Sophia smirked as the blade of her opponent clattered across the tiled floor of the hall, stopping at Descole's feet.
"Very impressive you two, but watch your coordination Molly, if you spend too much time placing your feet you forget where your sword is heading" Descole instructed, handing the sword back to Molly.
After Sophia had explained the classes Descole held, Sherlock had insisted that Molly accompany Sophia, once he had reluctantly admitted that he couldn't protect her all the time. Molly had agreed, so Sophia had begun the teaching early, and now Molly was having trouble putting the two teachings together.
The rest of the class had left five minutes ago. Sophia and Molly had been duelling at the time, so had stayed late. Molly nodded her thanks to the vampire and headed out of the door, leaving Sophia and Descole alone while the werewolf went to grab her things. She went and stood by the window, the last of the class to leave, as per usual.
"Bringing another member of Baker Street won't help you know" Descole muttered from beside Sophia. The werewolf watched Molly walk away from the building before turning to him.
"It wasn't my idea, it was Sherlock's. I had to explain why I knew you or he would have been onto us instantly, he just thought it would be a good idea for Molly to learn self defence" Sophia replied. She rested her head against Descole's chest, still not the right height even though she had now aged, giving her the appearance of her early twenties.
"I take it he was too stubborn to argue with?"
"Isn't he always?" Sophia pointed out, earning a chuckle from Descole. His arms wrapped around her waist and he kissed the top of Sophia's head.
"You're still the wrong height, I thought you would be taller today" Sophia smirked at that.
"What if I'm stuck like this for the rest of my life? Would you find another woman? Possibly a vampire?" Sophia questioned, earning a chuckle from Descole.
"You know that won't happen" he replied. Sophia giggled at that.
"Oh I know, you'd be dead before you got the chance to find another" she joked. Descole raised one eyebrow, as if deciding if she actually meant what she was saying, making her laugh.
"Relax Des, I'm only kidding" she told him. He chuckled again and released her, allowing her to pick up her handbag before returning to his side. Descole draped Sophia's coat over her shoulders before pulling her close enough to him for his cloak to cover her too.
They only moved further apart to turn off all the lights in the building as they left, heading out the back exit after locking the front door. Sophia took the keys out of the back door and placed them back into Descole's pocket as they headed out onto the street, wandering at a leisurely pace toward Baker Street, neither of them wanting to return to their respective home alone.
They made it to the end of the road before anything interrupted them.
"Well aren't you two a cute couple?" Sophia pulled away to allow her to see the owner of the voice, her fingers remaining entwined with Descole's though.
"What do you want Bronev?" Sophia snarled the name.
"I want my son by my side, you may join him if you wish"
"I won't join you again, I'll destroy you first" Descole spat, pulling Sophia closer to his side as he spoke. "And you will never get anywhere near Sophia"
"I don't have to let her join you; I could just kill her, Desmond. Do you not remember what happened last time you tried to protect someone?" The feral snarl that came from Sophia at his statement startled Bronev slightly, but he didn't show it too much.
"I will make sure you join me, boy, and I'll kill your little wolf if that's what's stopping you" Bronev threatened.
"It isn't what's stopping me; I simply want nothing to do with you and what you've become" Descole snapped.
"I couldn't stay what I was, I had to change and so did you and your brother. You have to drop all your attachments if you're to work with me, I would allow you to keep this one though as I was allowed to keep your mother with me. But if you're not willing then I guess I don't have any other choice."
The shot rang out before anyone could react to it, probably because the gun had been designed to be silent even to supernatural creatures. Sophia clutched Descole's arm as it impacted her abdomen, trying to stop herself crumbling to the ground.
"Let me know when you're ready to join me again" Bronev threw over his shoulder as he left, taking his men with him. Descole lowered Sophia to the ground gently as she soon lost the ability to support herself, quickly taking off his cloak to place it beneath her. Once she was safely on the ground, she was unconscious already which wasn't a good sign; Descole grabbed her phone and started to make some calls. When John refused to answer he went to try Aziraphale, only to stop at the sight of an approaching wolf.
Based on scent alone he could tell it was a werewolf familiar with Baker Street, but he also could tell that it wasn't an ordinary werewolf. It made a 'come on' motion with its head and Descole nodded.
He wrapped his cloak around Sophia as the blood began to seep through her black coat, following the dark brown, almost bronze, wolf as it walked down the street. Descole gently picked Sophia off the ground, ensuring the cloak remained in place for the trip to the rather large home a few miles away.
Descole was forced to wait at the door while the wolf ran into the house, Mycroft Holmes returning a few moments later. He allowed Descole to enter before showing him the way to the medical room.
"What happened?" Mycroft questioned as he got to work. Descole had already pulled Sophia's coat aside to get to the bullet wound.
"Targent happened"
"Molly left the class twenty minutes before you and Sophia left, Sophia remaining, I'm guessing it has something to do with you two being a couple" Descole acted as if Mycroft hadn't spoken and kept his attention on Sophia. Deciding it would be a subject to approach when Descole wasn't distracted, Mycroft turned his focus to helping Sophia.
Timeskip
Once Sophia was as bandaged as she could be, Descole and Mycroft sat in the next room over so that they could still monitor her and Mycroft could get information from Descole without being ignored.
"You never actually answered my question" Mycroft began. Descole scoffed, refusing to look up at the hybrid.
"You know who I am, who I really am behind the mask, so you know my story. Therefore my earlier answer should have been sufficient"
"True, I was merely implying what Targent could possibly have to gain by harming Sophia"
"He still wants me to join him. He has already proved that he is willing to hurt anyone I ever get close to in an attempt to achieve that. He must have seen Sophia as some sort of leverage he could use"
"So she does mean something to you" That made Descole look up at Mycroft. He removed his mask and set it aside so Mycroft could see his glare.
"And if she does, Mr Holmes?"
"I have nothing against it, I personally think you could be the perfect person for her, but I suggest you change the way you go about it"
"What do you mean?"
"Use both of your lives to your advantage. John will naturally be suspicious of you going anywhere near Sophia, as any father would be of someone dating their daughter, but he will be the most suspicious of Descole. However, he may not say anything about the archaeology professor that has proved he can defend Sophia." Mycroft suggested.
"Okay, I'll consider it" Descole replied, but Mycroft could tell that he already had.
"I'd suggest you change your appearance quickly, I sent word to Baker Street and they should be arriving as soon as they find the house" Mycroft added. Descole nodded and put his mask in his pocket and took the ruffles from around his neck. They were quickly stashed away, along with his cloak and all the other items around Sophia linked to Descole were hidden.
When everyone else arrived a few minutes later, they immediately fussed over the downed werewolf. Once that was done, they turned to question Desmond on what happened and why he was there, at which point he simply reminded them of his hatred of Targent. They appeared to accept the answer, for the most part anyway, and turned their focus back to Sophia.
As the others returned to Sophia's side, Mycroft and Desmond looked to each other and shared a quick nod. The hybrid then went to make some coffee to keep everyone awake for what was going to be the rest of a long night.