Chapter fourteen: Promises

The following morning,

"What are you doing down here so early?" Sherlock's voice so near my ear caused me to jump and jab my eye on the eyepiece of the microscope. I grabbed onto my eye and let out a groan. "Sorry."

"That hurt!" I complained as he took a hold of my face and began to survey the damage he'd given me.

"I gathered, let me take a look."

"It's fine," I said as he peeled my hands off. "it just hurts."

"Open your eye."

"No."

He arched a brow. "Open it or I'll open it for you." after a few blinks and winces, I'd opened my eye. His expression was serious as he looked at my eye. "No damage done, but you'll have a slight bruise under your eye."

"Great, now everyone will think you hit me."

He snorted. "People think a great many things, none of them are true." He cleared his throat and asked. "What are you doing down here?"

"I wanted to get a head start." I proclaimed. "I was up anyway."

Sherlock studied me silently before proclaiming. "You didn't sleep at all last night did you?"

I exhaled and peered back into the microscope more gingerly. "No I didn't."

He's silent for a moment before saying. "Your father would be proud of you."

I snorted as my shoulder went lax. "Yeah, for kissing the man who murdered him." I said sarcastically. "He'd be very proud."

"He'd be proud because you're willing to do anything to bring his killer to justice." I paused in place. "I can't think of another woman who'd have the guts to do what you did."

I spun around on my chair, leaning my elbows back on the table. "Was that a compliment?"

He didn't blink. "Could be."

I eye him for a moment, we're both locked in a stare down until I speak up. "You're after something." I stated. "You're never nice to anybody unless you want something."

He shook his head. "That's not true."

"Fibbing Sherlock."

"If I wish to pay you a compliment-

I held up a hand as I reached into my apron pocket and handed him the bracelet. "Here it is." his eyes narrowed as I plopped it in his hand. "Go ahead."

He frowned at me as I turned back to the microscope. "I wasn't after this."

"Don't deny that you had that in the back of your mind Sherlock Holmes." I teased him. "I know you of old."

"I hardly believe that we battle like Benedict and Beatrice."

I laughed. "We're well on the way there." I looked away from the microscope and began sketching the chemical onto the nearby pad. "So, what's unique about the bracelet?"

"Well, the diamonds are cut to perfection stated. The backing of the bracelet, though pure gold, isn't real." I glance up as Sherlock went to his instrument drawer and pulled out a strong needle. I watched as he began poking at the backing until the whole back fell off. He glanced up at me and added. "It'll all snap back into place."

I shrugged. "I don't mind."

He frowned. "The whole back of your mother's bracelet fell off and you don't mind. Why not?"

"I hate diamonds." I peered back into my microscope. "Why else do you think I've never worn any diamonds?"

Sherlock paused, reflecting back on all the jewelry I'd worn before stating. "You like pearls, don't you?"

"Yes."

"Moonstones as well?" I nodded. "And your jewelry are all set in silver, as opposed to gold."

I smirk. "You're paying attention."

"I simply reflected back on what I'd seen you in." He stated calmly while he began examining tiny pieces of paper. His eyes widened in delight. "Ah, the root of the murders."

"And please say that it was worthwhile, otherwise I'm going to be so mad."

"Define a worthwhile murder."

I bit my lip. "No murder is worthwhile, I should correct that. But if they were murdered because someone was upset that father married mother, or stole a thousand pounds, that would be ridiculous."

Mrs. Hudson came into the room with a tray containing my cocoa, Sherlock's coffee, sugar cubes, biscuits, butter and jam. "Here you two go." She stated as she looked around. "Now, where shall I put this?"

I stood up. "I'll take this Mrs. Hudson. Thank you."

"Oh, it's not trouble dear. I figured you two were down here." She smiled proudly. "You two are always down here working away together." I flushed as I took the tray and relocated it to the table. I glanced at Sherlock; he was glowering slightly, telling me that he was running out of patience. "It's a nice change."

Sherlock spoke up. "Mrs. Hudson, I recently purchased a house; I will be relocating there in a few days. If you don't mind, could you go down and take a look at what will need to be done down there."

I smiled as I put two lumps of sugar in his coffee. "What brought this about?"

"The final puzzle piece," he said without looking up from the paper he was organizing. "I'm also making it easier for him to abduct you."

I jumped. "That doesn't make me feel any better Sherlock."

"Don't worry, you'll be perfectly safe." I shook my head in dismay. "The address is 221B Baker Street Mrs. Hudson. Find the least annoying members of staff my parents have and go look at what needs to be done. We'll be moving in within three days."

"Three days!" She proclaimed. "That's impossible."

Sherlock smirked at her. "Make it possible. Now go."

Mrs. Hudson hurried off and I approached Sherlock with his coffee. "You really are so mean to her sometimes."

"She babbles incessantly." He looked at his coffee. "What's this?"

"Your coffee." I pointed out. "Black, with two sugars."

He took it from me, his hand encasing my finger for a moment. "You've been paying attention as well."

I smiled, but offered him no comment as I peered over his shoulder at the pieces of paper that he'd carefully unfolded. They were written in code and it wasn't one I was familiar with. "What do these say?"

"I'd say that it's a book code, but the numbering is irregular." Sherlock said. "What was your mother's favorite book?"

I smirked. "Romeo and Juliet." Sherlock groaned as I laughed. "I said you wouldn't like it."

"That would explain why the letter of the code was so unfamiliar." He pointed at the paper. "But, if it's Shakespeare, that would make perfect sense." He looked around the room. "I wonder if I kept that copy of Shakespeare's works."

"I moved all the books up to your room for your personal library," I reminded him. "remember? You needed more space." I patted his shoulder. "Drink your coffee before it gets cold. I'll go get my mother's book."

"Stop doing that that." He stated. "It's too…wifely."

I swatted his shoulder. "Drink your coffee." Sherlock threw a pen at me; I laughed and made a face at him. "You missed me!"

He said something that I didn't hear. Frankly, I didn't care; both of us were in a good mood for a change. I took the well-worn book carefully from my nightstand and carried it downstairs to Sherlock. I opened the door finding him holding a torch near my cocoa. He looked up at me and turned it off. I arched a brow. "What did you put in there?"

"Nothing." When I reached for a test tube, he pulled it from my hand. "Take a sip, you'll find I only heated it."

"No eyeballs or anything of that sort in my cocoa?"

"Nothing in that sort." I handed him the book and he took it carefully. "Thank you." I reached up and took a sip from my cocoa. Sure enough, it was hot, boiling in fact. I set it down with a cry and inhaled sharply before heading to the refrigerator where he usually kept body parts. Fortunately, the refrigerator was empty and the ice was fresh. I chipped off a piece of ice and sucked it, cooling my burning mouth. I turned back to find him look at me. "I swear," he stated. "you get stranger and stranger as the hours go by."

"Shut up and decode the book. Next time, cut that time in half." I inhaled and reached for a biscuit and the jam knife. "So, any ideas?"

Sherlock exhaled. "Your mother was a very clever woman. Look," he pointed to the paper, at one set of numbers. , followed by another set of numbers, all were groups of four. "first act, third scene, sixth line, and the first letter of the fourth word. This could take hours."

"Well, I'm glad to know that you regard someone in the lines of my family as brilliant." I took a bite out of my biscuit, sending crumbs down his jacket. "Sorry." I mumbled around the biscuit as I brushed his shoulder off. He exhaled. "I'll go with Mrs. Hudson and help out."

Sherlock frowned and looked up at me. "How will that help her?"

"Believe it or not," I held my hand out to him for examine. "these lily whites of mine have done some housework."

He took my hand and examined it. "Indeed," he turned my hand over to examine it more. His eyes narrowed. "You even painted your parent's house rather recently, within two months."

I tugged my hand free from his. "I'm not asking how you noticed that." He opened his mouth and I placed a finger on his mouth, silencing him. "Don't bother explaining. I know you know and it's brilliant. Now, just promise me you'll let me know the instance you crack the code."

He nodded. "Promise."

"Good. See you later."

"Don't leave that house without Mrs. Hudson!" he called as I walked out of the lab. "Promise?"

"I promise!"