It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

81 - Watson & Parrish, Adler & Holmes

"Clearly your ego mistook my fondness for love."

He looked from the road, to her and back at the road again, confused by how he had messed up this deduction, "Really?"

"Yes."

"So...what was that just now?"

"I was messing with you, if you will."

"Messing with me?"

She messes with me too, Sherlock thought to himself, his heart weirdly aching for Elizabeth.

"Yes. I was on the brink of certain death a few minutes ago - I think a girl deserves a bit of a laugh, don't you?"

He nodded, fair enough. Elizabeth came to mind again.

"She liked you."

"Who?"

"Elizabeth."

The Woman scoffed, "And I like her...a lot. But I don't think she liked me by the end of it, Mr Holmes."

Sherlock's brow raised, "Elizabeth insisted that I come help you."

"Really?" This caught The Woman off-guard.

He nodded, "She...isn't over it but she understands why," He spoke a little softer, "She always understands."

A softer, warmer smile crossed The Woman's lips, "My God, the tin man really does have a heart."

"What do you mean?"

"The way you talk about her - I can actually tell you love her this time."

And he did, Sherlock really did love Elizabeth, well and truly, that had been established a while ago now. Yet, there were doubts brought about as of recently. Something didn't sit well with him, something was going to happen, something bad. He could feel it in his gut and the worst part was he knew he should never ignore his intuition.

"Mr Holmes?"

"Hm?"

"Is everything alright with you and Elizabeth?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Maybe you're brooding, but I thought you looked rather worried by the thought of her."

Sherlock sighed, "I think she's hiding something from me. I want to trust her but - microexpressions and odd phone calls are insinuating I should think otherwise."

"Don’t leap to conclusions." Irene advised, "That can be just as damaging as distrust."

"I'm trying not to but - I know that something isn't right. Something more is going on."

"She loves you though."

"I know. That feeling is mutual. But you can still love someone and lie to them, can't you?"

Irene went quiet, her expression sympathetic with the detective. If Jim had gotten to her after Irene had left, there was no telling what might be planned for Sherlock or for Elizabeth.

"Sometimes, people who love each other, lie to protect the other." After her suggestion, she paused, "But you have no concrete evidence to suggest that she is in fact deceiving or being disloyal to you. If you keep spending time with the doubt, it will only get worse and a lack of trust between the two of you could end things for good."

"I don't want that."

"I know you don't. And having spoken to her previously, it's also the last thing she wants too. Keep trusting her until there is something concrete to suggest otherwise."

Sherlock didn't respond but mulled this over in his mind. Irene was right, his lack of belief in Elizabeth when they had first fallen out didn't help the situation any more. He reminded himself that his Elizabeth wouldn't ever do something to spite him or hurt him purposefully and that he could tell that she truly loved him - all the signs were there. The thief had even admitted to him that he was the best relationship she had ever had, regardless of their arguments. His heart was warmed by acknowledging these thoughts.

But then why did his gut continue to remain suspicious?

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A/N - Contrary to that one interview where Benedict Cumberbatch said Sherlock and Irene definitely had a 'fun night' after Karachi, in this story that no happen because that would be CHEATING 🙃

And we no like cheating because dat iz bads :)))

So I just followed that one line of Irene's in ASIB where she said she is gay which is fair because yAs My QuEeN - go pride! 😄🏳️‍🌈

And shun Sherlock and his stupid ego for 'MiSiNtErPrEtInG' 😂