Curiosity never hurt anyone
Claire couldn't get the thought of Mycroft Holmes out of her mind; it had been two days since their lunch and the scenario kept playing through her head like a river. The man had done what all the others had done before, but for some reason it had caught her off guard.
She kicked her chair to express the depth of her lack of focus when going so willingly to see him only to get shoved underneath the microscope once more. Just the prospect of seeing him once more made her seem giddy and she hastily reminded herself that he was just like the others and he would only destroy her.
As Claire tried to take deep breaths and think rationally about why her mind committed such an error, without thinking, her hands picked up her violin and began to play out a song by Paganini that reflected the conflict between her mind and her soul. Claire was always putting her emotions through something such as music or art, anything except talking about them or displaying them. An emotional woman was a hazard in the spy business and she learned to keep them in check. However, without the restrictions on her behavior, she was not sure how to act anymore.
The door to her study was half open as well as the window; so any passerby could hear the dramatic music she was playing to get rid of her thoughts on Mycroft Holmes. She was about done with the first movement, when there came a short rap at her door.
"Mrs. Garner, I told you if it was important to come in and notify me, otherwise you can tell the gentleman he shall have to wait," she shouted over her playing through the door.
The landlady walked in with trepidation.
"I know Miss Watson, but Mr. Holmes said it was most urgent."
Claire kept playing and nodded her head.
"Very well, send him in."
She finished the movement as the man stepped into her presence. Claire opened her eyes to only shut them again for she thought she was seeing things, after blinking a few times Claire placed her violin on the desk.
"Have a seat, Mr. Holmes," she said, trying to disguise the trepidation in her voice.
The Holmes facing her was not her employer but rather the brother she was trying to forget.
"Thank you, Miss Watson, but I shan't being staying long," his gravelly voice said with an undertone of politeness. "You are taken back by my sudden appearance in your home, but I will explain why I am here shortly."
Claire sat down behind her desk.
"Surprised is not the word I would use; troubled is to more my liking," she said, trying to fend off what her conscience was trying to tell her.
The elder Holmes peered at her inquisitively, "I am not surprised by that, especially after I forced you through that interview."
Claire narrowed her eyes at him at this backwards way of apologizing.
"Did my employer or my cousin confront you about what happened between us, Mr. Holmes?"
He gave a short laugh and shook his head.
"Fortunately for us both, my brother has not tried to ask me what my purpose was for meeting you. Your cousin on the other hand did, and told me you seemed a bit shaken when he saw you return."
Claire tried to break away from that stare she was getting.
"That was only because I was angry with myself for thinking that possibly someone would want hear something else besides my past," she said, standing and turning away from Mycroft.
"It gets so annoying after telling it so many times and people judging you based on what you did in the past. I am done with Scotland Yard, and I have no desire to relive my glory days by telling every person I meet about them!"
Claire's self-control on her mouth was far gone, and she had to stop herself from insulting Mycroft any further.
With a deep breath, she turned her face sideways to look at Mr. Holmes to see his reaction, but to her surprise he was leaning forward in his chair as if entranced by her words.
"Miss Watson, I had no idea you harbored this much anger about your past. It is very understandable - but unless you are frank with people they are going to ask."
Claire nodded and sat back down.
"The real reason I am here, Miss Watson, is to satisfy my curiosity about you. For a woman of your age and birth it seems that you have dared to cross the line of dignity and do what every other woman out there will not do - why is this so?" he asked her, preparing for a long speech.
Claire for the first time smiled at him and produced a light laugh making her earlier angrier persona shatter.
"I was never one for society's restrictions, Mr. Holmes. I have seen what it did to friends and family alike. The more I saw of what my destiny was the more I wanted to rebel against it, and instead of internalizing this wish to be free I actually did it."
Claire's eyes softened for the first time, giving a glimpse of what she was like under all her armor. Mr. Holmes almost fell out of his chair, for sitting before him was a woman who defied any type of moral conformity of her sex and succeeded in doing so.
"Would you change any of it, now after what has happened to you?" he asked her, prying at her layers trying to get to the core.
Claire laughed once more.
"The strange thing is, all my experiences have helped me shape how I am, and I would not change it for all the jewels in the royal vaults."
This laughing, happy woman was a mystery to Mycroft, who unbeknownst to Claire did not really have another engagement elsewhere; he just wanted her to think that so she would tell him the facts.
"It is my turn to ask you a question, Mr. Holmes," she said, stretching her fingers out and rolling them on her desk, "why did you tell me that you had another engagement? It is perfectly clear that you had nothing else to do besides apologise and ask me better questions."
The portly man saw his ruse had been seen through and knew she was fast upon observing him.
"I am obviously a very proud man, Miss Watson, and I did not want you to give me useless information so I made up the ruse that I would not be here long."
Claire nodded.
"I see, very diplomatic of you, Mr. Holmes. Since I have answered your questions, I wonder is there anything else you need of me?" she asked him nicely.
Mycroft looked at this fine example of a lady and tried to find the right words, but Claire stopped him.
"I think a nice walk around the parks would suit your health better, Mr. Holmes, just let me grab my hat and we can be off."
Claire placed her medium-sized hat on with a tap before turning towards him. Mycroft was just happy she could interpret his mood, and let her go first before closing the door behind them.
"You seem to be gifted for observation," he finally spoke as the pair walked on the pavement rhythmically.
She raised her eyebrows at him.
"Yes, thank you for observing my skill, Mr. Holmes. I learned it in the service mostly, but lately I've been getting more lessons from your brother."
It was Mycroft's turn to raise his brow.
"Does he do it intentionally?" he asked her as they entered the park.
Claire snorted before laughing once more.
"You know him more than I, and should make the conclusion that he does not. He tries to test my cousin Dr. Watson but in so doing has me looking for things as well."
Mycroft chuckled lightly as the pair walked slowly to enjoy the scenery. They had been chatting for some time when Claire's eyes caught someone ahead of them in the park.
"I say, isn't that your brother?" she asked him, pointing to a lanky man in his prime with a slightly less lean man walking beside him.
"It can't be, Sherlock hates walking in the park unless they are on a case of some sort," he drawled trying to get a better look at them.
Claire shook her head.
"There aren't any that I know of, and we solved the last one a month ago."
With that they quickened their pace to see what was occurring. Mycroft was out of breath by the time they were within twenty feet of the famous duo and had to rest.
"Go on without me, and bring them back here."
The woman accompanying him shook her head.
"And let you disappear on me? I think not."
Claire put her hand to the pavement, took a small pebble, and threw it over the heads of Holmes and Watson. Watson turned and saw to his shock and dismay his cousin standing there talking to Mycroft Holmes.
"Holmes, take a look around, you won't believe this sight," he whispered to his lanky companion.
"If it's a pair of lovers, I'm not interested," he drawled but looked anyway.
Watson saw the look of absolute shock on his friend's face as Claire and Mycroft came closer.
Upon reaching them, Claire exclaimed, "What are you two doing here? I didn't expect to see Mr. Holmes in the park anytime soon."
Watson hugged her in greeting.
"You took us by surprise as well. I needed the air and Holmes was bored enough to accompany me."
He motioned to the lankier brother who was peering inquisitively at his brother.
"Mycroft, you raise my curiosity, last time you met with my assistant I was assuming that she would not see you again anytime soon. You must have made quite the apology; Miss Watson is not as forgiving to those who make her feel like a sideshow attraction."
Mycroft stared down his brother with a withering gaze.
"I did no such thing, and I only told her of my miscalculation and was granted some other answers to my questions."
Claire stood in between them trying to make a peace.
"Can we do this all without the glares? Mr. Holmes did apologize in a roundabout way; he seemed to be in need of some air; that is why I proposed to come out here," she said diplomatically.
Mycroft nodded in agreement.
"I hope you gentlemen have a nice stroll, now if you excuse me I must redirect my attention to Miss Watson."
He tipped his hat at the pair of them before whispering something into Claire's ear that made her nod and follow him quickly as she said goodbye to John.
"What is going on, Holmes?" Watson asked him while they watched the pair in front of them talk as they walked briskly towards the street.
His lanky companion turned towards him.
"Exactly what I hoped would not happen, they are becoming friends and if I do not do something there could be serious consequences," he said sharply, heading back towards Baker Street.
"Isn't that a good thing, Holmes? How can a friendship be bad?" Watson asked, confused at this grim outlook.
"My brother never makes a friend without a reason, and for your cousin I cannot possibly see one at all," he scowled at Claire's back.
Watson struggled not to laugh at this.
"Maybe he enjoys her company and thinks her expertise in the spy business could be useful," he told him delicately.
Holmes on the other hand laughed sarcastically at this.
"You are completely wrong about that; Miss Watson has shown repeatedly that she has no desire to relive her spy duties unless I ask her. As for her company, I would assume it is somewhat informative but otherwise very distant," he concluded as the pair crossed the street.
"So, what do you think we should do, Holmes?" Watson asked him, wondering where they were headed.
"Follow them of course, and see where the rabbit hole leads," Holmes pointed to Mycroft who was talking to Claire ahead of them on the sidewalk.