Demons Beneath the Road

Chapter 7

"So this is John Watson's room?"  Percy didn't wait for Sherlock to answer as she stepped inside and set her small backpack on the bed. 

"Was."  Sherlock replied brusquely, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed as he watched the young girl.

"What happened?"  Percy asked as she sat on the edge of the bed, running her hands over the comforter and the bed stand and rubbing her pointer finger and thumb together, noting the dust.

Sherlock shrugged, his gaze flicking to the window.  "Nothing."

Percy flopped down on the bed, her hands folded behind her head.  "Well something happened."

"No.  Nothing is what happened.  Absolutely nothing."

Percy sat back up.  "Oh.  I see."  There was a slight pause before she looked at him once more, "why didn't you-"

"Don't you have something else to be doing?  We can go back to playing War," Sherlock cut her off brusquely.  Percy watched the detective for a moment before shrugging.

"I was going to go shower."

He nodded, "alright.  The hot water runs out fast."  Before Percy could get out another word he turned around and left.  The young girl watched as the door closed behind him, her eyes slightly narrowed before she let out a small sigh and slid off of the bed.

~

Sherlock was busy playing cards with himself when he heard the shower turn off.  He eyed the two stacks in front of him.  He'd returned to War, picking up Percy's side as his own seeing that one did not really need the second person to determine the winner anyway.

Sherlock reached for the stack of cards when a voice stopped him.

"Why am I here?"

The detective looked up, only to see Percy, dressed in what he assumed were pajamas that consisted of a tank top and sweatpants, and raised an eyebrow.  Her hair was still soaking, dripping down her back and wetting her shirt.

"I told you- I'm bored."

"People don't just foster kids when they're bored."

"I'm not like most people.  I'm different."

"Stop saying that," Percy let out a small laugh, "nobody is 'different'.  They're always driven by the same motives.  Boredom is hardly ever one of them, not with something as big as this."

Sherlock cut her off here, his voice low in his throat, "this isn't big."

"That's what you'd like to believe, isn't it?"  Percy narrowed her eyes.  "No.  I know what you're really motivated by.  We both do."

Sherlock was silent, watching Percy as her gaze flicked to the kitchen.  The detective paused. 

"Do you want... food?"

Percy didn't speak for a moment, though shrugged and shook her head.  "No.  I'm fine.  I doubt you have anything anyway."  Sherlock nodded slightly as Percy continued, "I was just going to head to bed."

As the young girl turned around Sherlock spoke, "is there anything you... need?  Water?  I'll head to the store tomorrow to get you something but-"

"I'm fine," Percy whispered, not looking behind her, "thanks though.  Goodnight."  She disappeared into the bedroom.  Sherlock let out a small sigh and looked down at the deck of cards.  The sound of a text alert made him look up.  It had come from Percy's phone, which she'd left sitting beside her deck of cards.  Quickly glancing at her door to make sure it was still closed, Sherlock reached for it.

Goodnight.
M

"Molly," Sherlock whispered under his breath, setting the phone back down.  He briefly considered trying to unlock the phone to read the rest of the conversation but stopped himself, instead pulling out his own device and opening it. 

Sherlock tapped on his text conversation with John.  The last text had been sent a few months ago, something about John asking Sherlock if they were out of milk.  A small smile traced the detectives lips and he let his fingers hover over the small keyboard on the screen.  Then he paused.

"I need to be there for her.  More."

The smile disappeared.  Sherlock tucked his phone into his back pocket and turned back to the cards.

~

Percy rolled over in bed, laying with her eyes open before letting out a small sigh and turning on her back, staring up at the ceiling.  The moonlight filtered into her room, casting dark shadows onto the wall.  Percy frowned and sat up, her gaze flicking out the window.  She chewed her lip, her finger tapping rapidly on the mattress before she stood up and made her way to the window.

The young girl opened it, inhaling sharply when a bitter wind pushed its way inside the room.  Percy let out a long breath, her eyes fluttering shut as she gripped the windowsill tightly.  Her eyes snapped open.  Casting one last glance at the shut door behind her, Percy grabbed her jacket and shoes and sat on the windowsill, her legs dangling over the edge.  She took a deep breath before she slipped off.