"No..hang on... you're dead."

"I got better"

Irene stood, her hips swaying as she made her way over to the door and closed it. She walked over towards John, who's hands were slowly clenching and unclenching as he struggled to keep his emotions in check. Irene smiled cupping his face in her hands. "Look at you, still as adorable as ever"

"Don't touch me"

"John?...Who is this?"

"Yes, John, who is this?" Irene let go of John's face, turning to stroke the cheek of Mary. "Ooh, she's quite the looker isn't she John? You naughty boy." Mary grabbed Irene's hand and pulled it away from her face. "She's...um..She's Irene Adler." Mary looked up at John in surprise. "I thought you said she was dead." John shrugged and then sighed and went to sit on his sofa. "I thought she was." Irene gave Mary a devious smile before moving to go sit next to John, using one foot to stroke his leg provocatively.

"A certain detective saved my life"

"Of course he did"

"He's why I'm here"

Mary sat on the other side of John, her eyes never leaving Irene. "Yeah? Sorry to break it to you, but he's... not here" Irene smiled knowingly. "Oh, I know that John, can't get through to his phone, so I thought I'd come to see you. Where is he? Where's he hiding? He made need my help"

"I take it you haven't read the papers lately or watched the telly. Sherlock...he's dead, Irene"

"Yes, I know you have to say that, but we both know thats not quite true"

"No... he is dead. It's not a trick Irene. I saw him die before my own eyes!"

Irene's face fell and John felt Mary's arm link around his own. "You must be mistaken. He probably just faked his death, John." John felt rage begin to bubble inside of him. "Shut up. Just shut up!" He stood pointing an threatening finger at her. "What do you know? Huh? I saw it happen. I saw him jump. He fucking killed himself, Irene. I watched him fall, I saw the blood, I held his fucking hand but he was already dead."

"So don't you dare get off claiming that Im stupid or mistaken when I was bloody there and saw the whole thing happen. And I still have nightmares about it." Mary drew a hand up to her mouth, feeling tears well up in her eyes. She had thought that Sherlock had been killed by one of his enemies, the knowledge that he killed himself and that John saw it happen, broke her heart.

"Oh John.." She stood and wrapped her arms around his neck and held him. He was literally shaking with rage and grief now. Irene uncrossed her legs, leaning forward and resting her elbows on knees. She looked shocked. "You can't be serious...thats.. so unlike him.." John shook his head. "You have no idea what he was going through before he died Irene. I frankly I don't care to tell you. He's fucking dead, ok?. Now can you find your own way out or do I have to throw you out?"

Sherlock surveyed his enemy from around the corner, using a mirror. First, wait till he's passed, then trip. Suspect will swing a wide punch. Duck, right hook, dodge left jab. Left uppercut to jaw, left sidekick to chest. Suspect down for the count. Sherlock grinned and waited for the man to pass him by.

Irene stayed where she was. "No..he can't be..." Her slim hand wiped away the wetness on her cheeks. John paused in his rant, she looked so vulnerable. "I know, but he is. I can tell you where his grave is...if you I don't know, want to say goodbye or just talk. I don't know what you do." Irene raised her head. "He's really gone?...I'm sorry.. I have to go.." She grabbed her coat, wrapping it elegantly around her shoulders and wiping her eyes again. John handed her a note with the address of the cemetery written on it.

"Sorry to have bothered you, John..nice to meet you" She directed her last comment at Mary before opening the door and leaving in a hurry. She didn't want to him to see her cry. John and Mary stared after her and wondered what the hell, had just happened.

"Well..that was..interesting"

"What? Oh.. yes. God I am such an idiot, of course she was alive. Sherlock knew the whole time and he never said anything...doesn't matter now anyway.." He turned too look at her and held her hand. "Now, Miss Mary Morstan, where were we?"

"Let's have dinner"

She's alive- JW

...Thank you John, I shall deal with her -MH

Irene crouched in front of the marble headstone, Kate standing behind her protectively. The wind whipped through her hair but she payed it no attention as she lay a set of red roses in front of the grave. "I can't believe it Sherlock..and I refuse to believe it. In all honesty, you can't possibly be dead. But John says you are, says he saw it happen..so I'm at a loss. Do I grieve you, your remarkable intellect, you're stunning good looks? Or do I spend my time searching for you to help you? Tell me Sherlock because...I have no idea."

"If you really are dead, then..I refuse to believe you killed yourself. You had to have been provoked surely. Granted I don't know all the particulars of what led you to that roof. But it seems completely unlike you. But John.. he says he saw you die, the man's a solider, he would know death when he saw it. His eyes, there were of a man grieving a great loss. If you were faking &.I would expect you would tell him. You are ...were that close to him."

She finally stood upright, surveying the grave with expert eyes. "In any case, I think for now, I'll think of you as alive. I don;t know why John doesn't know, I expect he will be rightfully pissed off when you return. But you better return, Sherlock Holmes. Or you'll have me to deal with."

"As have I, you. Well, well well, the late Miss Irene Adler". She turned, stolling over to him, running her hands down his suit. "Hello, my dear Mycroft'