His Last Vow (Sherlock Holmes X OC)

EIGHT- Sherlock, What Have We Done?

Anita and Sherlock were sitting at a table in a small restaurant. Sherlock, who was wearing a hospital gown, was finishing up his last mouthful of penne pasta. Anita was sitting on the same side as Sherlock, a glass of water in front of her. She was stirring the ice cubes and water around with a straw, bored out of her mind. 

"Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Magnussen's voice asked.

"I am in hospital. This is the canteen," Sherlock replied without looking up at Magnussen.

"Is it?" Magnussen questioned. Anita looked up lazily at Magnussen, leaning back in her chair.

"In his opinion, yes," she replied.

"Have a seat," Sherlock suggested, gesturing with his fork at the seat across from him.

"Thank you," Magnussen said as he walked over to their table and took the seat.

"I've been thinking about you," Sherlock told him.

"I've been thinking about you," Magnussen replied.

"Really?" Sherlock asked. Magnussen looked between the two of them before settling his eyes on Anita, who raised an eyebrow expectantly.

"Both of you, actually," Magnussen corrected. Sherlock reached across to the morphine control that he brought with him, and pushed the button three times.

"We want to see Appledore, where you keep all the secrets, all the files, everything you've got on everyone. We want you to invite us," Sherlock said and the two men locked eyes. Anita kept glancing between the two of them, almost like she was watching an intense tennis match.

"What makes you think I'd be so careless?" Magnussen questioned.

"Oh, I think you're a lot more careless than you let on," Sherlock replied, softly.

"Am I?" Magnussen asked as he leaned forward. Sherlock leaned forwards as well and smiled at Magnussen.

"It's the dead eye stare that gives it away. Except it's not dead eyed, is it?" Sherlock asked as he reached towards Magnussen's face and took hold of his glasses. Sherlock winced and sucked in a sharp breath. Anita gave him a worried look as she sat up in her chair.

"Careful, Sherlock," she said. Sherlock took Magnussen's glasses off and Magnussen's eyes flickered towards the glasses then he returned his gaze to Sherlock.

"You're reading," Sherlock stated as he drew the glasses towards himself and looked down at them.

"Portable Appledore. How does it work? Built in flash drive? 4G wireless?" Sherlock continued before placing the glasses on his face and raising his head, looking through the lenses. After a moment, Sherlock frowned and turned his head slightly before lowering his head again and taking the glasses off. Anita's brow furrowed as she stared at the glasses before sharing a look with Sherlock, who shook his head gently at her.

"They're just ordinary spectacles," Anita said, still staring at the glasses.

"Yes- they are," Magnussen commented as he looked at Sherlock before turning his gaze to Anita as Sherlock grimaced slightly.

Magnussen lowered his head and smiled before reaching across the table with one hand flicked through the pasta on Sherlock's plate with his finger and picking up a black olive. Anita was a picky eater as a child; only ate three meals. Mac and cheese, cereal, peanut butter sandwich. That was on a good day. When her mother left, Anita thought it was because she had been a picky eater seeing as her mother complained about it all the time. The first thing Anita ate after her mother left was an black olive, Anita was sick for about a week after that. Never ate them again.