It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

56 - Let Me Explain

A/N - my apologies for the delay in posting the next chapter! I'm technically on holiday in Wales where I get to see the sea everyday for the next few days 😄

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John was home to view the spectacle that came next.

He was sat in his arm chair A - wondering where Sherlock was and B - curious to know where Irene was and C - worrying about where Elizabeth had gone. She wasn't supposed to leave without one of them - so where did she go? Mrs Hudson had said that Sherlock left long before the two ladies but hadn't actually seen the women leave at all. Did she go to meet with Moriarty again? The possibility of that concerned John deeply as who knows what the psychopath may do to her if she approached him again.

Thankfully his question was answered when he heard the slam of the front door downstairs and the thundering of feet up the stairs. John stood as Elizabeth stomped into the room, her face red with transparent tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Elizabeth, thank God you're o - okay - what happened? What's wrong? Where’s Sherlock?"

"Ask him forgodsake, John, and leave me the hell alone." She snapped out mid-sob as she made a bee-line straight to Sherlock's room, slamming that door too.

John was stunned. His head turned to the door as he heard more running up the stairs to then see Sherlock hurry into the room, disregard John completely and head straight for his own room.

What had he done?

He knocked on the door, a very rare look of desperation on his face as he begged, "Elizabeth? Please, please listen to me. Let me explain."

To his utter surprise, Elizabeth whipped the door open again, that look of pain in her eyes echoing in his own. He didn't like to see her like this. He wanted to comfort her. But how could Sherlock do that when he had been the cause of her pain?

John just watched the scene unfold, confounded.

"Explain then. Go on, explain if you're so confident that it will help this situation."

"I - " Sherlock took a breath, "Elizabeth, you're right, I do like Irene but not in the way I like you."

Elizabeth scoffed, but continued to listen.

"I knew what Irene was doing. I knew she was trying to seduce me."

Her lips quivered. He better be getting to the point quickly.

"But I only allowed it to happen in the hopes of getting more information, in the hopes of finding out more about her. She was letting the walls she built up down. It was the perfect opportunity and I could not miss it. I am sorry you saw what you did between Irene and I this evening, but it helped. It helped me solve the case. And now Irene is gone for good."

Elizabeth's hurt gradually turned to hatred as he spoke.

"Those things I said to her, they were all to test it. To make sure I was right. And I was!" He couldn't fight back his impressed smirk at himself, "What I said meant nothing - it was all for the case."

Elizabeth looked down at the floor, shaking her head. She laughed through her tears in disbelief.

"You, Sherlock Holmes..."

Sherlock knew it. He knew she would forgive him after he explained. It made sense to her now. He could tell.

But Elizabeth looked up at him, abhorrence active in her gaze, "...Are a cold, cruel and callous man."