Ch. 43

"Ello Sherlock, how about that dinner?" The Woman asked. Her voice seemed to slither into their ears like a tactile snake.

"I see you still have something against using the front door," joked Sherlock. He acted as if everything was fine and dandy. Norah pushed in front of him.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?"

"Depends, who's askin'?"

"His girlfriend."

Irene's doe eyes widened. "Girlfriend? I didn't think the great Sherlock Holmes did girlfriends."

Sherlock stepped between Norah and the bed. "Norah Sinclair, this is-,"

"Irene Adler, so I've gathered." Norah hissed. "Could you kindly put some clothes on?" she implored, covering Irene's body from view with her hand.

"Why?" asked Irene, a grin sliding across her perfectly angular features. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact!"

"Irene." Sherlock said flatly. Scoffing, The Woman glided up off of the bed and took Sherlock's bathrobe off of his chair, slipping it on. She turned back around.

"This better for you sweetheart?" She winked.

"Remind me why she's here again?" Norah grumbled.

"She's our witness for the prosecution of James Brook."

"You're joking, right? Seriously, is this a joke?"

"Nobody's laughing darling," quipped Irene, coming alongside Sherlock and slithering her hand up his shoulder.

Norah smiled, but not out of happiness. It was the sort of smile that only happens when something is so incredibly infuriating that one's emotions break.

"I'm going to ask you again. Why did you feel the need to show up unannounced and unclothed on his bed?"

"Oh, poor dear, he didn't tell you?"

"Irene," Sherlock urged, trying to stop her. He didn't like where this was going, and Norah was going to like it even less.

"…Tell me what?"

"Pakistan. Karachi? Ring any bells?"

"Sherlock, what's she talking about?"

"Irene, don't."

"No, please, by all means. Tell me. I'm curious," Norah spat with a touch of sarcasm, realizing that he was hiding something from her. She folded her arms.

"Well, the last time I saw your boyfriend here, he saved my neck from a terrorist group and I gave him a 'special thank you' later on. On the house."

"That was before her!" Sherlock said through gritted teeth, motioning to Norah.

Norah backed away, starting to realize what was going on. Sherlock just watched the anger dissolve into dejection in her green eyes.

"You didn't tell me that part of the whole story," she muttered solemnly, thinking back to their sleepless night at the inn in Dublin.

"You wouldn't have wanted to hear that part."

"Oh, so you just left out everything that I 'wouldn't have wanted' to hear? What else did you skim over?"

"Nothing else!"

"I can see that you're having a domestic, so I'll just make myself a cuppa in the mean time." The Woman slid her hand down Sherlock's arm and strode past Norah to the kitchen, sporting a satisfied smirk.

Sherlock tried to grasp Norah's shoulders, but she jolted backwards. "…Norah, I understand why you're upset-,"

"No Sherlock, you can't possibly understand why I'm upset. Because I told you everything, my entire story, and you obviously left some bits out." She smacked her palms against her temples.

"What on earth was I supposed to say? 'And by the way, after I saved her life, we stole away to a seaside hotel and shagged'?!"

"No, you weren't supposed to tell me that nothing ever happened between the two of you, because now you've given me a reason not to trust you! Damnit, I can't believe I didn't see through that one. "

"Anyone else want tea?" Irene called from the kitchen. Norah bit her bottom lip so hard that it began to bleed.

"Is she staying here?"

"I have to protect her until the trial."

"No. Get Mycroft to do it."

"You honestly think something is going to happen between myself and Irene? Really?"

Norah mockingly put her index finger to her chin. "Let's see, she's a lusty dominatrix who you bonked and who used to have your name as her phone passcode. Don't know…"

"You're acting like a jealous child."

Norah pointed at him threateningly, but bit her tongue. Composing herself, she put her hands back at her sides. She looked up at him, sadly. "Fine, Sherlock. You're right. The case is more important." She walked to his bed and gathered her pajamas from her side, then got her toothbrush from his bathroom. "Prove my suspicions wrong," She said emotionlessly, leaving his room. She would sleep in her own bed tonight. Sherlock heaved a heavy hearted sigh.

"Night dearie," sneered Irene as Norah walked briskly past her through the kitchen.

Norah stopped, adjusted her posture, then prowled toward The Woman until she was an inch away from her face.

"If you speak to me condescendingly one more time, I'll knock that slimy red smile right off your face. You're in my territory." And she was never more serious.

"Oo," Irene trilled, looking Norah up and down and smacking her red lips. "That a promise?"

"Just try me." Having made her point, Norah stormed upstairs to her bedroom.