Hello All! I would just like to thank everyone who reads this story and just beg you a bit to review, and tell me what you think. I'd especially like to thank SPEEDIE22 for reviewing my last chapter! Hope you enjoy guys!
Disclaimer: Unfortunatly, I don't own Watson or Holmes ... although I would like to! but I do own Bonnie, my lovely OC.
"Good Lord Doctor, was that a woman screaming I heard? It sounded like the scream came from your pantry, Doctor? ... Doctor?" said Mr Willis, Watson's patient as he turned to look for his doctor, but his eyes only met with a flung open door, the panel still swinging on its hinges where Watson had thrown it open quickly, darting down the stairs as fast as his injured leg could carry him. "Oh ... it must have been a scream." Grumbled the old man, unfolding a paper and settling himself, trying to block out the loud commotion in the room below him.
Sherlock Holmes was reclined in his favourite chair, wrapped in a dark red smoking jacket, his pipe held firmly between his lips and his nimble, thin fingers flicking through an old, worn book that was resting on his raised knee, when his ears picked up on the sharp sound of a young woman's scream, shortly followed by the loud bang and uneven footsteps hounding down the stairs. He closed the book with a slam, a dust cloud rising from the pages, and hauled himself up from his chair, curious at the cause of the sudden uproar, propelling himself down the old staircase, hastily, but with less speed than his faithful companion had, just moments before. His heavy boots echoed on the stone floor as he entered the pantry, his eyes swept the room taking note of the occupants and the objects in the room, from Watson stood by the fire, an angry expression on his face and his hands shaking as he read a note that was clenched in his fist, to a very motherly Mrs Hudson trying to sit Bonnie down in a chair, whose beautiful face was strained with tears and her eyes were red, and had a shaking, dainty hand pressed to her lips. The young woman's shock was shown clearly in her deep brown eyes and her hair that had gone from being in a neat French twist, to having sections falling out at all angles. "Miss Watson you look positively shaken up." He said a slight smirk on his face. Bonnie looked at the detective from under her thick, black eyelashes, her dark pupils looking unusually wide and round from her fright and gave him a small, ghost of a smile, showing she appreciated Holmes' attempt to bring her some comfort.
"Take a look at this Holmes, its most irregular, and downright threatening." Watson said with a scowl, passing his friend the letter and taking a seat beside the fire, his grip on his cane so strong his knuckles turned an alarming shade of white. "Watson, if you sister is indeed in danger, the best place for her to be is here, where you and I can keep careful watch of her, don't you agree?" Holmes said as he too sat in a chair beside the fire, his eyes scanning over the hand written words.
Miss B Watson
The years have treated you well … It is time that pretty face saw destruction. I will tear down your world as you once tore mine.
Yours truly
"Interesting" mused Holmes as he read the unfinished sign off, "This person obviously knows you well Miss Watson, or at least thinks they do, as they did not see fit to sign the note off, wanting to remain anonymous." Bonnie just nodded and shakily sipped her tea waiting for Sherlock to carry on, "In the light of this note, I fear it is unsafe for you to venture out alone. I am aware you intend to go out for morning tea with your childhood friend Maria today, but I'm afraid it's just too risky for you to go alone. I will accompany you, if you are willing?" Bonnie smiled, happy that she would get to see her old friend and happy because Sherlock was willing to give up his time to make sure she was safe. "I would be very grateful if you would do that Mr Holmes, I haven't seen Maria in so long." Holmes nodded and let a soft smile find its way onto his lips, folding the letter and placing the piece of paper into his waistcoat pocket. "Indeed, I must go and clean up a touch, and Watson, I believe you have a patient upstairs, You won't want to keep him waiting any longer, I promise you your sister is safe in my hands."
"Thank you for escorting us Mr Holmes, I'm glad you're doing all you can to keep our lovely Bonnie safe." Maria said as she poured tea into the three china cups, having to raise her voice slightly over the noise of the busy restaurant. Holmes closed his notebook and looked over the top of his round sunglasses at the two women in front of him, Bonnie on his left dressed in a plain dark blue dress, her hair pulled back into the neat French twist she had started with this morning, and Maria on his right, dressed in a pale yellow dress and her long red hair piled up beneath an expensive pale yellow hat. A large diamond and gold band adorned her left ring finger; showing all around her she was married and happily so. The detective pursed his lips momentarily, pondering at his reply, "It is my pleasure Mrs Carter. I'm sure my dear friend, her brother, would have something to say if I allowed any harm to come to her." Maria smiled sweetly at batted her eyelashes at him as she took a dainty sip from her cup, "All the same Mr Holmes, It means a great deal to me that you are doing so. Poor Bonnie has been through enough." Holmes inclined his head, in a vague imitation of a nod, once again opening his book, letting his eyes run across the page's scripture. The two girls looked at each other over their tea, and the bubbly red head smirked, setting her cup down, and directing her gaze back up to Holmes. "Mr Holmes, Would you excuse us a moment? We need to nip to the powder rooms." Sherlock looked up at the two women who were now standing and nodded. "Be safe; scream if you need my assistance." The statement was directed to Bonnie, his big dark eyes burning into her own, causing a rosy blush to creep its way up onto her normally pale cheeks.
"Oh, Bonnie, that man really is something else. So strong and silent … handsome too, oh and that brain! The man is a genius." Maria gabbled animatedly as she puffed a light layer of powder onto the bridge of her pretty, freckled nose. Bonnie exhaled a breath sharply through her nose and let a small smile find its way onto her lips. "He is a genius, a twisted, genius. He's cold though, it's rare for him to show emotions. He has some bad habits, but he makes butterflies swarm in my tummy." Bonnie confirmed, looking up into her childhood friend's eyes, who was giving her a knowing look. "Give it time, Bonnie; he'll come round to you." She said giving Bonnie's hand an affectionate squeeze, before glancing at a small ivory clock on the wall, "Come on, we better be getting back, Its nearly time for us to leave Warren should be here to meet me soon, and that handsome detective of yours will be wondering where you are." Bonnie shook her head and followed her friend back out into the dining area muttering "He's not my detective." Under her breath. The door to the powder room sung shut behind them, just long enough for a dark, cloaked figure to step out from one of the cubicle's they had been hiding in, listening to the two girl's conversation, and watching Miss Bonnie Watson intently.
"Sherlock l just wanted to thank you for today. I've missed seeing Maria dreadfully. I only hope it wasn't too boring for you to keep our company?" Bonnie said hovering in the door way of the living room her brother and the detective were currently residing in. John brought the paper he was reading down enough for him to look at his companion over the pages. Holmes removed his now smoking pipe from his lips and regarded the young woman, with a never ending look, his brown irises sparkling, showing Bonnie he was in the frame of mind John referred to as his 'playful mood.' "It was my pleasure, Miss Watson, I do enjoy taking tea at the Royale, they have a unique strain of tea especially imported from India, and I find it quite delicious." Bonnie frowned, her eyebrows creasing together and her pretty rosebud lips parting as if words were about to leave her mouth, but had got lost from her voice box along the way. She swallowed swiftly and nodded, "I'm going to help Mrs Hudson in the kitchen." She said, her voice barely audible, but a layer of hear clearly noticeable in her small voice.
Watson watched the door close behind his baby sister and turned towards Holmes, and angry expression on his normally placid face. "There was no need for that old boy, my sister was only thanking you for you kindness. There was no need for you to brush her off like that." Holmes took the pipe from his mouth and turned his cold, calculating gaze onto the doctor. "I was merely jesting mother hen. Your sister needs to learn to take my humour." John, outraged at his friend's words slammed his cane on the floor in an unusual display of anger. "Holmes, I insist you apologise to Bonnie. She does not deserve you baiting her." The detective sighed and stood from his chair moving swiftly towards the door, grabbing a coat on his way out. "I mean it Holmes!" Watson shouted after the retreating detective's back.