Watson pulled me protectively behind him as some men cornered us into the alleyway as we walked home after a case with Holmes. Watson looked at one man that took a large knife out of his belt.

I looked over at the man coming closer looking at Watson as he smiled. I got my gun out pushing Watson to the side shooting the man in the shoulder. He staggered back dropping the knife before the others came at us. Watson hit them with his cane as I fought with another. My gun fell as the large man pushed me back against a brick wall. I winched as he took me by the head crashing it against the wall. I saw stars as I slid down the wall to the ground. The man walked over grabbing the knife on the ground. He walked over back to me lifting it ready to stab me when a gunshot rang out hitting him in the back. He gasped falling as Holmes stood at the entrance. Constables ran in behind him grabbing the men as Holmes ran in grabbing Watson's arm helping him up.

"Watson!"

"I'm all right Holmes!" He said

Holmes moved over to me touching my neck as Watson knelt down looking at me.

"She's alive!" Holmes said

I moved my head as they both helped me to stand. I felt out of focus almost falling as they lifted me up again. Once at Watson's house he sat me down in his office taking care or the cut at the back of my head. I winched as he applied medicine to the cut.

"You should be right as rain soon." He said

"Good." I said

He washed his hands walking over to me.

"If Holmes had a daughter. I imagine she would be just like you."

I smiled winching as I reached back touching my head.

"It hurts to smile." I said

He nodded watching me stand with his help. He searched my eyes as I sighed looking at him.

"What is it?" I asked

"Nothing." He said, gently. He started to move, but I pulled him back.

"Something is bothering you."

"It's nothing, I was just thinking about something."

"What?"

He seemed to hesitate thinking.

"Mary, do you ever feel old?"

"I….never think about it."

He nodded smiling.

"You do?"

"Yes, I think about it often. I know I have very few years left and it seems to make me feel sad."

I leaned up kissing his cheek.

"You are not old."

He watched me walk past him out the room. Holmes smoked in the sitting room seeing me come in.

"I see you have survived." He said

"Yes, to fight another day." I said, sitting down in a chair.

He chuckled as Watson came in sitting down near me. Later Holmes walked out to go to Mycroft's as I stayed for an hour before getting ready to leave. Watson helped me on with my coat.

"You will be all right?" He asked

"Of course." I said

I turned to look at him.

"I think I should walk you home."

"No, I will be fine." I said, touching his coat.

He nodded watching me look at his coat then at him.

"Becareful." He said

I smiled moving over kissing his cheek. He pulled me to him for a close hug. I moved back touching his buttons on his vest. He put his hand under my chin making me lift my head then he kissed me. He put his arms around my back as I stood still. He moved back opening his eyes looking at me. I looked at him before quickly leaving.

The next day I came down the stairs thinking about the kiss. My throbbing headache was nothing to me as I kept my mind focused on the kiss. Que came out seeing I was standing at the stairs in a world of my own.

"Miss. Mary?" He called, walking over. "Are you all right?"

"What, oh yes Que." I said, walking by him to the sitting room. He followed me in watching as I went to the window.

"Are you sure?" He asked

"Que, something has happened and I don't quite know what to do."

"What is it?"

I turned looking at him.

"Last night Uncle John kissed me on the mouth."

"Oh." He said

"I knew he….cared about me, but I never knew he…..cared about me that much."

"Perhaps he thought it was time that you knew." He said

"Yes, but it is strange."

He watched me sit down in a chair thinking.

"Would you like breakfast?"

"No, I think I am going out."

He bowed then walked out. I ran out getting my coat then I went to Watson's home. He came out of his office seeing me come in.

"Mary, how is your head?"

"Throbbing." I said, walking over to him.

"Oh, I can give you medicine."

"No, I don't want any." I said "Uncle John, are you in love with me?"

He opened his mouth in surprise then closed it.

"I need to know." I said

"Mary, I….care for you."

I stepped closer to him staring into his eyes.

"You do love me. I see it in your eyes." I said

I moved up kissing him. He put his hands on my arms holding me in place. Holmes opened the door stopping as he saw us jump back looking at him.

"Uh Holmes." Watson said "What can I do for you?"

Holmes shut the door loudly walking over looking at me.

"Russell, I want to see you alone."

"Holmes, the child did nothing wrong!"

"Now!" Holmes yelled

I looked at him then I moved to the front door going out.

"Holmes!" Watson said, grabbing the detectives arm. "Mary, is not to blame."

"Watson, please do not interfere!" Holmes said, walking out side closing the door. Watson walked over seeing me talking to Holmes then Holmes arguing with me.

"I am not your child Holmes! I will do what I like."

"You are mistaken, Russell. I am your guardian. I have taken care of you since you were fifteen. I have tried to become the security that you need to have a safe and happy life."

"He loves me!"

"I do not care! This is wrong and you know it." He said "If you wish to have a disgusting attachment to a man then I suggest you go out into the world and find one."

I turned my back on him looking out at the street. Holmes sighed walking over to me touching my back.

"Russell, I have grown to think of you as a daughter. I want as any father that you should be happy." He said "Watson is not the one."

I looked down hearing the door open and Watson come out.

"Holmes, stop yelling at Mary. She is old enough to decide on her own."

"I should go." I said, walking past them to the stairs.

"Mary." Watson said

I turned looking at him.

"I am sorry." I said, then I ran off down the street.

They did not see me for two weeks. Holmes grew worried about me and came over one Friday. Que let him in.

"Is Russell here?"

"No sir, she did not come home at all. I was getting worried."

Holmes looked at him seeing he was worried.

"Where did she say she was going?"

"She said something about a party, but I do not know where."

"I will find her." Holmes said

I opened the door smiling at them both.

"Miss. Mary, where have you been?" Que asked

"I went to a party." I said, letting him take my coat.

"All night?" Holmes asked

"Yes, all night." I said, walking past him into the sitting room. He followed slowly seeing me stand by the fireplace lighting a cigarette. I blew the match out then threw it into the fire looking at him.

"When did you pick that up?" He asked, motioning to my cigarette.

"A week ago." I said, sitting down.

"I see." He said "Have you been having a good time?"

"Very." I said, blowing out smoke.

"Watson and I were concerned about you."

"No need to be." I said, standing. Holmes stood pulling me to him.

"Russell, what are you playing at?"

I searched his eyes.

"I don't know what you mean."

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing." I said, moving away from him.

He watched me walk to the window looking out as I smoked. The doorbell went off as Que went to answer it. Uncle John came in seeing us.

"Well, it's a reunion now." I said

"Mary, where have you been?" He asked, walking over to me.

"I have been out." I said, smiling.

He looked over at Holmes then at me.

"We have been very worried." He said

"I find that hard to believe." I said

"Stop it!" Holmes said

"What, I am acting the way you want me to act." I said

Holmes walked over taking my cigarette throwing it into the fireplace. I glared at him then I looked at Uncle John.

"When you start acting like the person we know then give me a call." Holmes said, leaving. He slammed the front door leaving Watson and I alone.

I looked at Watson as he searched my face.

"Mary, I missed you."

"Why?"

"I care about you."

I felt him touch my cheeks. He moved closer breathing out calmly. I closed my eyes as he kissed me on the lips. I was in a different world. This one was comforting and did not make me feel dirty and cheap. My arms went around his back as his went around mine. He moved back looking at me as I looked at him.

"Does that not prove it?" He asked "Mary, I know Holmes is very against this, but I want to try."

I smiled faintly as he smiled.

Holmes had a case that he needed my help on. Watson came along as well. Holmes looked over at us sitting together in the train compartment talking quietly. He cleared his throat loudly when Watson touched my nose smiling. I looked over at Holmes seeing him looking at me over his paper. Watson looked over at him then he looked at me as I stood.

"I'm going to get some air." I said

Watson watched me leave then he looked at Holmes.

"Holmes, you seem angry at Mary."

Holmes put down his paper sighing looking at his friend.

"I find it very hard to believe that this thing between you and her is the right decision."

"Holmes, I love her and she loves me."

"I'm sorry, but I cannot accept this." He said, going back to his paper.

Watson scratched his head.

"What is it that really is bothering you, Holmes? Do you believe that Mary will abandon you for love?"

"That is a ridiculous thing to say!" Holmes said

"You know that she would never do that nor will I."

Holmes put his paper down looking at Watson.

"Why do you wish to carry on with a girl of nineteen?"

"You know why. I know our ages are all wrong, but when I am with her age means nothing."

"Age should mean something, Watson. If you were in your forties or late thirties I would not object, but we are men in our fifties. We have lived our lives and now we are two relics trying to grasp youth with our fist."

"I disagree." Watson said

Holmes put his paper down standing going out. Watson sat back in the seat looking out the window. Holmes walked down the narrow hallway seeing me walking back seeing him. I glanced at him walking past without a word as he watched me go.

Watson looked up as I entered the compartment sitting beside him.

"I saw Holmes." I said

"He is in a mood." Watson said, taking my hand.

"Yes, I've noticed." I said, putting my head against his shoulder.

Watson kissed my head then he looked out.

"You're not regretting this are you?" I asked, lifting my head looking at him.

"Regretting what, Mary?"

"Us." I said

He smiled searching my face.

"No, I am very content now."

I smiled at him feeling his arm come around me as he pulled me against his chest.

"Mary, there is something we should discuss."

"What is it?"

"Well our age difference."

I sat up looking at him.

"You are nineteen and I am fifty-four. That is quite a gap."

"Does it matter that much?" I asked

"Not to me, but you may feel differently."

"I am aware of the age gap, but it does not bother me."

I touched his cheek.

"You can't help who you are attracted to."

"That's true." He said

"I just wish Holmes would accept this."

"Me to, because someday I hope to marry you."

"Really?" I said, smiling.

"Yes, and it would be nice if Holmes was on board."

I leaned over kissing him moving so I was lying against his chest as he cradled me. He moved back watching me use his chest as a pillow closing my eyes sighing. He touched my hair then looked out at the passing landscape.

We made it to Grimpin staying at an inn in the village. I skipped dinner feeling the tenseness of Holmes. Turning the lamp off I laid down in bed sleeping. A loud knocking at my door woke me up. I sat up blinking seeing a fuzzy figure come in and open the curtains.

"Why are you not up?" Holmes asked, walking over to me.

"What time is it?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.

"Ten in the morning." He said

I moaned falling back in bed. Holmes stared at me as I looked up at him.

"Holmes sit down." I said

He sat down on the bed.

"Now, we are going to have this out right now."

"What out?" He asked

I sat up looking at him.

"You know I love Uncle John."

"Russell….I."

"Let me talk. You know that I love him, and you have been very irritating. I want it to stop!"

"Irritating?" He said

"Yes, irritating." I said "Holmes, I cannot stand all this tense feeling coming off you. I want us all to be friends."

"Then stop see him."

"You know that will not happen."

"Then we have nothing to say to one another." He said

He stood, but I pulled him down again. He watched me move hugging him to me.

"Holmes, I do love you. I am very grateful you took me under your wing. Nothing will ever change between us."

He slowly put his arms around me.

"Please accept this."

"I can't. This is wrong." He said

I sighed as he stood leaving.

Watson, Holmes and I went for a long walk. I didn't look at them as I was sad. Watson watched Holmes walk ahead as he touched my hand.

"Mary, are you all right?" He asked, quietly.

"Yes." I said

"What is the matter?"

"I don't want to talk about it." I said, walking ahead. Watson watched me go concerned.

Holmes walked up a hillside turning to look at me.

"Russell, I want you to come with me."

"Why?"

He walked over to stand in front of me.

"Because I want you to."

I looked at Watson then at him.

"Now."

"Holmes!" Watson said

"Fine." I said, leaving Watson to follow Holmes.

He stopped halfway up turning to face me.

"You wanted me to come up here with you?"

"I want you to leave." He said, quietly.

"Leave?"

"Yes, I do not want you here."

I looked back over at Watson pretending to look around then look back at us.

"I am assisting you."

"No, I do not need you here."

"Holmes….I."

He walked down towards Watson as I stood there with my mouth open.

"Watson shall we proceed?"

"Mary coming?"

"Russell is leaving." Holmes said, looking at me.

"Leaving?" Watson said

I walked down slowly glaring at Holmes. Watson helped me down off the hill then he watched me walk away the way we came.

"Holmes, what did you say to her?" Watson asked

Holmes silently watched me leave. Later Watson came into my room seeing me packed standing by the window.

"Mary, where are you going?" He asked, walking over to me.

I turned looking at him.

"Holmes, asked me to leave."

"What?"

"I am going home."

"No, I want you to stay." He said, touching my cheek.

"I don't belong here. You help Holmes and I am going back to London."

"Mary."

I touched his hand on my cheek then I walked past him getting my things. He sighed sadly watching as I put on my coat. I grabbed my bags walking to the door allowing him to open the door. He led me down to the car. The driver put my things inside as I hugged Watson.

"Becareful." I said

"This is wrong." He said, against me.

I let him go looking up seeing Holmes looking at us from his room window.

"Mary, please stay."

I searched his eyes.

"Holmes does not want me here. I will see you in a week."

He opened the door for me as I got in looking at him as the car drove off. I sat back looking down as Watson watched me leave. Holmes watched the car drive off then he walked away from the window.