"I thought you were going to stay, Alex." Sherlock said as he and John walked outside.

"I thought I'd come to protect you." Alex lied. She just hadn't wanted to be left behind.

"My hero!" Sherlock said sarcastically. He turned to John. "Coming?"

"Where?" John asked.

"Want your sister to be safe?" Sherlock asked.

"Yeah, of course I do." John nodded.

"Good, because this is going to be incredibly dangerous." Sherlock said. "One false move, and we'll have betrayed the security of the United Kingdom and be imprisoned for false treason. Magnussen is quite simply the most dangerous man we've ever encountered and the odds are comprehensively stacked against us."

"But it's Christmas!" John said.

"I feel the same!" Sherlock smiled turning to John. His smile faded. "Oh, you mean it's actually Christmas. Did you bring your gun like I suggested?"

"Why would I bring my gun to your parents' house for Christmas dinner?!" John asked.

"Is it in your coat?" Sherlock asked, handing John his coat.

"Yes." John muttered.

"Off we go, then." Sherlock said.

"Where are we going?" Alex asked.

"Appledore." Sherlock said.

While they were on the helicopter, Alex was trying not to look down. She had always been a little scared of heights. They made her dizzy and her stomach turn. She looked at Sherlock.

"Why do you hate Magnussen so much?" She asked.

"Because he finds people who are different and prey on their secrets. He's also after the woman I love." Sherlock said. "I'm not going to let that happen."

They both looked out the window and saw a large, circular building. Appledore. Alex hadn't remembered one tiny fact: she was going to have to see Magnussen again after trying to kill him.

"Sherlock, I change my mind!" Alex said.

"You can't now, Alex." Sherlock said. "I'm going to be right there. You'll be fine."

The helicoptor landed and the three of them got out. Sherlock held Alex's hand. They were led up to where Magnussen was. He nodded to them. Alex glared back.

"I would offer you a drink, but it's very rare and expensive." Magnussen said. Sherlock sat down on the couch next to him.

"Oh. It was you." Sherlock said, glancing at the video Magnussen was watching. It was of the fire that John and Alex had been put in.

"Yes, of course." Magnussen said. "Very hard to find a pressure point on you, Mr. Holmes."

"Hm." Sherlock said.

"The drugs thing I didn't believe for a minute. Anyway, you wouldn't care if it was exposed, would you?" Magnussen asked. "But look how you care about Alexandra Watson. Your damsel in distress."

"You...put me and my sister in a fire for leverage?" John said.

"Oh, I would never let you two burn, Dr. Watson. I had people standing by." Magnussen said. "I am not a murderer. Unlike your sister."

"Right here!" Alex said, raising her hand. John pushed Alex behind him protectively.

"Let me explain how leverage works, Dr. Watson. For those who understand these things, Mycroft Holmes is the most powerful man in the country. Well, apart from me." Magnussen said, getting up and swiping the video of the fire away. "Mycroft's pressure point is his junkie detective brother Sherlock. Sherlock's pressure point is the love of his life Alexandra Watson. Alexandra's pressure point is her brother. John Watson's pressure point is his wife and sister. I own John Watson's sister, I own Mycroft. He's what I'm getting for Christmas."

"It's an exchange, not a gift." Sherlock said, sliding the laptop to Magnussen. Alex rushed over and put her hand on the laptop.

"Sherlock, stop and listen to what I'm about to say. I'm. Not. Important." Alex said quietly.

"You are to me." Sherlock said. "Move back."

Alex sighed in defeat and took her hand away. Magnussen took the laptop. Sherlock got up and walked over to his friend and sister.

"Forgive me, but I already seem to have it." Magnussen said.

"It's password protected." Sherlock said. "In return for the password, you will give me any material in your possession pretaining to Alex Watson."

"Oh, she's bad, that one." Magnussen said.

"Again, right here!" Alex said.

"So many dead people." Magnussen continued. "You should see what I've seen."

"I don't need to see it." John said.

"Well, you might enjoy it, though." Magnussen said. "I enjoy it."

"Then, why don't you show us?" Sherlock challenged.

"Show you Appledore? The secret vaults?" Magnussen said. "Is that what you want?"

"I want everything you've got on Alexandra Sierra Watson." Sherlock said. Magnussen started laughing.

"You know, I honestly expected something good." He said.

"Well, I think you'll find the contents of that laptop-" Sherlock started.

"Include the GPS locator." Magnussen said. "By now, your brother will have noticed the theft and Security Services will be converging on this house. Having arrived, they'll find top secret information in my hands. And they'll have every justification to search my vaults. They will discover further information of this kind and I'll be imprisoned. You will be exornerated. Restored to your smelly little apartment to solve crimes with Mr. and Miss Psychopath. Mycroft has been looking for this opportunity for a long time. He'll be a very, very proud big brother."

"The fact that you know what's going to happen isn't going to stop it." Sherlock said.

"Then why am I smiling?" Magnussen asked.

"Because you're creepy." Alex said.

"Ask me." Magnussen said, ignoring her.

"Why are you smiling?" John asked.

"Because Sherlock Holmes has made one enormous mistake which will destroy the lives of everyone he loves and everything he holds dear. And I plan to start it with this lovely lady right here." Magnussen said, holding Alex's jaw and studying her face. She backed away.

"Don't. Touch. Me." She growled.

"Let me show you the Appledore vaults." Magnussen said. He led them into the next room and to two, bronze doors. "The entrance to my vaults. This is where I keep you all." He opened the doors to the room. All of it was pure white.

"Ok. Where are the vaults?" John said.

"Vaults? What vaults?" Magnussen asked. "There are no vaults beneath this building. They're all in here. The Appledore vaults are my mind palace. You know about mind palaces, don't you Sherlock? How to store information so you never forget it, by picturing it." Alex and Sherlock looked at each other, silently panicking. "I just sit here, I close my eyes and I go down to my vaults. I can go anywhere inside my vaults. My memories. I'll look at the files on Miss Watson." Magnussen moved his hands like he was paging through a book. "Oh, this is one of my favorites. Oh, it's so exciting. All those whack jobs for James Moriarty. Oh! She's gone a bit freelance now. Bad girl." He started laughing again. "Oh, she's so wicked. I can really see why you both like her." Magnussen opened his eyes. "You see?"

"So there actually are no documents? You don't actually have anything here?" John said.

"Oh, sometimes I actually send out for something if I really need it but mostly I just remember it all." Magnussen said.

"I don't understand." John said.

"You should have that on a T-shirt." Magnussen said.

"You just remember it all?" John said.

"It's all about knowledge. Everything is. Knowing is owning." Magnussen said.

"But if you don't know it, you don't have proof." John said.

"Proof? What would I need proof for?" Magnussen scoffed. "I'm in news, you moron. I don't have to prove it, I just have to print it. Speaking of news, all three of you will be heavily featured tomorrow. Trying to sell state secrets to me. Tsk tsk." He checked his watch and walked out of the room. Let's go outside. They'll be here shortly. Can't wait to see you arrested."

"Sherlock, do we have a plan?" John asked. Sherlock didn't answer. "Sherlock?"

"No. Oh, my God, no." Alex said. She clutched her stomach. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Alex, calm down." Sherlock said. "I made a vow to you I would get you out of this. And that's my last vow. But I will fulfill it."

"Thank you." Alex said. 

She, John, and Sherlock went outside with Magnussen. He was standing with his hands behind his back. John went to stand next to him.

"They're taking their time, aren't they?" He said.

"I still don't understand." John said. (ME IN MATH CLASS SOMETIMES)

"And there's the back of the T-shirt." Magnussen said.

"You just know things. How does that work?" John asked.

"I just so love your sister's face." Magnussen said. "I'd like to punch it. Bring it over here a minute."

"Leave my sister alone!" John said.

"Come on, for Sherlock." Magnussen said. "Bring me your face." Alex held her head up high, still trying to maintain the few shreds of dignanty she had left, and walked up to Magnussen. "Lean foreward a bit and stick your face out." Alex obeyed, staring at Magnussen as definently as she could. "Now, can I flick it?"

"Okay, what the actual heck is wrong with you?" Alex asked.

"Can I flick your face?" Magnussen asked. (I SAY THIS TO MY FRIENDS ALL THE TIME)

"Go right ahead." Alex said. Magnussen flicked her cheek. It stung slightly, but Alex didn't even flinch. He flicked it again. Anger was bubbling up inside John and Sherlock. 

"Oh, I just love doing this. I could do it all day." Magnussen said, looking at both of them. John was glaring furiously and Sherlock looked at Magnussen in disgust. "It works like this, John. I know who Alex hurt and killed." He flicked Alex's cheek. "I know where to find people who hate her." Magnussen flicked her again and then once more. "I know where they live I know their phone numbers." Another flick. "All in my mind palace. All of it. I could phone them right now and tear both of your whole lives down. And I will. Unless, she let's me flick her face." Magnussen flicked Alex's face again. Her cheek was starting to sting badly. She drew back slightly this time. She then stuck her face out again. Magnussen flicked her twice more. "This is what I do to people. This is what I do to whole countries. Just because I know." Alex's cheek hurt terribly. Not to mention her back was sore from the way she was standing. "Can I do your eye now? See if you can keep it open, hm?" Magnussen flicked her eye and she blinked. "Come on, for your brother and Sherlock. Keep it open." Magnussen flicked her eye again and she blinked.

"Sherlock..." John said.

"Let him, I'm sorry, just...let him." Sherlock said. 

"Come on, eye open." Magnussen said. He flicked Alex's eyes and she shut it. He laughed. "It's difficult, isn't it? Miranda managed it once. She makes the funniest noises."

They all looked up as they heard a helicopter. In the distraction, Alex ran to Sherlock. He hugged her tightly and kissed her on the head. John hugged her when Sherlock let go.

"Are you hurt?" He asked.

"I'm fine. My cheek still stings, but just fine otherwise." Alex said.

"Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, and Alexandra Watson, stand away from that man!" Mycroft said from the helicopter.

"Here we go, Mr. Holmes." Magnussen said.

"To clarify, Appledore's vaults only exist in your mind?" Sherlock asked. "Nowhere else, just there?"

"They're not real. They never have been." Magnussen said.

"Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, and Alexandra Watson, step away!" Mycroft said.

"It's fine! They're harmless!" Magnussen said.

"Sherlock, what do we do?" John asked.

"Nothing. There's nothing to be done!" Magnussen said. The wheels in Sherlock's head were turning. "Oh, I'm not a villain. I have no evil plan. I'm a buisnessman, aquiring assests! You happen to be one of them! Sorry, no chance for you to be a hero this time, Mr. Holmes!"

"Sherlock Holmes, John Watson, and Alexandra Watson, stand away from that man. Do it now." Mycroft ordered. Sherlock made his decision.

"Oh, do your research! I'm not a hero!" Sherlock reached into his pocket. "I'm a high-functioning sociopath! MERRY CHRISTMAS!" Sherlock pulled out John's gun and shot Magnussen right in the head. Alex screamed. Sherlock turned to her and kissed her on the lips, cupping her face in his hands. "You're safe now, Alex. I love you! Now, get away from me! Stand well back!"

"WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!" Alex sceamed, holding her hands up.

"Don't fire! Do not fire on Sherlock Holmes!" Mycroft said. "Do not fire!"

"Sherlock, what have you done?" Alex whispered. "What have you done..."

"I did it because I love you!" Sherlock said. "You're safe now. It's all okay."

Alex was crying. She couldn't stop. She knew she was going to lose Sherlock now. There was no denying it. She should have just killed Magnussen when she had the chance. Or she should have never come to stay with him and John. 

This all my fault... She thought.