A/N @ bottom.

An aching, stinging pain tore at Tara's side, and her breath was ragged, struggling. It took her a while to remember what had happened to put her in such pain. Him.

Oh, God

She murmured. She tried not to think about that, but concentrated on her surroundings. Now she was in deep shit. She was lying in a bed that wasn't hers, in a room she'd never seen. She started to panic her gaze darting frantically around the room. Her head began to spin and the world was getting fuzzy again. Tara tried to relax closing her eyes and taking deep calming breaths.

A man opened the door, carrying a tray with food and some medical supplies on it. He had light brown mustache, flecked with some gray. He smiled seeing that she was awake.

Laying the tray down next to her table he said, "And how are you feeling miss?"

She whispered, "Been better. Where am I? Who are you?"

"You are currently occupying the bed of my friend Mr. Sherlock Holmes and I," he handed her a cup of tea, "Am Dr. Watson."

Drinking the tea slowly as to let it engulf her, she tried to remember the last time she had had tea. She couldn't.

Setting it down she muttered, "Thank you, but why am I here? You do not know me. That came out wrong. I'm thankful for you helping me, but you do not know me. There that's better."

He smiled, handing her a spoon with some amber liquid to drink. She did, pulling a face. Watson smirked.

"I don't think the medicine really does anything, it's all a conspiracy that the doctors make up so they can watch us in our misery." She said a little too dramatically, for it caused her to grimace, clutching her side.

He smiled again. A nice smile, Tara thought, cheerful, friendly, mustache going up at the ends everything a proper smile should be

She laughed quietly at her own thoughts. She did not notice that he had spoken to her. "Miss?" he repeated more loudly.

"What?" she said, her head jerking out towards him.

"I asked, what is your name?" he said patiently.

"Oh sorry," she said, "Tara. Just Tara."

"Well just Tara, how is your side?" he said.

"Hurts."

"Well that was a bit obvious. May I ask to examine it, to make sure there are no infections?" he said, some pink rising to his cheek, but it was obvious he was a gentleman.

"Sure." She said.

He pulled up the top half of her "dress" so that her stomach was exposed. He glanced over it muttering the unforgettable "h'mmm".

She looked down and was shocked. It was a long gash, the blood all cleaned up and the wound stitched together, but still rather nasty. "Ekh" she said.

"It's actually quite nice. You must be a quick healer for it to look this good in just three days."

"THREE DAYS?!" she almost yelled.

"Yes I think you went into shock, you were only half-conscious at the most, muttering something like, "He knowsnot safe" or something." He said, putting her shirt down and replacing all his tools back onto the tray.

Tara tried to remain, calm, ignoring his last comment. "So where is this Mr. Holmes?"

"He's reading on his new "bed" otherwise known as the couch." Said Watson, picking up the tray and carrying it out of the room.

"What?" she said in horror. "He gave up his bed for me? Why? Oh God, I'm so sorry. I'm just getting in his way. Oh, Shit!"

This last part was uttered so loud that not only did Watson turn his head in shock that a lady had such a mouth but a voice from the other room said, "My dear girl, I am perfectly fine on my couch, as it is usually my bed anyway. I find that a bedroom is just a waste of time, money and space when one can sleep on the couch and wake up right were one left off."

Watson left the room with the tray and revealed the speaker. It was that man, the one who had saved her. The tall man that she had watched. Sherlock Holmes.

"Hello sir.." she muttered, embarrassed for a great many reasons.

"Good morning, Miss Tara. I'm glad you are recovering." He said in a tone that if you didn't listen properly would have sounded uncaring.

"Thank you sir, for everything." She pushed her self up on the pillows, grimacing in pain.

"No need to thank me, but if you do make it by giving me information." He said, putting his hands together and resting his chin on them.

"I shall try sir." She said nervously.

"Miss Tara, I would like to know why you have come to Baker Street as I have not seen you her before."

"I travel from place to place. I haven't been here before, that is all, it was just chance."

He nodded, closing his eyes as if absorbing the information. "Tell me about what happened before and during the attack."

"Well I was sitting at the corner minding my own business when this man comes up to me. He asks me how much I wanted, self-righteous bastard, as if would ever do something like that. I told him five hundred pounds, hoping he'd leave me alone. Then he said, "Always one for high prices. You're a J-" Tara immediately shut up, casting her eyes down.

"You're a what?" he said, opening his eyes and staring into her own.

"NothingI mixed it upI'm still a little tired" she said.

"Please continue." Said Holmes in a voice that made it very obvious he knew she was lying.

"Well, I don't remember much after that except that he shoved me against the wall and threatened to kill me. I kicked him out of the way and screamed. I guess he got me anyway, but at least not in my heart. Then you came and now I'm here."

"And what were you doing before you were on the streets?" said Mr. Holmes.

"I don't know what you mean" muttered a frightened Tara.

"I think you do. It isn't everyday you come across a beggar who can read." He said, giving her an icy glare.

Tara blushed, "You must have seen me reading the books on the shelf."

"Indeed." Said Holmes.

Watson entered the room again and rolled his eyes, "Holmes, the girl has just woken up and you're already interrogating her?"

"Forgive me, Tara, you need your rest." And with that he left.

~

Holmes sat on the couching thinking. This Tara was a strange girl. She hadn't always been on the streets. In fact Holmes was almost sure that she had been of at least a moderately wealthy family. But how had she ended up here? That was the question. Holmes pinched his nose and closed his eyes. There were other things this girl was hiding as well. Her words echoed in his head, "He said, "Always one for high prices, you're a J-" A J-what? Holmes needed a walk, he had been inside too long

~

Over the next few weeks Tara healed quickly. She could soon get up and out of bed, although Watson advised against it. Another improvement for our friend was a navy-blue cotton dress. It fit almost perfectly, a little too big, but that was not a problem. When Watson had given it too her she had thanked him for near and hour as he mumbled, "My wife made it, she had the extra cloth. It's nothing big"

And even though she was now mobile and in some ways better shape than before, Holmes and Watson insisted on making her stay.

Tara couldn't stand being in the way of someone so after all this charity she couldn't help but feel the need to help them in some way and on a particular Monday she had the perfect opportunity.

A/N See preciouss is a good author she does what she promises and talks to the nice reviewers.

Anneliese: Hey, glad you like it, see it is the nice people like you that encourage me to keep writing. (pointing to said reviewer) SEE BE LIKE THIS PEOPLE!!!!! Right. So I will try and live up to your now high expectations, no promises as I will probably screw it up.

Adiva Calandia: Hehehebackground, what background? JK I have most of her background down, but some will just have to fit in with the story, see I don't know how this is gonna go either

OH yah, I'm off to read your story right now

Snowwolf: Hey you sound almost as crazy as me! (emphasis on ALMOST) Brought you a chappie, enjoy!

No1. Thank you, you are another one of those ideal reviewers who encourage me to continue. I'm glad you are glad that I'm not doing slash. I'm sorry, I'm not a slash person. I'm just not. A) they tend to be WAY too graphic. And B) sometimes people do it for the sake of doing it, ruining a very good plot line.

Moonrose: Yes you are an annoying reviewer, but I'm an annoying author so HEY! I just want you to know that you have jinxed it and I'm probably going to screw up now

Cecilia Carlton: Oops. Yah I know, my spelling stinks I can't get in touch w/ my beta cause of AOL. And sorry about that OOC bit. I will try to be better, but sometimes it will go out of character so

Queen Hotaru: Cool that u use Tara as well. Glad you like it.

AngelBloom: Sorry I know its short, bad preciousss

A.Spencer: Thanx, I didn't realize that one, it was just a mistake. I know my bad, but my peoples are going to be a bit OOC sometimes Also I am writing this really fast, mostly for my own enjoyment so I don't realize these things, so sorry.

Ok. SO y'all know I'm in school still and that comes first. I will write when I can, but when I can't you have to be patient. (I'm such a hypocrite, I ALWAYS bug people to write faster)

Long A/N

Short Chappie

Sorry.