It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

60 - Cruise Day

"It's not enough."

"And you are? Sherlock, listen to yourself. You sound crazy - obsessive even."

Sherlock turned away from John as he tied his scarf around his neck.

"I'm not going to let this client down."

"Well now you're just lying to yourself."

Dismissing John's comment, Sherlock took his suitcase off the table, ready to head out of the apartment building.

"Sherlock, don't. Don't do this." John pleaded with him, standing in his way.

"You prefer it when I am honest with you, yes?" Sherlock knew he wouldn't be able to get out of this any other way.

"Of course."

"Elizabeth Parrish is one of the best people, alongside yourself, to have ever happened to me. I am grateful for your friendship as I am - was grateful for her lo - courtship. I messed up. I know that. I said words that cut her deep, but I want her to know that I am sorry. I know that in doing this, this isn't going to fix it but I would rather be reassured by my own observations that she isn't - going anywhere - permanent before I get the chance to make it up to her. Perhaps yes, I am coming across as obsessive, but it is because I am - I am..."

Sherlock gulped, "I am afraid of losing her. She has gifted me with something I am afraid no one else will give me because I am a difficult, egotistical, arrogant arsehole most if not at all times. She gave me something that I didn't even know I wanted until I lost it. And isn't that how it works, John? You only realise truly how much you want something until it's gone?"

The doctor stared, dumbfounded by this sudden reveal of his friend's true thoughts, "Y - yes."

"I am going merely to ensure that I will still have an Elizabeth to apologise to when it is over. Not because I don't believe she can do it - I do believe she can and that she is the best to do it but even bad things happen to the best of us sometimes."

Swayed by the detective's honesty, John moved out of the doorway, letting the detective pass through and begin to head down the stairs, "Be safe, Sherlock."

He paused, looking up at John briefly with an appreciative look in his eye, "I will."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

The sun peeked out from behind the overcast briefly that afternoon as hundreds of others gathered to board the RMS Valour. First, the government official and the thief were to meet with Dr Rita Rahat, Mycroft's contact.

"Mycroft Holmes, long time, no see." A voice called to them through the crowd.

As they scanned the people around them, they noticed a woman with short, curly black hair approaching them. Mycroft offered up one of his rare, genuine smiles to her.

"Dr Rahat, lovely to see you again."

"Call me, Rita, Mycroft. We're not strangers." The doctor looked over to Elizabeth, "And you must be...Eva Smith?"

"Yes, nice to meet you."

"Pleasure's all mine."

"Rita knows the itinerary for your short holiday." Mycroft confirmed.

"Yes and it's an exciting one at that. Come on, the quicker we board the quicker we can talk about it." Dr Rahat tried to hurry them along with a wide grin.

Mycroft Holmes walked the two women to one of the boarding stations of the cruise. The edges of both his and Elizabeth's lips barely turned up at the sides as they said goodbye.