[ A/N ] Hello there! I was so nervous about posting this as it is my first fanfiction. Sorry if there are any mistakes.

Credit goes to the BBC for bringing the amazing Sherlock to our screens and talented Landon Austin for the amazing song 'Once in a Lifetime' which inspired me to write this.

Enjoy!

[ Once in a Lifetime ]
[ Chapter One ]

A summer rain is passing over. And it feels like a dream.
-Landon Austin 'Once in a Lifetime'

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The night sky was covered in dark clouds as the weather settled into a gentle downpour. A young twenty something stumbled blindly through the dark, the rain tracing rivers on her face and dripping off the tip of her nose. She didn't know where she was going; she didn't even know where she was. All she knew is that she had to get as far away from this horrid place as possible.

She could barely feel her feet. She didn't know if they were numb from the cold or from the pain of running on gravel. That being said, her clothing was soaked so any other feeling she had left in her body was slowly fading. She wasn't wearing much in the first place, just a floral printed dress and denim jacket, the clothing she had been wearing when they took her. Her head spun to look behind her, nothing followed but darkness. Her legs pushed her forward as if on auto pilot, yet she felt as if she wasn't moving. She began to wonder if this was just another sick game they had decided to punish her with. That was when she started to make out the faint outline of a fence.

"No, no, no. Please no." she muttered under her breath. She turned to check behind her once more before approaching the fence. It was large, chain link, at least three meters high and topped with razor wire. Her breath began to quicken as she felt her heart beat faster. She walked along its perimeter; her hands frantically searching for an opening. She had walked at least thirty meters before she found a small cut where the fence joined to a poll. Kneeling down she pushed at the gap, creating a larger opening. She held it up as she forced her head and shoulders through before pulling the rest of her body to the other side. The fence snagged on her dress and created a large slash in the side.

She stood up, now covered in mud, adding to the blood on her stained clothing from her previous injuries. As she began running she tripped and fell. As she looked up she saw that she wasn't on gravel anymore, but on a road. Her vision started to blur as she looked to her left and saw the bright glow of the city. Careful not to fall again, she got up once more and foot by foot headed to the city.

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She had been ducking between alleyways and under bridges and overpasses for what seemed like an eternity. Sticking to the shadows; she begged her legs to push her further. She was sure they would be out looking for her, unless they thought she was already dead. The rain began to clear as she leaned against the wall of a thin alleyway, filled with rubbish, empty bottles and old cardboard boxes. Her head felt light as she fought to remain conscious. She didn't want to fall asleep, mainly because she was scared that if she did, she wouldn't wake up. Daylight had to come soon, she needed it to come soon. She was exhausted, dehydrated, hungry and frozen to the bone. Making it out of this alive would be a miracle. Looking around she tried to focus on something. Anything. That was when she saw a cab pull up across the street. Two men emerged from the cab. The first was tall, with dark hair and a dark coat. The second was much shorter with lighter hair and also wearing a dark coat. Her head lolled to the side as her vision began to blur again. Losing balance, despite leaning on the wall she fell towards the ground. Her arms catching her right before her head made contact with the concrete. Shutting her eyes tight she tried to shake the feeling before looking up again. The first man was gone but the second was making his way across the street.

She pushed herself back up and stumbled backwards towards the wall she had been leaning on earlier. The man from across the street approached her with worry written all over his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his eyes examining her injuries in the dim light. He saw very little of her face as it was mostly covered in her dark, long tangled hair. But what he could see there were bruises along with a few visible cuts littered across her face and neck, her clothes were covered in blood that he assumed was her own. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out "You're hurt" he stated simply. She looked down at her clothing and shut her eyes tight, trying to shake the dizziness she was feeling before looking back up at him. "Look, I'm a doctor I can –" his voice sounded hollow and faded away as her vision blurred once more and she began to waver to the side. She didn't even feel the hand he put on her shoulder to steady her before she collapsed onto the ground.

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"Sherlock!" John Watson yelled up the stairs of 221B. "Sherlock! I need your help!" when there wasn't an answer from his flat mate he uttered a few words under his breath as he grabbed the handrail. He had the unconscious girl draped over his shoulders, which had made him slightly unbalanced, he had carried people this way before, multiple times actually; it was an almost daily occurrence when he was serving in Afghanistan. He cautiously ascended the stairwell keeping a firm grip on the handrail.

When he finally reached the top, he saw Sherlock's coat and scarf hanging on the door, the man himself was lying on the couch. His eyes were closed and his fingertips pressed together, resting on his chin. "Sherlock, do you think you could sit somewhere else?" John asked quietly, his voice slightly straining from having to carry the girl up the flight of stairs.

"Shhh John, I'm thinking" he replied calmly. Not even moving an inch.

"Sherlock." John said firmly. He adjusted the girl's position as Sherlock released a loud sigh and tilted his head back over the arm of the couch. He opened one eye to look at John and the odd girl draped across his shoulders whom he had just noticed. Silence filled the room as Sherlock wandered across to the window. John gently put the girl on the couch. Gently he removed her jacket and put her into the recovery position. Before hurrying out of the room and downstairs; presumably to Mrs Hudson.

Sherlock watched the sleeping girl; her clothing was soaked, as was her hair. She was very pale, the only colour on her body came in a mixture of dirt and blood along with the various cuts and bruises she had on her face and neck; yet she seemed familiar. There was blood soaked into the collar and left shoulder of her jacket which had many rips, but rips that were made purposely rather than accidentally. She wore a flora printed dress that came to just above her knees; there was a large slash in the side which he deduced was caused by the dress getting caught on something. She had bare feet, both of which were very dirty; her shoes were nowhere to be seen. Then there were her legs, both knees were grazed and her right one was currently bleeding. He was about to examine her closer when he heard John ascending the stairs. He returned to look out of the window occasionally glancing back towards John and the unconscious stranger to whom he was tending.

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It was almost two in the morning when he decided to recline to his chair. He hadn't said anything all night John had explained to him everything he knew about the girl including the fact that he assumed she had hyperthermia but that aside that information everything John had given him was utterly useless. So he returned his mind to the case that Lestrade had given him. Three murders in the past month, all the same. Cause of death; a single stab wound to the heart. Following the murder the killer would prop their victim up into a chair, leaving the murder weapon in the corpse. He was about to go over the crime scene when there was a throaty scream to his left.

John rushed out of the kitchen and over to the girl who was now sitting upright and breathing heavily. "You're alright, you're alright. You're safe now" John said in a hushed voice. After he managed to calm down the young woman, he helped her sit up and gave her a glass of water. "My name is John Watson. I'm a doctor, I found you across the street. You were in a bad state"

"Wh—" her voice croaked as she began to speak "Where am I?" she enquired slowly her voice barely audible.

"221B Baker Street" John's head spun round, he was about to answer the woman when Sherlock spoke first, his sight fixed on the girl as he stood up. "May I have you name?" she looked at him with wide eyes, unsure of whether to answer. "Your name." He prompted.

"Sherlock don't." John warned as he looked back at the girl. She swallowed and then replied.

"Gwen. Gwendolyn Bishop."

So there was the first chapter. I hope you enjoyed :) Please remember to review and tell me what you think, if you have any ideas or suggestions please, please, please let me know and constructive criticism is greatly appreciated!