"What do you mean, they escaped?"

"It seems that they escaped from the securest prison Britain has to offer."

John sighed, and tried to sleep, but the agitated voices of the Holmes brothers made that impossible. So, he got up to see that no one got hurt. Fortunately, neither Mycroft nor Sherlock were of the violent type.

"What is going on here?" he asked them.

"John. Did he wake you up?" Sherlock asked him, not without giving his brother an angry look.

"You did a pretty good job yourself. Why are you two standing here, yelling at each other?" John shot back.

"We are not yelling," Mycroft and Sherlock answered.

John couldn't help himself, and burst out laughing. No matter how much both of them denied it. They, they were very similar. More than he was comfortable with, in some cases. But in this case, it just was hilarious.

"What is he laughing about?" Sherlock asked his brother.

"We didn't say anything funny," Mycroft agreed.

"Did we just agree on something?" Sherlock asked again.

"It does seem so."

Shocked, both of them sat down on the sofa, and didn't say anything.

Still grinning, John turned to them: "It's just, that none of you is shocked when chasing after a dangerous criminal or whatever you do, Mycroft, that's getting you enemies. But once you two agree on anything, you are shocked into silence. It's just too funny. Now, what were you two arguing about?"

"They escaped," Sherlock finally answered. He still couldn't understand what John had found so funny.

"I thought they were in the securest prison there is. With guards, outside," John wondered. Then he turned to Mycroft, an idea forming in his head: "Have you checked for spies in whatever organization that was guarding them?"

Sherlock tried very hard not to smile. He could see at once that this thought had never occurred to Mycroft. John was a lot smarter than most people gave him credit for, his brother included. And John had been in the army. He knew how things like this worked on the field. Better than Mycroft, probably, because he wasn't hiding behind a desk.

"Of course I have," Mycroft answered. John gave him one look, and shook his head: "No, you haven't. It took you too long to answer."

"Very good, John. You could start in the secret service every day," Mycroft answered. He really could use someone like John: loyal, good with a gun, and smart. To top it all, John was so random looking he could fit in anywhere without sticking out.

"Thanks. But I stick with Sherlock and being a doctor."

"Don't you have criminals to find, Mycroft? Stop stealing him," Sherlock intervened. Not that he was worried about John taking Mycroft up on the offer. He just wanted his brother out of the flat as soon as possible.

Mycroft nodded, and left the flat. As soon as he was gone, Sherlock went to his laptop, typing something, while watching John making breakfast. John was the first person, beside himself, who had managed to surprise his brother. That was a skill he would have to make use of once they had the criminals locked up again.

"Found anything?" John asked him.

Sherlock shook his head.

"Why don't you wait until he gets in contact with you? You know he will. Eventually."

Sherlock considered that for a moment. John was right. Moriarty would contact him at some point. But he wasn't willing to put John into danger. And John was in danger. Now more than ever.

"It would put you into danger," he answered.

John sat down in his lap, and looked him deep in the eyes: "I've been in danger since I enlisted or since I've shot that cabbie for you. Life with you is dangerous. But I've always known that. What they don't know, however, is how dangerous I can be."

oOo

Of course, Sherlock didn't listen to John. He tried to find Moriarty before Moriarty found him. Sometimes he got so caught up in his chase that he forgot about John. Luckily for him, John was very patient with him. And being ignored was much better than to find experiments in the fridge or the microwave.

But it wasn't Sherlock who found Moriarty in the end. It was John who almost bumped into him in the supermarket. He managed just in time to hide from the mastermind.

Found him in the supermarket. JW

Found who? SH

Him. Ten feet away from me. Hasn't seen me yet. I'm hiding behind a shelf. JW

Don't let him catch you. SH

John smiled at Sherlock's last reply. Like he would willingly do that. But he wasn't sure how he could avoid discovery much longer.

And Moriarty was definitely looking for him. The guy must have followed him into the supermarket without John noticing. Obviously, John hadn't picked up enough of Sherlock's abilities to notice everything around him. Or he hadn't been alerted enough to check.

It soon began to turn into a contest of patience. Neither John nor Moriarty showed any intention of leaving the store. Moriarty had the upper hand, or so he thought. John was sure that Sherlock was thinking about locking that guy up for good. But closing time was coming up, and he wasn't sure how Moriarty would handle an impatient employee telling him to go. But he would soon find out.

"Sir. I have to inform you, that we are closing in five minutes. Please go to the check out."

"I am still waiting for someone. We were supposed to meet here," Moriarty replied.

John was surprised to see that the man could be very charming when he wanted to be. But it didn't work on the employee.

"You will have to wait outside then." She was trying to push him out. But Moriarty was having none of it. Suddenly he had a gun in his hand.

Shit! John thought. He had miscalculated. He hadn't thought that the man would pull the trigger himself.

Do something! He is pointing a gun at a employee who wanted to push him out. Call Mycroft, if you have to. JW

We are outside. Don't do anything stupid. SH

John sighed in relief. Now all he had to do was wait for the MI6 or whoever Mycroft had with him at the moment.

It was that moment, when another male employee decided to walk up to Moriarty: "Sir. Put that gun down immediately."

Moriarty just smiled at him. Then everything happened simultaneously: The man wanted to hit the gun out of Moriarty's hand, Moriarty pulled the trigger, and John pushed the man out of harm's way. He was out in the open now. But he couldn't watch another man get shot right in front of him.

oOo

Sherlock had a great time until he received John's text.

Found him in the supermarket. JW

His heart almost stopped. To make sure, he asked John: Found who? SH

Him. Ten feet away from me. Hasn't seen me yet. I'm hiding behind a shelf. JW

The answer came quick. And was a little reassuring.

Don't let him catch you. SH

John didn't answer to that. But then, he had to keep out of the eyes of his boyfriend's worst enemy. Sherlock hoped John would be able to do that. At least, John had seen Moriarty before Moriarty had spotted him.

Send your minions to Tesco's. Moriarty and John are in there. SH

How do you know? MH

His brother could be so stupid sometimes.

John texted me. He spotted Moriarty before Moriarty found him. He's hiding somewhere. SH

And John is still able to think clearly. Leftover from his army days no doubt. MH

Do something. I am going there. SH

Wait for me. John will be alright. MH

Sherlock ran to the supermarket. But he was too late. Mycroft's men already had closed off the area. But he didn't see John. Where was he? Had Moriarty gotten him, in the end?

Do something! He is pointing a gun at a employee who wanted to push him out. Call Mycroft, if you have to. JW

When Sherlock read that text he knew John was getting desperate. With not only his life on the line, chances were, that John was going to do something reckless soon. Then Sherlock saw his brother, and decided it was most important to reassure John: We are outside. Don't do anything stupid. SH

"Moriarty's pointing a gun at an employee. You have to send them in." Sherlock tried hard not to let his own desperation slip out. But his brother didn't fall for it.

"That desperate, Sherlock?" Mycroft realized that Sherlock wasn't in the mood for jokes, and explained: "We are doing our best here. But things like that take time. We can't just go in blindly."

"What is going on here, Sherlock?" Somebody asked.

Both brothers turned around, and saw Lestrade.

"Did you call him?" Sherlock asked.

"No."

"Lestrade. What are you doing here?" Sherlock asked the man.

"We have a hostage situation. A man is pointing a gun at a employee," Lestrade answered.

"Who told you?"

"Someone just pressed an emergency button. They send me, because I was just in the area."

Sherlock and Mycroft looked at each other. Either John had done it, or there was someone else in there. Before they could do anything, they heard a gunshot.

Mycroft had to use all his power to keep Sherlock from going in there: "Stop it! You're not helping him by getting shot."

"John's in there?" Lestrade asked Mycroft, who nodded. Apparently, Lestrade was more intelligent than he had thought.

"Yes. With Moriarty." Turning to Sherlock, he said: "Maybe we should call Mummy, Sherlock. She has resources even I don't have."

"No! She would know, Mycroft." Lestrade wouldn't have thought it possible, but Sherlock sounded, and looked, afraid. And who the hell is Mummy?

"Yes, of course."

Before any of them could do anything further, the door of the supermarket opened, and a frightened woman stepped out.

She was followed by Moriarty, who, strangely, had his hands bound behind his neck. Moriarty's men soon had him in custody. When they led by Sherlock, he said: "A skilled pet you have there. But I am not done with you, Sherlock."

Sherlock didn't even listen to him. We waited for John. Where was he?

"There he is. He looks unhurt to me, Sherlock." Lestrade had been looking for John, too. He came out last, together with a man.

Sherlock ran to him and hugged him fiercely: "I was so worried, John!"

"They almost called a certain Mummy." Lestrade told him.

"It was Mycroft's idea. You know why I don't call her," Sherlock corrected.

John nodded.

"Would someone please tell me who this Mummy is?" Lestrade asked them.

"Their mother," John said.

"There are two of you?" Lestrade asked Sherlock.

"There are two of them," John answered.

"I am doomed."

John burst out laughing. Sherlock quickly joined him, and together they went home. Sherlock still had to check if John really was unhurt.