Surprise! I bet you didn't see this coming so soon! Like I said I have more time, so another chapter is out now! A bit shorter, but I hope you enjoy it anyway. I'm really trying to put Sarah's story in a way to make her as real as I can, I hope the narrative makes sense... Again, thanks for the follows and favorites or reviews, I love you all!

Chapter 6 - In the circus

SARAH WINSTON:

I took a shaky breath as Sherlock patiently waited for me to start talking. His blue eyes were scanning me and his fingers were gently drumming on the armrest of his chair. I could't bring myself to look into his eyes, everything was just so... heavy, I felt like a thousand bricks were falling down on me. I was afraid of what he might think of it, I didn't care for pity of others, or their concerns, that's why I don't tell anyone anything from my past. People tend to treat you differently, almost like a wounded animal, when they find out you've got... a heavy baggage. They tiptoe around, worrying about saying the right thing, worrying you might lose it if they say or do something wrong like you're a timed bomb. I didn't care for any of that. The things that happened are bad, yes, but I need to learn to live with it. Maybe telling Sherlock about it is one step forward after so many steps I've taken backwards.
"My brother," I started and he nodded, "he's six years older than me. We lived in Ireland until I was seven, then we moved here because of my parents' business. We were quite rich, we were living in a small mansion back in Ireland, near Cork, I loved it there." I smiled gently at the memories, at least those which were nice. "Anyway, ever since I was born, my brother didn't quite understand how to be gentle around me, my parents were disciplining him often for not being careful enough around me, which I guess made him even angrier at me. I was stealing all the attention I guess," I chuckled dryly and Sherlock watched me intently. "Well, over the years we even played together sometimes, but it mostly ended up with me crying or running off to my mother. My father, to put it lightly... wasn't a very patient man and he often punished him for being the way he was. As we grew older we grew apart, he was often gone, always in boarding schools or somewhere. Even then we woud get letters from his headmasters about his odd behavior. I can only guess that one day he had... enough of us," My mouth ran dry and I licked my lips.
"He tried to kill you all in a car accident," Sherlock stated with a low voice, remembering our last conversation about this, just a few hours after we met.
"Yes."
"And he partly succeeded."
"... Yes."
"But you survived."
"I did."
"How did you know it was him?"
"He told me," I said grimly and I could feel anger bubbling inside me. "At the funeral, to which he even had the audacity to show up. He stood next to me the whole time. You can't imagine how scared I was of him even back then when I didn't know he did it. He just stood there!" I blurted our and I stood up, trying to breathe steadily again. I blinked a few times to get the tears away. "You were supposed to be six feet under too by now just like them Sarah, I'm dissapointed. I guess I should've just burned you all alive back in the house to crisps. That's what he told me. He also told me he threatened our chauffeaur and forced him to crash the car. Of course I had no proof, since he died as well. I was fifteen." Sherlock shifted slightly in his seat.
"Did he try to kill you again after that?"
"Oh, yes. He sent a few people, even tried to blow me up."
"Hence the Smith & Wesson?" Sherlock asked and I smirked.
"Yeah."
We were quiet for a while, I stood and watched the cars and people on the street out the window and Sherlock was still seated in his chair.
"He's still after you, isn't he?" He asked quietly.
"I think so, but it seems this past year he's got better things to do. No messages, nothing. But that doesn't mean that I or anyone around me is safe. I shouldn't probably even be here." I gestured towards Sherlock who rolled his eyes.
"Oh come on, it wouldn't be the first killer that's after me. Nor the last." He smirked and stood up from his chair, walking over to the table with crates of books. That didn't bring me much comfort and I think he realized that.
"I assure you, John and I can take care of ourselves, Sarah," he told me over his shoulder and I glanced at him. There was sincerity in his gaze and he even gave me a small smile. It was geinuine. I smiled back. All of the pressure I felt went away and suddenly, I was a few pounds lighter. This man in front of me now knew more about me than anyone else now, but it didn't scare me. Actually it made me feel secure... safe. There was something about him that just made me feel that way in his presence. Maybe it was because of all the dangerous situations we've been in ever since we met a few days ago, but I just trusted Sherlock (and John, for that matter) with my life.

We didn't speak about my life any further, I didn't even tell him I've changed my last name, or that my brother changed his.
To tell the truth, I didn't know how he called himself nowadays, but I heard rumours about a powerful man who could do almost anything for his clients, but the people I've asked about him, only knew the man as M. I wasn't completely sure, but there was a very high chance it was my dear brother.
Sherlock and I went back to work on the books, a few hours passing by again. I was so tired, but this was a good way to forget about all of the thoughts roaming trough my head. I was so focused on my crate of books, I barely noticed John coming back from work and going upstairs to his room. Sherlock was stading opposite me at the table, rummaging trough the books, murmuring to himself.
"A book that everybody would own," he said quietly and he spun around to the bookcase next to the fireplace. He pulled out the English Dictionary, the Bible and another book I didn't see the title of. He handed me the Bible and he opened the dictionary.
"Fifteen. Entry one," he instructed and opened his book on page fifteen. I followed his example with the Bible.
"Add." He read out loud.
"I" I glanced over at him. We exchanged dissapointed looks and put the books away. He then searched the third book, which wasn't suitable as well. He sighed in exasperation and he ruffled his hair. John managed to join us a bit refreshed and looking oddly smug and happy with himself for the fact that he didn't sleep for a long time and he was at work.
"I need to get some air. We're going out tonight," Sherlock announced suddenly.
John smiled even more smugly. "Actually er, I've got a date."
"Oh wow. Lucky girl." I grinned at him and Sherlock frowned.
"What?" He turned to John.
"A date. It's where people who like each other go out and have fun," John told him.
"That's what I was suggesting," Sherlock opposed.
"No it wasn't. At least I hope not. You can try it with Sarah though," he smirked and I snorted. Yeah right.
Sherlock ignored him. "Where are you taking her?"
"Er, cinema."
"Oh, dull, boring, predictable," Sherlock said and he put out a piece of paper from his trouser pocket. He walked over to John and handed it to him, then he turned to give me a proud smile. What was this about? "Why don't you try this?" He asked John. I scooted over to see the paper Sherlock handed him. It was an advert for Yellow Dragon Circus with its phone number. I raised my eyebrows at Sherlock who continued to smile smugly.
"In London for one night only." There was something weirdly suspicious about Sherlock's sudden interest in this circus, meaning it had to have something in common with the case and I supposed he wanted to go there.
"Thanks, but I don't come to you for dating advice." John chuckled and handed the paper back to Sherlock.
"Oh come on John, I'm a woman and I can safely say, she'll love it. It looks interesting. I guess it wouldn't hurt to try it out," I told him and I patted his shoulder and I glanced over at Sherlock.
"Really?" John asked unbelievably and I nodded. Sherlock took the paper and put out his phone and went to the kitchen to call the number on the paper. When John left to collect his date and take her to dinner and then the circus, I narrowed my eyes at the detective.
"I guess we're going to the circus as well?"
"Excellent deduction, Miss Winston. We're going out. Be ready, we're leaving in an hour," he said and he went into his bedroom, leaving me alone in the living room. I decided to quickly stop at my hotel, to clean up and change clothes. I longingly glanced at the hotel room bed, locking the door behind me with my key card. I returned to the 221B just in time for us to leave. Sherlock eyed me up and down. I shifted under his sharp gaze and I smoothed my hands over my red blouse with high collar that I tucked into black trousers. I decided to put on heels even though they were very unpractical in the field, but I decided to risk it. In the end, what could possibly go wrong in a circus?
„Where have you been?" Sherlock frowned.
"My hotel. I needed a shower and a change of clothes."
"Could've just used mine and saved the time."
I couldn't believe my ears. I know he didn't mean it in that way but it did sound... flirt-ish.
"Uh... Sometimes thinking before saying stuff would be nice. You know... to sound less like you're-"
"What?"
"Flirting." I said slowly.
"Don't be ridiculous." He scoffed. "I'm just being practical."
I laughed. "I know, I'm just kidding. Don't fret about it." I patted him on the shoulder and I turned on my heel, putting on my grey coat as I trotted down the stairs.

We got into a cab and after a while, we arrived at the circus. We walked into the building and we looked around. There was a dim light coming only from a few Chinese lanterns hanging from the ceiling of the hallway.
"Okay," I said. "What's the plan? We storm into the backstage and we politely request to see Zhi-Zhu?"
"Oh, so you follow."
"Very much so. A Chinese circus for only one night? With a Chinese gang running about with a man who can climb walls like an acrobat in London at the same time? I'm not stupid."
"I never said you were."
"I'll take that as a compliment." I smirked at him and the corner of his mouth twitched a little in amusement. We slowly ascended the stairs to the box office, trying to push trough the small queue lining up the stairs as we looked for John. Sherlock caught a glimpse of him right in front of the box office, so he grabbed my upper arm and led us trough the people standing.
"Sherlock!" I whispered, exasperated.
"What?"
"You can't just crash their date!"
"Watch me." He smirked and I frowned at him.
John was speaking to the man in the box selling the tickets.
"Actually, I have four in the name Holmes," The man selling the tickets said to him and John exchanged a confused look with his date.
"No, I don't think so. We only booked two," John told the cashier.
Sherlock quickly stood behind John with a big smile on his face, his hand still on my upper arm.
"And then I phoned back and got two more for Sarah and myself," Sherlock said as we arrived behind John and the woman he was with. He looked at her and gallantly offered her his hand. "I'm Sherlock." he said with a very fake smile. I offered my hand to John's date as well.
"And I'm Sarah. Sorry to crash your date like this... I've tried to stop Sherlock from doing that." I said and I gave Sherlock a scolding look but he just rolled his eyes.
"Oh, hi. My name's Sarah too! What a coincidence," the woman laughed. "Honestly, it's fine, we'll just make it a double date then!" Sarah exclaimed and my eyes widened in horror.
"Oh, we're not-" I started, but Sherlock interrupted me.
"That's what I was thinking as well!" He said with unusual excitement in his voice. John seemed like he couldn't believe his eyes and ears. No blame there. I couldn't believe it either.
"What?" John and I both asked.
"Yes, why not? We're all here anyway." Sherlock told John and I and waved it off with his hands. I raised my eyebrows at him and just gave me a glance. Okay, so we were going to do a fake date. Not at all weird. Nope.
The other Sarah excused herself to the restrooms and John turned to Sherlock with an angry face.
"You couldn't let me have just one night off?"
"Yellow Dragon Circus, in London for one day, John. It fits. The Tong sent an assassin to England..." Sherlock tried to explain.
"...Dressed as a tightrope walker. Come on Sherlock, behave! And you," John pointed his finger at me and I raised my hands in defense. "You were supposed to watch over him!"
"I'm sorry John, but I too think this is not a coincidence." I told him with a pointed look.
"We're looking for a killer who can climb, who can shin up a rope. Where else would you find that level of dexterity? Exit visas are scarce in China. They need a pretty good reason to get out of that country. Now, all we need to do is have a quick look around the place," Sherlock said.
"Fine, you two do that. I'm gonna take Sarah for a pint," John retorted.
"We need your help."
"I do have a couple of other things on my mind this evening!" The doctor raised his voice.
"Like what?!" Sherlock frowned.
"Sherl-" I tried to interfere, but it was completely meaningless.
"You are kidding."
"John, just-" I tried again, but it was like talking to walls. Two very stubborn walls.
"What's so important?" Sherlock asked John angrily.
"Sherlock, I'm right here in the middle of a date. D'you want me to chase some killer while I'm trying to..."
"What?"
"While I'm trying to get off with Sarah!" John said out loud, just as the said Sarah returned from the loos. He quickly smiled at her a bit forcibly with a quick Heyy, but honestly, I think she heard it all very clearly. I put a hand to my forehead, giving up on everything. Sherlock rolled his eyes annoyedly. Then he grabbed my elbow and led me into a large hall covered in darkness. The only thing lighting up the room was a circle of candles in the middle of the hall. A few people placed themselves around the circle already. There were no seats, so everybody was standing around. John with his Sarah stood side by side in front of the circle, while Sherlock and I remained behind them, examining the room carefully. John quietly looked over his shoulder to talk to us.
"You said circus. This is not a circus. Look at the size of this crowd. Sherlock, this is... art." He whispered.
Sherlock bit back. "This is not their day job."
John grimaced. "Oh, I forgot. They're not a circus, they're a gang of international smugglers."
"Boys!" I whispered irately.
Thankfully, their squabble was interrupted by a sound of a tiny drum. Sherlock and I turned our attention to the middle of the circle, where a Chinese woman in a costume of an Opera Singer stood. She looked over the audience and she raised her hand, a gesture which stopped the drumming. The woman walked towards a large object covered with a cloth. She majestically uncovered the object, which turned out to be an antique crossbow on a stand. The woman picked up a long arrow and showed it to the audience, then she put it in the crossbow. When she straightened up, she pulled a single white feather from her headdress and she showed it to the crowd watching again. Afterwads, she gently placed the feather on a metal cup, which was a part of the crossbow. The arrow was instantly released and it flew across the room. Sherlock's head swiftly turned as it followed the trajectory of the arrow. I jumped next to him and John and his date gasped, she turned to him and laughed, placing her hand on her heart. A Chinese music began to play and the audience applauded, when a new person arrived in the circle, wearing a chainmail and a head mask. He spread his arms and two men attached heavy chains and strapped his arms in front of him. They backed him up against a board and then proceeded to chain him to it.
"Classic Chinese escapology act." I heard Sherlock's soft voice next to me. John and his date heard him and they turned to us. "The crossbow's on a delicate string. The warrior has to escape his bonds before it fires."
The Opera Singer put another arrow into the crossbow. The men attached final padlocks and chains to the warrior and the music intesified, until an unexpected crash of cymbals is heard. This action caused Sarah to jump and grab John's arm.
"Oh, God! I'm sorry!" she laughed embarrassingly as she took John's arm into her other hand as well. I rolled my eyes.
"Oh very smooth indeed," I whispered mostly to myself, but Sherlock heard me and he smirked. The Opera Singer picked up a small knife and she showed it to the audience. Sherlock continued with his explanation. "She splits the sandbag, the sand pours out, gradually the weight lowers to the bowl." The Opera Singer did exactly what Sherlock said she would. She reached up and opened a small sand bag hanging above her. The sand began to fall from the bottom of the sack. The warrior cried out as he was trying to get out of his chains. A metal ball was attatched to the other end of the cable that was attached to the sandbag. As the sand was pouring out, the metall ball began to slowly lower towards the bowl at the back of the crossbow. While John and his Sarah watched the act, Sherlock tugged at the sleeve of my coat and I looked at him. He hinted with his finger at the backstage and he slowly started to move towards it. I quickly nodded and followed after him.
We secretly made our way to the stage in the hall that was covered behind a big curtain, being used as a spacious backstage. We carefully looked around the room, our eyes scanning the rails of clothes, mirrors, and I almost got a heart attack, thinking that a mask of a warrior on a stand was real. We both eyed it cautiously, then we turned our heads to the voice coming from the hall and we carefully observed what was happening behind the curtains.
"Ladies and gentlemen, from the distant moonlight shores of the Yangtze river, we present for your pleasure: The deadly Chinese bird-spider," The woman in her Opera Singer mask finished the dramatic announcement and suddenly a masked acrobat descended from the ceiling on a red band wrapped around his waist, unravelling. Was that Soo Lin's brother Zhi-Zhu?
"Well, well," Sherlock murmured smugly. Suddenly, a door opened to our right and we swiftly hid ourselves behind the rails of clothes near the wall. I could barely hold my breath steady and I looked at Sherlock with wide eyes. The Opera Singer hurriedly walked over to one of the tables with mirror and she picked up her phone to check it. I don't know which one of us moved so badly, but one of the rails we were hiding behind fell to the floor, catching the woman's attention. Sherlock quickly grabbed me to crouch down and he put his hand over my mouth. The woman was looking directly at the rails and walked over to examine them closer. I held my breath, holding onto Sherlock tightly, my heart beating loudly in my chest. To some miracle, the Opera Singer lost her interest in the rail and left the room, returning back to the hall. Sherlock let go of me and I breathed out in relief. He noticed a bag on the floor and he dug into it, flipping it open. Inside, there were spray cans and I moved closer to see them better.
"Michigan." I read out loud the label.
"Found you." Sherlock said with a sing-song voice.
We stood up and Sherlock walked over to the table with mirror and sprayed the Suzhou number one across it. I stood next to him, looking at the mirror, when I felt something shift behind us. I turned around and I stared at the stand where the warrior's mask was displayed. Or at least used to be. Sherlock probably noticed my distress and the movement in the mirror, so he turned around to see what I was looking at. Well, where the stand with the mask was, now was a warrior. Without the stand. Shit.
The warrior charged forward with a large knife or a sword, there was no time examining the weapon when it was charging right at my very scared self. Sherlock swiftly pulled me behind him, retreating backwards, putting me out of the warrior's reach. He ducked, avoiding the weapon just slightly. We started retreating even faster, and the warrior ran towards us. Now it was my turn to duck, but I failed and fell on my back instead. The assailant was ready to plunge the knife into the ground, or more precisely my chest, which would most definitely end my life, so I had to think fast. I swiftly rolled away from the weapon meanwhile Sherlock used the spray can to block a blow from him. He crouched and punched him in the elbow with the can. The warrior retorted with a very strong kick to Sherlock's stomach. The man dropped his knife and grabbed Sherlock's throat who was groaning in pain. I couldn't just lie there, so I crawled, trying to grab the knife on the floor. But the man was faster. He noticed my efforts and he kicked me right in the chest and it blew my breath out. I fell to the floor again and I tried to catch my breath in panic, black spots appearing in front of my eyes. Sherlock managed to push the attacker's hand away and he sprayed the can straight into his face to distract him. He pushed into him with all his strength and he succeeded in shoving the warrior to the ground. He fell, but he flipped to his feet again insanely fast. He charged at Sherlock, hitting him in the chest and Sherlock fell backwards into the curtains which were dividing the hall and the backstage. I could hear distant voices of surprise and panic. I stood up from the ground and I gathered everything I had and charged at the warrior, who was still crouched over, occupied with attacking Sherlock. I managed to punch him and kick him to his left side and he tumbled to the ground. I turned my head and saw John sprinting towards us, and that was a big mistake, because the warrior kicked me off of him and I flew a few feet away from them. The warrior gathered himself, grabbed his knife and readied it so he could plunge it into Sherlock's chest, John ran towards the attacker and pushed him back a bit, but he shook John off and readied himself again to attack Sherlock. I growled and stood up, with every single limb hurting, but I had to do something. Anything. Right now, otherwise Sherlock was going to die. And it would be all my fault. I ran my hands trough my hair and looked around in desperation, when I heard a voice behind me.
"Sarah! Here, take this!" John's date, Sarah, was running towards me with the arrow which was used for the escapology act before. I bolted towards her and grabbed the arrow, running as fast as I could to Sherlock and the warrior standing over him with the knife ready once again. I yelled out and I whacked the arrow at his head and the man cried out in pain. I didn't waste any time and swung the arrow at his head again. This time, he fell to the ground, unconscious.
Sherlock sat up and quickly grabbed the man's foot and took off his shoe, uncovering a Tong tattoo on his heel. John stood up, trying to catch his breath. I was standing above the warrior with the arrow still in my hands in case the man woke up. I looked around to see if the Opera woman was still there. No sign of her. Some of the people who came to the circus were rushing out of the hall, others were curiously staring at what was happening on the stage with us. Sherlock bolted up from the floor and we all followed after him, John taking Sarah's hand.
"Come on! Let's go!" Sherlock yelled.

We headed staight to Scotland Yard, where D.I. Dimmock stormed into his office, with us at his heels.
"I sent a couple of cars. The old hall is totally deserted." Dimmock turned to face us as he sat down at his desk.
"Look, I saw the mark at the circus - that tattoo that we saw on the two bodies. The mark of the Tong," Sherlock said and I nodded in confirmation.
"Lukis and Van Coon were part of a smuggling operation." John added.
"Now, one of them stole something when they were in China, something valuable." I looked right at Dimmock.
"These circus performers were gang members sent here to get it back." Sherlock told Dimmock to conclude.
"Get what back?" he asked us and Sherlock bit his lip and looked away in frustration. I couldn't just stand there, so I started nervously pacing around Dimmock's office.
"We don't know." John said slowly.
"You don't know." Dimmock looked at Sherlock, but the detective didn't make any eye contact. Neither did I or John.
"Mr. Holmes. I've done everything you asked. Lestrade, he seems to think your advice is worth something. He said the same about you, Ms. Winston." Dimmock glanced at me and I smiled lightly and Dimmock continued. "I gave the order for a raid. Please tell me I'll have something to show for it. Other that a massive bill for overitme."
Right now, I think we all wished the same.