Officially Cumberbatched? A sequel to 'Well and truly Cumberbatched'

Chapter 53

AN: Adagio for strings- Samuel Barber.

Sunday. Late morning.

122 Ambrose Road.

"Hopefully he doesn't destroy the flower beds, I'll replace them if he does." I uttered taking a seat on the outside bench, tucking my feet underneath me.

"As long as he's here he can have as much fun as he pleases. The house has been awfully quiet without him sticking that curious button nose in every nook and cranny." Mrs Hudson uttered, tapping my knees till I placed my feet back down.

"I know; he's been glued to my side the last few weeks. I've not actually been in this area since. I'm at Ben's house all the time these days, I had no need to go back to my own house, or the desire if I'm honest." I leant back looking up at the bright sky, whisps of cirrus clouds overhead.

"Happily so?" she asked adjusting her boat hat, she always wore it when it was bright out, alongside green tinted wayfarers.

"Well yes I guess, I've never given it much thought. I love the house, so does Merlin." I looked over at her, her stance difficult to read.

"What about the lovely young man inside of it?"

"Is there something you're getting at?" I asked, curious. She stood to head to the kitchen, I followed after; Merlin seemed happy enough under the sprinklers.

"Not at all my love, simply make sure you enjoy and maintain your independence." She muttered pulling her last batch of hot cross buns from the oven, I stirred the icing I started earlier to go on top, Arty will probably cover himself in it when we take them over later for dinner with the family.

"I do, I haven't lost my independence. I don't feel as though Ben or being at his house has changed any of that. It feels like home; I don't not like being there." I looked into the snow white mix, thinking.

"I worry about him, he's a sensitive soul. I wouldn't want you to become overwhelmed in the grand scheme of things." She uttered placing one bun at a time on the rack to cool, I'll ice them later.

"I'm trying not to. Things aren't complicated as such, just..." I thought drumming my hand on the table.

"What exactly?" she asked, shortly passing me a bowl of rolled oats, dried fruit, and Clarks syrup; I'd handed her the recipe for her own 'glow bars', she's not exactly a fan of mass produced products but she is a fan of Angela Liddon's cooking.

"Delicate, if I had to word it. I am happy though, if you're thinking otherwise." I uttered pulling my watch and band off, leaving them on the windowsill to mix the goo with my hands.

"Good, you are the daughter I never had myself. I want you to be happy, but you've always known that." She smiled, a faint warmth in my stomach as she said it.

"And you're certainly my second mother, the amount of nagging you do when I'm here." I mumbled, knowing she would hear.

"Nagging? Hardly, it's a terrible habit to sit as though you are a crab on a seat designed to comfort your bottom."

"Fine, as long as I'm here I'll sit like a statue and become the Hyacinth you want. Deal?" I asked, her snort immediate.

"Heavens no, thankfully Hyacinth Bucket did not exist, dreadful woman. Have this, you can divide the mix into separate bars minus the mess." She mentioned placing a sectioned rectangular tray down next to me, Merlin appearing rather damp under my feet shortly after.

"Well the world has more than enough dreadful people in it, I'd rather not become one of them." I said, Merlin looked ready to shake his wet fur off all over the place.