The Charlotte Holmes Case (Sherlock Holmes fanfic)

Chapter 23: The Great Return

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Hope you are having a great time w/ your loved ones and here is a present from me: the final chapter :'(

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Chapter 23: The Great Return

He looked down at her with a shocked expression, she couldn't believe it herself either. After ten years, they were finally reunited. "Charlotte...but how?" he asked, merely a whisper. She smiled and replied, "I am and always will be, your little Holmes." He cupped her face, stroked her hair and patted her arms. "Are you sure this isn't a dream?" he laughed, a few tears falling from his face.

"No, this was a nightmare that I have been dreaming for ten years. I'm just glad I finally woke up," she smiled. John came in from the corner panting and breathed out, "Charlotte we need to move, Lestrade's-" He stopped. "Oh my God..." he breathed out. Charlotte stepped back and let her father come towards John. "Watson, you haven't changed a bit," Sherlock said, facing him with a smile.

Still wonder struck, John closed his eyes, breathed out heavily and shook his head, trying to somehow persuade himself he was just seeing things. His friend really wasnt there, he opened his eyes and laughed. "You're really here!" "I am." "God it's just, you've been gone for so long and...I can't believe it!" he stuttered. Sherlock closed the gap between them and hugged his best friend tightly, John embracing back. "I thought you were dead," he whispered, still in awe. "All those years, I went mad without you, Holmes!"

"As have I, Watson. As have I," he said. Charlotte smiled and wiped a tear from her eye. She went out of the cell to search for Lestrade, giving them some space. "So, where's the last one?" he asked her. "I've found him, Lestrade! I've found Sherlock! He's safe with Dr. Watson and should be out soon," she rejoiced. Lestrade gasped out a chuckle and looked at her incredulously. "He's alive?" he asked.

She nodded and they hugged, "I'm so proud of you, Charlotte," he said. She laughed and a tear fell from her eye. "I'm glad it's all over. Yes, it's all over!" she sighed against his shirt and closed her eyes.

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1 week later

Hamish and Charlotte were on the train heading back to the Academy. His wounds finally healed and chose to go back to school instead of staying home to rest. "I'm glad he's back and all, but everywhere I go, its always questions about how I feel about his return and how I solved the case!" she complained to him.

He laughed and replied, "What? You're not liking the publicity at all? I thought that's what you wanted to be? The center of attention!" She rolled her eyes and he smiled. "How about you? You're going to be on the front of the papers at school for a very long time, you know!" she said.

"Finally! My time to show Marian that I too can be on the front page with my great articles. I can see the headlines now, 'The Charlotte Holmes Case: Thirteen Year Old Finds Long Lost Father!' You and I will practically be swarmed everywhere when we get back!" "Yeah, better prepare for that."

"By the way, what was Flinch's plan? I've been meaning to ask you that for some time," he said. She looked at him and put a smile on her face.

"World domination. He wanted to use us as resources on how to control a society. I'm guessing with my informational knowledge I have in my brain, he could use me. But the only reason he didn't use Sherlock was because his mind was already finished collecting information. I on the other hand, still needed to grow. He could mold my mind into whatever he wanted if he gave me the right information. He saw a useful tool in me and immediately knew that knowledge is power," she explained.

"I hate to admit it, but that sounds like something I would hear from a fictional book! Like the villain with mummy issues and talking about a clichè destruction of the world!" Hamish laughed. They both started to laugh once they noticed how ridicous Flinch's plan was and couldn't take him seriously any longer.