"Who is Moriarty?" were the first words which escaped Scarlett's lips as Sherlock simply just grabbed hold of the fireplace, bowing his head low, his knuckles turning white as he remained silent, wondering how he was going to get Scarlett out of this situation, and also wondering why Moriarty would even want her. Did he show his likeness to her too much for it to be noticed? He had only taken her out one evening, surely not enough to warrant Moriarty coming after her. But then again, Sherlock never took women on dates. As in never ever.

"Do you plan on answering my question, seeing as how I am the one he is after?" Scarlett exasperated, getting fed up with Sherlock and John's silence. John looked away from her questioning eyes and so she directed them at Sherlock and he felt her stare on him. Slowly, he turned around and simply just stared at the girl. The simple secretary who he had endangered.

"Moriarty is what I'd call a consulting criminal," Sherlock drawled slowly. "He is the opposite of me...I've only met him once...and that was a...interesting conversation."

"A consulting criminal? There's no such thing...is there?" Scarlett wondered and Sherlock allowed a small smile to tug his lips upwards.

"There was no such thing as a consulting detective either," he reminded her. "We're one of a kind."

"So what? He's just some criminal who is after you?" Scarlett asked and Sherlock simply began to pace, holding his hands behind his back, watching the floor which he was pacing on.

"Basically, yes," John replied. "His only aim is to destroy Sherlock."

"And the man who came last night...he didn't intend to kill us," Sherlock suddenly piped up, standing by the desk, watching Scarlett as she placed her hands onto her hips and raised a brow;

"Could have fooled me," she commented. "So the gun was just for show?"

"He intended to scare us...yes...the burglary at your home was so that Moriarty could learn more about you. The assassin didn't want to murder us at all...he wanted to show us a warning that Moriarty was here...that he will come after us."

"You keep using the phrase 'us' a little too often," Scarlett muttered. "I never signed up for this."

"Technically you did," Sherlock pointed out. "Because you never complained when I told you that I was a dangerous person to know."

"I...I never thought...you seemed...so this Moriarty," Scarlett finally managed to stop her blabbering. "Is he really going to try and kill me?"

"I would say so."

"But why?" Scarlett asked, "I didn't do anything to annoy him...not that you ever did...well you must have...by the sounds of it that is."

Sherlock remained silent as he simply just held her eye contact and remained emotionless, unable to give the reason as to why she would be dragged into any of this. Could he admit it to himself? Could he admit that the only reason as to why her life was in danger was because he was falling for her? Wait. Falling for her? Sherlock didn't fall for anyone, or anything, just his work. His work was his priority. It always had to come first so that he could excel in it. But Scarlett? What did he feel to her? He had known the woman for a few days and yet in those few days he had felt happy. It was rare anything entertained Sherlock, apart from his work, and yet here was a woman, stood in his living room, who he couldn't help but be drawn to. He had never experienced anything like this in his life.

"It's clear, isn't it?" John was the one to speak up and both sets of eyes turned onto him, one set wide and one narrowed. It didn't take a genius to work out which set was who's.

"He's trying to torture Sherlock," John said, acting as if the other two were complete idiots. Scarlett simply remained silent, biting her lip so hard she thought she had drawn blood whilst Sherlock remained rigid.

"By me? Why?" Scarlett asked.

"Because he thinks that he likes you," John said and the pair of them simply just looked at each other. Scarlett's blue eyes searched Sherlock's plain ones and then she shook her head;

"Then it's obvious," she said, her voice breaking a little.

"Is it?" Sherlock asked her lowly and she nodded;

"I have to go," she said and Sherlock began to shake his head but Scarlett continued; "as long as I'm here then he can try and get at you...and me...and we both don't need that...if I go then he will see that we're not interested in each other and then we will be safe."

"Do you think the real world works like that?" Sherlock quizzed her.

"Do you think people in the real world have arch enemies Sherlock?" Scarlett snapped, not intending to do so but still managing "we have people who we don't like...but not people who want to kill us."

"But the real world is so boring," Sherlock complained. "And if you leave through that door then he will go after you Scarlett."

"No he won't," Scarlett said. "Because he won't know that we're seeing each other."

"Technically we're not seeing each other...we went on one date."

"And I can honestly say I will never forget it," Scarlett smiled sadly. "Being with you...its crazy Sherlock...and...I don't know if I can handle it."

"Well I fail to care," Sherlock folded his arms and said cockily; "because I am not letting you leave as long as Moriarty is after you."

"You can't stop me," Scarlett replied back. "I like you Sherlock...hell I'd even say I'm attracted to you...I mean who wouldn't be? You're good looking, intelligent, sometimes an arse...but a nice guy."

"She's right," John piped up, "you're an arse sometimes."

"John," Sherlock barked. "Shut up and go away!"

John raised his hands in surrender before turning and leaving through the living room door and into his own room, giving the pair privacy.

"So let me get this straight," Sherlock said with a wave of his hand. "You like me? And yet, you are somehow leaving and not wanting anything to do with me ever again? Sounds slightly contradictory if I have to be honest."

"No." Scarlett said. "I'm going because I like you. As long as I am here then you could get hurt...and I've seen enough people get hurt in my life Sherlock...I'm not going to watch you...because of me...I can't..."

"Moriarty will still track you down Scarlett," Sherlock warned her dangerously. "Even when you go...he'll make sure he gets you so that you can never come back to me...he knows it will hurt me."

"How does he know? Because he doesn't know how you feel," Scarlett said. "You can deny ever feeling anything for me."

"You're the first young woman I have taken on a date Scarlett," Sherlock admitted. "He knows that hurting you would evoke a reaction from me."

"I can't take the risk Sherlock," Scarlett whispered, moving into her coat and placing her scarf around her neck as she picked her bag up. "As long as I am here we both know we're in danger...at least if I leave then there is a chance things can change."

"No. There isn't." Sherlock challenged her and she shook her head;

"You don't know that," she said. "This isn't easy for me Sherlock...hell...this is one of the hardest things I've had to do...but I have to go."

"No," Sherlock said. "Scarlett...you don't...I won't let you," he warned her.

"You have no say," she said sadly and left through the living room door, moving down the steps. Sherlock remained still for a moment and he clenched his hands into fists at the side of his body, gritting his teeth. He had told her not to challenge him and she had done just that. Well no one did that to Sherlock Holmes, and for once, she wasn't going to be the exception. Rushing down the steps he saw her move out the door onto Baker Street, people passing by as she only managed to get a few metres from the doorway before Sherlock ran up alongside her, grasping her by the wrist, her bag falling from her shoulder and onto the pavement.

"I told you," he growled lowly. "Not to contradict me," he said and she looked at him;

"I'm not budging," she jutted her chin out and Sherlock raised a brow, attracting stares from people passing him by as they continued their staring contest, wondering who would make the first move.

"Really?" Sherlock raised a brow and she nodded to confirm his belief.

"Looks like that shall be changing," he said and in one swift movement, he bent over and knocked her feet from under her, his hand moving around her waist as he swiftly slung her over his shoulder. Scarlett screeched out as she thumped on his back and he continued walking back to the flat, attracting looks from people as he went.

"What the hell are you doing? My bag is there!" she yelled as he backtracked on himself and picked it up in his free hand before walking back to the flat.

"Sherlock!" Scarlett yelled "I was saving your life!"

"And getting yourself killed in the process," he retorted, as his hand slipped into dangerous territory and Scarlett's brows picked up and Sherlock chuckled;

"I can tell what you're thinking," he said, placing his hand back onto her waist.

"That you're an arrogant pompous arse?" she snidely said.

"No" he said "although you may have thought that before" he grinned as people just thought he looked crazy. Scarlett gave up hitting his back as her hair moved into her eyes and she continued glaring at the moving pavement.

"People will think you're mad," Scarlett told him.

"People may think what they like as I have no control over their minds," he informed her.

"So what now?" Scarlett asked as he moved back into 221B Baker Street where Mrs Hudson was stood at the bottom of the stairs, looking worried as Sherlock hauled Scarlett back into the flat.

"You stay with me to make sure you don't die," Sherlock told her.

"Well as long as I am with you I seem to be dead," Scarlett quipped back.

"I've gotten out of plenty life and death situations," he assured her as Mrs Hudson shook her head;

"What is this Sherlock?" she asked. "Have you gone mad?"

"No Mrs Hudson," Sherlock assured her. "Scarlett here thought wrong and I'm showing her the errors of her way...but she seems to be protesting," he said, noticing she had begun wriggling in his arms again as he took the stairs and finally reached the living room, removing her from his shoulder and dropping her body onto his sofa, falling on top of her, his knee steadying himself in between hers and his other knee on the edge of the sofa, his hands pinning hers above her head as she continued squirming.

"Scarlett," he said firmly, looking at her. "Please believe me that I know best."

"Why?" she replied forcefully.

"Because I have a higher IQ and I know Moriarty."

"But if you just let it be known that you don't like me..." Scarlett began but Sherlock shook his head;

"It won't work," he told her. "He knows I am interested...he can read me..."

"I still think it would work," Scarlett whispered, not giving in on her opinion as John walked into the living room;

"What the hell was that shouting on the street?" he asked and then saw them two on the sofa.

"So do you plan on staying put?" Sherlock asked her and she shook her head;

"Not as long as it could get you killed," she said and then Sherlock focused his attention on John, turning his head to look at his friend;

"John," he said, remaining cool, "I do believe there is some rope in my bedroom wardrobe if you would be so kind."

"What?" Scarlett snapped. "You're planning on keeping me hostage?"

"As long as it keeps you under my eye and I know you're safe," Sherlock nodded and John simply remained where he was stood;

"You can't keep her here if she doesn't want to be here," John said

"Yes!" Sherlock snapped. "I can...now do it!"

"You'll thank me one day," Sherlock promised her. "When I save your life."

"You're panning on keeping me hostage Sherlock!" she yelled "this is mad!"

"You'd be correct about that," he told her. "But think of it like this, as long as you're with me then I can keep you safe from Moriarty...on your own you're more vulnerable."

"You don't know that," she told him again and he shook his head;

"I do," he said stubbornly as John came back with the rope and handed it to his friend before Sherlock managed to grasp both her wrists into his hand and then tie them together in front of her. Slowly, he raised his body from hers and looked at her as she sat up on the sofa.

"You're mad," Scarlett whispered.

"Don't make me tie your ankles too because I cannot be particularly bothered to have to lug you everywhere. At least that stops you from running off easily," Sherlock said and John looked at him;

"You know, you don't really know how to win a girls heart...normally flowers...chocolate works too...but you opt for keeping her with you twenty four seven," John commented and Sherlock rolled his eyes;

"And yet you both seem to be forgetting that I'm saving her life!" Sherlock flounced and Scarlett stood up, walking into the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Sherlock asked her and she rolled her eyes;

"You do realise that if I am being made to stay here then I would like to make myself at home and at the moment I want a bottle of water...unless you have vodka then that would be satisfactory too," she assured him and he shook his head;

"I don't want to be the one mopping you off the floor," he said. "Stick with water."

"You know I did like you?" Scarlett said and Sherlock grinned and she blushed under his intense gaze;

"And your redness confirms you still do," he promised her. "You're just having a sulk because you didn't get your own way."

"Yeah," she snorted. "That's it." And then she moved to the fridge whilst John looked at Sherlock and shook his head;

"You couldn't just do it normally, could you?"

"What?"

"This falling in love business."

"Please," Sherlock begged him with a snort. "I am hardly falling in love with her...just keeping her alive," he said and then they suddenly heard her scream. Sherlock was the one to first react as he saw her looking into the fridge, screaming loudly before he rushed over to her and stood closely behind her, allowing her to turn into his body as both her hands raised onto his chest and he remained still.

"Ah," he said. "I forgot to take that out."

"What?" Scarlett yelled in fright. "You...it's...it's a head!"

"Very observant," he said sarcastically. "It was for an experiment."

Scarlett moved to the side of Sherlock as he shut the fridge door and she looked at him in complete worry.

"And you're sure you won't try to kill me?" she checked. "It's a head Sherlock! No one keeps a head in their fridge!"

"Clearly that statement is wrong as I do keep one in that exact location," he contradicted. "And I won't try to kill you...I didn't kill the person in my fridge either."

"Oh that makes me feel even safer," Scarlett said sarcastically, moving back into the living room and sitting on the armchair, bending over and feeling faint. "A head...in the fridge..."

"So now isn't the time to tell her about the eyeballs in the shampoo?" John couldn't help but wind Sherlock up and he narrowed his eyes at him and Scarlett's went wide and she looked at Sherlock again in complete disarray.

"I swear to God that you will be the death of me."

...

Thank you to everyone who has reviewed recently; England's Rose and zenstarrflower! And to all who have favourite and put this onto Story Plus! Please do leave me a review to let me know what you think! Thank youuu!"