Compromises - A Johnlock Fanfiction

Chapter 10 - One Final Act

Chapter 10: One Final Act

(A/N: This chapter is angsty-ish. Warning: Character death and mention of previous characters and feels and JOHNLOCK! Anyway, enjoy. Yeah I do write author's notes. I deleted my last account by accident and this was the fanfic I was writing so I reuploaded the first 8 chapters without bothering to chat to you guys. Congratulations for reading this far. Only 2 more chapters to go. I'm so grateful for my readers. I hope it's good.)

John was sat on the other side of the restaurant from me, he was facing my way and every few minutes our eyes would connect, I could even see the nervous fear in his eyes. John could be every inch the soldier but his eyes gave away everything he was feeling.

When John looked away Sherlock followed his gaze to see Milla Branston strutting over to where John was sat in the window seat. Sherlock had never paid much attention to John when he was around women before so he was just as fascinated by that aspect of the evening as he was about Milla Branston; tonight’s criminal. John stood as Milla approached, kissing her on the cheek in greeting. Every inch the charming man I had expect he would be to be able to have so many girlfriends in such a short amount of time. They sat down and started talking.

Sherlock occasionally picked at his own meal, trying to make it look like he was eating it so that he wouldn't get chucked out before the date was over. One of the waitresses kept giving him a funny look and eventually sat in the seat opposite him with her own meal. Probably on her break.

“Whoever stood you up is an idiot.” the girl stated, tucking into her food. It wasn't the girl sitting with him that annoyed him it was that she had sat in his line of view to John and Milla.

“I wasn't stood up.” I said, not really paying much attention to John anymore,

“Why are you eating on your own then?” she asked, looking at me with wide, sympathetic eyes.

“My flat mate went out on a date and I like being on my own...” Sherlock leaned to the side to look at John and Milla, who were leant towards each other probably exchanging flirtatious comments. Sherlock felt a new wave of annoyance wash over him. He looked back at the girl.

“I'm on my break so I don't mind keeping you company.” she offered, probably choosing to ignore the 'I like being on my own' part of Sherlock's last input into the conversation.

When Sherlock looked over at John's table again neither of them were there. Sherlock felt panic strike him as his eyes shot to the door where John was looking longingly at him as he and Milla put on their coats.

“I've got to go.” Sherlock suddenly said, getting up and keeping his eyes on John. If John got hurt it was Sherlock's fault and he couldn't live with himself if that happened. He handed a couple of notes which should have more than covered the cheque to the waitress as he passed her on his way out of the restaurant.

John and Milla had disappeared by the time Sherlock got out of the restaurant though.

“Don't piss her off, John.” Sherlock said to the cold night air.

“You thought I hadn't seen you watching me from across the restaurant.” a calculating voice said “Well, you underestimated me, Mr Holmes.” Sherlock spun around slowly and took a step forward, pausing as Milla did something that made John whimper. Sherlock assessed John to see that Milla had pressed a gun to John's neck.

“Oh, the blow to the back of the head. It was from a gun. And John wouldn't have gone on a date with a murderer without his gun, which you must have pick pocketed from him. You wouldn't actually shoot anyone though.” Sherlock took a precautionary step forwards. “It wasn't very hard to find you, Milla. You might even say it was too easy and that you wanted to be caught. But why?” Milla smiled.

“I was going through what you're going through but my 'best friend' died. He didn't come back though. I didn't get the chance that you've got. I'm a big fan of your work, I've read the blog,” she lowered the gun from John's head but kept her arm around his shoulder “I routed for you and then the news said that you killed yourself and I...I knew what it was like to be in John's shoes. You can't imagine how jealous I am of your situation and yet here you are wasting this perfect second chance. I would kill, I have killed for this. And now here we are.” Milla let go of John and pushed him towards me, I caught John, grabbing him as he grabbed me.

“Are you alright?” I clutched John's shoulders and looked around for any injuries that may have been inflicted before I got to them. When I was sure John wasn't hurt I pushed him behind me, giving Milla my full attention again. “You can arrest me if you like, but don't forget I was the one who put that seed of doubt in your heads. And that's all it takes, doesn't it Sherlock?”

“The seed of doubt...what are we supposed to be doubting?” John piped up, making the penny drop in Sherlock's head. He looked over his shoulder at John and then back at Milla who was smiling. He didn't deny it, why would he when she was right. Of course she was. Sherlock looked back at John and knew that he wouldn't shut up about the 'doubt' until he knew what it meant. Sherlock decided that ignorance was bliss, for now anyway. He took a sigh of relief, assuming for a split second that me and John were the soul purpose of this.

Wrong.

As if in slow motion Milla pulled the gun back up again.

Bang.

Sherlock's head whipped around to John, his eyes looking for the wound but the bullet hadn't been for John. John's eyes were roaming over Sherlock and their eyes connected when they both realised simultaneously that the bullet wasn't for them. The clatter of the gun hitting the ground snapped their attention back to Milla who was crumpled on the floor with a pool of blood spreading around her. Sherlock jumped into action. Crouching at Milla's side and looking for the wound. She hadn't shot herself in the head, she hadn't shot herself in the heart, either, but instead had missed by a few inches, buying her some time.

“One final act, Mr Holmes.” Milla whispered allowing the assumption that her words were for my ears only. She closed her eyes momentarily causing another false alarm but when she opened them again I could see her fighting through the pain. Fighting death. “I'm not Milla Branston, my real name is Sabrina Moran and my love also killed himself. You might have known him. Witty, cunning, beautiful. He routed for you and John as well. James Moriarty. My love.” and then she exhaled one final time.

In the end her death was just as dramatic as his, but really they both died for a cause. Me and John. John and I.