Sophia Holmes and the Scandal in Belgravia *Completed*

Chapter Thirty Five - A Scandal in Belgravia Part XVI

A few months later, I sit with dad at the kitchen table looking through a case file while he examines some chemicals from the crime scene through his microscope. The heavy rain outside is the only sound for hours until John returns home and his footsteps hit the stairs hard, suggesting he's running up them. He has news.

"Clearly you've got news," dad says, not looking up from his work as John stops in the doorway. "If it's about the Leeds triple murder, it was the gardener. Nobody noticed the earring."

"Hi," John says, taking a couple steps into the kitchen. "Er, no, it's, um. It's about Irene Adler." I look up, my face emotionless as I try to read him. He's carrying an evidence bag with her documents inside so it must have happened. They've caught up with her at last.

"Oh?" dad questions, also raising his head. "Something happened? Has she come back?"

"No, she's, er ..." he hesitates for a moment and I frown, sensing a lie coming. "I just bumped into Mycroft downstairs. He had to take a call."

"Is she back in London?" dad asks, standing up and walking around the table towards John.

"No. She's, er ..." he pauses again and it's clear he's contemplating whether or not to tell us she's dead. Eventually, he drags in a sharp breath and raises his eyes to dad's. "She's in America."

"America?" I repeat, in faked confusion. I know the truth.

"Mmm-hmm," John agrees. "Got herself on a witness protection scheme, apparently. Dunno how she swung it, but, er, well, you know."

"I know what?"

"Well, you won't be able to see her again." I nod as dad returns back to his seat at the table.

"I know," I return, solemnly. "We said our goodbyes. At least this time I get closure." John returns my nod and smiles sadly.

"Is that her file?" dad asks.

"Yes," John admits. "I was just gonna take it back to Mycroft." He holds the folder out to us. "Do either of you want to ...?" He trails off as I shake my head and dad says no before returning to his work.

"Listen, actually ..." John says after a moment of silence, but dad interrupts.

"Oh, but I will have the camera phone, though." He holds his hand out to John without raising his head from his work.

"There's nothing on it any more," John informs him. "It's been stripped."

"I know, but I ..." he pauses for a long moment and I raise my head to look at him. "I'll still have it."

"I've gotta give this back to Mycroft," John argues. "You can't keep it." But dad's hand is still extended. "Sherlock, I have to give this to Mycroft. It's the government's now. I couldn't even give ... "

"Please," dad tries and reaches a little further. John looks at him for a moment as he considers what do do, then finally he reaches into the wallet and lays the phone gently on dad's hand. He closes his fingers around it and puts the phone in his trouser pocket before returning to his work. "Thank you."

"Well," John says, raising the wallet. "I'd better take this back."

"Yes," dad agrees. I return to my reading but notice John hesitating on the landing.

"Did she ever text you again," he asks, coming back into the kitchen, "after ... all that?"

"Once, a few months ago."

"What did she say?"

"'Goodbye, Mr Holmes,'" he says and I close my eyes, unnoticed by them. So that would have been her final text before they .... got her.

John nods, thoughtfully, and it's clear he's thinking of what to say. Eventually, he turns and heads off down the stairs. As soon as he's out of sight, dad raises his head and gazes across the room for a moment before reaching into his own pocket and pulling out his own phone. I watch as he calls up his saved messages, but as he starts to scroll down their conversation, he stands up and walks into the living room so I can't see the messages they exchanged. He finishes reading them as he reaches the window and lifts his eyes to look out at the rain. He starts to chuckle and I frown, completely at a loss as he takes mum's phone from his pocket and tosses it into the air before catching it again.

"The Woman," he says fondly to himself as he opens the top drawer of the cabinet and puts the phone inside. "The Woman," he repeats as he walks away. I open my mouth to question him but he walks past me and into his room, leaving me alone with my thoughts.