I Am Sher-locked

12. The Silence of the Galaxy

Sherlock was here. He was here.

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Time has stopped. Sherlock Holmes was physically present in front of her very eyes. No, it was not her imagination. It was not a trick. He was standing in front of her. It felt like all her wishes had been fulfilled. She wanted to hug him, feel him, touch him. 

Irene fell head over heels in love again. 

Her heartbeat was so fast that under other circumstances she would have fainted. But now her survival instinct was urging her to stay awake. His beautiful eyes, his lips that formed a faint smile, his curly hair .... the whole of him.

"Sherlock...", she managed a murmur. It sounded more like a gasp. 

"It took me a whole year and an agreement with the devil himself, but I achieved what no one else could ever achieve", he said, his hands in his pockets. He took a few steps closer to her. 

Irene instinctively took a few steps back, her anxious gaze wandering around like a security camera scanning the area for dangerous intruders. In Irene's mind came Vicky (if that was her name really) and how many more people were probably watching her. Unanswered questions popped into her mind one after another. Sherlock was monitored 24 hours a day, how did he manage to get to Paris without Dominic's men taking notice? And if Dominic's men knew that Sherlock was in Paris, then why hadn't they intervened yet? What was Dominic's plan? What did he want to achieve? 

Every person passing by seemed suspicious. A man in a gray coat smiled at her. Why? Was he on Dominic's team? A couple passed by her, Irene shivered. Everyone looked guilty and none of them were. She started going crazy. Her fear for Sherlock was absurd, on the verge of paranoia.

"Irene", Sherlock spoke again, his gaze was confused. "You seem aggitated."

Irene acted impulsively, slapping him hard across his face. She was furious. Sherlock instantly cupped his cheek with his hand, staring at her surprised. 

"You, son of a bitch", Irene seethed. She was shaking by anger. "I have done nothing but ruin my life every day in order to save your life and you are doing what exactly? You come here with your smug smile and the confidence of the loser to tell me that you have found a way to destroy Dominic."

"To be here in front of you means that I have indeed found a way to destroy Dominic", he said almost aggresively, pulling his hand away from his reddened cheek. 

"Your recklessness will get us all killed", Irene glared at him. "Why are you here?? Where is John? Are they safe?"

"Of course they are safe and stop being melodramatic", Sherlock intensely looked at her. "Can't you just trust me?"

"I can't!", she hissed at him. "I know Dominic better than you do!"

"No, you don't know him", Sherlock said. "I have evidence for things you don't even--.."

"Stop!", she shouted at him. "Stop being so reckless!"

"Just listen to me!", Sherlock glared at her. "He is--.."

"I don't want to listen to you, Sherlock", she said seriously, though she really wanted to listen to him. However she had to protect him and herself. "The only item I have kept to remember you is that glass from the "Posto Sicuro" bar. You stole it because you liked the engraved message on the bottom of the glass. I will always find you when you need it most."

Irene had to admit that was a long shot. Spy talk was dangerous even for the most skilled spy but she had to do it otherwise they were both in danger. Nothing from what she previously said was true. Sherlock had never been to a bar called Posto Sicuro and he had never stolen a glass from there. However "Posto Sicuro" was not even a bar. It meant safe place in Italian.