Previous part of Time Lords.

***

Sherlock was in the console room of the TARDIS, waiting for the Doctor to finish his check on John when the door opened. "Well?" he asked.

"Molly will take care of things for us," Mycroft replied. "I must admit, Sherlock, that was not one of the outcomes I foresaw for this evening. Moriarty did not seem the type to take his own life."

"Are we sure he's dead?" Sherlock asked.

"What the hell?"

"Lestrade," Sherlock said. "Mycroft?"

"Yes, well, I had to tell him a few things," Mycroft said, looking at the tip of his umbrella. "He'll keep our secret, Sherlock. I checked Moriarty before leaving him with Molly, though events with John have proved that I am, indeed, out of practice. There was no activity in his brain. I am sure of that much."

"I should take a look at him to be sure," the Doctor said, joining the group. "John's asleep, Sherlock. There's nothing physically wrong with his brain, nothing that I can fix. I think that whatever Mycroft did when he was altering John's memories of me and what I said to him, it created a few new neural nets and those can't be altered."

"So John will hate me when he wakes up," Sherlock sighed. "We have no video footage of the events at the pool, thanks to Moriarty's love of bombs, and nothing from his time with us underground." He sank into the jumpseat. "I think, brother, that I'll travel for a time. Allow John a chance to forget me."

"It's not like you to run away from things, Sherlock," Lestrade said.

"Oh, hullo Detective Inspector, didn't see you there, welcome to my ship," the Doctor said with a grin. "Don't touch anything and you'll be fine. Mycroft, I think that you should take Moriarty and burn him like you did Moran. That's the only way we can be sure he's really gone."

"Now wait a minute, Doctor, we can't just burn a body," Lestrade said. "What about his family?"

"He doesn't have any left, he killed them all before he moved to England," the Doctor said. "The other option is for me to take him with me and take care of him once I find a suitable planet."

"I'll take care of him, thank you though, Doctor," Mycroft said. "Sherlock, are you sure you want to leave things the way they are with John? You don't want to talk to him before you leave?"

Sherlock shook his head. "I'll travel for a while, see what's new out there and then come back," he said. "You didn't hear John up on the roof, Mycroft. He doesn't need to see me right now, not when he's hurting so badly. Perhaps Lestrade can talk to him, or you, Mycroft. He doesn't know the two of you were around for the events of the evening."

"If you're sure, Sherlock," Mycroft said.

"I am."

"Very well. Doctor, will you take me to John? We'll get him semi-mobile and take him back to Baker Street," Mycroft said. "The both of you are to keep in touch."

"I'll be in the pool," Sherlock said, vanishing into the depths of the TARDIS.

The Doctor sighed. "He'll come around, and we can always come back, Mycroft," he said. "We won't be gone long at all, not if I have my say in anything. Come on, medical bay is down here."
***********

"Where did you find a float?" the Doctor asked, staring at his lover once they were back in the time vortex. Mycroft had promised to keep a close eye on John until they returned to Earth.

"The TARDIS made it for me," Sherlock replied. "Are you going to come join me?"

"I dunno, the view from here is really nice," the Doctor grinned. He started to take off his suit. "Sherlock, I promised Mycroft that no matter how long we're gone, we'd come back within two weeks of today. I just wanted you to know that. He wasn't going to let us go if I didn't agree to that."

Sherlock snorted. "He always has thought he knows what's best for me," he said. "John was very definite in his wishes up on the roof. I don't see how returning early will change that."

"It won't, but you should at least try to talk with him," the Doctor said. He dove into the pool and swam out to the rubber float Sherlock was on. "I know John's your first human friend in at least a century. Living on the slow path really isn't my style, but I know what it's like. I've done it."

"Yes, I recall. Those were very interesting days, weren't they?" Sherlock grinned. "I had thought that John had more faith in me than he showed today. I know that love causes humans to act irrationally, but I don't understand how he could choose Moriarty like that. It's illogical."

"It's very human though," the Doctor pointed out. "He loved the man he knew as Richard, and we both know that Jim Moriarty was an outstanding actor. Without the previous knowledge of Moriarty to color John's feelings towards Richard, it's not surprising that John felt loyalty to the man he loved."

"How can anyone fall so deeply in love in two weeks?" Sherlock asked. "How do we know that Moriarty didn't have help from Moran to tie John to him? You said yourself that Moran was a very powerful, skilled Time Lord. Is it possible that he did something you couldn't find?"

"Yeah, of course it's possible, but I don't think he did," the Doctor said. "I think that John had been repressing feelings for you, not really understanding how he could be attracted to another man and my arrival just brought those feelings and emotions to the surface. Moriarty, as Richard, would have been smart, suave, and caring. Everything John had been hoping you would be for him. That could make him fall very fast, very hard and be very loyal. I didn't see anything in his mind that showed it was interfered with beyond what Mycroft did."

Sherlock looked over at his lover. "They say love is blind. I never understood that saying, not until today."

"You love who you love," the Doctor said. "John might have projected his feelings for you onto Richard, but I think they morphed into real feelings for him, in the end. I just want to make sure that you don't lose your friend, Sherlock. We're Time Lords, we lose people far too easily far too soon. I don't want to see you just throw this away, Sherlock. I think that John's worth fighting for, in the end. No matter how he feels about me."

The sound of a phone ringing stopped Sherlock from replying. "Hello?" the Doctor called.

"Ah, Doctor, why do you sound like you're in a cave?" Mycroft asked.

"I wired my phone into the TARDIS so I wouldn't have to carry it around with me," the Doctor said. "We just left, Mycroft. What's going on now?"

"I fear I have some rather disturbing news," Mycroft sighed. "John's gone, and so is Moriarty."

"What do you mean, Moriarty is gone?" Sherlock demanded.

"I mean that after we left John at Baker Street, he was seen going back to Bart's and then both he and Moriarty have vanished completely," Mycroft said. "Molly was knocked out, nothing beyond a simple injection but she's being monitored for the night to ensure there are no ill side-effects from the drug. She's not lucid, but says that it was Moriarty who gave her the injection."

"So he survived the fall," Sherlock said. "This must have been his plan all along."

The Doctor sighed. "Impressive, for a human," he said. "Mycroft, I think that you either need to get some practice in your telepathic abilities or just quit all together. This is the second time we've relied on you and you haven't been correct."

"I did ask you to look at him, Doctor. It's hardly my fault you chose to believe what I told you," Mycroft said. "Can you both come back and help with the search?"

The lovers looked at each other. "We'll check on a few things and join you," the Doctor finally said. "We'll be in touch, Mycroft."

"What are you planning, Doctor?" Sherlock asked.

"Why don't we go back and see where they go?" the Doctor grinned. "If we don't stop them, let events play out as they already have, well, it's not interfering in a time line, just observing. I think that's allowed."

Sherlock laughed. "Bending the rules, just like always." He kissed his lover and rolled over, landing in the water with a splash. "Why not? It's not like there's anyone who can object to it?"

"There is, we just won't tell him," the Doctor grinned. "Allons-y!"

***

The TARDIS materialized with a grumpy hum that said she wasn't happy to be back where she had been, even if there was distance between them. The Doctor patted her console. "I know, old girl, I know, but we need to be sure we don't miss anything and this is the only way to do it," he said. "Right, Sherlock, I've timed this to put us on the ground before Moriarty jumps off the roof, so we can follow along and watch everything that happens."

"I'm rather curious as to how he managed to survive the fall from the roof," Sherlock said. "Do you think it possible he took some sort of drug that was kicking in before he jumped and would relax him enough to survive as long as there wasn't extensive skull damage."

"It was dark up there, it's possible he had on a helmet of some sort that would protect his head from the fall," the Doctor said. "Come on, we can go out, we just have to be careful not to be seen. Humans always seem to be coming up with new things to keep themselves safe, it's possible that old Jim had come up with a way to protect his head and we weren't able to see it in the dark."

Sherlock followed the Doctor out onto the dark street. "We have to stay away from Mycroft. He'll be able to sense us," he said. "It might be possible to get a look at the body before John shows back up and they both vanish. Molly would have to be distracted, but she's not in the morgue constantly."

"If you get your chance, take it," the Doctor said. "This isn't a fixed point, Sherlock. We can rewrite it if you want to, to keep John safe."

"How?" Sherlock asked softly. He ducked behind some trees and motioned for his lover to join him. "This is a good vantage point and Mycroft is far enough off that he won't sense us here."

"We could kill Moriarty," the Doctor replied. "He's supposed to be dead, but no, that's probably what he wants to have happen. I'm not entirely sure he doesn't know more about me than he's letting on. My hatred of weapons and death is well known. I don't want to kill anyone unless there's no other choice in the matter. I'll think about it, there has to be a way to rewrite time here so John doesn't go off with a serial killer."

"There he is," Sherlock said, head tilted up towards the roof of the building across from them. "About to jump."

"Any way we can get into the morgue without being seen by Mycroft or his people?" the Doctor asked. "We don't need to know how he survived so much as we need to know where he took John and trying to stop that."

"There's an entrance on the other side of the building," Sherlock replied. "Come on, this way." He led the way along the street and crossed only when he was sure he was completely out of range of any of Mycroft's people. "I would imagine we'll be able to find out the how when he's in the morgue. Doctor, does it seem like we're missing something with all of this?"

"There's so much going on it's hard to say," the Doctor said. "Crossing a time line like this is tricky enough without trying to change a part of it. I doubt that Mycroft is going to be too happy when he finds out what we're doing."

Sherlock snorted. "Just remind him that he's been planet bound for over a hundred years and you've been out traveling," he said. "Through here. Mycroft may well be older than both of us, but he's never been one for traveling."

"Just how well do you know this building, Sherlock?" the Doctor asked, looking around.

"Extremely well," Sherlock replied with a smile. "Here, we can hide in here and no one will be the wiser."

The Doctor followed Sherlock into the closet and shut the door behind them. "So we need to wait until Mycroft leaves and then all we have to worry about is the young girl that works here, and John later on," he said. "I can't think of another option to deal with Moriarty, Sherlock. Even if he were to survive the night here, there's enough evidence for Mycroft to have him executed for his crimes. Plus he's a serial killer."

"Which is likely why he's running," Sherlock sighed. "I don't have your hatred of weapons, Doctor. I could happily kill Moriarty for what he's done."

"I hear someone coming," the Doctor said. "Let's see what we can learn."

***

"What happened?" Molly asked as Mycroft led the way into the morgue, four of his people carrying Moriarty's body. "Oh my god, Jim."

"He fell off the roof," Mycroft replied. "I believe that this is your division, Ms. Hooper. I am sorry for your loss."

"Yeah, okay, thank you, I just need a minute," Molly said, heading towards the back of the morgue. "You can put him on any table. I'll just be right back."

Mycroft sighed and looked at his men. "You may go," he said. "Tell Detective Inspector Lestrade where I am, should he ask. I'll just be a moment." He rested his umbrella against the table and looked around. "I know you're there, Sherlock, which is interesting as you should still be on the roof."

"We doubled back and jumped into the timeline," the Doctor said, walking out of the closet first. "Because we made a mistake and Jimmy here is still alive, and he takes John with him. We want to stop that happening."

"Yes, well, an understandable ambition," Mycroft said. "I was about to check to ensure that he is dead, but if you're here, Doctor, then I'll leave you to it and go explain a few things to Lestrade. I take it you don't want me to mention this when I see you both in the TARDIS later?"

"Avoiding a paradox would be wonderful," the Doctor said. "Don't want to blow up the universe, you know."

"Quite," Mycroft said. "If you can sort this, then I would be most grateful. Just watch out for Molly."

"She's calling in another medical examiner," Sherlock said. "We only have to worry about her coming in to say good-bye. If you could keep John away until morning, brother, it would be ever so helpful."

Mycroft nodded. "I believe I can do that easily enough," he said. "Be careful, the both of you. I'm not overly happy to find you in the wrong timeline."

"It's to save an innocent life," the Doctor said.

"Yes, which is why I'm not lecturing you," Mycroft said. "Doctor, if you find you cannot solve this problem without killing Moriarty, do let me know. I have several ways with which I can take care of him for good."

"You had your chance, Mycroft," the Doctor said. "I'll figure something out, even if it's abandoning my morals and letting Sherlock shoot him."

"Good, good, well, it sounds as if you have everything well in hand," Mycroft said. "I'll just be off then. See you both in the right timeline later on."

Sherlock looked at his lover. "He delights in making things more complicated," he said. "What do you think?"

"He's still alive," the Doctor said. "I don't know how, but he's in there. Brain activity is slow but present and his vitals are starting back up again. I think he's going to wake up within the hour unless we do something."

"Why don't we keep him unconscious and take him up into the wilds of Switzerland?" Sherlock asked.

"Why Switzerland?" the Doctor asked, taking the syringe from Sherlock and injecting the fluid into Moriarty's veins.

"Don't you recall those ridiculous books I allowed Conan Doyle to write about me back in the late 1800s?" Sherlock asked, helping to move the body out of the room and into the hall. "When he grew tired of writing them, he killed the detective at the falls there. It does seem rather silly, but a second fall there wouldn't be too suspicious, especially if he was wounded prior to the fall."

The Doctor nodded. "I'm against needless death, Sherlock. Always have been, always will be, but this one, he's dark. The darkness in his mind is spreading and it's too dangerous to let him live," he said. "I think your idea is the best we're going to have. All right, let's get going. I don't trust Mycroft to keep John away, and I don't want him involved in this."

***

Moriarty woke up, not in the morgue at Barts like he'd been expecting, but tied securely to a tree surrounded by mist and with a strange roaring sound in the background. He shook his head to clear it and groaned.

"Hullo Jimmy," the Doctor said with a wide grin. "Welcome back to the world of the living. That was a good trick, that was, jumping off a building a surviving to tell us how you did it."

"What are you doing here?" Moriarty asked. "Why won't you just leave me alone?"

"Because you're messing with my friends," the Doctor replied seriously. "I take friendship very seriously, you know, and messing with friends of mine is one way to be sure that I always show back up. Especially if you hurt my friends. So, I have a guess at how you survived, but I'd love to hear you tell me if I'm right or not."

"I'm not telling you anything. Where am I?"

"The falls of Reichenbach," Sherlock said from behind him. "I find it interesting that you chose the name of the man that Conan Doyle used as the arch-enemy of Sherlock Holmes in the early stories. Yes, I've done some investigating, Richard, and found out the truth. It's a sad truth, but the truth none the less."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Moriarty said.

Sherlock moved around and sat on a stone near Moriarty, but still at a safe distance away from the man. "You became interested in the Sherlock Holmes stories when you were six," he started, "having heard some upperclassmen talking about them. You quickly became obsessed with what you saw as the injustice done against Professor James Moriarty in the stories, even though he only appears in person in one story, a story where he is quickly eliminated at the falls of Reichenbach."

"Your father did the rest," the Doctor said softly. "Every time he beat you or your mother, you would retreat into your mind, forming an alternate persona, that of James Moriarty. You killed your father before you came over to England, but by then your mind was split roughly fifty-fifty between Richard and James."

"Richard is the artistic one," Sherlock said. "The story-teller who delights in translating new stories to tell to children. The one who could and does love John Watson. James, or rather Jim, is the serial killer, the one who is slowly overtaking the brain and is in control most of the time. When you saw my name in print for the first time, you decided it was fate and you would kill me in revenge for the Professor."

"Very clever, Sherlock," Moriarty said with a smile. "I would have managed it too, if Rich hadn't fallen in love. Some of that bled over, you know. I can feel what he feels, and he can feel what I feel, and I've never felt love before. I didn't know what it was until he met John at the hospital. You two are the first to figure me out. Why do you have the same name as Conan Doyle's detective, Sherlock?"

"My mother was a fan," Sherlock replied. "Too much of one, and both my brother and I suffered for it. You know far too well how mean children can be to anyone who is different."

"We were fated to meet, you know," Moriarty said. "It's too bad that it has to end this way, again, but I suppose it's for the best. I'd come out and hurt John, and I wasn't lying to him when I said he's more real to me than anyone else has ever been before. You won't tell him about all of this, will you?"

"He suspects," the Doctor said. "He'll never forget you."

Moriarty shook his head. "He'll never forget Richard," he said. "So what happens now?"

"You have a choice," the Doctor said. "You can go to your death here at the falls, just like the Professor did in the stories, or you can go to an isolated place where you'll be alone for the rest of your life, with food and water, but no humans around. You'll live in isolation until your natural death comes to you."

"I think I like that idea," Moriarty said. "Being alone, it would drive me crazy, but I'm already mad by human standards, aren't I?"

"You are," Sherlock said. "Now choose."

"Isolation," Moriarty said. "Jumping off the roof made me realize I'm not ready to die just yet."

The Doctor nodded. "All right then," he said. "We'll have to knock you out until you get there."

"Of course, it's the only smart thing to do," Moriarty said.
***

"Where are we leaving him?" Sherlock asked once they had Moriarty secure near the door of the TARDIS and were in flight.

"Nice little planet I know," the Doctor replied. "We'll go early enough in the planet's history that a single human won't make a bit of difference to the development of the local species and leave him there. Fresh water, food and materials to make fire, even though it's temperate year round. He won't die of exposure or ailment."

"Somehow I almost feel sorry for him," Sherlock said softly.

"I know," the Doctor said. "I do too. No one should have that sort of a life growing up. All right, there we are. Let's take him out, make sure he'll stay asleep for a few more hours and leave him be. I hope he lives a long life here, I really do."

Sherlock picked Moriarty up and followed the Doctor out into a grassy clearing. "This is pleasant," he said. "Yes, he'll do well here. Were he less intelligent, I'd worry about leaving him with no tools, but he'll be able to create his own easily."

"Let's leave him near the caves there," the Doctor said. "Then all we have to do is go back and show John that you're not a monster."

"I wish that was going to be as easy as this turned out to be," Sherlock said. He untied the last knot and bundled up the ropes. "At least we know that John is safe now."

***

"Let me go in alone," Sherlock said. "He's not going to react well to seeing me and seeing both of us might do more damage than anything would be able to undo."

The Doctor nodded and sat down on the steps that led up to John's bedroom. "I'll stay here unless I hear sounds of a physical altercation. No fighting, not when I'm here," he said.

"I'll do my best," Sherlock said. He took a deep breath and pushed the door open. "John."

"What are you doing here?" John asked in a monotone, not looking away from the fireplace.

"I wanted to tell you what I've found out," Sherlock replied. "Richard was real, John, and he did love you. You were right, there was a medical condition, one that could have been treated should it have been found earlier, but it was too late. Moriarty was taking over more and more frequently."

"He was sick, Sherlock, he needed help. Why didn't you just leave and let me help him?"

Sherlock sighed. "Because Moriarty was in control and everything he'd been doing when he was in command of the body was leading up to a showdown with me," he said. "Richard read Conan Doyle's books and fixed on the Professor. When he saw my name in the papers, he decided it was fate and he would kill me in revenge for what happened in the stories, or he would die trying."

"How do you know all of this?" John asked.

"Research in government records," Sherlock replied. "John, I understand you don't want me here. I'll gather up a few things and travel for a time. Just don't lock yourself away for good. You have people around who care about you and will want to help you recover from your loss."

"They wouldn't even let me in to see the body," John said. "Mycroft had him locked away and Molly said no one was going to be allowed in to see him."

"That might be for the best," Sherlock said. "Your memories of him won't have blood in them, John. Hold onto those memories because you deserve the happiness they bring you. Had I thought there was anything to be done, I would have stopped him. Even if it had cost me my life."

"He wouldn't have killed you."

"Richard wouldn't have, no, but that was Moriarty in control up there," Sherlock sighed. "You saw the sniper shot, John. You may not have registered it, but if not for a trick of the Doctor's, I wouldn't be here right now. You would have lost me instead of your lover." He held up a hand. "I know what your automatic response to that is, but please, take time to think things through logically when the pain dulls down. I'll leave you be. Should you wish to see me again, tell Mycroft. He'll be able to get in touch with me."

Sherlock shut the door quietly behind him and sighed. "Doctor?"

"I think it would be a good idea for Mycroft to keep an eye on him," the Doctor said. "Just to be safe."

"John is one of the strongest men I know, but even the strongest can break," Sherlock said, starting down the stairs. "Let me speak with Mrs. Hudson on the subject of the rent and then we can go. Mycroft will pay it for as long as John wants to remain here."

"Then what?"

"Is the offer to travel with you still good?"

"Of course it is," the Doctor said. "We'll go out and enjoy time and space for a while. It's not like Mycroft can't get in touch if he needs us for anything, and the break will do you good. I think having you here would be too painful for John right now."

Sherlock nodded. "A reminder of that which he lost," he said with a sigh.

"Yeah. I'm ready when you are, Sherlock."

***

Sherlock slammed the door to the TARDIS behind them and leaned against it while the Doctor worked the console. "You never mentioned how much time you spend running, Doctor," he said, trying to catch his breath.

"Yeah, running is important," the Doctor said. He looked up with a grin. "Still, we made it, the rebellion survived and the evil king is dead. Ten years from now a new government will be in control of the planet and everyone will be happier. That's worth a little running, isn't it?"

"I suppose, yes," Sherlock said. He moved to join his lover at the console and kissed him. "Could we pop back to Earth and see how John is doing, Doctor?"

"It's been a year, Sherlock, he's going to have a lot of questions for you," the Doctor said. "Probably starting with where have you been all this time? What are you going to tell him?" He started to put in the coordinates for Earth.

"I wish I knew," Sherlock said. "I suppose it's possible that he still hates me and I don't stand a chance of ever getting him back as a friend. I'll think of something when I see how he's doing. I find it rather odd that Mycroft hasn't rung through to tell us anything."

The Doctor nodded and threw the switch to land the TARDIS. "Yeah, that is a bit odd, isn't it?" he asked. "There you go, Earth, roughly a year later. I've got us parked in the park so you'll have a short walk to get to your flat."

"Aren't you coming along?"

"I didn't want to presume."

"Since when?"

"Since always," the Doctor said, shutting the door behind them. "I may poke my nose into everyone business, but I don't do it with my family, Sherlock. I know how much John means to you."

"I just hope that he is willing to forgive me," Sherlock said softly. "He went through so much trauma because of me and I wasn't able to help him recover from it. I feel bad about that, Doctor."

"I know you do," the Doctor said softly. "Isn't that Mrs. Hudson?"

"Sherlock!"

"Yes," Sherlock said. "Mrs. Hudson, how have you been?"

She hugged him tightly. "Oh, as good as I can be, love," she said. "I've been wondering when you would be back. So much traveling all of a sudden, do I have your young man to blame for that?"

"We've been seeing remote parts of the world," Sherlock said. "It's been amazing, Mrs. Hudson, but I wanted to come back and see John. How has he been?"

"Oh, Sherlock, I don't know how to tell you this, but he's not here," Mrs. Hudson said. "John's been gone about six months now. He said London reminded him too much of Rich and he was going to try and make a fresh start somewhere else. Just packed his things and left, not even a note for you. I am sorry, Sherlock, I know how close the two of you are."

"I half expected this," Sherlock admitted. "Come along, Doctor, let's go up and contact my brother. That is, of course, unless you've rented the flat, Mrs. Hudson."

"No dear, your brother's been paying the rent for you, so it's just as you left it," Mrs. Hudson said. "I'm sure Mycroft will be glad to hear that you're back. Will you be staying?"

"For a few weeks, yes," Sherlock said. "Beyond that, I don't know."

***


"Sherlock, Doctor, welcome back," Mycroft said, not looking up from the papers on his desk. "How is all of time and space? Still functioning, I presume?"

"For the moment," the Doctor said. "You know you'd be welcome to come along too, Mycroft."

"Thank you, no, I have far too much going on here to think of leaving any time soon," Mycroft said. He finally looked up at his younger brother. "John is in San Francisco, Sherlock. It wasn't easy to track him across the states, but I picked him up again when he started working in a hospital there."

"What was his mindset before he left?" Sherlock asked.

"Depressed, but not dangerously so," Mycroft replied. "He obviously mourned Richard Brook, the first man he loved, and spent enough time on Bart's roof to worry me for a time that he was going to try and jump. He never did, just sat there and stared off into the distance."

Sherlock sighed. "Would it have been better for me to have remained behind, do you think, Mycroft?" he asked. "I worried that seeing me would be bad for John and left to allow him time to grieve."

"It's hard to say," Mycroft said. "Certainly the time immediately after Moriarty, or Brook, jumped off the roof would have been a dangerous time for John had you remained. I never picked up on any obvious desire to speak with you, but should you have been around, it's possible that he might have sought you out."

"It's never easy to know what to do in cases like that," the Doctor added. "Even as a Time Lord, you can't second guess yourself on this one, Sherlock. We were able to rewrite time once for this, to save John's life. I don't dare try and skip back a second time."

"No, I wouldn't ask you to, even if it were possible," Sherlock said. "Last time was to save John's life. I think, no matter how much I hate the idea, I have to allow him his choices and make my own. Brother, I'm going to travel with the Doctor. I've grown weary of humans and their petty minds."

Mycroft leaned back in his chair. "I saw this coming years ago, Sherlock," he said. "The two of you are good together, you'll be a force for good in a universe that badly needs one. Just promise me that you'll stop in every so often so I know the pair of you are safe."

"Sure we will, Mycroft," the Doctor said. "Can't really keep me away from London. I love it here, so many things to see and do, we'll be back, probably more often than you want us to be, really."

"Thank you for not trying to hold me here, brother," Sherlock said. "Maybe in another year or so I'll want to go see John and see how he's doing, but for now, I think I just want to leave. This is why I dislike human entanglements so much. Too much emotion involved."

"Emotions can be a good thing, Sherlock," the Doctor said. "Don't go sounding like the daleks there. Mycroft, I'll keep him safe."

"I know you will, Doctor," Mycroft said. "Because you know what I'll do should you not."

Sherlock stood. "I'll clean out the flat in Baker Street, Mycroft," he said. "Do you have space at the house for my books?"

"Of course, Sherlock," Mycroft said. "I'll stop by this evening with some movers and we can get everything taken care of. Also, Sherlock, if you wished to write a letter to John, I would see it delivered for you."

"I'll think about it," Sherlock said.

***

When John found a letter with a UK postmark in his mail box one morning close into Christmas, he almost tossed it without reading whatever was inside. He didn't. He took it inside and put it on his desk and looked at it every morning for a week, trying to figure out who the letter was from. John hadn't known that anyone in England knew where he was, although, when he thought about it, he wasn't too surprised to work out that Mycroft likely had him tracked and knew everything down to what he was having for breakfast. Finally, after a week of staring at the envelope, John opened it and found Sherlock's familiar handwriting staring back at him.



John,
Mycroft promises that this letter will find you. I returned, roughly a year after Richard's death, and found you'd left England for a new life elsewhere. Some place where the pain doesn't radiate through you nearly as much as it does in London. Yes, Mycroft told me where you are, but I decided not to come and see you as you need to be happy, and seeing reminders of that which you lost is not a good way to ensure your happiness. Mycroft is not watching you, he wanted to know where you were so he would be able to tell me should I wish to visit. You're not being watched in your new home.
I've left England as well. I'm traveling with the Doctor, something I haven't done in years. We have another person traveling with us, her name is Martha, and she's about to take her final exams to be a doctor. I think, should you have met her, you would have liked her a great deal. I wish I could tell you more about our travels, but you wouldn't believe me. No one does until they see it for themselves, and I don't think that would be a good thing for you right now.
John, I've spoken with a few specialists about Richard's case and have included their reports for you to read if you wish. There are also a few pictures of him that Mycroft was able to find. I don't know if you even want them or not, but thought I would give you the option, seeing as you likely would have nothing with which to remember him by. He has no grave in London. I am sorry for that, but Mycroft feels that it's better this way and would not budge on the point. No child deserved what happened to Richard and I do feel bad that help came, for him, too late. I know you likely won't believe me when I say that, but it is the truth. I wish there was a way that you could have had happiness, John, but Moriarty was taking over more and more. I won't rehash arguments, but know that there were two men inside that head, one sweet and in love, one a serial killer. I think you realized that on your own, even if you can't admit it to yourself.
I don't know when, or even if I shall return from my travels with the Doctor. You are my first true friend, John, and I do mean that with everything I am. I hate that I lost you for something as human as love, but I do understand. Take care of yourself, John. Be happy and live. I know that it might be impossible, but work towards it. If not for me, than for Richard. I think he would want you to be happy.
Should you ever wish to contact me, send word to Mycroft. He knows where to find me.
Sherlock Holmes

P.S. I let the flat in Baker Street go. Things that you left behind, either by accident or on purpose are with Mycroft should you want them. Letters to this address will find him. SH

***