Chapter One

"Three Boxes on a Row"

Watson got to the lobby just to see Holmes leaning over a gigantic wooden box. It had holes in it, and had come in after someone knocked at the door some minutes earlier.

Her first impression was a flat NO WAY followed by several hypothetical speeches and the word "boundaries" flouting all around the air. None of it was spoken, as usual, but Watson knew a bit afterwards she'd wonder why she hadn't stopped the situation at that precise moment.

Holmes looked up and the shadow of a half-smile ran over his face.

"It's arrived, Watson. At last."

"What? Who? That box?"

Holmes nodded, excited. His big eyes were fully open.

"I've waited for months but it's finally here. I'll open it now, would you like to see?"

Watson was about to ask what was in the box when Holmes broke the seals and cracked it open. Inside was another box, but smaller. A dog cage, it seemed.

Another NO WAY burst in Watson's chest and made its way to her mouth.

Holmes was about to open the cage when she yelled.

"What is it, Watson?" he asked, faking innocence, and getting back to his unlocking.

Here Watson regretted her previous decision of not saying anything.

"You didn't get a dog, Sherlock. You couldn't have," explained Watson, quickly. She muttered a lot and couldn't believe what lay before her eyes.

Holmes finished with the lock and examined the interior.

"Not a mere dog, Watson," he replied, and stood up. "It is a most exquisite, finely hand-bred hunting dog and, I must add, a future partner," he glanced at her seriously, standing tall.

"You wouldn't have gotten a dog without my consent, since we are partners already, d'you remember?" she said, annoyed. The idea just seemed illogical, completely out of madness. "What would you like a dog for? Here?! We can't have any pets or an-" she started.

Holmes interrupted her with a hand movement.

"It's not a pet, Watson. It isn't now and it won't be. It is an experiment of my own, and, as it is required by the experiment, a future partner. Now, please hand me over that box."

Beside the stairs, a third box previously used to keep books had been covered in newspapers and was ready to receive a new occupant. The books were over the table in the living room.

Watson gave it to Holmes and continued.

"Sherlock, I think you don't understand. I live here too, and as we had agreed to do with other chores, a dog is a common responsibility; in fact, it is an enormous responsibility, and you're not prepared for that!"

Ignoring her, Holmes put his hands inside, and softly pulled out a dead weight. He put it on the third box, even smaller, and proceeded to extract the remains of the other two to the street.

"Not to mention," added Watson, "that you didn't even tell me of your ideas months ago when you thought of getting the dog!" She followed him around the house as she spoke. He seemed to bare all the scolds without a noise. "Why aren't you answering to me?!"

He turned to face her.

"Truth is, Watson, that I ordered the item before I was out rehab. This animal has been on my plans for some months now, and since I have it handy, why wouldn't I continue with the experiment? I'm actually excited about the possible discoveries. I'm writing a monograph-"

"To hell with your monographs!" she shouted. "Sherlock, why didn't you tell me? This is a big thing, y'know. It's a living being, not an item, look at it!"

Saying so, Watson then noticed the dog. They were by the stairs again, and she truly saw it for the first time. It wasn't a very large animal, and it didn't have, it seemed, a definite breed. It looked a bit like a Cocker Spaniel, though, with bits here and there of other hunting dogs. A medium sized tail, mainly brown body, a quite short snout. Nothing special about it but the fact that the item looked cute and was asleep.

She turned to Holmes, who was resisting a smile. He raised a hand with a pamphlet in it.

"These are the item's papers. Instructions. I have now become the proud owner of a Moffet Dog."