A/N: I do not own Sherlock Holmes or any characters related to the books written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, I am simply a fan and I receive no money for this story.

I've rewritten this chapter after some people made some comments. I'm glad that some people can enjoy this fanfiction but for those who don't, you're also entitled to your opinion, but this story is for my own enjoyment more than anyone else so even if no one likes this fanfiction I'll still keep writing. After all, no one is forcing you to read this.

Chapter 1

The Woman

Holmes sat gently strumming his violin while slowly smoking his pipe and gazing into the blazing embers of the fire. His friend, Dr. Watson, on the other hand sat at his desk reviewing his patient files. The warm fire crackled as Watson looked up from his work to observe his friend, Sherlock Holmes, the famous detective. Removing his reading glasses Watson rubbed his weary eyes.

"Holmes…" he began to say but before he could continue Holmes said,

"It appears as though we are in luck Watson, Lestrade appears to be in need of our assistance."

Hearing this Watson stood up from the table and walked towards the window overlooking the London Street below and surely enough Lestrade at that very moment was stepping out of a carriage.

Now standing beside the window himself a perplexed expression crossed over Holmes's face but when Watson turned to look at him more clearly the cold and calm visage so synonymous with his friend was all that he saw.

'A trick of the light perhaps' Watson wondered to himself, for he hardly ever saw Holmes confused.

Holmes suddenly turned from the window and made his way to the door to greet the Scotland Yard Constable. Holmes paused momentarily before opening the door.

Lestrade stood looking at Holmes while struggling with some packages in his arms he appeared surprised at seeing Holmes, before composing himself and saying,

"Good evening Detective, Dr Watson, you are both well I hope."

Watson wondered at Lestrade's surprise as Holmes had often anticipated his arrival before, until that is a voice was heard across the hall from them.

"Lestrade, I have been waiting for you. I hope the thief has not caused you too much trouble."

Curious to discover who the lady was, as the voice was decidedly feminine, Watson made his way towards the door where Holmes was standing. Watson did not fail to notice that his friends had been tightly gripping the door to their apartment with his attention still focused on the Constable.

Slowly however all three men turned to look at the smiling young woman stepping forward towards them from the darkness of the hallway.

Her dress was entirely plain, yet because of the beauty that glowed from the face of the woman who wore it, the dress captivated the attention of all whom saw her. The white satin dress framed her body perfectly and enhanced the milky-white complexion of the slender figure before them, while the blue trimming brought out the light blue-green eyes of the young lady. Her auburn hair meanwhile was loosely placed in a bun that was held together by a jade hair clip with a few whips of hair falling down her pale white neck and framing her face.

Lestrade finally broke the awed silence, "How on earth did you know I was almost robbed, Miss Elizabeth?"

The girl simply waved her hand and said, "I have no time for such trifles."

Watson was struck at how that simple act reminded him of Holmes.

She continued with a smile,

"Forgive me Lestrade, perhaps we could continue this discussion in my apartment and perhaps the detective and good doctor may be so good as to join us."

Watson turned to see how his friend had reacted to the young lady's behavior but his friend showed no emotion at all and simply began to follow Lestrade towards the apartment above them.

"Make yourselves comfortable while the constable and I take these packages to my room."

And with that Holmes and Watson were left to stand in the middle of the apartment.

Though Holmes did not speak Watson could see his companion was already taking in every aspect of the room as he too was. And no doubt Holmes must be also as surprised as Watson was of the appearance of the room. Though obviously much more organized and cleaner the apartment appeared to be an exact duplicate of their own.

Elizabeth closed the door quietly behind her.

"Lestrade I told you to simply have a messenger send the packages to me. Now the detective knows I'm here," she said angrily as she paced her room.

"I am sorry Miss but I had thought it would be better if I…"

But seeing the threatening look that Elizabeth gave him Lestrade promptly stopped talking.

With a sigh she said, "No matter, I understand that you have your reasons but I had wished to delay our meeting."

Opening one of the packages she walked over to the other side of her bed where she had a glass of water, she swallowed an assortment of the pills from the package before tightly rewrapping it. Straightening herself she said to Lestrade,

"It will make my mission much harder now."

"Holmes, what do you make of our new acquaintance?" Watson questioned as he passed a hand over the cream colored armchairs and sofa positioned in front of the warm fire.

Holmes folded his arms in response and simply said, "No data Watson."

"No data? Come now Holmes, you have ascertained a person's entire history and rank by a simple glance and yet this young woman, Miss Elizabeth as Lestrade called her, is a mystery to you? I cannot believe…"

But Holmes raised his hand to stop Watson saying any more for at that moment both Lestrade and Elizabeth returned to the room.

"I am sorry to keep you waiting. My name is Elizabeth," she bowed slightly before gesturing for them to sit.

As Watson prepared to sit Elizabeth placed a hand on his arm and presented him with a silver box.

"For your leg Dr Watson," She smiled warmly.

"My leg?" Watson stood dumbfounded at Elizabeth.

"Yes, I noticed the lag in your step before," she responded calmly seating herself in an armchair adjacent to Holmes.

Perhaps it was from the shadows cast by the fire but Watson thought he had seen a shadow cross the young lady's face as she glanced at Holmes. But the next instant her smile returned and she turned again to Watson.

"It's an oil mixture that I've formulated, you simply rub the oil where you feel any aches, it usually leaves a cold sensation on the wound," she began to explain.

"Thank you," Watson said gratefully and he would have questioned her further had not Holmes given him another silencing look.

After a moments pause Miss Elizabeth stood up and offered them all some tea. While she prepared the tea Watson began talking animatedly with Lestrade on a recent mystery that Holmes had helped solve. Holmes meanwhile took the opportunity while Miss Elizabeth's back was turned to take in every detail of her and her apartment.

When she turned to offer them the tea Holmes took his pipe from his jacket pocket and would have lighted it had not Elizabeth turned to him abruptly,

"Detective, though you may choose to poison your lungs and body, I do not, so would you please refrain from smoking in my presence."

Without objection Holmes placed the pipe on a nearby table and turned his attention to the fire once more.

Lestrade meanwhile was nervously tapping his fingers on the arm of his chair. As Elizabeth turned to sit Holmes finally spoke,

"May I ask Miss Elizabeth where you purchased that beautiful and intricate jade hair clip?"

Her blue eyes, which just a moment ago resembled the deep blue sea, changed to a cold and yet at the same time sad gaze. As one slender arm reached up the touch the clip in her hair she turned her face away from Holmes and in a soft voice she said,

"A gift from my grandmother before she died."

"I am sorry," Holmes began to say

Elizabeth turned her gaze back to Holmes and continued in the same soft voice,

"Are you really?"

But before Holmes could answer her questioning gaze Lestrade interrupted them.

"I believe a proper introduction is in order," giving Miss Elizabeth a questioning glance.

"Liz is a friend of…a close relation of mine. She has come to visit me and to see the sights of London. I came tonight with the intention of introducing you to her Holmes," Lestrade looked at Holmes as he said this, "I hope that you may take care of her while I am away with work."

Elizabeth frowned slightly, "I hardly need a m…" she paused as she looked at Holmes, "any protection, I am quite capable of taking care of myself Lestrade, as I'm sure you know," and with those words she stood up angrily from her seat and walked to window.

Obviously taken aback Lestrade sat quietly drinking his tea. Watson was surprised to see Holmes smile behind his own cup of tea.

"Ah yes, Holmes," Lestrade said finally composing himself, "I need you to accompany me back to Scotland Yard to give some evidence."

Holmes chuckled slightly, "By which I presume you mean help."

Elizabeth turned at hearing this and gave Holmes a disgusted look before sitting down once more in her seat before saying,

"Detective…"

"Please Miss Elizabeth call me Sherlock Holmes," Holmes interrupted.

Elizabeth paused before continuing,

"Detective,"

Holmes hid another smile behind his cup as he listened intently.

"Would you mind telling me about your past history?"

The smile faded from Holmes' face as his business-like visage returned, "I am not one who shares personal details at a whim," he finished rather bitterly.

Watson and Lestrade exchanged surprised looks, as it was a rare occasion indeed when Holmes would lose his temper so easily.

It was Elizabeth's turn to smile behind her tea and once again Watson was struck by the similarities between their new acquaintance and Holmes.

"I simply meant your previous work as a detective, but perhaps we could discuss this another time as I believe that we must be leaving now Lestrade," as she said this she walked towards the door to her room, "Would you be so kind as to wait in the foyer while I prepare myself."

"Where are we going?" Watson questioned the others as Elizabeth disappeared to her room.

"Scotland Yard," Holmes answered.