Chapter three: Enter Mycroft Holmes

Holmes took me to one of his many bolt holes that he had throughout London. I was pushed through a small door that was well hidden.

"Sit in that chair and keep holding that cloth to your head." he said gruffly.

"Holmes it's not that bad. Just give me some water and a place to lie down. Ouch, that hurt what are you doing back there?" Besides the sting that I felt, there was also the obtrusive smell of alcohol.

"Just cleaning the cut. And your right it isn't all that bad, although you probably have a slight concussion at the moment."

Holmes gave me a blanket and it did not take long before I passed out on his couch.

I awoke the next morning to the smell of breakfast. Not recognizing my surroundings immediately, I sat up swiftly then wished that I hadn't.

"Ohh, I think my head is about to explode." I moaned.

"Here," said Holmes plopping a plate of eggs in front of me, "this will help."

"You can cook?"

I couldn't help the doubt that crept into my voice.

"My dear Mikael, I did not always have your aunt to take care of me. Besides it's just eggs, there isn't much you can do to ruin them."

"You never tasted my father's cooking."

Holmes gave me a humorous glance. "You know that is the first time you have mentioned you father since I met you."

"Yes well, don't expect to hear much about him. And no, you may not ask why."

Holmes raised his brow at my sudden curtness but left it at that.

After we had eaten, he decided to address the current problem facing him, that problem being my presence.

"I knew you were following me," he started, "but I did not expect you to follow me into the pub, and stick around for almost five hours. It's not the sort of place a young lady would choose to eat."

"A lady never would even entertain the thought of entering such a place. However, I have learned a few things here and there, and a young street rat would think nothing of going into that pub. Although I do believe the waitress was wondering were I had gotten the money to pay for my food."

Holmes actually started to smile as he listened to me. I could tell that he wished to ask me where I had learned about roll playing but I chose to ignore the question in his eyes and he chose not to voice it.

"Well, I guess I can't really send you home after last night, and for all I know you'll just hide someplace nearby and follow me through this entire case. And in your current condition you would probably pass out at some point while following me and the police would have to investigate yet another murder, because I am quite sure that Mrs. Hudson would kill me if something happened to you."

My excitement overcame me, I couldn't believe what I was hearing. It took more self-control than even I knew I had not to yell out for joy. This was just all too good. "So I get to stay and help in the case?"

"No, you simply get to stay, enabling you to watch and learn."

I'm pretty sure I heard a thump as my excitement hit the floor. I gave some serious thought to whining but changed my mind when I remembered what happened the last time that I had whined. Besides there was always the chance that he might change his mind, he had already changed it once by allowing me to stay.

After inspecting my wound and pronouncing it to be healing nicely Holmes gathered his coat and headed for the door. "I have some business to attend to, you stay here and find yourself something more suitable to wear. I'll be back in a few hours."

Looking around at the odd assortment of clothing hung in the small room "Holmes, how am I supposed to find anything in here?"

He let out a deep breath that clearly showed his annoyance at my question, "I don't know, but I'm sure you will find something. And if you get tired of waiting you can always go home."

I crossed my arms resolutely, "I will see you when you return then."

"I thought you would say that." he smirked, ducking out through the small door.

Walking around the small room I noticed that he had left a basin of water for me to wash up, something I never would have expected Holmes to think of. As I washed my face I remembered that he had said for me to put on something more suitable, probably meaning that I should once again look like a respectable young woman and not the dirty street rat I was dressed as.

Looking around the room once more at the jumble of clothing I wondered if there was any kind of order to the disarray I found myself in. -This may take a while- I thought before setting myself to my task.

I know that Holmes work required some unusual disguises since I had more then once seen odd character's walk through the front door only to find minutes later Holmes alone in the parlor. But to find the amount of women's clothing that was in that room was a little disconcerting. There was nothing there that would really fit me that a little hemming couldn't take care of.

Looking around the room once more I was sure that I could find whatever I needed in Holmes array of equipment. Not a half hour later I had found a dress that wouldn't take to much work, and a needle and thread. Not knowing how much time I had, I attacked the dress furiously. It's amazing how quickly sewing goes when you're not thinking about how horrible it is.

My dress finished, I had only to do my hair, and get ready. Sitting down at his dressing table I began looking for hair pins. In the first two drawers that I opened, I found a large assortment of makeup and several sets of fake teeth and mustaches. In the third drawer I looked in I found what I was looking for. - I wonder how many men there are in this world that have a room full of dress-up cloths and there own makeup- I thought as I pinned my hair up in a tight not on the back of my head; being careful to avoid the sore spot that reminded me of its presence when a pin found its way too close to the small cut.

Satisfied with my hem job, I slipped into my clothing and looked in the mirror to admire my reflection and realized that I had managed to procure a dress but not shoes. I knew that there was no way this would do, so I disobeyed the order to stay put and prayed that I would return before he did. After all Holmes couldn't expect me to go running around England at night with out any shoes.

Not even a block from the bolt hole I found the store that I was looking for and thankfully had enough money left to pay for them. I walked out of the store comfortable in my new shoes and head back to my hiding place. Arriving on the correct street I realized my second problem of the day; I had remembered to take note of the street but not the building. -Great! Just great. Now I have to find the stupid door- I knew it was down an ally but the question was which one. I peered down several allies before I found one that seemed familiar. Checking to see that no one was looking I ducked down and started looking for the door that was hidden in the brick. After about twenty minute I started to panic. Was I in the wrong ally? Had Holmes already returned? -This is not good.- I leaned against the dirty wall and took a deep breath, panicking was not going to help. Stepping back I stared blankly at the wall, convinced I was never going to find the door. Cocking my head I swore I saw a large crack. Putting my hands on the cold mortar I pushed hard and sure enough I felt the wall budge slightly. Tugging up my sleeves I push again, this time harder. The door opened the rest of the way.

Returning to the room, I was relived to find Holmes had not returned. Not even five minutes later Holmes returned. I stood up from the couch to face Holmes, who was standing against the door scrutinizing my appearance.

"Is this suitable enough for whatever it was that you wanted?" I asked.

"Yes," answered Holmes, "It is quite suitable."

It wasn't much of an answer but then again it was Holmes.

"Come Mikael, we have someplace to be and Mycroft does not appreciate his dinner being postponed."

We arrived at this Mycroft's door not ten minutes after leaving the bolt hole. Holmes paid the cabbie and then led me up the stair to the front door where we were greeted by a tall, and rounding man with an uncanny resemblance the Holmes. The two men exchanged brief nods, and when the man turned his attention to me I could tell that I was not what he expected to see.

He shook he head to clear the shocked expression that had spread across his features.

"I am glad to see that you have brought your..er... lady friend with you Sherlock," Did I notice a hesitation before lady? "but I thought that you said you were going to bring your apprentice so that we could discuss business?"

Holmes let out a wry smile as he introduced me and even I had a hard time holding back a laugh afterwards. "Mycroft, this is Miss Mikael Garrison, Mrs. Hudson's niece, and my newly acquired apprentice. Mikael meet my brother Mycroft Holmes."

Extending my hand I performed a slight curtsy, "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Holmes. Although I must say it is quite a shock, since Holmes failed to mention that he had a brother."

Mycroft Holmes not sure of what to say to this just brushed his lips over my hand and said,

"A pleasure I'm sure."

This was the first time that a man had ever kissed my hand instead of shaking it, as was the normal process in which practically everyone was greeted in the social circles I was accustomed to traveling in. I seriously doubted that there was much pleasure in it for him though, considering that he had just been made to look a fool by his brother in front a young woman. I however, could not help but feel like the Queen herself at this rather delightful way of introduction.

Entering into the house we shed our coats and hats and handed them over to the waiting hands of the butler. While I was admiring the art in the entry way, I caught Mycroft looking at me as if I was a foreign substance about attack him. We were then led into the Parlor were Brandy was served to the men and sherry was offered and declined by myself.

I could tell that my presence in the room was more that slightly uncomfortable for Mr. Mycroft Holmes. It didn't not take me long to realize that the reason for his dubious looks was that he was not use to seeing his brother Sherlock in the company of young women. Especially ones that have been taken on as an apprentice.

I could not bring myself to think of him as Mr. Holmes since there was, in my mind at least, only one Holmes and mister, as I said earlier, had long since been dropped from our conversations. Our host tried to ease the atmosphere with small talk, "Miss Garrison, how long have you been staying in London?"

"About a three months." My answer was followed by yet another deep silence, and I began studying the room and its furniture.

He tried again, "Are you enjoying the city?"

"I have enjoyed what I've seen. But unfortunately I haven't had much time to sight-see, with Holmes occupying my time as he has." With the last bit Mycroft's eyes when wide and I found myself blushing at the implications of my own words. For some reason, rather than laughing at the mistake and then fixing it, I was horrified at the thought of Mycroft thinking me no more than a whore and could not make my mouth open to explain my meaning.

Holmes appeared to be the only one not affected by what had been said. Looking to my teacher and mentor for some help I found him absorbed in the packing of his pipe. If I didn't know better I would have said that he hadn't heard a single word that had been spoken in the past minutes.

Finally satisfied with the smoke that his pipe was giving off, he got down to business. "Mycroft I did not bring Mikael hear to allow for you to engage in tea party conversations, I brought her hear to help in this case. Whatever details we are to talk about she is to hear them also, so let's get on with it."

At hearing his crack about tea party conversations I had to wonder if in fact he had heard the last part of our said conversation. Having spoke his piece and thereby putting a stop to the chance for me to saying anything more embarrassing than I had already said, Holmes put us back on course. The rest of the night was spent forming the plan of action to be taken next in our case. Although I will admit that it was nearly an hour before the heat left my cheeks and I was able to contribute to the discussion with a clear head. I will also say that it was slightly longer before Mycroft could meet my eyes for any length of time.

TBC

A/N: Yay! I found the third chapter. I hope you enjoyed it and I'll get working on the next chapter asap. See ya :)