Fragile

11

"She's got what?" Sherlock demanded, tensing up in his seat, adopting a very angry and confused expression.

"Acute Leukemia" the doctor replied sympathetically "It can-"

Sherlock stood up. "You must have made a mistake. I want to see the tests you did, the blood samples you took. You need to-"

"I'm sorry sir but I can't allow that"

"I don't care that you cant-" Sherlock began

"Acute Leukemia is treatable at this stage" the doctor interrupted Sherlock this time and turned his attention back to me. "Chemotherapy is an option but there is the risk that it might harm your unborn child-"

"No" I finally spoke up.

"What?" Sherlock said, looking at me with shock spreading across his face.

"I said no. I'm not doing anything that's going to harm our child"

"Margo-" Sherlock began

"You can discuss it and think about your options over the next couple of days. I'll book you an appointment for a few days time and we can decide what treatment will go ahead then. For now take these and you're free to go"

the doctor handed me a bunch of leaflets about leukemia and blood cells and escorted us out.

Sherlock and I sat in silence for the entire cab journey home. Both of us staring out of the windows. Both deep in thought about the future, if there was ever going to be a future. At this point it was only just hitting me that if I didn't have the treatment I needed I would probably die, and if I did have the treatment I needed, my child would probably die.

We arrived back at 221B and walked up to the flat in silence. I took off my shoes and hung up my coat before turning to Sherlock.

I started to speak: "I'm gonna go to bed I'm really-"

"Margo" he walked over to me and looked at me with sad eyes.

"Yes?"

"I'm begging you. You can't refuse this treatment"

"That's not your decision to make Sherlock" I sighed

"Margo please-"

"I'm not having it Sherlock! What about the baby?"

"So-" Sherlock said, raising his voice slightly "So you're just going to die? Without putting up a fight? Without putting up a fight for yourself? For me?"

"You're being unfair-"

"Unfair?!" his face flooded with anger "No Margo. You have a choice. You can stay with me forever like we always promised or you can leave and you're choosing to leave. That's not fair"

Tears filled my eyes.

"I need you" Sherlock's words were sweet but his voice was dripping with anger "I need you to stay"

"Sherlock we have a child on the way. A baby!"

"There's no guarantee that the chemotherapy will hurt the baby the chances are-"

"I already said no. I'm not taking the risk"

Sherlock looked like he was about to explode. He turned away so that I couldn't see his face but I could hear his voice crack when he spoke and I knew he was crying.

"Fine."