The Exception (sherlock x reader)

Chapter 20: Torn

~ Your POV ~

"Are you ok, Sherlock?" He had gone quiet for a few minutes. His eyes were closed do you expected that he had just gone to his mind palace, which was nothing new to you. There was something kind of intriguing about how he could get lost in his mind like that. You wished you had somewhere you could escape to at a moment's notice.

"I'm fine." He responded, shaken out of his mind palace by the screaming kettle. Something seemed to have shaken him because it wasn't easy to get his attention when he's in his head. You swore that he would miss fire in this very apartment if it started while he was in his mind palace.

Sherlock poured you both a cup of green tea, not his usual choice of tea but since he was making a cup for you it must have been easier for him to have the same.

The two of you sat in silence for a moment. Sherlock seemed to be thinking about a lot, and something had to have happened with the Woman, but you weren't eager to hear more about her, and you had a feeling Sherlock wasn't excited to share more about her either. Regardless, you found some comfort in the silence. You had missed Sherlock's presence over the last few weeks.

You sighed and set the tea down on the coffee table, as much as you wanted to just soak in this moment of peace, you knew there were things that had to be discussed, and they were certainly going to ruin the mood.

"So Moriarty..." You dove headfirst in, small talk isn't Sherlock or your favorite thing, so why not?

"He's writing to you," Sherlock stated and took another sip of tea. He was staring at the floor and intentionally avoiding looking at you which was unsettling. It was the last thing you needed right now, Sherlock trying to pretend you weren't there.

"I got the first letter on Christmas Eve. They keep appearing, on my dinner table, couch, door, my bed. He's still watching or having his goons watch me, and they can get into my flat even while I'm there and I won't even notice-" Your next words caught in your throat as the full weight of the last few weeks hit you. Moriarty is back in your life keeping you on your toes with one thing after another. First, he kidnapped you, threatened to kill Sherlock, John and you, then he drove the Woman into Sherlock's path, and of course the letters. You had no peace, none. Still, you refused to let him break you down. You took a slow, deep breath, collecting yourself before you continued. "The point is, it was no coincidence the letters started when you got the Woman's phone. She's part of his plan-"

"Yes, but her part is finished now." Sherlock interrupted.

Finished. Such finality to his statement. You were ok with that much, but it really only made you more curious about the events of earlier tonight.

"Ok, was part of his plan," you continued. "But we need to figure out what else he's planning. If we could get even one step ahead of him then maybe, I don't know maybe we could do something to stop him- get him out of our lives completely." Sherlock's expression changed momentarily, at the phrase "our lives" then returned to his usual calculating stare.

"There's no getting him out of our lives completely without him dying, (y/n)" You wished it weren't true, but you knew it was. Moriarty would follow ou anywhere, and he had the resources to do so.

Or without him killing me first. You thought to yourself. You knew he had some weird rivalry with Sherlock that he would have to win, he's not exactly a fan of competition, but maybe he'd lose interest given you weren't part of the equation. Stop. You scolded yourself. No one has to die.

"I know."

"Do you?" Sherlock usually didn't question you when it came to Moriarty of all people. He knew you despised him.