Amy Pond was at her desk, doing her chemistry homework. More accurately, she was texting Sherlock, getting him to do her chemistry homework. Not that she didn't know the answers, she did, it was just an excuse to talk to Sherlock, and she didn't have to do work. Win/win, really.
The front door of the big house in Leadworth opened and clicked shut.
"Hi, Amy." Aunt Sharon was home from work.
"Hey. In the study."
The aunt-niece relationship had improved, and Amy no longer hated her aunt. It was a cordial relationship, almost friends now, but it was moment like this that made it, well, difficult.
Sharon walked into the study, dumping her coat on the back of one of the chairs.
"Hiya, what're you up to?"
"Just chemistry homework," Amy replied, ignoring the phone buzzing on the table. She desperately wanted to read it, but her manners told her to respect her elders.
"Oh, okay," Sharon was clueless when it came to science. They sat there, silence swelling in the room.
After a fair amount of time, Sharon spoke. "Amy, we need to talk about a few things."
"Oh?" Amy had a feeling it had something to do with Sherlock, and she started to feel sick, her stomach knotting uncomfortably as she was sitting.
"Yeah…" Sharon looked around the room nervously, as if she didn't want to be saying this next bit. "Listen, I know you're not going to tell me certain things, that you will keep things to yourself. I understand. After that whole Raggedy Doctor thing…" Amy almost glared at her Aunt.
"Where is this going?" she had to fight to not growl the words.
"Just, there are certain things you need to be safe about."
"Oh, God,"
"And you know how much I don't like him, but from what I've seen of the boy, Sherlock won't use you," Amy's eyes widened, but Sharon continued, telling herself it was like ripping off a band-aid. "God, I'm rambling. What I'm saying is I know Sherlock's a good guy, but I don't want you seeing him."
The knot in Amy's stomach tightened.
"Seeing him, or seeing him?"
"Oh, God, you can stay friends with him, I know how much he means to you. Just, Amy-love, he's too old for you. You're 14, he's 18. It's a huge age gap for someone your age. What about that lovely boy, Rory?"
"He's gay, Sharon." Amy wasn't going to let this go, but she wasn't willing to argue right now. This was too much of a bombshell, and she needed to think.
Sharon smiled sadly. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're not." Amy snapped. "You never liked him, and you just said that, and you're pulling the 'it's best for you' card. No. You're not sorry. Don't tell me you are." Sharon stared, a little stunned. "Just, go!" Amy almost yelled, finding it hard to keep a lid on her emotions.
Sharon left the room, but Amelia Pond didn't notice. She and Sherlock weren't dating, but her aunt's words had triggered something in her, some realisation of her feelings? She didn't know, she just didn't know.
She picked up her phone to read the text that had been left unread for a while: Nitrogen cycle – SH.
She smiled, and then wondered why she was smiling. All he'd written was two words to contribute to her homework.
She thought a while, realising that while she loved Sherlock, she was deluding herself if she thought he felt the same way. He was 18, for God's sake. Way out of her league, even without the age gap.
The text conversation stopped, homework left almost incomplete as Amelia Pond cried herself to sleep.