A World Alone (Conclusion to the Life Is But a Dream Saga)

Chapter Two: Homecoming

ASPEN

The car ride started silent, with the sound of rain pattering on the roof as we rode through the British countryside. The gray skies outside kept me from seeing any kind of sunset. My whole body ached, but the remedy for that was in my suitcase-a secret that no one from my past had discovered. In fact, he very moment Wes opened his mouth to start talking I raised a hand to shut him up.

"No. You won't speak to me right now. Why should you? You haven't bothered to for the past six months." I spat, feeling my heart grow heavy. I shut my eyes as we crossed a river, trying to not think of too many things at once.

Just the act of being in the car again with him was causing a myriad of memories. The vehicle smelled of an aged wooden tree, and his window was cracked open, letting in enough air and little water drops. Wes remained silent, as if allowing me to gather my thoughts and finish letting them out. I decided that I should, and just get this over with.

"You just... You left me there after I found him." I said softly, looking down at my hands, slightly hidden in my jacket. "And I thought we were in this together, Wes. The last thing I remember of you is leaving the cab, going into the flat, and thinking you'd follow, and you never followed me. After that, I never heard from you." I explained. I took in a breath of the cozy car heat, and looked to my side at my companion, who had thoughtful brown eyes staring through the swishing windshield wipers.

"I had to face him alone. After we faced your father together." I ended my statement, and slouched back in the car seat. I brushed a piece of dark hair behind my ear and went silent, barely able to listen to the faint music playing through the speakers. I looked outside the window as we began to drive into London. The city lights felt welcoming, despite everything that has ever happened here. That remedy started overcoming my mind as a way of easing the pain I started to feel.

"I'm sorry." Wes spoke, his voice low. "He told me you had to be alone, that guy we were with." He mentioned. I looked at his face, and could tell it upset him. " I shouldn't have listened, even if it meant compromising your reunion. I just wanted you to have your moment, and no matter how bad I wanted to be there, and they told me I couldn't."

Hearing the strain in his voice showed he was holding back some form of tears. He released a small sigh and shrugged.

"Besides, your father would not have the best opinion of me, the son of his competition." He joked, and chuckled.

"It is funny how that turned out, isn't it?" I asked. "Son of Magnussen, daughter of Moriarty." Saying that out loud sent a chill down my spine, an uncomfortable reality spoken aloud.

"Right, Sherlock must secretly hate us." Wes joked, yet hearing his name struck a chord in me. I hadn't spoken to him at all since term started, and any kind of communication we had was though John. Of whom didn't know of our unusual entanglement that winter.

To think I had to finally see him when at  what should be home. Wes looked at me, and I could see his smile falter a little bit. I never told him about how I felt about Sherlock, because truth be told I didn't know either.

"You haven't spoken to him, have you?" Wes asked, knowing the answer. My face turned cold, and I shook my head.

"How could I? Not long after he came for me did I end up leaving for school." I said quickly, shutting out a memory that began to emerge from the hidden depths of my mind.

"Nothing? You never even talked about how he knew and-" Wes began, but I put a hand up and stopped his statement.

"Wes, you just redeemed yourself in my eyes, please don't ruin it by talking about him." I spat, but regretted how harshly I spoke to my friend. In a more sincere voice, I resumed, "I'll deal with him soon enough." I put my hand down and twiddled with my phone, no desire to actually turn it on.