His Favorite Melody

Resolution

"And exactly how many times did he fall out of that window?" Greg asked Sherlock, who had Melody pulled tightly against his side.
"It was all a bit of a blur, Detective Inspector. I lost count." Sherlock said aloofly.

"Well, I suppose that's all, then. Melody, you sure you're alright?"

"Just fine, Greg. The boys will look after me, and I'll make sure I'm very careful the next few days." She promised.

They waved him off and made their way downstairs to Mrs. Hudson's kitchen, where John sat with a still shaky Mrs. Hudson.

"She'll have to sleep upstairs in our flat tonight - we need to look after her. Melody, too." John informed him.
"Of course, but they're fine."
"No, she's not. Look at her. She's got to take some time away from Baker Street - she can go and stay with her sister. Doctor's orders." John said, motioning to Mrs. Hudson.

"Don't be silly, John." Melody chided.
"She's in shock, for God's sake! And all for that bloody stupid camera phone - where is it anyway?"
"In the safest place I know." Sherlock smirked. He walked to Mrs. Hudson and put out his hand. She pulled the leopard skin phone from inside her blouse and handed it to him.

"You left it in the pocket of your second best dressing gown, you clot. Managed to sneak it out when they thought I was having a cry." Mrs. Hudson informed him.
"Thank you." Sherlock replied. He tossed the camera phone in his hand and slipped it in his pocket. "Shame on you, John Watson."
"... Shame on me?" John asked.
"Mrs. Hudson? Leave Baker Street?" He put his arms around her, giving her the biggest hug. "England would fall."

"Right, well, it's been a rather hectic might, and I think we should all settle down. Mum, if you want to get changed, you'll sleep up here tonight." Melody suggested.

Mrs. Hudson nodded and kissed her daughter's cheek, then walked downstairs.

"You." Mel said, pointing at Sherlock. "Take care of that phone. Get it somewhere safe." She instructed.

By midnight, Mrs. Hudson was peacefully asleep in Sherlock's bed, and Melody had curled up on the couch with a book. John was slumped in his armchair. The door banged open, and Sherlock now entered,  seeing John and Melody's tired gazes on him.

"So where is it now?" John asked.

"Where no one will look." Sherlock assured him.

"Whatever's in that camera, it's more than just pictures. That thread is getting longer and longer." Melody sighed.
"Yes, it is." He crossed to the window and  looked out at the night. He picked up his violin, toying with it, thoughtfully.
"So. She's alive then. How are we feeling about that?" John asked.

"She? Wait, you don't mean -" Melody asked, suddenly more alert.

"Things have been so hectic, I didn't get a moment to tell you. When I followed John earlier today, we discovered  that Irene Adler is still alive." Sherlock admit.

"Phenomenal news. I'm guessing that means we'll be seeing her again soon." Mel sighed.
Sherlock just looked at her, a small frown on his face. He knew this situation was going to cause her stress when it escalated, but for now- he would do his best to keep her safe and happy. Looking at John, he tucked the violin under his chin and started to play Auld Lang Syne.
As Sherlock played, he turned to the window. Looking out, he had just the faintest of smiles. He was going to make this new year perfect for Melody. He swore it.

XxxxX

January passed, and with it, the feelings of stress and doubt Melody had been feeling. Sherlock had done everything he could to reassure her of his affection, and she did everything she could to make sure he was happy and comfortable. As February rolled around, so did Valentines Day. Melody had never been one for celebrating the holiday, but she promised that this year would be different.

She had bought Sherlock a new music stand, and John was getting a new jacket. Her mum, as usual, was getting an assortment of chocolates and flowers. Just because Mel didn't celebrate didn't mean her mother had to suffer for that.

The day arrived, and she was awoken by Sherlock feathering kisses along her neck and shoulders. "Good morning, darling." He said, his voice still gruff with sleep.

"Good morning, love." Melody said, lacing her fingers with his as his hand snaked around her waist. She smiled widely as he buried his face in the crook of her neck.

"I've made plans for today. Dress in something appropriate for leisurely walking and dinner." Sherlock mumbled.

It was a shock to hear, but she was thrilled nonetheless. The day was spent walking through the art museum, followed by a stroll through the park and a nice dinner at Angelo's. The restaurant was quiet, and the man let slip that Sherlock had requested the entire place be empty for them. Mel couldn't help the butterflies that filled her stomach. He really had done his best to make her feel special and loved.

She couldn't express with words just how wonderful he was and how much she had grown to love him. Little did she know- he was trying to figure out how to express that as well.

XxxxX

Late February, the pair decided to refocus on the Adler case. John had been working a lot, and Melody hadn't gotten any correspondence from Mycroft other than the occasional check-in.

Sherlock sat working in Barts lab, Molly assisting him as Melody flipped through paperwork. Sherlock was looking at an X-ray machine at Irene's camera phone, its workings exposed in the image.
"Is that a phone?" Molly asked.

"A camera-phone." Sherlock confirmed.
"And you're X-raying it?"
"Yes, I am."
"Whose phone is it?"
"A woman's."
"Melody's?"
"You think because she's my girlfriend, I'm X-raying her possessions?"
"We all do silly things!" Molly said, scuttling away, not able to meet his eye.
Sherlock examined the X-Rayed phone closer. The images revealed some details - several black shapes, positioned around the phones workings.

"What are those?" Melody asked, coming up beside him.

"Some type of failsafe in case the wrong person gets ahold of the phone. Most likely corrupts the internal wiring and mechanics." Sherlock explained.

"Well, one thing's for sure - we need to be careful with the remaining guesses. We can't take any chance of destroying this until the case gets solved."

"You're right. Now I think it's time we head home and fill John in on everything we know."