crimson writings ➝ sherlock

chapter six

april, 2010

"john, you had a bomb strapped to your chest, you had snipers aimed at you, and you both nearly died - and you're telling me you're fine?" the disbelief in valeria's voice was unforgiving.

"yes, i-i'm fine." john stammered, sitting tensely in his chair, arms draped along the armrests. "i've been through worse. i served in afghanistan, valeria."

valeria let out a short snort, and crossed her arms. "just - please watch out for each other, alright?" she said tiredly, casting sherlock a worried look. the detective said nothing, just nodded once from where he sat at his own armchair, hands steepled. valeria had come to recognise this as his thinking pose, and that he wasn't all too responsive in said pose.

"i don't get this guy, anyway. jim moriarty. why is he so obsessed with sherlock?" she said to no-one in particular, leaning back on the couch, her arms braced on her knees. the brown leather couch had become her designated seat, as the two armchairs were already taken by the two men.

she hadn't expected sherlock to even acknowledge her question, but just as john opened his mouth to speak, sherlock murmured, "he just wants to play."

"what?" val said sceptically with narrowed eyes, as john closed his mouth and turned to frown at his friend.

"the rest of the world is boring to him, and i am a breath of fresh air."

"and he expresses this to you by killing innocent people you didn't even know and attempting to kill john?" valeria sighed, and grumbled under her breath, "nutter."

"i have a feeling i will be seeing him again very soon." sherlock murmured to himself, ignoring valeria.

the woman sighed again. then, she squinted at the clock, and slowly she stood up, straightening her shirt. "well, it's nearly seven. i've got to go to work."

goodbyes were exchanged, and valeria left for her night shift, completely oblivious to the fact that the day he found her, the day her life would be destroyed, was drawing closer every second.

he didn't even know she existed yet. but he was searching for ways to burn the heart out of the consulting detective, and when he did find her, he would hit the jackpot.

✦✦✦

february, 2012

just two years later, valeria bishop was a proper doctor again, which was something. the rent was no longer a bother to her, and poverty was completely out of reach. her hands had steadied once more, and she hadn't let anyone slip away from her yet. everything was going splendidly for her.

well, mostly. the night shifts were rough. after almost two years, she was practically becoming nocturnal - she hardly saw john and sherlock in the day anymore. she had very little idea of what cases they were on, or whatever else was going on in their lives, as sherlock didn't text her very often. but when they did meet, and whenever their scheduled aligned (or whenever she couldn't sleep), it left valeria with a smile on her face as she drove to her next shift.

but she wasn't smiling now. she hadn't seen sherlock for at least four days, and the last shift had been particularly busy. it wasn't like she didn't enjoy her job - she just wished she had more time to herself. and she wished she still had cobie - or someone like cobie, at least. her friend was still working at the old hospital. she hadn't seen her for years.