Hello there again. I told you this chapter would be out in a few days and so here it is. I apologize for the short length of this chapter, but I'm assuming you can see why I didn't keep this attached to the last one! Other wise it would have been literally like 8k words in length. The next chapter will be longer with more of Sherlock's POV. Amber might also be meeting Mycroft...I haven't decided. Anyways, as always, feedback is welcome. It lets me know you are reading even if it's on a smiley face!

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything you recognize, especially Sherlock himself (if I did he would be a nothing but a sheet more often). BBC owns the amazing show and I thank them for it! I do however own Amber and the plot for this story.


Breaking the Barrier

[006]

After Amber's announcement Molly and John stood stunned in their positions at the door. Sherlock stood there unfazed by the information as he continued to stare at Amber. The death of a child was never a pleasant thing to deal with and he knew that women tended to become a little more upset about that. He noticed that Amber was no different. While as smart as she was she was just like every other normal human; she was ruled by her emotions and that he could tell just by looking into her green eyes. She mourned for the loss of a child she didn't know, for a life cut short by a sadistic bastard running about the city. He felt tug in his heart, not for the dead girl, but for the woman standing in front of him.

Walking around Amber he went for her coat, picking it up of the chair and helping her into it. "What does Lestrade know?" He smoothed it over her shoulders letting his hands linger for a second. He wasn't a touchy feely kind of person, hated unnecessary contact in fact, but he wanted to in some way comfort Amber. That urge to comfort bothered him on more than one level. He barely knew the redhead who had essentially shoved herself into his life and the more time he spent around her, the more he actually began to like having her there even if she did annoy him slightly.

John was in more shock now that he had been when the man had jumped off of the roof of Barts nearly six months ago. He had seen Sherlock do many amazing things in their time working and living together but never had he actually seen the man help anyone into their coat. He was beginning to see a side of Sherlock he hadn't seen before. A softer more gentle side that had John believe his friend was beginning to developed what he could only call a crush on the redhead with her expressive green eyes.

Sherlock saw the sad smile as he came once again to stand in front of her while she was button her coat. "Thanks," he heard her say softly. He flashed a smile giving a nod as she opened the door allowing her to pass through first. As they walked she began to talk. "Lestrade said the girl was reported missing about two hours ago, having been snatch at a local grocery with her mother. About twenty minutes ago there was a 999 call from the building in which the body was found, saying they head what sounded like a girl screaming for help. Officers responded and arrived to find the girl still alive but only just barely. By the time paramedics arrived the girl was gone. They tried to resuscitate but couldn't. The paramedics where the ones to inform the officers of the approximate number and placement of the wounds. Scotland Yard was called and Lestrade was informed. He had just arrived when he called me in. Apparently Anderson couldn't get a hold me, for the one reason that he doesn't have my actual number." She gave a light chuckle. "Anyways I informed him that I was with you and he said to bring you along."

Silence fell as Sherlock went over everything she had just told him. It wasn't much to go on, just the basic details of what had occurred. He wouldn't know anything more until he arrived at the scene. As they exited the building he realized that John was behind them keeping quiet, which was unusual. He said nothing of his friend's odd behavior as he hailed a taxi at the curb.

It took a few moments but eventually a taxi stopped, one which was large enough for the three of them to squeeze into without being on top of one another. Amber gave the address somberly as Sherlock watched John looked out his window and Amber look out hers, him being stuck in the middle. He sat back and thought for a moment. Amber was a forensic photographer, a skilled one he had deduced having seen her work on the previous alley murders. She had to have worked cases involving children in the past, whether it had been with Scotland Yard or wherever she had worked before. Yet hearing that a thirteen year old girl had been killed had sent her from being playful to nearly depressed. He thought it might have to deal with the fact that she herself had been on the cusp of motherhood. Having lost a child of her own might have made her more sensitive towards crimes involving kids. Whatever it was she was going to have to put that aside and be professional. He knew she could do it having already seen her at work already, a look of pure concentration took over her face. He liked that about her.

By the time the taxi dropped them as close to the scene as it could Amber seemed to have prepared herself for what was to come. Her eyes were a little brighter, her face not as taunt. She left Sherlock and John to pay the cabbie as she strode towards the forensics van across the street from the building. She opened one of the back doors and leaned in reaching for the silver case that held the camera she usually used.

As she was pulled the case carefully out she heard heeled feet coming up behind her. "I see you brought the freak with you." The voice belonged to Sally Donovan, a woman she was beginning to hate just a little. "What were you doing with him anyway?"

She rounded on the dark skinned woman, not in the mood for whatever she had to say about her association with Sherlock. She had already been warned off by the woman so what else could she have to say besides something snide? "I believe that is none of your business." She snapped slamming the van door stalking as best she could in heels across the street towards the pavement. She flashed the ID she had put around her neck in the taxi and entered the building.

Even as prepared as she was that didn't mean she would be able to handle herself properly. She prolonged the inevitable by heading towards the station set up in the corner of the lobby of the building. She grabbed one of those god awful protective suits she hated wearing and put it on thankful to actually have her skintight outfit hidden from sight. Once that was done she slipped booties over her heels, opened her case to put her camera together, and then looked towards the lift. Most, if not all, of the team was using it. Lazy, she thought as she headed for the stairs. She was fit enough that the three flight walk wouldn't even wind her.

She headed down the hallways towards the room where most of the activity was centered. As she approached she watched John leave the room to lean on the wall in the hall. She had no doubt that Sherlock was inside still investigating. "Is it that bad?" she asked looking at the blond who looked slightly distraught and disturbed.

"A child was murdered. It's anything but good." It wasn't the straight answer she wanted but it was enough to let her know she was right to worry about her reaction going in.

Taking a breath to steal her mind, she caught the scent of blood, so much of it that it permeated the air. It was the smell of freshly spilled blood, that coppery tang that stuck to the roof of her mouth while coating her nose. She had never been fond of that smell but she was used to it.

She finally walked into the flat, moving towards the back room where everyone was coming and going from. She entered seeing Sherlock crouched over the body, a strained look on his face. While he might not have showed much reaction to the news of a child being killed apparently when in the room with the small body he didn't have much of the same reaction. It was either that or he was having a hard time figuring something out.

She felt the bile raise in her throat but managed to keep it down as well as keep herself from shedding a tear for the girl laying dead not more than ten feet away. Lestrade met her halfway to the body. "Are you going to be alright here? Have dealt with children before?" It was implied what he meant by dealing with children so she nodded. "Nothing like this though?" She shook her head.

"I'll be fine Lestrade, just let me do my job."

He gave a nod. "Anderson has already marked some things and photographs of the body have been taken but I'd like a few more." When she nodded he gave her the go ahead to make her own circuit around the room to find anything that might have been useful as well as take the pictures of things already marked, like the muddy footsteps left behind and what appeared to be a bloody glove mark on the windowsill leading to the fire escape.

She avoided Sherlock and the body as much as she could at first but when she could find nothing else she stood back waiting for Sherlock to finish. Despite the circumstances of the scene she found herself wanting to snap a photo of him but she knew that was inappropriate at the moment. He eventually stood up, gave her a hard look and then began to look around the room, forming connections and conclusions she knew only he could figure out. She approached the body of the girl and actually looked at her, not just seeing her as a victim. She had been dressed in a costume, a witch from the looks of it. The hat was missing which could either mean that the killer had taken it or it hadn't been on the girl's head to begin with. Her eyes were closed, something the paramedics had done out of respect for the dead.

She then looked at the wound, photographing as she went using a small measuring stick to get the accurate length of each wound. She worse gloves of course, as did everyone involved. The girl's wrists were slit, blood pooled around her like it had been around the other bodies. Both sides of her neck had been cut, not as deep as the other victims but enough to help the girl bleed out, her blond hair was stained red with it. The rest were stab wounds to vital points on the young girl's body, hidden under the clothing only to be seen by the blood soaking through the fabric of the costume. Amber made sure to photograph everything she could see, knowing full well she might have to revisit the body in the morgue.

When she was done she tried not to look as if she was fleeing the room, walking at a normal pace while in her mind she was shouting 'run, run, run'. Outside the flat she leaned opposite of John with her eyes clenched as tightly shut as they could without it hurting but all she could see was the girl's blond hair and rounded face twisted in pain and covered in blood. The girl hadn't even hit puberty judging by the looks of her. She had been thin and tall and from the cotton candy pink nail polish she had been nothing but a child and girly.

"Why?" She asked no one in particular, more to herself really. To anyone who would listen she said, "All the other victims have been adults over thirty from the middle and upper class. Why would this bastard kill a child? And why in this building?"

"Good questions," Sherlock said coming out of the room pulling of his gloves. He looked slightly angry, a little upset, and more than a little puzzled. Lestrade came out moments later to stand with the trio. "I can tell you the killer is male, UK size 10 shoe, six foot three inches give or take an inch judging by the stride with a medium build. He was smart enough to wear gloves but put nothing over his shoes. He left clear tracks on the carpet. With the mud I should be able to track down where he has been in the last twenty four hours but that won't be of much help at the time being. We don't know what he looks like yet either." Sherlock stopped before turning to Lestrade. "Does this building have cameras?"

"It does but according to security they haven't worked in the last three days. The owner of the building has been trying to get someone in to fix them but hasn't been able to find anyone. So there is no way to see who has come and gone in the last twelve hours." He flipped through his notepad to make sure he was right.

"So there was no video evidence," Amber spoke up, her voice slightly hoarse but steady. "The bastard must have known that the cameras weren't working. You need to look at every male tenant in this building as well as anyone who has worked here in the past week."

"Good Amber, very good." Sherlock stated with a proud smile thrown her way. "Now what do we know of the girl's kidnapping?"

"I have officers with the mother now down at the Yard if you'd like to go talk to her. She can give you all the details of what happened." Lestrade said, his notebook having been tucked away.

"What about her father?" Amber was the one that asked before Sherlock could open his mouth.

Lestrade gave a troubled sigh. "The father has been missing for six months, ran off according to the mother. He hasn't been seen or heard of since. I've already put out an APW so if he shows up anywhere in the city we'll know it."

Sherlock gave a nod of approval. "John, we should go talk to the mother, see if I can learn anything else. Amber,"

She held up her hand to stop his train of thought. "I have work to do here Sherlock. I can't go gallivanting off to help you interrogate the poor woman who just lost her daughter." She all but snapped.

"What I was going to say was if we don't get a chance to talk anymore tonight I will see you tomorrow if that's alright with you." He was careful with his tone, sensing her agitation.

The woman ran a hand through her hair giving off a sigh. "I apologize for my outburst. This—I've—," she took a deep breath. "I've seen children murdered before, I've seen their lifeless bodies but usually they have been killed by less violent means."

"Amber you should just go home if this is really bothering you," Lestrade put a hand on her shoulder getting her attention.

She shook her head. "I was on the case with you when the first victim was found and I sure as hell am not going to be chased off this case now. I'll get back to the lab and analyze the photographs. The killer has never left any evidence behind so what we have here can only help us."

"We can't be sure if he actually left any evidence behind. The victims have been found in the alley anywhere between five to twenty four hours after the crime which can, with the rain, wipe away a lot of evidence. This is the first time a victim has been found somewhere besides the alley." Lestrade mentioned.

"Hold on," Amber said pushing off the wall to pace a little. "The three previous victims were found in the alley, correct?" When everyone nodded she continued. "Each body was found after a rain storm as well, almost all blood washed away save for what was under the body. Do you believe that the killer could have specifically planned for that to happen? You know like watched the news to get the weather or something?"

"It is possible but like you already pointed out each victim was from a specific age group as well as economic class. That would mean the killer has followed these people for several days, possibly weeks, before find the right time to attack and kill them. He wouldn't be able to just pluck someone off the street and have them all be of the same age and class. Then there is the question of why the girl?" Sherlock continued on watching Amber as she paced in short circles in the tight hallway, her camera still around her neck as if forgotten for the time being. He was enjoying the fact that her mind was running in the same direction of his, even if it were only in questions.

She stopped short to look at Sherlock. "You have to question the mother, she might have caught a glimpse of the man who took her daughter."

He gave her a dull look, having already figured this out even before entering the flat where the girl's body was found. "I'm well aware of this Amber. Can we go now or shall we waste more time talking?"

She slapped his arm lightly before turning to Lestrade. "Am I going to be needed or can I head back to the lab?"

"Go and take these two with you," he pointed at John and Sherlock. "Let me know if any of you learn anything."

"Will do," Amber gave a salute as the three of them headed for the lift. She still had her camera around her neck, the suit covering her outfit, and the booties on her feet. While they were alone in the lift she handed the camera to John and used Sherlock as a counterweight as she removed the paper booties from her heels. "Thanks," she mumbled letting go of Sherlock's arm than slipping out of the cover suit wadding it up and trading that with John for her camera.

For the rest of the quick ride down to the ground floor they stood in someone awkward silence. When the doors dinged open Amber was the first through the nearly barreling through Anderson and several other people. She apologized with wide eyes as she attempted to act calm while approaching her discarded camera case. She made sure everything was in order before leaving the building.

Once out in the cold air she could breath again but even then she could still smell the copper tinge of blood in her nose and mouth. She knew it would take days for that smell to finally flee her sinuses but until then she was going to have to chase it away with the strong scent of coffee and candles and maybe some alcohol.

"Shall we share a taxi again?" Sherlock asked, hands clasped behind his back.

"It would be cheaper that way," John added as if he knew that Amber needed some prodding that Sherlock wouldn't give. "I doubt walking in those shoes would feel good."

"I suppose a taxi would save me a lot of pain in the coming days and money currently." They headed away from the scene ducking beneath the police tape. To catch a taxi Amber advised them that it would be easier if they walked a couple of streets down where there was a less of a crowd gathering. It took several minutes for a taxi to stop but once one did they all crammed into the car, Sherlock telling the cabbie where they needed to go. No one spoke as they were drive to Scotland Yard.

Questions? Comments? Concerns? Review please!


A/N: Soooooooo lets just say that boredom, insomnia, and a ten hour marathon of all the episodes of Sherlock my damn muse(or plot bunny as I more commonly refer to it) has struck. So in the next week I will be writing up several chapters for this story. I will then attempt to appease my plot bunny and work on another Sherlock/OC fic. I WILL NOT BE ABANDONING THIS STORY! I love this story so much I will not let it go. I believe I can write more than one story in this fandom as long as I make some sort of schedule. Anyways I'll give you more of an update on that story as I begin to work on that project, if it even gets off the ground.

I have a basic summary if any of you are interested in reading that. Let me know (in a PM or review) and I'll post it at the end of the next chapter!

Bye bye for now. And please remember to review!

Note to readers, Amber's costume is posted as links on my profile. Separate links because she didn't actually wear a normal costume!