The Anonymous | S.H. ? O.C.

- 7 -

"He plead guilty." Sherlock is the first to speak up.

"He plead twice in this email, actually" Ann adds in.

"Twice?" John wonders.

"Each capital letter adds to a message. His message was, "I AM GUILTY BECAUSE PEOPLE LIE".

This is in reference to the fact that Mike was lying about seeing me and plenty of others, leading to his death. Rory was not only seeking revenge, but his idea of justice as well."

This email gave a fresh idea of Rory's motives to everyone; it allowed them to truly see what his thoughts behind actions were. This also makes it clear that even though it may not have been planned, Rory doesn't regret killing Birch.

"I can trace back the email to give away his IP address. We can send the police after him now that we have confirmed evidence from the suspect, himself."

"They're already on their way". Sherlock's comment makes them turn their heads.

"Pardon?" Ann questions, knowing that Sherlock is clever enough to know O'Neill's move was predictable, but unsure of how he would have known about it in weeks advance if it had been sent to her personal email.

"I hacked into your email account weeks ago. I got the email from my laptop at the same time it arrived to yours, hours ago. I forwarded it to Lestrade for evidence and they were tracing it within moments of receiving it. Clearly, the cops are already on their way to arrest O'Neill; if not, then they already have him. You may leave now." Sherlock attempts to push Ann out of the apartment, but she resists.

He had done this once before and was using the same motions. Turning back towards him, she uses self-defence tactics to make him release her. This didn't work out as planned since it started a mini-fight between the two; both using fighting techniques against one-another and ending in a truce.

"Well played."

"Not so bad yourself." Ann and Sherlock shake each other's hands with half-smiles and smirks.

John stares at them for a moment before clearing the air with his words.

"Let's see how that's coming along, shall we?"

Sherlock looks at him without emotion, saying, "No need". He looks at his watch and counts down out-loud, until the flat's door swings open and Lestrade speaks.

"We got him."

-

Sherlock, John, and Ann crowd around a computer in a small area outside of the interrogation room; Lestrade and Rory O'Neill, the only ones inside of the interrogation room itself.

The questions consisted of the basic, "who? When? Why?" and was finished in about twenty minutes. The information received was nothing new; everything Ann and Sherlock suspected turned out correct and Rory was quickly arrested afterwards.

Within only a few days, Ann had to come to court for Rory's case as a witness. John and Sherlock were in the crowd, watching her and giving her support.

Despite being the usual confident, seductive person she is, her nerves were quite overwhelming. The person whom her ex was friends with is being convicted of his murder; how should you act? Sure, Ann only dated him for this case, but even if 'faking' a relationship was all it was, you get to know someone pretty well in that timeframe.

To the current situation, before the courthouse opens and everyone is waiting for entrance, John is making good attempts of calming Ann down.

"Just take a deep breath, in and out. Soon all of this is going to be over and you won't have to deal with this all again. Just get through the court session and it'll all be over. He already plead guilty, so there's no way he's getting out of this."