Reed and Mary walked alone, at 10:00 at night in the cold, rainy atmosphere of late 1800's London, on Baker Street.
"Surely by now Mary, the others have discovered our disappearance, and are hopefully doing something to try to bring us back." Reed sighed.
"Father, what are we going to do now? We have done what I've wanted to do. Heck, we even have a souvenir to prove we done what we done."
Mary opened her book to the very first page, where Sherlock and Watson had signed their names, and continued.
"You know, we can do what you wanted to do in the first place since our accidental arrival here, find an inn."
Reed was silent for a time, then spoke up.
"We can find an inn later my child. Right now, I am not even the least bit tired after our encounter with Holmes and Watson."
Mary could not believe it; her stepfather actually admitted his excitement over meeting two of most popular characters in literature.
"Wow! See Father, that was not as bad as you were apparently imagining it to be."
"You are indeed right my child, it was not that horrid an experience. And you want to know something else Mary? I would like to apologize for how I have been towards you... well "today". I realize that I let my anger get the best of me this morning, and when we entered this time and dimension earlier."
Mary was speechless for a little while, as her and her stepfather looked out at the view of London from the Westminster Bridge. She then spoke up.
"Father, it is very kind of you to apologize, but you should keep in mind, it was in a way my fault we are here."
"Mary, Mary, you have it all wrong. I caused you to become startled and drop that book. In a way, it is actually my fault." Reed said in response to Mary's not accepting his apology as he patted her head.
"Ok, if you say so Father. You know, I'm wondering, what did you find to be the most interesting aspect of our few hours with Sherlock Holmes and Watson?"
Reed brooded over Mary's question for a second, then said.
"I would have to say that I found Holmes' thoughts and discoveries related to chemistry rather intriguing. And you my child?"
"Well Father, while the discussions we had with them were provocative, I found an even more fascinating aspect of the whole thing."
"And what was this fascinating aspect?"
"The very fact that they brought up their going to Switzerland tomorrow in this time. That is precisely what they are doing in the story I was in the middle of reading today in our time."
Reed stood there, enthralled for a brief period. Then asked.
"Mary, by any chance, what story are you reading in that book right now?"
"I told you earlier today, but your anger must blocked it out, I'm reading "The Adventure of The Final Problem"."
Reed suddenly went into one of his thinking states. After only a minute of this, his eyes went wide as he realized something very vital.
"Mary! Could I see that book for a minute? If this is the story I am thinking of..."
Reed went into a mumble that was so soft; Mary could not make out the words. Then, Reed proclaimed.
"Great Scott! Mary, do you have any idea why the story is entitled "The Adventure of The Final Problem"?"
"Well to tell you the truth Father, I figured it had something to do with it the being the final time Holmes deals with Moriarty."
"Exactly! Now tell me, what is significant about this?"
Reed opened the book to the page that featured an illustration of a majestic waterfall.
"Well Father, that has to be Reichenbach Falls. That was where Holmes and Watson were when I left off."
"Ah, so you were not too far off from the climax. I hate to give away the story my child, but Holmes and Moriarty have a fight to the death."
As soon as the words left Reed's lips, Mary turned as pale as a ghost.
"Y...y...you mean Holmes d...d..dies?" Mary chattered and barely got out.
"Well, not necessarily..." Reed said, and was interrupted by Mary.
"We, we MUST SAVE HOLMES! B...b...but the trip lasted over the course of a few weeks. Father, if there only was somewhere we could just leap ahead a few weeks, we could change the course of history in this dimension!"
"Wait Mary, if you would listen to me just ONCE for a minute..."
Suddenly, right of in the middle Reed's saying that sentence, something phenomenal happened. A bright flash of light surrounded Reed and Mary. And, before they knew what was going on, they were no longer on the streets of London in the cold, foggy night, and were somewhere else.
"Surely by now Mary, the others have discovered our disappearance, and are hopefully doing something to try to bring us back." Reed sighed.
"Father, what are we going to do now? We have done what I've wanted to do. Heck, we even have a souvenir to prove we done what we done."
Mary opened her book to the very first page, where Sherlock and Watson had signed their names, and continued.
"You know, we can do what you wanted to do in the first place since our accidental arrival here, find an inn."
Reed was silent for a time, then spoke up.
"We can find an inn later my child. Right now, I am not even the least bit tired after our encounter with Holmes and Watson."
Mary could not believe it; her stepfather actually admitted his excitement over meeting two of most popular characters in literature.
"Wow! See Father, that was not as bad as you were apparently imagining it to be."
"You are indeed right my child, it was not that horrid an experience. And you want to know something else Mary? I would like to apologize for how I have been towards you... well "today". I realize that I let my anger get the best of me this morning, and when we entered this time and dimension earlier."
Mary was speechless for a little while, as her and her stepfather looked out at the view of London from the Westminster Bridge. She then spoke up.
"Father, it is very kind of you to apologize, but you should keep in mind, it was in a way my fault we are here."
"Mary, Mary, you have it all wrong. I caused you to become startled and drop that book. In a way, it is actually my fault." Reed said in response to Mary's not accepting his apology as he patted her head.
"Ok, if you say so Father. You know, I'm wondering, what did you find to be the most interesting aspect of our few hours with Sherlock Holmes and Watson?"
Reed brooded over Mary's question for a second, then said.
"I would have to say that I found Holmes' thoughts and discoveries related to chemistry rather intriguing. And you my child?"
"Well Father, while the discussions we had with them were provocative, I found an even more fascinating aspect of the whole thing."
"And what was this fascinating aspect?"
"The very fact that they brought up their going to Switzerland tomorrow in this time. That is precisely what they are doing in the story I was in the middle of reading today in our time."
Reed stood there, enthralled for a brief period. Then asked.
"Mary, by any chance, what story are you reading in that book right now?"
"I told you earlier today, but your anger must blocked it out, I'm reading "The Adventure of The Final Problem"."
Reed suddenly went into one of his thinking states. After only a minute of this, his eyes went wide as he realized something very vital.
"Mary! Could I see that book for a minute? If this is the story I am thinking of..."
Reed went into a mumble that was so soft; Mary could not make out the words. Then, Reed proclaimed.
"Great Scott! Mary, do you have any idea why the story is entitled "The Adventure of The Final Problem"?"
"Well to tell you the truth Father, I figured it had something to do with it the being the final time Holmes deals with Moriarty."
"Exactly! Now tell me, what is significant about this?"
Reed opened the book to the page that featured an illustration of a majestic waterfall.
"Well Father, that has to be Reichenbach Falls. That was where Holmes and Watson were when I left off."
"Ah, so you were not too far off from the climax. I hate to give away the story my child, but Holmes and Moriarty have a fight to the death."
As soon as the words left Reed's lips, Mary turned as pale as a ghost.
"Y...y...you mean Holmes d...d..dies?" Mary chattered and barely got out.
"Well, not necessarily..." Reed said, and was interrupted by Mary.
"We, we MUST SAVE HOLMES! B...b...but the trip lasted over the course of a few weeks. Father, if there only was somewhere we could just leap ahead a few weeks, we could change the course of history in this dimension!"
"Wait Mary, if you would listen to me just ONCE for a minute..."
Suddenly, right of in the middle Reed's saying that sentence, something phenomenal happened. A bright flash of light surrounded Reed and Mary. And, before they knew what was going on, they were no longer on the streets of London in the cold, foggy night, and were somewhere else.