The Doctor's Daughter | Wholock {1}

Chapter 27: Out of Time

After breaking nearly every speed law in existence, Sherlock and Kimmy finally arrived at the old home his homeless network had found with just less than two hours to spare. The house was exactly as Sherlock had expected: two stories, isolated, and had obviously been built in the early twentieth century.

Sherlock and Kimmy both started walking towards the house, but Sherlock grabbed her by the arm and said, "Stay out here."

If looks could kill, the glare he received in response would have been the death of him. "If you think I'm going to stay out here, you're insane," she said. "My best friend and my mother are both in there."

"So is Moriarty," he added. "John will never forgive me if I let you go in there."

"I haven't been born yet!" Kimmy pointed out. "You, the Doctor, and Moriarty are the only people that know who I am!"

"That isn't the point!" Sherlock snapped back. "It's too dangerous."

"No, Cybermen are dangerous," Kimmy argued as if he knew what Cybermen were. "Besides, Moriarty said he had to stay together."

Realizing that they were wasting time, Sherlock sighed and said, "Fine. Just stay behind me." Kimmy rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything as she followed him up the porch steps to the front door. It was unlocked, which told Sherlock that Moriarty knew they'd be arriving soon.

The front entryway split off into three directions (four, if you counted the stairs) and Sherlock turned to the left. He recognized the sitting room from the photos, but the furniture bad been rearranged so two chairs were facing the doorway. Seated in the chairs with their wrists tied to the arms and duct tape over their mouths were Mary and a brown-haired man that Sherlock assumed was the Doctor. Standing behind them with a smug smile was Jim Moriarty.

"Well, well, well," he greeted them. "If it isn't the consulting detective and the doctor's daughter. Congratulations. You managed to solve my little puzzle with time to spare. I wasn't sure if you'd actually do it."

"How are you here?" Sherlock demanded. "You died on Bart's rooftop."

"Oh, dear Sherlock," Moriarty said with a grin, "I wasn't even there. My brother was."

"What?" Sherlock and Kimmy asked on top of one another. Mary's eyes even widened a little, as if she was just as confused as they were.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, looking incredibly amused. "I'm not Jim Moriarty. I'm Richard Brook."

"Bull crap," Kimmy spat indignantly. "Richard Brook isn't real."

"Oh, Kimberly," he said, shaking his head sympathetically. "Sweet, little Kimberly. I assure you, I am real. Jim was my twin brother. While I became an actor, he changed his name and became the famous consulting criminal."

"So he used your information to convince everyone I was a fraud," Sherlock stated.

Brook nodded. "After you forced him to kill himself, I couldn't let you jut get away with it."

"So why not just kill me?" Sherlock asked. "Why being Mary and a man I don't even know into this?"

"The Doctor just stuck his nose where it didn't belong," Brook explained. "Mary, on the other hand-if she and her unborn daughter die on your watch, John will never forgive you."

"It doesn't matter anymore, Brook," Kinmy cut in. "We're here. We finished this damn game of yours in time. Now let them go."

"Who said anything about letting them go?" Brook asked, feigning confusion. "I said you had forty-eight hours to find them, not save them."

Sherlock felt his face fall as he realized what Brook was saying. Deep inside, he knew he should have seen this coming. Nothing was ever easy when it came to Moriarty, and Brook was just like his brother.

From the inside pocket of his jacket, Brook drew a handgun and pointed it at the Doctor's head, saying, "Sorry, dears, but you're out of time."

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It's another short chapter, but at least it didn't take three weeks this time! Aren't you proud of me?

There're only five chapters left after this one, so we're getting really close to the end. Classes start this month, so I'm going to try to finish before then. Also, if anyone has any questions they want me to answer at the end, feel free to comment or message them!