Fight for Me

Chapter 19

"What do you need, Mycroft?" Sherlock snapped, annoyed that his brother had pulled him away from Lydia when she was such in a vulnerable position. Now she had time to craft her cover story.

"I was just bringing you the information you asked for. The Rose Foundation has been on our radar for a while now, but they haven't caused to much trouble so it was easier to let them keep operating and let them unknowingly lead us to potential threats. They mostly focus in smuggling drugs and valuables, using operatives they have trained since they were children," Mycroft explained, handing him a file.

Sherlock frowned as he flipped through the pages, "and their connection to Moriarty?"

"Moriarty? I wasn't aware of any such connection."

As Sherlock closed the file, he glanced at his brother skeptically, "you are practically the entire British government and you can't link this foundation to Moriarty? There seems to be a fault in your intelligence."

"I can assure you that that is not the case, brother mine. What makes you so certain that Moriarty is indeed connected to this smuggling ring?" Mycroft queried, growing impatient with his little brother.

Sherlock raised his brows, "an organisation that poses as a charity but really trains children to become smugglers in each of their own professions, of course Moriarty would want to include that in his network. That and someone carved an 'M' into Lydia's stomach, it is not difficult to realise that that was a message for me."

"Or someone is trying to manipulate you, to get you to chase after something that is not there so that you will ignore what is happening right under your nose."

"Which is?"

"She is playing you, Sherlock, it is quite obvious. I would think after Ms. Adler that you would have learnt your lesson."

Sherlock's face hardened at the mention of The Woman and he clenched his jaw. "Ms. Adler has nothing to do with this, Mycroft. Besides, this situation is completely different."

"Is it? An attractive woman waltzes into your life, a figure of mystery and intrigue, someone who challenges you. You get swept up in the game and before you've known it you've fallen. Sentiment, Sherlock, it is not an advantage. You claim to understand that yet you keep finding yourself in these situations."

"You must be blind if you think so little of me," Sherlock snapped, anger flaring up inside him. But he wasn't angry at Mycroft for his insinuations, but angry because his brother was right. Because he, Sherlock Holmes, hadn't fully realised that he was falling for Lydia until Mycroft had pointed it out. Because he had been careless and let his guard down and then failed to recognise the signs when they were so obviously there.

Mycroft glanced over at his brother, almost as though he could hear what he was thinking and challenged, "then please do explain why you were holding her hand when I arrived?"

Sherlock shifted slightly as he easily lied, "I was trying to get her to tell me what had happened and not cover for the Rose Foundation as she always does. Sentiment makes people weak and I was trying to exploit that. Unfortunately, that has all gone to waste, as I am sure that she is coming up with a cover story while you question my intentions with her."

With a dissatisfied hum, Mycroft held out his hand for the file, "I am going to need that back, you cannot keep it. And be careful, Sherlock. You always were the emotional one."

Rather than continue fighting his brother on the matter, Sherlock took a moment to quickly read through the file before handing it back. It confirmed most of what Sherlock had suspected, but the confirmation was satisfying, especially considering he would sometimes find his faith in his own deductions wavering while in Lydia's presence. She made everything she said sound so true, there was often no sign of hesitation, it was as though she believed the lies herself.