Contact High → Sherlock Holmes (BBC) [on hold]

{ thirty-six }

Sherlock sat in front of his laptop as Lestrade clattered down the stairs. Carmen watched him go with a firm jaw and crossed arms. Sherlock typed a bit into the laptop and the video-feed from the camera appeared. He pointed it at Carmen, "Smile, Carm."

She shooed the camera away from her, "That's creepy."

John stood at the window, watching as Lestrade and Donovan got into their car and left. Sherlock glanced up from the laptop at him, studying his friend a moment before turning his gaze to Carmen. "He'll be deciding," Sherlock said monotonously.

"Deciding?" Carmen and John asked at the same time.

"Whether to come back with a warrant and arrest me," Sherlock sighed.

"You really think?" Carmen asked. She was standing across the desk from Sherlock, watching his illuminated face as he typed strings of letters into the computer. "Standard procedure," Sherlock muttered.

"Should've gone with him," John snapped.

"People are going to think..." Carmen added.

Sherlock stopped typing, curling his fingers into his palm, "I don't care what people think."

"You'd care if they thought you were stupid, or wrong," John sighed. Carmen nodded, "He's right, Sherlock." There was silence for a beat. Sherlock stared at the two of them, his expression unreadable. "No, that would just make them stupid and wrong," Sherlock finally said.

Carmen threw her hands up, "Sherlock! We don't want the world think you're a--." She cut off, unsure what she was going to say. Sherlock's mouth tipped downwards. His eyes were mercury silver as he watched them. "That I am what?" Sherlock asked. His voice was deathly calm.

The flat felt cold around Carmen as she opened her mouth to speak. The words she was about to say stuck in her throat. She couldn't get them out. Sherlock's fingers uncurled and began tapping the surface of the desk. "That I am what, Carmen?" he snapped, impatient for her answer. He knew what she was going to say. He braced himself for it.

"...That you're a fraud," Carmen choked out.

Sherlock sat back in his chair heavily, closing his eyes. He looked on the edge of defeat. Even after bracing himself for it, the words left him without breath. Carmen bit her lip, looking more and more upset with every second of silence. John continued to stare out the window, agreeing with Carmen but not wanting to add to the volatile situation.

"You're worried they're right," Sherlock said softly.

Carmen flinched, "What?"

"You're worried they're right about me," Sherlock said again.

John turned from the window, unable to keep himself out of the conversation anymore, "No."

"That's why you two are so upset," Sherlock defended, "You can't even entertain the possibility that they might be right. You're afraid you've been taken in as well."

"Sherlock," Carmen pleaded, "Never."

"No, we're not," John added.

Sherlock sat forward in his chair. The sick feeling he felt inside turned to anger. The fact that Moriarty's tentacles reached even to the two most important people in his life made him so angry he couldn't see straight. "Moriarty is playing with both of your minds as well," Sherlock snapped.

"Can't you see what's going on?"he shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

Carmen flinched, reeling back from the table. Sherlock watched them, waiting for their next words. "No," John sighed, "I know you for real. We know you for real."