Chapter nine: Anything but boring

I didn't fall asleep until 6:00 in the morning, I'd cried so hard that night. Mrs. Holmes had stayed up with me for an hour until I'd calmed down, then she'd settled me into a guest room for the night. Mycroft and Sherlock had obviously told her Sherlock's true intentions and she had decided to avoid any further embarrassment.

When I woke up, it was 1:00 PM. I'd stood and looked around the room. The only thing I in this room was a light purple, lacy robe. I put it on and surveyed my appearance. It was modest enough and I had to find out where my clothes were. I knew my wedding dress was in Sherlock's room and my clothing was to be sent over this morning. My hair was a mess, I sat down and began combing it free of all the pins that were sticking all throughout my hair. My head ached dreadfully. As I eyed my reflection in the mirror, my eyes were swollen and I looked dreadful. My skin tone appeared as if I had a fever.

I carefully exited my room and tiptoed down the hall. Once I made it past Sherlock's bedroom, I went down the stairs. All the servants eyed me curiously, but they didn't say anything to me. I drew my robe carefully about me and entered the parlor. Fortunately, for me, it was deserted. I sat on the sofa and drew the robe tighter around me. I wanted to cry, but I was so sick of all the tears and emotions of sick, painful darkness that I was experiencing.

I looked around the room and my eyes fell on the piano. I loved the piano and I hadn't played it in a while, but my fingers remembered their skill. I smoothed the lacy robe around my body before I began to play the piano. My favorite piece was Ludwig Von Beethoven's 'Moonlight Sonata, Opus 27, No. 2, Adagio Sostenuto'. I began playing slowly, before allowing the hurt and pain I felt to grow inside me as a passionate emotion. I gazed out the window, looking at the rain pelting the window and the rose bushes outside while my heart bled onto the keys.

I lost myself in the glory and genius of Beethoven, allowing his music to soothe and calm my troubled soul. For the next seven minutes, all was soothing and peaceful. My fingers rested on the ivory after I played the final bars. I inhaled and exhaled, reveling in the peace that I felt after this beauteous moment.

"So," Sherlock's voice caused my eyes to fly open and I turned to look at him. "you're a musician as well?"

"Hardly."

"You're good." He stepped towards me, his hands tucked into his tan dressing gown. I couldn't help but wonder why he still wasn't dressed yet. I had a very valid excuse, he had none. "You played that piece superbly. I never figured you for a classic music lover."

"You figured wrong Mr. Holmes." I turned sideways on the bench so I could face him better without craning my neck. "I do love classical music. I love and appreciate the art that they left behind."

"Have you ever thought of performing live?" He questioned. "It might provide you for a source of income. You're averagely attractive, should capture the attention of the media."

"Thank you for your compliments and insults, it's getting difficult to tell them apart." I stated. "No, I'd never play live for I hate people looking at me and I know for a fact that I don't play well enough." I bite my lip and look down at my hands, vexed to find them shaking. "I'm sorry, that was uncalled for."

"Are you feeling alright?"

The stupidity of his question irritated far too easily. Especially right after I'd sincerely apologized. "My father was murdered right before my eyes Mr. Holmes." I stated frankly. "I am feeling nothing."

He shrugged. "Well, that's good. Emotions are a bit of a prohibitory."

I slammed the lid down on the piano and jumped up. "God! Are you really such an emotionless machine that you honestly believe that I honestly feel nothing?" I shook my head. "I feel like Hell! He was all I had in my life! now all I've got is you and your family!"

"Well, you've got my mother at least." Sherlock reached into his pocket and handed me some papers. "I need you to sign these."

I frowned as I took them and unfolded them. "What are these?"

"Our marriage annulment papers."

My hands froze and I looked up at him, ready to shout at him. However, Mrs. Holmes beat me to it. "William Sherlock Scott Holmes," he closed his eyes, as if warding off an oncoming blow. "you are not annulling your marriage to Tammy! She's absolutely perfect for you!"

Sherlock bit out, endeavoring to keep his temper in check. "I don't care mother. I only married her to exhume her mother's corpse! Miss Hooper is examining it as we speak and I intend to have these marriage documents taken care of immediately."

"Sherlock!" She scolded him. "You two were just married yesterday!"

"I told you, it was just to examine her mother's corpse. It's been dug up and it's being inspected! So, after I look at it, I want to drop these papers off," he stated. "signed, sealed and delivered. I don't want her in my life!"

"Well, I've got bad news for you," I stated as I found my voice. Sherlock and Mrs. Holmes turned towards me as I tore the annulment papers in half. "I'm not going for an annulment Mr. Holmes." The look on his face was priceless. "You're stuck with me."

Mrs. Holmes smiled at me and she wrapped an arm around my waist. "Good for you!"

Sherlock stared at me in shock. "Hold on a minute! What the hell happened to cause you to change your mind?"

"Language Sherlock!" his mother scolded. "Or I'll have your father talk to you!"

"Sorry!" he stomped up to me. "Why…do you want to stay married to me? You don't love me, we both know that's true." he said darkly, pointing out the obvious. "I am incapable of loving anyone. You want love, I can't give it to you. so why…do you want to spend your life shackled to me if I can't give you what you want?"

"Jacob didn't love Leah," I explained softly. "he loved Rachel. Leah loved him and even though he didn't love her in return, she was a valuable woman in his life." I found some strength as I allowed myself to be calm. I was an adult and in spite of my grief, I shouldn't be flying off the handle like this. I needed to help Sherlock find my father's killer and avenge his death. "I have nothing now. This family…and those vows I made to you yesterday are all I have. I must hold onto them or else I am dishonoring this family and myself."

Sherlock threw his hands up in the air. "How did I get into this mess?"

"By forcing the issue." I reminded him. "You, were the one who told them to arrange the marriage." He glowered at me. "You made a mistake and now you must learn from it."

"I've learned from it, no need to punish me."

"I can't leave you anyway." His brows widened in indignation. "My father made me promise before we were married." That caught his attention. "Your father has a letter from my father, I believe it may aid you in solving why both of my parents were murdered. However, my father made it perfectly clear," I blinked away the tears that were building in my eyes. I cleared my throat. "that…I must remain married to you."

Sherlock groaned. "Oh, God! Is everyone against me?"

"It had nothing to do with you." I explained calmly. "It had something to do with Moriarty." He stopped and I knew I had his attention. "For some reason, our marriage is preventing him from getting his hands on something. Until you find out what it is, and have that mad man put away for life or executed, I'm staying as your wife."

Sherlock rubs his chin, contemplating. "We'll have to discuss this further. But more importantly, you saw Moriarty's face. What did he look like?"

I frowned. "Don't you know?" at his glower I exhaled and sat down. "Never mind, if you did, you wouldn't have asked me." as much as I hate to admit the truth to him, I confess. "I only saw the back of his head."

"Then how'd you know it was Moriarty there?" Sherlock questioned.

"I paid attention to the conversation. Father addressed him as Moriarty." I added. "Moriarty also made it clear that after you've annulled the marriage as you're totally predictable," he glowered at those words. "that he will woo me and get whatever it is he needs from me."

Sherlock frowned. "You're….insignificant."I exhaled, I was slowly getting used to his verbal abuse by now. "What…would Moriarty want with some insignificant like you?"

"Then maybe," Mrs. Holmes said as she began to move out of parlor. "she's not as insignificant as you think. I'll get you two something to eat. You two must eat something."

"Thank you." I bit my lip as Sherlock studied me closely. "So…what do we do know?"

"Do? We solve the crime." He clapped his hands together and walks across the top of his mother's coffee table to sit in the chair opposite me. he gestures for me to sit down before climbing into his chair. He then did the most unusual thing in the world. He perched on the seat, with his backside against the backrest. His elbows were on his knees while his hands were up, cuddling his chin. He looked like a monkey! "Right, let's start at the beginning and don't be boring."

"If you've failed to realize it Mr. Holmes," I stated as I sat down. "our entire relationship has been anything but boring."

Lady Gisbourne 15: Sorry, I was doing some charity work all day and I didn't get home until 4:30 tonight! I was exhausted, but I've regained my steam. Hope this chapter is good! I figured since you've been checking your email once an hour, I could at least post this chapter as soon as I'd finished it.