Hiya puddin's I combined the two shorter chapters I had planned into one! Are we ready for Season 3?
Mycroft took her hand and sat on the edge of the bed. He reasoned that it wouldn't be bad if this one time he indulged his feelings. He wrapped her in his arms and laid with her. Céline laid her head on his chest and fell back asleep.
The seasons passed and Céline and Mycroft continued tiptoeing around romance. Both were too afraid to fully initiate. Mycroft, for the first time in his life, felt conflicted. He had been keeping his knowledge of Sherlock secret. It felt strange to him every time he was tempted to make ti something more. It was guilt, an emotion he was not used to. Céline was just not certain if she was ready for another person in her life. She hadn't fully healed from what she believed to be Sherlock's death.
Soon, it was the spring again. It had been two years since Sherlock's "death". Céline was now a permanent professor at the university. She taught two classes a semester on Criminal Law. One with new students and one with senior students. She and Mycroft still saw each other weekly and she frequently talked with Miss. Hudson and Watson. On this particular spring day, Watson called her at lunch.
"Hello, John," Céline spoke into the phone. "I'm so happy to hear from you."
"Yes, sorry about the unexpected call. I was wondering what you were doing tomorrow evening?" Watson asked. He was nervous. Céline smiled. When she and Watson caught up every couple of weeks he had begun to tell her about this woman at his work he had been dating. This had to be about her.
"I'm free after class," Céline spoke. Watson let out a grateful sigh.
"Wonderful…how would you like to finally meet Mary?" Watson asked. Céline beamed.
"I would love to meet her." She replied. The next evening after her class had wrapped up she stopped by the shop to get a bottle of wine as a gift before getting a cab to the place Watson had made reservations. Watson had nervously texted her that they had arrived early and so when she got there she ducked past the host and looked for them. Watson saw her and stood, waving her over. Céline quickly went to them.
"Hello, John!" Céline smiled, hugging him and passing him the bottle. "Here is a little something for you two."
"Thank you." Watson smiled. He nervously looked from Céline to Mary and Mary stood. She was a beautiful woman and stuck out her hand for Céline to shake but Céline instead hugged her.
"I've heard so much about you. It's wonderful to finally meet you." Céline smiled.
"You as well!" Mary nervously spoke, hugging her back. They all sat afterword and the waiter came over to take their drink orders. They talked through the meal and Mary decided that she liked Céline a lot. The two women got along wonderfully. They talked a lot about the criminal justice system in Britain throughout the meal. Watson was happy that they liked each other. Toward the end of the meal, Watson excused himself to use the loo, leaving the two women alone. Céline took a sip of her wine and there was a bit of a comfortable pause.
"Thank you," Mary spoke. Céline smiled.
"For what?" Céline asked, curious. Mary shrugged.
"It's nice to see that John has such a good friend…He has a really hard time still with…well…with…" Mary began.
"With Sherlock." Céline completed her sentence knowingly. Mary nodded.
"What you two have gone through, I can't even imagine it and I'm so glad you have each other," Mary spoke. Céline smiled and nodded.
"I can understand. It's been hard to believe it's only been two years. I'm just really thankful he has you now Mary. When he started talking to me about you I could tell. He's in love. I think that's helped him heal." Céline spoke. Mary blushed.
"I'm glad. I must say, I'm in love too." Mary softly spoke. Céline smiled and giggled.
"You two are really good for each other." She spoke as Watson returned. The three talked for a little while longer before saying goodbye. After helping John and Mary hail a cab Céline watched them go for a long moment and checked the time. It was 9:30. She quickly hailed another cab and directed them to drop her off near the University. She quickly rushed to a small shop before it closed and bought a bouquet of flowers before hailing another cab to take her to the graveyard where Sherlock was buried. Céline stepped out of the cab with her bouquet and thanked the cab driver. She walked into the graveyard and made her way through. It was quiet and the air was still. She got to his grave and stood watching it for a long moment before setting the flowers down on his grave.
"I love you." Céline softly spoke, spending a few moments at Sherlock's grave before heading back toward the entrance to the graveyard.
Two months went by and Sherlock was being beaten in a prison. The guard watched from the door and the torturer placed in front of him.
"You broke in here for a reason." The torturer spoke in Serbian. He walked to the corner to grab a pipe before returning to stand in front of the man. "Just tell us why and you can sleep. Remember sleep?" The man spoke. Blood poured from Sherlock's mouth. As the man drew back to hit Sherlock with the pipe he began to softly speak. The man stopped and leaned down. "What?"
"Well...what did he say?" The guard in the corner asked. It was Mycroft in disguise. The torturer stood, frustrated and turned back to the guard.
"He said that I used to work in the navy, where I had an unhappy love affair, that the electricity isn't working in my bathroom…and that my wife is sleeping with our next-door neighbor…" The torturer explained. He began to get nervous. He knelt back down as Sherlock continued to softly speak. "And…the coffin maker. If I go home now, I'll catch them at it!" The torturer stood quickly and exclaimed. "I knew it! I knew there was something going on!" He stormed out, Sherlock took deep breaths. He slumped in his chains. Mycroft stood and walked over to him, standing in front of him.
"So, my friend. Now it's just you and me...You have no idea the trouble it took to find you." Mycroft spoke. He wanted Sherlock to stay away forever but knew it couldn't happen any longer. He grabbed his hair and pulled Sherlock's head toward him. "Now listen to me. There's an underground terrorist network active in London and a massive attack is imminent. Sorry, but the holiday is over, brother dear. Back to Baker Street, Sherlock Holmes."
In another part of the world, Céline and Watson were walking around Oxford Street looking for a ring for Mary.
"I can't believe I put it off this long." Watson nervously spoke. "I'm asking her tomorrow and I have nothing to show for it. What if I can't find anything? I…" Céline set a hand on his shoulder.
"Relax, you'll find something." She giggled. Watson nodded and rubbed his eyes.
"You're right. I don't know why I'm panicking." He sighed, they wandered into a jeweler's shop. Céline was right and after less than a half-hour in the shop Watson had picked a ring. He and Céline decided to get lunch before saying goodbye. Céline went home afterword and decided to have a night in. She hadn't heard from Mycroft all week and debated calling. She took out her phone and dialed his number but decided not to. She wanted to be alone that evening. She went to her room and grabbed her candle and copy of William Thackeray's Vanity Fair and took them both to the bathroom to take a long hot bath. As she read in the bath by the candlelight she had one moment of peace. What she did not know was that the following day would bring with it news that would change her life once more.