Loving a Holmes

The Appledore Vaults

I don't take us long to get to Appledore in the helicopter. When we get there we are shown to a large sitting room, where one long wall is made of glass and looks out to the grounds, the other is lined with large green exotic plants. Magnussen is sitting on the sofa. He takes a drink from his glass as Sherlock stops a couple of paces in front of the sofa while John and I stand a little way behind and on either side of him.

Magnussen nods to his men and they turn and leave. Lifting his glass he smirks at over to me. "Madison. I didn't know you were with the famous Mr. Holmes. Which begins the question why is your wedding ring so small."

I sigh softly, not answering him. Not that I would have anything to say to a man who made it his personal mission to humiliate everyone under his employe every day. He chuckles softly, looking over at Sherlock. "I would offer you a drink but it's very rare and expensive."

He drinks. Sherlock turns and sits down on the sofa a couple of feet to Magnussen's right. He sighs with a contented sound and slaps his hands down on the white leather either side of him, putting the laptop down between himself and the other man, then crosses his legs and clasps his hands in his lap. He looks across to the other side of the room. "Oh. It was you."

I turn the direction Sherlock is looking in, as he speaks in a calm manner, and see projected onto a glass wall opposite us, the footage is playing of Sherlock and Mary's rescue of John from the bonfire. "Yes, of course. Very hard to find a pressure point on you, Mr. Holmes."

John glances over his shoulder and turns back, then does a double-take, before walking toward the wall. While Magnusson continues. "The drugs thing I never believed for a moment. Anyway, you wouldn't care if it was exposed, would you? But look how you care about John Watson. Your damsel in distress."

John walks closer to the wall, staring at the footage with his mouth open. In slow motion on the footage, Sherlock drags John out from under the bonfire again John turns around and walks closer to Magnussen, his voice tight and furious. " You put me in a fire ... for leverage?"

"Oh, I'd never let you burn, Doctor Watson. I had people standing by. I'm not a murderer ... unlike your wife."

John stares up at him grimly. He holds his gaze for a while, then glances across to Sherlock. Magnussen walks over towards the wall. Reaching the wall, he puts one finger on it at the side of the projected footage. There's a beep and as Magnussen slides his finger across the glass, the footage slides with it and disappears off to the side. John tilts his head at him questioningly. The side of Sherlock's mouth lifts in a small smile.

"Let me explain how leverage works, Doctor Watson. For those who understand these things, Mycroft Holmes is the most powerful man in the country. Well ... apart from me. Mycroft's pressure point is his junkie detective brother, Sherlock. And Sherlock's pressure point is his best friend, John Watson and his love, Madison Moriarty. Madison Moriarty's pressure point was her criminal brother, but since he is gone I had to focus on John Watson's pressure point which is his wife. I own John Watson's wife ... I own Mycroft. He's what I'm getting for Christmas."

Even though the laptop is almost within his reach, he holds out his hand towards Sherlock. Without looking around, Sherlock shoves it across the sofa towards him. "It's an exchange, not a gift."

He stands, while Magnussen raises his eyebrows at him. Sherlock walks a few paces forward, then turns around again. Magnussen picks up the laptop. " Forgive me, but... I already seem to have it." He holds the laptop to his chest and runs his fingers over the back.

"It's password protected." Magnussen continues to run his fingers over the machine, as Sherlock continues. "In return for the password, you will give me any material in your possession pertaining to the woman I know as Mary Watson."