Work Text:
“I’m a fake,” Sherlock says, biting back tears. This is more difficult than he thought it would be. “The newspapers were right all along. I want you to tell Lestrade; I want you to tell Mrs. Hudson, and Molly ... in fact, tell anyone who will listen to you that I created Moriarty for my own purposes.”
John can’t believe what he’s hearing, there has to be some explanation for why Sherlock is acting this way. “Okay, shut up, Sherlock, shut up. The first time we met ... the first time we met, you knew all about my sister, right?”
“No one could be that clever,” Sherlock says. He has to make John believe him. It scares him, that he needs John to forget, needs everyone to forget. They have to forget about him or his plan won’t work.
“You could,” John fights for his friends honor, against his friend himself. It’s a ridiculous situation. John has to force himself to stay still, to not run to Sherlock and pull him down from that ledge.
“I researched you,” Sherlock laughs, tears dripping from his chin. “Before I met you I discovered everything I could to impress you.” He sniffs quietly. “It’s just a trick. Just a magic trick.”
John closes his eyes, shakes his head, fights back tears. “No. All right, stop it right now.” He moves towards the hospital, determined to get to Sherlock and shake some sense into his friend.
“No,” Sherlock’s voice is urgent, stopping John in his tracks. “Stay exactly where you are. Don’t move.”
“All right,” John says, his hand up in a calming manner.
“Keep your eyes fixed on me,” Sherlock sounds frantic now, determined. “Please, will you do this for me?”
“Do what?”
“This phone call - it’s, er… it’s my note. It’s what people do, don’t they - leave a note?”
“Leave a note when?” John’s voice is shaky; he knows he’ll never get to Sherlock fast enough.
“Goodbye, John.”
“No. Don’t,” John stares on as Sherlock tosses his phone to the side and steps from the ledge of the roof. “No. Sherlock!”
Don’t forget me, Sherlock thinks. God, John, don’t forget me, please.