|| Be Her Guard || Sherlock Holmes x Reader

|♢| Chapter 29 |♢| Go Out With A Bang

Sherlock takes in a breath, his eyes locked with the old building that's barely visible through the overgrown trees and weeds that fill its once beautiful garden. He stands at the rusted metal gates until his former cab has pulled back onto the street, leaving him truly alone to meet whatever fate awaits him.

The gate makes a terrible creaking sound, refusing to open all the way which forces him to slide through. Stone steps peek through slightly yellowed grass, his shoes crunching against this path littered with faded leaves.

While walking, he lets his hand run against the back of a cracked wooden bench that sits off to the side of the path. He remembers how you'd lean against him on it, pointing to random church goers and asking what he could deduce about them. A few feet away, he notices that the patch of lilies you once adored have long been overtaken by weeds and roses bushes, the latter seeming to be the only flower to survive three years of being unattended to.

Most of the once detailed stained glass windows have been shattered, likely from various storms and unruly teenagers armed with rocks. One of the dark knotty alder doors has broken off a hinge which leaves it hanging slightly to the side while its partner has been trapped open by build up debris on the inside floor.

Sherlock tightens his grip on his gun almost as if to ensure it's still hidden away in his pocket. Although he'd like to deny it, his heart beats heavily against his chest as he pauses in that doorway and listens. He can hear birds chirping in the garden and the soft creeks of the worn-out building echoing through the darkness, but nothing else until he begins to walk again because, despite his best attempts at keeping quiet, various floorboard's still squeak with the debris on the ground crunching under his weight. A small amount of light is offered through the broken windows, beaming down in a way that might have been beautiful if not for the circumstances. Even so, the halls are mostly covered in shadow.

Sherlock finally removes the gun from his pocket while checking the first room he comes across. Surveying the area, he sees nothing of interest. One of the ceiling beams has fallen through near the middle, letting in plenty of light which sparkles down. It's the same room where you and Sherlock would share halves of the same donuts while snickering over the sight of Mycroft sneaking his third from the snack table.

Said room can also be seen through a small opening in the kitchen Sherlock searches next. There's a layer of dust covering the counter he remembers you baking cookies on along side his mother and your aunt for that Christmas dinner the church held each year.

During your first year there, you had proudly showed Sherlock the ginger breadmen you had secretly made when no one else was looking. The cookies that had been torn, covered in red frosting, then outlined in white to mimic a crime scene much to his amusement. Of course, your aunt hadn't been very amused when she found your creation in the oven, lecturing you about how 'you're in a church!' and 'does this look like something you'd make in a church?!'. Nevertheless, you did it again the following year with Sherlock's help that time.

He bits his lip, continuing to walk along the wall to the next room. It isn't a giant church. There are only a few rooms inside with the nave being located at the end. Even though he checks each room along the way, he knows you're in that main room; you must be. Apollo's going for the aesthetic and what better than to have the 'bride' at the end? He only hopes that you're still alive. On the cab ride there, he had sent strict instructions to Lestrade on when to arrive; no sooner, no later with no lights nor sirens. All he has to do is separate Apollo from you in any means possible before then. Hopefully the Yard will be competent enough to keep you safe regardless of what happens. 

BANG!