The Sacrifice

Chapter 8: Another Stormy Day

Chapter 8: Another Stormy Day

*Ashley’s POV*

Rain…Thunder and lightning is what I had been awoken to this cold November morning, not Sherlock’s violin. I decided to get up and when I saw how dark it was, I felt that darkness inside of me too. ‘Looks like today will be a long day’ I thought as I go down stairs before glancing at the date, November 26and the day before Thanksgiving. It has been about 3 weeks since I first met Konnie and ever since then, he and I have seen each other often and he has become the first real friend I have had in England. Everyone has returned to his or her respected homes little over a month ago. Dean went back to Kansas with promises of coming to see me again soon while Brandon was back in Washington D.C. with his father and attending basic training to become a Naval medic. I do not know where the Doctor or Mr. Harkness has wandered off to but all I can hope is that they are staying out of trouble. I had finished making breakfast for John and Sherlock when I heard gunfire go off.

Normally, this would frighten the average girl but living these past 5 months with them, I have come to expect the unexpected. An enraged John comes from the front door after being away to see his sister, Harry, looking first in the kitchen to see me shaking my head. He then looks at the sitting room at a quite indifferent Sherlock wearing his robes that he has been wearing for the past 3 days still on the couch however, holding the gun in his hand while he looked over at the fuming John. “Sherlock, what the hell did I tell you about the bloody gun in the flat? You are going to make enemies again with the neighbors and not to mention, give Mrs. Hudson and Ashley a possible heart attack if you keep shooting that bloody gun.” John crossly states as I manage to sneak his bags into their room without him noticing during the fight before returning to kitchen to set the table.

“John, I am bored and the case was simple enough. I am still surprised that they did not look into those cookies.” Sherlock states inferiorly like as I tell them breakfast is ready. “Sherlock, it was only simple because Ashley figured out what the smell was. And another thing, why are you still wearing the same robe as what you were in when I left?” John yells as I grab my bag for work, trying to ignore the heated war that has started in our living room as I go to the door, only to be greeted by a very concerned Nana Hudson. “Ashley, is everything alright? I was just having tea then heard gun fire.” She asks, slightly terrified by the gunfire while I was unfazed. “Yes Nana…Excuse me.” I pardon myself as I go out the door to the rain to go to work.

Opening my umbrella, I decide to wake up early enough and left soon enough that I could walk to work. It was quiet with the exception of the occasional thunderclap. I put my music in, listening to whatever song I could find first. Mayday Parade’s “Terrible Things” pops on and I do not find the energy to change to song. I watch the sky cry as if it was crying for me. I did leave America to get away from the fighting but I should have realized that no matter whom I go to live with or who take me in, I will still hear fighting and hurtful things yelled out of anger. I soon find myself in the middle of the park I met Konnie in and sit down, covering myself up tighter with my coat and holding back tears. I know that John and Sherlock fighting had nothing to do with me and yet…I feel like it was my fault that I solved the case sooner than Sherlock did. The girl, Anne-Marie, had committed suicide by the arsenic after she discovered that her boyfriend was indeed leaving her for another only to learn that the other was her own sister, Allyson. She did not do it out of anger; she had done it out of heartache, something that hurt me just as much.

I do not know how long I was sitting on the bench, only that the clock tower informed me that I should hurry or risk being late to work. After walking for a few minutes, I finally reach work only to see Nina, the hostess standing outside and fuming from something. “Nina, is something wrong?” I question as I reach the door only for her to glare even more at me. “Yeah, seems like Mr. Angelo can’t pay us this week because he decided to help out some snot-nosed kid that got sick by giving him some money to go to the hospital.” She fumed at me as she grabs her stuff and goes to leave. I felt sorry for the child yet, I know that I could use the check from work this week to pay for some Christmas presents for my family and friends yet, I did not say anything.