"Fancy meetin' ya here", he says when she steps out on the balcony. He sits casually on the railing with a cigarette in hand. To the casual observer he looks relaxed and harmless but she knows he's anything but.
"What does he want?" She asks indignantly.
"The Professor?"
She gives him an impatient look. They both know who she's talking about. It surprises her when he answers her question with "nothing."
"What do you want then?" She asks impatiently. It's cold here on the balcony and she has more pleasant company waiting for her inside.
"Want to go back to your darling, don't you?" He grins, all teeth and with a layer of threatening hidden underneath.
"As he wished", she replies.
"The Professor doesn't pay you for going behind his back", he answers sharply.
"Which I don't do."
"Then lay off him a bit", he nods towards the glass doors where she can see Sherlock in the crowd, doubtlessly looking for her. He looks unhappy. "The Professor only wants him alive for now. It's be unwise to be become attached." He spits out the last words.
"He seems to pay you a lot to deserve this amount of loyalty", she huffs to cover up that Moran just confirmed her suspicions about Moriarty's plans for Sherlock.
"About as much as he pays you", he nods towards the glass doors again. His smile is slightly rueful. She understands. For Sherlock she's a challenge but she will never be John Watson and she knows it as much as Moran knows that he's a chess piece, not a pawn, more like a valuable bishop or a tower but a chess piece nonetheless.
"Well, thank you for your advice", she says, finally gathering herself. "I'll take it under consideration." She covers his hands with hers briefly. Their eyes meet and they acknowledge that they're both in the same situation and that nothing has changed. He will kill her if Moriarty gives the order and she will give evidence to see him hanged should she think that it would protect Sherlock.
"I'll see you", he tips his head and saunters downstairs.
"I hope not", she replies before going back inside.