Sherlock

"I believe you." The ginger man let out a sigh of relief and leans back in the chair across from me.

"You do?"

"I do."

"Oh thank GOD! I thought you'd think I was crazy or think I'm guilty!" I smile,

"I know you aren't guilty Mr. Tolbert. I know that much. It needs some investigation, but I'm sure I can prove it." He lets out a sigh of relief and shakes my hand vigorously.

"The hearing is in two days and if you don't find anything by then, I'm going to be put away. I have faith in you Mr. Holmes, I think you can prove it. I know you can. Oh God! That's a relief. Thank you so much! I don't know how I'll ever be able to repay you. Thank you! Thank you!" He stands up to leave, wiping the back of his hand over his forehead, looking exceedingly happy. I can't let him go to prison. I know he's innocent. Simple, he didn't commit that crime, he didn't do it. No way he did it. Yet they think that they can arrest him for something he didn't do, for something his brother certainly did. I lean back and put my fingers together, steepling them under my chin, thinking. Steps on the stair. John's home from work. He's going to be exhausted. The door bangs open,

"JOHN?" I call behind me. He sighs,

"What Sherlock?"

"Nothing. I need to go out. Big case. Want to come?"John sighs again.

"No Sherlock. This time, you do it on your own. I had a bad enough time trying not to fall asleep at work today, I need some sleep. I've been running on no sleep for forty eight hours or more. Do you have any idea how exhausted I am?"

"Of course." Why is he being like this. This man can't get executed. I won't let him. John flops onto the couch, letting out a puff of air and stretching out a bit. "JOHN! Get up! Come on!" I pull my coat on and heave him to his feet. "We have to go!"

"NO! Sherlock! I need some sleep!"

"I'll play you the violin so you can sleep when we get back! Come on! Just this once! ONCE!" John looks me in the eyes,

"Why is this case so important Sherlock? Do you know the person?"

"No."

"Then why do you care if you don't solve it tonight? Why do you care?" Why do I care? He doesn't know? Should I-? No. I won't. Why do I care?

Sherlock Age: 28

"I'm telling you Lestrade! I'm innocent!" The man sighs, running his hands through his hair,

"I'm sorry Sherlock! I can't believe that. You know way to much for you to be an innocent man. You were found with the body."

"What have I ever done to make you doubt me?" I ask exasperatedly. How can he do this to me? I feel so betrayed. As if I would ever do something like that. I might get excited for a new, weird murder, and I might get bored, but I would never take the life of another human being. The very thought-

"You know way to much Sherlock! There is no way that you could not be the murderer." I roll my eyes,

"YES THERE IS! If you would let me explain myself!"

"EXPLAIN WHAT SHERLOCK? You were found WITH THE BODY, seconds after it had died." I look away,

"BECAUSE I WAS THERE WHEN HE GOT MURDER- Oh forget it. It's not worth it. I'm not going to argue with you anymore. If you want the real murderer to go free, and to put an innocent man behind bars," I hold my wrists out for him. He's got to believe me. There is no way that he can be buying this, "be my guest. I'll come quietly."

"Sherlock." I roll my eyes again, thrusting my wrists into his face.

"Arrest me. GO AHEAD!"He hesitates and I take the time to try and convince him that he knows I'm innocent, "You won't. You won't arrest me because you KNOW that I'm innocent. You know that I didn't kill him. You KNOW that I didn't. You don't want to put an innocent man away do you? DO YOU?"

"Sherlock- I want to believe you, I do. I just- I can't. Not this time. There's too much evidence. It's too wrapped up. I found you with that body. Will you deny that?"

"Absolutely not."

"You had the murder weapon in your hands! Will you deny that?"

"No. I was examining it. Not cleaning up after myself."

"Do you see what this looks like?"

"Oh God. Yes of course man."

"Do you see where that puts you?"

"Quite clearly thank you. I thought that maybe you would believe me. You of all people. I didn't expect this." He closes the handcuffs around my wrists. Shivering I shoot him a dirty look. He knows that I'm right. He knows. I'm innocent. I want to scream out who the killer is. No one will believe me. No one ever does.

"I'm sorry Sherlock."

"Of course you are."

"I really am." An idea. Good. He can do that. I'm sure of it!

"I want my phone call."

"Sherlock. I'm sorry."

"JUST GIVE ME MY DAMN PHONE CALL!"

"Fine. Hold on.

Several minutes later

I rest my head against the wall, feeling all hope crushing down and hanging uselessly around my ankles.

"Are you sure Mycroft?"

"Sherlock, there's nothing I can do. You'll be condemned. I'm sorry."

"Do you believe that I didn't kill that man?"

"Of course I do."

"Good. Thank you."

"I'm sorry that I can't do anything."

"When they try me, will you vouch for me?"

"Absolutely, no question."

"Thank you Mycroft."

"Of course brother." Oh God. I'm going to go to prison for another man's crime. I'm going to prison, I'm going to prison and I'm going to die. Why me? I did nothing! Anger, fear. Two emotions that keep whirling around my head, one after the other, anger, fear, fear, fear, anger, anger, fear, anger. All mixing together. I can't go to prison. I did nothing wrong.

"Sherlock?" I start, John's still looking me in the eye. "Why do you care?"

"I know how he feels, and he's completely innocent. He committed no crime."

"What do you mean?"

"I know how he feels, and I need to fix it. I need to make him heard."

"Wait you mean-?"

"Yes John. I've been accused of something I didn't do."

"What happened?"

"I got arrested. Obviously."

"Well duh! I mean what happened though?"

"Lestrade managed to find the real murderer, as soon as the cops showed up, he surrendered and confessed. I was let go. Lestrade never doubts me any more, well hardly ever. He trusts me more then he did. He took a leap of faith and managed to do something spectacular. You know, if he listened to me more, he would have a better career..."

"Sherlock?"

"What John?"

"I'm ready."

"Thank God. I was getting tired of standing here waiting for you. Do you want to hear my theory?"

"Always."