"Why," Scarlett began her complaint, "can he not send assassins who don't make a mess, hmm? Why does he have to send the ones that destroy everything in the flat and then make me be the one to clean up?"
"I don't think he takes that factor into consideration," Sherlock drawled at her and she simply huffed as she stopped dusting for a moment and looked at Sherlock who was laid on his sofa, three nicotine patches on his arm as his eyes remained firmly shut.
"Well he should," Scarlett replied. It was five a.m. in the morning and the pair of them had managed to gain around two hours sleep but neither could manage to fathom the idea of anymore than that.
"Hmm," Sherlock simply mused, allowing his fingers to idly move down to his shirt, undoing the next button along as he continued his silent thoughts.
"Sherlock," Scarlett stated his name but he still didn't turn to look at her and so she continued speaking, dusting the mantelpiece as she did so;
"The Golem...the one who came here tonight...don't you find it odd that he tried to kill both you and John? But then when it came to me he...well...he didn't...did he? If anything he was trying to drag me from the flat," Scarlett mused out loud.
"Clearly," Sherlock said lowly. "I think you know the answer to your own question and so it should not be in my place to inform you of why he came here tonight."
"So he did come here to kidnap me?" Scarlett checked. "And to kill you?"
"I am unsure on that matter," Sherlock pursed his lips. "Because if he had managed to succeed in killing me then Moriarty wouldn't have had true revenge as I would be dead and blatantly unable to suffer from anything."
"This is so messed up," Scarlett complained and Sherlock simply remained silent, not being able to argue with her on that statement.
"Why are you two up so early?" John's voice suddenly entered the room and he looked at the pair of them who were still in their pyjamas and wide awake.
"I don't like to sleep when working a case," Sherlock informed him. "I thought you knew that, but I shan't berate you as it sounds like a lack of sleep has clouded your memory. Whilst Scarlett has OCD when it comes to cleaning and she can't leave a mess for longer than eight hours I would say."
"Or," Scarlett replied, "it could be to do with the fact someone broke in and I'm too worried to sleep and cleaning helps take my mind of it?"
"I won't disagree with that belief either," Sherlock responded and tore off a nicotine patch, allowing it to fall to the floor before reaching for another one and placing it onto his arm. Scarlett narrowed her eyes at the meditating figure that could sense her gaze but did not respond by movement.
"I'll pick it up later if you're standing and staring there is going to lead into you yelling at me," Sherlock promised her and she simply nodded once and turned to go back to her cleaning.
"So," John fell into an armchair, pinching the bridge of his nose and blinking several times in a feeble attempt to make himself more alert in the early morning, "what's the plan?"
"I am devising one," Sherlock said in a whisper.
"So you don't have one?" John clarified and Sherlock managed to roll his shut eyes.
"Hence why I am devising one," he snapped at John and then his eyes suddenly flew open and he looked at the ceiling in awe before sitting up, ripping all the patches from his arm and simply looking at Scarlett who had her back turned to him.
"What is it?" John asked, knowing that his sudden act of movement had caused him to think of something.
"It's dangerous," Sherlock said in a low drawl which managed to catch Scarlett's attention;
"Aren't most of your plans?" she wondered and Sherlock smirked.
"Normally," he admitted. "But I imagine if we keep Lestrade informed then he can help us."
"Can you just tell us the plan?" John pushed Sherlock, unable to understand his mumblings and grumblings.
"It mainly involves Scarlett going out and doing what she does best," Sherlock said with a devilish smile on his lips.
"Which is?" John asked.
"Partying." Scarlett said simply and looked at Sherlock with a deadly glare "you do know I am not a complete wild party animal? I like to sit in and watch TV as much as anyone else."
"Uh," Sherlock complained. "How typically boring of you."
"And the plan?" John said and Scarlett simply looked at Sherlock in mutual understanding.
"You want to use me as bait?" she asked and Sherlock remained silent for a moment;
"Well you would be safe," he promised her. "Of course John and I couldn't be there because then Moriarty would know something was definitely wrong."
"Have you ever set foot in a nightclub?" John wondered out loud and Sherlock looked to his friend;
"In my university days," he responded. "I don't particularly feel anything positive for them, what with all the sweating bodies, drunken people trying to get off with each other..." he shuddered slightly, "No. Not my area."
"So you want me to go into a nightclub," Scarlett clarified, "and wait for him to show?"
"Moriarty won't show but one of his men will," Sherlock replied. "Why settle for harming lookalikes of you when the real thing would be dangled under his nose? He'd make a move and try and get you to go from the club...in the end you would agree but we'd keep a close eye on you and you would lead us straight to Moriarty himself."
"And then Lestrade would arrest him?" Scarlett checked and Sherlock nodded;
"Why of course," he replied. "But there would be some risk involved."
"It's not one of your plans if there isn't some of that element mixed in," John said sarcastically and Scarlett looked out the window onto Baker Street, the dark morning still upon them before she looked back to Sherlock.
"Is it the only way to stop him?" Scarlett asked. "To stop him from harming others like me?"
"I believe so," Sherlock replied. "He won't stop until he has managed to kill you and we both know that isn't going to happen. He needs to see you Scarlett; that is the only way we can stop him. If you keep hiding away he will keep killing."
"And there would be other people there?" Scarlett asked. "I wouldn't be alone?"
"We shall have to speak with Lestrade first," Sherlock jumped onto his coffee table and then back down from it. "But I should imagine he would give you full protection if he agreed to it and if we're being honest, he normally goes along with all my plans."
"Then I'll do it," Scarlett whispered, hugging herself as if she had turned cold.
"Don't worry," Sherlock said, resting a hand awkwardly onto her shoulder. "The chances of anything happening are rather slim I imagine."
"Don't give me statistics," Scarlett pleaded, "they'll only mess with my head."
"You will be okay Scarlett," Sherlock said, placing a finger under her chin and making her look him in the eye, "even if John and I aren't there."
"But you'll be close?" she checked and Sherlock grinned a little and nodded at her;
"I'll be close," he promised.
...
So...we have a plan to track Moriarty down...but will it work? That is the main question I imagine. Well I am afraid I am going to have to leave you hanging in suspense for a while! Sorry, but I am busy all today and tomorrow, but, there may be an update tomorrow if I manage to get the afternoon shift at work so keep checking! Then that is when the plan will be put into action! Thank you once again to anyone reading and to anyone who leaves a review! Cheeseball you make me laugh! And I will get the cinema in sometime! Sherlock would love it! Please Review!