Chapter 1

So there he stood.

Wide-eyed with his head protruding out of his shoulders like a turtle and his mouth hanging open.

Frozen.

Unmoveable.

Complete and utter shock.

It was as if Hades himself came up and blew his breath of death to all that was dear to him.

It was as if the whole world had vanished in that massive inferno.

Maybe it was an exaggeration? Maybe it wasn't, but whatever the case would seem- HIS whole world had vanished in that blasted inferno.

All was lost. He didn't care that everything in his life was gone in an instant. Literally went up in smoke and flames. He didn't care about any possessions, it all seems useless to the irreplaceable precious treasure he lost. His one and only. She was irreplaceable. No amount of any earthly monetary possessions could even amount to a fraction of her cherished value.

Now she was gone.

Forever.

Just like that.

Her life snuffed out by the vicious fire. That one act had shattered more than just the building they lived in.

Sherlock. John. Mary. Molly. Mrs. Hudson. Her husband. Her siblings.

All their lives changed in that instant when the first responders came out carrying a wrapped up blanket charred black. It was not even ten in the morning when the call went out to the emergency dispatchers.

It has been nearly seven years now, but the horrors of that fiery torment and terror still plagues his sleep. Nothing would ever soothe the guilt in his heart no matter how many words his friends and family comforted him with. It was all empty comfort though with the best intentions.

Survivor's guilt. A pain unlike any other.

The heinous thoughts: "Why didn't I die too? I shouldn't be here. They should have lived. Why did it have to be them? If only I had done more, they might still be in my arms and not six feet under."

John and Sherlock were besides themselves with grief. Their wives couldn't be consoled no matter what their husbands said or did. The term "in-law" didn't matter in the slightest way, the ache was equal. Their daughter (or daughter-in-law) wasn't there anymore.

Daughter, sister, wife, daughter-in-law, but never a mother. She was but nearly twenty-seven. Still a girl in the eyes of her mum and father.

Everyone wanted to wipe the whole memory away. Sherlock slaved away in his Mind Palace trying to erase everything that was related to the dastardly event, but failed. It was engrained not just in his Mind Palace, but in his mind and heart. So every night he is forced to relive the horror, and this is how it starts.

TBC

This account is both faithful and true for it is in the honour and memory of the one who passed on three days ago. The survivor's guilt of her two family members who walked away with no more than ashes caked on their bare feet, I can only imagine, such a monstrosity it is.

...If only it was just house, we would have all joked and laughed. Material possession are easily replaced. The house was too big for just two, and you spoke of down-sizing... Just not in this way...

"You Have Always Counted" has been updated. "Watching Over Each Other" has also been updated ASAP.

You decide who was Heather belonged to and which family she married into. Her full name would have had include both surnames: Heather Holmes and Watson. I couldn't bear to write this and not have all accounted for in the end.