Disclaimer: I don't own them. They're not just one of my many toys. I don't own them. Don't say they can't go with other authors. Er, yeah. Got the idea?

Wrapping Things Up

The case was fairly cut and dried after that. The Freak had pointed them in the direction of the maƮtre d after he had seen the man badgering one of the tellers at the bank where the safety deposit box had been. When the Met had searched his flat they'd found Etta James' purse proving that he'd been there when they'd died.

During his preliminary interview Perry Thurston, alias Pierre Van DeLuc, had confessed to shooting all three of the victim's and then forcing the hostess to help him arrange the bodies. Katie Hale, the hostess had been terrified that he would shot her and had driven Thurston and the bodies to the parking garage and then placed the bodies where Thurston had indicated.

Thurston, Hale and McKay were behind bars awaiting trial for the moment. Sally had no doubt that Hale would be found innocent of any wrongdoing. McKay might get some time. He had after all hidden the necklace and was guilty of possession of stolen goods. It might be tricky though as the box had been in James' name with McKay and the others as cosigners. Thurston was going to be locked up for years though. He was guilty of triple murder, kidnapping, harassment and various other charges.

While Sally was pleased to catch the killer she was not at all pleased about the way it had been done. The Freak didn't have any business on their crime scenes. If he wanted to play at being a detective then he should join the force. Though she doubted he'd ever pass the psychological testing.

"Donovan!" Lestrade's voice cut through the chatter of the room of officers. "Got that report yet?"

Sally finished signing her name to the last page and stood up to take it to the DI. "Just finished, sir."

Lestrade took the folder and then looked at her face. He stepped back into his office and motioned her in. "You have questions."

"Yes, sir." Sally took a seat in one of the chairs in front of Lestrade's desk. She felt a bit like she'd been called into the Head's office for some offence but brushed the feeling aside. She needed to have her say. She knew better than to trust a junkie. She'd learned that lesson the hard way.

Lestrade gave her a long, heavy look and then nodded. "You can ask your questions. I may not answer them as some of the answers are not mine to give but you may ask."

Sally sorted through the thousands of questions in her mind to find the ones Lestrade was most likely to answer. "Why do you trust him? Why should we?"

"My reasons for trusting him are many," Lestrade seemed to be gathering his thoughts. "When I first met him he returned something precious that I had lost. My daughter. He found her in a crowded park and took the time to comfort her and buy her an ice cream and then find me. He didn't expect anything. He was only doing the right thing. He didn't see it that way, of course." Lestrade laughed. "The mystery intrigued him. He likes the puzzle of figuring things out. He doesn't care about social norms or society's expectations, only the puzzle. I've had ten years to try to understand him. I still don't but I do know that at his very core he's a great man. Someday, I believe he'll even be a good man. The only thing stopping him now is that he doesn't want people to see him that way. Too many complications." Lestrade gave a shrug that meant what can you do? "As to why you should trust him? I'm not going to influence you. You'll have to decide to trust him for yourself."

"How do you expect us to let him on crime scenes if you don't even expect us to trust him?" Sally asked surprised.

"He's there on my authority. I'm the only one that would catch any flak for it," Lestrade pointed out.

"I simply cannot allow you to ruin your career this way without making my objections known, sir." Sally told him stiffly. "I don't care that he says he's clean. How long until that Freak messes up? One day we're going to be standing over a body and he'll be the one that put it there."

Lestrade shook his head and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Perhaps though I doubt it." He looked up at her then. "I'm not asking you to like Sherlock. He's a very difficult man to like. I'm only asking you to keep your mouth shut about his drug use around him. He's clean and he's been very good about it. Don't irritate him or make him depressed about it. I will not allow you and your unreasoning hatred for addicts to harm him. I'd sooner transfer you than allow that."

Sally swallowed and knew he wasn't going to give her any more information. She stood and gave Lestrade one last look. "I hope you're right, sir. I'll keep my mouth shut."

Lestrade only nodded at her as she left the office.

SH/JW SH/JW SH/JW

"Donovan," she said curtly as she answered the phone on her desk two days later.

"Serjeant Donovan, the Superintendent would like to see you at 09:30." The pleasant female voice told her.

Sally stopped cold. "Pardon? He wants to see me? Er, may I ask why?"

"I wasn't given that information, Serjeant." The voice told her. "You are to come to his office for a meeting at 09:30."

Sally swallowed and cleared her throat. "Do I need to bring any case files or anything?" She fished.

"No, Serjeant," the voice sounded exasperated. "Only yourself."

"Thank you," Sally murmured and hung up. What was that about? An idea lighting in her brain she searched out Anderson. He couldn't be very far away. He'd been eyeing her for weeks.

"Good morning, Sally," Anderson purred. "Were you looking for someone?"

"You actually," she told him and pulled him to the side of the station's kitchenette. "Did you complain to the Superintendent about the Freak?"

Anderson puffed up with pride. "I did," he confirmed. "And I've been called to speak to the Superintendent himself at 09:30 today."

"So have I," she confided.

"They just want to corroborate our stories, I suppose," Anderson said knowledgeably. "We should discuss what I put in my complaint so that our stories about the incident with the Psychopath match up."

Sally shook her head. "It would sound rehearsed that way," she objected, surprised at his mercenary tendencies. "I'll see you up there, Anderson."

"Yes, of course, Sally," Anderson seemed a bit taken aback but Sally caught a glance at the clock.

"Dammit!" She swore. "I need to run by my desk before the meeting and we only have twenty minutes." She raced away.

SH/JW SH/JW SH/JW

"The Chief Superintendent will see you now," the secretary addressed Anderson and Donovan as she held open the office door.

Anderson gawked at the well-dressed man with the umbrella sitting across from the Chief Superintendent when they entered. Sally ignored him.

"Dr. Anderson, Serjeant Donovan," Chief Superintendent Carter intoned. "Have a seat, the both of you. Do you know why you've been called to my office?"

"Yes sir," Anderson answered. "You want to ask us about the case and the complaint I made against Sherlock Holmes and Detective Inspector Lestrade."

Sally gasped at the second name and shot Anderson a betrayed look.

"You were unaware of this complaint, Serjeant Donovan?" Superintendent Carter questioned.

Sally turned her attention back to Carter. "I was aware that Dr. Anderson wished to make a complaint about Mr. Holmes but I was unaware that he had made it or that he wished to include DI Lestrade."

"And do you support his complaint?" The man with the umbrella asked her sharply. His cold voice sent shivers down her spine but she ignored them.

Sally, who hadn't taken her eyes off of Superintendent Carter, saw Carter nod. "Not at this time, sir. I do not like Mr. Holmes. I worry that his past habits may make him a liability on a crime scene but as my only experience with him is this past case with the triple murder in the parking garage I am not familiar enough with him to make a judgment call. He was an asset during the case though he did steal evidence. Even with that he did assist us and led us to a completely unrelated crime."

"The child pornographer?" Carter asked.

"His landlord," Anderson sneered. "It was a coincidence. Even Holmes said he didn't want us to come to his flat. Yelled at DI Lestrade about moving."

"And yet the neighbor boy is convinced that Holmes called the Met there specifically to arrest the landlord." Carter returned. "It is of no matter," he waved a hand dismissively. "Dr. Anderson, Mr. Sherlock Holmes is an unpaid consultant of New Scotland Yard. A volunteer. I will not take action for this unprovoked complaint at this time but should you ever bring such a biased, unfounded complaint to my doorstep again I will. I am very aware of Holmes' abrasive nature, deal with it. Serjeant Donovan, should you ever feel that Holmes' past habits are interfering with his work for the Met please inform first your DI and then me."

"Yes sir," Sally told him.

"Good you are both dismissed."

As she was leaving Sally heard the man with the umbrella stand as well. "Thank you, Gavin. My brother will not disappoint you."

"It's no trouble, Mycroft." Carter answered. "Though perhaps you could convince him to accept payment? We can't protect him from lawsuits if he's a volunteer."

"You could have backed me up, Donovan!" Anderson hissed, causing Sally to miss the rest of the conversation.

"I told Lestrade I wouldn't lie for him and I won't lie for you, Dr. Anderson," Sally told him and strode off down the corridor with her head high. Anderson might be charming when he wanted to be but she wasn't about to lie to the Chief Superintendent simply because Holmes hurt his pride.

As the years passed Sally made mistakes (Anderson was one), had good times and bad, lived her life the best she knew how and moved up in the ranks of the Metro Police but she never once regretted her decision to stand by the DI. As she learned more about the so called junkie with his strange eyes and arrogant manner she realized that she'd never need to lie for him because he'd never want her too. She may never like him but she would learn to trust him but that is a story for another time.

A/N: I know the ending is kind of abrupt but I just couldn't think of anything more to write without it sounding trite and forced so there you go. Hope you liked it. Review either way please.