'Adele?'

'I'm not scared. I just really don't like the dark.'

'Your shoe lace is untied.'

'Oh. Right.'

Adele was sat next to Eliza, both leaning against one wall and staring at another. Adele wasn't quite sure whether this could be classed as kidnap, considering that she at least was here out of her own free will, but that had only kept her occupied for about ten minutes.

Once she had realised what solving the riddle meant, Adele had calmed down and checked her phone for the first time in hours that day. Hammet had, as she had expected, sent a message informing her to go back over to the Hammersmith school which she still didn't know the name of, prompting Adele to run out of the flat without even consulting Sherlock or John. Which had resulted in being dragged back, and Sherlock going with her. John had been less than pleased, going on and on about texting once they were there and all sorts. Except that hadn't worked. Because as soon as Adele and Sherlock had left the flat and made for the train station, another message had appeared.

Alone.

Adele had shivered just reading it. Sherlock, of course, had been less than pleased, and had sent several angry and rather abusive messages back. Hammet had kept replying with the same word, so Sherlock settled for half way- He went as far as the road that then school was on, before sitting down on a bench and tapping his foot impatiently. Adele had then spent several minutes staring apprehensively from the sky to the school, and back again, until she had remembered that Eliza was in there and sit would be a good idea to go and get her sooner rather than later.

So, there she was. Adele had gone through the front entrance this time, which had been left unlocked. How Hammet could still get into the place was a mystery. She had shivered slightly as she had gone in, but had pretty much stopped doing anything besides breathing and throwing insults after five minutes of hanging around, after someone had grabbed the back of her jumper and shoved Adele against the wall, before dragging her to the gym.

Which appeared to be Hammet's headquarters. Adele had watched the door swing shut behind her, and after a brief moment of silence in the darkness, Eliza had shrieked, coming towards her.

'Adele!' She shouted out, grabbing the shorter girl's shoulders.

Adele was surprised to say the least, but managed to maintain an air of indifference.

'Eliza.' She said coolly.

'What the hell is going on?!' Eliza was asking frantically. 'How did you-! Are Mum and Kitty okay?!'

Adele blinked.

'Um.'

'Adele? Are they okay?' Eliza asked desperately.

Now her eyes had adjusted a little to the dark, Adele could see that Eliza's face was harassed, her long hair in tangles, tear streaks staining her face. Her shirt was ripped at the sleeve. She was wearing her school uniform. Adele had forgotten, that Eliza was a girl. That things could hurt her, affect her, the way they would a normal person.

'Well, I don't know, do I.' She mumbled, not looking at the other.

'What? I've been stuck here for two days, and you don't *know*?!'

'I was *trying* to rescue you!'

'Oh, and where did getting yourself captured factor in?!' Eliza demanded

'He'll let us out.' Adele said quietly.

'What?'

'He always does, he-'

Her voice stopped abruptly as a hollow, maniacal, almost unearthly laughter floated over their heads. Possibly the creepiest laughter Adele had ever heard, and that included Moriarty. As the laughter died away, Adele took a breath, sat down against a wall, closed her eyes, and started panicking. She didn't notice any of this until Eliza pointed out the state of her laces.

The tears were back in Eliza's eyes.

'Well then, why are we even friends?!'

'You tell me!' Adele's voice echoed in the empty gym. Eliza didn't speak for several seconds, and the two girls glared at each other. 'Well?'

Eliza finally spoke, her voice timid. Now that she thought about it, had Adele ever shouted at her? Then again, Eliza had never shouted at Adele. 'You looked lonely.'

Adele open and shut her mouth like a goldfish. 'Out of pity? Is that it?'

'No, I- Adele, it isn't like that!'

'Then what is it like?' Adele demanded. 'Let me guess, new kid, looks a bit lost, and you immediately decide that they need some sort friend? If you must know, Eliza, I was trying to get rid of you from day one! The entire thing would have worked out so much better!'

'Well maybe this is one of the reasons why! You don't think, ever! You just go ahead and do stuff! And as far as I remember, you were more than happy to drag me along on your elaborate schemes!'

'You were all too happy to come along!'

'You would have taken off at me if I hadn't!'

'How do you know?!'

'Adele, it's not- I didn't mean it like that, you know I didn't! Adele, look at me and honestly tell me that you weren't even a tiny bit upset the day we first met. Tell me, honestly, that you were seriously ready to spend the next however many days, weeks, whatever, on your own.' Adele didn't move. 'Look at me!'

Adele went back to glaring, but it was pretty useless. Nothing she ever did looked even mildly threatening. She looked away, watching her arm as she twisted the bracelet around it. She narrowed her eyes, even though she was almost certain that Eliza couldn't see.

'For the record, I was. I've never had friends, and I definitely wasn't expecting anything to change.'

'What were you expecting, then?'

'I- I don't know. This isn't only about me.' It was Eliza's turn to look away. 'Why, and give me an honest answer here, did you rush to be friends with me of all people?'

Eliza didn't even pause to think. 'You knew what it felt like to lose someone.'

'What?'

'Kitty.' She said simply. Adele was still confused, and apparently her face showed it. 'I told you. Or was I just hoping you could hear?'

'Yeah, I could.'

'And you remember it?'

Adele had to cast her mind back, but yes, somewhere in the very back was what Eliza had said about her sister. Even though it would only stay between Adele and her brain, she would never think of it as a conversation.

'Sort of. It was a bit fuzzy. Next time you want to tell me something important, wait until I'm at least half conscious.'

'Well I didn't know if you would be again. Sorry about that, by the way.'

'I survived. Actually that's the first time I've been able to say that completely truthfully.' Adele paused, and had to open and shut her eyes several times. 'Give me words to spell.'

Eliza laughed a little, although she still looked slightly guilty. Again, Adele had to cast her mind back, and from that she could recall something to do with guns and threats. Although that was a regular thing, guns and threats.

'Well, this could be a lot worse.'

'You know, you shouldn't say that.'

'What? Why?'

'Tempting fate.'

'Suspicion.'

'Eloquent.'

'What?'

'I thought you wanted to spell words.'

Adele stalled a moment, then sat down beside the other girl.

' t.' She paused, then asked 'What happened to your shirt?'

Eliza shrugged.

'I wasn't going without a fight.'

A pang of something that felt a whole lot like guilt seized at Adele's stomach.

'Chameleon.'

' n. You had to fight?'

'Sort of. More they fought, I struggled, but hey.'

Adele reached toward her bracelet, but was stopped by a hand in hers. The knot of the bracelet was pressed between Eliza's palm and her own, and despite her best efforts, Adele found it was impossible not to lace her fingers through those of the other girl.

'Onomatopoeia.'

'O n a-'

'Nuur! I'm sorry, that answer is incorrect, but thankyou for playing.'

'What was-'

'An 'O'. Not an 'A'.'

'Oh.'

'So, Hammet doesn't run this place any more.'

'Really? a-'

'No. He shot you, Adele.'

'Oh yeah, that.'

'Right.'

' o- wait a second.'

'That was right.'

'No, I... Did you say two days?'

'That I've been here?'

Adele nodded.

'Well, almost. I mean, is was last night, and that would be the first day, so.'

'Right.'

'What is it?'

'Nothing. Just an idea.'

'O n a-'

'No.'

'You know, I didn't think he'd actually keep you here for two days. a-'

'Wrong again. And why?'

'Because Hammet is an idiot.' Adele stated simply. ' a.'

'Finally. And what basis do you have for calling him that? Antidisestablishmentarianism .'

'Every basis. m.'

'Supercalifragilisticexpialid ocious.'

Adele ignored the new word, deciding not to make a fool of herself by not being able to spell it. 'You know.' She began thoughtfully. 'I don't think your mother will be particularly pleased by the state of your school uniform.'