**ONE BIG AUTHOR'S NOTE: This fanic is written a little differently. It jumps back and forth between the present and past. To avoid confusion, pay close attention to the bold italics that contain the date and time. This will clearly explain the time period in which the fanfic is occurring. I shall also post the date in time as chapters to make it easier.

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The Vengeful Jewel

Tuesday, January 19, 1891
9:45 a.m.

The infuriated man threw another punch at his dark-haired, agile opponent. The latter ducked with obvious ease and shifted behind the man to slap him lightly against the back of the head. The man spun around and lunged at his enemy only to have his prey dance nimbly away from his grasping fingers and land another slap against his hand.

Dr. John Watson watched the fight with his brow raised in amusement. He stood silently, leaning his shoulder against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest; his cane held loosely between his fingers.

His fellow onlooker fidgeted nervously at his side, wringing her silken handkerchief with her hands as she watched the ongoing fight. Her eyes flitted to the doctor beside her.

"Aren't you going to stop them?" she asked, her velvety voice quivering in an almost alluring fashion.

Watson didn't even spare her a glance. He kept his eyes on the two fighters. Particularly the dark-haired man wearing a wrinkled white shirt and black slacks.

"No," he sighed dismissively. "Let them get it out of their systems."

"But, what if they get hurt?" the woman questioned, her wide eyes blinking in shock as the dark-haired man dropped to the ground to kick the legs of his opponent out from under him, sending the man crashing down to the floor.

"Don't worry ma'am," Watson shrugged with little warmth. "I'm a doctor."

"You're also my assistant," the dark-haired man called suddenly, shifting his gaze to the audience for only a second before returning his attention to his rising adversary. "So start assisting."

"Not my fight, Holmes," Watson called back with finality.

Holmes grunted in response but was unable to argue as the man swiped a clenched fist at his face. Holmes dodged around it and closed the distance between himself and his opponent. Startled, the other man took a step back just as Holmes threw his open palm against the man's chest. The man stumbled backwards and tripped. Again he fell.

"That's never stopped you in the past," Holmes protested childishly, shooting a pouting plea at Watson.

"No time like the present to try something new," Watson replied snidely. His patronizing gaze shifted past Holmes as his face frowned with boredom. Yet the detective was able to detect the slightest flicker of concern in those glistening pools of blue.

"Behind you," Watson said simply.

"Thank you," Holmes said as he spun around just in time to block the man's right hook. Holmes pushed the arm away and rewarded the man with a slap to the shoulder.

Watson sighed. "I do wish you wouldn't bring your work home with you."

Holmes delivered a sharp jab of his fingers to the man's ribs, causing his opponent to yelp in pain and totter back; gripping his stinging side. Momentarily relieved of his battle, Holmes turned to fully face Watson.

"Now my dear Watson, you know as well as I that I did not bring my work with me. It merely followed me. And I'd appreciate it if you –"

His sentence was cut short as the man jumped forward with a furious cry and slammed into Holmes, grabbing the detective's legs and causing both men to tumble to the ground in a tangled mass of limbs. Holmes quickly detached himself and countered with a swift elbow to the man's spine as punishment for having interrupted him.

Watson sighed again and shook his head disapprovingly. He glanced over at the woman fidgeting beside him. Her eyes were open wide with pained horror as her husband lay gasping on the floor with a bruising back.

Her hand moved to her chest anxiously as her delicate fingers wrapped around the jewel that adorned her throat.

Watson recognized the jewel and knew that, until yesterday, the jewel had not been in the woman's possession. He knew because he and Holmes had been the two sent out to reclaim it. He also knew that it was because of that very case that Holmes was currently fighting the husband of the woman who had hired Holmes and Watson to find her missing necklace.

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Yay! Another fanfic. I've been working on this one for a while and am pleased to finally be posting it. Just a forewarning: this fic is considerably longer than my others and shall be spanning over several chapters.

After reading the Sherlock Holmes novels, I felt considerably compelled to write my own case. Hope it's enjoyed.

**Remember: take note of the date and time.**

Until next time,
Hoeby-ho!