"And you're sure this is going to work?" Lestrade asked as he and Donovan stood in Sherlock's living room. The two of them were waiting with the equipment needed to make sure Scarlett was kept safe. The young woman was in the bedroom, changing into something more suitable than her jogging pants and vest top.
"If it goes to plan then I fail to see a reason why it would fail," Sherlock murmured, pacing around the living room, his hands running through his hair in slight worry.
"And you're willing to do this?" Donovan asked, her eyebrows raised at Sherlock whilst John looked over to her. "You're willing to allow your own girlfriend to go and risk being killed by some nutcase?"
"Scarlett has a mind of her own," Sherlock spoke lowly, looking over at Donovan with narrowed eyes as he did so. "I suggested it. She agreed to it."
"And you're not even going to stop her?" Donovan asked. "She is risking her life."
"Donovan!" Lestrade snapped. "You're not here to ask questions."
And then she went silent whilst Scarlett began to walk down the corridor. Sherlock looked at her as she nervously avoided everyone's eye contact and looked down onto the floor as she felt the four of them staring at her.
"Right," Lestrade took the lead. "For some absurd reason I have agreed to Sherlock's mad plan but if there is even a whiff of trouble or danger then I'm sending my men in."
"You're going to be wired," Lestrade continued. "And if you even begin to feel uncomfortable then you just tell us. Okay?"
"Okay," Scarlett agreed and Sherlock jumped over his coffee table and looked at Lestrade;
"You're going to wire her?" he checked. "And you think Moriarty won't notice?"
"I told you the freak doesn't care for her safety," Donovan murmured under her breath but Sherlock ignored her completely.
"He won't notice Sherlock," Lestrade rolled his eyes. "And I am not compromising her safety all because you're worried he will see a small black object in her ear which is barely recognisable."
"I don't like it," Sherlock whispered and Lestrade simply shook his head;
"I don't care," he said. "This may have been your idea but it is my responsibility to make sure she doesn't get hurt."
"Fine," Sherlock huffed, "do it if you feel you must."
"Oh I must," Lestrade said and he walked over to Scarlett with the wiring device and helped her into it slowly and steadily, noting the young woman was shaking as she placed the device into her ear and she couldn't hold eye contact with anyone in the room.
"So the plan is," Sherlock began in a drawl, "Lestrade and Sally leave first in about five moments and then we stay put here for an hour or so. After that time has passed then Scarlett walks out the flat, yelling at me...showing whoever Moriarty has watching our home that we've had an argument."
"She ends up at the Light and then we begin to put the plan into action?" Lestrade concluded and Sherlock clicked his fingers and nodded forcefully;
"Exactly."
...
"You're fidgeting," Sherlock commented as Scarlett sat in the green armchair, her arms curled around her and her chin resting on her knees. Her short sequined black dress was the one which Sherlock had first met her in and she continued pulling it up and down her body as she tapped her foot with impatience. Sherlock was simply resting on his sofa, laid on his back with nicotine patches on his right arm.
"Is it any wonder I am a little on edge?" Scarlett asked him, glancing at the clock for the umpteenth time in the ten minutes which had passed.
"It will be fine," Sherlock said slowly. "Lestrade has men in the club who are watching and security has been tightened. John and I shall be outside the club with Lestrade and Donovan in the mobile booth listening to everything which you say."
"Okay," Scarlett simply whispered.
"Do you want anything to eat Scarlett?" John asked the girl and she shook her head, running a hand through her blonde curls as she did so.
"No thank you," she said simply. "I don't think I can stomach anything."
"I thought you were supposed to eat before you went out drinking in clubs?" John said and Sherlock simply opened his eyes and rolled them as his friend spoke the statement.
"She's not going to be drinking heavily John," Sherlock stated. "We don't want her to be an easy target for Moriarty and if she is completely intoxicated then she would be."
The rest of the hour was spent in silence until Sherlock jumped up actively, startling Scarlett from her daydreaming as he did so. John also stood up and began to shrug into his jacket; none of them spoke for there was no reason for words. Scarlett pulled her black heels onto her feet before pulling her sequined dress down and looking at Sherlock.
"How do I look?" she asked him and he took in her appearance.
"You...well...you look different," Sherlock replied, not sure how to tell her that he didn't like the dress on her as it was far too short and he knew people would obviously be leering at her. He didn't want that for her. And, if he was being honest, he didn't want anyone else to look her way. His protectiveness over her was beginning to worry him slightly.
"Don't you want a jacket?" John asked her and she shook her head;
"I don't tend to wear them when going to clubs," she said, "they become an inconvenience once I'm inside."
"Right then," Sherlock managed to pull his gloves onto his hands, "let's put this plan into action."
Sherlock rushed down the steps of 221B Baker Street as Scarlett slowly followed him, her black clutch bag in her hands before she remained stood on the first step. Sherlock still managed to equal her with his height even though she was on a step and was in heels.
"Sherlock," she whispered, searching his eyes. "I'm scared."
"You'll be fine," Sherlock assured her. "The chances of this going wrong are very slim. Lestrade, John and I will be there for you and there are armed men in the club if anything goes wrong."
"If...Sherlock...if something does go wrong..." Scarlett began to panic but Sherlock shook his head, grabbing her hand and pulling her down from the last step until she was slightly smaller than him.
"It won't," he said. "My plans always succeed."
"But if it does-"she began to worry again but Sherlock rested a leather clad finger onto her lips and silenced her, shaking his head as he did so;
"It won't," he promised again, "just...relax..."
"That's a bit hard to do," Scarlett whispered as Sherlock managed to somehow back her up against the wall, almost in an unconscious state. She felt her back gently push against it and her hands wrapped themselves around Sherlock's skinny coated arms and he allowed his to rest onto her waist as he looked into her blue eyes.
"You'll be fine," he once again assured her. "You have to remain calm and know that you're safe."
"Sherlock...I...I really like you...and...just thank you...for everything," Scarlett said and Sherlock grinned at her with his normal air of confidence;
"Was that an attempt at manipulation?" he asked her.
"Pardon?"
"By saying that you like me you want me to openly admit to feeling the same and hence you believe it may lead to something," Sherlock mused and Scarlett rolled her eyes.
"Do you want me to ask?" Scarlett wondered and Sherlock shook his head;
"It won't be necessary," he said and finally allowed himself to gently kiss her again before he broke his mouth from hers and kissed her gently on the forehead.
"I suppose we should do this," Scarlett said and stood tall, looking at Sherlock before letting him go and moving over to the door, her hand on the lock.
"Do you think you can manage to be angry with me?" he asked her and she smirked lightly;
"I think I shall be fine," she assured him.
"Good luck," Sherlock said to her. "But because I came up with the plan I am sure you won't be in need of it."
Scarlett simply said nothing and opened the door wide, pushing it open and walking out of it, stomping her feet as she twirled and looked at Sherlock who was walking to the door, but he remained standing in the doorway;
"You're being completely unreasonable!" He put on his pretence. "Do you really think that you're safe out there on your own?"
"I am not giving up a life all because some nutcase is after me!" Scarlett yelled at him. "And being with you twenty four seven is making me mad!"
"Well it isn't exactly a picnic living with your constant cleaning and nagging!" Sherlock shouted back to her as he watched her hail a cab.
"You're just an arsehole Sherlock Holmes!" Scarlett shouted.
"If you even think about climbing into that taxi then that will be the end of you Scarlett!" he warned her.
"Then it looks like it is the end for me," she said and climbed into the cab whilst Sherlock slammed the door to 221B Baker Street, realising that the plan had now been put into action.
...
So I have managed to get the afternoon shift at work and so here is another update! Thank you to CaptainCrash and when I get the time I promise I shall read your story and thank you for thinking I was an inspiration! And thank you for reading and reviewing! Also thank you to Jabberswife, I know there is still some grammar errors but thanks for taking the time to review! And thank you to eruptingearth like normal for reviewing, glad you still like the plots which are happening! And thank you to anyone reading and please do leave a review!