AUGUST 1912 by Daylyn

Genre: Sherlock Holmes

Rating: Some content may not be suitable for young children.

Summary: Holmes says good-bye before leaving for America.

Where to find the story: I found it here on Daylyn's blog.

~

I turned to my new patient. “What are you doing here, Holmes?”

“Ah, Watson. My disguises fail me now.”

“I’ve seen this one before, Holmes, as well you know. In my former consulting room. It seems unlikely that you are trying to hide from me. So I ask again, what are you doing here, Holmes?”

His bright grey eyes looked directly into mine. No matter what his disguise, his remarkable eyes were always recognizable. “I’ve come to say good-bye, Watson.”

~ Daylyn, August 1912

This is a short, gut-wrenching piece with a shattering last line. It's somehow appropriate that Holmes comes to take his leave of Watson in disguise--a disguise that Watson sees through immediately--because, as we discover, the need to deceive the outside world is at the root of his goodbye.

Despite the leave-taking, the bond between Holmes and Watson never seemed stronger...and Edwardian mores never seemed so unfair. You might need a handkerchief for this goodbye, but it's worth it.