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"That was loud," I said

"There isn’t anything left for us to do tonight We have to wait until tomorrow"

"Are you sure?" To my embarrassment, I stifled a yawn

To my surprise, she turned to look atto see son

"Watson, you look like hell Haven’t you been sleeping?"

"Not since October" I leaned against the wall It felt good to putyou’re worried about ht?"

Holmes started to snap back a reply, then stopped herself Very deliberately, she reached up to put her fingers against my face "I’m worried about you," she admitted It didn’t sound practiced, that ad to be nice Really, I didn’t think either he or Charlotte Holmes were nice, at their core At their best, they were kind It was that kindness that prompted Holmes to lead me over to the ladder to her lofted bed "It’s more comfortable than the cot But you know that, you’ve been sleeping there"

"What are you going to do?" I cliot under the covers

"I don’t know," she said "Plan B Whatever plan B is"

"Don’t stay up too late"

"I won’t" She stared up at me, one hand on the ladder She’d undone the top three buttons of her shirt, and I could see the white line of her collarbone "I ht be--tired later"

"Okay," I told her, as cautiously as I could "I ht still be here"

Did I want her to cli the answer to either question change ere going to do?

Across the rooh her suitcase for her paja I turnednot to listen to the rustle and slip of fabric, trying to remind myself how tired I was I was tired, I realized with so