It was around 9am before anyone surfaced the next morning. John was the first up and he found Sherlock still sitting at the table in the kitchen, his hands under his chin meaning he was still deep in his mind palace. John knew better than to disturb him so he made a quick cup of tea and took himself off to sit in the lounge with the newspaper which had been delivered.

Slowly the others awoke and headed into the kitchen to find Sherlock in the same position. Under John's guidance they all did as John did and silently left Sherlock to it.

It was an hour or so later that Sherlock headed into the lounge. He looked dreadful. Exhausted and squinting, his glasses in his hand.

"Are you OK?" said John immediately sensing that all was not OK?

Sherlock shook his head, and turned and walked to the bedroom. Molly and John followed swiftly behind. Sherlock simply walked up to the bed, and fell straight on it. He was asleep before his head had even hit the pillow. John and Molly gently removed Sherlock's shoes and eased the bed covers over him.

"I think he's over done it." said Molly in a whisper.

"I have never known him to fall asleep during a case. Ever" said John "He is still very much recovering. Leave him be for a bit and we can come back and check on him."

With that they both tiptoed out of the room.

They were met by two concerned faces as they walked back into the Lounge

"He's absolutely spark out. Asleep before his head had even hit the pillow. In all the years I've worked with him I've never known him fall asleep during a case. Even the ones which last 4 or 5 days. He's been the one up and awake throughout. I've been the one sleeping while standing up. He's been known to be comatose for almost 2 days solid after the heaviest of cases but never sleeping during. I think that there's still quite some way to go on his recovery. But he'll be fine. A good sleep and he'll be right as rain."

"What shall we do?" asked Mary

"Best thing we can do is to give him some peace and quiet. Shall we head out for a walk for a couple of hours. He can sleep then" suggested John.

Bags were quickly packed, packed lunches made and within half an hour they were ready to head out for they day. Mary and Lestrade had identified a public footpath on the map and they were working to plan the route. Molly and John popped their head in on Sherlock who was sleeping soundly.

Molly left him a note in the kitchen.

'We've gone for a walk, taking a packed lunch. We've left you some in the fridge. Don't overdo it. See you later, Molly x'

Boots were pulled on, and the four of them silently left the cottage, leaving Sherlock to rest without disturbance.

Sherlock stirred around 2pm. He was feeling much refreshed and his mind was already whirring on the case at hand. He was up, showered, and dressed within 15 minutes and headed into the kitchen where he found Molly's note. He quickly scribbled one back

'Heading out. 2.20pm. SH'

He found the sandwich and drink Molly had left for him in the fridge, drank all, ate half his sandwich and put the other half in a bag for later, slipping it into his pocket along side his drawing pad and pencils. By 2.20 he was out of the house ready to resume his investigations.

Molly, Lestrade, John and Mary returned back to the cottage just after 3pm to find Sherlock's note and the food gone out of the fridge.

"Well at least we know he's eaten" said Mary.

"And he only left half an hour or so ago so he's had a good 4 hours of rest. He'll be fine now." said John as they flicked the kettle on for a cup of tea.

"Interesting village this" mused Lestrade as he took his coat off "Several significant routes in and out which is quite unusual for a village like this. Usually there's only one road in and out. Would tie in with our theory of some form of smuggling going on. It's also really weird. Did any of you feel like the curtains were twitching as we were walking?"

"Oh my goodness, I'm so glad it's not just me" Molly exclaimed. " I swear I felt like eyes were watching me. It was really uncomfortable. Like we weren't welcome. I've never felt like that here before. Mind you my parents and I haven't really used the cottage much over the last 6 months or so."

"That would kind of tie in again. The reports we've been getting started about 5 months ago, and are regularly appearing now."

The four of them were tired after their walk and the fresh air, so the settled into the lounge to relax with books and the radio on. Lestrade and John both dozed off and Mary and Molly found themselves engrossed in a jigsaw. They were disturbed by a voice behind them/

"You've got that piece wrong" said a deep voice from behind them, a finger pointing over at one specific piece. Sherlock smiled as they both jumped up in shock.

"We didn't hear you return"

"I have perfected the art of being silent when I need to. Shall we go for some dinner at the pub?"

"You want to go for dinner in a pub? That's not like you" came a yawning response from a bleary eyed John stretching out on the sofa.

"I need to do some investigating and need a reason to go back in there. I think they're growing a little suspicious of me and going for a group dinner will be the cover I need." With that he was opening the front door and beckoning them all out.

Molly grabbed a look at her watch. It was 6pm and already quite gloomy outside. It would be dark within half an hour. The four of them rushed around to grab coats and shoes, Lestrade confused having been woken up by a prod from Mary. Within minutes they were walking down the lane into the village.

"Sherlock, why is our car in the pub car park?" asked John "And how on earth did you get the keys? Oh no, scrub that, they were in my coat pocket last night. You stole them didn't you?"

"We may need to make a quick get away." said Sherlock quietly as he opened the pub door.

Inside the pub were several locals who all looked up from their pints as the five strangers entered. Sherlock walked up to a table by the window and beckoned the others to join him. He tapped four times on the table before pausing and then tapping twice more. John nodded at Sherlock.

"Code?" Molly whispered at John

"Yes. Appears that we need to be cautious. And it would also seem that this is the table we are to sit at."

With the three other seated and warned to keep the conversation to a friendly banter about holidays, families and work in general, Sherlock and john went and ordered food at the bar. Sherlock's medication prevented him from drinking and John also knew that Sherlock never partook of alcohol when working. The others had a mixture of glasses of wine and some of the local real ale beer.

Sherlock sat down to join them, merrily sparking up a conversation about the things he had sat and drawn during the day. It was John who understood totally what Sherlock was telling him. The things he had drawn during the day were the key features of the village they needed to be aware of. Lestrade however had not cottoned on at all.

"Well, why are you telling us about all of this if you're not going to show us the drawings, Sherlock."

John's foot shot out and kicked Lestade firmly under the table. Lestrade's eyes met John's with a look of inquisition, before the look John gave him back made him realise that perhaps it's wasn't the wisest of comments. John could see Sherlock immediately go into full observation mode. A throw away comment like this could so easily give them away. Why indeed would Sherlock not show his closest friends his drawings? It was enough to make someone thing something else underlying was going on.

Dinner arrived shortly after. Sherlock didn't eat much having already had a sandwich. He passed the food around his plate, obviously deep in thought. No-one really bothered him, knowing that he needed time. He made his excuses about needing the bathroom and walked off from the table. John's eyes followed him. Sherlock was obviously going to check something out.

The other four ate with eagerness, hungry after their walk and their plates were cleared by the time Sherlock returned.

"Shall we go for a night time drive?" he announced, standing up. John took the prompt and encouraged the others to join him.

Sherlock was already seated in the drivers chair as the others got in. John was in the front with him and Mary, Molly and Lestrade in the back. Once the doors were closed he let out a sigh.

"We are clear to talk in here but you need to be aware of everything you say outside this vehicle. I have the case solved and pieced together. Please just give me a moments silence. I need to think and observe." he reversed the car and then drove slowly out of the car park, his eyes darting in every direction, taking in all the other vehicles parked there.

"What's going on, Sherlock?" asked Lestrade a few minutes later when it became clear that he was out of his focussed observation mode.

Sherlock simply replied with four words "We are being followed."