Chapter Three: The Letter That Was Never Mailed
My first action upon reaching Near's little hideaway was to ask someone to fetch my pet from the veternarian's office. "Please?" I asked, making my eyes go huge as I stared up at the bodyguard. I had no idea what his name was or had any intention of learning it, but I still wanted my dog back. "He's been there all day, and he'll miss me if he stays there overnight. Please?"
The man's eyes went over my shoulder, no doubt making contact with Near's. I resisted the urge to harumph like a small child, but waited patiently for the decision. I didn't actually see Near's decision, but I guessed it was likely an affirmative one, as the man asked, "What type of dog is it?"
"A black husky named Baskerville. Tell them Sherlock sent you, and you should be fine to take him since I normally have my students check my dogs in and out all the time."
He nodded and left, leaving Near and I as the sole occupants of this lonely room of computers. "So, what happened to Mycroft?" he asked, looking at the monitors from his position on the floor.
I sat down myself, careful not to disturb the various toys scattered throughout the room. I knew Near solved a lot of his crimes through his play, and just as he would never touch any of my things, I would never purposely upset any of his toys. "He was put down today. Lived quite a long time, considering his size."
"Hmm..." He trailed off, looking at the screens. I recognized a few of the pictures, so I knew he was using them as a feeble excuse to avoid me.
"Near, what's wrong?"
"I, I just." He sighed, interrupting his sentense. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to get involved in the Kira case, that's all."
What in the world was he thinking?!? "Why not?"
"You don't really know enough about the case to work on it right now."
"I could learn."
"It's not just that. It's because L already died, and it's likely none of us will make it out alive either. I don't want you to die, Sherlock. You're my best friend, and besides, the world needs a good dose of a detective Sherlock again."
"If it's that dangerous, you could use my-"
"No!" His posture was stiff. There was no way he was comfortable in that position. I got up and patted him gently on the shoulder, feeling him relax underneath my hand.
"Fine, I won't take an active role in the Kira case." I refused to take anything less than that. I needed to stay connected to this. L's killer would finally be brought to justice, and I wanted to keep even a small role in his case. I wanted to be part of the team that would bring him to justice, even if Near would only let me be a miniscule part of that team. I could live with that. Thinking about justice brought to the victims remeindedt me of the case I'd given up when I was younger. "Near, I think I'll take the old case back again." He shifted underneath my hand. "What, do you have a problem with me taking that case too?" I asked, irritable now.
"No. I'm glad to hear you aren't giving up on that case. I actually have a letter in my room from L given to me by Roger. Roger said L had told him to give this to me to give to you if you ever decided to take that case back. I can only assume he meant this one, since it's the only case you've ever dropped."
"Yeah," I said, miserable. Could this possibly mean what I thought it meant? I hoped not. If it was what I thought it was, it meant that L had disobeyed my request and invaded my private life before Whammy's.
"Here it is," he said as he handed me a white envelope with my nickname written on it in fancy letters, having obviously gotten it for me while I was wrapped in my dilema. I nodded a thanks at him and held onto his arm when he began walking away. He had as much right to see this as I did. It was hard to open it, but I managed to break open the ice sheet of terror to the smaller glass sheet with its power to make, change, or utterly destroy my world.
Sherlock-
I'm very deeply and terribly sorry for going against my word and invading your privacy. And breaking into your room, and your drawers, and your computer, and the space under your bed, and so on.
But I knew one day you would want to come back to this case. There was an 87.95 percent chance you would take the case again. You never were one to give up, especially on the ones you loved. The way you fought for Near spoke for that.
I did a little more research during the time I could manage to devote to it. I got ahold of several different records for all the fires you connected to the one which tragically brought you to Whammy's and a few you didn't manage to connect, but I did. I only spent a handful of months on this help, probably a day or two of time altogether, at most.
I put all of my research, and copies of yours, into a vault in the cellar at Whammy's. I knew you must have burned your copies, so I made my own. You never were one to think ahead when you were obsessed with the case or when you were trying to rid yourself of it.
I have two tips for you before you fully take up the case again.
1) Don't do it alone. If you do it alone, there is a 56.8 percent chance you will lose yourself again. And this time, I don't know if even Near would be able to pull you back from that brink again.
2) I suspect that a local street gang was behind all of the arsons. Perhaps one that was recently founded and quickly gained reputation among the other ruffians? Just a thought.
I'm sorry that you had to learn about this through a letter. If you're reading this now, it means I must have been killed in some case or another. Likely the very one I'm going toward on the plane right now, the Kira case. I want you to know that I always had a special place for you in my heart, my little Sherlock.
-L
A single tear fell onto the paper, directly beside the neat signature. I folded the letter and tucked it back into its envelope reverantly. I was mad L had disregarded my request and invaded my privacy in more ways than just one, but I was happy he'd done it. He'd had a just cause in the end.
Near hugged me close, letting me cry on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Sherlock. I had no idea. I'm so very sorry."
I calmed down quickly. L wouldn't have wanted me to cry over the past forever. "So will you help me?" I asked, needing to know where he stood on this most simple of matters.
"Of course I will. Don't you remember? I promised to be your Watson, and I don't mean to break my promise."
Well, that took care of that. "Okay then," I said, pulling him along behind me. I found the room he'd pointed out as mine earlier and closed the door behind us. I pushed him down on the bed, finding the object of the hurried search I made of the room before I ripped his shirt off and began...
Ahhh! Cliffhanger! And no, I still have not figured out her true name (grrrr). My friend (who reviews under the name Callie Ride, if anyone knows her) suggested another, Samantha. Any more name suggestions need to be made soon, so that I can put together a poll and let everyone vote on her name. It will likely be much longer than I expected for her to reach Kira, but she'll meet him eventually. I promise. Just be patient with us (me and Sherlock); we still have a long way to go.
Please review if you want to guess the ending! I think it might be amusing to see what everyone else thinks is going to happen, but let me tell you, it'll likely surprise you! (Hint: Sherlock and Near are not together. Yet.)
Until next time!
Paths may be long or short, criss-crossing or solitary, but they will always take you where you need to go.
