Sherlock let out a small sigh as he finished cleaning the bathroom. All he wanted to do was hold you close and let you know the way he felt about you. Turning off the light, and closing the bathroom door, he made his way to the bedroom.

However, when he opened the bedroom door, instead of being greeted by the woman he loved, Irene Adler was there, naked in his bed. "What are you doing here?" Sherlock asked as panic began to set in. Where was Y/N? Did she see Irene? "You've been texting me, Sherlock. You wanted me here, just as much as I wanted to be here," she replied with a smile as he took a few steps further into the room.

"Not in this way. I wanted you to explain what was going on with you and Moriarty. That's all," Sherlock stated, already annoyed at her. "Sherlock, we could be so much more than just business partners," Irene told him, seductively.

"I don't want you. I only want Y/N. Where is she?" Sherlock asked as he saw his phone on the night table, open on the messages between him and Irene. "Gone," Irene answered and Sherlock felt his heart drop to the floor. "If only you'd told her about the messages, Sherlock. She's not good enough for you anyways. If I were her, I would have fought for you, but she just left," Irene continued, trying to get into his head.

Sherlock didn't care about her opinion, though. He just wanted to find you. He just wanted a chance to explain. He began to move out of the room, but Irene's voice stopped him. "If you walk out that door, I won't tell you what you want to know about Moriarty," Irene stated.

Sherlock dropped his head in guilt and disbelief as he knew he'd been defeated. After all, protecting you was more important than him being happy. He would die protecting you even if you didn't love him. "Fine, talk," Sherlock replied, not moving a muscle though it was very noticeable how much pain Sherlock was in, unable to chase after you.

_______________

You stayed up most of the night talking to Molly. When you told her what had happened she was very understanding and was immediately willing to help. She did everything she could to help you. She listened, let you cry, she even cooked you some food and made tea.

You were starting to feel the slightest bit better when you got a text message from Sherlock saying: Please come back. He tried calling multiple times but you ignored them, shutting your phone off. Of course, all of his attempts made you cry even more and Molly was there to hug you. Understanding how upset you were but not knowing exactly how to help you.

You asked her if she wanted to go to bed since she had work in the morning, but she refused, claiming that she would take the next few days off so she could stay with you. You didn't realize how great a friend Molly was until she said that, making you feel like you weren't alone.

_______________

It had been three days since you last saw Sherlock, though it felt like a lifetime. Molly had stayed with you the entire time, focusing all of her attention on you, which you were grateful for. But, it was all over when you heard a knock on the door.

You turned towards Molly as you heard a voice say, "Molly, are you home? It's Sherlock." You gasped and began to panic. "Molly, please, please don't tell him that I'm here," you begged and she nodded her head. "Okay, stay here," she replied. You hid behind the wall of the living room so that Sherlock couldn't see you, but you could still hear the conversation.

She opened the door and put on her best fake smile. "Hi, Sherlock," she greeted happily, though she kind of wanted to slap him for what he did to you. "Have you seen Y/N?" he asked. "Sorry, I can't say I have. Why? Is she missing?" she asked, playing the innocent card very well.

"Yes, she is," Sherlock replied. "Well, I'll let you know if she comes around," Molly told him, beginning to close the door, but Sherlock blocked it from shutting all the way and Molly let out a sigh before letting him continue. "You've never taken a day off from work," Sherlock stated. "What?" she asked. "Even when you were sick, you still came into work, and clearly, you are not sick," Sherlock told her. She knew she had been caught in her lie but refused to tell him you were there.

"Where is she?" Sherlock asked again. Molly stayed silent, and you felt bad for making her lie. "I don't know," Molly responded. "You're lying," Sherlock stated making her sigh again. "Sherlock, she doesn't want to see you," Molly told him, breaking his heart further.

"I don't care, I need to see her," Sherlock said, pushing his way inside as he began calling out your name. You took a deep breath and prepared yourself as Sherlock stepped inside the living room his eyes immediately finding yours. He looked as broken as you did. "Y/N," he breathed out. You didn't respond, you just stared at him. "I need a chance to explain," Sherlock told you.

"Explain what? How you promised me there was nothing going on between you and the Woman, but then somehow she's there, lying naked in our bed! Or how about the fact that you've been lying to me this whole time and have been secretly texting her! No, Sherlock, I don't want an explanation, because, at this point, they're nothing short of excuses," you snapped.

Sherlock flinched at your words but didn't back down. "You have to understand that I will always put your protection above everything else, even if that means making you hate me. Irene had information about Moriarity that I needed," he tried to explain.

"Well, Sherlock, as noble as you think your attempt to protect me was, all you did was hurt me more," you replied and you swore he looked like was going to start crying. "I don't know how to do this," Sherlock told you. "Do what?" you asked. "Be in a relationship. I've never been in one and I thought all I had to do was protect you and take care of you, so tell me how to fix this, please. I'll do anything," Sherlock pleaded with you, making a couple of tears roll down your cheeks.

"It's easy, Sherlock. You don't lie, you don't hide things, and you don't text or see other women behind my back!" you replied, not even attempting to wipe away the tears. You didn't notice that Sherlock moved to stand only a couple of inches in front of you.

"I'm sorry," he said, barely above a whisper, making it sound even more genuine. "Sherlock, you can't just say your sorry this time. Do you even realize how hard I've fallen for you? Do you even care? Because I can't help but feel that you mean a lot more to me than I do to you," you rambled on, but Sherlock cut you off with a passionate kiss.

"You mean the world to me Y/N. There's no other woman I've ever felt this way about. There's no other woman I'll ever feel this way about. The Woman means nothing to me, she was merely a means to an end. I'm not sorry for trying to protect you, but I am sorry about the way I did it, and I swear to you now, I will not lie or hide things anymore. I won't hurt you again," Sherlock told you.

You stared at him for a moment before placing your lips on his, allowing yourself to melt into his embrace. You missed him too much and your body literally ached for him. "Let's go home," he suggested and you agreed.

You hugged Molly and thanked her for everything before following Sherlock outside into the cold air. Sherlock pulled you close, keeping you warm as he hailed a taxi. The two of you got in as Sherlock told the cabbie the address. You sat close to him and he began kissing everywhere he could. You collar bone, neck, ear, cheek, hair. The whole time, he whispered apologies in between kisses and you couldn't help but want to forgive him.

When you got back to 221B you were immediately pulled into a hug. "Y/N, thank God you're alright. Next time Sherlock does something stupid, you have to let me know you're alright," John told you, slightly glaring at Sherlock for hurting you.

"Sorry, John, I just needed to get out of 221B," you replied. John let you go a moment later and gave you a small smile. "Well, you have my number," he told you before going to bed. You didn't get much sleep the past couple of days so you didn't even realize how late at night it was. You walked to the bedroom and looked at the bed. Sherlock had gotten new sheets, something you were thankful of. You didn't want to sleep in the same sheets that Irene lied naked in.

You carefully slipped into the bed and watched as Sherlock gave you a small smile before saying, "I'll sleep on the couch." Sherlock then began walking towards the living room, clearly thinking you were so upset that you didn't want to be in the same bed as him.

But, all you really wanted was for him to hold you. So, you quickly climbed out of the bed and stopped him before he reached the couch. "Come sleep with me," you told him, and he looked at you with confusion. "Are you sure?" he asked and you nodded your head, taking his hand and leading him back to the bedroom.

You both climbed underneath the covers and Sherlock turned off the lights. He looked awkward like he wanted to hold you close but he was unsure of how far was too far. The last thing he wanted to do right now was cross a line.

You looked over towards him, but he kept his eyes fixed on the ceiling and you began to notice that he hadn't been sleeping much for the past couple of days either. He hadn't been eating. He even looked like he'd been crying. Clearly, you leaving had a huge effect on him. You gently moved closer to him and placed your lips on his, and he immediately responded, his lips moving in synchronicity with yours.

Sherlock rolled you over onto your back and kissed you deeply as you ran your fingers through his hair. "It's okay," you mumbled against his lips, wanting to make him feel better. He looked intensely into your eyes and he said, "I'll find a way to make it up to you."

You gave him a small smile and replied, "You already did. You came back for me." "I'll always come for you. I never want to be a part from you," he stated as he pulled you into another kiss. You smiled softly before cuddling into his chest and whispering, "I never want to be a part from you." Sherlock protectively wrapped his arms around you, holding you tightly, and for the first time in the last few days, you felt safe, protected. Like everything was okay again.