Carmen

Chapter Ten

Hey guys! Sorry for the wait and the cliffie, but I hope this makes up for it! Thanks to everyone following, voting, reading, and reviewing this story, I truly appreciate it! Hope everyone enjoys this chapter. Thanks so much, guys!

Also, please excuse any typos! I posted this as soon as I finished typing it! =)

Chapter Ten

"Tell me."

The Inspector planted his hands on his hips and heaved a sigh. "It was a match."

Sherlock—though he had never understood it—had read in countless numbers of books that a character would feel as if their heart had sunk. And the detective had never been able to imagine what such a thing would feel like, or how a life event could cause it. Now he understood. Only describing what he was feeling as 'having his heart sink' was barely the tip of the iceberg. A match. God, no. If his heart was sinking, it had fallen through the tile beneath his shoes and the floors below. "A match," he barely whispered.

"Yes. But, listen. He has several priors, one of which was for murder."

"Oh God." Sherlock could feel his pulse pound faster in his ears, thrumming in his fingertips. "Dear God," he shuddered, collapsing into the nearest chair.

"Now, just a moment. He's never done any time for any of these crimes, though; seems he was never caught. Soo…" The Inspector heaved a sigh. "It took a lot of strings, but I managed to get all rights he would have to a trial for Carmen waived." Greg turned his gaze back to Sherlock to find the detective appeared to be quite literally frozen where he was sitting, lips parted just slightly.

"Sherlock?"

"You've waived his rights to a trial?"

"Yeah. Yeah," Lestrade repeated.

"So, you mean… she's… It's…"

"Yeah, mate," the Inspector murmured with a smile. "It's all over."

"Oh, thank God," Sherlock gasped, pressing the heels of his palms to his eyes , soon after feeling salty tears pool beneath his hands.

Lestrade quite literally froze upon feeling Sherlock's arms wrap themselves around him. The Inspector mumbled some surprised response, not quite sure what to do with himself. "That's, uh… Yes. Good. Uh… Sherlock, are you—"

"Wonderful," the detective murmured, releasing Lestrade from his grasp. "Thank you, Greg," he breathed, arms strong as he clasped the Inspector's shoulders beneath his fingertips. "Thank you. I—I—I must… John and-and Carmen, I…"

"Of course. Go."

John jumped upon hearing the front door open and then close with a slam, in turn startling Carmen, who was situated safely in his arms.

Swift footsteps up the stairs, loud and resounding. John knew this could mean good or bad news. The doctor turned in preparation, grip tightening around little Carmen.

Face completely serious, Sherlock's panting form came into view.

Releasing a breath, the detective's eyes travelled to his daughter, and then back to John. In response to the question in the doctor's eyes, Sherlock simply shook his head, and a wide grin instantly graced his lips while something between a sob and a laugh escaped his lips.