Chapter 3: My Case

This is movie-based. Both book and movie are amazing though!

Dr. Watson came out of a cab to Baker Street and hurried on the steps off 221B. He knocked once and opened the door himself. Mrs. Hudson appeared by the second landing looking thoroughly aghast as she saw the doctor coming.

"Mrs Hudson." Watson acknowledged her as he climbed on the stairs and went pass the landlady. Mrs. Hudson followed the doctor in silence. The doctor set foot to the next landing and did not even bother to knock on the door as he pushed it open.

"Holmes!" he called as he looked around the room.

That was when he saw his friend sitting by the fireside and checking on the sleeping dog next to him. He had a bundle of bandage rolled on his head, and a couple more wrapped around his middle. The detective was wearing a white polo that covered the rest of the bandage around him.

Upon the call of his name, Holmes looked sideways at the doctor.

"Watson." he acknowledged as he looked back at the sleeping Gladstone and pat its head before standing up to greet his friend. "What a surprise."

Watson watched his friend and then gave a very long sigh of relief. Holmes watched him and then frown a little as he reached for a cigar on the next table.

"You seemed harassed, old boy?" he muttered as he lit his cigar.

Watson shook his head and stared at the detective in disbelief.

"And here I was thinking you finally meet your end." he walked around the room and then dropped himself on the next chair, putting his head in his hand in doing so.

"My end?" Holmes blew on his smoke and then looked at his injuries. "Ah, you mean this? These are mere contractions of me working on a case."

Watson looked at him quietly from the spaces on his fingers. Holmes walked around the room too and sat on the chair opposite the doctor's.

"What happened?" the doctor asked him in that brief silence.

Holmes blew on his smoke and stared at his friend.

"An organization with the symbol of an eye working in the darkness for a long time has decided they want to regain fame, thus by murdering people and removing their eyes they want their entrance into the world something to be remembered."

Watson gave his friend a long look.

"This is the organization you are facing?" he said after awhile with that frown of his, "People who burn down a whole pub and remove other people's eyes for a fascinating entrance?"

"That's what I said."

Watson looked closely at his friend. Holmes remained calm but there was a lost look on his grey eyes that made the doctor sure he was on his trend of thoughts again.

"Would you require my assistance, Holmes?" he said after a long pause and consideration. "Clearly these wounds of yours would have been less had I been there to aid you, don't you agree?"

Holmes did not say anything for a long while but Watson was sure the detective heard him. He was already planning to explain to Mary about his sudden change of mind about joining his old friend when Holmes stood up and turned around so that his back was facing the doctor.

"Holmes?" Watson inquired.

"On other occasion I would have gladly accepted the offer, doctor." The detective answered with the same straight voice he used whenever he was speaking the truth, "But right now this case is my case. There would be no 'us' in this one."

The doctor blinked at the detective, and then frowned a little. It was sometime before he recovered from the shock, and when he did, he stood up and faced his quiet friend.

"Well, that's a surprised." he said in a rather forced calm voice, "I- I never thought you'd refuse an idea of working together again. Is your head hurt that badly?"

"These wounds are superficial." the detective answered as he remained looking on the opposite wall.

Watson did not smile now as his eyes looked at the haughty profile of his old friend.

"Alright, but do have me informed when you are hurt again. That way I can know if you are still alive. I only found out about your injuries because of the evening newspaper, I don't want to be informed that way again."

"Right you are, old boy." Holmes nodded.

Watson bowed, and then looked at his friend again. There was that sudden air around the detective that made the doctor somewhat uncomfortable.

"Is there something you're not telling me?" he suddenly demanded.

Holmes blew on his smoke, and then slowly turned at his friend to face him.

"Ah, now that you remind me- The Grand Hotel gave me a special treat for helping them solve the case of room 301 murder. They gave me the key to one of their prime rooms. Why don't you and Mary take it? I won't need it since I am wrapped up in this case. It's on the table next to your chair."

Watson looked at the table next to him and saw a golden key. He looked back at Holmes more confused than before. Holmes was watching him and then cut off whatever the doctor was about to say.

"Accept it as my present for the newlyweds. Of course I did not intend to not give anything to you at all but you were clearly serious-"

"Holmes-" Watson started as he took the key to his hand.

"-this is to show my gratitude for the many years that you've helped me. I suppose it was a worthy gift, or would you want another one-" the detective went on as he smoked.

"Holmes!" Watson nearly shouted in spite of himself.

Holmes paused and looked inquiringly at the doctor. "Yes, Watson?"

"What's the matter with you?" the doctor asked as he took steps toward his friend, "I have known you for many years, having shared the same house with you. I know you are holding something back from me- what is it that you're not telling me?"

Holmes silently smoked, and then raised his eyebrows up to heaven.

"I do not know what you mean." he muttered airily.

Watson looked at him, and then sighed in resignation.

"Fine." He muttered as he put the key on his side pocket, "I'll follow your instructions."

Holmes merely smoked again.

"But make sure you get out of this case alive, or I will kill you myself. Is that clear, Holmes?"

There was a pause, and then Holmes answered.

"Naturally."

Watson nodded.

"Now let me look at your wounds."

"Need not, you and Mary should be going soon."

Watson eyed Holmes once again.

"You're way giving too much importance that I and my wife should flee, it's almost suspicious." the doctor said as he looked over the detective's head injury with a frown. "Are we being threatened?"

"You get the hint." Holmes suddenly said as he raised an eyebrow to his friend, "Now go before they reach her or you."

At this statement, Watson's eyes widened a little. Holmes bowed his head and then gestured his hand on the door.

"It's your wife, old boy." Holmes said quietly, "Go."

Watson hesitated for awhile, and then with a final look, left the room in a hurry, leaving Holmes watching after him. Holmes looked over the window and watched as Watson called a cab and hurried away.

The detective blew a smoke, and then stared blankly at the window, lost in thought.

*.*.*.*

"He found out that much, did he now?" muttered the man in the mask as he sat comfortably near the fireside. "As expected of the 'Eye' of London. Nothing can go unnoticed with him. Now that he is aware of us, then it's time to press on the next plan… set the traps."

"It's already moving as we speak."

"Good. And before anyone can notice, Sherlock Holmes is already dead."

*.*.*.*.*.*

"Mary!" Dr. Watson called on as he entered his house, "Mary!"

He went to the living room and saw that knitted scarf by his wife left by the table. Looking around, the doctor saw the door to his office was open. Sighing, he went for it while calling the name of his wife.

"Mary-!" Dr. Watson stopped at what he saw. Mary was sitting on the chair he usually occupies with a blade pointing on her neck. A man was holding it threateningly before her.

"John..." Mary whispered with a worried look on her face, nevertheless she was calm.

Watson breathed and then felt someone point a gun on his back.

"Who are you people?" he demanded as two more men entered the room with their weapons.

"Tie him up and shut his eyes, we gonna be needing them." said the man with pale eyes.

Watson was roughly pushed to the wall and he felt his hands being tied from behind.

"Leave my wife out of this!" he said as the man behind him finished tying his hands.

"Shuddup. A pair of eyes like yours would send chills down London."

And the men gawked around. Watson caught the eye of his wife in the middle of this and assured her not to worry. Mary nodded a little as she looked transfixed at her husband.

"Move." The man next to Mary grabbed her roughly by the arm and pushed her to walk. Watson made to move but he too was roughly pushed by the door and they marched out of the house in the middle of the dark.

The Watsons were pushed down inside a carriage and the men waiting inside blindfolded them.

"What do you people want?" Watson asked as he protectively set his shoulders to Mary to shield her from their eyes. "I remember naught about having so many nemeses."

"Oh but doctor," hissed someone in front of him as they felt the carriage moving, "Surely you can blame your association with Sherlock Holmes in this?"

Watson did not say anymore and the carriage continued to move to carry them into their fate.

-TBC-

And off, Mr. Holmes! We're off! :)