Peer pressure does interesting things. This story is written for dragonlady98 and flicka199, who are both characters in this story, along with my lone self. Sadly, Mr Holmes and Dr Watson will NOT be in this fic often but for consulting and laughing at idiots. Please enjoy this murder mystery...

DISCLAIMER: OBVIOUSLY i own nothing but the plot and my OC's Charles, Alexia, Rose, Sami Jo, Dawn and whoever else i throw in

When I first came to London, I expected scones, the Union Jack, and cute boys with cute accents. I definitely didn't expect a murder mystery and Sherlock Holmes. But that's exactly what happened, and it was certainly the best adventure I've ever had. And really, it began eleven months before the murder even happened.

"Doctor, I'm so glad you've come" the short blonde man said, coming up to shake my hand. Short, sharp, efficient. He really did look like a soldier, or at least, had once been.

"Not quite a doctor, sir, I'm a graduate student" I corrected him, glancing at the tall brunette who worked in the back of the lab, hardly glancing at me. "Doctor Watson, Mr. Holmes, it's a pleasure to meet you both" I said, just managing to stay calm, professional. Inside I was squealing. This was the Watson and Holmes, stars of the hit crime scene reality show, Sherlock. It was absolutely brilliant, and I'd been an avid fan in college back home. I had never expected to meet them when I came to London to study and get my PhD.

"My apologies, Miss. Ah..what was your name again?" Doctor Watson asked me, looking maybe a little uncomfortable with the address, especially since we hadn't been formally introduced and I had jumped the gun with my celebrity crush. Whoops.

"Gregor. Alexandra, or Alexia as she prefers. Graduate student, obviously, studies bioprosthetics, average student, minor addiction to-"

"OKAY, Sherlock, thats enough!" Snapped the army doctor, eyeing down the taller man. I blushed, not really with embarrassment but because, OMGhejustdeducedme….

"Right, on all accounts, Mr Holmes" I said after an almost awkward moment of silence. He simply nodded, but looked pleased with himself. "Sherlock, please," he replied, going back to his work.

"Er, right, Sherlock, then. What was it you wanted me for? There are plenty of experienced professionals at the University.." I began but he snorted. I was certainly confused by now,

"Those idiots? No. I need a fresh perspective. Someone young...who understands these modern things...here. Just look.." he waved me over, stepping back, and wondered if maybe he just wanted someone who wouldn't laugh. Laying on the table was a human arm flayed to the bone, showing layers of pale skin, red muscle, white bone. Or at least, it looked human. But one closer inspection, I gasped in amazement, stroking a finger over the flesh. "It's wax" i marvelled, looking up at the curly haired detective. "Amazing..it's so life like!"

He looked like a child congratulated at a particularly good stick man doodle. "It's been weeks of research, but I have finally created a human arms with fingers and joints and ligaments that are posable, moveable, customizable! Look, I can bend this finger back, and the wax won't crack. It's practically human!" Sherlock was excited, speaking animatedly with his hands, and his flatmate looked on fondly.

"Its inspiring, Mr Holmes, really…" I said, looking back at the arm. It was. Fantastic, really. There was so much this could do in the future, and I wanted to help with that.

"I swear to God, Sami Jo, if she's not here in fifteen minutes, I will personally blacken your eye for not calling her earlier!" I could hear the tell-tale angry rising of Rose's voice from behind my cement column at the baggage claim in the airport.

And then Sami replied with a, "Oh shut up, Rose, its not MY fault there wasn't any service fifteen thousand feet in the frickin' air!"

I snickered and stepped out, approaching the duo with a bit of a prideful bounce in my step. "Aaaaah, the crowds are in a frenzy, awaiting their queen!" I cajoled, throwing my arms out, face split in a beaming grin. The angry faces turned quickly to recognition and to annoyance. I was suddenly hit in the gut by a skillfully thrown bottle of ibuprofen. Obviously, I dropped it with a muttered curse. "Good to see you too, darling" I muttered, bending to grab the bottle with a louder voice cried, "ALEXIA!" and I fell to the ground under 105 pounds of blonde teenage girl.

"Wisp, get off of her!" Sami Jo scolded, as she and Rose laughed at me on the floor, a few onlookers raising their brows at the childish antics of Americans in London. I shoved the wisp of a girl off of me and stood, pulling her along. Dawn Ford was maybe five feet and four inches tall, an inch since I had last seen her. Thin as the beans we picked in her mom's garden, and wild as the stallions she claimed to have tamed as grade school student.

I looked back at the older girls, my age. College graduates, both of them now. I had been in the UK for a year now and hadn't seen either of them for longer than that.

"Sami Jo, you and Rose can join our hug if you want" I teased and the pair snorted, hiding their urge to do just that. Rose Drakon, aka, "Dragon Lady" with her dark blonde hair and gold dragon eye contacts and dwarvish tattoos stood with Sami Jo Sheppardson, also blonde, trying to look like she hated everyone but was secretly pleased to be here. Walking with this trio was like being a raven Antarctica. And we definitely stood out.

I smiled when Wisp ran to unlock the hotel door with her key card. There wasn't enough room in my apartment, I never said flat, it was too awkward, for four people, so they stayed down the street at a small, inexpensive hotel.

We planned out our week. They were here purely for vacation, recreation, and to celebrate the opening of my new lab. It would be fun and I would be their personal tour guide. The next afternoon we were walking down a street in a quieter part of the huge city when we heard the scream that there had been a murder.