**SPOILERS FOR SEASON 3...should've statee that earlier but better late than never, eh? Just hard to imagine anyone who is not watching, I mean come on ;)**
Erna took a hot bath and sat down to jounal. She used to write all the time. A few years ago it all changed. She just felt unsettled. Could her mugger be sorry? Was he sorry or just scared to see Sherlock. The man who broke his wrist. He broke the man's wrist because of her. Sherlock the protector. She found herself a bit offended that perhaps he didn't think she could take care of herself. She was more than capable. She threw the notebook to the floor. There was no sense in writing. She heard her phone signal a text. She contemplated whether it was worth getting up. She got up and saw it was a text from Lestrade: 'Looking forward to seeing my companion.'
It made her smile. She walked back to lie down and it signaled again.
'You can't run. I found you.' said the text. The number was blocked. How could it be blocked? No matter. She had a good idea who it was and this time she was ready.
"You can't follow me or have me followed." said Erna explaining boundaries to Sherlock.
"Well, you're my first therapist. I don't know all the rules." he said.
"Now you do. And for your piece of mind I am a very strong and smart woman who can handle them self. " she added.
"You weren't handling the mugger in the alley." he said.
"You hadn't given me time." she said.
He scoffed. "Of course, your hypervigilance. It seems to me you're more prepared for intent than happenstance. Why?" he asked.
She gave him a scokding stare. "Oh, right. These sessions are about me."
"Yes, Mr. Holmes, they are. So where should we start?" she asked.
"You." he said.
Erna kept her gaze upon him to see where he was going with this. "Tell me, Mr. Holmes, how does the subject of me involve focusing on you?"
"Because I know you are running. You've come to London not just to help Ms. Thompson but to escape." he said carefully monitoring her response to his words. Erna kept her face as blank as a slate. Sherlock took note she had given no reaction, yet that was a reaction. One that told him this was not a new issie. It was an issue she had been dealing wih for some time. The emotional reaction had been dulled over the years. She had worked on controling her reaction.
"Mr. Holmes, back to the subject of you. My life is mine and not part of this session in anyway." she said. He nodded."I'm here if you need." he said. His tone was so sincere and gentle. He saw her eyes begin to tear. She quickly blinked away the moisture and took a deep breath.
"Noted." she said. "Would you like to talk about your family?"
"No." he said.
"Your relationahips?" she asked.
"Have none." he quipped.
"You first came here to Ella for help in your relationship to John Watson, correct?" she asked.
"I'm flattered," he said, "you read my file." he said sarcastically.
"I glanced it, yes." she said.
"How is you G.P?" he said. "Clean bill of health on the arm yet?"
She just stared at him as she carefully chose her words, "I glanced the file to see if I'm on point."
"Enligten me. Are you?" he asked clearly spurring her on.
Erna smiled. "I believe so."
"Go on." he said leanig forward in his chair. Erna felt he was mocking.
"You want to be a closed book. In your world," she said as he cut her off.
"My world?" he scoffed.
She stared at him.
"Sorry, please continue." he said sitting back in his chair.
"In your world, no one can see through you. They are in awe of you. You are addicted to solving mysteries because in your world everything must make sense and is defined by you." she said studying his reaction. "Until that day." she said eludig to Mary's death.
He sat staring at her. "You more than glanced the file." he said correcting her.
"You don't have to be scared of emotions. They aren't the enemy and they cannot be controled or ignored." she said knwoing she was talking to herself as much as him.
"I'm sure in your world that makes sense." he said coldly. "You should write children's books." he said standing. "Next week, same time." he said hurrying from the office.
"Mr. Holmes!" she called after him but he was gone.
If it was her client she would recommend another therpaist, but this was Ella's client. She had to keep reminding herself. Now she understood why Ella needed a vacation.