The guy who wrote "problems with the final problem", was he aware that Doyle was deliberately trying to kill Holmes off? That might account for some of the mistakes. Doyle was tired of the Holmes stories and tried to bring it to a finality. Popular demand convinced him to write the whole Hiatus stuff later in the series.

This is FANTASTIC.
(I'm zinedinemoriarty by the way, I've just been checking out your fabulous drawings at deviantart, and clearly the talent extends into literature!)
I haven't read Holmes fanfiction in a very, very long time. I had a bad experience when I first decided I would have a look at hadn't dared hope that excellent Holmes fanfic authors existed.
This is absolutely brilliant. The way in which you have attempted to explain Holmes's actions at the end of FINA is an attempt that comes off flawlessly.
I will certainly be looking at the opinions and essays you've cited about that inspired this story.

My favourite line... “Harm Watson, and I will destroy you, lawfully or no. Kill him, and I will murder you in your bed, and you will see your most brilliant plots of assassination pale before mine.”

It is brilliant.

This is a wonderful piece, and I feel very cynical in saying this, but surely the problem with the 'Final Problem' is that it was *meant* to be final? ACD didn't know at the time of writing it that he was going to resurrect Holmes, did he? But that apart, your story was a wonderful 'filling in of the gaps' - I have often wondered myself what Holmes felt as he lay on the ledge.

HoVis

I know this will sound odd, but I was wondering if I could quote some of your story in a Sherlock Holmes paper I am writing for English class? I would give you proper credit at the end, of course.

I like the comparison of Moriarty to a cobra. Usually I just think of a fan on "oscillate". >

I really enjoyed reading this. Good Job!

Incredibly moving, a picture of a man weary of his life...and regrettably Watson is the coin with which Holmes' freedom is bought, so to speak. Holmes is at once just as much of a monster as Moriarty, and yet Watson's sympathetic friend. That pain in your chest lets you know you've got a heart after all, Holmes...

Well done.

I think you've struck the truth of the matter. I also see Holmes in purely the Jeremy Brett way. He is a man completely tortured by his intellect (tortured genius indeed). Brett added a flair for the dramatic (making Holmes into a "dandy" as the director of "The Priory School" says in his commentary) which very much plays into his actions at Reichenbach Falls. In his mind, he has to live up to his own myth, and to do that, he must die dramatically there at the falls.

Holmes definitely has a suicidal streak, even if it is unacknowledged. His addiction to heroine (morphine?) is part of this fatalism. He honestly does not care if he lives or dies or destroys himself, he just cannot stand boredom. Watson sticks with him through this and, despite being a specialist in addictions, does not confront him directly, which I think speaks volumes for the regard in which Watson holds Holmes.

Holmes on several other occasions treats Watson's feelings cavalierly. I can't remember the name of the story, but he at one point makes Watson believe he has been fatally poisoned and is on the point of death, viewing his friend's distress as only another part of the ruse. In "Hound of the Baskervilles," he keeps up the pretext that he is in London despite being in the Baskervilles. In "Devil's Foot" he almost fatally experiments with a poisonous gas in front of Watson. On many occasions he lies, manipulates or endangers Watson with no seeming feeling for Watson's distress. He only apologizes after the fact. In this way, his actions at the falls are totally in character.

I find Brett's Holmes a psychologically fascinating creature, and I hope the above is additional food for thought. I also think Watson is fascinating for putting up with this maniac - he's rather a lot like Alfred to Bruce Wayne. I will definitely hunt down the articles you've refered to.

Oh dear, rather tacky to review twice in 30 seconds, but I was just rereading and came upon this: "Perhaps you could not explain to him this weakness, that his life matters that much. Perhaps you did not want him to think, once you had died, that perhaps you had traded his life for your own. Perhaps you wanted to spare him the guilt. You know that is a more heroic interpretation than your actions deserve." Wow again. Very, very Sherlock. Excellent. I wish I could explain more coherently why I love this excerpt, but I can't. I'll just slip off and read some of your other fanfics now...

Wow. Just wow. That literally made me cry. Tears pouring down my cheeks cry. I'm so happy that the first fic I read of Sherlock Holmes was yours. He's a character that I really love and identify with, and this was just beautiful.
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Yes, I do love Holmes for all his little quirks. Perhaps because he's a flawed role model. For all his almost super-human powers, he has vices. And we love his vices too.
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As for this one-shot, it was moving and beautifully written. Holmes's characterization was excellent, and I just loved it so much. I've thought vaguely about this moment before, and this just makes me think all the more. Your one-shot has made me love Sherlock even more, and I think that's the best compliment I can give you.

Sad, but so true. I have a tendency to think of characters as real people, and I'm very good at it. I'm so very fond of Holmes because he seems oh-so-real to me, to the point where I can forget easily that he's not and begin talking to him as though I were planning what I would say to him during dinner at Baker Street tonight. I know Holmes, and ladies and gentlemen, this is him. Sherlock Holmes at his most morbidly depressed (er, sort of), but most definately him. You are undoubtedly the best writer of Holmes stories I have seen so far. I demand another one. Now.

Another wonderful piece... I hope there are more on the way!

one word. wow.

wow, that was excellent. I'm trying to think of something constructive to say, but that was one of the most moving Sherlock fanfics I have read. I applaud you and hope to read more of you work.

That was a beautifully written story. Sometimes I find it hard to find satisfying stories about SH but you did wonderfully.