Not Sherlock Holmes

Chapter Twenty-Two

Veronica's POV

Benedict told me to sleep, but I can't. This concrete is too hard and my mind is too loud and everything feels awake.

After an hour of trying to fall asleep, I finally sit up. Benedict is leaning over the edge, looking out over the waters and the city, and he turns when he hears me stir.

"Can't sleep?" is all he says, and I shake my head.

"I don't know how they do it," I say as I gesture to the other two boys. He chuckles, his mouth turned up in a toothless smile. He doesn't respond though. I walk cautiously to the edge and peer out over the vastness.

"See anything?" Benedict shakes his head.

"No." I stare at the waters and the submerged buildings until I can't any longer. I leave the edge and go to lay back on the ground, staring up at the sky.

"What are you doing?" he asks, also leaving the edge.

"The ground is too depressing of a sight. Look at the stars. They are so much clearer without all the city lights." I don't look at him, but from my peripheral vision, I see him hesitate for a moment before he moves to come join me. Soon, though, he's laid out next to me, his hands resting on his stomach.

"It is nice," he admits.

"In the movies, this would be the time when we start pointing out constellations to each other. Except I'm the only idiot on the planet who can't even recognize the Big Dipper." Benedict laughs at that. "No really! A three year old can find the Big Dipper, and the extent of my stargazing is 'Orion's Belt'!"

"Don't worry, I'm just as awful," he chuckles in response, and I smile.

"This has been a long day," I finally say.

"There's no doubt about that!" Ben exclaims. "It's hard to imagine all of this happened in only one day."

"Are you sure it's not a dream?" I ask, hopeful somehow. He shakes his head, though.

"There's a part of me that hopes it is, and then a part of me that is glad that it's not." I don't look at Benedict when he says this, and I try to keep my expression neutral, but my heart flutters, and I'm left to ponder what he meant by that statement.

We lay here, side by side, staring up at the dark sky that sets off the startlingly clear twinkling lights. Such a natural beauty. Something good and hopeful to enjoy.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" I finally say to break the silence.

He doesn't respond, though, because he is interrupted by a high-pitched horn.

We both sit bolt upright, and Ian and Martin both look up groggily.

"What was that?" The horn is followed by loud cries. Ben and I run back to the edge.

There, out on the water, to our complete and utter disbelief, are two boats.

I can't see the people on the boats clearly, but I can vaguely see them waving their arms, and I hear faint calls.

"We're saved!" Ian cries, and he runs over and hugs me. I'm too stunned to respond.

"Woooohoooo! Come on, let's go tell the others!" Martin is on his feet and running, and Ian takes off after him. My heart is lifting, lifting.

"They're going to rescue us?" I ask, incredulous.

And Ben and I just begin to laugh.

"This is great!" he exclaims.

"Yes!" and I run into Benedict's arms, and he picks me up.

"We're saved, we're saved!" he screams, and then he sets me down, quickly cups his hands around my face, and he kisses me roughly, his lips crashing into mine.

It happens so fast that I don't know what to do. My hands don't know where to go. The kiss doesn't last long, and he quickly let's me go, and his face is amusingly stunned.

"I- uh..." he stammers, at a complete loss for words. Things haven't quite sunk in for me yet, or else I'd probably have passed out by now.

"Let's go downstairs."

"Okay," he agrees too quickly.

I try not to think about what just happened. I can't, because if I do, I'll probably throw up.

The thought is a disturbingly pleasant one.

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(AN: I've tried dedicating chapters before, but it doesn't seem to work on my stupid computer. SO, this chapter is dedicated to LoveTheGirlWhoDreams; you asked for Beronica, and I gave you Beronica.)