Thank you to my reviewers even foreverwolf21 who happens to be my brother and my harshest critic so I'll let it go! I'm extremely bored at work which is why these chapters are coming thick and fast! Next week might be a bit slower so I apologise in advance! Keep letting me know what you think! Loads a love, Amy xx

Chapter Six. A Means to an End

We were to be married in two months. Elaine had cried when I asked her. Holmes had almost cried when I told him she had accepted. We were to hold a small gathering at Elaine's parent's house to celebrate our engagement; I had invited Holmes out of courtesy rather than actually expecting him to come. To my surprise he readily accepted. I eyed him curiously.

"Are you sure?"

Holmes laughed,

"My dear Watson, I realise I am an unsociable fellow but even I can find time to celebrate my only friend's happiness."

I found this highly unlikely as he did not attend mine and Mary's wedding so why he would put himself out to attend a mere engagement party was quite beyond me. If I didn't know him better I would say he was more attracted to Elaine than the case he was supposed to be working on.

"How is your case coming?" I asked sitting down, Holmes had his back to me and was studying some letters by the light of the window.

"Ever to the point Watson." I thought I could detect a slight smile in his voice.

"I was just curious."

"It is going very well since you ask; I should have a solution soon."

"Really? Well, congratulations."

"Watson, do I detect a hint of sarcasm in your voice?"

"Sarcasm? Never Holmes."

Holmes turned to face me, a smile playing, but not forming, around his lips.

"What's the matter Watson?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

Holmes sighed a passed a hand across his forehead.

"You are asking me incessant questions about a fairly simple case," I cleared my throat, there was nothing simple about it, "you are acting suspiciously, whether this is because of your impending marriage or because you feel I am exhibiting an unusual interest in your fiancée, which you find naturally suspicious given my…aversion to all matters of the heart."

I coughed again, aversion was an understatement.

"I am a little concerned about your interest in her." I admitted.

"It isn't romantic Watson."

"I believe that, I've been living with you long enough to know that. To be perfectly honest it would comfort me more if it were."

Holmes raised his eyebrows at me,

"I don't understand."

"Well, if you're not interested in her romantically then you must be interested in her professionally, which explains why you were so interested in her brooch the other day. You obviously saw something in it that aroused your suspicions, and that worries me."

The smile that had been playing around Holmes' lips now erupted into a full smile.

"Watson, you simply amaze me." I didn't smile.

"Well, are you going to explain or am I going to have to guess?"

Holmes was still smiling at me; I believe he was more threatening when he smiled than when he didn't.

"Shame on you Watson, you should never guess."

"Well if you're not going to tell me, I fear I have little left to do."

Holmes was still smiling.

"It is an interesting contraption that brooch."

"Contraption?" I was lost.

"Yes, did you not notice that the brooch was more of a mechanism than an object to be admired?"

"Oh yes of course I noticed that. It is always what I think of when looking at Elaine. The wonderful mechanisms of her brooch" Holmes smiled again.

"Well, it was, it contained the most intricate piece of machinery I have ever seen."

"And that is relevant to your case?" I asked, somewhat bewildered.

"Yes, because the mechanisms of Elaine's brooch match exactly the mechanisms of our mysterious silver object."

The colour drained from my face and I felt nauseous.

"How is that possible?"

"As yet I have no idea. But if her brother made the brooch, it stands a good chance that her brother made this." He was holding the thing in his hand, it glittered in the late afternoon sunshine but to me it had never looked more horrible. I now understood why Holmes was so eager to be at our engagement party, to meet Elaine's brother. I couldn't take my eyes off Holmes; he seemed energised somehow, oblivious to my own growing unease. Still, I felt I shouldn't have been surprised. I was nothing to Holmes. Nothing more than a means to an end. I closed my eyes against the burning sun and the burning fear inside my own heart.