HAHAHAHAHA YES! I finally got it done! here you are and please review!

Chapter 8

John's ears were hot as he looked at the innocent looking young woman beside him.

"You're blushing." she winked at him

John looked away as an impulse to hide away the blush then raised his head and cleared his throat, daring the blush to go further. "Come on then. We still have the rest of our date to do."

Alice chuckled and kept in pace with the tired soldier.

As they left the store Alice suddenly stopped and looked over to where one of the late night bazaars were. "Oh my goodness! I haven't been to one of those in years!" She said with a childish delight glowing in her eyes as a huge grin pulled across her mouth.

"Have you ever been to one?" She asked turning to John.

"Can't say I have."

"Ah! Then you got to now!" Alice pulled him with her and crossed the street while john juggled the groceries in his arms.

"Alice! Slow down a bit."

"Sorry got carried away. Here." she took one of the bags from him and smiled apologetically.

"My father use to take me to these kinds of places when i was a child. they are some of my fondest memories of him." THe smile on her face faded as she was caught up in her memoires.

John glanced at Alice, noting the 'of him' she had dropped. "I'm sure this will be just as fun."

She smirked, but her eyes seemed distant.

"hey, you okay?" he nudged her gently

"Yeah, i'm fine, just a bit preoccupied. sorry, lets go and see what they have!"

Alice smiled to herself. John was in for a interesting time.

"So! what kind of things do you like to collect? Or wear I guess."

"Ummmm, I like jumpers and the like."

The pair stepped on to the walk where the first few shops were set up. John was taken aback by how many little colored covered tents went down the way of the walk and the many kinds of trinkets and items that were on display. Street lamps and lanterns provided by the sellers lit the pavilion giving it an almost sinister untrustworthy feel to it.

John nervously glanced at Alice. "Is this a good idea?" He asked quietly.

"Of course! Don't worry it is perfectly safe! Now! I am sure we can find a shop that sells homemade jumpers here. Come on don't be a scaredy cat!" Alice pulled the wary man alone with an air of confidence.

Hesitantly John followed and kept in stride with the tall woman. Immediately his eyes started to be captivated by the many displays of intricate designs of jewelry, clothing, toys, and paintings that the many booths were selling. He felt almost like a child in a huge store that had everything he loved and couldn't decide where to look first.

Alice chuckled at his side at the look of wonder in his eyes. "Really cool isn't it?"

John nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry, you'll be able to look at all the shops but I want you to first see this one up here! Looks like the kind of thing you will love!"

When they reached the booth John gasped.

There were so many different jumpers of different make and design. Splashes of color on some and plain solids on others. "Wow" john whispered.

"Ahahaha I knew you'd like it!"

John suddenly turned the Alice with a confused gaze. "How did you know? I just told you not a few minutes ago that I like jumpers, but never hinted how much. You at like you knew all along."

Alice smiled darkly. "You got me!" She said in a sing-song voice.

"Only because I helped her." A familiar voice came from behind John and he spun around quickly. "Mary!" He gasped in surprise.

The blonde medium sized woman with kind blue eyes smiled warmly. "Hello John."

"But, what?" He looked to Alice again. She smiled and nodded to Mary. John looked back to the newcomer. "Alice had planned all of this. She saw me yesterday while she and your landlady were out getting a few things. She must have pointed me out to Alice and told her about our row after the meeting with Sherlock. But Alice came over to me and asked if I was busy and when I said no she told me about a date she had been planning and asked if I wanted in." Mary looked over at Alice "rather genius I must say."

Speechless John turned back to Alice who shrugged and spread her hands innocently. "I thought you would like to end your night with someone you loved." Her eyes warmed as she looked between Mary and John. "I had loads of fun though! Glad I now have someone I can be open and talk to. You two be safe and have a good rest of the date." Alice gave John the other bag of groceries then a parting wave and smile then turned to leave before John could find his voice again.

Alice walked along the road looking up at the partly cloudy sky smiling to herself. Well, that when well. She thought. She was headed home, despite her want to sneak around and watch John and Mary on their date, she decided it was late and was getting tired from all the walking she had been doing. She knew the ways back to 221 baker street, and though she had a nagging feeling about the choice she decided to take the ally way short cut.

Halfway through it the nagging feeling started to grow. Soon a fear began to rise in her stomach.

Someone was following her, and the intent was to kill.

Alice could feel the hate radiating from the seeming pressing darkness that was kept at bay by the street lamp she stopped under. She recognized the vibes.

He is here! He found me! The fear shot through her heart and she started to tremble. Alice shook her head. No! Not now! She slowly reached inside her bodice and withdrew a small but lethal throwing knife.

He is toying with me, trying to scare me witless. She slowly lowered the knife till it was in a good throwing position but kept her self relaxed. I know I won't survive this, he's too good a soldier to miss. But I can at least kill him too, keep my new friends safe. Closing her eyes she strained her hearing. She caught the slight sound of footsteps behind her and a sound of a trigger cocking and faint sounds of unknowing passer bys with looming shadows to her right, most likely from the close buildings.

He is right behind me. Have to be quick, turn and throw. He will shoot, no matter what. No negotiating.

Her breathing slowed as she waited, counting heart beats. Three heart beats, four, five, si-

There was a sudden movement. Tensing she quickly, like the many times before in her life turned and released the weapon, knowing it would strike true.

Something suddenly knocked into her lower right side even as she heard the shot, even as sudden as the burning pain the ripped into her right arm. There was a gasp as the blade struck her enemy, and the fiery taste of victory consumed her though it mingled with confusion and unbelievable pain as she fell to the cold cement with the added weight of whatever knocked her down.

Her eyesight started to cloud as she felt strong arms press on her arm so stay the bleeding. "Clean shot" a fading garbled voice mumbled.

The world went black.

She didn't know how long she was out for, but she woke in warm strong arms above the ground, her arm hurt and throbbed she turned her head to it and opened her eyes. it was tied by a blue black cloth that bled on top the wound. Her mind groggily started up again. She looked over at the collapsed heap of the man who tried to kill her and noticed he was still breathing in short gasps with the knife still protruding from his chest.

Alice turned her head and looked up at the figure that had saved her life. It took all of 3 seconds for her to realized just who it was that was looking back at her and holding her almost bridle style.

Sherlock Holmes

Alice felt her cheeks get hot and shock waved through her body. But quickly recovered.

"Ah, Sherlock! You..." she paused and blushed a little, weather in embarrassment or just flustered he couldn't tell. "Ummm, you can let go of me now." Sherlock eyed her.

"Are you sure you can stand? Are you in shock? I'm sure we could find you a blanket. Your arm is wounded."

"Yes" she said exasperated, "I'm fine!" she started to squirm in his arms.

"Okay, sorry, don't do that or you'll start the bleeding again" he put her down a little ruffly.

Alice straightened her shirt and dusted off her sweats and glanced at her injured arm. "It is just a scratch, nothing of importance. He however'" she said pointing down the way "is, shall we see who it was?" She asked looking as if the attempt on her life never happened. "I would like a second to look at the body myself without your input." She turned and walked across the way to the body. Sherlock watched after her with a puzzled gaze. Very slowly the pieces were falling into place.

Alice knelt down by the right side of the shallow breathing mortally wounded man. Wincing slightly at the shooting pain in her arm.

"Hello Sebastian." she smiled dangerously her voice like ice.

"Alice" he whispered

"I knew you would be coming when He died, but really? You are so predictable. So uncreative" She said with disgust while placing her hand on the hilt of her throwing knife.

He winced from the growing pain in his body as she placed pressure on the blade. "That's what happens when you have spent your whole life knowing someone like me." He gagged on his blood that was seeping from his mouth. "You were lucky Holmes was there. A traitor like you deserves to die." He spat.

"Life is full of little disappointments." She replied ruefully and slowly twisted the knife.

Sebastian coughed violently. "But at least I was able to see the master again before I go." he gasped

"What do you mean? He's dead! I made sure of that!" Dread started to crawl up Alice's spine but she kept a calm countenance.

Sebastian smiled a joker like smile. "I see him in your face so clearly."

He reached up to touch her face. She was too shocked to flinch away. His bloody hand caressed the face of his master of what his fading site saw in the young women. He then pulled her close and brought his lips to her ear.

"You can't run from it. You have killed. You enjoy my pain. You'll do it again, just like Him." He whispered smugly as his grip loosened. His hand slid from her face and fell back to the pavement. His lips held a hateful smile and he breathed out his last shuddering breath.

Alice stared at the dead man, unbidden tears started to swell in her eyes. "No," her voice was hardly audible and shaking. No! I'm nothing like him! She yelled in her head, remembering Sherlock was not far from her. She wiped her eyes, smearing the blood on her face, and waved Sherlock over.

Sherlock walked quickly to her side. He had watched the entire exchange. Questions filled his mind, ones he needed answers from her. But one look at her face he knew she wouldn't be talking about it anytime soon. His constant reminders from John on timing rang in his head. He knelt down on the other side of the gunman. His eyes swept over the body, catching all that he could on who he was. After a few moments he looked up at Alice's face. Her eyes were guarded and her mouth was set in a stubborn line, a face he had worn many times. Particularly during the month he was away from John.

"Who was he?" Sherlock asked carefully looking intensely at her face.

She looked back into Sherlock's eyes. Her mind whirled as she thought of explanations, excuses, lies, anything but the truth. A long moment passed with silence. She finally gave in and whispered "Sebastian Moran."

Hey all! I am so very very very very very sorry on how long it took me to update! my life suddenly went crazy with moving, having to find a new job and getting engaged. I hope you liked this and I will try my hardest to finish the last two chapters before the year is out, hopefully before then.

thank you for the reviews! it really helped me push to finish this chapter. Love you all and I look forward to the end. once again if you have advice or ideas about who Alice is, I would be happy to hear your thoughts.

Also you can follow me on tumblr as chachitak1!

HAVE A FANTASTIC DAY!