From trustingHim17: Watson believes his rugby days are rather useful when someone tries to sneak up on him…does Holmes agree?


Lestrade raised his eyebrows as he looked at the groaning burglar. "Just how many times did he fall out the window, Mr. Holmes?"

Holmes laughed. "Just the once, I fear. A matter of standing in the wrong place at the wrong time."

Lestrade snorted. "I'd say so. You'd have to be daft to try to rob 221B Baker Street. So you interrupted the burglary?"

I cleared my throat awkwardly. "Uh, no. I did."

Lestrade turned to stare at me, then at the window up above us. The surprise on his face was not at all flattering.

"He was hiding behind the armchair by the window," I added.. "And after I passed by the armchair, he tried to sneak up on me with the teakettle, and…" I trailed off again, embarrassed.

"And the good doctor turned and tackled his would-be assailant, who unfortunately stood rather closer to the window than was wise," Holmes put in smoothly.

There was a moment of silence. One of the nearby constables whistled. "I'll not cross you then, Dr. Watson," he called. "This gent's got two broken ribs and a concussion."

I hid my face in my hand.

"Well," Lestrade said. "I think we can safely rule this as self-defense. You'd best call a glazier though, look into getting the window replaced."

"Thank you, Inspector," Holmes said, and I echoed him shamefacedly.

"You really must work on your powers of observation, Watson," Holmes chided after Lestrade left. "A man enters our apartments and you don't realize there's an intruder until he's about to brain you with a teakettle!"

"It's not that, Holmes," I said, then corrected myself. "Well, it is partly that, but I've been quite preoccupied recently with my publisher this week. It's just that…" I rotated my shoulder with a grimace. "My form was abysmal. I'd have been the laughingstock of Blackheath if I'd tackled a man like that in my old rugby days."

To my chagrin, Holmes began to laugh. "Well, Watson," he said. "If this was you at your worst, I pity any criminal that attempts to harm you at your best!"