So, this chapter is a bit shorter than the others- longer than the first chapter, though. This is based on the written work "The Blue Carbuncle." Now, I had to change a small bit of it, to account for the Year (since Carbuncle is back in late 1800's/early 1900's) and Sherlock is 2010's. I changed the Carbuncle to a Blue Diamond- which depending on the carat, can be VERY pricey. As for the character names, I kept them the same.

Here, we do get to see some more interaction between Sherlock and Anna- and at the end, we see Sherlock is slowly raveling to a conclusion. Hmmm...

And, as for their chess match- I just pulled random moves out of thin air. It's not their entire match, so moves they made before John showed up are unknown- and the moves made afterward are... potentially valid?

Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock, just Anna.

Anna moved around the kitchen, waiting for the breakfast sausage to cook, taking care not to burn the eggs and stirring the pot of baked beans- as she waited patiently for her brothers answer. Sherlock sat in his normal chair, eyes closed- seemingly meditating in complete quiet. Behind her, Anna heard John walking down the stairs from the third floor and gave him a small smile as he walked into the kitchen.

"Morning, Dr. Watson."

"G'morning- how… how long have you been here? It's what… not even 7?"

"Just before Five Thirty," she answered, as John noticed Sherlock.

"How long has he been like that?"

"Five Forty-five."

"Knight E1." Sherlock's voice spoke up, as Anna looked over at him, before seemingly begin to think.

"Come again?" John asked, but Sherlock and Anna both seemed to ignore him.

As she stirred the beans once more, Anna responded to Sherlock," Bishop G6."

"I'm lost."

"Oh, sorry Dr. Watson—"

"John, please."

"John," Anna amended," Sherlock and I are playing Chess. Typically do, anytime I come over to cook him breakfast."

"Chess?" John questioned, looking around the flat," But I don't see a board?"

"Because we don't have one—a physical one, anyway. All up here," Anna explained, tapping a finger to her head.

"Of course it is," John muttered, reaching for a coffee cup, before commenting," Smells good."

"Thank you. No worry—I make enough for everyone, even Mrs. Hudson."

"Rook E2."

John stood off to the side, leaning against the wall, watching the siblings play their mental chess game with curiosity.

"Queen F8. Check."

Looking over to Sherlock, John saw his face contort slightly, eyes still closed. "How long does this normally…?"

"Hmmm… depends on how we're feeling. Sometimes it only goes for half hour, sometimes two or three. We're nearing the end of it now, though," Anna told him, reaching up into a cupboard to grab plates," Two more moves and I—"

"Bishop D5. Check. Mate." Anna stopped mid-sentence, her head snapping towards Sherlock as she stared at him for a few silent moments, her mouth slightly agape. John saw Sherlock's grin grow as he opened his eyes to watch his sister.

"Damn it!" Anna fumed, frowning in irritation," I was so close!"

"Not close enough," Sherlock told her," Maybe—one day, you might—might—get there."

"Yeah yeah," Anna muttered under her breath, scooping food onto the plates," Don't you forget—I beat Mycroft when I was ten!"

"Not once since."

"Oh, shut up you," Anna frowned, shoving a plate rather gently towards her brother as he entered the kitchen.

"When did you get here?" Sherlock asked John, who was sipping his coffee- still leaning against the wall.

"Ten minutes ago?"

"Ah…" With that, Sherlock grabbed a fork and sat down at the table in the main room.

"Here you go John, eat up," Anna told him, handing a plate to the doctor, before sliding past him," Take this to Mrs. Hudson- then scarf my food and then rush off to work. Yay." As she walked down the steps, she heard John's voice.

"What's this shabby hat?"

"A case."

Five minutes later, the three sat at the small table eating breakfast- Sherlock having explained the case to the both of them. Some ruffians had assailed a drunken man the night previous, before a copper named Peterson had rushed forward to help. All the people involved- including the victim—had taken off when they saw Peterson's uniform. The victim had also dropped his packaged Goose and hat when he ran off- and the copper had brought both to Sherlock. Now, Sherlock had a shabby hat and Peterson had a Goose to cook.

As they eat, a man quickly burst into the room, eyes wide as he walked towards them.

"Mr. Holmes! I—I found this—in the—the Goose!" The man—apparently Peterson—held out a gleaming blue gem towards Sherlock, who quickly stood up from his seat, causing the chair to tip over backwards.

"Sherlock?" Anna asked, setting her fork down," What is it?"

"Lady Joanna or Morcar had her blue diamond stolen five days previous. This- is her blue diamond, worth over 2.7 million euro," Sherlock breathed, reaching out and grabbing it from the copper.

"Two point- I'm sorry, did you just say- 2.7 million?" John questioned. Sherlock shot him a look, but otherwise chose to ignore his question.

"They arrested someone for that though- Horner, right?" Anna mentioned, standing up and walking over to her brother.

"John Horner. He had a small job in the hotel—electric panel malfunction—near Lady Morcar's suite," Sherlock answered, turning the gem over and over in his hands as he studied it," The alarm was raised by the upper attendant, James Ryder."

"Right," Anna nodded," Look—let me take that with me. I'll drop it off to Lestrade on my way to the lab."

"Maybe you could run some tests on it?" John questioned.

"Perhaps—fingerprints or touch DNA—but the chances of a pertinent hit are very slim," Anna told him," Still, I can give it a try. Never know." She grabbed a plastic bag from the kitchen and Sherlock dropped the gem into it, before she zipped it closed. "I'll run the tests—probably call Mycroft and let him know of this—before giving it to Lestrade. I'll call you later with the results." She gave a small nod to all three, before walking out the room—the heavy weight of 2.7 million in her pocket.

0o0o

Two hours later, Anna had the results of the Diamond testing—and after calling Mycroft when she got into the lab, he had quickly relieved her of said Diamond. Leaning her bum against the edge of her desk, she dialed Sherlocks number. As it kept ringing, Anna began to wonder if he would even answer.

"H-hello?"

"Oh, hey John- it's Anna."

"Hey. Sorry, Sherlock's…"

"Mind palace?"

"Yeah."

"That's fine. Let him be," Anna shrugged," Just calling to let you know about Lady Morcar's blue diamond."

"What'd you find?"

"Absolutely nothing. No, unfortunately, there was no touch DNA—any that was there was contaminated by the Goose. Fingerprints were mostly Peterson and Sherlocks."

"Right. Well, tried anyway. Give it to Lestrade?"

"Nah—I called Mycroft when I got in. He showed up- personally- not even fifteen minutes later and took it from me. Probably already hand delivered it to Lady Morcar shortly after."

"Of course," John gave a small chuckle.

"Well, I best be going. Got a few other tests to run for active cases. I'll catch you next time, John."

"Yeah—same."

With that, Anna hung up and turned back to her desk, noticing another lab tech glaring in her direction over their computer screen.

"Oh—just get back to your own work Dennis," Anna frowned, as the male looked down to his screen.

"Now, let's hope these fingerprints get a hit," Anna thought, clicking a few times with her mouse," Could go for some good news—and finding this killer would be amazing."

0o0o

Two days later, Anna climbed the steps to Baker Street, take-away in her hands.

"Hope you're hungry boys- got—lun…ch…" Anna trailed off, noticing a scared looking man sitting in the client chair," Oh—sorry. I'll come back?"

"Not necessary," Sherlock told her," This is James Ryder. He was just explaining why he stole the Blue Diamond."

"I—I was?"

"Yes," Sherlock told him, piercing him with a glare.

"It's best if you come clean," John added, trying to ease the mans unease. Anna quietly walked into the kitchen and placed the containers on the counter, before leaning against the divider between the two rooms and listening in silence.

"Al-alright," James nodded," I—I knew about the diamond—Lady Morcar wouldn't shut up about it. So, Catherine and I… we figured we could take it—Lady Morcar wouldn't miss one gem."

"Who's Catherine?"

"Lady Morcar's hand maid," James explained," After… after the coppers arrested that other guy—I felt it was best if we hid the gem somewhere… away… from the hotel. My sister, she lives nearby. I went to her house and thought things over. I got a friend—out in Kilburn—he could fence it for me. But, I didn't want to lose the gem if I got searched by the coppers—and my sister had already promised me a Goose from her flock. So, I just… force-fed the gem to one of them? It—it startled though, and got away from me before I could tag it. When I… when I went to leave—I accidentally picked up the wrong bird. My friend in Kilburn—we opened the goose—but there was no stone—and tried to hurry back to my sisters—but… the other birds had already gone to dealers. So… I just—asked the dealers—but Breckinridge… he wouldn't budge!" At this point, James burst into tears causing Sherlock to roll his eyes in annoyance.

"Go."

"W-what?" James asked, surprised—as he wiped his face with his sleeve.

"Go—leave!" Instantly, the young man rose from the chair and walked to the door, before Sherlock called out," When the detectives come to you for evidence—don't give any against Horner."

"O-of course! Thank you, Mister Holmes!" With that, he ran down the steps and disappeared onto the street.

"That was rather kind, Sherlock."

"Yeah—but you sure it was the right call?" John asked.

"As long as he doesn't give any evidence against Horner, the charges against him will drop," Sherlock explained, seemingly bored already," He's too scared to ever turn to crime again- so he's no longer a threat of any kind."

John seemed okay with this answer, as he leaned back in his chair.

"So… food, anyone?" Anna asked, turning back to the kitchen," Snooze you lose- I'm not waiting."

"Yeah- sounds good," John nodded, getting back up from his chair to join her in the kitchen. Sherlock stayed in his chair, watching the two of them interact- the gears in his head trying to place together what was going on.

"Friends?... More than friends?..."