Fight for Me

Chapter 92

The three arrived back at the flat as dusk was falling, Sherlock immediately turning to Lydia as they approached the door of the flat. To her great surprise, he asked, "Lia, would you like to take a walk with me?"

Lydia frowned in confusion, not used to such requests from her partner, even if he had grown into quite the romantic.

"Would you mind if I changed out of these shoes first?"

"There's no need, I wasn't planning on going far. I just figured that you might like some fresh air after all that has happened today," Sherlock explained, giving John a look as he spoke.

Unable to turn down the request, despite Sherlock's odd behaviour, Lydia gave a nod before turning to John, "and you don't want to join us?"

John shook his head, "no, I'm just going to make myself a cuppa and relax after everything."

Lydia frowned, having noticed how John's gaze darted nervously. Why was he lying about wanting a cuppa? She was about to inquire further, but Sherlock pulled her away, giving John a wave as he began down the street.

"Sherlock, why are you two acting so strange?" Lydia demanded of him, sending a glance back to John, who was slipping inside the building.

Sherlock feigned ignorance, "I haven't a clue what you're talking about, Lia. He must just be antsy from the trial. I'm sure he'll be right as rain tomorrow, at least until you two go back to the courthouse."

"Pity you can't be there too, but someone had to be a bloody smartarse on the stand." Lydia didn't believe Sherlock's futile attempts to cover their behaviour, but couldn't resist the jab at her partner. "But seriously, what is going on?"

Sherlock sighed, "why did I even bother trying to trick you?"

"I don't know, you should have realised I would most definitely catch you in this lie. Now, what's going on?"

"I wanted to do something romantic for you this evening, since I knew that today was going to be hard on you. John won't be home when we arrive, he's letting us have the flat to ourselves to do whatever we wish," Sherlock expertly lied, this time not getting caught by his partner.

Instead she smiled, moving closer to him, "that's sweet Sherlock, but you really didn't have to kick John out, today's been hard on him as well. Or did you forget that Moriarty had him strapped to a bomb?"

"I certainly haven't forgotten that, but I'm afraid being home during our date night would only make John more uncomfortable."

The two continued chatting idly, thankfully getting off of the topic of Sherlock's plans for the night. They soon returned to the flat and Sherlock wrapped his arm around Lydia's waist as he opened the flat door for them.

Lydia was suddenly met with shouts of "surprise," causing her to jump in shock and all thoughts of a relaxing, or perhaps a not relaxing, evening with Sherlock completely vanished from her head. Her eyes travelled over the crowd, consisting of Lawrence, Zoe, John, Greg, Mrs. Hudson, and even Molly, who she had a slightly tenuous relationship with considering the specialist registrar still had quite the thing for the man Lydia was dating.

Seeing the crowd of people and registering what the boys had actually planned, she turned to Sherlock and lightly punched his arm. "You bastard, I actually believed your stupid little lie."

He gave a shy grin, "well, that was rather the point, Lia. Couldn't have you figuring out what we had planned, now could we? Happy birthday."

"I didn't even think you knew, to be completely honest."

"Lia, I'm Sherlock Holmes, of course I knew."

"Oh he's just being dramatic, I made sure that he got that information from your friends here when you moved back in. Couldn't have the boys missing your birthday, now could we?" Mrs. Hudson explained, approaching her so she could wrap her arms around Lydia.