“Taking your own life. Interesting expression --- taking it from who? Once it over, it’s not you who’ll miss it. Your own death is something that happens to everybody else. Your life is not your own --- keep you hands off of it.” -- Sherlock Holmes

Chapter Fifteen:

There was a knocking at the door, but Leona didn't move. “Leona, dear? May I come in?” Leona didn’t move, but the visitor must have taken this into account.

Shea heard the door knob jiggling before the door finally creaked open, old on its hinges. “Leona? Are you awake?” Leona moved slightly digging deeper into her blankets. “Now, I know you’re grieving ― we all are, but we have to be able to move on.”

Leona was still silent, even as the woman stepped closer, coming around to the side of the bed. “I brought you some food ― I know you haven’t eaten in days.” Ms. Hudson moved, almost about to sit down on his bed ― on Sherlock’s bed ― but Leona hissed.

“No! No! No!” She screeched, and the woman remained standing. Leona crawled over and dug her face into it’s blankets. It still smelled like him ― it had to stay smelling like him. Leona breathed heavily for a few seconds, her eye squeezed shut. Leona sniffed, tears leaking from her eyes.

“Dear. . .  have you taken the medicine for your eye?” Ms. Hudson asked, but she already knew her answer. She sighed and got on her knees, smoothing out her skirt before she looked up at Leona. “Let me see, dear,” She said softly, but Leona moved her face away, pressing it deeper in the comforter. “Leona,” The voice was a bit sterner, but it was enought to persuade her.

Slowly, Leona looked up, tears stlll stuck to her dark, long eyelashes. Her brown eye seemeed to be eternally red and puffy and held heavy bags under it. The other was still covered by the eyepatch that the doctor issued her. When Leona was attacked, the thing that did it had long, sharp claws, that supposedly caused permanent damage to her left eye.

Gingerly, Ms. Hudson took the bandage off and looked at it. It was swelling from all the tears and absolutely soaked through. The four claw marks were still there, above her eye, and going diagonally across her face. It was a lighter brown than her skin and was quickly healing, but the scar would still be there. And, her eye was worse.

The doctor prescribed eyedrops for her to use to reduce swelling and irritation, but they all knew she would never be able to see out of that eye again. The animal had absolutely decimated it, and there was nothing else she could do. Ms. Hudson reached over to grab the small bottle from the table, but Leona jerked her head, moving it back. Then she reached for the filthy eyepatch, her small fingers trying to grasp it, but Ms. Hudson moved it away.

“This is dirty,” She told her. “You’ll need a new one. I got a few more in the kitchen, we’ll do your drops there.”

Leona moved her hands to cover her injured eye, “No drops,” She said, moving to hide back under the covers.

“If you don’t do the drops, you eye will never get any better, Leona,” Ms. Hudson said, but Leona shook her head. “Leona, please, be reasonable.”

“No,” She pressed, but Ms. Hudson wasn’t having it. She took Leona’s hand and tried to peel her off the bed. Leona stayed where she was. When Ms. Hudson realized that it was futile, she did the next best thing.

Ms. Hudson gripped the comforter and yanked them off Leona. Leona screamed, as they touched the floor, sending Ms. Hudson back a few feet. Her wings were out and she jumped out of the bed, her legs still getting tangled in the sheets. Tears flooded her eye as she tried to bring the blankets back on the bed. Her hands were shaking and she was too busy crying as she tried to quickly gather the blankets together. Ms. Hudson watched the young girl’s desperation ― it brought tears to her own eyes.

Ms. Hudson dropped the bottle of eyedrop liquid an fell back into a small chair and pressed her hands to her face. Soon, both of them were sobbing to themselves.

Leona looked up, noticing that Ms. Hudson was crying. She sniffed, glancing back down at the comforter before letting it drop in her hands. She quietly picked up the bottle and stepped over to Ms. Hudson, gently pulling on her pants leg.

Ms. Hudson looked down at her, as Leona held the bottle out to her. Ms. Hudson sniffed, and smiled gently at Leona. “Oh. . . dear,” She huffed, shaking her head gently. “Look at us. How would Sherlock feel if he saw this?” The thought made her chuckle, as she tapped Leona’s forehead. “Lean back, alright?”

Leona nodded and obeyed quietly as Ms. Hudson dropped the liquid in her eye. Leona blinked wanting to rub at it, but Ms. Hudson said specificially not to. So, she sat there, blinking furiously, her wings ruffling and twitching behind her.

“Let me get the bandages, give me a minute,” Ms. Hudson said, and got up to stand. Leona waited patiently as the woman returned with fresher looking, white, medical bandages. She sat down and moved her hair back, securing the bandage on her eye.

Ms. Hudson didn't move from the chair and Leona didn't want her too. She glanced at the floor, where the comforter was, and draped it over the chair so that it was on both of then.

Ms. Hudson wiped her eyes as she took in the scent. When she did, it made her laugh a bit, "Blimey... It does smell like him," she said through tears.

Leona scooted closer to the woman and she let her. Leona rested her head on the woman's lap, and soon, both of them were sleeping.

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"Leona, hurry up, we have to be leaving soon!" John said loudly, but Leona acted as though she couldn't hear him. Then, the door opened and John was in tbe room.

"Leona, we need to---why are you still in bed!? We have to be there in thirty minutes!"

"No," Leona said firmly and John gave a heavy sigh.

"Leona...!" He groaned, rubbing his hand down his face. "I know you don't want to go, but---... C'mon! You have to --- we have to."

"No!" Leona huffed from the bed.

John stepped around the room and Leona crawled away underneath the mound of covers. "Leona! Come on! I don't have time to play games!"

"No go!"

"Yes, go!"

"No! Leona stay."

"Leona, I am going to give you to the count of five and of you aren't out of those covers, I swear I will burn that bed!" Leona made some kind of noise that was between a scream and a hiss. "One... Two... Three..." Leona, seemed to think he was serious because before he got to five, she came slithering out from underneath the bed and unto the floor.

"Go to the washroom and take a bath," John ordered. "Your clothes are on the kitchen chair. You need to hurry --- we have thirty minutes."

"No," Leona moaned, staying on the floor. John raised his eyes to the air and inhaled. Then, he grabbed her by the arm and began to drag her away. Leona stayed on the floor, unmoving. Before John could drag her into the bathroom, Ms. Hudson called from down the hall.

"What in heavens name are you two doing?" She demanded, and both of them turned to the woman. Ms. Hudson's bearing gaze landed on Leona and she grimanced, but stood up. "Leona, take a bath, and hurry up, we need to be there soon! John, leave her be." She said, shooing him away. "And if I find you in there playing in the water, Leona, I will scrub you down myself."

The last statement seemed to do its trick in scaring Leona. She jumped and scurried into the bathroom, and a minute later, they heard the water going.

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Leona stood silently as a tall man talked for what felt like forever. Nobody was talking, some people were crying, looking mournfully at the big black box and the hole in the ground.

Leona, however, was confused. What was the big box for? She wanted to tug on Ms. Hudson's arm and ask her, but she was crying and she didn't want her to cry more. So, she tugged on John's.

John glanced down and then scooped her up in his arms so that Leona could rest her head on his shoulder. "What box for?" Leona asked softly, staring at the huge,shiny thing.

"That... That's for Sherlock, dear," John said, his voice hard. "They made him a bed and it's inside the box."

"Why no use Shee bed at home?" Leona asked, and John shook his head, not answering his question.

When they began to lower the black bed box into the ground, Leona got upset, "What doing?! Shee going be stuck!" Leona spoke a bit too loudly because people around her began to shake their heads. "Jon! Shee going be stuck!"

"It's alright, love," he assured Leona, when tears started to fall from her cheek. Leona began to cry into his shoulder, gripping John tight. "It's okay..."

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Mycroft was the last person Leona wanted to see. Not that she didn't like him, she just wanted to be alone. "Leona? Am I allowed to come in?" Leona shifted on his bed, and he took this as a yes.

Mycroft stepped in and pulled the chair over to Leona, making sure to stay as far away from his bed as possible. Leona poked her head out at him, her single eye staring dully into him. "Is it true that Mortiarty bought you from the School?" Leona gave a small nod. "Along with the other girl that attacked you?" Another nod.

Mycroft did not look happy. His eyebrows knit together, as he tried to think. Leona frowned, worried and reached out a finger, poking his cheek. "Mii-croft okay?" Leona asked, scared.

"Yes, dear," He smiled. "It's you I'm worried about." He sighed, looking down. "You can't stay here, Leona. The people... The 'Whitecoats' will be coming to get you. They know you're here. It's only a matter of time before they come for you. We need to hide you, alright?" Leona was staring at him. As soon as the word 'Whitecoat' left his mouth, she was stunned.

Mycroft didn't have time to explain much more. He pulled his collar to his lips. "I have her, Lorino."

Mycroft waited a moment and Leona distinctly heard a familair woman's voice reply back. "Copy that. You need to hurry --- now that Sherlock is out of the way, they will be closing in any day now. Doctor Fiona’s been really upset that the Baskerville School was found out, and she’s been wanting L.E.O-54 back for ages.”

Leona froze at that name, her brown eyes flashing, as unwanted memories surfaced. Leona pushed them away, pressing her face into the bed to calm down. “They've been prepping a few 'Erasers' to bring her in."

Mycroft turned to Leona, "Now, closely," he said. "Tonight, be by that window. I will come get you." He handed her a sheet of paper. "Leave this on the nightstand, alright?" Leona looked down at it. It looked like her handwriting and read, 'I find Shee' and then her name on the bottom.

"You'll be with a few of our friends, they'll help you." Leona nodded and Mycroft smiled. "There isn't anything to worry about," he assured. "We'll keep you safe." Leona jumped out, wrapping her arms around Mycroft.

"We find Shee?" Leona asked and Mycroft didn't say anything for a moment.

"Yes," he said gently. "We'll find Sherlock."

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Leona waited until that night and did as she was told, placing the sheet of paper on the nightstand. Just as she went to the window and opened it, she heard a knock on the door. Leona turned back, eyes wide, before acting quickly, jumping out of the window, her wings extended as she waited near the roof, hiding near the edge.

Leona strained her ears to hear over the loud commotion of the city. “Leona?” It was Ms. Hudson. Leona’s heart plumented, and she stepped back, “Leona? Where are you?” A second later, Leona heard a scream.

Tears blurred Leona’s eyes, and she turned away. They would come looking for her soon, but Leona couldn’t stay ― like Mycroft said, they were going to find Sherlock. Leona raised her wings to go fly again. Then, something like a whizzing sound went through the air, and searing pain went through her wing.

Leona fell to her knees, wanting to scream, but knowing not to draw attention to herself. Blood coated her fingers as she gripped her injured wing. She hear a few more sharp whizzing and her heart began to speed up. She could hear footsteps near the door of the platform leading to the roof. If she didn’t move fast, she wouldn’t be able to get away at all.

Leona ran to the side of the building and jumped. With a great gust of her wings, she forced herself into the air. She covered her head with her hands as she went as bullets flew past her, a few knicking the sides of her legs and wings, but otherwise, she was safe.

Leona panted, trying to get as far away as she could ― Mycroft didn’t tell her where exactly she was going. She didn’t know how to get out of the city. She didn’t know where to go. She was lost, and her wing was bleeding, dripping down to the sky below. But she couldn’t stop now ― if she wasn’t far away enough. And, she was injured; the Erasers could find her in seconds.

No, it’d be better to stay in the air. It would be better to stay away from Jon and Ms. Hudson. If someone were shooting at her, they would shoot at them. Leona didn’t want anyone else to die ― she knew that for certain.

Leona steadied her breathing, closing her eyes for a minute. A smile tugged gently at her lips. She didn’t realize how much she missed flying. Despite the pain, Leona giggled, feeling the air through her fingers. She loved this. She loved flying. She loved being free.

Then, something pierced her wing again, Leona’s eyes widened and a scream past her lips. Her wing curled, and Leona began to tilt, veering to the side again. Tears of pain blurred past her eyes as she began to fall through the clouds and to the city below.