Back To The Start (Sherlock fanfiction #Wattys2016)

Chapter Thirteen: Abigail Faces Her Bully

Sherlock climbed the stairs to Abigail's apartment. Some of her neighbors that he passed would nod to him or say "Good day", but barley payed any mind to him.

When he came up to Abigail's apartment, he noticed the door was unlocked, so he let himself in. He paused at the doorway, taking in the sight before him.

Abigail was on the floor with books upon books laid out on the floor and different papers taped on the wall. One was a picture of Tom, one of Diana. Abigail looked up at Sherlock for a moment before flipping through the pages of the book on her lap. She ripped a page out and grabbed the tape.

"What are you doing?" Sherlock asked.

"I got a bunch of Tom's old year books from his mum," Abigail explained. "On the way home from the crime scene I realized something." She spun around to look at Sherlock. "Tom hated Diana."

Sherlock was intrigued. He sat down next to Abigail on the floor as she flicked through another yearbook. She stopped on one page and showed it to Sherlock. There was a picture of Diana with devil horns drawn on her head in black marker.

"He absolutely hated her," Abigail continued. "He thought she was mean and rude and wanted nothing to do with her. It makes no sense that he'd marry her after how much he resented her. And if you deduced what I did, which I'm sure you did, you'll have noticed that she was crying the fakest tears ever."

"I noticed," Sherlock confirmed.

"I don't think he's dead. Think about it, Sherlock. There's no sign of a body in that car at all, he hated her. He was probably in a horrible marriage and wanted out, so faking his death was how he did it," Abigail said. She stared at her wall of evidence. "But how do we prove it?"

Sherlock was thinking the same thing. Abigail had all the evidence to point towards her theory being right, except for Tom's living body. But he could be anywhere at this point.

He looked over at Abigail, who was flipping through yearbooks again. He was happy she was feeling better after what happened at the crime scene. Abigail was a beautiful woman and why someone would bully her was beyond Sherlock.

"Why don't you take a picture, it'll last longer," Abigail said, not looking up from the yearbook. Sherlock shook his head, realizing he had been staring. Abigail closed the yearbook with a slam. "We're going to the White's house. I'd like to talk to Diana."

Abigail sprung up from the floor and grabbed her jacket. Sherlock followed closely behind her.

He asked, "How do you know where she lives?"

Abigail looked at Sherlock over her should and smiled. "You can find anything on the internet."

Sherlock smiled back at her and the two descended the steps together. Abigail exited the building first, holding the door open for Sherlock. Sherlock hailed the cab and, in return, held the cab door open for Abigail. She smiled politely at him and slid into the back seat. Sherlock followed as Abigail gave the address to the cabbie.

The drive was silent. Abigail was contemplating what she was going to say to Diana. Sherlock was trying to figure out if it was such a good idea for Abigail to confront Diana again. Last time didn't end too well and he had a feeling things would end very differently if he witnessed Diana hurting Abigail first hand.

The cabbie pulled up. Abigail paid and got out of the cab before Sherlock even had his door open. He was quick to follow her to the front door, where she yanked it open and walked in without a second thought. The two found Diana in the living room, watching some crap telly.

"What do you think you're doing?" she hissed.

"What did you do to him?" Abigail retorted. Diana looked up at her.

"I haven't the slightest idea what you're talking about," she replied.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Abigail roared. "You know how much he disliked you. Tell me, how'd you get him to marry you? Blackmail?"

"Get out of my house!" Diana yelled. Sherlock kept his distance, unsure of what good he could do.

Abigail's eyes widened, as if she were a child on Christmas morning. "Ah. That's it, isn't it? You blackmailed him! He was a wealthy man, you were nothing but a lowly little girl who needed money. How'd you do it? Dirty pictures? Deep dark secrets? Tell me!"

"Why would I tell a loser like you anything?!" Diana sneered.

Sherlock shifted, ready to advance at any moment. But he didn't have to because the word didn't sting Abigail like it had before. Instead, Abigail leaned down so she was right in Diana's face.

"I'm not the loser, Diana. You are. You're the one who has to put other people down to feel good about herself. You're nothing but a stuck up little bitch. Now, either you tell me where Tom is or I'll have you arrested for obscuring justice and I'm sure you know what they do to pretty girls like you in prison."

The whole room was silent. Everyone, including Abigail herself, were shocked by her words. Diana tried to glare at Abigail, but tears formed in her eyes. Abigail stood up straight and looked at Sherlock over her shoulder. He was still standing in the doorway, unsure of what to do.

Their eyes met. Sherlock gave Abigail a proud smile. She had done it. She stood up to her bully. Abigail smiled back.

"It was an arranged marriage."

Sherlock and Abigail looked back at Diana. She was looking at her lap, refusing eye contact.

"Excuse me?" asked Sherlock.

"Our marriage was arranged. His family have been friends with mine since we were little. It's been arranged ever since we were born. That's why we despised each other," she explained.

"Where is he, Diana?" Abigail asked.

Diana looked up at the two, tears streaking down her face. She stared long and hard at Abigail.

"You were always beautiful, Abigail," she said, her voice quiet. "And confident. I wanted what you had, so I beat you down. I'm so sorry."

While it did feel good to see her bully in pain, Abigail knew she was on a case and she needed the evidence. She needed Tom.

"That's all fine and dandy but it's not what I asked," she said. "Diana, where. Is. Tom?"