Can't Stay Away (BBC Sherlock) -2-

21. Cornered

"Since when do you want to go anywhere?" I asked Sherlock a few days later. I sat on the arm of his chair, watching as he gathered his attire to go out. "You've been in here for almost a week now. Am I driving you insane?" I pouted.

"Far from it." He flashed a smile. "Just need to air out for a bit. If I'm not back within twenty-four hours, call someone."

I laughed. "Funny. Are you taking this with you?" I waved his famous hat in front of his face. I'd found it lying around. I'd never seen him wear it except in the pictures in the newspapers.

Sherlock frowned. "That can stay in here."

"Aw, come on." I flitted to him, plopping the hat on his head. "You look incomplete without it."

"It's for media use only."

I sighed. "Fine, leave it here with me." I smiled as he slapped the hat on my head. "Can I pull it off?"

"If you were me you could." He pulled me closer to him.

I shook my head. "Don't make me have to come get you from jail again, the time before wasn't fun. I don't want to do it again."

"I can't promise anything."

I kissed him lightly. "Just be careful, okay?"

"Like I said, no promises."

I rolled my eyes as Sherlock escorted himself out of 221B. My heart was still flying in my chest. There were no problems, unless you counted the guilt that picked at me every now and again. There was a nagging voice in my head saying, Karma will come back to bite you, hard. Hope you're ready for it. Don't complain when it hits.

I sought out my phone, seeing that I'd left Darien hanging. Ever since Mrs. Hudson suggested I talked the pregnancy out with Dad and Mary, I figured I could take a small step towards that by talking to Darien. She was a married woman now, and I hadn't talked to her for quite some time. She'd spurred the journal writing when I'd talked to her after The Fall. When it came to this kind of stuff, she was the girl to talk to. Amanda was my ultimate listener. Kendal and Madison weren't as supportive. If I tried to get a hold of them, they would focus on Sherlock more than my life.

I started off my day with the usual routine: breakfast, shower, and an episode or two of The Following on my iPod. Though the show wasn't expecting a new season until early next year, 2014, I wanted to watch so I was good to go.

Just as I finished a second episode, my phone went off. Smiling solemnly, I answered.

"You haven't started a search-and-rescue for me, have you?" I teased.

"I might if you stay down there longer," Bay replied. He seemed a little less tense, but I could tell my attempt at joking wasn't working with him.

"I'm guessing you didn't get called in today?"

"Nope. Having you in London makes being here really lonely."

"That's when you invest in a pet, or you go out."

"If I had enough motivation to do either, I would. Are you trying to hint you want a dog for your birthday?"

"No, I was just saying." Having an animal had never crossed my mind.

"So things have been going okay?" Bay asked me.

I shook my head, sensing his worry over the phone. A pang hit my heart as I realized he was oblivious as to why I was still in London. "Yeah."

"When are you coming back?"