Fight for Me

Chapter 89

"And you are sure that you want to come along?" Sherlock asked uncertainly, looking down at Lydia with concern in his eyes.

She gave a nod and smiled, "I'm not exactly hidden anymore, Sherlock. I might as well go up there with you and John, the press would probably be more confused if I weren't there."

"I know, I was just hoping that their fascination with you would flicker out. Attending a press conference is not the best way to make sure they get bored of you."

"Sherlock, they literally got a picture of the two of us on a walk yesterday, it's clear that they're not going to be giving up anytime soon," Lydia replied, wrapping her arms loosely around Sherlock's waist. "Besides, you're a child and I don't want John to be the only one responsible for you."

Sherlock rolled his eyes, "what if I promise to behave?"

"You? Behave? I'm fairly certain those two words have never been in the same sentence together unless separated by a negation," Lydia teased, raising to her tiptoes so she could place a peck on his cheek. "Now, hurry up, we wouldn't want to be late to a celebration of your accomplishment."

"What if we didn't go? What if we just stayed here and let John accept the praise on my behalf?" Sherlock suggested, pulling Lydia flush against his chest.

She grinned at him, "as much as I would love that, I have a feeling Greg would be quite upset."

"Who?"

With playful annoyance, Lydia slapped Sherlock's arm. "You know damn well who I'm talking about and you want to stay at least somewhat in his good graces or else it is unlikely he'll let you keep crashing his crime scenes."

"Let him ban me, it will only last a few days before he realises that he's hopeless without me."

...

"Behave, Sherlock," John reminded him as Lestrade beckoned them out on stage. The detective gave a nod, but it did not assure either John nor Lydia that he would actually listen.

Lestrade droned on about the criminal for the crowd of reporters while Sherlock stood awkwardly off to the side with Lydia and John next to him. Lydia moved a hair closer, placing her hand on his back so that the reporters could not see, but she could calm Sherlock with her touch.

"Peter Ricoletti, number one on Interpol's most wanted list since 1982, but we got him. And there's one person we have to thank for giving us the decisive leads, with all his customary diplomacy and tact."

John leaned over to the detective and muttered, "Sarcasm."

"Yes," Sherlock replied through his false facade of amusement.

With that, Lestrade left the lectern and crossed the distance between him and Sherlock, offering him a poorly wrapped present, "we all chipped in."

As Sherlock worked on tearing the wrapping paper off, Lydia caught sight of Donovan and Anderson in the back of the room, smirking. Not good. She turned her attention back to Sherlock who had just revealed the deerstalker they had bought him, cringing slightly at the choice of present.

"Oh," Sherlock exclaimed, fighting to appear even somewhat grateful for the present.

His act dropped slightly as cries of "put the hat on" filled the room. He looked helpless over towards his friends, Lydia sighing and taking the hat from him.

"Might as well just get it over with," she spoke, raising up onto her toes so that she could place the hat atop his curls.

Sherlock felt only slightly betrayed by her actions, but looking into his adoring eyes no one would have seen anything but the love that he felt for her. Completely oblivious to the way he was looking at her, she whispered into his ear, "just smile through a few photos and then we can leave."