"Sherlock! Thank you." she breathed, acknowledging the effort he was seeming to make. Irene reached out a hand to caress his face when suddenly the detective stood up.

"Sentiment," he spoke as he paced away from Irene who remained on the bed's edge. "is a chemical defect found on the losing side." he paused, still facing away from her. The room echoed with sound of the woman's sinking heart. "But recently," continued Sherlock as he spun around to face Irene, "I find myself more and more inclined towards it."

The woman gave a slight smile but was still bewildered. "Why are you here Holmes?" she demanded. Her tone rougher than before. "Why does London need to believe you're dead?"

Sherlock walked back towards Irene who now stood, her face stern. "Because if I wouldn't have jumped, others would have suffered." He lingered directly in front of her, merely inches apart. Sherlock towered over Irene, yet the independent woman she was gave her cause to stand her ground.

"If this is just another one of your silly mind games, then you can leave here immediately!" she seethed, pointing towards the door.

Sherlock, realizing that his sincerity was not yet clear, softened his voice. "Moriarty is dead, but his network thrives. I must end it. I don't know if I'll make it out alive, but I must try nonetheless." The detective looked straight into the woman's eyes. "And you Irene, are the one to whom I have yet to say goodbye."

Her face softened as she understood the truth to his words. The pair's eyes flicked back and forth, searching within the other's mind. And, with a burst of passion the woman reached up, crashing her lips into his. This time the consulting detective did not resist. Irene swung her hands into his curls and their bodies pressed closer together. Inexperience got the best of him as Sherlock's hands only slowly found their way to the small of her back. He did however try to match her passion as he deepened their kiss.

This moment was truly a longtime coming.