Fight for Me

Chapter 67

Despite her halfhearted attempts at protest, Sherlock ended up dragging the brunette to the crime scene, certain that it would help her take her mind off of the disastrous audition. He still didn't quite understand why she was so upset by it, she would have plenty more opportunities to audition for shows in the future. Besides, it wasn't like there was a specific role that she was dying to play. But he understood that it was his duty as her partner to find a way to cheer her up.

They took a cab to the scene of the crime, Lestrade greeting them as they arrived in the flat to explain the situation. He noted the lingering redness in Lydia's eyes, but did not comment on it, figuring it was not a conversation she wished to have at a crime scene.

Instead, he offered her a kind smile before addressing them with the facts, "we've got a thirty year old male whose death was clearly meant to look like a suicide. However, there are clear inconsistencies which makes me more inclined to think murder. The victim's right through here. I've asked the boys not to touch anything until you arrived."

As Lestrade spoke, he led them through the flat until coming across a body hanging from a noose in the middle of the living room. Sherlock immediately began scanning the room, the first thing he noticed was that the chair was lying in front of the body, rather than having been kicked behind him as it would have been had it actually been a suicide. There was also some broken glass lingering in the carpet on the far side of the room and objects clearly missing from the decorative bookshelf. There had been a struggle then, the murderer having tried in vain to clean up the broken items to cover their tracks.

After observing the room, Sherlock's eyes fell on the body itself. He frowned as he realised how similar the body looked to Lydia's friend Jacob, who had also been strangled by a noose. Lydia. The connection that Sherlock had made would certainly have taken Lydia much less time, which meant she would be currently dealing with emotions.

He glanced over at her, immediately noticing how her face had paled a few shades, staring at the body as though she were looking at the ghost of her friend. Her lip trembled as she fought to retain control, desperately trying to prevent herself from breaking down in front Scotland Yard.

"Lydia, you check the victims bedroom, I'll scan the rest of the flat," Sherlock ordered, wanting to get Lydia out of there quickly and without suspicion. She may have been used to hiding her feelings, but given her emotional state going into the case, he doubted she would be up to her usual standards.

Her eyes flickered over to Sherlock's as she heard him address her, but she hadn't made out what he was saying. He nodded in the direction of the victims bedroom and Lydia understood, hurrying down the hall as though she were going to investigate. Sherlock followed her, opening doors along the way, feigning doing as he proclaimed he would.

Lydia was a mess by the time he got to the bedroom, hot tears running down her face and hyperventilating. Hearing the door open, she quickly turned to face the opposite wall, but could do nothing to mask the loud gasps of breath she was taking.

"It's ok, Lydia, it's just me," Sherlock assured her, awkwardly loitering by the door after closing it behind him. God, he wished John were here right now.

He tentatively approached his shaking partner, place a hand on her arm. She desperately tried to regain control of her emotions, not wanting him to see her in such a state twice in one day, but her body refused to comply.

"I'm sorry," she managed to get out between gasps.

However, Sherlock cupped her face in his hand, "you have nothing to apologise for, Lia. I need you to breathe, can you do that for me?"

He took in a loud breath, encouraging Lydia to breathe with him. She tried to comply, her inhalation shaky and unsupported. But after a few minutes, Lydia managed to calm down enough to steady her breathing and stop the flood of tears.