Disclaimer: I really don't own Sherlock Holmes. I just like to play with him ;p

AN: Thank you for all the wonderful people who have been reviewing me! Es, yes, you are insatiable. But I'm pretty sure it's a good thing in this case. Lady Arianna, thanxs. I know Holmes is OOC, but in this fic, that's the way I want him. Shadowfeysun, yeah, I know Sherlock's a kung fu person. Just thought he ought to be beaten...by a girl for once. Irene Adler was NOT enough. H, thank you very much! Glad someone likes staying up as late as I do ;p that huge AN being done with...

~Fic Starts Here~

Many bad-sounding explanations and crimson blushes later, Holmes and Watson agreed to take Mei Lian back with them in their motorcar. Or rather, Watson agreed and Holmes was struck by apoplectic shock that rendered him speechless.

This girl was going to be allowed in a motorcar with them?

After the destruction she caused?

"Good Lord, Watson," he hissed, when he finally got his voice back, "They'll be picking up our remains in a matchbox!"

Mei just smirked.

What an inaccurate description.

If she had her way, the remains would be too small to fit into a matchbox.

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They arrived at the police station, uncomfortable enough so that they didn't talk, but not so uncomfortable that Sherlock was able to send many powerful glares in Mei's direction.

She deflected them with a world-class smirk.

Silly Sherlock. Glares are for kids.

Not pretty kung fu artists.

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They telephoned her father, who, being the important diplomat that he was, hadn't even noticed she was gone.

In fact, Mei Lian had doubts her father even knew she existed.

Other than a useful, political pawn that is.

Which reminded her.

Oh Dear Lord.

She was being presented at a ball in two days.

Oh. NO.

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Would wonders never cease. Her father, Christopher Tang (who changed his name to something more western...but had forgotten about that with Mei) was actually here, in person, to pick her up. Probably so he could humiliate her publicly.

"What possessed you to go and break into a building in the middle of the night, like a common burglar?" he hissed for all to hear, "first you lose a locket that has been in this family for centuries, then, AFTER I put some professionals on the case, you go and ACT LIKE A BOY and steal it back!"

Yup. Public humiliation. And she had a feeling she had disgraced someone here or there...

"And to top it all off, you go and seriously injure the professionals I hired! Do you know how bad this makes me look? You have disgraced the family name, MY name!..."

Mei sighed. This was getting a tad too predictable. All she needed now was the look-

She chanced a glance at her father.

If she was wax, she would be a puddle on the floor right now.

Yup, that was the look.

Suddenly, he turned to the detective duo.

"Thank you for bringing my daughter back. I'm sure she was not worth the trouble she caused you," he paused, letting his gaze flicker over Sherlock's scratches and Watson's head bruises, "and I beg you to forgive me and not hold grudge. How may I thank you? Money seems inadequate . I will still pay you, of course," he added hastily, seeing their troubled looks, "but is there anything else I can do?"

Mei almost rolled her eyes. Her father was a world-class groveler. she thought.

"well, er, ah..." mumbled Holmes, put on the spot. What was he supposed to ask for?

Caviar?

"tell you what. I'll invite you to a ball I'm having, two nights from now. You should find enough clientele to last you at least two years. What do you say?"

No, not Caviar, then.

"I accept."

"the ball is in honor of my daughter's 20th birthday," he said, giving Mei Lian's shoulders a squeeze of fake affection, "But please, no presents."

Mei's cheeks burned in embarrassment. He just as good as said that this was her coming out party.

And, by god, the only males expected at a coming out ball were suitors or relatives.

And she certainly wasn't related to Holmes.

Oh. GOD.

She cautiously met his gaze and knew he had just realized the same thing.

She was in her worst mess yet.

All over a stupid locket.

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The ride home was silent. Mei's father had already lectured her. There was nothing more to say. Which was good, because she had other things to think about.

....The warm heat of his body when she had straddled him. The power and strength of his muscles as he tore her knife away. The slight sheen of sweat over his forehead as he held her to the floor, his body over hers, hair in his eyes, his voice in her ear....

She felt her cheeks heat up with pinkness.

Good Lord. It had sounded as if...

No. She couldn't think about that.

She was a political pawn. Who she was going to be romantically involved with was not her choice.

It was her father's.

Whoa. Wait. Since when did she want to be romantically involved with Sherlock Holmes?

He had just caused her public humiliation.

But those eyes...

She groaned ash she buried her head in her arms.

Stupid, stupid, STUPID.

She was sandwiched between two feelings.

Except it wasn't herself she wanted to taste.

It was Holmes.

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AN: sorry 'bout that last bit there, couldn't resist.

Oh, PLEASE review me!