You're in Sherlock (Sherlock × Reader)

The Hounds of Baskerville: Chapter 8

You were enjoying the relaxing, and silent ride to Henry's, just looking out at the moor as it passed by. The land here was all open, and very hilly. It was secluded and beautiful. Very unlike the bustling streets of London where everyone had a place to be. It was peaceful here. However, it wasn't your taste. A place like this had no action, no daily crimes to be solved, no serial killers to catch. You'd get bored too easily, but you could enjoy the sights the terrain gave. That was something you couldn't get in London. You sighed, leaning into the window to soak it all in. It reminded you of when you were younger, before the accident, your parents used to take you out to Cotswolds, England. You'd rent out a small cottage and go kayaking, just spending quality time together. You missed it... the joy you felt as a small girl with her loving parents. You couldn't be too upset about it, they were good times. Times you'd probably never be able to experience again, even if your emotions were back. Your daydreams were burst when John spoke up from the back seat.

"So, the email from Kirsty - the, er, missing luminous rabbit." John leaned in between you and Sherlock, and you jumped slightly. You'd been so deep in thought that you'd practically forgotten he was there. Sherlock gazed at you, no doubt wondering what you were thinking about.

"Kirsty Stapleton, whose mother specializes in genetic manipulation." Sherlock nodded, his eyes focusing back onto the road. You yawned, leaning an elbow on the center console.

"She made her daughter's rabbit glow in the dark?" John seemed to not be able to really wrap his head around the entire situation.

"She probably used a fluorescent gene from another animal and just spliced it in. There are many choices, and ways to do it these days." You told him, watching out of the windshield at the road ahead.

"So..." John didn't get the point, he looked back and forth at you and Sherlock for an answer.

"So we know Doctor Stapleton performs secret genetic experiments on animals. The question is: has she been working on something deadlier than a rabbit?" John nodded at Sherlock's statement, looking back out the window for a moment. He looked back at Sherlock, a thought coming to his head.

"To be fair, that is quite a wide field." Sherlock looked to John with raised eyebrows, realizing he was correct. The rest of the ride there was quiet and peaceful, where you were left to your own thoughts.

***

You made it to Henry's, a grandiose house with a stunning array of glass and white bricks.  It looked like a modern take on an old and elegant castle. Sherlock led you and John straight through an open sunroom, where trees were growing through the windows, straight to the front door. You took a moment to take in the architecture. This room was older than the rest of the building, so it had definitely been built on to. You let your fingers brush against the peeling white paint of the door frame before you joined John and Sherlock at the door. Sherlock leaned and rang the doorbell and you were immediately met with Henry's nervous face. He looked relieved to see the three of you.

"Hi, come in." He motioned you in and Sherlock immediately walked in, scanning the rooms. You followed him, stopping to wait for Henry and John. Henry was following closely behind, but John had stopped in the first doorway, gazing into a room before he caught up.

"Is this, uh... are you, um..." John stared, speechless at the huge house, thinking of the word he wanted to use. "Rich?"

"Yeah." Henry told him, making his way towards the left.

"Right." John nodded. Sherlock gave John a look before you all followed after him.

"Henry, I've got to say this architecture in this place is lovely. I haven't seen anything like this since... well..." You blushed slightly as Sherlock gave you a surprised look. What? So you were the tiniest bit interested in architecture in college, so what?

"Oh, um. Thank you." Henry told you, going to put a kettle on for tea. You all made small talk as he poured the tea into mugs. You held your hand out, telling him politely 'no, thank you'. You all took seats on stools at a granite island in the center of the kitchen, you gazed around the room as Sherlock prepped his tea with two sugar cubes, as always. After that, Sherlock quickly urged the conversation towards what Henry clearly wanted to get off his chest.

"It's a couple of words, it's what I keep seeing. 'Liberty'." Henry told you as he looked down at the island, tracing his finger along it. He wouldn't really look up at you and you could tell it was really scaring him, whatever he kept seeing.

"'Liberty'" John repeated, reaching into his back pocket for his notebook.

"'Liberty'," Henry confirmed. "And... 'in', it's just that. Are you finished?" He asked, holding up the milk that was still out on the counter. John smiled and nodded so Henry turned to put it away in the fridge. You thought, tapping your foot lightly against one of the legs on the stool.

"Mean anything to you?" John looked over to you and Sherlock.

"There are many quotes with 'Liberty' and 'in' in them, but the one that sticks out the most is-"

"'Liberty in death'?" Sherlock turned to you for confirmation and you nodded. "Isn't that the expression? The only true freedom?" He whispered, turning back to Henry, who sighed, making his way back to the island. He looked out of the large glass doors to your left, before he surveyed the three of you.   

"What now, then?" He inquired. He seemed so sad... and hopeless. You wondered if there really was anything you could do for Henry. A lot seemed to be going on at Baskerville, but the more you thought of a genetically modified 'monster' the more impossible it seemed to you.

"Sherlock's got a plan." John told him. He leaned into the counter, crossing his arms over one another.

"Yes." Sherlock mustered up a smile as he took another drink of his tea. You tapped your cheek as you watched Sherlock, waiting to hear him explain the plan. You weren't sure how Henry was going to react to it, but you hoped he'd at least agree.

"Right." Henry nodded swiftly, a little bit of hope coming back to his eyes.

"We take you back out onto the moor..." He quickly said.

"Okay..." Henry bobbed his head. He did appear nervous, but as if he thought it would be possible. Which was a good sign.

"...and see if anything attacks you." Sherlock finished bluntly. You sat up straighter, looking at Sherlock in surprise. He shouldn't have told Henry that!

"What?!" John gasped, his face twisting in shock and confusion.

"That should bring things to a head." Sherlock told John with a satisfied look.

"Sherlock!" You groaned, face palming. Sherlock glimpsed at you, unsure of what he had done wrong. "Ignore him, Henry. He was joking, he's not very good at that." You'd gotten pretty good on things like this- not saying certain things to convince people to listen to what you had to say.

"At night. You want me to go out there at night?" Henry looked beyond panicked now as his eyes darted back and forth onto all of you, tears brimming his eyes as past memories invaded his mind.

"Henry," You gave him a smoothing smile as you spoke. "I understand that this will be frightening for you. But Sherlock, John, and I- we'll all be there for you, watching to make sure nothing happens. Okay?" You asked him softly. He nodded, a calm overcoming him.

"That was your plan, really, Sherlock?" You scolded Sherlock as he leaned closer to you, looking intense.

"Got any better ideas?" He shot back, his nose scrunching up in anger of you questioning his ways. You stood your ground.    

"Well, you could've put it in a better way." You whispered jarringly, Henry watched you, trying to make out what the two of you were saying.

"That's not a plan!" John pushed his tea away as he gave an angry look to Sherlock.

"Listen, if there is a monster out there, John, there's only one thing to do: find where it lives." Sherlock looked from you to John and you frowned, silently agreeing with him. Sherlock smiled, looking back up to Henry as he took a sip of his tea. You rolled your eyes, watching as Henry gazed out the window, fear clearly building up inside of him.