Thanks to everyone who has read, and those who have added this to favourites or alerts. You have kept me going through this. I don't own Sherlock, just my original plot and characters.

Sherlock and John ran back to Barts. Sherlock's mind raced with the possibilities of what Moran would do to Ava if he got there first.

Barreling down the hospital hallway, Sherlock reached Ava's room first and gasped. Moran stood over Ava's bed - his gun in his right hand pointing it at Ava. Quickly, he switched the gun to his left hand and aimed it at Sherlock. Ava remained unconscious beneath him.

"Well, this is more fitting than I could have imagined. I had to watch while you and this bitch killed Jimmy. Now you can watch me kill Ava. I was going to make it quick, but I can hold you off with my gun while I strangle her."

"You don't have to do this, you know." Sherlock's projected his voice louder than normal. "What is the point in any of this now that Moriarty's dead? You're surrounded in a hospital, and there's no way out. Why add a murder charge to your charges for attempted murder?"

"Doesn't matter. I've killed so many people that once they start digging, they'll find out about the rest quickly enough." Sebastian laughed. "No, if I'm going out, I'm taking you and her with me."

Sherlock stepped more to the left to where he was visible from the slightly open door. His eyes darted to the side where he saw John holding his gun ready to pounce.

Sebastian closed his right hand around Ava's throat, "Don't move another inch or I'll crush her windpipe."

Sherlock raised his hands in defeat, but shot John the quickest of looks.

"How many people have you actually killed, Moran? Ten or maybe eleven?"

Before Moran could even reply, John swung the door in quickly and fired in the direction that Sherlock had given him – between the 10 and 11 positions on a clock face. Moran crumpled and fell on top of Ava. The pressure of his body against hers woke Ava up. When she recognized who it was, she screamed and tried to force her way out from under the body. Sherlock rushed to remove Moran's body from her bed while John went to Ava to calm her.

"It's ok, Ava. It's John. Sherlock's here too."

"Moran's dead, John."

"See. Did you hear that? And we're not going to let anyone else hurt you – ever."

"What about Jim Dear?" Ava's voice trembled.

"You and Sherlock killed him. He can't hurt anybody ever again."

"Sherlock and I killed him? Funny that. I've never killed a man before." Ava's voice was distant and unsettled right before she passed out again.

Sherlock immediately called Lestrade. "Moran just tried to kill Ava."

"Tried?"

"And failed. John killed him to protect her. The quicker we can get this dead body out of her room the better. I'd rather her not wake up to see his corpse again."

When Lestrade and his men arrived, Lestrade gave his officers instructions to be extra quiet. Amazed that Ava was still alive and the implications of being with Moriarty all the time, even Donovan and Anderson worked without a snide comment to Sherlock or John. As they went about their work, Lestrade looked over to Ava.

"The poor kid. I don't like to imagine what she's been through."

"Well, it's over now. It'll take her time to heal though." John looked at the sleeping woman concern evident in his eyes.

"If there's anything I can do, guys, just let me know."

The second time Ava woke up, Moran's body was gone and Mycroft was sitting in a chair by her bed. John was in a second chair while Sherlock paced the floor. As Ava's eyes fluttered open, the first person she saw was Mycroft.

"My? Where am I? What happened? Where are they?"

"You are safe at Barts. Your shot pierced your large intestine, but the surgeon believes you'll make a complete recovery. You had very lucky aim."

"Luck had nothing to do with it. It was anatomy class. Where are they?"

"If you are referring to Moriarty and Moran, they are both dead. In the morgue as we speak, actually."

"Sherlock and John?"

"We're right here, Avid." Sherlock moved to her bed but slowly not wanting to startle her.

"Both of us." John gently reached out and stroked her hand. "You're safe now, Ava."

"How did Sherlock and I kill Jim Dear?"

Sherlock cringed at the fact she still used that term for Moriarty but said nothing. Instead, John replied, "You shot him and then Sherlock dropped him from the rooftop because the emergency services were going to treat him first and not you."

"Oh. Dropped from the rooftop. That's good."

"Avid, do you remember anything about where you've been all this time?" Sherlock said softly.

John gave Sherlock a look of disapproval. This was too soon to ask her that. "Sherlock wants to start tracking down and dismantling the rest of Moriarty's organization. When you feel better, maybe you can tell us what you remember."

"I...I don't really want to remember that right now. I want to remember good things. Sherlock?"

"Yes, Avid."

"Are you and John together?"

"We are, thanks in large part to you."

"Good. Guys, you need to know something. About why I came to be with you in the first place."

At this Mycroft looked concerned, "Ava, I don't think that we need to go into that just yet."

"You came to work on the GMO problem." Sherlock said crinkling his brow as he did so.

"That was just a cunning ruse, Sherlock. Although, I do have quite a bit of information on the flash drive I had on me about that. No, Mycroft asked me to come hoping that I could get you and John to realize the truth."

"And what truth was that?" John ventured.

"That you love each other." Ava smiled weakly. "Oh, don't be too hard on Mycroft. No one could predict what happened to me."

Sherlock and John glared at Mycroft yet said nothing. They didn't want to upset her.

John tried to keep the tone light, "Ok, anymore confessions you want to make, you mad American?"

Ava's grin grew more like her old self, "Just one. Sherlock, you know when you accused me of drugging us all?"

"I do, Avid. And, I am so sorry. I should have never doubted you."

"Don't be sorry, Locky. You were right."

Again, thanks to you all for reading. This is the end for now. If I continue, it will be about Ava's recovery and more than a little angsty. But, I'll have to see if anyone wants me to do a continuation of her story along with more adventures for Sherlock and John. For the moment, I'm starting a more fun piece with John and Sherlock honeymooning in Tennessee. Cheers for reading.