Believe in Me || Sherlock

Believe in Me- Chapter 39: Questions That Can't Be Answered

Flora had been lying on her bed in silence ever since she got back. It was now 8:30pm and getting dark. John was in 221B comforting Mrs Hudson, who's sobs could be heard. Flora had not bothered to put on a different pair of leggings, as the ones she wore were wet and, to her horror, had blood on them. She stared blankly at the ceiling with a box of tissues at her side. Her eyes were red and her cheeks were damp. Was Sherlock driven to his death because he was a 'fake' or was it for another reason? Yet another question that would never get answered. It had only been about 10 hours since his fall and Flora already missed him like he had been gone for years.

You're not alone...
The words Flora had spoken to Sherlock before she had left to go to Baker Street and view Mrs Hudson's fake shooting. Sherlock had always believed he was alone in the world, something that had stemmed from his childhood. He wasn't. John had been by his side, never giving up, ever since they met. A friendship that Flora found beautiful. A bond that could never be broken, even if Sherlock had left the world. But things were different between the detective and herself. Flora had know Sherlock for almost a year. Their relationship was a strange thing. Sherlock has kissed her twice, which she thought he would never in a million years do. Did that mean he liked her? Loved her, even. Another question to the list. Flora certainly had felt attraction towards Sherlock. His dark, curly, head of hair, his mesmerising blue-green eyes, his ability to out-smart any living being and most of all; his caring side. Flora loved to see such a private man care for people. It was a rare occurrence, but a nice sight. The greatest act of all was sacrificing his life for her own and John's. The man she loved dearly was no longer there to be loved.

*+*+*+*+**+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*

It had been a week since Sherlock's funeral. John, Flora and Mrs Hudson had decided to take a visit to the cemetery where the detective was buried. It was a cloudy and breezy day. To Flora, it felt strange to be walking in a cemetery as she hadn't been to one since she was about 15. She hated places liked this, she hated death. It was a reminder to the horrible and tragic past.
Mrs Hudson had her arm linked with John's and Flora trailed behind as they approached the gravestone. It was like a mirror; polished and brand new. It was black with gold letters like the door to 221B.
"There's all the stuff, all the science equipment," Mrs Hudson said. "I left it all in boxes. I don't know what needs doing. I thought I'd take it to a school." She looked at John. "Would you...?"
"I can't go back to the flat again," John told her. "Not at the moment." Mrs Hudson huddled up to John sympathetically.
"I'm angry," John took a breath trying not to have a break down in the process.
Flora gently patted his shoulder and looked at his gloomy face. "It's okay, John. That's the way he made everyone feel." She gazed at the smooth, black marble which simply bearded the words 'SHERLOCK HOLMES.'
It hurt them all just seeing his name. Sherlock Holmes was a name everybody had used, everyone knew who he was. The world's only Consulting Detective and the Reichenbach Hero. Those names could change, but his title of 'best friend' could never be replaced.
"All the marks on my table," there was a hint of anger in Mrs Hudson's tearful voice. "And the noise- firing guns at half past one in the morning. Bloody specimens in my fridge. Imagine, keeping bodies where there's food!"
"Yes," John murmured as he closed his eyes.
"And the fighting!" Mrs Hudson exclaimed, her voice breaking. "Drive me up the bloody wall with all his carryings-on!"
John turned to the landlady. "Yeah,listen: I'm not actually that angry, okay?"
Flora let out a slight laugh as Mrs Hudson said: "Okay." She pulled her arm free from John's and turned away. "I'll leave you two alone to... You know..." And with that, she walked away crying quietly, fishing out a tissue to dab her eyes with. John looked over his shoulder and watched her walk away a bit, then turned back to the gravestone.
"You... you told me once that you weren't a hero," John said thoughtfully. "Umm... there were times I didn't even think you were human, but let me tell you this: you were the best man, and the most human... human being that I've ever known and no one will ever convince me that you told me a lie, and so ... There." He breathed out, whimpering slightly.
"Oh, John..." Flora said apologetically, tears filling up in her eyes.
"I was so alone and I owe him so much," John told Flora.
"We both owe him, John," she said and then pausing for a moment. "Would you take your life for him?"
"Of course," John nodded. "But then the stupid dickhead goes and flings himself off a building," Flora laughed and turned back to her depressed state. "If only... There was a different was he could have done it," John finished. He took another tearful breath and started to walk away, but turned around instantly.
"No, please, there's just one more thing," he said quietly. "One more thing. One more miracle, Sherlock, for us. Don't... be..." His voice broke with tears and Flora had pulled a tissue out and was holding it over her face. "... Dead. Would you do that? Just for us, just stop it," he gestured to the marble grave. "Stop this."
John sighed, lowered his head and stands still, broken. Flora too. Both of them had never dreamt that someone's death could bring so much pain and heartbreak.
"I think we should go now, John," Flora said turning her head towards him.
"Yeah... Good idea," he replied. Both of them took one last look at the gravestone, turned around and walked away in silence. The wind started to pickup and the sky started to break with sunshine. Flora was walking beside John all the way out, but something she saw caught her eye. Her gaze turned to an oak tree on the other side of the cemetery, where a shadowy figure stood underneath it's leaves. It looked tall and slender, but there was no way to see anything else as it was cast under a shadow. She stared at it for a while and then turned away and shook it off...