Elizabeth Watson (John Watson's daughter- Sherlock fan fiction)

Chapter 6- Expectance

'Boy, 19, Slipped to his Death on Tower Bridge.'

Elizabeth scrolled through the webpages. They all said the same thing.

She chewed her sandwich and eyed the words. Apparently he had arrived at the bridge last night, around 2am. There had been no witness accounts but evidence points towards an act of suicidal nature. His body had been found downriver, washed up like a seal on one of the small, pebbled beaches that line the Thames.

What evidence could Sherlock have that he had been pushed? Scuff marks on the ground? – too difficult to detect on the gravel surface. Blood marks? - no, the police would have found those.

Elizabeth sensed someone behind her and span around.

The boy had slipped in so quietly, she had not noticed him. No one ever came into this room at lunch time.

He stared down at the floor in shy embarrassment.

"Why are you reading that?" he asked in a sort of whisper.

Elizabeth looked confused.

"Why do you ask?" she replied.

His eyes moved up to look at her. There was a pause as their questions hung.

"He-"

"I-"

They both went to talk at the same time. But then there was another long pause.

"You first." said Elizabeth.

The Elijah boy coughed. He did not want to speak.

"Well. That-" he stopped.

Elizabeth's eyes had a deceptive way of tugging the truth from those she mistrusted.

"The boy is- was- my brother."

The girl frowned. She hadn't been expecting that.

She went to speak but noticed his expecting expression.

"Oh- I was looking at this because... I am interested." was her reply, hardly containing an outburst of further questions, 'Do the police know? How come you're in school? Do you have a father? Where were you last night? And why are you even in here?'

It was a good thing she hadn't asked though, for the boy looked fragile and quite innocent. He shook his head and hung it between his shoulders before shuffling towards the door.

"Could you explain it to me?" asked Elizabeth quietly, wondering if her tone had scared him.

He stopped and turned back. Then he said something quite unexpected.

"You're just like me."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow.

Elijah stepped quietly towards her again and held his hand out slowly, gently and with great effort.

"I'm Elijah." he said.

Elizabeth raised her hand tentatively to shake his.

"I know." she said.

"I know you know but it's polite all the same." was the reply, and then the boy was looking at her expectantly again.

There was a pause.

"Oh." realised Elizabeth, "I'm Beth, or Eliza or Liz or Lizzy or Lisa or whatever." she said unsurely.

But Elijah didn't smile or laugh, "I guess detectives never reveal their true identity."

Now Elizabeth really was curious.

"It's not hard to see." Elijah whispered, and then he sauntered away and out of the door gracefully.

Leaving Elizabeth and all her Beths, Elizas, Lizs, Lizzys and Lisas quite intrigued.