Thank you for the reviews so far, you two lovely people, enjoy this!

Chapter two

Holmes stared at her for a long, long time in silence as she silently sipped at her tea and finished her bread and light tomato soup Mrs Hudson brought her despite the time of the night it was. He noticed how she ate with contentment on her face, and relished every mouthful for its entirety. But with this he also noted that she was skinnier than normal, she was paler. It made her dark hair look all the more striking against her snow-white skin.

It seemed his Woman was more in over her head then he first thought. He was glad she was here now though.

'So then...' She suddenly chirped, placing her empty soup bowl down, ignoring the bread all together. 'Did you miss me?' She finished, with a devilish smirk playing against her lips.

'No absolutely not, well perhaps a little, but slightly, actually rather a lot...actually, what I mean is erm sadly...yes.' He finished growing pinker around the cheeks.

He was rewarded with her tinkling laugh, one that made his heart ignite with passion.

'Do you remember what I said to you on top of Tower Bridge?' She asked after a minute's silence.

'That you didn't want to run anymore. You would tell me everything. I said I wish you would, I still wish you would.' He said softly, looking directly at her.

'Yes well I meant it. But first I need assurance that I can.' Irene answers just as softly.

'Can what?' Sherlock asks unsure.

'Can stop running.' She answers and looks up at him fearfully, before pulling on her 'mask' once more and appearing rather nonchalant about the answer she was awaiting. Sherlock wasn't fooled. He looked into her green emerald eyes, brighter than any she had stolen in the past and worth a whole lot more in Sherlock's books and mentally willed assurance to her, whilst he tried to sum up the correct words to speak.

However just as he was about to answer, to tell her he would always be here for her, that she needn't run anymore, the clock in the hallway chimed loudly and both jumped at the sound. Irene was first to break the silence with a chuckle, before rising to her feet.

'I better go.' She said, looking swiftly to the window and back, only to be met with the outraged eyes of Sherlock.

'Well my darling, firstly I cannot let you go on your own this late, being a woman and all, and secondly, I thought you needed my help, or rather me. How can I know what to expect if I am not at least proffered some information first?' He said before suddenly reaching across the space as Irene made a move towards the door.

'Irene.' He scolded, grabbing hold of her wrist to still her. 'Please, tell me what's going on.'

She looked at him with wide eyes that quickly filled with tears. This surprised Holmes so much he loosed his grip and instead pulled her close to him, as an alien feeling shooting through him, urging him to comfort her took over his senses.

'Irene, please, what has gotten you so unlike yourself my darling? In over your head I know, but Irene Adler crying, afraid? What could possibly be wrong?' He asked, reaching out to stroke her cheek whilst bringing her face towards his chest to rest, encouraging her to calm down.

'It's Moriarty.' She said after a few minutes. 'I told you Sherlock, he's deviant and brilliant, and so ruthless I'm frightened, terrified for the events I just know is coming. I work for him, as you know, and...' Here she paused whilst he nodded and swiftly kissed her temple.

'I tried to leave his employment several times, even once whilst I was here last with you. He is beyond corrupt. I know I'm no angel, but the things this man is capable of...He kept me to him by using my weakness as a threat.'

'That would be me.' Sherlock summarised with a slight smile.

'Don't get a big head.' She chuckled, herself coming through for the first time since the story began.

'Well I didn't know but he'd grown quite infatuated with me, and when I declined several times, he...he went crazy.' She felt Sherlock tighten his hold on her.

'So you ran?' He asked with a tight lipped voice, she worried for a moment if it was anger towards her, but when he kept stroking her hair she continued.

Yes. I didn't know what to do, and I know he'll be after me, and I know that also means he'll be after you and I don't know what to do anymore. He killed my roommate I was sharing with in Italy; I guess he was looking for me. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you.' She admitted with a tearful inflection to her voice, not caring that her facade had slipped or that she was showing her vulnerability, she needed Sherlock.

Sherlock was once again silent for a long time, whilst Irene sat in his arms, her mind working full time as to what he was thinking.

Just as she was about to say something, to move, or get up, she was thoroughly surprised and silenced, when Sherlock's arm wove under her legs, whilst the other across her back and he lifted her swiftly and easily.

'Holmes!' She shrieked, 'what are you doing?' She demanded as he jigged her slightly in his arms, causing her voice to hitch with the involuntary flinching of her body.

'I'm putting you to bed.' He stated simply as he quite literally dropped her on the bed.

'But...I can't stay here. I have a room...' She went to protest but he instantly interrupted. 'At the Royale? You're very predictable at times my love, if Moriarty is after you, he will surely look there. Therefore you are to stay here, with me, where I can keep an eye on you.' He finished, and swiftly pulled of her shoes in one flush movement. Irene was generally speechless.

She just nodded, seeing sense in what he was saying, and slowly and almost shyly for the formidable Irene Adler, shrugged off her waist coat. Her hands went to unbutton her young boy's trousers that fit her perfectly for when she needed to move about freely and she shimmied out of them. Sherlock suddenly turned and grabbed the end of the trouser legs to pull them off for her and Irene laughed at the sudden change in Sherlock.

'Thank you...I think.' She joked, and he simply smiled at her, before shrugging out of his own jacket, shoes and braces and flopped on the bed next to her.

'Go to sleep. Rest. We will sort this all out. We will stop Moriarty and then perhaps we'll even sort you out woman.' He said with a smirk, as Irene opened her mouth indignantly. Her hand came to rest on his inner thigh and he flinched before he could stop himself.

'Now now dear, there will be none of that. I wouldn't want people to think I took advantage of you.' He said turning his back to her and settling his head deeper on the pillow.

Just as he was dropping off completely into sleep, he felt a tender kiss to his temple and a beautifully quiet whisper. 'Thank you Sherlock.'

He smiled and turned almost unconsciously to cuddle up against his woman, lulled into a restful sleep by the feeling of her breathing beneath him. Little did he know that Irene slept just as soundly, lulled by his heartbeat and warmth in that night.

And so the two slept, for once at truce in each other's arms, whilst outside the monsters prowled; moving closer to their target, to the kill.

Chapter three coming soon!

Hope you like it, bit mushy but I can't help it, I'm hopelessly in love with these two!