Chapter thirteen: Anger, apologies and affection

Dear God, please send Sherlock or anybody here. I pleaded mentally as Moriarty moved in closer. I closed my eyes, hoping and praying for this moment to pass. His lips brushed mine and I inhaled as revulsion filled me.

"Tammy?" Sherlock's voice caused both of us to jump. Moriarty looked towards the maze entrance and I hastily moved to sit back down on the bench where I'd been moments ago.

Moriarty glanced at me. "I'll see you tomorrow. And maybe," he smirked. "we'll try that again without interruptions."

I shook my head as Sherlock came around the corner. His eyes took in the sight of both of us. He cleared his throat. "Your stepmother's leaving." He glanced at Moriarty. "You too."

Moriarty grinned. "Right, but a bit later. I just persuaded Tammy to come in and play for a bit." He had his back to me so he couldn't see the look of astonishment on my face. "She's a classical music lover, just like me." Sherlock's eyes narrowed and his fingers tensed. Moriarty seemed to enjoy taunting Sherlock. "She's going to favor us with Johann Sebastian Bach's 'Organ Choral Preludes/ Nun Komm der Hieden Heiland'." He turned and smiled at me. "A favorite of mine."

I must have done something favorable in God's eyes lately for He gave me the strength to carry on this charade for ten more minutes. Moriarty stood over my shoulder, patiently turning the sheet music while Sherlock glowered at me from across the end of the piano. Moriarty kept stroking my back or arm, whenever Sherlock looked away from me. The tension was getting so thick that I was afraid that a fight would break out.

Somehow, we made it through the evening without any mishap. However, after biding our 'guests' farewell and the front door shut, the explosion happened and it was Sherlock who blew up first. "What the Hell was that?" He shouted in my face. I flinched and jumped back, surprised by the extremity of his anger towards me. "May I remind you that, that man killed your father?"

"You don't need to remind me of that!" I shouted back at him. "Do you think I got any pleasure being kissed by him?"

Sherlock's eyes flashed in fury. "So you did kiss him then?! I had my suspicions."

He went to grab my shoulders but I kicked him in the knee. "You keep your hands off me!" I shouted as he lunged at me. "Don't you ever touch me again!" Sherlock caught me around the waist and I fought him as he lifted me up from the ground. "God! Haven't you already assaulted and molested me enough for one evening?"

"Sherlock Holmes," his father ordered. "put her down this instance! Now, boy!"

Sherlock studied his father for a moment, deciding if he was or wasn't going to listen to his father. He decided that he was going to listen to his father. Sherlock released me and I sank to the floor, looking up at Sherlock, wondering when he'd become such a monster. He inhaled and exhaled before demanding as calmly as he could. "What…happened out there?"

I spun around and struck his face, he grabbed my wrists as I pounded his chest. "Where were you?" I shrieked. "I needed you!"

"I was nearby?"

"Nearby? Nearby?" I shouted. "I was forced to kiss my parent's murderer because you were 'nearby'!"

"You survived."

"Survived?" I rolled my eyes. "That is not my vision of survival! And then you?" I shouted at him as he pulled me up from the ground. I wrenched free from him. "What got into you?"

Sherlock didn't even look remorseful. "I did what I had to do. Your pathetic, weak, damsel in distress was needing some color."

"Why did you do that?" I demanded as he turned and walked out of the parlor. I followed him, I didn't care that his whole family was watching our whole exchanged curiously. "You just grabbed me and started kissing me out of the blue!" My words caused him to stop and catch the attention of every living thing within hearing distance. "Couldn't you have given me some warning?"

He snorted. "You respond better without being instructed. You're getting a hold of this game."

"In the future during the games," I shouted after him as he walked away from me. "keep your hands off me and don't ever kiss me like that again!"

"Oh for God's sake," Sherlock groaned. "it was just a kiss. It didn't mean anything."

"To you, maybe," I snapped as I stomped up the stairs towards him. "but to me, it means a whole lot more. And it wasn't just a kiss! You grabbed me," heat flooded my face. "or should I say groped me inappropriately."

"Again, it was simply makeup." He glowered down at me. "Why are you so upset? If you're wanting more, I ain't giving it to you." he began stomping up the stairs. "Ask Mycroft if you want that kind of recreation! I don't care what you do, just leave me alone!"

"You started this! You want to know why I'm upset?"

"No!"

"I'm going to tell you why I'm upset." He continued up the stairs and I followed him. "I'm upset because my mother told me that a kiss is a precious gift and it wasn't meant to be handed out to just anybody." He stopped and turned towards me. "You stole my first kiss from me under duress, stop stealing them from me without my permission. Kisses are to be given, not taken. Even Moriarty had the common sense to ask me, which frankly is extremely terrifying since he's supposed to be the bad guy!" Tears filled my eyes as I begged. "Stop it Sherlock, just, stop taking things from me. You're my husband in name only. That does not give you the right to my body or anything about me. You don't own any part of me! I'm not yours to have! You may be surprised to know it, but I am a human being as well. And much as I hate being in this Hell hole with you, the only thing that keeps me sane is the thought of one day being in the arms of the man who I was meant to marry!" I inhaled deeply. Sherlock's expression for once was serious, as if her were finally understanding what was going on inside my heart. "And as it may surprise you to know it, I am scared! I don't know what's going to happen! I could wake up dead tomorrow because of Moriarty and now, I don't even trust you, which isn't a good situation! You're supposed to be helping me, but tonight, you've let me down in so many ways I don't think I could ever trust you again!"

I turned and stomped into our bedroom and slammed the door, locking it before unlocking it and shouting down the hall. "And you're sleeping on the couch tonight!"

"What!" Sherlock proclaimed as I slammed the door on whatever it was he was saying. "Wait a minute, Tammy!"

I locked the door and began to get out of my dress. Fortunately, it only had a few buttons and I pulled the dress easily over my head. I undid my corset and reached for my nightdress and robe. After putting them on, I sat down at the makeup table and began removing my hairpins. Someone tried the doorknob and I snapped. "I locked the door and it's staying that way!"

The doorknob jiggled a few more times and I turned to see the door open and Sherlock standing there in the doorway. I grabbed my facial cream and hurled it at his face. He ducked and closed the door behind himself. "You really, need to calm down."

I stared at him in amazement. "Don't tell me the Hell to calm down! I'm not calming down! I want you out of here!" Sherlock strode towards me, his hands on my shoulders, pulling me up. I began fighting him again. "Oh, let me go!"

"Stop fighting." His tone was calmed, almost caring. Then, he did the most unusual thing. He wrapped his arms around me, pressed me against his chest and just held me. I didn't know how to react, but I slowly did stop fighting him as he rocked me back and forth. Slowly, as he stroked my hair, I wrapped my arms around his waist, holding onto him tight. "I am sorry." This was probably the first real apology he was offering me. "Forgive me."

"I needed you," I whimpered as I clung to him. "And you let me down."

"I am sorry about abandoning you in the garden, I'm sorry for making advances towards you in the hall. You're naturally a strong woman, so I forget that you're a virgin and certain things make you uncomfortable. I shall try to remember that in the future."

I looked up at him. "You're not saying this…just to try and get back into your bed?"

He shook his head. "No, I'm genuinely sorry."

I had no cause to doubt him, not when we were this close. For some reason, my heart began to warm towards Sherlock. Suddenly, I began to see him as more than the man I was stuck with, but as a man in general. It was very unnerving, but, I did believe him.

"Alright," I said quietly. "I forgive you and…I'm not sorry for what I said but, I'm sorry for how I said it."

He smiled. "Alright," he leaned forward and kissed the corner of my mouth. I trembled as his lips lingered there for a moment before he drew back and smiled down at me. "you get some rest."

I inhaled as he drew away from me. "And, you don't need to sleep on the couch. This is your room after all, not mine, I've no right to kick you out."

"You're my wife," he pointed out. "you have that right."

I smiled. "Then, I'm invoking my right to have you back in here." I turned and sat down to resume brushing my hair. "You go change."

I saw his reflection in the mirror as I brushed my hair. He was watching me as I brushed my hair for a moment before walking out of the room. As he did, I had a strange thought. What if I fell in love with someone like Sherlock Holmes? But I shook it out of my head immediately. I couldn't take that lifestyle, nor could he. But, if he was the man that I caught a glimpse of mere moments ago, I could love him.

Sorry about the delay, but I shall try to update later.

Lady Gisbourne 15: Sorry, I debated, but I felt I should add that kiss and I'm glad I did.