Everywhere, that's where I'd been the last four and a half years. Bolivia, Singapore, Greenland. We lived on the very tip of Capo Rizzuto in Italy for a week, the sail boats passing while we sat on the rocky shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The longest we ever stayed somewhere was in a small stone cottage in Vladivostok, Russia. We had a small garden in the backyard, and we even had a stray cat that would come around every once in a while. I loved Russia. It's one of my favorite places in the world, second only to London, England.

I breathed in the city. It had been too long. Nearly five years being away from my London, mad e my return all the more sweet. All of the memories started to rush back to me, and I was lost, deep in the past. I was quickly snapped back to reality by five little fingers softly gripping onto my hand.

I glanced down to see the tiny, blue-eyed girl who had a head full of the blackest, curly hair you've ever seen. This was her first time in London, and I can't deny that I was a little excited to show her around. But we had business to attend to first.

I grabbed her hand and waved a cabbie. She climbed in the cab while I picked up her little pink suit case off of the sidewalk. I closed the door and told the cabbie to take us straight to 221B Baker Street.

"Now you remember what I told you, right?"

"Yes, mummy! I stand outside the flat room door until you tell me to come in."

"Yes, that's my good girl." I ruffled her coal black ringlets. She may only be four, but she was as smart as any six year old.

We pulled up to that all too familiar door. I paid the cabbie. Then we both got out, and slowly made our way to the golden "221B".

"Are you scared mummy?" I looked down at those sky blue eyes staring back at me. "Cuz I am." I placed my hand on her tiny frame.

"Shh… Don't be afraid. Now is when you have to be the brave little princess, the princess who traveled around the world and fought dragons in Greenland, and rode unicorns in Russia. You've conquered the world! What's one measly little door?"

She giggled. "I know! I know! ... But it's not the door I'm afraid of… it's what's on the other side that scares me…" I bent down and gave her a big bear hug.

"You let me handle that! He's going to love you! … And if he's mean to you, I'll just throw him out the window!" She pulled away and playfully smacked me on the arm.

"No you won't! Hush, mummy! … C'mon! Let's go!" She reached up and twisted the door handle.

We stepped inside. Violin music filled the entire flat. I reached out and we held hands as we climbed up the narrow stairway. When we got to the landing, I looked down and she gave me an understanding nod. She stayed put as I stood up straight, ready to say hello to an old friend.

I stepped into the familiar flat. Nothing had changed since the last time I had been here. Much to my surprise the violin was lying untouched on the living room table, but the music was still playing. I noticed the lit up stereo, and a trail of smoke coming from the kitchen. "Listening to yourself play? Isn't that a little conceded? … You always were one for self-glorification though, weren't you…" I heard a beaker fall to the floor.

"Irene?!" He slowly came from the kitchen, pulling off his safety goggles and setting them on John's chair.

"Sherlock." I said nonchalantly. I loved seeing him surprised.

"But… I thought you weren't coming back to London?" He seemed a bit confused. I loved it!

"I wasn't going to, but you know how things are…" I strode over to the stereo and gently turned the sound down until it was completely off.

"No I don't. What's going on? It's been four years. Why now?"

"Moriarty. I believe you're aware of him being 'not as dead as previously understood'."

"Yes… but what does that have to do with you?"

"It makes things considerably more dangerous out there in the big bad world… He's coming back… And he's bringing a whole new network of criminals with him. Many of them have had previous… 'run-ins' with me… Most of which did not end on good terms. So, needless to say, I have several enemies who are now equipped with the criminal genius that is Jim Moriarty." I slowly sauntered over to him, until I was standing inches from his face.

"So, what, you want 'protection'? … I thought you were more than capable of taking care of yourself?"

"I am darling… but…"

"But what?"

"Do you remember our night in Karachi? After you and I single handedly dismantled an entire terrorist cell?" I moved in closer to his face, nearly speaking directly into his lips.

"Yes… dinner…" I smiled looking straight into his crystal eyes.

"Dinner…" I gave him a quick peck on the lips, and then moved back over to the doorway. "Well… sometimes dinner has… desserts."

"What? …" He was completely lost. He had no idea what was going on.

I just smiled. "Lillian, come here sweetheart." The small, bubbly girl walked into the flat and stood directly in front of me. "Say hello to your father, Lilli." She dropped her little pink case, and ran across the room. She wrapped her tiny arms tightly around his legs.

"Hello, daddy!"