A Dish Best Served Cold
Summery: Moriarty is out rule the world once again and he's had it with Sherlock Holmes's interference. He has a plan, but the detective's friends may pay the ultimate price.
DisclaimerAll Publicly Recognizable Characters, Settings, Ideas, etc. are the Property of DiC Entertainment and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The Original Characters and Plot are the Property of the Author. The Author is in no way Associated with the Owners, Creators, or Producers of DiC Entertainment. No Copyright Infringement is intended.
Epilogue
Lestrade's New Flat, New London
Holmes awkwardly walked up the stairs towards Lestrade's new flat. After having her home invaded, the inspector had decided to move to a new apartment with better security. Holmes and Watson were helping her do so.
"What do you keep in here?" inquired the detective, referring to a box that—though not heavy—was large and awkward to carry.
"Careful Holmes, that things' contents are fragile," Lestrade ordered as she walked in front of him carrying a smaller though heavier box of books.
"So you mentioned earlier, what is in it?"
"You mean you don't know?"
"I have several theories—all of which are improbable."
"It's some pieces from my doll collection"
"Doll collection? You?"The women with a talent and love for the destructive, possesses a doll collection? Lestradeamused herself with dolls?'
"Mom travelled to different countries a lot, she felt guilty about leaving her family so she brought back souvenirs, when I was five I asked her to bring back a doll and… well now I have different dolls from different countries—the samurai from Japan is my favourite."
'Well at least they aren't Barbies,'
"Lestrade, I have finished installing the refrigerator," called Watson from the top of the stairs, interrupting Holmes' train of thought.
"Thanks Watson," the inspector called back cheerfully, as she continued up the steps. "Next you can help Holmes bring up the book shelf."
"Which one?" inquired the compudroid.
"The big one," Lestrade smiled as Holmes groaned. "Thank you for volunteering to help, you two."
"It's our pleasure Inspector," replied Watson in a cheerful tone, he was greatly enjoying the annoyed expression on the detectives face.
Holmes rolled his eyes, he would not call what they were doing 'volunteering' when one considered that Lestrade had shown up at 221b and had said to Holmes upon his answering the door. "Hi are you busy?"
"Not at the moment."
"Good I'm moving into my new flat today, and you're going to help," she'd grabbed his arm and dragged him down the seventeen steps while calling over her shoulder. "Watson you're coming to!" Smiling and shaking his head slightly the compudroid had followed.
00o00
"Bye dad," shouted Deidre cheerfully over her shoulder. "Hurry up Shinwell!" she called as she headed out the door followed by her new bodyguard.
"Tennyson! Wiggins!" Deidre yelled as she ran up to her friends a couple blocks from her home.
"Hey Deidre, hey Shinwell," they replied. They started to walk to school, enjoying the looks they received by having Shinwell in all his military droid glory join them.
"Man, this is never going to get old," stated Wiggins shaking his head.
"I still can't believe they let us keep him."
"You mean let you keep him," replied Wiggins with a wry smile.
"You want him to stay at your place?"
"Na," replied Wiggins waiving his hands in front of him. "It was your idea to reprogram him and Watson and Tennyson programmed him to be overprotective of you."
"Hrmp!" replied Deidre crossing her arms, not that she was complaining, her neighbourhood was a lot less friendly then either Wiggins's or Tennyson's. Though Shinwell would get in the way of her spying abilities she could always order him to wait elsewhere for her while she headed out on her own, and call him if she needed help.
(What does your dad think of Shinwell?) beeped Tennyson
Deidre shrugged. "He isn't complaining, for the most part. Though I know he isn't fond of the increase in the energy bill. Made a bit of a fuss actually, I told mister 'Olmes 'bout it a couple days ago, and when I got back from school the other day dad said to make sure Shinwell was always fully charged."
The three smiled then burst out laughing. They spent the remainder of the walk wondering what Holmes had said, or doneto Deidre's dad. Once they got to school Deidre turned to Shinwell. "Shinwell, report to the principal and meet us here when the bell rings."
"Understood," replied the droid. He then walked towards the Principal's office.
"Pity he can't come to class" said Deidre
"Ya, darn those 'no weapons at school' rules," responded Wiggins in a joking tone. "What was the school board thinking?"
The three laughed as they made their way to class.
00o00
"Kiaaa!" cried Mace as her kick hit home and sent Mickey to the floor.
"Good thing there was a punching bag between me and your foot," said Mickey as he got to his feet. He had been holding the bag while Mace had been viciously attacking it, that last attack made it clear that in her mind the bag was Moriarty.
Mickey looked at Mace then at the bag. He sighed, the bag's contents were spilling onto the floor. "That's the third bag this morning… and the last" he said turning to Mace… who was hopping up and down jabbing the air with her fist.
"Wanna spar?" she asked
"No, I'm what most people call, sane." He glanced at the clock. "Don't you have to meet Murdock in half an hour?"
Mace followed his gaze. "Crud," she said as she headed to the shower.
Half an hour later Mace met Murdock for lunch at their favourite restaurant 'Sodas'
"Hey Murdock," she greeted as she sat down. "How are things at the Yard?"
"Greyson wants you to register with the yard as a 'proper'informant."
"Not a snowball's chance in hell, you can tell him I said that."
"I'll send a memo," he replied with a grin.
"Other then that, how are things?"
"Things have settled down, and are pretty much back to normal. You see the press conference Greyson held?"
"The one where he takes all the credit for having rescued the leaders?"
"Yep."
"Ya I saw it."
"Well, Holmes and Lestrade told him he could have all the credit under two conditions. One: he gives Lestrade a large bonus and fair increase in pay so she could move, and two: he had to give Watson to Holmes."
Mace stared "You mean..?"
"Yep, Watson is no longer the property of New Scotland Yard."
"Yaaahhooo-whooo," shouted Mace as she raised her arms over her head. "That's great!" she continued, ignoring the curious stares from the restaurant's other patrons.
"Ya it is. Watson deserves freedom from the Yard, though he still has his uplink too them."
"That will come in handy for getting warrants I'm sure."
"One would hope so, as Greyson told Holmes 'If you put so much as one toe out of line I'll impound that droid—got it?'."
"Jerk," grunted Mace.
"Agreed."
"Well, after this I'm going to go help Lestrade move into her new place, she told me about it last night."
"You two seem to be getting along."
"Ya well to paraphrase J.K Rowling: there are some things you just can't go through with someone without liking them—and being held prisoner by a psychotic maniac is one of them." The two laughed and the waiter came by to take their orders.
"Hamburger and orange soda," requested Murdock.
"Tuna melt and Orangina please," responded Mace.
The waiter nodded and left.
"You wanna come too? Mickey will be joining me."
"I have work to do… does Mickey know he's coming?"
"Not yet," answered Mace with a wry smile.
00o00
"Finally it's Friday" said Deidre in a weary but cheerful tone.
"Hey Irregulars, Shinwell."
The three friends turned to see Mace and Mickey walking towards them. "You know Lestrade is moving into her new flat today right?" she continued.
"Course we know," Deidre answered. "Tennyson finished installing her new security system yesterday."
"We were just about to head over there now," put in Wiggins.
Mace nodded. "Glad to hear it, you guys want a ride?"
About twenty minutes later the six entered Lestrade's new abode. "Hey Lestrade," called Mace, "hope you don't mind, the door was open."
"Come on in," Lestrade called from a room to their right, "a bit more to the left… no that's too far."
The six followed the sound of her voice, and saw that she had Holmes and Watson moving a couch into position.
"A little more… Stop! That's perfect." Holmes and Watson gently put the couch down. "On second thought, maybe it did look better against that wall." She said looking to her left.
"Lestrade…" Holmes moaned.
"Never mind," laughed the inspector.
"Ummm Inspector?" asked Mickey.
"Yes?" Lestrade turned and saw that Mickey was carrying several grocery bags; the odd thing was that no one else was carrying anything.
"Where is your kitchen?"
"Down the hall to your left."
"Thanks."
"I'm making dinner," announced Mace, "enough for everyone. We'll be having beef stir-fry as the main course and apple cinnamon crepes for dessert, Murdock will join us later. He's bringing the Oringina. Any complaints?" No one said anything. "Great." She tuned her head "Deidre want to help?"
"No!" shouted the detectives, compudroid, and male Irregulars.
"I don't think that's a good idea," put in Deidre after a moments pause.
"Ooookay," said Mace as she stared quizzically at Deidre eyebrow raised. "Wiggins how about you?"
"I don't know much about cooking, besides Watson likes to cook," answered the Irregular.
"One: now's as good a time as any to learn. Two: Watson's needed to do the heavy lifting." Mace stated as she grabbed his arm and dragged him to the kitchen. "Stir fry's pretty quick to make, we'll get started on that in a couple hours. Apple cinnamon crepes on the other hand take awhile, so while the others help Lestrade move in, you can peel apples."
Two hours later Murdock had joined them and Lestrade had finished moving in. Everyone sat in the living room waiting for the stir fry to finish cooking.
"Mace what are you looking for?" asked Murdock as Mace rummaged thru her backpack.
"Camera, I know it's here somewhere… come out come out wherever you are."
Everyone looked at Mace quizzically. Mickey smiled and shook his head. "She's been talking to inanimate objects since before we met."
"Night vision goggles, knife, cable gun, knife, crowbar, knife, explosives—Ah ha!" shouted Mace as she rose, camera in hand. "This occasion warrants a picture. Everyone, get into position while I set the timer on the camera and find a place to put it for the picture. That includes you Shinwell," she said as she glanced at the droid.
Ten minutes later everyone was in position… for the most part. "Wiggins, put your arm around Deidre's shoulder. Holmes same for you only put yours around Lestrade's and I want your left hand on Watson's shoulder. Don't look at me like that. It'll look great trust me. Mickey get in closer and Murdock, hand on Wiggins's shoulder…That's perfect, okay timer's set. It'll take two pictures in succession encase anyone blinks… hold on." She said as she put down the camera and got into position beside Mickey. There was a flash and a click followed by another flash and click. "No one move I want to make sure they turned out alright."
Mace eagerly took the camera and checked both pictures. "They both look great, you can move now. I'll send everyone a copy," she added as she placed the camera back in its case then in its bag. "Common Wiggins, we gotta check on the food." She told the seventeen year old as she headed for the kitchen.
A few minutes later the red-headed chef walked back into the sitting room. "Dinner is served," she said as she bowed at the waist and gestured with her arms to the dinning room. Everyone smiled as they rose from their seats and went to sit down.
After everyone was seated and served, Mickey raised his glass of Orangina, "I'd like to propose a toast... to Watson's medical skills." He gave the compudroid a wry smile of gratitude.
"To clever friends who can be counted on to bring the cavalry" laughed Mace
"To Tennyson's hacking skills," quipped Deidre
(To Wiggins's leadership skills,) beeped Tennyson.
"To Deidre's trigger happy finger and to Murdock for letting us help," put in Wiggins with a grateful smile.
"To Mace, for saving Watson's life and getting the word out," added Murdock.
"To Lestrade, for her willingness to do anything to help a friend," purposed Watson as he casually waved his hand since he did not have a glass.
"And to Holmes for seeing us through it all and stopping Moriarty," said Lestrade
"Here, here!" shouted all but Holmes.
Then silence reigned as Holmes rose from his chair held out his glass, and said in a calm and grateful voice. "To good, loyal and brave friends, without whom, the world would be a far darker place, truer friends could not be asked for. Thank you."
Smiling, everyone raised their glasses.
"To the future," whispered Holmes as the glasses clinked.
00o00
Miles away, in an old abandoned building, a dark haired man with a streak of white, stared at a monitor and smiled. The Harrison's were dead, and soon Young would be out of the picture.
'Soon I will return to London more powerful then ever,' thought the criminal with a grin. 'It may take time, but I can wait. After all, revenge is a dish best served cold.'
END
Dedications and Thank You's
I would like to dedicate this fic to my two editors
I would like to thank A Karswyll for the hours she poured into this tale. A fellow writer and a mistress of words, you made some major improvements to my story, thanks.
To Bowen who encouraged me to write this fic and edited with patience and insight she added much to this story and was with me every step of the way. (Especially Beatings all around) she was a big help in keeping everyone in character. Seriously Moriarty and Holmes would not sound so Victorian without her. Thank you Bowen.
Readers give these gals a hand, they were a huge help. Take a bow gals.
I know what your thinking. Story's over, well not quite I got a few deleted scenes worthy of posting, so tune in Sunday the 17 of Feb, for Deleted scenes.