Sherlock looked back across the street all thoughts beside the chase left his mind as he saw the cab pull around and stop on the corner. Sherlock watched it for a second to see if it would continue on. It didn't.

"Look across the street. Taxi." He told John who twisted in his chair to see out the window at the back of the cab. "Stopped. Nobody getting in, and nobody getting out." Sherlock could see a male figure in the back look around out the side window. Sherlock frowned. "Why a taxi? Oh, that's clever. Is it clever? Why is it clever?" Sherlock muttered to himself.

"That's him?" John asked straining to see.

"Don't stare." Sherlock ordered. John turned looking at him.

"You're staring."

"We can't both stare." Sherlock told him getting to his feet and grabbing his coat and quickly heading for the door. Sherlock could hear John getting up after him, and...no limp. Prefect. He stood out on the street as Sherlock shrugged into his coat not taking his eyes off the cab. He could see the outline of a man turn back looking at the restaurant Sherlock never looked away staring right at the figure. The man turn to the driver and the taxi pulled away from the curb. Sherlock hurriedly stepped out into the street after him. A car slammed on it breaks to the left of him and Sherlock quickly move launched himself over the bonnet as he just remembered too late he forgot to check traffic. The car's horn blared angrily. Sherlock could hear the distinct sound of John pressing his hand against the bonnet and vault over apologising as he goes.

"Sorry." John, the only man Sherlock know that apologies to a car that almost hit him. John ran to catch up with Sherlock who was a few yards ahead. "I've got the cab number."

"Good for you." Sherlock brought both hands up to his head blocking out the outside world to concentrate. He quickly called up a mental map of London and calculated the cab's route. "Right turn, one way, road works, traffic lights, bus lane, pedestrian crossing, left turn only, traffic lights." Sherlock lifted his head from his hands. Sherlock caught sight of a man unlocking a door on a nearby building and his mind instantly brought up an alternate route. Sherlock raced towards the man and grabbed him, shoving him out-of-the-way before charging into the building.

"Oy!" The man shouted after him. Sherlock could hear John's feet pounding behind him and discreetly looked back to see him raise an apologetic hand to the stranger.

"Sorry!" Twice. They had been running not even five minutes and John had said sorry twice. They raced up the stairs and out a spiral fire escape leading to the roof they're shoes clattered against the metal. Sherlock took the steps two at a time and John struggled to keep up with him scurrying up behind him.

"Come on, John!" Sherlock shouted over his shoulder.

Sherlock reached the top of the stairs, and ran to the edge and looked over the edge before he noticed a shorter metal spiral staircase leading down the side of the building to another door one floor lower. He hurried down the stairs and climbed the railing before leaping across the gap to the next building. John scrambled onto the railing and followed after his friend. It was funny to think that a few years ago Sherlock had been the one scrambling after John. He remembered all the times they had to run from the latest trouble they had caused and Sherlock would stumble or trip over his lanky limbs. John would always turn and pull him along. Sherlock smiled at the memory as he ran across to the other side of the roof leaps across to the next building. John raced after him, but then skidded to a halt. Sherlock looked back to catch John pecking over the side nervously.

"Come on, John. We're losing him!" Sherlock urged.

John backed up a few paces and seemed to brace himself leapt the gap. Dropping down onto a walkway along the side of the building, running on. They ran down another metal staircase, Sherlock ran to a ledge and drop down into the alleyway before running off again. Sherlock lead John down the alleyway. Sherlock turned the corner and raced down the last part of the alley just as the taxi drove past the end, heading to the left.

"AH, no!" Sherlock shouted. Without breaking stride Sherlock ran the last of the alley turning to the left. "This way." John turned left after the taxi automatically. "No, this way!" John skidded to a halt and turned back the other way.

"Sorry."

They both ran down the street. Sherlock headed down another alleyway and side street toward the planned interception point at Wardour Street and finally, at the precise point which he had predicted. Sherlock jumped out in front of the taxi as it pulled around. The car screeched to a halt and the bonnet crashed hard into Sherlock. Sherlock scrabbling at his left coat pocket ignoring the throbbing through his legs. He pulled out Lestrade's I.D. badge that he had taken earlier and flashes it at the driver as he ran to the right hand side of the cab.

"Police! Open her up!" Sherlock tugged open the rear door panting heavily and stared in at the passenger, who looks back at him anxiously. Instantly Sherlock straightened up in exasperation just as John ran up to him.

"No." Sherlock said exasperated. There was no way it was him. Sherlock had really thought this idea might have worked. Sherlock leant down to the man again running his eyes over him. "Teeth, tan- what Californian?" Sherlock looked at the luggage resting in the floor. "L.A., Santa Monica. Just arrived." Sherlock straightened up grimacing as pain shot through his back. He'd need to get that checked out after the case was over. Two cars in one night that was a new record for him.

"How can you possible know that?" John asked.

"The luggage." Sherlock said pointing to the bags in the floor by the man's feet. The tag showing he had flow from LAX to LHR. "It's probably your first trip to London, right, going by your final destination and the route the cabbie was taking you?" Sherlock asked. The man looked between the two men.

"Sorry- are you guys the police?"

"Yeah," Sherlock flashed his stole badge. "Everything all right?"

"Yeah." The Californian smiled at him. Sherlock paused for a minute. What was he suppose to say? He smiled at the stranger falsely.

"Welcome to London." He said walking off quickly. Sherlock stalked off a few yards behind the cab. He watched John say a few more words to the man before slamming the door and walking over to where Sherlock was standing.

"Basically just a cab that happened to slow down."

"Basically."

"Not the murder."

"Not the murder, no." Sherlock huffed exasperated.

"Wrong country, good alibi."

"As they go." Sherlock switched the ID badge into his other hand. John looked down at his hand.

"Hey, where-where did you get this? Here." John reached out toward Sherlock's hand, and for a minute Sherlock felt his heart leap. John grabbed the ID and Sherlock quickly let go pulling his hand back. God, what was he thinking this was ridiculous. Sherlock quickly pulled himself into the present.

"Detective Inspector Lestrade?"

"Yeah. I pickpocket him when he's annoying. You can keep that one, I've got plenty at the flat. " Sherlock shrugged. John nodded looking down at the card before he lifted his head giggling silently to himself. Sherlock looked at John. Oh, God he wasn't laughing at him was he? Why would he laugh? He wasn't laughing at Sherlock for being wrong was he? Anderson would.

"What?"

"Nothing, just: 'Welcome to London'." Sherlock chuckled. He should have known that John wouldn't laugh at him. He never did before, why would he start now? They both looked down the street where a police officer had stopped to see why the cab had stopped in the middle of the road. The man got out of the cab and pointed to John and Sherlock. Sherlock looked back to John.

"Got your breath back?"

"Ready when you are." They both took off quickly down the street back to Baker Street.