It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

96 - The Ambassador's Children

"Elizabeth, please just let me - "

"NO!" She yelled, sitting up furiously and feeling something seem to pop but she paid little attention to the feeling, "Nothing will change this. Nothing! I don't care what you have to say, I don't care about your apologies, I don't care so  - " She groaned holding her stomach.

"Elizabeth?"

"Le - leave! Go!"

Rita got closer, trying to see if she could look at the wound, "Let me see your stomach - "

"NOT YOU!" She shrieked out of agony and fury, "Get ou - out - God, just go! Ah!" She lay back on the bed, still clutching her stomach.

When Rita saw the blood coming through her hospital gown, she pressed the call button on the wall by her bed, "I'll get you help."

"Leave!" She sobbed.

And so Rita did, hurrying out of the room, her expression one of emotional pain for a young woman (who she acknowledged had experienced so much trauma and pain in her life to the point that this was unbearable) she had once called a friend and had now betrayed herself.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

John had been on his way to draw money from an ATM.

Just to draw money - for food, for flowers, for the cabs - simply minding his own business when, once again, a mysterious message from the ATM screen told him that Mycroft wished to see him. Sighing, he had gotten into the car that had pulled up behind him.

Despite having a skirmish with the men there who tried to blatantly ignore him, he had soon been taken to Mycroft (albeit by force), who then regrettably informed him that there were now several assassins living on the same street as he and Sherlock. Presumably, Moriarty had placed them there. And then Mycroft had the cheek to ask John if he wouldn't mind looking out for his brother because of some sibling quarrel that had meant Sherlock wouldn't listen to him. Though, in all honesty, John thought that Mycroft may actually have been asking John to be there for Sherlock as a friend during this...emotionally tumultuous time. Yes, there were assassins but the army doctor had no doubt Mycroft was continuing to keep a watchful eye on them.

Before he headed back to the flat though, he got the item he had first intended to get after he had drawn money: flowers.

There were no blue orchids but there were red and white orchids. It was very English of him, he thought, but orchids should brighten her up a bit even if only a small bit.

But why did he care to cheer up the woman who had planned to watch him die?

Simply because he believed that trying to kill him hadn't been her intention at all. Elizabeth had saved him, he knew that much. John found this wasn't enough though, he had to find out more and not just for himself but for Sherlock too. If the detective wouldn't speak to her to get closure, then John would.

He knocked on her hospital door, walking in with a sympathetic smile on his face and the bouquet of orchids in hand.

Elizabeth looked at him weakly, silent seeing as her last visitor had left her requiring another round of surgery. She didn't really know why he was even here.

"Hi." John greeted with a little nod, "How are you feeling? They said you had to go for surgery again last night."

The thief didn't respond just looked at him, waiting for a snap.

"I brought you these." John held up the flowers shyly, "Orchids. I did look for blue but they only had these - "

"Why are you here?" She croaked.