The Case of the Desperate Nation
by Annie Magee
Part 8: The Alternate Ending
by Jaka Ray
7/20/03
A/N: Hello again, everyone. After speaking to Jaka Ray, a
reader, it was agreed that the ending chapter of this story was not a
strong as the other chapters. So she came up with an alternate ending
for it. Here it is.The story starts at one part of chapter 8. BTW: I
would like to thank the two reviewers of my last chapter. I appreciate
it.
"You're under arrest, Moriarty, and don't EVEN give me that crud about
not having any authority in the Underground. I have a special warrant
for YOU." She pulled out her ionizer, knowing that it would be a
difficult arrest.
Moriarty kicked the gun from her hand, knocking it from her. They
leapt for the weapon, but Beth got her hand around it first. They
fought for possession of her gun. It was a hard fight, but it ended in
Beth knocking the Napoleon of Crime unconscious with her gun. She moved
closer to look for the antidote, but whirled around to find Fenwick
charging her with a yell. Timing her attack carefully, Beth Lestrade
sent a kick to Fenwick's middle, causing him to crash into his master
and turning his ankle. "Give me the antidote, Fenwick!!" she snarled,
"I don't wanna waste time searching for it. Give it to me now or else."
Lestrade raised her ionizer threateningly.
"Do your worst, Yardie!" Fenwick spat out as he grimaced in pain and
slowly stood.
"Fine!" she smiled bitterly. "A brain for a brain, eh, Fenwick?" and
aimed at Moriarty.
"Your wimpy ionizer won't do any good! Especially against James
Moriarty!" the slimy Fenwick shouted triumphantly, edging carefully to
the weapon on the table nearest him.
"Don't move, you lowlife lizard! And this is not ordinary ionizer,"
her smile broadened, then set into a grim line as she realized every
second was precious for Sher- Holmes, she corrected herself. Lestrade
continued, "Oh, no. I don't think that's good enough for the likes of
you! I took the liberty of adding some of that poison of yours in my
cartridges. Giving you a taste of your own medicine!!" She took
careful aim at the body of Moriarty.
Fenwick cried out and launched himself at Lestrade. In surprised self
defense at Fenwick's loyalty and stupidity, Lestrade pulled the
trigger. The poison was ejected into Fenwick and there was nothing she
could do. As he crumpled senseless on the floor, Lestrade rummaged
quickly through Moriarty's clothes. She found several vials, but only
one which matched the description Sir Evan had vaguely surmised.
"Guess this is it." Lestrade packed the vial away in her pocket, and
to be safe took the others as well. And then she dashed back to save
Holmes.
As soon as she got to Holmes's Baker St. lodgings, she took the stairs
3 at a time and almost flattened Watson into the wall.
"I've got it! The real thing!" She flushed triumphantly, holding the
antidote up. Watson blinked. "But you're too late."
Horror washed over Beth Lestrade like a wave. "Oh zed...Not it can't
be!" Tears filled her eyes. I never got to tell him how I felt.... She
turned away from Watson. Like Holmes, she prefered to hide her
feelings from others..........
Watson, concern in his voice, stuttered, "Why, Lestrade, you shouldn't
be sad! You should be overjoyed that he-"
Lestrade interuppted, furious at Watson's unthoughtfulness, "I thought
I programmed you better than that, Watson! You're supposed to be his
dearest friend! If he's dead"-it was so painful to admit!-"you should
be mourning too!" Tears streamed down her face. She couldn't take it
anymore and broke into silent sobs. She would've left out to the
streets, but Watson's bulk was blocking her way to the door. She
turned her back to the door, the door to Holmes' body..
Watson's eyes registered suprise, "No! No no no, it's not like that!
You- you don't- you don't understand! You-"
"-were too late with the antidote." interrupted a quiet voice behind
her. Lestrade turned to the door behind her to find herself face to
face with Sherlock Holmes.
"What? Zed, I- what is going on?!" Lestrade had never been more
puzzled and overjoyed at the same time.
She turned to Watson for an explanation. She was even more puzzled to
find she didn't get one, for Watson seemed just as shocked as she was.
"What in all of New London is going on here?!" she cried, exasperated
and regaining some of her old self. "How did you-" She now looked to
Sherlock Holmes.
He smiled. "Eyes and brains, my dear Lestrade."
Zed, that sounds good, Lestrade thought to herself.
"It's true that you were too late with the
antidote, because the good Sir Evan came up with one, moments before
you were so good as to reduce our stairs to pieces with your rush..."
His eyes twinkled mischievously. It was obvious he was back to his old
self.
"But Watson-" Beth Lestrade was still confused. How could Watson have
been so shocked at Holmes' appearance?
"-Thought he was still resting in bed!" remonstrated the droid. Holmes
smiled his dazzling smile. A little weak, perhaps, but it was the same
dazzling smile which lit up his eyes and the one Beth Lestrade found
herself falling for....
Days later, Sherlock Holmes was making a full recovery, although Sir
Evan insisted he stay in his rooms at Baker Street to rest. And to
make sure no further attacks would be made on him while his body was
still recovering from the first poisoning. Holmes had consented
reluctantly, on the condition that everybody visit him. "And bring
presents, too," he joked.
So Lestrade visited him on the third day after the antidote was
produced. She had spent the last few days preparing and going over
what she would say to him. How would he take the tears she had shed
when she believed him to be dead? She brought him flowers to hide her
face behind in case she got too red..
She found him pacing his room impatiently. He smiled when he saw her.
"Ah, Lestrade!" he cried. "There are precisely five apples, two
peaches, and fifty-two grapes in the fruit basket Grayson has sent me." He
motioned to a large basket on the table. "I was about to count the
stitches in the basket when you came, but now I shall count the petals
on your delightful roses." And with that he gripped the flowers and
set them down next to the basket before Lestrade could say otherwise.
She was without cover now....
Holmes plopped himself down in his chair and waved to another one for
her. Lestrade sat down slowly, afraid to speak. There was an awkward
silence which almost made Lestrade wish for an injection of poison
before Holmes started, "So tell me about your little meeting with
James Moriarty!"
And so she did. When she finished, Holmes nodded thoughtfully.
"I have no doubt that, although he may have a blistering headache when
he awakens, Moriarty is still at large. And Fenwick must've managed to
get one of the numerous antidotes they must've had in their posession.
It would be of no use to check the building now. The birds have flown
their coop and it was most likely only a temporary one."
Another awkward silence began. It was again broken by Holmes, who said
quietly, "And I thank you for the concern you showed for me. It won't
be forgotten." Lestrade raised her eyes from the ground. Her face was
only a foot away from his. John H. Watson's stories depicted his eyes
as a watery gray. But as Beth Lestrade looked into those same eyes,
she realized with a thrill they were blue, with only flecks of gray.
Watson evidentally had never been this close to his friend before. But
the writer had been right in one respect. Sherlock Holmes' eyes were
watery. But only because he was crying.
Beth Lestrade was taken aback to find Sherlock Holmes crying. She
didn't know what to do. It would be a confession of how she felt if
she were to reach for his hand....
She was pondering doing this until Holmes muttered, "I do
apologize, but I'm exhausted.. er. I'm sure you can show yourself out?"
And with that he laid down on his sofa, being careful to turn his head
toward the wall.
She knelt beside the sofa and looked down at Holmes, whose eyes
were closed. "Holmes?" she whispered.
"M-mmmm?" was the response.
"I'm glad you're all right." There was silence, and then she
continued "Holmes?"
He did not answer.
"I love you." She kissed his forehead tenderly, and headed for
the door. Beth looked one more time at him before she called for lights
off and shut the door behind her, leaving the silent room.
After she left, Holmes sat up abruptly, the full power of what
she had just done sinking in, giving his stomach a flip and his body
an uneasy feeling... He stayed still for a moment before standing and
making a move to the door.
But before he could do so, all of New London was shaken by four
large blasts.
Lestrade rushed back through the door, and into Holmes' arms. They
stayed so for just a moment, and stepped apart.
"Zed, what was that?!" Lestrade's eyes were full of fear.
"If I'm not mistaken, my dear Lestrade, I just hugged you," Holmes
said, confused that she didn't realize it.
She shook her head violently, smiling to herself, "No, no, the
explosions!"
Holmes flushed crimson and gained control of himself. "Moriarty's
threat! I had forgotten it!"
Lestrade paled. "But he said it would level all of New London," she
whispered in horror.
"That would include us, my dear Lestrade. And I can say with assurance
that we are not dead." He swooped up his cape and cap, turning to Beth
Lestrade. "Nothing that Sir Evan Hargreaves could say would keep me
from investigating." And he strode to the stairs and out the door, his
Scotland Yard companion close on his heels.....
Hello, all. Bad news, boys and girls: That last chapter will be
the last one for this story. SORRY!
However, a sequel to 'Desperate Nation' is in the works via my friend,
who so generously provided the alternate ending.
Also, if you liked this fic, then I suggest MY sequel, A Les
Miserables/SH22nd x-over, "The Case of The Past Inspector."
Till then, bye!
THE END
On to "A Hard Look into the Future" by Annie Magee
(formerly "The Case of the Past Inspector")
On to "Bedbugs and Broomsticks" by Jaka Ray!
Back to THE ORIGINAL ENDING.
Back to the fanfic index
|