I own nothing you recognize. Only original characters and storylines are my own.

It Begins

Kitty Riley stepped into her flat feeling pleased with herself. Her exclusive story on "the fake genius" Sherlock Holmes had just been sold to a thousand markets and movie rights were being optioned. After years of fighting for the front page and going to desperate lengths to find the story that would put her on the map and all it took was one night in a pub with a stranger to make her dreams come true. Smiling smugly she set her keys on the hook by her door and took out her mobile. She was so busy reading her emails and various accolades that she screamed in surprise as the light in the room turned on and when her eyes got used to the light she jumped again as she noticed a woman sitting in her reading chair, stroking her cat.

"Quite a nice flat you have here Miss Riley. I'd expect you to move to a more prominent location with your new notoriety. You are in the midst of your fifteen minutes of fame, it's time to do all those nouveau riche things your heart desires before there's a new kid on the block. Before someone cuts you down in your prime." The woman smiled predatorily before she set the cat down and Kitty's heart finally started to slow and she stood tall as she confronted the woman who was worryingly calm despite her breaking and entering.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my flat?" Kitty asked in a voice that belied her fear and the woman merely smiled wider and took a breath.

"My name is Electra and I'm here to make you see just how poisonous your pen is. Due to your salacious storytelling and untold ignorance a brilliant and wondrous man killed himself and you are going to pay for that." The woman, Electra, spoke as she rose and Kitty found herself involuntarily taking a step back but quickly defended herself.

"That wasn't my fault, it was Sherlock Holmes' fault. His lies-" She desperately pleaded and the woman held up her hand.

"You misunderstand me Miss Riley. The brilliant and wondrous man I'm talking about IS Sherlock Holmes. You've spread lies about him and I'm here to teach you the value of honesty. I admit, you were played with like a cat with a string but still you were a part of Sherlock's disgrace and subsequent death and that means you have to pay." Electra said with a hint of malicious glee. "Don't worry, I won't kill you. I don't like the mess of having to hire a cleaner and find a reasonable excuse to tell your family, it's all just way too much to do for one worthless person."

"What is it that makes me worthless?" Kitty asked, her pride coming to the fore and Electra clapped like an excited child.

"I just love it when my toys give me an opening like that, it's just too easy. First of all you've got a pedestrian mind and think of yourself too highly. You aren't brilliant, you never were and the string of barely passed courses in university prove as much. Secondly, you let emotion get the better of you and Sherlock offended you and you let your personal grudge come forward in your writing, showing just how flawed you truly are. Didn't you learn in your courses that the first rule of investigative reporting is objectivity?" She asked and Kitty glared at her which caused Electra to smile sweetly and begin a further attack which was thwarted by her phone beeping. Lifting her finger to stall for a moment Electra picked up the phone and read the text.

J having a bad night -A

With a sigh that sounded like pure, unfiltered, sadness she put away her phone and raised her eyes to Kitty once more.

"Well darling, it looks like it's your lucky day. Someone who's actually worth something needs my help and I'd do anything for them. So here's the cliffsnotes version of my speech. Your life will begin to unravel. First career then personal life will suffer. There's nothing you can do to stop it and I will know if you approach the police. Doing so will just speed up the inevitable destruction. Have a good night Ms. Riley, it's the last one you'll have in a while." With that Electra walked passed Kitty depositing her cat in her arms then left the apartment, looking for all the world like she was the one who lived there and Kitty was the interloper.

Walking up the steps of 221b Baker Street is a painful experience but it's something she needs to do. With Sherlock's death she had taken it upon herself to care for the one he left behind and she was going to do her very best. With a sigh she knocked on the door and luckily only had to wait a few moments for it to be answered by a harried looking Mrs. Hudson.

"Oh, Iffy dear, I'm so happy to see you. John's in a bad way." Mrs. Hudson said by way of greeting and Iffy, codename Electra, nodded.

"I had a feeling it was a bad night." And Anthea warned me, she thought sadly. "Where is he, his room or the main flat?"

"The main flat, he hasn't left his armchair in hours." Mrs. Hudson fretted and Iffy just nodded and rested her hand gently on the older woman's arm before she walked silently past and up the steps to the flat.

She took out the key she'd been given during her first emergency visit and let herself in, mindful to make noise so as not to spook John if he had his sig. Her eyes adjusted quickly to the darkness when she entered the flat but it still took longer than anticipated to spot John. The man had folded in on himself, sitting hunched as fine tremors wracked his body anf Iffy felt relief. If he was to the sobbing stage that meant the worst was over. She'd just wished she would have been informed earlier so as to have prevented it. Straightening her shoulders she closed the door behind her and walked to the chair, kneeling down. As her head became level with John's he looked up and she smiled warmly at him.

"Hello John." She spoke quietly, soothingly, and he took a deep breath.

"Iffy, what are you doing here?" He asked and she smiled as she slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through his hair.

"I heard you were having a bad night." Was all the explanation she gave and John nodded. He'd have to do another sweep for bugs sometime soon, it was the only way she could have known about this. "Want to talk about it?"

"Three years ago today I moved into this flat with the most brilliant and maddening man I'd ever known and now he's gone." John spoke simply and Iffy nodded as her eyes grew wet. There was a reason she implemented Stage One of her plan today of all days. It was the day her brother found the other half of his soul.

"He's gone but you're still here John, you're here to live on and love on because he isn't. He would hate to see you like this, he'd call you an idiot for getting so sentimental." That got the desired laugh out of the man and she smiled a small smile as she continued. "Now, it's late and you and I have to meet with Mr. Sardis tomorrow, unless you're fine with me going alone?"

"No, I'm going with you. I don't trust him. Alright, I'll be fine. Would you stay the night?" John asked and Iffy smiled.

"Of course John, why don't you head on to bed and I'll go upstairs. I believe I left some clothes the last time I stayed over." She squeezed his hand and stood before she helped him from the chair.

"Thank you for this Iffy, I didn't know what to do with myself." John said gratefully and Iffy pulled him into a hug.

"We're family John, I'll always be here if you need me. Goodnight." Iffy let him go and nudged him off to the bedroom that he used to share with her brother . Once she heard the door click shut she buried her head in her hands and wept silently. Sherlock broke more than one person when he took his life and tonight reminded her painfully of just how broken she still was.


...


Author's Note:

This story takes place post Reichenbach and at the beginning of the story Sherlock will just be a presence in memories. The main character will be an original female character of my creation. My hope is that she's not a Marysue, and I'll try not to go that route. Any constructive criticism is accepted and if you have any questions please feel free to review or send me a private message.

This is my first foray into the Sherlock fandom and I hope I do it justice. Thank you all in advance for reading and reviewing.