Sorry about the delay on this chapter, I wrote a version of it then I didn't like it and ended up rewriting the entire chapter again. I've been extremely busy lately and haven't had time, nor the effort to write much. I'm good now though, and I'm going to get ahead, as best I can so I can just upload during my exams, which are coming up very soon.

Cheers Steps.


Chapter 29; Second Trial

Maria woke the next morning to find herself, not in her own bed. It took her a few more blinks for her to figure out she was somehow in Sherlock's bed. She sat up suddenly, her eyes locking onto the man sitting in the corner on a chair.

"What am I doing here?" Maria asked, throwing the covers off herself as Sherlock looked around at her.

"I needed you near to think, so I brought you in here," He said casually, pulling the iPhone out of his pocket, flicking it unlocked, the locking it again and putting it away. "We need to get going, and soon, get dressed." He said. "We have a new picture from our mysterious friend and the sooner we get there and search, the better." He said before flying from the room almost in his haste. Maria rolled her eyes and kicked herself out of bed to follow after the man.

An hour later, Maria and Sherlock were standing outside the military base, Detective Lestrade beside them.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Lestrade asked looking at them. Maria nodded before Sherlock headed straight for the gate. There they were quickly stopped by an officer, before they could enter.

"Who are you people?" He demanded.

"I'm Sherlock Holmes and this is Doctor Maron and Inspector Lestrade, we require access to this military base, we believe there's been something planted in one of your buildings."

"I'm afraid we can't let you in."

Maria looked at the man with her ice cold blue eyes.

"What's your rank?" She asked.

"Lieutenant," He replied curtly. Maria frowned slightly before turning to look at all the men beyond the gate who had stopped to watch them. She glanced at Sherlock before turning back to the men.

"Attention!" Maria cried and half the men snapped into position, the other half staring at her like she was daft.

"I think you need to train your boys a little better. They should respond much faster to orders of their higher ranks. My name is also Captain Maria Maron, Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers. You want more proof?" She asked turning back to the lieutenant pulling out her purse. "There's my ID. Now I require you to shove off and let us save some lives while we still can."

"Y-Yes ma'am." The lieutenant stuttered before running off, probably to go tell higher ranks. Maria put her purse back in her pocket and turned to Lestrade and Sherlock.

"I haven't pulled rank in ages that felt good." She said before looking over at the men. "At ease gentlemen." She gave them a gentle smile before turning back to Sherlock and Lestrade as another officer strode towards them.

"It can't be…" Maria muttered under her breath before she grinned widely. "Reggie!" She squealed running over to hug the man tightly.

"Maria Maron!" He said hugging her back with enthusiasm enough to pick her up and swing her around like a doll. Lestrade couldn't help but notice the nerve that twitched in Sherlock's jaw, like as if he was clenching it. Reggie put Maria back on her feet then proceeded to address the men.

"Maria and I go way back, we were mates in med school," Reggie said with a strong Australian accent. "Now can I ask what you think is going on here, I'm not running a bloody carnival for the yard." He said turning to Lestrade who stiffened slightly.

"Reggie, this is DI Lestrade and Sherlock Holmes, we need to get into one of the rooms here, um, I think it's a mess hall. It's hard to explain, show him the picture Sherlock." Maria said. Sherlock obliged and flashed the phone to the man before withdrawing it back into his pocket. Maria glanced at him.

"I know that hall, I'll escort you personally," He said, turning a charming smile onto Maria before offering her his arm. Maria laughed and took it as the gate opened to allow them in and they headed off walking. Sherlock was quick to follow after them with Lestrade in tow. While they walked, painfully slowly for Sherlock, Reggie and Maria caught up with each-other. Sherlock found himself grinding his teeth ever so slightly as he listened to her laughter at this man's apparent humour which he himself did not find amusing to say the least. Lestrade looked at Sherlock out of the corner of his eye. Now he wasn't one for making deductions but he couldn't help but notice.

"Sherlock…Are you jealous?" He asked in an undertone to the taller man, the two in front blissfully in their own little world. Sherlock turned on Lestrade quickly.

"I don't get jealous." He snapped too quickly to be believable. "I don't feel as a general rule."

"You do when it comes to her," Lestrade shot back as they stopped in front of a building.

"What are you two muttering about back there?" Maria asked curiously, releasing Reggie's arm so he could open the door for them.

"Nothing," Sherlock replied, barging past them both and into the mess hall as Reggie turned on the lights. Sherlock went straight to the nearest bench and began examining. Lestrade waited outside the door as Maria came up to stand beside Reggie. He turned to her.

"So I was wondering Maria, if you're not busy tonight, maybe we could catch up and have a drink or something?"

BANG.

They all jumped at the sound and looked around to find its source; seeing Sherlock standing next to a chair, which had obviously been thrown over.

"Oops." Sherlock said, almost sarcastically as he eyed off Reggie. "But I'm afraid Doctor Maron is already taken for tonight."

"Since when?" Maria asked incredulously.

"Since now." He said firmly, his eyes meeting hers for a moment before he turned and proceeded to look under the table. Maria frowned. She'd seen him like this once before.

"Reggie, show Lestrade the security camera data please, just in case." Maria asked and Reggie understood that she wanted a moment alone with Sherlock and he left, closing the door behind himself. Maria walked over to Sherlock and leant against the table opposite him.

"There's no need to be jealous Sherlock," Maria said and Sherlock reacted immediately, like a snake being provoked. He stood up to his full height facing her, his eyes flashing dangerously.

"I am not jealous of that man. He knows nothing outside of being a brainless warrior who throws himself into battle without a second thought."

"And am I like that too?" Maria demanded before taking a step forwards when he paused.

"No. You know how to think. Why can't people think?"

"It's just a drink Sherlock."

"A drink that he intends to make much more. Oh Maria look at him. Unmarried and probably heading towards a down spiralling midlife crisis and went you showed no real romantic connection to me in that moment of meeting him, he took that to mean your available. He only looking for a one night stand in a woman he thinks he can easily convince back to his place after a few drinks."

"And you think I would be that woman."

"I've seen you after a couple of drinks Maria, believe me, you are that woman and he knows it and intends to take advantage of it."

Maria frowned again. "There's still no reason to be jealous."

"I told you, I'm not jealous. I know where I stand." Sherlock said defiantly, causing Maria to sigh. She pushed herself off the table and grabbed the front of his shirt to pull him down to kiss her. He smirked and pulled her into him. She wrapped her arms around him and was surprised to find his lips move down to the base of her neck.

"Sherlock?

Pain and shock shot through her like wild fire from the point of origin, the place where Sherlock had his lips. She let out a small cry of alarm before she shoved him away hard. He hand flew to her neck as he braced himself against the table with a smirk of triumph.

"Did you just bite me?"

"I believe it's called a hickey. You leave them on your better half as a sign of affection, no?" Sherlock said before pushing himself to stand. "Like to see Reggie flirt with you now."

"I'm honestly going to kill you…" Maria said, shaking her head in disbelief at his actions, but the damage was done and it was quite visible too. "I'm going to bloody kill you and leave you on a curb somewhere…maybe Cardiff…" She added and he chuckled softly then motioned at the table behind him.

"Tell me what you see."

Maria grumbled softly and lowered her hand from her neck and turned her eyes down to the table top.

"Nothing, no scratches, no sign of anything really, it's a very clean table." She answered, glancing at him.

"Only?" He pressed, still grinning.

"Only…this part of the table, it's cleaner, it's been wiped way more thoroughly than the rest of the table, spotless in fact the rest is kinda shotty at best, and Mrs Hudson would have a fit if she saw this."

If it was possible, Sherlock's grin became even wider at her deduction.

"And that, dear Maria, is because…" He ran over to the light switch near the door, skidding the last two feet before flicking the light off. "…They needed to work harder to rub the ink off."

Maria's eyes widened. Where once had been a clean table, now an entire message was written in front of her in invisible ink.

"It's in some sort of code." She instantly realised, pulling out her phone and taking a picture of the message quickly. "We figure out the code…"

"We figure out what this person is hiding." He finished with a grin, flicking the lights on again and coming back over to her side.

"You really are fantastic." She praised with a small grin. He smiled back before taking her hand.

"We should go pick up Lestrade then head home, this code needs to be figured out as soon as possible." He said before leading her to the door.