Disadvantageous

Chapter 4

Lydia knocked on the door of the block of flats, having had returned her key to Mrs. Hudson when she officially moved in with Liam. The old landlady was the one to let her in, squealing with delight upon seeing little Willow in her arms.

"Oh my, look how much you've grown!" She exclaimed, immediately taking the child into her arms. "You even have Sherlock's curls now, my that must be a struggle to tame. Perhaps you should reach out to Sherlock's parents for tips."

"I have the internet, Mrs. Hudson," Lydia assured her, feeling a bit out of place in her former home. "Sorry it's been so long since our last visit, it's just that it was always hard coming back here. Even though I thought I had moved on, everything would resurface within these walls."

The old woman's face softened, "you don't need to apologise, my dear. At least you rang me from time to time, John never even spoke to me. Wouldn't have even known he was seeing someone if it weren't for you. Besides, that's all in the past now that Sherlock's back, isn't it?"

Lydia hummed but seemed unconvinced by Mrs. Hudson's statement. The truth was it still hurt to go to Baker Street, even with the knowledge that Sherlock was never truly dead. She supposed it was the anger directed towards him mixed with the guilt starting to grow inside her for having moved on.

"You two got into a fight, didn't you?"

Mrs. Hudson's kind voice brought her out of her thoughts and Lydia nodded, "keen observation, Mrs. Hudson. It wasn't like the man I loved, the man I would have done anything for, faked his own death and then wasn't even planning on telling me that he was still alive." Lydia paused and took a breath, realising how angry she was getting, "Sorry, I don't mean to take it out on you, you were just as much a victim as I."

"Hmm, but I wouldn't write Sherlock off as not being as much a victim, too. To have to keep that secret, to have to say goodbye to those he loved and pretend to be dead, I can't imagine it was easy on the man."

"But it was his choice to do that. He's Sherlock bloody Holmes, surely he could have found another way," Lydia argued, before shaking her head before she could get into a screaming match with the kind landlady. "But I suppose I should head up to meet him, I've promised to share custody of Willow with him, but I need to make sure both he and his flat is prepared to have a toddler running about."

"I know it's hard, Lydia, but do try to give Sherlock another chance. He can be a right arse, but he was just trying to do what was best and I know he misses you," Mrs. Hudson replied, handing Willow back over to her mother.

"Mrs. Hudson! Of all the people, I wouldn't have least expected you to be teaching my daughter swears," Lydia playfully scolded as a diversion from the topic of Sherlock.

The landlady merely laughed, "well someone's gotta teach her, I have a suspicion she's going to have to keep up with John some day."

"Oh, so John's forgiven Sherlock? He seemed about as angry as I was last night."

"Well no, but I'm sure he'll come around. You both will."

Lydia sighed, "Mrs. Hudson, it's not going to be like before, I trust you know that. For starters, John is going to get married soon and so am I. I've moved on from him, Mrs. Hudson, and his return isn't going to split Liam and I apart."

"I know, my dear, but it will still be nice to see you more frequently when you pop by to drop off Willow or pick her up," Mrs. Hudson conceded although she wasn't convinced Lydia didn't still care deeply for Sherlock. She wouldn't be surprised if her engagement was called off once Lydia recovered from her initial anger.

However, if Lydia picked up on Mrs. Hudson's true emotions, she elected to ignore them, instead mounting the stairs up to her former flat. Sherlock was playing violin when she opened the door, ending the phrase before lowering the instrument and turning to her.