A few hours had passed and all the three of us had done was eliminate books from the list. An alarm going off made us all jump, it was 9 o'clock. John groaned, "Oh, no I am going to be late." He ran around getting his stuff together and then left, "If you find anything let me know!" Sherlock nodded. I got up and made my way into the kitchen. "I'm going to make some tea, would you like any?" No answer came. It took a few minutes longer than normal because I had to find the tea. Shouting back towards the living room, "Milk? Sugar?" Still no reply. I took that as a no to either. Carrying them carefully I maneuvered around the smaller stacks and placed a cup near Sherlock. He watched as I returned to my spot on the couch, "Thank you." Smiling I nodded, "No problem." I moved several piles of books over to the 'checked' group.

I could sense Sherlock glancing over at me every so often, "Have a question you'd like to ask?" He smirked a little before going back to his book. I looked over at him, "You're a funny man, you know that?" He threw his current book over at the checked pile, "How so?" I shrugged, "I can't describe it. I guess I really just meant you're interesting." Silence filled the air for a while, "So…what exactly are you professionally?" I marked out the books I had just went through and grabbed a few more. Sherlock stood, "I'm a consulting detective." I raised an eyebrow, "Really? That's so cool! I always loved reading the Hercule Poirot series as a kid. I imagined myself helping on one or two cases as I'd play outside." He sat back down looking through a new book, "It takes more than a child's imagination to solve crimes." My head jerked over to look at him and I scrunched my eyebrows together, slightly offended at the response. "I know that," I whispered as I looked back down at the book I was holding.

Neither of us spoke for a while and eventually lunchtime rolled around. Not only was I hungry but I also need to start on my menu planning. "Sorry, to leave you without having found anything but I really need to head back downstairs. I wish you all the luck on solving it!" I waved slightly and pushed a pile away from the door so I could leave. "Klayre," I turned to look at him as he continued to work, "Poirot was a favorite of mine as well." I saw a slit second of a smile and returned it. Once back in my own apartment I made a sandwich and sat down at the computer. I researched popular food items here in London at the moment to stay in trend while writing it.

I had written two courses when I heard John come home from work. I gasped at how much time I had spent on two courses. To be honest with myself, I was slightly distracted by the case and why there was so many book involved. The clock read 6:45 as I finished up the next two courses. I didn't really feel up to cooking, so I threw on a jacket to go pick up some takeout. Before I was at the door, someone was knocking. Answering it I relaxed to see that it was only Sherlock, "Hey, you scared me." He nodded, "Sorry. John has a date tonight. Would you like to help with the investigation?" I shrugged, "Sure, I have all week to finish my project." He opened the door to exit the building, "Good, let's go. The show starts soon." I blinked a few times as I followed him out, "The show?" He hailed a taxi and opened the door for me, "Yes, it's a Chinese Circus. I think it has something to do with our dead bankers." I shook my head and turned to look at him, "What!? Dead bankers?" He sighed exasperatedly and told me all about the case so that I was clued in, "Thanks, I wondered why there were so many books and copies of books."

Before long we reached an eerie looking building in China town. He gave me his hand to help me out of the car, "Come quickly, we need to catch up with John and what's-her -face." I narrowed my eyes, "Are you stalking John on his date. Are you gay and jealous that he's going out with someone?" He shot me a look that forced out a giggle, "No I am not. I gave John the idea of coming here because I needed him here and think he was being entirely selfish about not wanting to help."

I shook my head in disbelief. Jogging a little to catch up, we spotted John and his date near the ticket counter. They asked for tickets under the name Holmes. John seemed a little confused when the person said there was actually four and seemed to put it together when Sherlock spoke, "and then I called and reserved two more. One for me and one for Klayre." John looked back at me, his tone friendly, "Ah, hello, Klayre." I waved slightly and shook his dates hand, "Nice to meet you." Her name was Sarah. She was pretty and thin. Turns out she was also a doctor, like John, and they worked together. I felt slightly out of place and my attractiveness went down a few notches in my mind while standing next to her. We started up the stairs to join the guys when we heard John exclaim, "While I'm trying to get it off with Sarah!" I snickered and elbowed her slightly. He sighed in embarrassment when he realized we had heard.

I stayed to the back of the group as we neared the performance area. "How weird that there are so few people here," I stated finding a spot close to the ring. John continued my thoughts, "Yeah, it doesn't really seem like a circus does it. More like art." I smiled at the joke and noticed Sarah's slight smile as well. Sherlock stood to the back of them and I was slightly behind John and to the side of Sherlock. But being short it bothered me when a tall man moved in front of me, "Come on, really." Sherlock noticed and motioned for me to move to the other side of him, I did so, "Thanks." He nodded and started talking about the trick that the Chinese woman was about to do. The weighted end of the machine would fire the spear when her feather fell onto the plate. As soon as he had finished talking she began to remove a feather and drop it from a slight distance. The warrior who had been tied up was grunting and trying to escape.

Sherlock pulled on my sleeve and motioned for me to follow him. We managed to get back into the dressing room for the show, "Look around for yellow spray paint." I nodded and began to go through the boxes and drawers of the makeup stands. Shortly applause was heard, "Aww, I missed it," I said quietly. Coming to the racks of clothing I kicked something that rolled. Sherlock was on the other side and picked it up, "Hello, what's this." He walked up to the mirror and sprayed it to look at the color. He looked at me through the reflection, "Good job, Klayre you found it." I smiled until I noticed a figure begin to move, "Look out!" I pushed him out of the way and we ran out into the crowd of people. Sherlock fighting the man off as we escaped and got a taxi to the police station.

John and Sarah joined us there. "I'm telling you the circus is how the assassin got into the country." The detective answered, "Well I ordered a raid on the place. I better have something turn up other than you and your friends. Now take your date and go finish the evening somewhere else." I blushed slightly when he called me Sherlock's date. Sherlock didn't seem to notice, we just all left to go back to the flats. I headed for my own door when John stopped on the stairs, "Aren't you coming up?" I shrugged, "Sure." It was way to quiet for four people in one room, Sarah started talking first. Sherlock encouraged her to leave while John told her to stay. She looked around at all of us, "Am I the only one that's hungry?" I shook my head, "Starving."

We chuckled as John walked into the kitchen and waved for me to come over. "Klayre, look I know we don't really know you that well yet…we have no food. Would you happen to have anything?" I smiled, "Of course! I'll be back soon." He chuckled in relief, "Oh, thank goodness." I went down stairs and gathered so crackers, cheese and some salami…mostly finger foods as I hadn't really had the chance to go shop yet. I also found some strawberry's and some lemonade. I took it all up on a nice little tray and slipped past Sarah and Sherlock on my way to the kitchen. "I'm afraid it isn't much. I haven't been able to go shopping." He nodded, "No, don't worry its fabulous. Thank you so much, Klayre."

We both kind a jumped when Sherlock yelled for us to come back into the living room. "Soo Lin was helping us! Look she did the first two while we were out being shot at. I need some air to think!" With that Sherlock grabbed his coat and darted out into the streets. I looked over at John and Sarah shrugging, "Well, you two could still go out for some take-out." The smiled and Sarah spoke first, "That would be lovely." John smiled and got their coats, "Thanks Klayre for bringing up what you did. Are you sure you don't want to come?" I smiled, "Thanks but I think you to have had your night interrupted enough. I'll just stay home and eat that tray." Sarah held out her hand for me to shake, "It was a pleasure to meet you. If you need a doctor look me up!" I nodded and headed into the kitchen. I heard the doorbell ring and John talking to the person. Then it was followed by screaming. I froze dropping the tray then run downstairs, the door was wide open.

I ran through it looking left and right. I saw a black car speeding away. I pulled out my phone and turned to go back inside as I called 911. Sherlock ran into me on his way upstairs, "I figured it out!" "Sherlock, they've been kidnapped. I'm calling the police now." He nodded and grabbed my hand, "Come on!" A taxi took us to the old building where the circus had been. Sherlock lead me around to the back, then down the street where a light was coming from. Sarah was screaming, although it was muffled. We crouched and watched from the distance as the Chinese woman interrogated John. Sherlock told me to stay there as he stood up and shouted, "He's right you know. He isn't Sherlock Holmes." She replied with something but I couldn't tell what. My heart filled with fear as the lady pulled out a gun, about to shoot. Sherlock mentioned something about ricocheting bullets but it didn't stop her. I slowly made my way over to untie Sarah. A henchmen noticed me crawling and lunged at my ankles. I knocked over one of the lamps by accident as I tried to kick him off. The flames landed on him and he ran trying to put it out. "Idiot, stop, drop and roll," I whispered as I ran to Sarah's side. Try as he might Sherlock couldn't get to her in time so I had to tackle her to the side so she wouldn't get hit by the spear. Her face was covered in tears and I started crying with her. The police arrived as I untied her and pulled her into a hug, "It's alright Sarah. Everything is going to alright."

After being questioned by the police we were free to go. John was quite somber on the ride home. I didn't blame him, after tonight Sarah probably wouldn't want to see him anymore. I couldn't imagine what she had felt sitting there waiting for death. I was panicky just crawling over to help her. As we entered our flat building John turned to me, "Uhm..I don't know what to really say. Except for thank you…for what you did." I nodded slightly, not sure how to respond at all. Sherlock looked over at me and then down at his shoes. He looked back up with a sigh, "Goodnight, Klayre. Thanks for your help this evening." I nodded and part way through the door Sherlock said something from up the stairs, "Good luck on your menu." I turned and looked up at him with a shocked expression, "How did you…" He smirked and headed inside his flat.