Sherlock is dying. But it's not in John's arms (as it should be) that he goes. Nor in his brother's. Not even Lestrade is there. As it turns out the only person present when Sherlock Holmes dies is Sally Donovan.

Livejournal Prompt =D

XXX

The bullet has torn a trajectory through the main artery in his leg. From his knowledge he knows that he'll have bled out in four minutes.

3 minutes 59 seconds

3 minutes 58 seconds

3 minutes 57 seconds

3 minutes 56 seconds

3 minutes 55 seconds

3 minutes 54 seconds

3 minutes 53 seconds

3 minutes 52 seconds

3 minutes 51 seconds

XXX

The blood is all over her hands as she tried to compress the wound. She knows that she isn't going to succeed.

'Sally?' he slurred.

She wanted him to pay for years. She wanted him gone. She didn't want him to bleed to death. She couldn't even imagine how painful it was.

'Sally?'

'Yes.' She swallowed dryly. 'It's me. Donovan.'

'You can go if you want to.'

Her head snaps up. If only she could take that offer. 'Why would I go?'

'Because you hate me, you don't want to be here. You've wanted me gone for years. You can walk out there right this second, wash the blood off your hands, and pretend you were never here.'

He made it sound so tempting, but even the Great Sherlock Holmes couldn't be alone in death.

2 minutes 21 seconds

2 minutes 20 seconds

2 minutes 19 seconds

2 minutes 18 seconds

2 minutes 17 seconds

2 minutes 16 seconds

2 minutes 15 seconds

2 minutes 14 seconds

2 minutes 13 seconds

2 minutes 12 seconds

His breathing was getting quicker and shallower and he could tell what was happening in his body.

His blood pressure was dropping fast, and the heart was trying to remedy that by trying to pump more blood which was making him lose it quicker.

2 minutes 2 seconds

2 minutes 1 second

2 minutes

1 minute 59 seconds

1 minute 58 seconds

1 minute 57 seconds

1 minute 56 seconds

1 minute 55 seconds

They're both sitting in a pool of his blood, and she's given up on trying to control the blood flow. There was nothing to stop or bridge the gap. No coats or scarves to press down, only hands.

The pools getting increasingly bigger, and his eyes are drooping, and she has no will to try to stop him from falling to his death.

She knows that if he falls asleep he won't wake up, but he's going to die any moment anyway.

1 minute 28 seconds

1 minute 27 seconds

1 minute 26 seconds

1 minute 25 seconds

1 minute 24 seconds

1 minute 23 seconds

1 minute 22 seconds

1 minute 21 seconds

1 minute 20 seconds

The blood is starting to pump out irregularly now, and his breathing is the same. The need for oxygen will soon be over, because the oxygen won't be able to get to his lungs because there won't be any blood or red blood cells to carry the haemoglobin to the lungs and there will be a build up of carbon dioxide in his body, which will build up the lactic acids build up in his muscles.

It's just a matter of what will kill him now. Because even a hospital wouldn't be able to save him anymore.

1 minute 5 seconds

1 minute 4 seconds

1 minute 3 seconds

1 minute 2 seconds

1 minute 1 second

1 minute

59 seconds

58 seconds

57 seconds

'Tell... tell my brother.' The fallen man rasps, 'it's not.. his fault. Please.'

She nods, tears streaming down her face, 'I will. I'll tell him.'

The man can no longer see clearly, 'Mycroft ... Mycroft Holmes.'

She nods again. 'I promise.'

'Tell John,' he pauses for a second to rally his thoughts, and Sally never thought that she'd see a day when that would happen. 'Tell John, I'll miss him. He was the best housemate I could have had, who could deal with me... my violin. The experiments.'

'I will.' Of course she would, they were the wishes of a dying man.

32 seconds

31 seconds

30 seconds

29 seconds

28 seconds

27 seconds

26 seconds

25 seconds

He can feel death approaching him now, on the corners of his eyes, blanking out the rest of his vision.

His thinking is getting scattered, a sign of oxygen deprivation.

His senses were dulling.

15 seconds

14 seconds

13 seconds

12 seconds

11 seconds

10 seconds

'Thank you for... being here... with me.' He said with difficulty. 'For staying... so I wasn't... alone.'

'It's okay,' she replied.

9 seconds

8 seconds

7 seconds

6 seconds

5 seconds

4 seconds

3 seconds

2 seconds

1 seconds

She watches as he breathes for a last time. As his chest stutters to a stop. As his life comes to an end.

And she mourns the loss of her greatest rival.