His Favorite Melody

Stronger

"Sorry, boys. I am so changeable. It’s a weakness with me. But, to be fair, it’s my only weakness." Jim's voice called out from the shadows. "You can’t be allowed to continue. You just can’t. I would try to convince you but...everything I have to say has already crossed your mind."
Sherlock stood as he looked over at John and Melody. A moment passed between them three before John nod. Melody looked between the two, grabbing John’s hand and squeezing. Sherlock bent down and kissed the top of her head, his hand lingering gently on her cheek for a moment.
Then Sherlock aimed his gun at the massive pile of explosives he’d just taken off John. "Then possibly my answer has crossed yours."
Sherlock cocked the gun, and Melody felt her chest tighten. They locked eyes, and she finally gave a small nod of her own. This was it. The game was at it's peak, and they were about to decide a final winner.

The BeeGees! From somewhere, Staying Alive began playing, breaking the very tense silence that had built up.
Jim pat his jacket pocket, and Melody realized that it was his phone they were hearing. The ringtone seemed to be something of a poorly timed joke by the universe itself.

"Mind if I get that?" Jim asked.
"You have the rest of your life." Sherlock said pointedly.
Jim grinned and pulled out the phone. "Hello?-Yes, of course it is, what do you want?" He rolled his eyes and made a face at Sherlock, motioning to the phone. But his face quickly began changing at what he was hearing. Now, he looked more interested - alert, cold, and fierce. "Say that again. Say it again, and understand that if you are lying to me, I will find you and I will skin you!"
John and Sherlock exchanged a look, and Melody kept her eyes trained on Jim. What the hell was going on?
"Yes. Yes, of course I am. Wait!" Jim looked up at his unseen gunmen above and made a motion for them to get out. All the little red dots swiftly disappeared from the Baker Street trio. From off, they could hear feet footfalls, doors banging, people leaving.

Sherlock didn't take his eyes off Jim, and didn't lower his gun.

Jim is stepped forward to Sherlock. "Sorry, my dear. Wrong day to die."
Sherlock looked to the phone. "Did somebody make you a better offer?"
"Oh, don't you worry, we'll find the right moment. Because we've got a problem to solve together, you and I. Do you know what it is?"
"I'm fascinated."
"The big one. The best one. The final problem. And the funny thing is, I've already told you all about it. Plus we've of course got to tell who gets the fair princess in the end, isn't that right, sweet Melody? You'll be hearing from me, Sherlock - but not for a while." He blew a kiss to Melody and tossed something her way, then turned on his heel and just walked away. Talking on his phone. "If you have what you say you have, I will make you rich. If you don't, I will make you into shoes..."
Just like that, he was gone. A moment passed before Sherlock finally lowered the gun. They all looked at each other in bewilderment.

"What was that?" John asked.
"I don't know honestly but can I please get out of these handcuffs and this dress because I'm genuinely going mental right now." Melody said, her voice betraying the panic she was feeling.

"Oh god, yes. Melody, I'm so sorry, let's get you taken care of. Sherlock, help me here." John said, leaning around to look at the cuffs. Sherlock kneeled down and grabbed what Jim had thrown. It was a key loop with a single key on it for the cuffs. He quickly unlocked the cuffs and tossed them away, watching as she rubbed her wrists.

"Are you alright, Melody?" Sherlock asked quietly.

She shook her head, refusing to look up from her wrists. "I want to go home." She said.

Sherlock and John exchanged a worried look before trying to help her, but she flinched away from their touch, not really meaning to. She just felt as though if someone touched her she might scream. They got in a cab and made their way home, Melody choosing to take the front seat instead of in the back as was custom for them.