Cecilia Holmes, Daughter of Minerva (Sherlock/Percy Jackson crossover)

Chapter 47

    I stood just outside the school property, bawling my eyes out. My chest constricted with sobs and I could barely breath. I leaned my forehead against the random tree I had stopped at.
    I did it.
    I cried harder, if that was even possible.
    “N-Nemesis, you’d,” I hiccuped, “You’d better release John and the Doctor, because I swear—“
    Suddenly a hand was clamped over my mouth.
    Instincts kicked in.
    I swung my elbow back to hit my attacker, but he grabbed my elbow mid-swing with his other hand. I struggled with all my might.
    “Shhh!”
    I recognized the voice and stopped struggling.
    Instead I began cursing the goddess through her cold fingers.
    “Shut up or I’ll make you!” she hissed in my ear. I silenced, except for the occasional hiccup. And then there was a sound.
    Footsteps. Coming closer at a rapid pace. Someone was running toward us.
    I only got a quick glimpse of Claude as he ran by.
    Nemesis waited another minute before releasing me. I stepped away and then whirled around to glare at her, my eyes still watering. Her features morphed until Lucy appeared.
    “Go back to the TARDIS,” Nemesis said with a malicious grin. “I’ll be right there.”
    And then the goddess ran after Claude.
    “Fat chance,” I mumbled, going after her as fast as I could in heels. I had only taken a few steps when I tripped. The heel twisted and I fell to the ground with a cry. My knees and palms stung and I sucked in a deep breath. Sitting on my bum, I pulled the shoes off, throwing them onto the road with force. It was dark, but I could see the bleeding scraps on my pale knees and hands. I stood up, ignoring the throbbing pain and running down the road. I thought I saw Nemesis ahead of me, but I couldn’t be sure, because the darkness was hazy, as was my eyesight. I ran as fast as I could, hoping to catch up. But no matter how fast I went, she didn’t seem to get any closer. Ten minutes later I began to slow, wondering if I had been chasing a ghost all this time. I slowed and then stopped, taking deep breaths.
    But then I heard it. The sound of rushing water.
    I looked up, but I couldn’t see the source of the sound from where I was. Taking a deep breath, I continued on at a slower pace, listening carefully. I followed the concrete path under a cluster of evergreen trees. Once I emerged from the overhanging branches, I saw the river I was looking for. A bridge went over it. It  arched at least fifty feet over the rushing water before reaching the other side.
    Two people stood on the bridge in the darkness. One was standing on the railing precariously, the other standing next to him, casually leaning forward and looking down at the river.
    Claude and Nemesis.
    My heart leapt as I saw Claude teeter on the edge. But he didn’t fall. Not yet.
    Nemesis looked up and began to speak to him, but I couldn’t hear her. I walked further onto the bridge, making sure my every movement was silent. Being noticed by either one of the two could be disastrous. But I couldn’t just walk away.
    Claude was about to jump. Claude was about to die.
    I knew that he probably wouldn’t. After all, I had met the future version of him, hadn’t I?
    But time could be rewritten.
    Nothing was set in stone.
    He could die.
    Oh gods, please save him. Please, this wasn’t what I wanted. I didn’t mean to trade two lives for one. Let him live. Nemesis, don’t you dare screw this up! Don’t you dare get your revenge on me in this way!
    I stopped when I could begin to hear their voices over the rapids. I tried to blend in with the shadows and held as still as I could.
    “… Even you hate me! Nobody would miss me if I jumped! Nobody would care!”
    Nemesis was silent.
    Speak! Speak! I cried inwardly to Nemesis, watching Claude’s feet as he balanced on the slippery railing.
    “You don’t need anyone’s approval, Claude. You can live without it. You don’t have to care what people think or say about you. Take it from someone who is hated by everyone, even her own children.”
    Claude laughed bitterly.
    “That’s not good enough. Give me a good reason why I should stay,” Claude whispered, staring down at the waters.
    “Okay,” Nemesis said, taking a deep breath, “Stay because it’s not your fault.”
    The water splashed beneath the bridge, and for a long time that was the only sound.
    “What do you mean?” Claude asked, quietly, his whole body visibly trembling.
    “It’s not your fault that they haven’t accepted you. They’re the ones who make fun of you. She’s the one who used you and then left you. Is that your fault? No, it’s not.”
    “That doesn’t change the fact that I am different. That I am unloved!” Claude cried.
    “No, but it gives you a purpose,” Nemesis said, putting her hand on his shoe. “You can show them all. You can make them pay for how they’ve treated you. You can make her pay. It’s not you who should be standing here, Claude,” Nemesis looked up at him. “It should be her.”
    Claude shook his head.
    “You have a purpose, Claude, and you know it,” Nemesis said.
    Claude looked up at the sky.
    “Look at me, Claude.”
    He didn’t respond.
    “Look at me, Claude,” Nemesis said fiercely.
    “No,” Claude whimpered, shaking his head. “I don’t want to!”
    Nemesis jumped up on the railing and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her and then releasing him. Claude stared down at her, lip quivering and tears streaming.
    “Tell me, who do you see?” Nemesis whispered. Claude whimpered, looking away.
    “Who do you see?” Nemesis demanded.
    Claude took a deep breath and looked back at her face.
    “Cecilia.”
    I slowly began to back away, my limbs shaking.
    I went a little faster, finally making it to the end of the bridge. Then I whirled around and began to run. I had taken two steps when I ran into something. Two hands grabbed my shoulders and my heart pounded in my chest. I looked up at the tall figure.
    Claude. TARDIS Claude. Future Claude. Whatever.
    Tears overflowed my eyes and I didn’t bother wiping them away. It was dark and he wasn’t looking at me anyway. He was looking at the bridge. I looked back in time to see Claude jump onto the bridge next to Nemesis. She put a hand on his shoulder while he reached up and took off his yellow tie. He looked her in the eyes before chucking it in the river.
    “Good,” Claude murmured, sounding relieved. We looked at each other simultaneously.
    Who would he have been without me? What would he have become?
    Claude’s hands were still on my shoulders. His black attire blended into the night and all I could see of him was his face. His face was hard and cruel and so unlike the Claude I had come to know.
    But this is my handiwork. I did this. This is my fault.
    I jerked away from him and ran.