So, we meet again!
I have to say, this is one of the most fun stories I have written in a long time, I think. I love writing it, and I can't wait to get into later chapters. And I'm sorry if this chapter is a little late. My cousins were over Saturday, so I didn't get as much writing done as I would have liked to. Also, I have school again (yuck) so I don't have as much time, but I'm hoping the next one will be up very soon.
Also, I think the next chapter just might end The Blind Banker...maybe. Like I think I said last time, I write these before I begin the chapter.
I will be doing all of the episodes, I think, but it's kind of hard to tell at the moment. I know, just to get away from the scripts, I will be taking stories from The Blog of John H. Watson (which actually exists, and makes me super happy) as well, which has stories that never aired. I may throw some in there of my own, but I'm not exactly sure.
Anyway, like always, responses to review are posted below, and some more little things in the bottom Author's Note as well.
I was seated in a black desk chair, given to me by one of the employees at New Scotland Yard, with John's coat tightly wrapped around my shoulders.
Sherlock were going to talk to Dimmock . John tried telling me to go home, but, seeing as I've made it this far with the two, I wanted to stick around.
"Alright." John said. "But, if you want to go back, here's some money for a cab." He handed me some money, and I stuck it in my pocket with no intention of spending any of it.
I was listening, but not very well. I was still a bit shaken up by what happened at the art gallery.
Sherlock and John weren't very far away from Dicksmock, who was rummagging through paperwork on a desk. He looked like he was trying to ignore them.
"How many murders is it gonna take before you start believing this maniac's out there?" John asked him angrily. Dimmock moved to another desk, and John followed. "A young girl was gunned down tonight. My sister was there, she saw what happened. That's three victims in three days. You're supposed to be finding him." Sherlock cut in front of John, getting closer to Dimmock. John stepped away.
"Brain Lukis and Eddie Van Coon were working for a gang of international smugglers-a gang called the Black Lotus operating here in London right under your nose." Sherlock leaned closer to the D.I. and Dimmock finally acknowledged him, turning to face him.
"Can you prove that?" He asked, then they were off, to God knows where. John looked at me, laughing a little, attempting to make a joke.
"And we're off...again." he added. I smiled at him, and followed him out.
We arrived at St. Bartholomew's Hospital, and Sherlock went straight for the canteen.
"I'll be back." He said, leaving us behind. We found a place to sit and wait. I peeked through the open door, finding Sherlock walking up to an employee and speaking to her. She seemed startled, but a bit happy to see him. They were standing close to each other, and I couldn't see him, but I could see her face a little, despite the distance.
She looked a bit confused, speaking to Sherlock, but then flattered, and a bit flustered, looking down at her tray. His girlfriend probably. I thought. She seemed to really like him.
I leaned back against the chair, the couple leaving my view.
"You okay?" John asked beside me. I nodded.
"Yeah I'm fine. Well, given the circumstances." I added. John nodded, patting my knee.
"I'm sorry." He said. "If I knew that was going to happen-if any of this was going to happen, I would have told you to wait for a while until this blew over."
"Yeah but what will your next case be like?" I asked. John nodded as he took that thought into consideration.
I sat for a while, letting silence fall over us once more, before speaking.
"I could have stopped her." I whispered, not looking at John, but at the floor between our feet.
"Beth-"
"No, John, I could have yanked her back by her arm. I should have paid more attention, then I would have noticed her getting up. I should have gotten up to bolt the door instead."
"But then he would've shot you. Listen to me Elizabeth." John said. I looked him in the eye, knowing that when he used my full name, he meant business. "None of this is your fault, okay? Even if you could have prevented her dying tonight, they would have found her again." John told me. "Van Coon and Lukis thought they were safe, and the killer showed us what he could do. Lord knows what else they've got up their sleeve." I let John's words sink in. There were thousands of things I could've said; things I wanted desperately to say. I just didn't know how to say them, and I knew some questions I may never get an answer to.
John was right, though. We don't know what this gang is capable of, and that makes it a bit scarier.
John patted my knee, and I looked up at him again. He gave me a sad smile.
No more words were exchanged. John had wrapped his arm around my shoulders, and I leaned on his shoulder, falling asleep before Sherlock got back.
I woke up in a cab, which was a bit odd, since I have no clue how I got here, or where I'm going, or if anyone else was in the cab at all.
I was leaning on someone's shoulder, I knew that much. Probably John.
But I heard talking. I heard John's voice, and it didn't sound like I was leaning against him at all. He sounded as if he was on the other side of the cab. Who am I-
Oh.
I cracked an eye open, slightly, so no one would notice, if they were paying any attention, of course, and caught a glimpse of black tweed and the cabbies head.
I quickly shut it, knowing exactly who I was leaning on.
Then they spoke, and I knew. I was leaning on Sherlock Holmes.
Which, he probably didn't appreciate...at all.
I didn't want to make a big scene and jerk bad. Even if he is a high-functioning sociopath (which John was kind enough to remind me never to mistake him for a psychopath), if that happened to me, I would be a little self conscious for the rest of the day.
I stayed where I was, slowing my breathing, making it seem like I was still sleeping.
I felt the cab stop, but I kept my eyes closed, waiting for someone to 'wake me up', but nothing happened. Instead, I felt Sherlock move my head back so it was lying back on the seat instead. I waited, but I had no clue what I was waiting for. Then, someone's arm was under my knees, while another arm made its way behinds me, picking me up from the cab seat, and carrying my out into the cold, London air.
I peeked another look, but when I cracked open my eye, I was met with Sherlock's face not to far from mine, and I quickly closed it for the second time. I would have guessed he didn't get this either, but, judging by his facial expression, he didn't seem upset in the slightest. But, he was talking to John just a few moments before.
We-well they- walked into 221b, and my coat was taken off and I was laid on the couch, my back facing the rest of the room. Someone drapped a throw blanket over me, tuking it to my chin the best that they could, before tucking the rest of the blanket in around my body, and i drifted back to sleep.
I woke up to the sound of something heavy hitting the floor. I looked around, finding police officers with crates flooding the flat, setting the crates on the ground.
"So the numbers are references." Sherlock stated.
"To books." John said.
"To specific pages and specific words on those pages." Sherlock clarified.
"Right...so fifteen and one:that means…"
"Turn to page fifteen and it's the first word you read."
"So what's the message?"
"Depends on the book. That's the cunning of the book code." He said snarkily. "Has to be one they both owned."
John looked around at the books and I found myself doing the same. There were a lot.
"Okay, right." John said. "Well this shouldn't take too long, should it?" He went to the nearest crate, flipped open the lid. Sherlock did the same, and looked over to me.
"Ah, Elizabeth. You're awake." He said
"Well, yeah, I think I am." I joked. John laughed slightly.
"You can come and help us. You know what we're looking for."
John looked over at me immediately. "You can help if you want to." I nodded and stood up slowly, walking to a crate, and grabbing some books, and walking back to the couch, looking through them.
"We found these at the museum." I heard Dimmock say. I looked up to find him holding out a plastic bag with a picture of the graffiti inside. "Is this your writing?" He asked. I grabbed the bottom, folding it a little. I shook my head. It was a female's writing, but not mine. I took the bag.
"We were hoping Soo Lin could decipher it for us." John butted in from the desk.
"Ta." Dimmock said, looking to me a little disappointed. He walked back into the middle of the room and John eyed him, obviously seeing something I didn't.
"Anything else I can do? To assist you, I mean?" Dimmock asked.
"Some silence right now would be marvellous." Sherlock said without looking up. Dimmock looked at John, then to me. We both shook our heads at him, apologetically. Dimmock bite his lip and looked to me, joining me on the couch.
"So." He said. I looked up from my book.
"So." I repeated, smiling a little. He laughed slightly.
"How long have you been in London?"
"Not long." I replied, looking back to the stack of books. "A few days." He nodded, looking down at his shoed. His elbows here on his knees and his hands were clasped in front of him.
"Do you need any help?" He asked me. I shook my head.
"No, I think I can manage." I looked at him. "But thank you." I smiled. He mimicked me.
"No problem. A beautiful lady like yourself, I wouldn't even allow you to lift a finger." he flirted. I blushed, against my will, and looked back at the books. I could feel John's eyes watching us.
"Well, I chose to do this, so…" I trailed off. He nodded, understanding, and then it was silent again.
"Listen," he started. "I was wondering if later, maybe, I don't know, this weekend sometime, you would like to go get a drink with me." He asked, nervously. I smiled.
"Dimmock, you seem like an okay guy." I told him. He smiled widely. "But I don't think that would be very appropriate, right now at least, with the case and all. Maybe some other time. Sorry." I apologized. He shook his head.
"No it's fine, I completely understand." he grinned at me and rose from the couch.
"Well if you don't need anything else, I think I will be on my way."
"I think that would be best, yeah." John said. Dimmock looked at him before leaving.
"Cigarette." Sherlock said after some time. He slammed two versions of the same book on the desk where John was sitting.
After a while, I began to get tired again.
"Imagine." Sherlock blurted, putting more books on the desk. John, though, looked extremely tired.
"John, why don't you go get some sleep." I said. "You can sleep in your old room." John shook his head.
"No, Beth, I'm fine." He smiled at me. I smiled back.
"Okay. Whatever you say."
I ended up laying back down, the blanket back over me, and a crate of books beside me. I tried to keep my eyes open, but to no avail.
I opened my eyes and John was gone. The sun was streaming in through the windows, hitting my eyes. I squinted and rose from the couch. Sherlock was searching his bookshelf.
"Did you get any sleep last night?" I asked him.
"Umm, no." he said. I shook my head at him.
"A book that everyone would own." He mumbled, not talking to me. I walked into the kitchen as he yanked a book off of the shelf as I pulled some cereal out of the cabinet, looking at the time. I had slept all afternoon, and John would be home soon.
I was right. John was home as soon as I had finished my cereal, and went into the bathroom to change into some clean clothes. I sat in the chair opposite Sherlock's, and John came back, ruffling my hair as he passed. I swatted his hand away, trying to make it seem like I was mad at him, but I failed and laughed a little. He smiled.
Sherlock hadn't stopped looking through books since I woke up, but now his elbows were on a crate, and he ran his fingers through his hair, ruffling it a bit.
"I need some air." He told us. "We're going out tonight."
"Actually, I've, er, got a date." John announced, smiling. I looked up at him and smiled, ready to ask about her, but Sherlock beat me.
"What?"
"It's where two people who like each other go out and have fun." John told him.
"That's what I was suggesting." Sherlock argued. I giggled.
"No it wasn't...at least I hope not." John said.
"Where are you taking her?" I asked my brother.
"Er, cinema."
"Oh, dull, boring, predictable." Sherlock reached into his pocket and pulled out a paper, handing it to John. "Why don't you try this? In London for one night only." John chuckled and handed it back to Sherlock.
"Thanks, but I don't come to you for dating advice."
John had left for his date with Sarah who, sadly, I didn't get to meet.
I changed into some PJ's and grabbed some movies from my small movie library, and sat myself on my bed, putting the first DVD in. I had grabbed some snacks and brought them up with me, setting them on the bedside table.
I sat with my back against the wall, my knees to my chest, and pulling the blanket to my chin with some cookies in front of me, waiting for Lord of the Rings to begin.
I had just clocked 'play' when someone knocked on my door.
"Come in!" I yelled. Sherlock walked into the dark room. I couldn't see anything, just the outline of my tall friend...if we were even friends. I had no clue.
"What are you doing?" He asked, looking from my to the television, then back to me.
"Watching a movie."
"Not anymore. We have plans." He stated, turning the DVD player off, and turning the lights on. I blinked as the harsh light blinded me momentarily.
"Umm, ow." I said. When I could finally see, I looked at Sherlock, who was looking at me confused, as if the light shouldn't have fazed me, and he had no idea what I was doing. :what plans?" I asked.
"We're going on a date." He smiled. I didn't.
"A date?" I asked. He confirmed.
"Yes, a date."
"Just like John and Sara?" I asked.
"Is that her name?" I sighed. "I suppose. Come on, We'll be late."
I groaned, pushing the blankets off my legs, and going to my closet.
Sorry this one was kind of short. My mom has had homework, and I've had homework and life's been a real mess lately.
On a good note, I might be getting out of school again, so more writing will get done much sooner, but, of course, nothing is set in stone. I still have to wait and see if it was actually snow.
Which could be a bad thing, being snowed in, but I'm trying to be positive.
REVIEWS:
Hi! Another great chapter! Your pace is amazing, and you are evidently very passionate about writing this! It is so great to read such a great fic, and I am loving Elizabeth more and more with each chapter. She is easy to relate to, funny, and I am adoring her! I got emotional reading this chapter, and I know how much it must have been emotional to write too. Putting it in words, and seeing the reaction from someone there witnessing it adds another depth to it, and I love that. Good luck with your writing, and I am really looking forward to the next chapter! You have yourself a fan! :) Sincerely,
Not as many errors in this one. It is only simple mistakes, such as missing a closing quotation mark, but this still is a great read.
The Supreme General
Thank you again for your review! You always say such nice things and you truly make my day. I'm glad you like Elizabeth and my story so far, and I hope this chapters just as good as the others (even though it is a bit short . And thank you again for pointing out my mistakes. I will try to fix those, and I'm glad to hear that there weren't as many in the last chapter.
:)
I love your story :), though I have to agree that this episode was a bit more sad. I'm really looking forward to your next update! Good luck in your writing! :)
Aranel Silvertongue
Thank you for the review and I'm so glad that you were enjoying it. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well! :)
And I think that's it. The next chapter should be up very soon, and I am very excited to write it! Catch you later!