It Started With Stealing | Sherlock Holmes

63 - Murder On The RMS Valour

A/N - You'll have to forgive me! I'm very much a dialogue-oriented writer hence why some of my descriptions may not always be up-to-par - it's the inner screenwriter in me 😅

All the same, I hope you enjoy ❤

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That night, Sherlock and Elizabeth said a genuine goodnight to each other for the first time in weeks. What they had wasn't fixed completely but they had made progress. And progress was good.

Elizabeth opened her cabin door to find Rita lying on the bed opposite hers. In Elizabeth's bed lay an unconscious and shirtless Mr Silva. She hadn't even considered she would have to sleep with him in the same bed to ensure her alibi would be certain. Setting down the two silver cases on their cabin table she looked over to Rita:

"Do I have to?"

"Well, I can't sleep with him. He will notice if it's a different person." She paused seemingly analysing her, "You really like that Mr Holmes, don't you?"

"It’s complicated."

"Isn't it always? Why is Sherlock Holmes here?"

"Wanted to watch over me. Make sure nothing bad happened to me because you do know that Mycroft has literally zero care for me, right? He doesn't care if I live or die."

"No but Mycroft does care for me. And in caring for me, who cares about you, he has to care for you too by default. He's become gentler in his...old age." Rita smirked.

Elizabeth actually chuckled at this before looking back at Daniel with a grimace.

"I've left his underwear on if that's what you're wondering."

"Ooh yay, one piece of clothing to protect me from him."

"Why? Aren't you planning on wearing anything?" Rita laughed.

"Oh God, yes, of course!" Elizabeth was in limbo between laughing and crying.

"Well, if you think about it..." Dr Rahat stifled her laughter, "There are worse men to share a bed with."

"And yet there are also better men too." She removed her coat, showing off her black nightdress again. She sighed and made her way over to the other side of the bed to climb into.

"I guess I'll hide the cases then?"

"Oh," Elizabeth already had one leg under the covers, "Um, yes, actually if you don't mind."

"Oh alright then. Because I'm nice."

"Sorryyy, thank you."

"Go on, get some sleep. At least it's a double bed rather than a single."

As Elizabeth even contemplated the idea of sharing a single bed she shuddered, "Please, no, that's not what I need my mind to picture right now."

Rita chuckled, "Goodnight, Miss Eva Smith."

*  *  *  *  *  *  *

Sherlock had been up most of the night. He had tried to sleep but tossed and turned and so had returned to his cabin chair where he sat and thought and replayed scenarios and walked through his mind palace updating his information on Elizabeth and himself until the first rays of sunlight peeked through his window.

Morning meant he could go and see Elizabeth again.

He stood up and got ready: showered, brushed his teeth, got dressed, put his wig back on and organised himself before leaving his room.