I slapped Holmes on the cheek glaring at him in my sitting room. He seemed to be expecting that after he said that I should except that I was a woman and could not do the things that a man can do. He stared at me stone faced.
"How dare you! Women can do anything Holmes!"
"Russell, you are young and as such do not understand that in my experience….."
I slapped him again only this time he slapped me.
"In my experience I find women to be in the way."
"You slapped me?" I said, smoothing my cheek.
"Yes, right after you slapped me."
I stepped closer to him ready to argue with him again. Watson walked over pulling us apart.
"Mary, perhaps we should leave this argument for later. This is supposed to be an enjoyable evening."
I looked at him then at Holmes.
"Fine, I will hold my anger in, but let me tell you something Holmes. I have found that men are in the way and are useless when the chips are down."
He watched me walk by without a look. Watson sighed looking at Holmes who looked at him.
"Holmes, behave yourself."
"I don't know what you are talking about." Holmes said
I helped Uncle John on with his coat later as he and Holmes were leaving. Holmes nodded to me then he went out the door. I sighed watching Uncle John turn to me.
"Thank you for a wonderful evening."
"Tell Holmes I am sorry."
"I will not tell him that. I think Holmes is wrong. Women can do anything. Just let him stew a bit then he will be back to his old self." He said, kissing my cheek before leaving.
I watched him leave as I looked outside. Holmes came back the next week looking for me in the house. I stood outside cutting roses in the back garden. He came out walking over.
"Come to apologize?" I asked
When he didn't answer I looked at him.
"What's wrong?"
"Did you go see a man named Andrew Sable early this morning?"
"I don't believe I know the name." I said, looking down.
He grabbed my arms pulling me to look at him.
"Did you?"
"Why?"
"I want to know."
"Yes, I did meet a man named Andrew on the street. He seemed nice."
He let me go staring me down.
"Holmes, tell me what this is about?"
"You are never to see him again." He said, walking back to the house.
"Holmes, unless you tell me more information than if I want to see him I will."
He turned looking at me. I watched him walk over.
"All right Russell, you should trust my word, but if you want to question me then I shall tell you. This man is a mastermind of crime. He has had three wives that all have been found dead in suspicious ways. If you get caught up in his world he will most certainly kill you. That is why I ask you never to see him again."
"You could have just said that in the first place."
"I shouldn't have to explain the reasons! Have you not learned that when I say something that you should listen!" He yelled, leaving.
I threw down my things marching inside following him. Que came out into the hallway behind me curious to know what was going on.
"You can't talk to me like that!"
He glared at me before slamming the door leaving. I sighed looking at the door. Que watched me turn going past him to the kitchen.
"I don't understand what is wrong with him. He has never yelled at me before." I said, looking at Uncle John as we sat in his office. "I was angry, but now I just feel like I should have just stayed quiet."
"Mary, the way he talked to you was rude and uncalled for. I will talk to him. Something is bothering him."
I nodded looking down.
Watson walked into Mycroft's home seeing Holmes putting on his coat near the door.
"Watson, what brings you here?"
"Holmes could we talk in the sitting room?" He asked
"I am rather busy at present."
"Please Holmes I will not take up much time."
Holmes motioned him to go as he followed. Holmes closed the door looking at Watson who looked at him.
"Holmes what is the matter with you?"
"What do you mean?" Holmes asked
"Your letting out some frustration out on Mary and I want to know why?"
"Watson, I assure you nothing is wrong." He said, calmly.
"Something is….you are not acting like yourself."
Holmes looked down moving over to the window.
"Holmes?" Watson said, looking at him with concern.
"Today is the anniversary of…..the woman." He said
"Oh." Watson said, looking down "I thought you were over that."
"I will never be over that Watson."
"Holmes, she died years ago. You can't tell me that she affected you that much."
"I have never met such a woman and I never will."
Watson watched him a moment as he looked out again. I smiled as Uncle John came in seeing me.
"Hello." I said
"Hello." He said, hugging me "I talked to Holmes. Don't worry about his mood. He is going through something. In a few days he will be fine."
"Good." I said, even though I was very curious about what this was about.
The next week I ran in the rain to Uncle John's house since I was closer to his place. He opened the door seeing that I looked like a drowned rat. He had me change into an oversized robe and a pair of slippers. I came down into the sitting room touching my wet hair looking at him as he turned from the fire looking at me.
"How do I look?" I asked
"The robe is a little big, but you do look very nice." He said, smiling.
I smiled walking over sitting on the floor in front of the fireplace. Watson went to get us some hot tea. Minutes later we were drinking silently looking at the fire.
"Uncle John, you said that Holmes was going through something. What is he going through?"
He looked at me then down at his cup in his hand.
"Please tell me." I asked
He sighed looking at the fire then at me.
"Holmes was in his early forties when he met this woman. She was intelligent, beautiful, and scheming. Holmes and she were on opposite sides. He was infatuated with her. One night he found out that she planned to steal a priceless diamond from the Duke of York's home. He waited in the rain for her to appear. She came out and he stopped her ordering the diamond to be returned, but she said no. As she started running away he warned her he would shoot."
"He shot her?"
"Yes, she died in his arms."
I looked at him as he looked at the fire.
"I know that he loved her and he still mourns her death."
"It's hard to believe that Holmes would love anyone that much." I said, looking at the fire.
"I still don't understand the hold she had over him, but he keeps that part a secret."
I sighed looking over at him as he looked at me. I dressed looking outside as the rain tapered off. Uncle John put my coat on me then he turned me around patting my cheek smiling.
"Thank you." I said
"Your welcome."
I hugged him then I went out. He watched me go then he went back to his office. The next week I saw Holmes walking across the street. He seemed troubled as he walked briskly towards something or someone. I followed him as I crossed over seeing that he went to a door of a bricked building looking around before going in. I went to the door looking at it then I stood waiting for him to come out. Two hours later he came out and I saw an older beautiful woman come out with him. He kissed her hand then walked off. She watched him go smiling then she went inside. I followed Holmes down the street again seeing him stop. He turned around seeing me standing alone staring at him.
"Russell."
"Holmes." I said, walking over.
"Why are we following me today?"
"Who was that woman?"
His eyes darted past me then they settled on my face.
"I don't believe that is any of your business."
"You kissed her hands." I said, coming closer.
"Enough! I do not want to talk about this to you or anyone."
"You were in the building for two hours. You kissed that woman's hand's which means you know her very well. She is very beautiful and that can only mean that you knew her long ago. Perhaps she was stealing a diamond?"
He turned red in the face yanking me hard into an alleyway. I winched as he squeezed my arm shoving me against the wall.
"Russell, who ever told you that I will throttle them later. I order you to never speak of this again!"
"Holmes, it's her isn't it? That woman was the woman that you knew years ago?" I asked, searching his face.
"Yes." He said, stepping back from me "We staged her shooting and I gave the diamond back."
"Why?"
"She was employed by Professor Moriarty. I knew as she did that if she failed he would kill her without question. I had no choice but to fake her death and hide her where no one would find her."
"You could have told me."
He turned to me walking over.
"I could not tell anyone. If anyone knew her life would instantly be in danger. I see her every week once a day."
"What is her name?" I asked, already knowing.
He looked at me grabbing my arms.
"You must never tell anyone about her. Not even Watson."
"All right." I said
He nodded taking a breath.
"Her name is Irene Adler."
The name was very familiar from Uncle John's stories. I said nothing more as he let me go watching me. Uncle John came over the next day not seeing me anywhere. Que told him I was out. I entered the house seeing Watson come out of the sitting room smiling at me.
"Mary."
"Hello, how long have you been here?" I asked, seeing Que come out of the kitchen to help me off with my coat.
"Just ten minutes, Que took good care of me."
I nodded smiling at Que before going into the sitting room with Watson.
"Holmes seems to have snapped out of his mood and has agreed to come over for dinner tonight." He said, following me in.
"I don't think I should go." I said
"Why not? I am sure you and Holmes can forgive each other." He said, looking concerned.
"It's not about that. I just have something to do." I said, lying.
He walked over reaching over to touch my cheek.
"Mary, what's wrong?"
"Nothing, I just don't feel that I should go." I said, reaching up to touch his cheek.
"I wish you would."
I moved closer kissing his cheek feeling his head turn and he did the same to me. I moved back looking at him searching his eyes. He looked at me seriously before coughing moving away.
"Well….I should go."
I watched him leave quickly feeling alone I just stood in the same spot. I dressed in a red evening dress and made my way to Watson's. He opened the door in a black tuxedo seeing me. I smiled walking in noting his speechless behavior. I let him have my coat.
"Mary that dress is….exquisite." He said, walking past me to look at it.
"Thank you, I decided to come."
"You are very welcome. Holmes is not here yet. Come and have a drink." He said, leading me inside the sitting room. I watched him pour some wine into a glass handing it to me. I sipped it nodding to him before walking over to stand next to the mantle.
He walked over standing beside me drinking from his glass looking at the room.
"You seem nervous?" I asked
He looked at me before setting his glass down on the mantle. I put my glass next to his then I faced him.
"Mary, I am a man in my fifties and you are just barely twenty. I have no right to think that you and I could be anything but friends, but I can't stop worrying about you."
"Age has nothing to do with anything." I said
"You can't ignore the difference."
"Do you think I care about how old you are, because I do not."
He reached over touching my hands. I smiled moving over kissing him on the lips. He kissed back gently moving back to kiss my head then he looked over seeing Holmes standing in the doorway looking at us.
"Holmes." Watson said, moving away from me. I looked at Holmes who just stood still "Drink Holmes?"
"No, tell me Watson, what do you think I should think after seeing your display?" Holmes asked
"I am not a child Holmes." I said
"Holmes, I like Mary and she feels the same about me." Watson said, standing closer to me.
Holmes walked over to us.
"Russell, surly you can see that this is not something that should take place. You are nineteen and have you're entire life to find a young man to make you happy. This is scandalous"
"You would know about that Holmes." I said
He stared me down as his jaw flexed.
"What is going on?" Watson said
"Nothing, except I am leaving." I said, walking past Holmes and Watson to the hallway.
"Mary, wait!" Watson called, running out grabbing my arm. "Please come and have dinner."
"I can't." I said, kissing his cheek before grabbing my coat running out. He sighed watching me go. Que opened the door for me. I stomped in giving him my coat then I ran upstairs slamming the door. I laid on the bed staring at the window as Que knocked peeking in.
"Are you all right?" He asked, walking over sitting on the bed.
"No."
"Want to talk?"
I sat up looking at him.
"Holmes is impossible."
"Did you fight?"
"Yes." I said, looking down.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"Well you can't live your life hiding behind Mr. Holmes. You need to be yourself. He does not own you."
"Your right, he doesn't." I said "Thank you."
He smiled getting up leaving. I sat thinking then I got up coming down the stairs getting my coat again. I ran back over knocking. Watson came out of the sitting room opening the door seeing me.
"Mary, What….." He said, I moved over kissing him on the lips. He closed the door putting his arms around me. I moved back looking at him.
"Holmes, be hanged. I like you and he can just get used to it."
"Would you like some dinner?" He asked
"I would love to." I said
He smiled leading me to the dining room.
After that I saw Watson on a regular basis. Holmes kept away in protest. A month later we walked in the park talking about various things when we saw Holmes and Mycroft. I swallowed looking at Watson who patted my hand in his then walked on. He waved at them seeing them wave back.
"Miss. Russell, it is good to see you." Mycroft said, shaking my hand.
"Thank you. It is good to see you….and Holmes." I said, glancing at him. He looked at me calmly.
I continued to look at Holmes as Watson talked to Mycroft. He looked at me clearing his throat.
"Gentlemen I would like to talk to Russell alone." He said, taking my arm leading me away.
I let him take me behind a tree.
"I apologize for everything I have said to you." He said
"Thank you, Holmes."
"It took me some time to realize Watson will take good care of you."
I hugged him feeling his arms slowly come around me. We came back to the two men and walked together through the park.
Holmes had a case in Sussex that I had to help on. The case involved a man that lived near the village. He kept to himself because he was a murderer of a woman from London. Holmes told me no matter what have a gun and when he said run then I was to run.
We got off the train when Irene Adler, dressed in men's clothes came over to us.
"Sherlock, we have to move. He's leaving." She said, looking over at me.
"Irene this is Russell my assistant." Holmes said, looking at me.
"Hello." I said
"Hello." She said "Well I see why you kept her a secret from me Sherlock."
"I did nothing of the kind. Shall we go?" He asked, moving past her.
She smiled at me following him. We went by car along a road then stopped to walk the rest of the way. Holmes stopped as Irene and I knelt behind him. He stood watching the dark house seeing the man in question walking with a bag across the lawn. Holmes started to walk on as we followed. Irene looked back at me as we walked making sure I was coming.
The man walked out turning he saw us taking out a gun shooting. Holmes ran to the side of the house with us following. I grabbed my waist as a bullet tore into my body. I yelped joining Irene and Holmes. They seemed to be totally engrossed in the shooting. I looked down taking my hand away seeing the blood. Holmes shot again hitting the man in the shoulder making him grunt in pain grabbing his shoulder he ran off to the small shed where his car was stored.
"Coming?" Holmes asked, going ahead.
Irene ran over with him, but stopped to look for me. I gripped the corner of the house gasping as I fell to the ground. She ran over to me feeling my bloodied hand grab at hers.
"Sherlock, she's hit!" She called
"Leave her!" He called
Irene sighed looking at me. I gripped her coat looking at her scared. She took off her coat putting it against the wound.
"I'll be right back. "She said
I watched her leave and I held her jacket hearing shooting and yelling. Looking up at the stars I felt calm almost in a dream. Closing my eyes I swallowed feeling someone leaning over me. I opened my eyes hearing Holmes call my name. He was talking, but it was muffled his hand kept patting my cheek. Irene leaned over as well talking to Holmes. I closed my eyes again.
A voice called to me muffled then it became clearer. I moved my head opening my eyes seeing a white walled bedroom. I stared at a clock on the wall ticking. Lips came to my head. I turned seeing a blurry shape.
"You gave me quite a scare." I heard
"Uncle John?" I asked, weakly.
"You can drop the uncle now." He said, with a smile.
"When did you get here?"
"Holmes wired me and told me you had been shot. I rushed here to see you. Your in Holmes cottage."
I blinked seeing him clearly. He took my hand looking down at me.
"I am glad you're here."
"I am not going anywhere." He said, kissing my pale lips. He sat watching me go to sleep.
He came down seeing Irene Adler sitting outside the front door sitting at a table drinking tea. She turned seeing him stepping down the stairs.
"Please join me, Doctor Watson." She said
He walked over silently taking a seat next to her.
"I like it here. The air is refreshing, don't you think?"
"Why are you here?" He asked
She put down the cup looking at him.
"I am here because Sherlock asked me to help."
"How can we trust you?"
"Doctor, you may not believe this but I have not been active in crime for years and all I want to do now is enjoy life and be with him."
"Enjoy life meaning living off the things you have stolen?"
"Yes, if you want to know." She said, looking at her cup "I like Miss. Russell. She reminds me of myself, before I chose crime."
"She is nothing like you." Watson said, looking out.
"Come now, I do not want to fight with you. You and I both care for Sherlock and I think you know that I would never hurt him."
"I just hope you are true to your word." He said, getting up leaving. She watched him leave then smiled when Holmes walked over to her after taking a walk. She stood walking over to him.
"Everything all right?" He asked
"Yes, the good doctor and I were just laying to rest some gremlins." She said, touching his coat.
Watson came back up to with food. He watched me move a little smiling faintly. He set the tray down on the floor then put pillows around me so I could sit up. He set the tray down over my lap leaning over kissing me.
"I brought you some broth. Your to eat every last bit." He said
I smiled trying to take the spoon lying beside the bowl. He grabbed it putting the spoon into the bowl then he raised it to my lips. I swallowed letting the warm liquid go down my parched throat.
A week later I sat outside on the back porch with a blanket around me looking around seeing Irene and Holmes talking as they walked along the trees. Watson came out stretching as he watched Holmes.
"You don't trust her do you?" I asked, getting his attention.
"No, I don't." He said, walking over touching my shoulder "I don't trust her."
I reached over touching his hand.
"Sometimes people can surprise you."
"That is very true." He said "Looks like a storm is coming."
I smiled watching Holmes and Irene walk over.
"Ah Watson….Irene has told me that she must leave on business to London in the morning. She has invited us for a meal in the village." Holmes said
"I will have to decline. I need to be near Mary."
"I don't mind if you go." I said
"That is very kind of you Irene, but I have more important things to do." He said, squeezing my shoulder.
"Well then it's just us Sherlock." She said
"Yes, it looks that way." He said, leading her inside.
I looked up at Watson as he watched them go inside.
"You could have gone." I said
He shook his head kneeling down to look at me.
"I would not leave you for anything."
I leaned over kissing him then smiled as he put his finger on my cheek smiling. He listened to the rain later as we played chess in the sitting room. He looked over at the window seeing lightening hit out in the meadow.
"It is coming down." He said
"Yes." I said, winching some.
"Is your side hurting you?" He asked, watching me.
"No, it's fine." I said
Mrs. Hudson came in with candles.
"We sometimes lose the electric." She said, lighting the candles around the room.
"Thank you Mrs. Hudson." Watson said
The electric flickered as we looked around. A loud thump at the front door made us jump.
"Oh I wonder what that was." Mrs. Hudson asked, walking out.
Watson got up to go with her. I shivered as a chill was in the air. The door came open and I heard Mrs. Hudson scream. I tried to move making my way to the wall next to the door holding my waist listening.
"What do you want?" Watson shouted
"Anyone else here?" A man asked, as he shut the door.
"No, it's just the two of us." Watson said
I took that as an order to get out. I made my way to the dining room then to the back door. The rain sliced into me as I ran to the road.
Watson looked at the man as he laid on the floor tied up. Mrs. Hudson had been locked in the closet in the hallway.
"Who are you?" He asked
The man paced the room glancing down at him as he held a gun poised to shoot.
"I said who are you?"
The man kicked him making him gasp in pain.
"Be quiet!"
Watson breathed in and out fast as he winched.
I stumbled to the ground breathing in and out fast. My side hurt almost aching. I got up again running. A car's lights shined blinding me. I waved trying to stop them. The car brakes squealed as the car stopped. I watched the door open and Holmes come out looking concerned.
"Russell? What are you doing out here?" He asked, walking over.
"A….man….broke into….the cottage…..Watson and Mrs. Hudson….are trapped." I said
Irene stepped out of the car looking at me and Holmes.
"We need to get there." Holmes said, trying to pull me to the car. I held my side wheezing when I started to fall. Holmes picked me up carrying me to the back seat.
He stopped outside the driveway looking at the candle lit cottage.
"What is your plan?" She asked
"My plan is to use your excellent aim to take down this deranged man." He said
"Good plan."
"Go around the back. I will drive the car up to the cottage and go in the front. He is obviously waiting for me let's not disappoint him."
"Be careful Sherlock." She said "I don't want anything to happen to that face."
He shook his head watching her leave the car. He looked back at me lying in the back breathing slowly then he drove into the driveway. Watson watched the man walk to the window and peek out.
He heard the door close and the man raced to the sitting room door listening as the door came open.
"Mrs. Hudson?" Holmes called "Watson?"
He walked into the sitting room seeing Watson on the floor looking at him with alarm.
"Holmes, behind you!"
Holmes turned taking the man's arm that held the gun up in the air. A shot went off as they struggled. Watson tried to work the ropes around his hands. Holmes punched the man in the face as he fought with him. Irene came in aiming her gun as Holmes turned him around. A shot rang out and the man grunted falling to the floor. Holmes looked at him as he breathed in and out fast.
"Irene, I meant to hit him in the shoulder."
"You never said." She said, walking over tapping the man with her shoe "Do you know him?"
"No." Holmes said. Kneeling down to search the clothes of the dead man.
"Mary….where is she?" Watson asked, worried.
"She is in the car." Irene said, untying him.
"Mrs. Hudson is in the closet." Watson said, as he moved getting free. He got up looking down at the dead man before running out. Irene let Mrs. Hudson out. Watson opened the back seat door leaning in to see that I was soaked. He touched my neck and I jumped.
"Ssh." He said, helping me sit up "Are you all right?"
I nodded shaking feeling him pull me out of the car. Holmes looked at a card that he found on the body looking over seeing Watson carrying me up the stairs.
Irene knocked on the bedroom door gently. Watson opened it seeing her. She walked in looking at me in bed sleeping on my side.
"Is she all right?" She whispered
"She might have a cold, but she seems all right." Watson said
"I think she is a very brave young lady. I see why you and Sherlock like her."
"Yes, she is." He said, looking at me.
She looked at him curiously.
"You love her don't you?"
He looked at her caught off guard.
"Don't look so shocked. Only a woman can see what men desire." She said, before leaving. He watched her go then he walked over sitting down in a chair watching me.
I woke coughing feeling someone rub my back. I laid on the bed breathing in and out fast when my head was lifted and a bitter liquid on a spoon was thrust into my mouth. I coughed again swallowing.
Moving I hid my head under a blanket hearing someone talking to someone else. A hand went to my head then I was left alone. Watson slept in the chair by the bed as I sweated with fever getting up walking to the door. My nightgown swayed as I went down the stairs seeing light outside. Holmes was working on an experiment with the door open a little. He glanced over seeing me go to the door.
"Russell?" He called out, walking out seeing me. I looked at him with my hand on the door knob "What are you doing?"
I looked down at the doorknob then at him. He looked at me walking over reaching up touching my head.
"Your fever is high."
"I want to see the fish." I said
"What fish?" He asked
"Out there….there's fish, big fish."
"I think you need to lie down." He said, reaching over touching my arm.
"No, I want to see the fish!"
"Russell."
"Mary?" Watson said, coming down looking at me "You can't go out today."
"There is big fish out in the water."
"Not today, Mary. They are not out there today."
I glanced down at the doorknob then I sighed letting it go walking over to Watson. Holmes watched us go back upstairs slowly. He laid me in bed pulling the blankets over me then walked away. I looked at the windows hearing him come back into the room with a large bowl and a white wash cloth. He wiped my head gently watching me look outside.
He slept next to me on the bed above the covers. I moved sweating opening my eyes seeing him beside me. His body laid on its side facing me. His hands were lying limp against the blanket. I reached over touching his chin causing him to move his head waking. He opened his eyes seeing me.
"Mary, how do you feel?" He asked, reaching over touching my head. His brow thinned as he concentrated. "Your fever has risen."
I watched him get up and go out only to come back with a pail. He walked into the bathroom then Holmes came in with another pail. Water was turned on then Watson walked over and grabbed me out of bed taking me into the bathroom. I felt the cold ice surprise me as I gasped breathing in and out fast. They submerged me pouring ice and water over my body. I shook feeling my lips shake.
After a few minutes they took me out and Mrs. Hudson helped putting me in some warm clothes. My dazed mind saw faces but then I entered the darkness. Holmes leaned over me the next time that I woke up. He called to someone and Watson appeared.
"Mary?" Watson called out
"What time is it?" I asked, blinking slowly.
Holmes looked at Watson who felt my head slowly smiling with a sigh of relief.