Thanks to all who reviewed my last chapter. I'm still not sure how many of you are enjoying this...
But I just want to say thank you to Bec, ThreeQuartersOfTheWayThere, emily gibson, Che, briongloid fiodoir, riddle-tom12 & x-Pick'n'Mix-x for leaving a review.
More to come very soon, but I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Rebecca Francis had had a terrible morning.
She had woken up with a pounding headache, which she supposed the double gin and tonic from the previous night had something to do with, and rushed to get ready for a meeting with Emmett & Spinkley, the firm of lawyers she worked for.
After sitting through an hour and a half of boring lectures on team growth within the company she had finally sidled into her boss' office and explained to him the circumstances of the previous day.
She had explained how despite her losing one client she had thankfully gained another, but her boss had not been happy, informing her that Emmett & Spinkley were a firm with very high standards and if she couldn't keep in line with them then perhaps she should look for a job elsewhere.
Rebecca had been devastated and pleaded with him to give her another chance, which he finally agreed to, though Rebecca had a sneaking suspicion this had more to do with the low cut blouse she happened to be wearing than her abilities as a lawyer.
Still, at least she hadn't been fired she thought to herself glumly as she sat in her kitchen sipping her fourth cup of tea of the day.
After all the mornings commotion she had all but forgotten the previous day's events.
Her lunch with Sherlock Holmes seeming like a distant memory.
She had walked home later that evening and even then she had been confused as to what had happened.
This man, this consulting detective, had asked her to work for him, to be his lawyer. But his profession seemed a little out of the ordinary...
He solved murders for a living. It wasn't exactly your average 9-5 job was it? Yet still Rebecca had been intrigued.
She had never met anyone like this before, anyone so... odd.
At this moment in time this was the only word she could think of to describe him. She thought that the word 'freak' was a little too harsh.
Now Rebecca sat at her kitchen table having just fed her little puppy Toby. Her boss had, of course, given her some form of punishment for losing such a big client and had given her a huge pile of menial paperwork to do. This now sat next to her and yet Rebecca could not even bare to look at it.
She gave a heavy sigh, resting her head in her hand.
She closed her heavy eyelids just as there came a sharp knock at the door.
Rebecca frowned to herself as her eyes snapped open. She glanced at the clock in the corner which read half past four on the afternoon.
She wasn't expecting anyone and it was a bit late for post...
Sadly Rebecca did not have many friends in London only having moved into the city a month prior so no-one would be calling for her.
The knock came again, louder this time and Toby began to yap excitedly.
"Okay, okay I'm coming!" she muttered more to the little dog than the person on her doorstep.
She quickly moved out into the hallway, smoothing down her long hair, before tugging open the door.
Her eyes widened.
"M-Mr Holmes..." she said in surprise as she took in the figure stood on her front porch.
Sherlock Holmes looked exactly as he had yesterday, his unruly mop of hair hanging over his forehead and his long dark coat draped across his thin form.
The only difference she could see was that he now wore a rumpled, plum-coloured shirt rather than the white one from the previous day.
Behind him she could see a black cab pulling away from the curb.
"Miss Francis," he said with a nod but he didn't quite manage a smile. "I trust you're not busy?"
Rebecca made to give a sarcastic reply but held her tongue. Instead she had other matters she first wanted to discuss.
"Listen Mr Holmes, I actually want to say that although I am glad you would consider me to work for you-"
"Toby I am assuming," uttered Sherlock suddenly cutting across Rebecca as her little puppy ran out of the door and began barking happily.
"Um yeah it is," she said a little distractedly as Sherlock eyed up the dog but made no effort to pet him.
An awkward silence fell between the two for a long moment before eventually Rebecca spoke.
"Er, do you want to come in?" she asked stepping aside as Toby ran back into the house.
Sherlock gave a swift nod and stepped over the threshold as Rebecca moved aside, closing the door behind her.
"Did you want a cup of tea...coffee...?" she asked biting her lip as Sherlock scanned her living room.
She saw his eyes quickly flicker over her flowery sofa, her graduation photos all stacked on the mantelpiece and several pretty evening dresses that were hanging off the back of the door she had yet failed to put into her wardrobe since buying.
He answered after long moment with a polite "No thank you," still lingering by the door. "I was just wondering whether you would like to accompany me this afternoon? I have a case that my contacts at the police have just informed me about...if you're interested that is..."
Rebecca glanced at him and gaped. "W-Well yes I am but-"
"Good, then we can head there now," he said cutting across her. "it's not far from here, we can take a cab.".
"W-What? Now?" uttered Rebecca taking a step back and biting her lip.
She saw Sherlock's eyes look her up and down as if looking if she were dressed appropriately to accompany him.
She had still not changed out of her office clothes since this morning and was wearing a dark purple blouse tucked neatly into a black pencil skirt.
He gave a nod.
"Um, I'm not sure," she said quickly, her eyes darting back and forth. "I have paperwork to do..."
Sherlock's lips twitched. "It will only take an hour. I thought you'd be interested-"
"I am-" blurted Rebecca before she could stop herself.
Sherlock stared at her for a long moment while a blush crept across her features, his eyes boring into hers.
"Good, then you should take a coat. It's rather cold out there," he uttered in a deep voice, a smirk appearing at his lips. "Shall we?"
Before Rebecca even knew what she was doing, she was following the dark-haired detective out into the hallway as he opened the front door with a flourish.
Stepping quickly into a pair of high heels and grasping up her coat, Rebecca ran after him.
She was staring to make a habit of this...
Sherlock walked quickly ahead, causing Rebecca to totter along after him in order to keep up.
When he got to the end of the street where the main road began he held out an arm and hailed a cab.
Within a few short moments a slick black taxi had pulled up on the curb beside them.
Sherlock tugged the door handle and held it open so that Rebecca could step in.
She nodded her thanks as she slipped elegantly into the back seat. After a second Sherlock joined her. He murmured a vague address to the driver as the cab pulled away.
He pulled out his phone and began texting furiously as Rebecca glanced over at him.
"So, what kind of case is it?" she asked a little nervously, but Sherlock did not look up.
"Murder investigation," he murmured, his fingers dancing across buttons. "Or that's what the police seem to believe."
"What and you don't?" she asked frowning.
He glanced over at her giving a smirk as he did so.
"The whole thing is a little too obvious for a murder," he uttered, an odd sort of glint in his eye. "Which is why they needed my opinion."
"Who did? snapped Rebecca angry at his arrogant tone.
"Detective Inspector Lestrade," he uttered in a sharp voice. "When he and his team are out of their depth they-"
"But you just said they thought it was murder?" said Rebecca cutting across him.
Sherlock gave her a scowl. He obviously didn't like having to explain things.
"That's what the team came to the conclusion of but Lestrade has asked me to check..."
Rebecca shook her head, her brow furrowed.
"They all should have left by now. I assume forensics will be all finished which leaves me time to do my work," uttered the detective narrowing his eyes and turning back towards his blackberry.
Rebecca stared at him for a second before turning towards the window.
Streets full of tourists and businessmen flew past them in a blur of grey.
Ten minutes later they were speeding past the river Thames.
It had just begun to rain and tiny drops of water made patterns on the surface of the murky river.
"So haven't you got any friends that you can get to go with you?" she asked glancing at the detective who was still hunched over his phone.
He stopped in his texting and stared up at her, a confused expression upon his face.
"It's a crime scene not a trip to the cinema," he said sharply.
Rebecca rolled her eyes.
"Yeah I know but-"
"Besides, what's the point in friends?" he continued, his brow furrowed.
Rebecca looked flabbergasted. "What the hell do you mean what's the point in friends?" she asked, her mouth hanging open. "Everyone needs friends... You know, someone who is there for you...someone who cares about you..."
"And caring is important is it?" he said scathingly as the cab pulled up at the side of the road. "Will caring save someone's life...or get you new job or a pay rise? If to have a friend means to care then I'd rather not thank you."
Rebecca stared at him but rather than look angry at his outburst, Rebecca's eyes were wide and sad.
For a long moment she looked him up and down before eventually opening her mouth to speak.
"Everyone needs a friend Sherlock," she said in a quiet voice before opening the door and stepping out from the cab leaving the detective alone on the back seat.
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