The Reichenbach Fall

Burning Silently

Tucked in a dark corner, the young woman was grateful to Sherlock's tips for hiding and the practice she'd had so recently as she heard every word of the conversation between the geniuses in the next room.

"It's going to start very soon Sherlock... the fall." Jim told him; tone pleasant but getting darker with every word. "But don't worry... falling's just like flying – except there's a more permanent destination."

Hearing the springs of John's chair, she realised Sherlock had stood. "I never did like riddles."

There was a beat of tension in the room. "Learn to. Because I owe you a fall Sherlock. I owe you..." Jim held the younger man's eyes, threat hanging between them, almost tangible in the air. As he turned away however, Jim thought he'd have a little extra fun. "It's okay Rosie, dear, I haven't done him in – yet." Seeing her step out of the shadows, glare in place, he just smirked at his rival's little assistant. "Where would the fun be in that...?"

"Hello, Jim," She greeted coldly, eyes scanning everything about the shorter man as she looked for any sign of a threat to her friend, other than his words.

All she found was a leering gaze that looked her up and down, sly grin peeling into his features making him even creepier. "Such a shame... we could have had a lot of fun..."

"Sorry," She rejected lightly, trying to hide the sheer disgust at the man in front of her. "You're not really my type."

Sherlock only watched on, knowing she could handle herself, but also a little curious as to how she was handling herself; if he didn't know better, he'd say they were just strangers who had bumped into each other on the street, rather than being enemies in their world of angels and monsters.

Jim only chuckled darkly. "Shame."

Rose was becoming more wary the longer he stayed and knowing he was in fact on his way out when he'd called her out of the shadows, she thought it was time for him to be on his way. "Goodbye, Jim."

Jim only gave her one last once over, taking in every detail of her being, wondering what made her so special to the Holmes brothers he'd been playing with for so long; she was hardly a genius, and yet seemed to have captured their attention so much so that one had employed her, and the other... well, that's a whole other story, he thought with a grin.

Deciding to take his leave, he turned away from them, already thinking about his next move as he made his way out of the chaotic flat and out onto the streets again.

Back in the flat however, Rose turned to her flat mate and friend with a look of incredulity. "Are you insane?!"

"What do you mean?" Sherlock asked quickly, wondering how she had gone from composed in front of the recently freed criminal to this almost panicked state now he'd left.

Rose only took a step forward, indicating to the carefully prepared tray. "You made him tea?"

He just gave her an obvious look. "That's what you do when you have a visitor, isn't it?" He asked simply, though he knew what she was driving at.

Rose just huffed, defeated at his logic. "Not this visitor, Sherlock..."