Can't Stay Away (BBC Sherlock) -2-

8. Back at Baker Street

"Remind me again why you actually went through with it," Bay repeated through the other end.

I sighed, sitting in my dad's chair. I took a quick look around the room. "I couldn't let them spend any more money on me, and I couldn't give Mrs. Hudson another mouth to feed."

"I'm sure she wouldn't have cared."

"I didn't want to feel like a burden." I curled myself into a ball.

"Why didn't you stay with your dad and Mary?"

"Not enough room."

"So when all other options failed, you decided to stay with the very man who you've hated since he came back?"

I blew air out noisily. I knew my decision to stay in 221B made no sense to Bayley; it barely made sense to me. I wasn't going to stay in a hotel on my own, and I certainly wasn't about to intrude on my dad and Mary. I couldn't exactly go back home to Maryland either, not with Mary wanting to get to know me before she and Dad left for their honeymoon. We'd been seeing each other a little bit here and there ever since I decided to stay with Sherlock. I preferred being with Mary over Sherlock, considering I didn't hold something against her. Even if she did something wrong, how could I? Mary was too good a person to feel negative towards. No wonder Dad loved her, he could never be mad at her.

"It hasn't been too bad here actually," I lied. For the first weeks of staying here at Baker Street, there was the most intense tension and awkwardness circulating throughout the apartment. I mainly stuck to my phone and iPod, and Sherlock was left to being himself, which meant annoying the hell out of me with random violin playing—most of the times while I was trying to sleep. Don't even get me started on the babbling to himself for hours on end. In those times, I simply popped in ear buds and tuned him out with music.

Currently, the consulting detective was still in bed, so I kept my voice low. God only knew what wrath I would face should Sherlock be disturbed by my loud talking. The idea to piss him off was tempting, but not knowing what he was capable of, I decided to not push my luck.

"Rachel, find somewhere else to stay if it bothers you that much to be around him," Bayley suggested.

"I might as well not bother. Before you know it, the wedding will be here, and then I'll be back." I tried to put cheer into my tone. "How is it without me there?"

"Terrible," Bay said dramatically. "I've considered seducing a student."

I gasped. "You haven't."

Bayley chuckled. "You know I wouldn't." I messed with the anniversary necklace on my neck. "Have any of your friends talked to you since you've been in London?"

I groaned. "Let's not get started. Madison and Kendal won't stop. They keep asking me to pester Sherlock about how he pulled off his fake suicide stunt."

"Aren't you curious?"

I gnawed on the inside of my cheek. "A little bit, but the last thing I need is to get so worked up that I attack him again." I'd told Bayley how the first day had gone when back in London. He hadn't been surprised by it, considering he said he probably would have acted like I had.

"You haven't talked to Amanda?"

"She's dropped off the face of the earth for me. The last time I talked with her was when we went to that club." I shuddered, remembering my almost abduction. I thought I heard movement from Sherlock's bedroom. "Do you think you'll be able to make it to the wedding?"