I've not had any more character requests, so this is the last chapter everyone! It looks at what Sherlock may have been thinking during all this time, and there's a visitation from another character as well...

I've really enjoyed writing this fic, and it's really nice that it ended up about 5 chapters longer than originally intended! I hope you've enjoyed reading this story as well, if you'd like to read more of my work I'm currently writing another Sherlock pro-Reichenbach story called 'Twelve Weeks', feel free to take a look, I'd love to know what you think! :)

I also currently have a book published on the Amazon Kindle called 'Poppy Girl', there's more detail on my profile, or you can simply go on Amazon and type it in to find it! :D I'm currently trying to get it published professionally (sent it off to a few writing agent recently to help get it published, fingers crossed!) so your support will be really appreciated :)

Anyway, thanks for reading! I hope this ending won't be too cheesy, would love to hear what you think of this final chapter and the story overall, so reviews are much appreciated! :D

The Darkest Moments, Chapter 11

Sparks

The recent rainfall gave the pavement an extra, mysterious shine as it reflected the light off the bright moon high above. It was the only light on the street apart from a few streetlamps a little way off, their sickly yellow colour attracting attention by flickering every now and again. Not that anyone would be there to see it. The road was empty, the houses on either side were dull and in shadow, you would think that on this London street had life drained from it.

But no, there were people in those houses, they were just sleeping in the dark, empty-looking rooms, oblivious to the outside world. And there was someone standing in the road, emerging from the shadows of a neighbouring street. By his silhouette you can see his wild curls of dark hair upon his head, his long black coat and a scarf around his neck. He was standing perfectly still, waiting silently for something to happen.

Who knew how long that man stood there for silently, but after a while, something did happen.

Sherlock glanced down as he felt a warm hand enclose around his cold one, and looked up to see Irene Adler standing beside them, a mischievous smile on her face, he could see her shining white teeth and the sparks that seemed to almost dance with excitement in her dark eyes.

"Hope I didn't keep you waiting," she said coolly. "Are you ready?"

Sherlock nodded, but said nothing. He kept his face straight and emotionless, but Irene could tell he was upset. She knew far more about him than anyone else did just by looking at him, and Sherlock couldn't quite decide if this was a bad thing or not.

"It's for the best," she assured him in a soft, calm voice. "You said it yourself."

This was true. Sherlock didn't want to keep hiding away at Molly's house any more, it was only meant to be temporary because he was putting her in too much danger. Molly said that she didn't mind the company, but she wouldn't like the company of an assassin if someone found out that he was still alive and hiding. No, Molly had done enough by helping him fake his death and then keeping a roof over his head, it would be unfair to keep her in so much danger for so long, it was time to move on.

But moving on was far more difficult than Sherlock had imagined. He thought about all the people he had left behind, thought of how he must have affected them by throwing himself off a building. Molly had told him how some of his friends were coping, and it wasn't good, it wasn't fair on them to suffer because of him. He was so worried about John, about Mrs Hudson, he didn't want to leave them alone any more.

He took a deep breath, but when he spoke his voice shook a little."In the darkest moments I wish I had never met any of my friends, I wish I never knew them, because they don't deserve this. I wish…" Sherlock paused, he wasn't used to pouring out his emotions, but there was something about Irene Adler that made him feel…comfortable, with saying how he actually felt inside. "I wish I wasn't alive to see them suffer because of me, it's not fair. I just want to tell them that I'm OK, that I'm not a fraud, but there's nothing I can do."

In response to this, Irene Adler reached up and kissed Sherlock gently on the cheek. "It's the best way, you know that Sherlock, because or else they would have suffered more. And one day you won't have to hide any more, you won't have to pretend you're dead. You can come back."

"They'll hate me when they find out though..."

"And they'll love you for doing the right thing," Irene said softly, her hand round Sherlock's squeezed a little tighter, after a moment or two, Sherlock squeezed back.

Then Irene's mischievous smile slowly returned, like the Cheshire cat with a brilliant idea on its mind, the sparks in her eyes in her eyes started dance again. "But while we wait for this all to die down you'll be on the run, and that's something I'm well rehearsed in."

It was Sherlock's turn to begin to smile, although he found it difficult. "I knew you'd be able to help me, that's why I found you."

Although there may possibly be another reason why Sherlock had searched for Irene, but it was something he wasn't quite ready to admit.

Suddenly Irene became serious, but her playfulness could still be heard in her voice as she looked down at their entwined hands. "So Mr Holmes, something tells me you haven't been able to see much of the world. But now we've got the time, where would you like to go first?"

At this, they both couldn't help but smile.

So the pair of unlikely adventurers walked together, hand in hand, towards a world shrouded in many more mysterious for them to solve.

Because in the darkest moments, there may still be a spark of hope for the future.