Hi everyone! This is kinda my first fanfiction. I have to say, I don't know if I will finish it, because, frankly I'm not sure where the story is going... It just sort of popped into my head. Anyway... I hope you will enjoy it, and reviews are welcome.

Also.. If anyone would like to voluntear as a beta reader, I would be very thankful. English is my second language, and I may make some mistakes. Until then... bare with me...

'John, hurry up, we are loosing him!' yelled the running detective, as he turned at the street corner and then he promptly stopped barely avoiding to crush the person he bumped into and sent to the ground.

'Holy...!' cursed a young female voice as the doctor caught up with Sherlock and found a most peculiar scene. There was a girl on the ground, stacks of books scattered around her where she had dropped them, and then there was Sherlock on all fours above the poor girl, just getting up.

'Damn, we lost him! It will be another week to track him down after this...' cursed the detective again, as he ran frustrated fingers through his hair – and all the while ignoring the girl on the ground – noted

John. He sighed and stepped closer to the redhead, pulling her up from where she sat, a bit confused.

'We are sorry miss, are you ll right?' he said, and flashed an angry look at Sherlock. The detective looked back at him, unamused.

The girl stood then gathered her books hurriedly, then started to walk away, muttering an 'I'm OK.' as she passed by them. John watched her sympathetically, but the detective took a few long strides to catch up with her and extended a hand to her shoulder as a way of stopping the girl. She turned, a questioning look in her eyes.

'Sir?'

'You are obviously not OK.' the detective said.

'I'am, Sir, perfectly fine.' she smiled back reassuringly.

'Your breath caught, as you first put weight on your right foot, so you are obviously in pain every time you step on it. You have bags under your eyes, you are pale and your stomach is constantly growling, from which I think you haven't eaten in at least two days. You are not a homeless, since you don't smell bad, and have decent clothing, and you are carrying used books, probably to be sold for a little money to eat. You have an American-ish accent, but not quite, so I assume you are a foreigner...' as Sherlock deduced all that from the girl, she just looked at him, a still smiling mask on her face, desperately trying not to give anything away. Which meant that there was something to give away...

'Everything is fine, sir, would you be so kind as to let me go?' she asked, trying her best to be as polite as she could be.

Sherlock then caught her right arm, and yanked her hard into the same direction, which forced the girl to side step with her right leg to keep her balance. Sherlock watched as the girl realized his intention at the exact time he reached for her. Fast thinking – he noted. He still stared at the girl's face and didn't miss the flood of thoughts passing on her face :"tired...slow reflexes...had already reached me...too late to do anything now...last option: brace yourself."

The girl hissed through her clenched teeth as all her weight suddenly dropped on her right foot, and managed to stumble into Sherlock and not the ground, hugging her books to herself with her left hand, so she wouldn't drop them again. The detective steadied her again, a curious look on his face.

'What my friend here means is, is there anything we can help you with? We owe you that much after this...' John stepped in, before Sherlock completely crushed the poor girl's facade.

She looked at John, a bit uncertain, then back at Sherlock, then at John again.

'I... Well...' she struggled, and it was painfully obvious to John that this girl was not used to asking for, or accepting help. He gave her a warm smile, trying to encourage her.

She sighed and looked at the ground, defeated.

'I was kicked out of my flat since I couldn't pay the rent for a while now... That was two days ago. I slept in parks, and all my belongings were stolen, except for my books here... so... if you could just put me up for the night, I'd be very grateful.' she said.

John's eyes filled with pity and too the girl by the arm, helping to support her weight. She let him...

Barely..

'It's all right. We can do that, and maybe when we get home, you could tell us more about yourself.'