Sweet Dreams

Chapter Five (Three Years Later)

Three and a half years later

Humbert managed to escape the authorities the night mentioned in chapter four. His whereabouts are as of now, unknown. Lo is now seventeen years old and will be a legal adult soon. She lives in her new flat, just a few blocks from 221B Baker Street. She is still taking therapy for everything Humbert did to her as well as witnessing her mother’s death. Sherlock, meanwhile, is struggling with some of his own problems…

Sherlock’s POV

My God, my God, my God… What is wrong with me? I rescued her from this type of behaviour three years ago and now I’m becoming a monster just like Humbert. What is wrong with me?

Of course, I haven’t actually acted upon my lust, but this is still bad, it’s very, very bad. Why can’t I accept that Lo is seventeen and I am twenty years older than her? Lo is the temptation that slips into my dreams at night, she is the demon who calls out my name in the early hours of the morning. But oh, Lo, why must this taunt me? Why could I not love someone my age? Lo is the first woman I’ve felt this way about and I hate it. I really do despise this with everything left in my heart.

She confessed her love for me right before she moved into her new home. If only she knew I felt the same.

A knock on my bedroom door interrupts my writing. “Sherlock, your phone’s ringing out here,” John says.

“I can call them ba–“

“It’s Lo,” John interrupts. I get up and quickly dash to my phone.

“Hello?” I answer, my trembling hands just barely able to hold the phone to my ear.

“Sherlock, hi!” Lo’s sweet, innocent voice greets. “How are you?” Lo’s sweet, innocent voice greets. “How are you? Sorry I haven’t called recently."

“Oh, no, you’re fine. And I’m doing okay. I haven’t had a case in weeks, so I’m going a bit mad over that, but I’m good.”

“That’s good!” She pauses for a moment. “Can you come over? I think there’s a leak in my tap and I don’t know where else to call. I just got home from work.” Ah, yes, I almost forgot. Lo’s on winter break for her school so she’s working full-time this month.

“Of course I can!” I say. “I’ll be over in a flash.” I hang up, throw on my coat, and tie my scarf as I yell, “John, I’ll be right back!”

It doesn’t take but three minutes to get to her flat. I ring the doorbell and hear the echo of electronic chimes inside her house. She opens the door with a huge smile and new glasses on her face.

“Sherlock! Come in Sit down!” she says, scurrying about. Her home smells like cinnamon and very sweet vanilla. I sit down next to her on a mint green loveseat.

“You got glasses?” I say, studying the residence. The floors are spotless but there’s about two inches of dust on top of cabinets she isn’t tall enough to reach, a sign she was trying to clean for me but gave up on the parts she can’t manage to accomplish.

“Yeah! The doctor says I’ve been straining my eyes too much. Says I need to stop reading in the pitch-black dark.”

“I see,” I say. “So, which tap is it that has a leak?” Her kitchen sink seems to be just fine. Lo laughs.

“Whoops! Maybe I lied,” she says and I look at her, her eyes reflecting her smile. “I just wanted an excuse for you to come over.” She scoots over closer to me. “I’ve really missed you, Sherlock.” Her fingers trace circles on my shoulder.

“What are you doing?” I say, yanking my arm away. “You’re only seventeen!”

“And I’ll be eighteen next month, but why does it matter?”

“Because… you! Me! This! It’s not right. What about morals, Lo?"

“And what would you know about morals, Mister High-Functioning Sociopath?”

“I know that this isn’t legal and I could end up hurting you!”

I lean away from Lo, and she looks like I’ve hurt her feelings. “But I love you,” she whispers. She turns away from me. “I’m sorry, Sherlock. I’m so childish. I knew this was a horrible idea. I’m just so screwed up, y’know? I don’t even know what’s wrong with me anymore.”

“There’s nothing wrong with you, Lo,” I say, placing my hand on hers. “You just need time, that’s all. We both do. And just for the record… This doesn’t mean I don’t love you back.”

Lo looks at me. “You love me?” Her voice is happier.

I sigh. “I didn’t want to admit it. Because this is so wrong. Lo, I could get arrested and end up in jail for this. I don’t want you to have to repeat your history anyways. I couldn’t do that to you.”

“If I’m the one proposing this idea, you’re not going to hurt me. You know me. Why would I do this for just any old reason?”

I look into her eyes. Her beautiful eyes. And I know I can’t really resist. Not for long. Before I can even change my mind, I’m kissing Lo and her lips taste like the vanilla scent of her home. “Upstairs,” she says between kisses. I nod and heave her thin body into my arms, doing an unintentional twirl before getting upstairs. She points to a door that leads into a bedroom. Lo’s bed is far too big for one person to sleep in, a king size, and the comforter is soft underneath our bodies. I hope that if there is a God, he can forgive me for this…

©2014 "Sweet Dreams" by Peyton Celeste. See copyright info in story description.