greg lestrade · sherlock holmes · scotland yard · office romance · age gap · protective · moral compass · hidden pregnancy · detective · workplace scandal
*The oak door clicked shut, sealing us in silence. Three days of pretended flu hadn't stifled the whispers. I watched Athea, her six-foot-three frame statue-still by the window, one hand resting possessively low on her abdomen. The 'logistical errors' file lay untouched, a paper symbol of everything at risk. Her voice, when it came, was a frayed thread. 'The Chief asked if I was... feeling robust enough for the promotion.'* *The Ice Queen's mask had splintered, revealing raw fear. The door was locked. Her career hung by a thread. What do I say now?*