Disclaimer – characters and settings as depicted in the BBC series not mine. No money being made. Plot is mine.

Prologue

He had not expected that the Pet would be worthy of Sherlock. On paper, the man was a washed up veteran – a wounded has been that hung around like a leech, draining Sherlock's vitality.

When the boys had grabbed the Pet on his way to the idiot woman's house, they'd had to drug him, so Jim had been rather bored while waiting for him to wake. Sherlock's message had been expected of course and therefore wasn't nearly distracting enough. He'd been tempted to make some modifications to the Pet – apart from the earpiece and bomb vest of course – but didn't want to distract Sherlock from their meeting. If the Pet was dripping blood everywhere he'd be the focus of Sherlock's attention: Moriarty preferred that to be him.

Once awake, things had gotten more interesting. The Pet had woken fighting, but stifled the urge quickly when he'd identified the bomb vest he was wearing.

"Now now, dear," Moriarty cooed, "Don't make me find another hostage because I've had to kill you. Although, now that I think of it… it would leave a room open in Baker Street – I could plant someone more suitable for dear Sherlock to associate with in your place."

The Pet glared, but said nothing, his tense posture and breathing the only clue to his stress. The other hostages had cried and begged and one had even soiled himself, but Sherlock's Pet had done none of that. He'd glared at the floor, jaw clenched and muscles stiff. As tempting as it was to see just what would break that stiff control, Moriarty decided that the upcoming meeting was too close to truly begin and he did so hate having to stop when he was in the middle of something.

Meeting Sherlock in person was absolutely delicious. He was as beautiful as Moriarty had expected – both in body and mind. The chance to banter with him in person, to see those thoughts and wonderful deductions cross those lovely gray eyes. He could tell that Sherlock was enjoying it too – though he doubted the Pet had any idea of the courtship that was going on under his very nose.

The Pet's attempt to sacrifice himself for Sherlock was predictable and Moriarty felt a gleam of triumph at Sherlock's utter lack of reaction to the offer. He'd always known that the Pet was deluded in his belief that Sherlock had any feelings for him – Sherlock was too brilliant to be bothered with such mundane things. That changed when he left the two by the pool – he'd been so pleased with his parting shot that he couldn't resist watching the Pet and Sherlock for a few moments.

Although he'd called the Pet Sherlock's 'heart' he'd been certain that they both knew it was a joke, though Moriarty was fairly certain that the Pet had believed that he was important to Sherlock. Bless – such a deluded creature, really. However once he'd left, Sherlock showed actual emotion! He even thanked his Pet! It was unheard of – and Moriarty knew it wasn't an act. Sherlock was not acting, the Pet had actually managed to make Moriarty's perfect partner feel something!

Of course, that was not to be borne. If Sherlock was going to have actual feelings, they should be about Moriarty! Therefore he stepped out once more, determined to take Sherlock with him. At the very least, he wanted to remove the Pet from his path. Sherlock wasn't ready now, but one day he would be ready to join Moriarty against the mundane clones of the world.

He hadn't expected the threat to kill them all, nor the tiny glance and nod that the two flatmates opposite him exchanged. In that brief second he was consumed with a burning need – to know exactly what it was about Pet John Watson that inspired such a reaction in the exquisite Sherlock Holmes. It wasn't hard to send new instructions via text, his hand was in his pocket already and he'd trained his own Pet's well. A pair of darts from one of his 'snipers' had both of them out and on the floor before either could react – and more importantly before Sherlock could hurt himself.

He couldn't resist pressing a kiss to Sherlock's lax lips and slipping him a little gift before ordering his own Pet's to scoop up Sherlock's and heading for the exits. He'd never understood Sherlock's need to solve puzzles before, but now… this was one puzzle that he had no intention of passing up.

What was it about Sherlock's Pet that made him worthy of Sherlock's attention?

%&%&%&

AN – this fic is based [loosely] on the song by Snow Patrol 'Make This Go On Forever', which I don't own and have no rights to. It will alternate between Moriarty and John's POV and there will be some dark themes ahead (drug use, mind games etc). It's a loose take on how the stand off at the pool could have ended and what came next (aren't we all sick of those fics? Don't we all wish that they'd hurry up and show the new season already?)

And Moriarty is surprisingly difficult to write! Who knew?