The Case of the Mysterious Niece

Enlightening Ride

Woo!  Four updates this weekend!  I hope it makes up for me not being able to update next weekend.  Enjoy! 

So what do you guys think of Sebastian so far?

P.S. If you guys are enjoying this story, please comment or vote.  Thanks a lot!

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Once again, Sebastian held the door open for her before getting in. Mel was silent as he started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. It wasn't until he was driving through the neighborhood by the park that Mel finally looked at him.

Sebastian caught her looking at him. "You're staring."

Mel shrugged. "So I am."

Sebastian looked back at the road. "Why?"

Mel turned to look at the road in front of them. "I'm trying to figure you out."

Sebastian glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. "Good luck with that."

Mel studied him out of the corner of her eyes, as he was doing to her. "Why do you let him treat you like that?"

Sebastian sighed, obviously knowing exactly what she was referring to. "He's my boss."

Mel leaned her head back against the head rest. "You are clearly very capable of taking care of yourself. You're very fit and have had military training, judging by the way you take orders and call Jim 'sir'. You could probably cause him pain with minimal contact. Yet you choose to let him treat you however he likes. Why?"

Sebastian didn't say anything. Instead he pulled the car over to the side of the road. Mel didn't question him, though she was becoming aware of her surroundings, preparing for a fight. When the car stopped, Sebastian kept his hands on the wheel for a few moments before relaxing and turning to face Mel. Once Mel could see that he had let the tough mask fall, she saw a man that was sad and in pain. She was no longer afraid and preparing for a fight.

He looked into her eyes. "It keeps him from treating others like that."

Mel tilted her head in confusion. Sebastian closed his eyes and seemed to be regretting his decision to say anything. Mel reached over and took his hand that was resting on the center console into her hand. Sebastian opened his eyes and she knew that he appreciated the silent support from her.

Sebastian looked at their hands as he spoke. "He takes all of his anger out on me. Whenever anything goes wrong, even if I had nothing to do with it, he blames me and I accept the punishment that follows. If he didn't have me to punish, he would find some other innocent person, like you, to take his anger out on. At least I signed up for this way of life. You, or someone else, didn't."

Mel nodded. "Well, thank you, Sebastian."

He raised his eyebrows. "For what?"

Mel smiled gently. "For caring about people you don't even know and wanting to protect them from experiencing the pain that you are going through."

Sebastian snorted. "That's the first time anyone's thanked me since I was discharged from the military."

Mel laughed. "It's the first time I've ever thanked a criminal."

Sebastian looked away from her and let go of her hand. Mel let him take his hand away but she couldn't let him feel guilty for being a criminal, especially since she now knew the abuse he took. "If every man had a heart as big as yours, the world would be a much better place."

Sebastian snorted again but he didn't say anything. Instead he put the car back in gear and continued driving Mel back to Baker Street. They didn't talk the rest of the way back. Instead they listened to various classic rock songs. Just before Sebastian pulled up to the curb in front of 221B Baker Street, "Eye of the Tiger" by Survivor came on.

That was one of Mel's favorite songs and she stayed in the car so she could sing along to it. She got really into it and, in the limited room she had, she started dancing. Sebastian was laughing at the way she was dancing, waving her arms and bobbing her head to the beat. She was so into the music that at one point, she was singing with her eyes closed. So she didn't see Sebastian take her phone and then put it back into her pocket.

By the time the song ended, Mel was more relaxed than she had been in a long time and Sebastian was laughing more than he had in a very long time.

Sebastian became quiet and stared at Mel. "Goodbye, Mel."

Mel stared back at him. "Goodbye, Sebastian. Thanks for the ride."

He smiled. "Anytime. Thanks for understanding."

Mel smiled back at him. "Anytime." As she was getting ready to get out, Sebastian dashed out of the car to open the door for her. He helped her out and then shut the door once she was out. He watched her as she walked up to the steps. She felt his gaze following her and she knew that he was watching over her, ready to protect her if someone tried to attack on the doorstep of the building. She waved at him and he waved back before she went inside.

Sebastian then got back into the car and drove away. As Mel was standing in the foyer, she couldn't help but think that she had made a wonderful friend.