It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

69 - Welcome

"Aren't you? The state of Neilson and Grayson made me wonder..."

"Wow." She shook her head, amusement gleaming in her eyes, "One - you helped with Neilson, two - because you helped with Neilson, are you sure you're not a sadist too?"

"Touché."

"But seriously though, joking aside, are you sure?"

"Paracetamol still exists doesn't it?"

"Well, yes." But this didn't wipe the concern off her face.

"I don't want to risk it." He said quietly, genuinely. As he took a step towards the door, he winced, "Let's - head back to the flat - before I am tempted."

Elizabeth opened the door for him and carefully walked him out of the hospital, their sights set on returning to 221B.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

"Sherlock!" Mrs Hudson greeted when Elizabeth walked the detective through the door, "Oh, I'm so glad you're back here, it's been so quiet without you. John and Elizabeth haven't exactly come back with their engines on high every day so it makes for a very dull atmosphere."

"Oof, John and I are dull now?"

"No offence to you, dear." The elderly landlady waved off the topic.

"It appears I've created a monster." Sherlock mumbled to Elizabeth (earning a little smile) before Mrs Hudson began speaking again.

"While you've been away, I had a little tidy - well, a big tidy."

"Thought you weren't our housekeeper?" Sherlock queried.

"Tut, this is the only exception. And don't you go milking it, Sherlock Holmes." Mrs H wagged a finger at him before heading back into her own flat as she said, "Anyway, I'll let you two head upstairs - John and Mycroft are already there."

"All she's wanted to do since you've been away is to do something." Elizabeth muttered quietly, "I don't know where she gets her energy from."

"Like I said, 'monster'."

"Yeah, I guess you can be a bad influence."

"Bad? She has more life in her than she did twenty years ago, surely that can't be bad."

Elizabeth chuckled as she followed behind him, who set their pace at slow as he made his way up the stairs. Once they reached 221B, Sherlock sighed triumphantly - never before had stairs been harder to climb.

"Welcome back, mate." John greeted as they walked through the door.

Mycroft was stood by the fire place, admiring the skull on the mantle, "Finally. I have an arrangement for this afternoon so I won't be staying for long." The taller Holmes approached Elizabeth, taking a rectangular envelope out of his inner blazer pocket and handed it to her, "I keep my promises."

She opened the envelope for them all to see a new, official passport and a written declaration by Mycroft that any offences that had been recorded were erased. Her eyes smiled at him, regardless of their differences.

"Happy birthday, Miss Parrish. I present you with your freedom - don't make me regret it."

"Thank you, Mycroft."

He nodded before looking to Sherlock, "Brother, stay out of trouble if you can."

"No promises." Sherlock nodded appreciatively.

Rolling his eyes, Mycroft headed for the door and out of the building. The thief kept her eyes on the new maroon passport, stunned that it had actually, really happened - she had her clean slate. John and Sherlock shared a brief smile with each other at seeing the content look upon her face.