Chapter one
It was a normal day at 221b Baker street. John sat at his computer tip tapping away at the keys updating his latest blog post. Sherlock lay on the sofa staring up at the ceiling, his eyes closed.
"Bored" he said.
"You're always bored" his friend replied. His only reply was a sigh and a fidget before returning to his stillness. In the distance the doorbell sounded.
"Stranger" Sherlock said.
"What?"
"It's not Lestrade he holds the doorbell down for at least ten seconds, Mycroft presses it twice, short and sharp so it must be a stranger" Sherlock explained a slight annoyance in his voice as if that answer had been obvious. The soft sound of Mrs Hudson coming up the stairs followed. She slowly pushed the door open.
"There's someone to see you Sherlock" she said rather timidly.
"Who?" he sat up from the sofa; they weren't expecting anyone.
"A girl, says she wants to see you". Her reply was left with silence.
"Thank you Mrs Hudson send her up" John said. She let out a little squeak before leaving.
"Lets hope it's a case eh Sherlock, I can't bear the thought of letting you watch daytime TV anymore" John said a cheeky grin spreading across his face; it was met by a raised eyebrow from Sherlock. The door opened again, both men turned to face the doorway. A young girl stood in the door, 18 years old Sherlock deduced. Dyed red hair recently cut. She had blue eyes and pale skin, make up perfect. If she had been taller she might have been mistaken for a model. Her slender formed was drowned by a blazer which was slung over a cream blouse. A school blouse Sherlock noted, private, in the countryside. It was tucked into black jeans-not uniform so she obviously wasn't the best student at school. Black shiny loafers on her feet, new, breaking them in giving her blisters.
John was the first to move after her entrance.
"How can we help you?" he asked moving to stand beside his colleague.
"Which one of you is Sherlock Holmes" she asked, her voice had a velvety quality to it.
"That depends who is asking" Sherlock replied his eyes flicking over the girl again his attention pulled to her face, the piercing blue eyes and chiselled cheek bones.
"That would be you then" she replied with a smirk.
"And you are?" John asked starting to get a little impatient. The girl leant against the doorframe as if it were in her own house.
"Well why don't we let the famous Sherlock Holmes deduce who I am" Silence as the two sets of blue eyes stared each other down.
"You're a school girl, final year at boarding school from the countryside probably Kent. You care too much about your appearance and always get in trouble at school for it. You're visiting London for the week on a geography maybe history field trip which you find incredibly boring so decided to come and annoy Sherlock Holmes; who you read about on his" he said pointing at John "Blog and now you've seen me, annoyed me and you can go" his voice was monotone the entirety of the speech and when it was finished he turned to leave the room thinking that making a cup of tea was better than this.
"And mummy said you were clever, she was so very wrong." She smirked.
"Wrong?" Sherlock whipped round, his eyes blazing.
"Mummy?" John said at the exact same time.
"Everything you said is true Mr Holmes but you didn't tell me who I am". Her eyes flicked to John.
"Perhaps you should ask your dear friend if he remembers Mariella, the French maid" . John looked at Sherlock who was currently filtering through the metaphorical filing cabinet of names in his mind.
"Mariella, mother fired her two weeks after she started was the Summer I got kicked out of school. In the summer house…"
"She was your first" the girl finished his sentence. A slight blush glanced across Sherlock's face.
"This still doesn't explain who you are" John said he was puzzled now too many riddles and unknown facts being thrown around.
"I'm the great Sherlock Holmes' daughter. Ekaterina. I prefer Kate it stops people from asking me if I'm from somewhere exotic. France isn't exotic" Silence. Johns eyes seemed to be involved in a tennis match as they flicked between Sherlock his best friend and the bomb shell that had just landed in there front room.
"What do you want?" Sherlock broke the silence in his usual brusk tone.
"Oh nothing I just thought I'd come and say hello. You were right, geography field trip. Terribly boring I'm not even doing geography I think the school just wanted rid of me for the week. But I should probably go before they realise I'm not counting how many red cars go past in Leicester Square" she turned to leave before whirling round again.
"Lovely to meet you" she flashed a smile at John, before leaving the room. Seconds later the door slammed. Sherlock had been standing staring at the space she had been in, before turning towards the kitchen shaking his head.
"Tea?" he asked as if nothing had happened. John sighed, typical Sherlock. He nodded and returned to the computer.