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－~－
The next day, Adeline and Sherlock were making their way through the front entrance. Sherlock had said that they were going to go straight in, but Adeline was a bit unsure if just barging their way in.
As they neared closer to the front desk, Adeline was hesitant, but Sherlock with his determined strides kept walking, bringing Adeline along with him.
"Sir?" The man at the desk questioned.
"Don't be ridiculous." Sherlock replied, and held his finger up. Sherlock winked at Adeline. That man's ego, she thought with a shake of her head and a smile.
The pair continued on into where the police officer's desks were located.
"Lestrade?" Sherlock called out once, and then again a second time when he heard no reply.
"Ah... Sherlock Holmes." The couple heard behind them as Lestrade appeared from his office.
"Please." Lestrade said, gesturing for them to enter his office. Adeline and Sherlock entered, and Sherlock brought Adeline over to the chair, before he continued on around the room.
"You've been building quite the reputation for yourself, despite your best efforts to avoid the press." Lestrade started
"The marquess case." Sherlock interrupted.
"You need to arrest his grandmother, the Dowager. "
"She's trying to kill him, as she killed his father." Sherlock finished. Lestrade looked at Adeline with a look that said, how?
"Two questioned." Lestrade remarked
"How did you arrive at that conclusion?" Lestrade asked sitting back down at his desk.
"It's a question of divided loyalty and succession." Sherlock said, taking a seat next to Adeline.
"With the boy dead, the uncle would take the vacant seat in the Lords and stand against the reform bill and the extension of the vote, just as the Dowager wanted." Adeline smiled at Sherlock in his element
"The boy, I deduce, would not, nor would his father have." Sherlock said.
"So why would it not be the uncle himself that did the deed?" Lestrade asked.
"To the father or the son?" Sherlock responded with a grin.
"Father?" Lestrade asked cluelessly.
Sherlock looked to Adeline, motioning for her to continue, seeing as she worked it out. Adeline grinned at him and snatched his newspaper with a wink before standing up
"His uniform in the press photographs." Adeline said with a smirk.
"Oh." Lestrade said startled that Adeline was now speaking to him.
"The medals on his chest. He wasn't in the country when the boy's father was killed."
"Rather serving in the Afghan War." Adeline finished
"A lady detective?" Lestrade questioned.
"Not quite." Adeline responded.
"It's always there, the truth. You just need to look for it." Sherlock said from behind the two, standing up and opening the door. Clearly the pair were done here, so Adeline started towards the door.
"Second question." Lestrade said from behind them, in a smug tone. The pair both turned to the man he was sitting at his desk grinning.
"How did your sister get there before ya?" Sherlock's face turned confused, but Adeline couldn't help the big smile that was forming on her face.
"I'm sorry?" Sherlock asked. Adeline shook her head at him and pulled Sherlock from the room.
As the pair were walking back down the entrance hall, Sherlock let out a loud.
"Ha!" Sherlock turned to look at Adeline, the pair had two of the biggest grins.
－~－
They were now sitting in the carriage, and Sherlock was looking out the windows of the carriage thoughtfully.
"Sherlock? What are you thinking?" Adeline asked, bringing the man in question out of his thoughts.
"I'm thinking it's an extraordinary day to be alive." Adeline smiled.
"Well yes, It was quite extraordinary what Enola did-"
"I think you are quite extraordinary, Addy." Sherlock cut her off. Adeline was thankful for the complement but entirely confused.
"Thank you, but where is this coming from?" Adeline asked.
"This is not quite the setting or the time I was planning-"
"Sherlock-"
"-But it feels right."
"Marry me?" It was said suddenly.
"Sherlock?" Adeline questioned in disbelief.
"Marry me? You are... The most wonderfully, exquisite woman I have ever met, and to spend the rest of my life with you would make me the happiest man in the world. "
"Sherlock, this is far to quick, we have only been reunited for a few weeks-"
"And? I love you, you love me, why not celebrate it?"
"You're being irrational-"
"I don't want to lose any more time with you." Adeline silenced herself.
"Addy, I completely and utterly adore you. My adoration for you... spreads beyond what I thought I could ever comprehend or feel. I-"
"Yes."
"Yes?"
"Yes!"
Sherlock and Adeline stared at each other.
Despite being in a small carriage and the limits of her dress, Adeline still managed to throw herself into Sherlock's arms. Sherlock caught her with a laugh.
Adeline looked up into Sherlock's eyes, they were indeed sparkling with adoration.
"I love you." Adeline said, before the pair leaned in for a kiss.
