Day 3

"Are you okay? And don't just say you are."

Sherlock was pulled from his thoughts by the voice of his mother who placed her hand on his shoulder, offering him a mug of tea with her other hand.

Sherlock was standing by the window near the fireplace, looking through it to the vast spaces of green lands that surrounded the cozy country house of Sherlock's parents. Despite refusing his parents nearly every time they wanted him to spend more time in their home, this time, Sherlock didn't even wait for an invitation to stay over for a few days. Not now. Not after Eurus.

Sherlock sighed deeply before taking the steaming mug from his mother's hand, muttering a soft 'thank you' and returning his gaze to watch the flock of birds flying across the pale blue sky.

"I am still waiting for an answer, Sherlock." Violet urged him gently.

Sherlock took a sip from the hot beverage, enjoying the taste and willing to postpone the conversation for as long as he could. But, he knew his mother too well; she wouldn't stop before she says everything she wants to say and hears everything she needs to hear.

"We will be okay, Mum." he replied, still looking through the large window.

"I am asking about you, not us."

Sherlock opened his mouth to speak, but the words wouldn't leave his throat, instead he took another generous sip of his tea and shut his eyes tightly.

"Sherlock?" Violet said in a soothing voice, rubbing his shoulder with her palm in a motherly way.

"I don't know what to do, and I hate-" Sherlock whispered, taking a shuddering breath.

"-And you hate not knowing." Violet finished for him, giving him a warm smile.

"You know me very well." Sherlock said, a small yet genuine smile on his face.

"Of course I do." A pause, then, "But I am not the only one, Sherlock."

Silence.

"Don't lose her, Sherlock." Violet firmly told him, squeezing his shoulder, urging him to listen. Urging him to see.

"I am not sure she still wants to keep me." Sherlock said, defeated.

Violet sighed audibly then said, "I have never met this Molly dear of yours, but I have heard quite a lot about her from you, Myc, Mrs. Hudson and even John."

Another moment of silence.

"It looks like she has been around for a very long time. If she wanted to leave, she would have been at the other side of the earth by now." Violet said, matter-of-factly.

"You don't know-"

"Of course I do." Violet interrupted him, waving her hand in a dismissive way. Sherlock rubbed his forehead with his palm tiredly.

"I may or may not be many things," she continued, "but I am a woman. And only a woman knows how exactly another woman thinks."

Sherlock took another shuddering breath, "I haven't gone to see her since…since what happened. I couldn't. Mycroft and John were generous enough to explain things to her on my behalf."

Violet seemed to be in deep thought, then she said, "Well, that's not an ideal situation. But, if what I have heard about her is true, I would like to believe that she is giving you space and time."

"And what if she just gave up on me?" Sherlock asked his mother, his voice a little childish, a little vulnerable.

Violet chuckled softly, still rubbing his shoulder soothingly, "Oh, Sherlock! And what if she didn't? How would you know? How would you ever know if all you do is hiding here and doing nothing?"

"Hiding here? You practically fight with me….." Sherlock shouted, turning fully to face his mother.

Violet quickly cupped her son's cheeks. Cheeks that were too prominent to be healthy.

Maybe I should urge him to eat more.

"I love when you and your brother stay here with us. And if I could, I would bring Eurus home, too. But right now, nothing can make me happier than seeing you happy. And no matter how hard you try to hide it, you are not happy here. Not when you are buried in your thoughts not knowing what she thinks of you. Not when you are willingly drowning yourself in the realm of endless possibilities and what ifs."

Sherlock sighed deeply and said nothing, casting his eyes downwards.

"And you hate not knowing, don't you?" Violet continued, smiling at her son.

A knowing smile creeped to Sherlock's face and he lifted his eyes to gaze at his mother's similar ones.

"You are right, Mum. I hate not knowing."

"Then what are you waiting for? Go. Now." Violet happily said.

As if struck by lightning, Sherlock suddenly placed his mug on the wooden table by the window, then he turned around his mother, making a beeline towards the house's main door, picking his belstaff from the coat rack and digging his hands inside the pockets of Mycroft's coat.

"Sherlock!" Violet cried, scolding her younger son.

"Tell Mycroft I burrowed his car." Sherlock turned to his mother with a wink, holding the elegant black key in his hand.

"You naughty boy!" Violet chided, though she couldn't keep the big smile off her face.

Sherlock turned to leave the house, then he stopped, turning again to face his mother. He stared at her for a few seconds before he silently walked to stand in front of her, then he leaned and planted a gentle yet firm kiss on her forehead.

"Thank you." Sherlock murmured against his mother's hair, smiling.

"You are more than welcome." Violet replied, hugging him lightly before letting him go. Sherlock turned around again and sprinted towards the door.

"Sherlock?"

Sherlock stopped in his tracks, glancing at his mother questionably.

"For the sake of law and order, I suggest that you avoid all future attempts at a relationship." Violet said seriously.

Sherlock frowned, then raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Any relationship other than with Molly, of course." she continued teasingly. "You will not want to fight me, young man, because I will definitely choose her side."

Sherlock grinned and before she knew it, he was already out the door running to Mycroft's car.