That night, the trio was well on their way to Geneva. They stayed there for one night to allow Alexandra to get her rest and then they were off again. They were wandering in the Valley of Rhone for a week. Alexandra was able to keep up, but she was usually trailing behind them. When they got to the snowy Gemmi Pass, she felt that she was too tired to go on. She'd barely had any sleep since Holmes would wake them up at around midnight to get going again. She stopped suddenly in her tracks.

"Miss Watson?" Holmes said, turning to look at her. She had been walking between her brother and him.

"Mr. Holmes, you will have to continue without me." Alexandra said.

"No." Holmes said firmly. "Come on."

"Holmes, let her rest!" Watson shouted. "She isn't well at all!"

"She won't be well if Moriarty catches us either!" Holmes said.

"HOLMES!" Watson shouted. Alexandra cowered. She had never seen her brother so angry. "My sister is weak and sick. Either you let her rest or we don't come on the rest of the journey with you."

"Fine, fine." Holmes sighed, looking for somewhere Alexandra could rest. He spotted a rock large enough for her to sit on. "There. Come along, Miss Watson."

Alexandra weakly walked to the rock. She sat down on it, almost collapsing. Holmes sat down in front of her, sheltering her from the icy wind that was blowing. He took off his traveling cloak and wrapped it around her shoulders. Watson examined his sister.

"You're just weak from lack of food and rest." He said. "I have a feeling the snowy wind isn't helping much either."

"No, it isn't." Alexandra gave a wan smile. "All right. I think I'm ready."

"You haven't even been sitting for a minute." Watson said. "You take as much time as you need, my dear sister."

"Thank you, John." Alexandra said.

Alexandra leaned forward and pressed her head into Holmes' chest. She heard his heart beating and felt his chest rising and falling with every breath he took. Holmes ran his hand through her hair, ridding it of the ice that had hardened it. When Alexandra lifted her head, she felt that her strength was back. She stood up slowly.

"Okay. I think I'm ready now." She said. Watson nodded.

The rest of the week was a little nicer. Alexandra was able to see that it was spring down in the fields below the mountain passes that they went through. She and Watson felt very relaxed now. Holmes, however, was the exact opposite. He was unable to forget the burden on his shoulders. Every person who passed seemed a threat to him. He wouldn't make eye contact and slink past everyone. They got lost several times in the mountain passes and finally had to hire a guard. As they were walking along the border Daubensee, a large rock fell from the ridge on their right and fell into the lake behind them. Holmes instantly climbed up on the ridge and looked around.

"It's quite alright, Mr. Holmes." The guide said. "It's very common for rocks to fall in the spring in that spot."

Holmes didn't say a word, but climbed down and grinned at Alexandra and Watson with the air of a man who had gotten just what he expected. He continued walking with a certain bounce to his step.

"I don't think I've ever seen him in such good spirits." Watson whispered to Alexandra one day. Holmes turned to face them.

"I think I may say, my friends, that I have not lived wholly in vain." He said. "Your memoirs with draw to an end, Watson, the day that I crown my career with the capture or extinction of the most dangerous and capable criminal in Europe. Your sister and I will be able to get peacefully married and raise a family."

"I do not think I want to carry children." Alexandra said. "I have no problem with adoption, though."

"Adoption it is, then." Holmes said. "Still, neither of us will have much need to work. You could sit and read all day, if you wish."

"I would like that." Alexandra smiled.

On the third of May, they reached a hotel. The landlord spoke excellent English. They stayed there for one night. In the afternoon of the next day, they set out over the hills. The landlord had told them to try and make a small detour to see the falls of Reichenbach. They made their way to the falls. Alexandra looked down at them and shuddered. It would be a very long way to fall and an unpleasant way to die. After they had looked down the edge for a few minutes, they started to go back. A Swiss boy ran up to them with a letter. It was from the hotel that they had left only an hour ago. It was addressed to Watson, who tore it open. He scanned it over and looked at Holmes and his sister.

"There's an English lady who is dying back at the hotel. It would be a great comfort to her to see an English doctor." He said.

"You should go." Holmes said. "Take Miss Watson with you."

"I don't want to leave you." Watson said. "What if Moriarty tries something?"

"You two can join me at Rosenlaui this evening. The boy can be my guide." Holmes said. "I'll stay here for some time, just in case you come back."

"Alright." Watson said after some hesitation. "Come along, sister."

"Okay." Alexandra said.

"Miss Watson, wait." Holmes said. He walked up to her and studied her. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Alexandra said.

Holmes bent down and kissed her on the lips. He then went back and stood against a rock, looking down at the falls. Alexandra followed her brother. He turned and looked at Holmes, who was still looking down at the falls. It was the last time Watson would see his best friend for a long time.

As they trekked back to the hotel, Alexandra couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. She turned back and broke into a run, not telling her brother. She went back to the falls. She saw Holmes and Moriarty conversing. She ducked behind a rock, barely able to catch any of their conversation over the rush of the waterfall.

"No, no, no, no, no, this is too easy!" Moriarty was laughing. "This is too easy! I'm disappointed in you, Mr. Holmes. Now, shall we finish the game? One final act. I'm quite glad you chose a tall waterfall."

"Miss Watson beat you in the fencing match, fair and square." Holmes said. "You were to leave London and never return."

"I returned for a chat. And I kept my promise. I'm a citizen of Switzerland now. I promised not to hurt you in England. We're in Switzerland. Here, in my home, you're all mine." Moriarty said.

Moriarty, without any warning, attacked Holmes. Alexandra wanted to run and help him, but she didn't want to somehow get her suitor killed. Holmes flung his body at Moriarty, knocking him off of his feet. They were now locked in combat. Moriarty and Holmes didn't notice how close they were to the edge. They both fell off the edge. Alexandra screamed.

Holmes and Moriarty had landed on a ridge. They were still at a height that could kill both of them if they fell down it and onto the sharp rocks below. Holmes kicked Moriarty off of him. Moriarty stumbled. He fell off the ledge and clutched the edge of it. Holmes stood over him. Moriarty looked up at him, hatred burning in his eyes. He fell into the river below.

Alexandra didn't know what to do. Was Holmes alive? Maybe he could have survived such a fall. She went over to the edge to check. She felt the edge of the muddy cliff shudder. She didn't have time to move. She was frozen in fear. The edge of the cliff gave way and she fell.

Holmes looked down at where Moriarty had disappeared and then backed away as he heard the edge of the cliff where he and Moriarty had been talking give way and follow the criminal into the river. Something caught his eye. It was a flash of blonde hair. He swore it was Alexandra. The scream sounded like her. He knew it was Alexandra. Holmes didn't think twice about what he was going to do. He dived into torrent of swirling water below.

It was a miracle that Alexandra didn't hit the rocks. The first thing she felt when she hit the water was cold. The second was a pain in her rib-cage. The third was utter panic. She tried to take a breath and water flowed into her lungs. She knew she was going to die. She knew it. But she wouldn't give up so easily. Blind, she struggled against the current and fought her way towards air. Her dress was dragging her down. She didn't know which way was up. She remembered John teaching her to swim as a child.

It's like running. Let your legs and arms to the work. Tilt your chin up. Let the water carry you up. His words rang clear in her ears.

Hearing her brother's voice calmed her. She found that her legs were kicking her towards the air. She took a gulp of air before she slammed into another rock. Her legs and arms felt heavy and numb as they flailed uselessly around her. Suddenly, she felt someone grip her dress. She got a glimpse of dark brown hair.

Holmes! She thought. He had lived.

"Keep your head up!" He said.

Alexandra tried to help him, but she was just too tired. Barely conscious, she let herself be carried through the freezing water until she felt pebbles scrape her freezing skin and then solid ground beneath her. She felt Holmes lift her and then lay her down on grass. Her chest felt as if it was on fire, making each breath a struggle.

"Miss Watson, it's me. It's Sherlock Holmes. You're safe." Holmes said.

"Holmes..." Alexandra whispered, her gaze hazy. She wanted her brother. "John...Holmes...Holmes..."

Alexandra closed her eyes, ignoring Holmes' panicked yells. The black waves lapping over her were comforting. She let sleep wash over her. She was exhausted.

Holmes looked Alexandra over. She needed somewhere warm and dry to stay. Mycroft had a base here in the forest. Mycroft had bases everywhere. Alexandra was barely alive. He picked her up. He sighed. She would have to stay with him while he remained 'dead' for however long he needed to.

---------------------

Alexandra's eyes opened groggily. She was wrapped in a blanket on a couch. She looked around. This wasn't her home. This wasn't the hotel either.

"Where am I?" She said. Her throat hurt something awful. She summoned her strength to call out. "Is anyone there?"

"Miss Watson?" Said a familiar baritone voice. "Are you awake?"

"Yes." Alexandra nodded. "Mr. Holmes, is that you?"

"Who else?" Holmes scoffed. Alexandra tried to sit up as Holmes came in the room. He pushed her down. "No, no. Don't try to sit up. You've got some broken ribs."

"Is Moriarty dead?" Alexandra asked.

"Yes." Holmes nodded.

"Can we go back to John?" Alexandra asked.

Holmes hesitated. "No, we cannot, I'm afraid. We will have to take down Moriarty's network together."

"Doesn't it have a new ruler?" Alexandra asked.

"You ask too many questions." Holmes chuckled. "No, they wouldn't be able to hire one in that short span of time. Moran died and then you forced Moriarty to leave England."

"I hope you're right." Alexandra sighed. "Poor John...he's going to think we both perished."

"We will see him again soon enough." Holmes said. Alexandra's stomach growled.

"Is there anything to eat here?" She asked.

"No. But we can go out for dinner in a little while." Holmes said. "You should try and get some more rest."

"Could you lay beside me?" Alexandra asked.

Holmes nodded. He climbed onto the couch next to her. She gasped as she rolled over onto her side, her ribs searing with pain. Holmes pushed her back to her original position.

"Easy, easy." He said. "Don't lay like that. It will hurt you. Now, go to sleep, Miss Watson."