in a heap of people

[she_sells_seashells]

They go home after a couple of days, without incident. The colors in Bell's hair are fading, albeit incompletely.

A bit later, when there is not the question of whether Sherlock can accompany her unnoticed, Tony finds a door and in they go.

Other Sherlock - whether this is their other Sherlock or some other other Sherlock, Bell cannot be immediately sure - is in the main bar area. Bell waves!

Comments

[she_sells_seashells]

"...The aforementioned mind-altering drugs helped," Shell Bell says. "I mean, I did it on purpose - but first the holiday thing had to... show me what it would be like? And then I could."

[self_composed]

"That is the most screwed up way to celebrate Valentine's Day of all time," opines Stella.

[she_sells_seashells]

"Is that what it's called? We don't have it."

[self_composed]

"Hearts and lace and pink and red and love potions? Yes. That's a fucked-up Valentine's Day."

[sicaria]

"Noted," says Sherlock.

[self_composed]

"I'm sorry that happened to you," Stella says gently to Shell Bell. "Although it seems to have worked out over the longer term."

[she_sells_seashells]

"We slept through most of it, and yeah, it did work out," Shell Bell says. "But yeah. Thank you."

[sicaria]

Sherlock smiles at Stella.

[self_composed]

"Oh, and I need to give you a mental defense star," says Stella, snapping her fingers. "Since you don't come with it. I can't even wish that for myself; it fails for redundancy. There you go, Shell Bell."

(She explains stars to Bell privately by brainphone, and aloud, says:) "Sherlock, unless Bell tells you the trick I just told her, do not attempt to use stars. They are mean and they will hurt you."

[sicaria]

"Noted," she repeats.

[self_composed]

"If you decide not to tell her immediately - oh, Alice doesn't know it, please don't say it aloud - you might want to magic up some kind of deadman switch arrangement so she can get at it if something miraculously gets through all your layers of magic awesome," Stella tells Shell Bell. "I don't know if stars can resurrect the dead, I haven't tried it yet, but it wouldn't astound me."

[she_sells_seashells]

"I'll think about it," Shell Bell promises.

[sicaria]

Sherlock considers, and then says nothing.

[she_sells_seashells]

"What?" Shell Bell asks, observing the contemplative face.

(She could just read it, but that seems rude.)

[sicaria]

"I want to know," she says. "But you said you would think about it, so I will wait until you have before I ask."

[self_composed]

"Like I said, Alice doesn't know," Stella says. "The person who told me knows, and Lazarus, who can see magic and would probably have figured it out just by looking at stars enough, knows. No one else. Stars are a big deal."

[she_sells_seashells]

"I understand. That's why I have to think about it instead of just telling her right away," says Shell Bell.

[sicaria]

[she_sells_seashells]

Pause.

"May I?" she asks, touching Sherlock's shoulder.

[sicaria]

She nods.

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell closes her eyes and looks.

[sicaria]

Sherlock's mind is—still, but not silent. She perceives. She notes every movement in her field of vision, catalogues the pressure of Bell's fingers on her shoulder, maintains a constant awareness of nearby sounds and passing scents. She is motionlessly alert.

Most of her affect-greys are neutral middle tones. Every fragment of thought or sensation connected to Bell is white.

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell is instantly seized with a need to hug her. She makes no effort to deny this need.

"I love you," she sighs into Sherlock's ear.

[sicaria]

"I love you too," she says, grinning and hugging back.

This is what she meant when she called Bell a continual epiphany: this feeling like the satisfaction when you set the last piece of a puzzle in its place, multiplied and extended and carrying on into eternity.

[she_sells_seashells]

Bell pokes at that.

She doesn't stop hugging Sherlock for a while.