A/N: I don't own the image used. Credits to the mangaka.
Happy Reading!!
----------------------------
"Ah, Lady Elise. We were waiting for you two." Moneypenny greeted Elise and Mycroft who just arrived to the company with a polite smile. "Nothing troubling happened on the way, I suppose?"
The brunette gave her a close eyed smile. "Yes. Everything was fine, Miss Moneypenny. Chief Mycroft and I were a little sidetracked with our conversation. My apologies for that."
Seeing that she had hid what happened earlier, Mycroft took off his hat and bowed his head. "Apologies as well. Since we were the last ones, shall we start planning for the next operation?"
Elise was silently grateful Mycroft went along with her excuse.
Inside the main room of Universal Exports Company, Mycroft relayed to them what the Foreign Minister talked to him previously after the incident with Adair happened. Putting the pieces together, everything was falling in to place.
"...So, from that point on, we can conclude that... "Balmoral most likely has a close relationship with Adair, and he is aware that Adair's killer is targeting his life for the same reason"." Louis says.
Fred made a fist as he spoke up. "Moran-san is... isn't someone who kills people for no reason."
Elise slowly nodded in agreement. "Yes, that's right. With the information we have with us, it is clear to us why Moran-san would do something like this."
She held her hands together on her lap as Mycroft voiced out what's in their minds.
"Regardless of the circumstances, the reason why Colonel Moran hunted Adair and Balmoral was simple and clear." The older Holmes' expression was grim as he continued. "It's because they were unmistakably traitors to the country."
"Sir Balmoral is the key man in the Entente Cordiale agreement." Bond says. "... And yet he's trying to sell his country. Isn't that man too dangerous?"
Herder clapped his hand as he said in a chipper tone. "In that case, let's just leave everything to Moran-san and have Balmoral assassinated!"
Of course, he was just kidding, but Moneypenny called him out from behind. "...Herder-san..."
"I know. I know. That won't do." He says. "Just kidding! ... Or not?"
Elise shook her head.
The man was obviously kidding but she can't help but feel he's partly serious about it. If this were the old MI6, they might have considered doing that option. However, they are no longer the organization that kills in order to get the result they desired.
"...We have to stop him." Louis says firmly. "Whatever the reason, it should be the law that judges the bad guys. Punishing criminals arbitrary isn't something that can be forgiven. Neither can we. What we have now... It's all mere speculation. As long as we don't have the evidence, we can't do anything."
"But, even without evidence... I am sure... Moran-san is doing all these because... He wanted to carry on William's legacy..." Elise's eyes drooped a little as she recalled her previous talk with him. "I think Moran-san believed William had really died that day... For three years, Fred and I tried searching for him but to no avail..."
Elise felt guilty for plenty of things, and one of them includes not telling them the truth about William's status. Though she herself is also unaware of how he is the past three years.
She asked herself, if she told Moran about the plan she had or even asked Louis to pull him along before, will it prevent the man from doing something like this? If she asked for his help as well, wouldn't that affect William's plan of changing this country?
Moran had stated previously that he also pledged his self to her. Meaning, anything Elise would ask him is something he has to obey without any second thoughts, and this is by his own volition. But she turned him down and asked him to follow William's will instead of adding hers.
Then on the day William "died", it was also the day Moran disappeared.
Bond heard the bells from the front door chime, an indication someone entered the building.
"I wonder who it is." Moneypenny slightly frowned. "We don't have any appointments today. I already told them that we won't have any guests during a meeting."
The blue-eyed blond stood from his seat. "Let me check it out."
"That's strange. Is someone perhaps lost and is looking for directions?" Elise wonders after Bond left.
"No matter who it is, Bond will take care of it." Louis says.
After a few minutes, the door opened. Moneypenny was about to thank Bond for taking care of it when the figure who entered the room was the one they never expected to come back.
Louis' ruby red eyes widened in surprise. "Sherlock Holmes..."
Elise's hands slightly twitched when she saw the raven haired detective, who now sports longer hair that reached almost the middle of his back. She was honestly relieved to see him alive and well but, it looks like he came here alone.
Slight disappoint is what she felt when she saw that William is not with him, though she didn't show it to her face.
The room was silent for a few moments when the two Holmes stared at each other, making the atmosphere a little tense. Mycroft then took a step towards him.
"Ani-" Sherlock was about to speak first but the older went to the tea set next to him and poured more milk in to the cup of tea.
Nothing was out of the ordinary, but then Sherlock noticed his older brother spilled some milk he was pouring on the table.
Mycroft's expression didn't even waver as he drank the tea calmly, though his hands were subtly shaking, as if he was holding back his emotions.
Elise was seated a bit farther from where the two were at, but from the conversation she and the older Holmes shared before, she knew that right now, Mycroft was relieved to see his younger brother alive more than ever. Probably to the point of almost crying in relief.
Seeing his brother in that kind of state, Sherlock lightly punched his shoulder.
"I'm sorry..." He began. "For being silent... All this time... I'm really sorry... aniki."
"...Sherly," Mycroft placed the teacup back to the table before continuing. "That fact that you survived... And you are alive... Just being able to know that fact, it really made me happy."
He faced his younger brother with a relieved smile, in which Sherlock also returned the gesture with a smile. Though it it faded as he apologized again.
"...I'm so sorry... For everything. I mean it."
The older Holmes chuckled as he pulled out a napkin from his pocket. "That's enough, I don't mind."
He wiped the spilled milk off the table before telling him. "What matters is you come back to me, alive. More importantly..."
Mycroft did not miss the eyes coming from the MI6 members, particularly Louis. He was almost boring holes to Sherlock's skull as his eyes speaks everything he wanted to ask.
"...That day, you fell down the Thames River with William-nii-san..." Louis began. "...And now... You're the only one standing in front of us like this. Can you... please explain?"
Elise wanted to ask him about William, but she decided to give him the chance to explain what happened. For Louis, he actually knew what happened but he wanted the man to explain it himself for the others to know.
Seeing the looks of anticipation they were giving him, Sherlock began his tale of what happened on that fateful night.
"That time... When me and Liam fell off the Tower Bridge, considering the height of the water surface, the chances of survival were 50-50."
Sherlock saw Elise tightly hold her hand while listening. He felt bad having to recall everything to them especially that fall, but he has to. He told them that he he secured William in his arms and got into the water in a baritsu defensive posture.
To which in truth, it was what Elise advised him in the letter once they fall of the bridge.
He sat on couch facing and continued.
(flashback)
The first thing that greeted Sherlock's sight was a decorated ceiling.
At first, his mind could not quickly process what was happening, but as soon as his awareness increased, he realized he was lying on a bed with his arms and head bandaged.
"Liam!" He immediately sat up after recalling what happened before he blacked out. When he turned his head to the side, the blond was lying on another bed completely unconscious and he sighed in relief. "... So you were safe, Liam..."
"It worked... Lis' plan worked out..."
He breathed out a sigh of relief, until he noticed a bloody bandage over William's left eye. Sherlock could only look at the injury in shock but he composed his self. At least... At least... William is alive. It doesn't seem his injuries are fatal the way he sees it.
He relaxed for a moment before getting off the bed when he heard a voice close to him and the sound of a knife.
"Don't move."
Sherlock turned around in slight panic, only to be greeted by a short young man holding a knife with a sliced apple that were shaped like rabbits on the knife's point.
The shorter man offered a friendly smile. "Hello. How are you feeling?"
Sherlock was suspicious. He knew that Elise had requested help from her acquaintances from the Winstein family and he already knew what Adrien looked like. He chose to ignore him and focus on the unconscious man.
"Huh? Ignoring me?" The brunet says in surprise. "I mean, you've probably cracked your arm, so don't move."
"Hey!!" He raised his voice to him. "Liam's ... How is this guy's condition?!"
"About that.. um..." He slightly sweat dropped before offering the fruit again to try appease him. "I was thinking about giving it to you when you two wake up. But see... I love fruits."
"Are you listening to me?!"
"Oh-Okay okay. It's stable so far." He assured him, though he added carefully. "Well, I guess the rest is... Up to the person's will to live."
Sherlock looked outside and saw the ocean outside. He notes that it was the Atlantic ocean and they are on a ship bound for America, much to the shock of the other since his deduction was on point. Not only that, but the detective notes that he's American as well with his accent and the gun that's openly hung on his side.
The other person introduced his self as Henry Atrim. In his home country, he said that he used to call his self William H. Bonney, and that's why people call him "Billy the Kid".
"...God... is it also William?" Sherlock sat back on the bed with a sigh. "You're the one who saved us... So I will thank you.... Thank you, Billy."
Billy gave him a thumbs up. "No problem. Though, I'm not the person you should thank though. I was helping a colleague out."
The raven haired man looked at him confusion before shaking his head. Until he recalled something he was supposed to do.
"Where are my clothes?" He asked in slight panic. "Damn it, Lis' journal was still there!"
"Ah, about that, we threw them out since they were already torn and a little pitiful looking."
Sherlock looked like he was punched in the gut until Billy quickly added. "But don't worry! We salvaged the things we found in every pocket. Or, managed to when we found you..."
He gestured at the table next to him and Sherlock walked over it. On the table were a red journal that looks damp, a single playing card, and a small white cloth. He picked up the journal and his heart sank when it was slightly damp.
Well, he fell to the waters with the journal in his pocket. Of course it would get wet.
Sherlock felt bad that the content is now ruined because of the water.
"A diary of yours?" Billy asked curiously.
"No. A diary from a friend." He says. "I was supposed to give it to Liam but..."
"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." Billy apologized a little awkwardly. He didn't what to say to make him feel better until he snapped his fingers as an idea came to him.
"Hey, maybe I could still dry them and see if the ink isn't completely messed up? You guys weren't in the water that long so I think not everything was ruined inside. Sounds good?"
Seeing that the detective was not listening, Billy sweat dropped comically. "Ignoring me again, huh?"
It's not that he was ignoring him but there was a single detail Sherlock noticed.He saw that the ink that was handwritten with Elise's name remained unchanged. Curious, he skimmed a few pages and noticed that the ink didn't scatter and mess the contents of the paper. Although the pages were slightly damp, the ink remained unchanged.
That couldn't be just any normal ink.
"...Indian ink..."
"Hmm? You saying something?"
"Ah. It's nothing." Sherlock set the journal back to the table. "Thanks for not throwing them."
Sherlock kept getting more and more impressed of Elise's thinking. He doesn't think it was purely coincident that she used Indian ink in her journal. She was probably prepared in case something like this happened.
A knock sounded on the door and a man with messy blond hair entered the room. He seems mildly surprised seeing Sherlock up.
"Oh, he is awake now?" He looked at him then to William before sighing. "Still unconscious, huh?"
"What do you expect? Compared to Mr. Ponytail over here, he didn't probably brace his self from the fall." Billy tells him.
"I suppose so... And he's Sherlock Holmes, not Mr. Ponytail." He says before facing Sherlock. "We finally met, Mr. Sherlock Holmes. My name is Edward Smith, a colleague of Billy, and an acquaintance of Lady Elise."
"So you're one of the acquaintances Lis mentioned that is part of her plan." Sherlock says. "You and... Someone from the Winstein family, Adrien Nicholas Winstein."
"That's correct. Lady Elise asked me and Adrien to help her save Lord William and assist you." Edward sat on a chair facing him. "I wouldn't normally do this, to tell you the truth. I'm doing this because Lady Elise requested for help and I want to repay the favor to her. That's all."
He was curt, but Sherlock didn't care.
"...You're not from Britain, aren't you?"
Edward smirked. "As expected from the famous detective himself. You're the second person who saw through me, next to Lady Elise. I've been living in London for a few years now that I picked up your country's accent. You two were the first people to notice and I'm impressed."
"It's nothing special. Some words you speak sounded a little off." Sherlock sighs as he sat back on the bed. "Can you tell me what happened and who exactly you guys are?"
Edward began by telling that Elise asked he and Adrien for help. Their task was simple actually and it was to follow what Elise had written in her letter to them. Sherlock notes that their plan coincides with what Elise asked him to.
Billy claimed he and Edward were a member of the United States Department of Justice. It's a long story, he says, but they had great interest in "them".
"Coincidentally, Lady Elise wanted you and Lord William to be saved." Edward says. "We're only actually tasked to monitor you two and I frankly don't want to get involved to this big plan of yours."
"Eddie boy here is the type of guy that is pretty stubborn and refuses anything that is out of his interest." Billy adds. "But I was pretty surprised he agreed to help a young lady out! It was pretty out of character of him."
"I have a favor to repay, that's all." He shrugs lightly. "Jumping to the cold and dark waters of Thames River and pulling two adults out of the water was nothing compared to the thing's I've done before."
"Well~ It was very hard!" Billy says in a chipper tone while cutting the apple. "You both went into a cardiopulmonary arrest! So we did a resuscitation in the dark sewer!"
Sherlock's expression was complicated but this only amused the shorter man. "Oh.. Sorry! Could it be that I stole your first kiss? Don't worry, it wasn't me!"
This time, Edward glared at Billy with scary look on his face. "Not another word, Billy."
Billy almost busted out laughing after seeing his face. "Yeah, yeah, I know your kisses are reserved for your lover. No need to get all pissed at me. It was an emergency, all right?"
The blond clicked his tongue before continuing. "Anyway, this is how we treated Lord William but he still hasn't regained consciousness yet. We'll have to take care of him for a while, I guess."
"...What do you want?" Sherlock asked.
"That's the great detective!" Billy praised him with a cheeky smile. "What do I want, huh... In short... It's better to pretend you're dead, isn't it?"
For the sake of their country's development, in order for change to happen, William created the plan that made Sherlock the hero and light. For Billy and Edward who have been watching them for a while, the plan created was very reasonable.
"Hey, If by any chance you feel a little indebted to us for helping you," Billy sets his knife down. "Won't you help us with our country's works for the time being?"
"Billy..." Edward slightly warned him. "We agreed not to talk about that for now."
"I know. But, I'm talking about Mr. Ponytail for now. It's fine, isn't it?"
Edward pursed his lips as he glanced to the raven haired man. Seeing that he didn't argue back, Billy took his silence as a yes.
"In our country, you two wouldn't have to worry about your identities." Billy continued. "You won't be busy for a while anyway, will you? Hmm... However, the people who are worrying about you two... Each of them will have to leave their feelings behind."
The images of John, Miss Hudson and Mycroft entered the detective's mind.
"That won't happen." Edward crossed his arms. "Especially with William James Moriarty's side. Remember that we only took them out for their recovery, especially him, as asked by milady."
"Yeah, I know. But you do know the agency's interested in them."
Sherlock thought about what Billy just told him. Finally, he nodded. "...Fine. But please take care of Liam. By any means."
The blond nodded. "Don't worry. We'll take care of him."
Billy seems to be the happier person out of the three of them. "Yay! It's a deal then, right? Eddie boy here is our witness."
"Enough with the Eddie boy, Billy." He sighed.
There was a knock on the door and when it was opened, it was Adrien who entered the room.
"Oh, it seems that Mr. Holmes is awake." He nods in greeting to the man. "I have spare clothes here you can change later. I'll place them over here."
"Thank you." Sherlock rubbed his neck. "You're Adrien Nicholas Winstein, aren't you?"
"Yes. I see that Lady Elise talked to you about me. Well, you probably heard all the details from Ed. We're leaving to America using one of Winstein ships used for harbor business. No worries. No one knows you are here."
"I see... Thank you for saving us." Sherlock says. "And for helping out Lis."
Adrien smiled. "Lady Elise is my friend so it's only natural of me to help her out. I suppose... It is one way of repaying a favor as well."
(end)
Sherlock relayed to them what he had been doing for the past three years and the update regarding William, minus the mentions of Adrien and Edward. He finished his story at the part when William sent him a letter to help the M16.
"And that's how I ended up back in London, in secret." He says after drinking all his tea. "We don't have enough time to talk about Liam there right now. I'll talk about the details later."
The whole room was silent for a moment until they all expressed their relief upon knowing that William is alive. Moneypenny even shed some tears and Herder was most excited to have the blond genius back because no one but William who can understand Herder's invention.
The old butler Jack smiled in relief. "Yes... Little Will is alive... I couldn't be happier for you, Louis, Elise."
Louis was silent at first before answering in a low voice. "... I see..."
Fred wanted to show him when he returns the new variety of rose growing in the new mansion he and Elise cultivated. He looked at Elise and saw that she was only looking down to her hands before covering the lower half of her face as she closed her eyes.
The ones with the least reactions were Louis and Elise, which is a little ironic since they were the closest to William the most.
Louis diverted the topic back to their mission, which slightly surprised them when he didn't even show any emotion even at the mention of his brother.
Sherlock could only look at the two Moriarty siblings, before focusing back to his reason for coming here.
And that was how William asked him to help the MI6.
***
After the whole meeting was over, Louis approached Sherlock with Elise following behind him.
"Holmes-san, may we have a moment?"
The three went to a separate room and Louis closed the door behind them.
"...What is it?" Sherlock asked. "If it's about Liam..."
"No..." Louis cuts him off. "There's something I personally wanted to tell you."
Louis looked at Elise for a moment before she gave him an encouraging smile. He then faced the detective and tells him. "...Thank you."
Sherlock was mildly surprised as he continued. "...For that time... And all the way until now. Or not forsaking my brother...."
The scarred blond smiled in gratitude to him. "...For saving his life... From the bottom of my heart, thank you."
Elise proudly smiled to Louis since they talked about this before. She knew that he was not that trusting to Sherlock but for him to be sincerely grateful for it made her smile for seeing him to be more accepting to the detective.
"I also am thankful to you, Holmes-san." Elise placed a hand to her chest as she bowed to him. "For saving William... And for putting up with what I asked you to despite the risks of it... I want to apologize to you in person as well."
Louis knew what Elise had asked Holmes in the letter after she was better. Maybe that's why Louis was more accepting of Holmes because he agreed to go along her plans.
Sherlock let out a small chuckle when he looked at Louis. "You really are just like Liam."
Louis was surprised by what he said.
The detective then turned his attention to Elise. "Lis, there's something I'd like to talk to you alone."
Before Elise could answer, an upbeat Herder interrupted them, telling them he needs Sherlock's measurements. Sherlock didn't have the heart to refuse him so he just went along.
Sherlock and Elise agreed that they will talk alone after he was done.
As soon as everything was done, Sherlock and Elise went to the study so they could talk to themselves undisturbed.
"I know it's late but, longer hair suits you surprisingly well, Holmes-san." Elise tells him with a small smile. "I didn't expect you'd grow your hair out."
"Ah, well, thanks, I guess. I've been teased too much by the people over there though." He says. "Especially Billy and Edward."
"I never heard of this Billy person but... He is an acquaintance of Sir Edward, you say?"
"Yeah, from the agency they are working with." He explained briefly the agency they are part with. However, Edward had plans to retire and negotiated that he'll work for five more years and Adrien will be taking part as well. When those five years are up, they can leave the agency and settle down somewhere in New York.
"I see..." She closed her eyes before smiling a little. She was happy for the two that they somehow found their own place. "Are you aware of the nature of their relationship?"
"Yeah. No wonder they decided to leave the country and stay in America." He says. He rarely met people like those two but he could somehow understand the sentiment of being unable to fit in.
"I didn't expect that aniki appointed you as the face of M as well, Lis." Sherlock says as he switched topics.
"It was something Louis-nii-sama and I decided to ourselves." Elise replied as she sat on the couch facing him. "We want to protect this new country in William's stead. Until he comes back... We will continue to protect it. MI6 will do things that won't require spilling the blood of others."
"I'm sure Liam will be proud of you guys." He tells her with a smile. "Especially of you and Louis."
Elise tightly clutched her hands on her lap. "How is he, Holmes-san?"
"Don't worry. He's doing well during these three years." He assures her after seeing the worried look on her face. "The plan you told me worked out in the end. You saved Liam and I, Lis. And for that, I want to thank you, too."
"It was... risky and insane, wasn't it?"
"I'm not gonna lie about that." He says. "But, you still made sure our chances of survival was high enough and even had help outside the organization. Without bothering or ruining Liam's plan for equality, you're one hell of a woman for making that risky plan in order to save him."
"I was being selfish, after all..." Her lips formed a small rueful smile. "I don't want William to die. I don't want him to leave us. And yet, I also want him to achieve the ideal world he and Albert-nii-sama wanted to achieve. I know how dangerous it was and Holmes-san... I'm sure injuries were inevitable."
"...Yeah." He nods in agreement, recalling how Elise tensed up earlier when he mentioned what happened to William's left eye. "Sorry, I couldn't protect him better."
Elise shook her head. "You did your best. You've protected him as best as you can. Knowing he is alive and well... " She held her hands tighter. "I... I am glad that he survived..."
In Sherlock's eyes, Elise was holding back her emotions, despite the fact she can be expressive now that she has nothing to worry about having an attack. The way her shoulders were shaking was obvious but she refused to shed any tears.
He didn't know why. It's not that he wanted her though, but he was somehow expected that she'll be the affected the most after knowing what happened.
"Do you want to see him?"
"I do. But... I will be patient to wait for him if he has the courage to face me." Her hand went to her hair ornament and the detective took notice of it. He recalled the blond doing the same thing with a white cloth he was carrying whenever they would talk about Elise.
Is this some sort of thing between them? How interesting.
Sherlock smiled and leaned forward. "You know, Liam asked me to tell you this."
"Hm...?"
Soon... Very soon... Elise won't have to wait any longer.
"He said, "I will see you soon.""