder. Sherlock reaches out a hand to touch him but before he can make contact John's head comes up, his face full of rage. He glares up at Sherlock, breathing heavily.
"Don't you dare," he hisses savagely. "You made a vow. You swore it."
Sherlock's eyes widen with shock as he begins to step back. Greg looks across to you and Mycroft, who returns his gaze. But you can't look away from John. With tears pouring down his face, he turns back to Mary, strokes her hair and pulls her head close to him. He whispers in a tiny voice,
"Mary."

Back at Baker Street, Mrs Hudson is sat in John's chair and Sherlock in his own. You're sat at the desk.
"Nothing will ever be the same again, will it?" Mrs Hudson says sniffling.
"I'm afraid it won't." Sherlock says distantly.
"We'll have to rally round, I expect. Do our bit. Look after little Rosie." You nod as she breaks down into tears again. Sherlock stands up,
"Just going to, um..." He glances around like he's uncertain of what to do, then points to a small pile of letters on the desk in front of me. "-look through these things. There might be a case." Sherlock sits down opposite me and looks down at the his laptop.
"Oh. You're not up to it, are you?" Mrs Hudson says. 
"Work is the best antidote to sorrow, Mrs Hudson." He answers.
"Yes, yes, I expect you're right." She gets out of the chair. "I'll make some tea, shall I?"
"Mrs Hudson?" He asks.
"Yes Sherlock?"
"If you ever think I'm becoming a bit..." He pauses and swallows. "-full of myself, cocky or over-confident..."
"Yes?"
"-would you just say the word 'Norbury' to me, would you?"
"Norbury?" Like Vivian Norbury.
"Just that." He then pauses for a moment, then looks at her pleadingly. "I'd be very grateful." He turns away from her and begins to fiddle through the pile of envelopes on the desk. "What's this?" He asks.
"Oh, I brought that up. It was mixed up with my things." He opens the envelope and pulls out a DVD. "Oh God, is that?"
"Must be."
"Oh." She sits down on the arm of the chair behind Sherlock as you go and stand next to her in time to see the front of the disk which reads, "MISS ME?" Moriarty? Sherlock loads the disk. Your phone buzzes. Mycroft, most likely. You ignore it, I need to see this first.
"I knew it wouldn't end like this. I knew Moriarty made plans." But when the DVD loads it's not Moriarty. It's Mary. She smiles at the camera.
"Thought that would get your attention." She says. Well you thought right Mary. And we do miss you, a lot.