So sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoy a very interesting reunion.

Bring back

Bring back

Oh, bring back my kitten to me :)

Sebastian nudged me awake at two in the morning to show me the series of texts from Moriarty.

"Monkey, we've got to go," he said. He had a look on his face similar to the one he had just before he told me that James killed himself.

I lifted a hand to my eyes. "Now?"

"Yes. Boss's orders, miss."

Miss? He was back to being formal as if we hadn't fucked around, as if James were just around the corner. "Fine."

"I don't like this, you know."

"You don't like what?" I faced him. "Ignoring the fact that we had something for a moment—always have?"

Seb nodded. "Something like that."

"You heard what he said."

"I did."

"So why are you being this way? I want you to be you."

"I am me, monkey. Just...I think I can better sort things out once I see him. You know, once it's plain that he's not pulled something over on us again."

"Because pictures and texting are shite."

"You know just as well as I do that they are. Fabrication is one of Moriarty's strengths." After noticing my expression, Sebastian softened. "You'll get what you want, monkey. Just give me time, alright? Now, come on, love. James is waiting."

By the time he managed to help me peel myself out of bed, we'd both received instructions to pack. Sebastian and I exchanged looks. We knew we wouldn't be packing for a trip. We were leaving, and we wouldn't be returning to this flat for another year or two, if ever.

I didn't bother to change out of my pajama shorts and top. Instead, I brushed my teeth, ran a brush through my hair, and set to work. We didn't have time. Knowing Moriarty, we'd have until 5 in the morning at the latest to erase all noticeable trace of us from the flat. It needed to look as though a normal couple and their family member had lived there, not two criminals and a marksman.

Seb packed his stuff fairly quickly. Within thirty minutes, he'd managed to pile three large duffle bags stuffed with his things, a backpack, and his firearm bag at the door. He'd even changed his clothes and made himself presentable. Having to pack for myself and James, I, on the other hand, took much longer. It took those first thirty minutes for me to pack all of my intimates, my favorite clothing items, a few of the things Moriarty loved me in most, all of our toys, and all of the accessories I treasured. During the next thirty minutes, I did the same for Moriarty's clothing and items. I'd taken more care to grab nearly all of his clothes, save for the ones he'd made a point to say he'd hated or didn't wear often. If he missed anything, we'd replace it. I threw my makeup and bathroom products into toiletry bags, tossing them in the luggage next to his toiletries. In the following half-hour, I ran downstairs and grabbed my three favorite mugs, seven of my favorite books, three of Jim's favorites, and a throw blanket. I also made sure to grab all of the important things such as albums, framed photos of us, money, passports, and paperwork.

By the time I finished, I'd managed to fill for both myself and Moriarty two large suitcases, a carry-on, and a duffle bag each. I packed his backpack and mine with our laptops, iPads, and other commonly used items. I stuffed the newspaper announcing our engagement into my bag and hauled it over my shoulder. I gave the flat one last look. To ordinary people, it appeared lived in. It was someone's home—just not ours.

Sebastian started down the stairs. "Monkey, are you ready?"

I shook my head, feeling a knot rise in my throat. The flat had been the first home I'd had in years. In the short amount of time I'd had with James and Sebastian, I'd grown attached. Leaving was a sharp blow to the stomach. Seb draped his arm around my shoulder and pulled me close to him, kissing my temple.

"It's not worth it, though I know it hurts. It'll be fine," he assured me.

I scoffed. "You're used to this? It's not normal, Sebastian."

"What is normal for people like us, monkey?" he countered.

"Not this."

"This is my third flat with James in five years. He's a rolling stone, love. If you're not used to it by now, you will be soon. That's partially how he manages to get away with so much."

"Don't tell me it's all part of his web."

"Not exactly, but if you'd like to call it that, sure. Besides, he'll likely have this one burned or ruined as soon as I say we've gone."

"Does he do that to all of his properties?"

Sebastian lifted an eyebrow. "All of them? Of course not. The one in Ireland is a constant. So's the one in Nantes, at least I think. The one he bought in Belgium a few months ago I'd assume would be too."

"Never assume. He's changeable."

"That he is. The next one will be better, wherever it is."

"You better be right," I muttered.

"I usually am."

Sebastian and I and all of the luggage piled into a dark full-sized vehicle that arrived to pick us up from the flat. The driver left us with an address in the GPS and went to call a cab. Seb got behind the wheel and the two of us left to find James. After an hour of driving, we found ourselves at an abandoned warehouse in the countryside. Both of Sebastian and I were far too tired to question it. The sun began to rise as we parked and our phones pinged.

I C U :)

I rolled my eyes and got out of the car. I'd started toward the warehouse when Seb stopped me. He removed a gun from the waistband of his pants. "Stay close, monkey."

We moved through the open garage door. The interior was expansive and looked as though it'd once been a filming base or hangar for small planes. It was completely bare except for one person on the farthest end. Standing there wearing a sharp navy three-piece suit was James Moriarty.

Or at least what looked a lot like him.

Upon seeing me and Seb, Moriarty cocked his head to the right. He'd slicked his hair back in a way that revealed more of his forehead. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and rocked back on his heels and forth to the balls of his feet. Seb and I moved toward him as he checked his watch.

"Hurry up, pet," he groaned. "We haven't got all day."

I knew that brogue anywhere. My legs took off in a run. My flats got lost somewhere behind me and I found myself running across the concrete toward the criminal. I stopped about a foot before him. Moriarty's mustache had filled in, though his beard was thin. His lips curled into that familiar toothy grin. His eyes creased at the corners. He bowed his head briefly before looking back up at me. I watched as a few strands fell into his face and he brushed them back with an annoyed swipe of his hand. I stumbled forward, closing the gap between us. Like magnets, my fingers reached for his hips. They felt just as I'd remembered. At the scent of his cologne, I knew it was undoubtedly him.

"James?" I asked, my voice shaky at best.

He nodded once. "You've been very obedient, Nora. You'll thank Eileen, won't you?"

That's what he had to say? He'd been gone. He made me think he was dead, and that's what he wanted to say to me? Raising my hand, I slapped him across the cheek.

"Ooh!" Moriarty grasped his jaw. I could see him give a slight wince, but he seemed to recover quickly despite the reddening of his cheek. "Haven't lost your bite. Now, pet, is that any way to treat your master?"

"You were dead," I whispered.

He tsked. "You've been believing in fairy tales again, pet. I warned you about that. They get that silly little head of yours all mixed up."

I hiccuped. "But the gun—"

"I told you it wasn't loaded." Moriarty rolled his eyes. "Ugh, stop crying, it's such an ugly sight when you blubber."

My feelings would normally have been hurt by his comment but, after being without him for what felt like months, I found it incredibly endearing. I'd missed him—all of him. Touching his face, cupping his cheeks in my hands, feeling his fingers around my wrists, his thumbs brushing against my skin as he looked down at me...it was all real. James Moriarty was here in front of me. He was alive. He was back.

Moriarty kissed my wrist and tapped the tops of my hands. I swallowed the knot in my throat. My love for him swelled in the pit of my stomach, along with the aching desire to have him. We finally closed the distance between our lips. Kissing him was foreign at first. I'd nearly forgotten the way his mouth felt against my own. My jaw slackened automatically when his teeth nipped at my bottom lip, and I found myself moaning at the taste of his tongue and it's texture. Moriarty ended the kiss and pressed his brow against mine.

"Oh, pet. Someone's missed me, hasn't she?"

"James, please...please don't ever do anything like that again. I don't think Seb and I could take it."

"That's odd," he gave me a skeptical glance. "You and my tiger seemed to have more fun without me. After all, you had him three times."

"Twice," I corrected. One glance over my shoulder told me that Seb had hung back to give us our privacy. I returned my attention to James. "You agreed that he's allowed to taste me. I let him do that once when I wasn't in the mood for sex, and had his twice. I lost you, and I was out of my head about it. We both were."

"But you still let him in. Or did you forget what we agreed is mine?"

"He wasn't you. He'll never be. And...I don't want him to be you. I want Seb to be Seb and you to be here with me...with us. James…I've thought a lot about things while you were gone and I want…I want…"

"Us?" Moriarty tilted his head. "Are you saying that you want you and me and Sebastian?" When I lowered my eyes, he lifted my chin. "I see. Tell me, pet, is it because I can fuck you harder than him, better than him, but he can listen better than me? Or is it because I taste better than him but he knows bits of you better than me, even though I know Eileen inside and out? Is it because you need me, and you need him too, and want us both?"

"Yes," I admitted. "I love you. I know we don't say these things but I love you, James. But Sebastian...it's different. I'm not sure I love love him, but I—"

"I know. Luckily for you, I wanted Seb before you and I still want him with you. Pet, I loved him before you. He's...you're right. He's different."

"So you mean…" I didn't know how to phrase it, but thinking about the three of us ignited something inside me. "Are you saying Seb and us...?"

"He's our tiger, isn't he? He understands the four of us and cares for the two of us despite me and Eileen. What do you say we return the favor? I've wanted this for some time now, pet. So much so, that our new flat has a wider bed. Seb dislikes my clinginess while sleeping, so perhaps he'll find it easier to manage with you between us."

The thought of falling asleep with James on my right and Sebastian on my left comforted me. We'd slept as a trio together once on a holiday in Paris. Seb's room sprung a leak and there were no others available. The hotel comped our stay as an apology and Seb offered to sleep at another hotel. Tired, fussy, and completely against the idea, Moriarty demanded Sebastian sleep with us during that night. And he did. It was the best night's rest we'd had the whole holiday. The three of us were tangled up on the king mattress. Moriarty lay on his back while I curled against his side with my leg slung across his hip and his hand on my upper thigh. My head was on his chest and Sebastian slept behind me, his chest against my back, his left hand covering Moriarty's. When we woke, I noticed Seb pressed against my bum. He grew embarrassed by his involuntary arousal and hastily apologized. Moriarty, recognizing his own needs, immediately kissed me and slipped his hand into my knickers to wind me up, not caring that Sebastian was still very much behind me. The marksman went into the bathroom to handle himself in the shower while Moriarty and I engaged in a sleepy ride.

At the time, I thought James was trying to get a rise out of Seb. Recalling the incident now, his breathless You're no fun, Basty made so much more sense. He'd wanted Seb to join in.

I ran my hand over his lapel. "You're being oddly generous, James."

"The fall made me think of some things. Besides, you overheard every word of my conversation with Seb that day. You know what it is I want."

My cheeks began to burn. I had actually heard most of the conversation, not all, and I'd witnessed their kiss. I'd also been observant enough to know shortly after I agreed to be Moriarty's pet that I'd stepped into the middle of something between him and the marksman. I had a hunch but had nothing to prove my suspicions. There was an unspoken tension for the first month or two as Sebastian warmed up to me, but I'd been sure that my presence had ruined whatever it was between them. Apparently, I hadn't, and that made me feel incredibly relieved. Part of me felt so guilty for seemingly breaking them up. According to what I'd overheard before the fall, I'd just become an interesting addition to their relationship—unbeknownst to Sebastian.

"It's your choice. Sebastian is a big step. If that's not something—"

"I do!" I blurted.

"Do you mean that, or are you saying that to appease me?" Moriarty never forced me to do anything in the bedroom I didn't want to do. Although he was often cunning in other areas, he made that part of our relationship was very clear. My comfort level always came first. "We can keep Sebastian out of this if you don't want him with us."

"I want him, too. I mean, we can try the three of us, and if not we'll go back to the way things were. We already are in many ways. It wouldn't...it shouldn't be...hard. We..." I shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

Moriarty turned me 'round. Once my back was to his front, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his face into the crook of my neck. "Oh, I've definitely picked the perfect pet."

"You shouldn't get overly excited, James. Seb is reluctant," I reminded. "We've talked about it. I don't think he wants to spoil things."

"Spoil what? We're already...oh, never mind. Leave him for me. Don't worry about Sebastian. He'll come 'round."

"Not if he doesn't realize it's really you."

"You're right. Ever the skeptic. Oh, Basty!" said Moriarty. He locked eyes with the marksman and curled his index finger twice. "Come here, tiger. Didn't you miss me?"

"Did I miss you?" Sebastian took long strides toward us, a cigarette between his fingers. "Are you fuckin' mad, James? Of course, I did! I oughta clock you!"

"Now, now, I'd play nicely, Basty. My kitten and I have a proposition for you."

Not my best, but I desperately needed them all back together.