holmes ➢ sequel to athena

Chapter Three

"Er..."

John glared fiercely at Sherlock. "Why didn't you call the police?!"

Sherlock paced away from him. "Please just..."

"Why do you never call the police?"

Sherlock shook his head and said calmly. "Well, it's no use now."

Athena glanced down at the clock as the numbers 2:15 flashed brightly.

"Mind palace," she said quietly, under John's angry ranting.

"What?" Sherlock said to her.

"Use your mind palace. You've salted away every fact under the sun: something's got to be there," she said.

Sherlock frowned. "Maybe."

His eyes screwed up tightly and his fingers met his temple for a moment, and John egged him go think harder. After a moment, he fell to the ground and began to flail uselessly over the bomb. Once 1:29 flashed upward, Athena realized that maybe he didn't know.

Once Athena caught his eye, he said, "I'm sorry."

Her mouth went dry and she backed up into a seat. "What?"

"I can't... I can't do it, sweetheart. I don't know how." He then straightened up slightly. "Please, forgive me?"

Athena felt rage pulse through her at once and she bit her lip tightly. "What?"

"Please, 'Thena, forgive me for all the hurt I've caused you."

As cruel as it was, Athena could help but notice how pathetic he looked like this, on his knees with his hands in praying position. "No, no, no, no, no, no, no. This is a trick."

Sherlock's eyebrows lowered, adding to the sad look on his face. "Not this time."

"You're just trying to make he say something nice," she said, eyes burning.

Her father chuckled sadly. "No."

She stood straight, and turned away from him, tears forming in her eyes. She didn't care that John could see her face and how much she was struggling. If she was really going to die, she had to say this. "I wanted you to not be dead."

Sherlock cleared his throat. "Be careful what you wish for." There was a small second of silence. "You'd still have a future, with John and Mary... You could've... applied for Uni."

She turned and pointed at him. "Yeah. I know." She then frowned as a tear manages to escape. "This was so much easier when it was just your grave." After a moment of closing her eyes and encouraging herself, she said in just above a whisper, "You were the best and wisest man I've ever known. How could you not be? You're my bloody dad. Of course I forgive you."

Sherlock's eyes filled with tears as he watched her grip the handrail and brace herself for death, her head lowered and eyes closed. He couldn't take it anymore. He flipped the switch on the side of the bomb off and gave a small, hesitant smile.

She didn't open her eyes until she heard John yell, "You utter cock!"

Instantly, she let go of the rail and yelled, "You KNEW?"