Cheshire decided to walk home from the latest crime scene. This one was too close to Baker street and Sherlock told her she should stay with Mycroft in his condo. By tomorrow, she will be with her eldest brother's home. A text message got her attention while she waited at a cross walk.
"Enjoy your freedom while you can, little cat." – JM
Cheshire tilted her head and looked around. "I better not go missing again. What is it, the tenth time if it happens again?" Cheshire scoffed to herself as she walked across the street with a group of people. Cheshire walked down the street and stopped by a pastry shop. She ordered some sweets she liked and knew Sherlock would enjoy if he got hungry during the case. Cheshire took her goodies and got on her journey home. "Hello, Seb." Cheshire greeted as she got to the next cross walk. Seb nodded a greeting to her and handed her a note.
"Jim blames you for putting Andy in a hole. Your ex is getting obsessive and he wants to talk about why you broke up with him. He'll probably take you to a place for dinner for a meeting tonight. Don't tell anyone and get ready by four thirty. I would make an excuse to why you are leaving. I'm not here." – Seb
Cheshire crumpled the paper and put it in her backpack with the sweets. "He better not get blood on his hands. Devils and angels don't mix." Cheshire sighed as she crossed the street. Seb walked next to her and then turned away to a different direction. Cheshire saw how tense he was and sighed. "This is going to be messy." She got to the building and walked inside. Sherlock and John were out, but Jim sat in Sherlock's chair. "Hello, Jim." Cheshire sighed as she sat on the couch. "Why did you and Andy break up?" he asked. Cheshire shrugged her backpack off on the floor and took her shoes off. "I cannot handle such a restrained relationship. I was also worried something would happen. Something dangerous that would hurt someone." Cheshire said as she offered him a cookie. Jim accepted and munched on the sweet. "I see. I can try to explained that to him. I would refrain from getting into a new relationship for about a month." Jim got up and started to leave. Cheshire yawned and put the sweets away. The serial killer killing brunettes with blue eyes has been running like fire for about a week and a half. The worry and fear was not helping Cheshire's already odd sleep schedule. She was barely sleeping as it is and now she was unable to sleep unless someone was in the room with her. Cheshire decided to make herself some coffee. She hated the taste, but it helped her stay awake. Sherlock came in by the time the brew was done and saw her drinking the coffee. She handed him a mug when she saw how tired he looked. Sherlock sighed and analyzed her. "Cheshire, I want you to sleep tonight. You're going to make yourself sick again." he said as she sat on the couch. Cheshire yawned and sipped the hot dark liquid again before starting to write in her journal. Sherlock sat in his chair and looked outside before setting the cup down on the coffee table. "This killer won't get you. I don't know why I am having such trouble getting this one, though. If only Greg had called me earlier." Sherlock would only talk to Cheshire about these issues he had within himself. Cheshire sighed and rubbed her eyes after putting the mug down. "You can't stop people when they kill, Sherlock. You can only catch them and make them pay for their crimes on Earth." She got up and crawled in his chair. Cheshire was still five foot two and she fit snuggly beside him. Sherlock went into his mind palace and habitably played with her hair. Cheshire sighed contently and looked outside in the crowd of people below. "Sherlock?" Cheshire called to him. Sherlock snapped back to her yawn and rest her head on his shoulder. "I'm scared." Sherlock sighed and wrapped his arm around her. "I'm here when you wake up." Cheshire slowly went to sleep. Sherlock went to his mind palace and thought.
Within his palace, Sherlock walked into a hallway of a large house. He heard Cheshire signing as she drew in a notebook. Sherlock saw her six-year old self and sat by her. "What are you drawing, Chess?" he asked the young child. "The scary thing. Will, I'm really scared. I was taken too many times. I was nearly killed too many times." The small girl he once knew whimpered before she jumped into his waiting arms. "I'll keep you safe, Cheshire." Sherlock promised. The girl grew up to the present age and held him closer. "Sherlock, I'm so scared. This is scarier than the demon incident. I think someone is watching me." Sherlock sighed and stroked her hair soothingly. "You'll be safer with Mycroft tomorrow until this killer is found."
Sherlock came from his palace a little bit later and felt a wet spot on his chest where Cheshire slept. He tried getting up, but just couldn't move Cheshire. This was the best she had slept in a while. "Drool, dead weight, and slight snoring. Better than hyper on coffee." Sherlock thought as she nuzzled her head in his shirt. "It is also a good thing I put a sedative to counteract the caffeine and make her sleep." Sherlock smiled to himself when he remembered what he did the previous night. Sherlock shifted slightly to test Cheshire's awareness and then moved both himself and his baby sister to the couch where it was most comfortable. Cheshire shifted and yawned as she stretched, rapidly going back to whatever dream she was in. "John, mind getting me some tea?" Sherlock asked when he heard John walk in. It was difficult for him to see who it was, but could tell it was John from the way the doctor walks into the flat. "Alright. She's sleeping?" John was a little surprised, but saw the coffees. "You drugged her?" he softly ridiculed. Sherlock put a finger to his lips as Cheshire lightly stirred. "It works and it was this or knocking her out cold." Sherlock whispered. John shrugged and went to make the tea. He went on a whim that Sherlock drugged her, but he was drugged once to sleep after a rough nightmare with his PTSD when he was Sherlock's roommate. "Is she ready to go to Mycroft's tomorrow?" asked the kind doctor. Sherlock nodded and sat up to a comfortable position so he could enjoy his tea.
"I think she's also worried about me. The killer has been attacking men as well as women this week." Sherlock ran his fingers in her soft wavy hair when he felt her tense up and shake slightly. "Mycroft is prepared to care for her. We're trading off at dinner tonight." Sherlock said as he looked out the window. Ever so slowly, Sherlock got up and went to gaze at the people below. "John, have you seen him there lately?" asked the sleuth. John got up and looked around to see the face he saw yesterday from walking to Sherlock's flat. "You have a bad feeling about him?" asked the doctor. Sherlock analyzed him and sighed when he remembered who he was. "My cousin. Never liked him. Don't talk to him, John." Sherlock said as he walked back to the couch and pulling a blanket off the back of his chair. Sherlock laid it over Cheshire and sat in his chair. "Cousin? What is it with your family? They seem to be popping up lately." John said as he sat down and enjoyed his warm cup of tea. Sherlock had gone to his mind palace to ponder, something John was used to. The patient doctor picked up a book and began to read. Out of curiosity, he picked up Cheshire's notebook and read the story she had been working on lately. He was so enveloped in the illustrations and the detail that he didn't realize it was an hour before Cheshire woke up and glared at him. "Cheshire, Christ, don't do that." John said once he looked up to feeling watched. Cheshire tilted her head and looked at him. "You like it?" she asked with a perplexed tone. John nodded and gave a smile. "It's interesting. All these twists and turns that you made. You made a maze of mysteries, Cheshire, it's really good. So, who did it? Who killed the Queen?" John rambled. Cheshire made a zip of her lips before she yawned into a stretched. "You'll have to keep reading, John. She won't say. I believe it was the secret agent from Africa." said Sherlock. The two began an argument about who the villain is in Cheshire's story. Cheshire enjoyed their reactions and internally documented what she would do for the next additions to her story. Something that would surprise both of them and yet drag them deeper into the mystery.
"Sherlock, time to head to Mycroft's." Cheshire announced as she rolled to her feet off the couch and went to grab her bags. John left to help Mary with the house chores while she and the baby took a nap. Sherlock saw Anthea pull up and put Cheshire's bags in the boot of the car. Anthea drove them to Mycroft's condo and dropped them off. "Sherlock, do you see him?" asked Cheshire. Sherlock looked to where her gaze was directed and saw no one. "He has no face." Sherlock got her bags and the walked inside, taking the elevator up to the penthouse. Mycroft had the door unlocked for them and they just walked in to see him looking frustrated and in need of a drink. "Myc, what happened at work?" asked Cheshire. Sherlock just set her bags by the door and shut it. The faceless man followed them and hung around Cheshire. "Sherlock, there's a threat on your life again. This one is extremely dangerous and I suggest you actually stay out of this case, brother mine." Mycroft sighed as he sat on his chair and rubbed his face. Sherlock looked outside and read the people walking by. "Cheshire, did the faceless man follow us?" he asked. Cheshire shook her head and began writing in her notebook. Sherlock took a seat between his siblings and looked at Mycroft. The eldest knew his younger brother won't quit this case no matter how hard he begged. If he had to get on his knees and beg, Sherlock would not submit. "I think he was the latest victim. He had a part of his scalp still on with some dark hair." Cheshire randomly said as she added to her story. "Dinner should be done by now." Mycroft wanted to change the subject to a different category. They made their way to the kitchen and enjoyed some home cooking that Mycroft somehow managed alone without Anthea's help.