Her mission is his game.

The morning after

Clara took another long drink from her glass, all the while aware that Sherlock's eyes were on her. She sighed deeply once finishing and looked up at the man. His stern look changed to one of pity when their eyes met. Somewhere he could read that she really didn't want to tell him the truth.
He was torn.
Finding the truth was what he did for a living, being able to find the truth was what he lived for. However, he was here now with a choice. Continue to push for the truth, at risk of hurting Clara, or let it go and never know.

He realised while debating this neither he nor Clara had moved from their staring positions. In the end, he made the call,

"Don't worry," he said reluctantly. Clara visibly relaxed and smiled up at Sherlock.
"Thank you," she replied. And turned back to her drink. Sherlock's expression remained blank and unreadable.  Seconds dragged on like hours in the silence that fell between them. Neither one sure of what to do next. Sherlock was again the one to fill this deafening void,
"Whoever it is, we can help." He said calmly, not looking at Clara who tilted her head up to him. Instead, he took both empty glasses out to the kitchen and began rinsing them. After a moment, Clara followed him.

She stood by his side at the sink, though he still didn't look at her. She was hurt, but didn't show it.
"Thank you," she said again. Sherlock finally turned toward her, now standing straight where he had once been bent over the sink, he nodded his head.

"I'm gonna get to bed," Clara said, the words sounding heavy with sleep deprivation. She smiled at him weakly. Sherlock didn't have to force a smile back. The surprisingly heartwarming sight of the sleepy woman in front of him brought on the smile by itself and whatever annoyance or resentment, that had plagued him from their prior conversation, washed away.

Clara took a step toward the bedroom but then changed her mind, turning toward Sherlock, standing on her toes and gently kissing his cheek. She dropped down to her own height and smiled again, before walking to Sherlock's room and getting into bed. She fell asleep rather quickly this time.

Sherlock was stumped for a while, not sure of what to make of the past situation. He decided in the end that he couldn't figure anything out tired and so headed to lie on the sofa. As his head laid on the pillow against the arm of the chair, fatigue took over, and he was out.

Morning rolled around and much to everyone surprise, it was John who came around to wake up the rest of the Baker Street Bunch. Sherlock awoke but was unable to change due to a grumpy brunette seeming mildly reluctant to move. Neither of the boys felt comfortable entering the room and so no one pressed the issue, allowing the girl the time she needed to rise. She eventually did not too long after Sherlock as Mrs. Hudson came round with tea, remembering Clara's.

"It's cold." Clara stated plainly as she walked out of Sherlock's bedroom.
"Good morning to you too, dear!" Mrs, Hudson quipped. The two laughed and exchanged morning pleasantries as they sat down to drink their tea, which warmed Clara up somewhat, but not enough to dull the evident goosebumps on her arm.  John was reading the morning paper that had been thrown to their front door. None of them had noticed that Sherlock had left the room until he came out of his bedroom fully dressed in a clean suit and chucked a folded blanket at Clara. She looked at him quizzically.
"You said you were cold." He explained. Clara didn't complain, instead wrapped the blanket around her shoulders, instantly feeling comforted by the heat it trapped in around her body. John rolled his eyes so hard one could think damage was done to his head.

Not even nine o'clock and I can't take these two. He thought to himself.  He decided then that he would start to take the tally on his notebook, both so that it didn't wash off everyday, also as he feared he could one day run out of arm to write on. 

"Right!"  John declared, having had enough, "we promised to sweep your apartment for cameras so we can go do that." He said getting up.  Clara smiled thankfully at him before her eyes widened in shock having remembered her phone.  She decided to go down with them, leaving her tea on the table but keeping the blanket wrapped around her shoulders. 

As they entered her apartment, everything looked in place.  Clara sat down on the couch and picked up her phone, quickly checking for signs of her boyfriend's anger.  There was only one text on the screen,

I know you're with the boys, I don't have time for you right now so I'll have to trust you, update me as soon as. -JM

And that was that.  Clara was hurt by the fact that her boyfriend didn't have time for her though she sort of expected it.  She was pulled from her thoughts by John's voice of concern.  She dismissed him with a pleasant smile and hurried back upstairs to brush her teeth and what-not, accidentally leaving the blanket behind.
While she washed and dressed for the day, she texted.

Were the cameras necessary, Jim? -CO

I worry about you!  I was trying to keep you safe! -JM

Well you just managed to keep me uncomfortable. -CO

Wait, that's why you were with the boys? I thought it was for me!  I'm not happy about this, Oswin. -JM

Clara gulped, mildly scared.  She had upset him too many times in this mission and knew he could pull her out at anytime.  She had to play calm and sweet from now on.

I'm sorry, love. I panicked.  When they said I should say there I didn't know how to refuse.  I promise it didn't mean anything and they still have no idea it was you.  In the meantime I learnt that John is more of an early riser than you'd expect just by looking at him and the Mrs. Hudson brings the boys tea everyday. 
Lord knows what they'd do without the woman. -CO

Hudson, eh?  Who knew a little landlady could mean so much to them.  Thank you, Clara, this was vital information.  Even if you had to be stupid to obtain it. -JM

Clara felt panic rise in her throat.  She could have just compromised Mr. Hudson's, her friend's, safety.  She knew this mission would be hard but she was prepared from the start to hurt the boys.  She didn't know about Mrs. Hudson. 
Clara gulped down this fear and set her phone into her pocket as the boys returned upstairs.  She met them in the living room feeling refreshed by her clean cloths and mint after taste.

I'm John's hand were three very small, wireless cameras.  He explained that they appeared to power themselves down soon after being found, suggesting that whoever placed them watched and deactivated, making themselves untraceable.  Clara let out a mental sigh of relief knowing that she hadn't compromised her mission. 

Now they could get back to bigger things, like the blind banker.

—••—

Hey guys!
So, this story is getting a bit... hit and miss in places.  I'm just not sure about it and might have to round it off early if not abandon it completely. 
It's stopped getting feedback so I can't tell anymore if it's worth it.

For anyone who does care, I might not write much of the blind banker case just because it doesn't benefit the end of the story as this is actually a Romantic fic not a Crime.