Just before his 31st birthday

There was a knock at the door. Why is there always someone willing to annoy me when I am right in the middle of something? I reached down picked up the ashtray, stubbing out my cigarette before getting the air freshener out. I gave it a squirt before realising that there was none left. I sighed and shoved it into the bin.

Another knock.

"I'm coming!" I shouted. "Stupid bastard cunt, interrupting-" I flung the door open and stopped ranting. Marie stood at the door shivering cold, tears trailing down her face, her make-up smeared. "Marie?" I took her hands and led her into the room closing the door behind me with my foot.

I sat her down on my favourite chair. "What happened?"

Marie looked at me for a minute, blinking, she began to weep. Uncertain of myself, I tried putting my arms around her shoulders.

"Er..." I pulled away. "Tea? Coffee? Lemon water?"

Marie nodded. I took that as the last offer and hurried to the kitchen. There were no clean glasses and no bottled water left – I refuse to use tap water. I checked the kettle. There was still some left. So I poured the cold water out and into a freshly washed glass, then I went searching for a lemon. I accidently knocked a glass over, spilling the old contents. I cursed under my breath before cutting up the lemon and put it into the water.

"Here," I said, handing it to her. She smiled up at me through her tears. I sat on the sofa's arm staring at her. "Marie what happened?" I asked calmly.

Marie took a sip before shuddering. I handed her a tissue.

"What happened?" I pressed.

She looked up at me. A beady tear fell from her eye. I fell to my knees watching her. "Please tell me."

"i.." Marie looked away, her voice breaking. "It was..."

"What happened?"

"Irene." She said.

Shock took me for only a second. There were more pressing issues. "Marie, what did she do?"

Marie shuddered, holding her arms, tissue scrunched in her hand. She stared at it for a second before taking a deep breath. "She... I was... Out of work..." She took another breath, tears falling again.

"Okay," I grabbed a rough blanket and draped it over her shoulders. "Whenever you're ready," I said. We sat in silence for a few seconds, before my curiosity took hold. "Okay, I need to know what she did."

Marie wasn't surprised by the outburst. She smiled up at me. "She cornered me after work. I was walking to the bus."

"Yes?" I pressed.

"She..." Marie took a sigh. "She had been following me... She wanted to know about you... I wouldn't tell her... Then she... she got... she got angry..."

"Why?" I tried to suppress my rage. "Why didn't you just tell her?"

"Because, if she knew that you were... That you were no longer the cunt that you used to be... She'd go and try and change you back..."

"So? I can handle Irene." I said.

"You don't get it Sherlock!" Marie cried. "... That girl is poison. She made you different. For nearly 10 years, she had complete fucking control of you. She manipulated you. Changed you. Then she fucked off to stupid Argentina and left Mycroft and I to clean up the fucking mess."

She sighed and I looked away. "You don't need to protect me, Marie." I said angrily.

"Well... I did." Marie snapped. She tugged at her skirt.

"Then what happened?" I asked.

"She... She got all hysterical... That she was seeing monsters... She needed your help... I told her to chill... She pulled out this knife... I got scared and tried to get away from her..." Marie shuddered again before wiping her eyes smudging her eye make-up.

"Did she hurt you?" I asked calmly.

She didn't answer.

"Did she hurt you?" I repeated with a lot more force. "Marie! Answer the fucking question!"

Marie stared up at me. Then with what looked like a heavy heart, she nodded. I stood up and kicked the coffee table over.

"Sherlock," she cried. "Please don't get mad with me."

I stared at her incredulously. "Mad? With you?" I gave a haughty laugh. "Listen to me. She was fucking on hash or something. But it gives her no fucking right to attack you to get to me."

"Don't do anything stupid." Marie said. "Please."

"Stupid? Me?" I laughed again and picked up my coat. "Forget stupid. I am going to fucking kill her." I pulled it on frustrated. "Stay here." I said.

"Sherlock no!" Marie cried standing up. "Please don't leave me!"

"Stay here." I repeated, kissing her forehead. "Be safe."

"No." Marie said shaking her head. "No. Sherlock please."

I had already left.