Chapter Text
“Remember, if Sherlock doesn’t jump, you kill Watson.”
“I know, I know the plan by heart, boss. Just calm down, you know I never make mistakes.”
“I know, Seb. But this has to go exactly to plan.”
“And if Sherlock thinks of something to throw your plan off course?”
Jim stroked the sniper’s cheek in a soft caress before turning on his heel sharply, pausing to reply.
“He won’t. I’m always one step ahead.”
~
Sherlock steps to the rooftop edge of St. Bart’s. For a second Sebastian thinks he may have to start packing up his rifle because Sherlock is actually going to jump. Watson is nowhere in sight anyway. But then the detective steps back and he assumes Sherlock is going to tell Jim some silly theory he just thought up.
“These fucking games,” Sebastian thought, sighing as he peered through the lens to train on the street, looking for Watson. “Ever since Jim heard about Sherlock his life became consumed with a passion for breaking Sherlock down to nothing. He’s been a nightmare. Can’t Sherlock just bloody die already and Jim can come back home and be bored again?”
A single shot boomed and Sebastian’s heart began to pound erratically. Jim wouldn’t shoot Sherlock outright like that. He specifically had to jump. So what was the sound of a gun being shot through the air for? He eagerly kept his eyes trained on the rooftop. A figure appears at the rooftop edge, and it’s Sherlock. He trains his lens on the street and sees Watson jump out of a taxi, mobile to his ear. Sebastian looks back up at Sherlock, who is also on his mobile; no doubt telling Watson not to move.
It looks like he’s going to jump.
Will he do it?
He’s jumped. He’s actually done it.
Where’s Jim?
Sebastian quickly packed away his rifle, blood racing through his veins as he waited for any sign that Jim was okay. He sent a text.
“I heard a gunshot. I saw him jump. Did something unexpected happen, boss? –SM”
No word from Jim as he reached the bottom of the staircase. He sent another, worry now taking over his mind.
“Boss, Jim, answer me. –SM”
Sebastian broke into a sprint, crossing the street to St. Bart’s, barely noticing Sherlock dead and bloodied on the ground with Watson breaking down over him. Still no text from Jim. He raced up the stairs to the roof without a clue of the heartbreaking scene he was about to walk in to.
Jim lying on the ground, gun in his hand, a puddle of blood surrounding his head.
Sebastian ran to Jim, cradling Jim’s head in his lap as he tried to keep it together. Hospital. He must get Jim to a hospital. As he pulled his hand out from under Jim’s hand he noticed how bloody he is. He wiped the hand on his trousers and picked Jim up in his arms. A broken man.
Thoughts started to come together and he realized they’re standing on the roof of a hospital after all. Sebastian carried Jim down to the emergency room; he has no choice because saving Jim is of the utmost priority. Nurses rushed to Sebastian with a wheeled bed and load Jim on there. He's forced to stay behind and fill out paper work. He put down Jim’s name as Richard Brook, one of many false identities Jim had created what seemed like a life time ago. Most importantly he put down place of address as his old flat, the one he rarely used once he had moved in with Jim, and left the rest of the form empty.
~
It wasn’t until a few hours later that a doctor came out approaching Sebastian.
“Are you here for Mr. Brook?” the doctor said.
“Yes, is he alive?” Sebastian asked urgently.
“We’ve moved Mr. Brook to the ICU,” the doctor replied, motioning to the double doors Sebastian was forbidden to cross. “He’s in a very fragile and critical condition. He is alive but barely. It was only a blank he fired into his mouth and not a bullet. He lost a lot of blood and is currently in a medically induced coma. With a wound as serious as his, well, he shouldn’t have lived. I can’t quite diagnose the damage that’s been left until he wakes up. Until then it wouldn’t be a surprise if he wakes up with severe memory loss.”
“When can I see him?” Sebastian asked, trying to keep calm. He’s alive. That’s all that matters right now.
“Are you a family member?”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then I’m sorry, but we can’t allow you to see him. Is there any family we can call for him?”
“He’s only got me.”
Sebastian shook his head and walked away, shaking with anger. He’s the one who found Jim all bloodied on the rooftop. He’s the one to always take care of him. And he can’t even see his boss; the man who meant more to him than he’d ever admit.
He took out his mobile from his pocket and dialed the number of one of Jim’s employees who specialized in forging paperwork.
“Hayes,” Sebastian barked into the phone, trying to keep his emotions under control.
“Moran?” Hayes called into the phone. “The Boss need anything?”
“He needs you to create some papers for him,” Sebastian said, colonel mode taking over. “A client needs the proper identification to allow him to make a hospital visit. I don’t care what name you use but the last name needs to be Brook. Meet me outside St. Bart’s in tomorrow morning at eight or else you’re fired.”
Sebastian walked outside of the hospital and took out a cigarette. His hands were shaking as he lit up and he took in a deep pull of the cigarette. He went back to their flat and spent the night drinking, trying to convince himself Jim would come out okay.
Shit. Why did Jim shove a gun in his mouth? Sebastian knew Jim was usually bored easily but was it really that bad? Was he not good enough of a reason for Jim to stay alive? He paced the sidewalk, all the way until he reached the pavement where Sherlock was lying dead a few hours ago. The ground was stained red and Sebastian could only imagine what Watson was feeling.
That damn Sherlock. He was the reason Jim was dead. Jim was always going on about how Sherlock was the best game he’s ever played. Now that Sherlock’s game has ended nothing else could be just as entertaining. That didn’t mean Jim’s life had to end.
Hayes arrived at the hospital a minute before eight. Sebastian had been there since seven, he couldn't sleep knowing his life might be changed. No questions asked. Papers handed over and Sebastian was on his way back inside with the identity as Richard Brook’s brother, Ned Brook. He went up to the front desk to inquire over visiting Jim. The nurse asked if he was a relative, he showed the i.d. and was led to Jim’s room. The nurse warned him that he wouldn’t be able to talk to Richard, as that was the name given, as he would be asleep.
The blinds were closed and the door slid open. The nurse didn’t follow him in and Sebastian was grateful for that. He took in a sharp breath at the sight of Jim. His head was bandaged and various needles were stuck in his hand and arm. Sebastian took a seat next to Jim and took hold of his hand. Jim would have had him punished for doing this in public but Sebastian could care less, Jim was asleep after all.
For three weeks Sebastian spent his entire available time sitting next to Jim. He still had to take over Jim’s empire and make sure nothing fell apart. It was tough making sure none of the employees found out what happened to Jim. At night when he was kicked out of the ICU, he slept with Jim’s pillow against his chest in their shared flat. It was killing Sebastian that Jim wouldn’t wake up. Every day he spent by Jim’s side, he recounted his day and the things he had to do to keep the empire running smoothly.
It was twenty-four days after the accident -Sebastian refused to call it a suicide attempt until he got the story from Jim- that Jim’s eyelids fluttered open. Sebastian called for a nurse and one came in to check his vital signs. Sebastian leaned in close, grabbing Jim’s hand. Jim opened his mouth to speak. It took a few moments before proper words came out and Sebastian’s heart was racing.
Jim looked straight into Sebastian’s eyes and said, “Who are you?”