"Where do think Moriarty will go now?" Watson asked as he stood beside Sherlock who sighed. Sherlock took his attention from steering the ship back to the docks to the unconscious form of Rona. After she collapsed onto the deck they spent more than a few minutes trying to wake her but when that didn't work they carefully carried her into the bridge instead.
Now propped up against the wall she let out a low groan, her head shifting at the sound of her friends' voices.
"I don't know, Watson. Right now my main concern is getting Rona safely home." Sherlock answered and Watson nodded, watching on as Sherlock expertly steered the ship back to the docks. "That and returning the NIMROD before anyone notices it's gone."
"I agree. When that monster knocked Rona overboard I thought...well she's safe now." Watson told his friend who nodded, remembering all too clearly the moment Moriarty threw Rona off the ship.
"If it wasn't for your quick thinking we would have lost her." Sherlock sighed and Watson shook his head giving his friend a light pat on the shoulder before he stepped over to Rona. "It was a stroke of genius that you two solved Moriarty's clue. I've trained you both well." He added with a tiny smile as the ship neared the docks and Watson glanced at Rona for a moment, fiddling with his cane.
"We didn't solve the clue. Not the pair of us anyway." Watson answered and Sherlock raised an eyebrow turning his attention to carefully steering the ship. Once it was docked he turned back to Watson who was kneeling beside Rona.
"Then however did you manage to figure out that I was trapped on the NIMROD? Did you ask Juliet and Gnomeo? They didn't take me as puzzle-solvers but anything is possible." Sherlock asked, joining Watson and Rona the latter lightly groaning when Sherlock gently stroked the scar on her cheek. "Is there something wrong?"
"In a manner of speaking. We asked someone you...don't get along with very well." Watson admitted and Sherlock stroked his goatee deep in thought for long enough to see Rona's eyes flutter open. Groaning I opened my eyes in time to see Sherlock with his eyes narrowed at Watson and after I coughed they focused their attention on me.
"Where am...I?" I mumbled and Sherlock gave Watson one last glare before he turned to me, a faint smile on his face as he held out a hand. Helping me to my feet I stumbled my head spinning so I leant against his shoulder. "Still aboard huh? Darn."
"We're back at the docks, Rona. It seems quiet but we should still be careful." Sherlock warned and I nodded as I followed both him and Watson off the ship and onto the docks. We made it away from the ship before anyone noticed that the NIMROD had been returned by a few of London's garden gnomes.
I wasn't sure exactly where Sherlock was leading us though after our confrontation with Moriarty I really didn't focus on the destination too much, happy to be free of the villain. At least for now anyone but once we reached the streets ducking into the nearby bushes I saw Sherlock come to a halt and after noting the eyebrows lowered in our direction I sighed.
"We didn't go behind your back if that's what you're thinking, Sherlock." I told him and he raised an eyebrow at me, Watson standing beside the detective with a faint smile directed at me. "If you're going to blame anyone about going to see your brother, Mycroft then I'll take the blame."
"He's the last gnome I would have gone to for assistance if you had been captured." Sherlock answered and I rolled my eyes at him, my arms crossed as he stared at me.
"If I had been captured by Moriarty you would have worked with Watson to figure out the clue and we wouldn't be having this conversation." I told him and he snorted at me making me raise my eyebrows. "Just what is that supposed to mean?"
"You could have figured out the clue given time. You didn't need to speak to Mycroft." Sherlock countered as I stared at him and I shook my head. "Now I'm not sure I can trust you." He added and that made both my eyebrows shoot up.
"I asked for help and just because that help was your brother you suddenly can't trust me now?" I told him, blinking when he just nodded at me. Even Watson seemed confused and he looked at Sherlock who met my glare when my eyes narrowed at him. "I fought Moriarty and Reggie, or Ronnie...anyway the point is I risked my life to rescue you and that's the thanks I get?"
"Sherlock, Rona only asked for help because we couldn't figure out the clue. That is no reason to believe she will do the same thing again." Watson pointed out but Sherlock just snorted, still staring at me until I threw up my hands in frustration.
"I can't believe this! Oh right we're talking about Sherlock Gnomes who can't stand it if someone has to rescue him. I'm sorry if that hurt your pride but I ended up in the Thames for you and all you can do is keep pointing out that Mycroft helped us." I snapped at him and when he didn't respond I sighed, rubbing at the bridge of my nose. "I'm going home and you can keep being a pain in the rear until you decide to apologize for talking down to me. Bye, Watson and thanks again for your help. Unlike some gnomes I won't mention who don't appreciate my help."
With a tiny wave I turned around taking a moment to get my bearings before I pushed back through the bushes, leaving both gnomes to watch me disappear. With a snort Sherlock started to walk back to their home until Watson cleared his throat and he turned with a sigh. "Yes, what is it?"
"How could you be so cold to Rona? I was the one who suggested speaking to Mycroft until I realized you probably wouldn't speak to me. Rona was the one who wanted to take the blame for talking to your brother and even after we found him he refused to assist us. If Rona hadn't called him a coward, Mycroft probably would have left you in Moriarty's trap." Watson explained still glaring at his friend, his hands fiddling with the cane.
"When did that happen?" Sherlock asked slightly intrigued and Watson sighed. After a detailed explanation Sherlock frowned, staring off into the distance for some time before he spoke."So I've made a terrible mistake?" Getting a nod from Watson, Sherlock groaned. "I spoke so harshly to Miss Rona and not for the first time too."
"Yes you did, Sherlock. Rona faced Mycroft and even called him a coward and a heartless excuse for a brother. Mycroft helped us then and he even commented on how deeply Rona cares about you if she's willing to rush straight into an obvious trap just to get you back safe and sound." Watson told him as Sherlock stared at the spot where Rona had been standing only a few minutes before. "Though now that you've broken her heart I doubt very much Rona will forgive you." He added with a sad smile. "Not unless you find her and prove you care about her as much as she cares for you."
"Rona cares for me and yet I keep hurting her." Sherlock whispered and Watson just shook his head. "Why must I keep hurting that poor woman?"
"I know you didn't mean to hurt her, Sherlock. It was a mistake that you and only you need to fix." Watson explained and Sherlock gave him a tiny nod his mind already shifting through as many possible solutions to this new problem as he could. Seeing the blank look on Sherlock's face, Watson just stood there waiting patiently for his friend to speak.
"Once again I will help you but you need to promise never again to lose faith in Rona. She can be a little stubborn and hot-headed but she cares deeply about you. Everyone really." Watson finally told the detective who had his attention focused elsewhere.
A few minutes passed before Sherlock blinked and Watson gave him a tiny smile which Sherlock echoed, beckoning his friend to follow him. While they walked along the sidewalk, darting into bushes to avoid any passers-by, Sherlock explained his idea to Watson.
"After we make a quick trip to Gnomeo and Juliet's garden I'll go alone. I'm the one Miss Hart is angry with so it is up to me to set this right." Sherlock explained as they climbed up onto a rooftop. Following his friend, Watson couldn't help wondering just what his friend was planning though he knew Sherlock wouldn't reveal anything this soon.
While they headed to the gnomes' garden I found myself stumbling back to my home though after spending an hour walking through countless gardens and ducking behind bushes whenever I thought a human would spot me I realized I was completely lost. Sighing to myself I tried to get my bearings, my eyes searching the nearby streets for a street sign or a landmark I knew though I soon gave up when nothing looked familiar.
Pretty soon I wandered into a garden I didn't know collapsing on the grass before I drew my legs against my chin, sighing to myself.
"That jerk of a garden gnome. Who does he think he is? I saved him and he treats me like that?" I growled to myself. I kept trying to be angry but the first few tears that sprang into my eyes gave my feelings away. "How could he be so cold? I only went to see Mycroft when I couldn't figure out that stupid clue and Sherlock hates me for that?"
Sniffing to myself I forced myself to stand, wiping at my watery eyes now more determined to return home and forget I'd ever bothered with that gnome detective. It took me another hour before I spotted a store I knew, a flower shop before I finally realized that I was only a block from home and that brought a weak smile to my lips. Getting home I discovered my second problem when I checked my pocket for my key remembering too late that I'd allowed Sherlock to keep it.
Shaking my head at my own foolishness I wandered around to the back of my house and after another search I spotted that the window near the back of the house was open a crack. Scaling the drainpipe I managed to push the window open and once I climbed carefully inside I pulled the window closed, locking it with the latch before I made my way to the floor.
Shaking the last few drops of water from the Thames I walked towards my bedroom letting out a weak yawn, a small smile on my face at the prospect of a long rest in my nice and warm bed.