The sound of heavy footsteps can be heard from the floor above. They're rushed, clumsy, and make various skids before turning and coming to a halt at the basement door. It flings open and makes a loud crack as the knob slams against the wall. The lights flicker on, and he's practically running down the stairs now. When he reaches the bottom, he's fully in view. Short sweat drenched brown hair (unwashed for how long?), wide and wild green eyes (bloodshot with dilated pupils), his mouth set into a deep scowl, a thick build with strong arms, and a gun in his hand.

This man is disheveled.

This man is frantic.

This man is pissed.

He storms over to the woman sitting, huddled up to herself, in the far corner of the room, curled up for protection in desperation. She yelps and tries to scoot away (to back up further from this menace), but is trapped by the walls. The man grabs her by the neck and stares at her tear-stained face as she claws at his hand for her life (with what nails? he cut them short). He holds the gun to her face and the barrel presses against her cheek. She shakes her head, and mouths the word "Don't".

"Tell me you love me" he rasps out. "Like you always did!"

(Like he always made her)

"I love you" she whispers all too quickly for his pleasure. The brute is crying now, snot dribbling from his nose.

"Louder, like you mean it!" She repeats it, same as the first time, over and over, with her eyes shut tight, hoping he doesn't pull the trigger. He quickly becomes frustrated (enraged, like always), and slams her into the wall before standing and running a hand through his hair.

"Just...go." he muttered.

"What-"

"GO! Before I change my mind!" he shouts, and she's up in seconds, stumbling as she runs out the house.

DI Lestrade slowly stepped out of a squad car, holding a cup of coffee in one hand, and a thick file in the other. He moves towards the doors of Scotland Yard and collides with a short woman. He drops everything to catch her before she hits the ground.

"You alright, miss?" he asks before taking a good look at her and realizing she's anything but. Her face is covered in bruises of all colors, her eyes are red and puffy, her long black hair is unruly (like a bird's nest), her dress is so tattered that it can hardly be considered one, her feet are bare and bleeding, and her entirety is covered in a thick layer of dirt, muck and grime.

"Let's get you inside, love" Lestrade says. He sits her in one of the interrogation rooms and throws a bright orange shock blanket over her shaking scrawny shoulders. She gives him a look, one that says "thank you", and wraps herself up tight. Lestrade leaves to speak with Sally Donovan behind the one way glass.

Donovan walks into the room with a sympathetic look on her face, and slowly approaches the woman. She introduces herself and asks routine questions, but the woman refuses to give any information except for her name.

"Beia Eldiclaire."

"Well Miss Eldiclaire, do you have someone we could contact?"

"My fiancé," she pauses and her eyebrows furrow as she looks at the ground in thought. "Though I'm not sure if I can still call him that after all these years..."

(Years?)

"What's his name, miss?"

"Sherlock Holmes"

Her name is pronounced Bay-Uh El-de-claire

Really Short Chapter but it's just an introduction. It gets longer I promise.