Lost Girl 🔍 (Sherlock x Reader) [EDITING]

Chapter 20: SHERLOCKED

Sherlock's POV

A couple of months had passed, and Irene had gotten the best of me. She had defeated me with an unsolvable case, or so I thought. Mycroft had brought (Y/N) and I to the residents office, where he and Irene were working out the details of her demands.

I was barely listening to them as I was desperately trying to work out any last minute things that I'd missed. (Y/N) was trying as well, her eyes flicking back and forth wildly, staring at the fire.

I couldn't figure out a god damned woman's phone password, no matter what I did. What was so different about Irene that fooled me. I felt rage flare in my chest, as my hands balled into fists. Stupid stupid stupid, I thought to myself, staring at (Y/N). I was about to give her a huge apology, and I looked back at Irene and Mycroft.

"(Y/N)..." I started.

Her eyes suddenly snapped open, and she looked up at me, smiling. I looked back at her, confused. She leaned in next to me, and whispered one word into my ear.

"Sentiment." Was all that she said, she clearly had figured it out herself, but she wanted me to look clever, she wanted me to take the credit. She wanted me to solve it. It took me a second, but everything came together in my head, and my eyes widened.

I cupped her face in my hands and kissed her on the forehead. "You're brilliant." She blushed and nodded towards Mycroft and Irene.

I stood up quickly as Mycroft said, "Nicely played."

"No." I said bitterly, and they both turned towards me.

"Sorry?" Irene said, worry and confusion in her voice.

"I said no. Very, very close. But no." I start to walk towards her, and I look back at (Y/N), to see her smiling at me. I give her a look, as if to say, 'come on, you figured it out to, have a little fun.' She nods at me, but still sits back. She doesn't want to take a lot of the credit, but I wasn't having it. She waved me off, and I rolled my eyes in protest.

"You got carried away. The game was too elaborate. You were enjoying yourself too much." I turn back towards Irene, and she looks up at me.

"No such thing as too much." She said, smirking a little bit. I heard (Y/N) stand up on the other side of the room, rustling the leather chair a little bit.

"Oh, enjoying the thrill of the chase is fine, craving the distraction of the game – I sympathise entirely – but sentiment? Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side." She said cockily, taking steps towards me and Irene. She bared her teeth slightly at the end of the sentence, making me involuntarily smirk.

"Sentiment? What are you talking about?"

"You." I said, finishing (Y/N)'s thoughts. I step closer to her.

"Oh dear God. Look at the poor man. You don't actually think I was interested in you? Why? Because you're the great Sherlock Holmes, the clever detective in the funny hat?" Irene said, smiling warmly and kindly, yet there was bitterness behind her dark blue eyes. I step even closer to her, our bodies almost touching, and she looks up at me, still calm.

"No." I reach out slowly and grab her wrist, leaning in to her ear and bringing my mouth closer to her. "Because I took your pulse." I whispered, and I felt her pulse race, a shiver traveling down her spine.

"Elevated; your pupils dilated." I whispered once more, before releasing her hand and turning away. "I imagine John Watson thinks love's a mystery to me but the chemistry is incredibly simple, and very destructive."

"When you two first met, you told him that disguise is always a self-portrait. How true of you: the combination to your safe – your measurements; but this..." (Y/N) started, tossing Irene's camera phone at me, and I nodded at her, "...is far more intimate." I walked more towards (Y/N), and she smirked at me as I pulled up the locked screen.

"This... is your heart." I continued as I punched in the first letter in the code, without breaking Irene's gaze. "You should never let it rule your head." The panic is beginning to show behind her dark eyes, but she's trying to hide it.

"You could have chosen any random number and walked out of here today with everything you've worked for... but you just couldn't resist it, could you?" I punched in the second number, her breathing becomes heavy and I smile briefly.

"I've always assumed that love is a dangerous advantage... thank you - for the final proof." After punching in the third number, I raise my thumb for the next, but she seizes my hand. (Y/N) takes a defensive step towards me, but I wave her off.

"Everything I said. It's not real." She lowered her voice to a whisper. "I was just playing the game." I shake my hand off, and I hear (Y/N) step forward, desperate to say something. I turn towards her and nod, letting her know it's okay for her to have the last word.

"We know..." She said, breaking the overwhelming silence between Irene and I. She walks towards me, and gets in Irene's face. So close, that their noses are practically touching. "This is just losing." She nearly growls the words, clenching her fists.

After a second, she gets out of her face and I turn the phone towards Irene, showing off the passcode. I AM SHERLOCKED. She gazes down at the screen in despair for a few seconds, tears welling up in her eyes.

"If you're feeling kind, lock her up; otherwise let her go. I doubt she'll survive long without her protection." (Y/N) says, anger rising in her voice with each word.

"Are you expecting me to beg?" Irene asks, dread filling her eyes.

"Yes." (Y/N) said emotionlessly, coldly, it sent shivers down my spine. She takes my arm and nods towards me. I lead her toward the door, she's clearly dizzy from that level of anger being expressed.

"Please." She pleaded, her voice cracking at the end. I stop, so does (Y/N). "You're right." I turn to look at her. Anguish screams in her watery eyes, her hands tremble. "I won't even last six months."

"Sorry about dinner." I say coldly, before opening the door for (Y/N) and letting her through. I walk through the door and exhale. We walk a distance before (Y/N) sighs heavily, her head falling onto my shoulder.

"You okay?" I ask her as we get closer to a bench. She sits down and leans her head back, exhaling a large breath.

"That might've been the meanest thing I've ever said." She says breathily, laughing afterwards. I put my arm around her and she leans her head on my shoulder.

"You're so... brilliant." I whispered into her hair as I held her close.

"Not as brilliant as you." I said nothing, even though I knew that wasn't true. I stroked her hair and she shut her eyes. "You figured it out."

"You elaborated." She fired back at me, chuckling after words. I laugh gently and I feel her face get hot in my hand. "Let's go home."

I nodded and helped her up. "Dinner?" I slip my arm around her and walk with her down the dimly lit hallway.

"Starving." She said sweetly, burying her head into my shoulders. Sentiment is a chemical defect found in the losing side. (Y/N)'s words repeated in my mind.

I guess that I'm on the losing side.