Hey everyone! Lovely to see you again! (in a matter of speaking) Well this is the second chapter and We are up to a grand total of 136! In two days! I only say that because I'm touched that my wordsmithing has gotten some notice. Really thank you everyone! And as always enjoy! And please leave your reviews!
"I um really don't think we've met." John said and helped Mrs. Hudson stand properly.
"We have not. I read your blog." The man looked over at Mrs. Hudson again, "May I come in, it is raining out here."
"Yes, of course, come in." Mrs. Hudson said and shuffled aside.
The stranger closed his umbrella then walked in. He shook some rain from his hair and undid the clasp at his mouth and folded the collar down.
"Sorry if I frightened you." He smiled warmly and tucked the umbrella under his arm, "It's the height isn't it?" the man seemed a little embarrassed and raked his fingers though his hair.
"And the sword." John said pointing to the blade on the man's back.
"Ah, yes, that." The man laughed, "Well boss's orders!" he said tapping the handle.
"You're here for that young lady?" Mrs. Hudson asked seeming to regain that nerve of hers.
"Yes, yes I am. She is here isn't she? She should not be out in this weather." The man said and looked at the door, worry painted his face.
"Oh yes, she arrived about an hour ago, come with me." Mrs. Hudson said warmly, all trace of fear gone.
"Um wait, excuse me." John said shaking his head in disbelieve, "What young lady?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Sherlock's voice came from the hall.
He easily strode over to the man, "You're an American, a body guard, you have a sword to give the outwardly appearance of a body guard but you have a gun in your left breast pocket, along with one strapped to your thigh as well as a dagger in those boot's of yours." Sherlock said indicating to the combat boots the man was wearing, "While you are from America, you've been in England for a while, a week or so judging by your clothes and you plan on staying longer. Your boss has hired you to do something for her; she must be in danger if she needs you to desperately to show you are a man with power." Sherlock said looking the man over.
The man smirked, "You should be able to tell me," he crossed his arms, "She's been writing you."
"Sherlock?" John said.
"Never figured out how she messaged me like that." Sherlock said, eyes gazing up in thought.
"Why not ask her?"
All eyes focused on Mrs. Hudson, "I was trying to tell you she was here." Everyone remained frozen in place, "Well come on." She goaded.
Everyone followed the old woman, once at the door the man took off his coat, showing his clothes where a little be crumpled from packing, he shook his coat out.
"Sure you don't want a wet floor." He smiled kindly.
"Not at all dear, it's no matter," Mrs. Hudson said guiding the man in, "Sherlock's had thumbs in his fridge." She whispered.
"Mrs. Hudson!" Sherlock shouted.
"Shhhh! Hush now you'll wake her." Mrs. Hudson scolded again at Sherlock.
Lying on Mrs. Hudson's couch was in fact a young woman. She was pale like the man only she looked a little sickly. Her dark brown hair was in a messy bun; Mrs. Hudson had removed the woman's glasses. She was lying on her left side, dark green rain coat still on but her black rain boots had been taken off showing that she had bright rainbow socks on. She had a dark blue puffy skirt on as well as a nice white blouse. She also had eyeliner smeared on her face and pale cherry lip stain on as well.
"Carmella. Carmella, it's time to get up." The man said shaking the woman's shoulder lightly.
She grumbled and swung her arm, rolling her on her other side. When her arm extended the man quickly pulled his head back.
"Good reflexes." John commented.
The man chuckled, "That's not it; it took me a week and a half of getting hit in the face to learn to dodge with this one."
He came over and offered his hand to John, "Doctor Adrian Valentine."
"Doctor- you know who I am." John said shaking Adrian's hand.
"That I do." Adrian said still holding onto John's hand.
"Quit flirting Adrian." Carmella said from her resting spot.
Adrian let go and put his hands up in a defensive position, "Still has eyes in the back of her damn head."
"Sherlock, please don't sit on my table." Mrs. Hudson said. No one had noticed the old woman had left to get tea.
Sherlock got up, not really realizing he was even sitting.
Carmella sat up and rubbed her eyes, Adrian quickly handed over the glasses.
"Thank you." Carmella said and put the glasses on.
"What are you doing here?" Sherlock asked, sounding a little harsh.
"Ouch." Carmella smirked and poured herself some tea, "No, how are you? How have you been? How long are you in town?"
"What are you doing here?" Sherlock repeated.
John had taken a seat, as had Mrs. Hudson all but Adrian had sat down.
"Oh do sit." Carmella said and tapped Adrian's wrist, "Well if we're getting to the point. I want you to investigate a murder." She said before taking a sip of tea.
"Oh and who's murder am I investigating?" Sherlock asked, leaning back a bit.
"Mine."Mrs. Hudson and John gasped, "Wonderful tea by the way."
Sherlock's eyes where only widened by a fraction, "Your murder?"
"That's right." Carmella answered and drank some more tea, "Really, this is wonderful." She said to Mrs. Hudson.
The old woman nodded.
"Wait, your murder? How is that even possible?" John asked looking from Carmella to Adrian.
"You're dying." Sherlock deducted, fingers laced near his mouth.
Carmella's eyes where closed when she chuckled, "Quick as always." She said drinking some more tea. She put it back on its saucer, "I have a month to live."
"What do you have?" John asked trying to figure it out from where he was sitting.
"Tardus mortem vocationem." Carmella said calmly.
"The slow death call, that is extremely rare." John said looking a mix of puzzled and amazed.
"What is that?" Mrs. Hudson sounded nervous.
"Don't worry you can't catch it." Carmella said warmly.
"You caught it in a lab." Sherlock said sitting a little closer to the edge of his seat.
"I was infected in a lab yes." Carmella stressed the word infected, "I would never catch the deadly thing, I am extremely careful."
"As always." Sherlock said, smirking behind his hands.
"I don't know how I became infected, the virus dies when it hits open air, which is what makes it so rare this days." Carmella said and put the saucer on the table but as she tried her hands became shaky and Adrian merely took the cup and saucer and placed them on the table.
"You've already noticed the symptoms." John said sadly at the display of the young woman's shaky hands.
"Yes. One day I woke to this horrid sound. It was just a high pitched ringing that didn't leave. All sound was blocked by it for two days." Carmella looked sadly at her hands to see them still shaking, "The day after that everything tasted awful, just burnt, like I had burned my tongue, and my vision has already started to go."
"You do look like hell." Sherlock said bluntly.
Adrian shot him a dirty look but Carmella laughed, "I would imagine!" she chuckled then looked seriously at Sherlock, "Now then. I don't have very long, I don't care what happens to the son of the bitch who did this to me I just want to know before I die. I know you didn't consider us friends but I'd like you to do this."
"It does sound like a challenge." Sherlock hummed, "But you want to offer me something." He said looking over her body language.
"If you do this, find my murder and bring them to justice, when I die you can use whatever body parts you'd like for experiments as long as the rest of me in cremated then once your experiments are though the remaining parts are cremated." Carmella nodded.
Sherlock pondered a moment, "Even-"
"Even my sexual organs." Carmella answered.
"Car, are you sure?" Adrian asked.
Carmella chuckled, "Of course I am, if I can help further madness in this world I shall."
Mrs. Hudson got up, "Well, seems the rain has finally let up, are you done with your tea dear?"
"Oh yes, thank you mum." Carmella smiled, voice dipping into a British accent.
"There it is." Sherlock smirked and stood.
"What is?" John asked, also joining Sherlock on his feet.
"The accent from America is gone." Sherlock said and headed out.
"Sherlock!" Mr. Hudson said, hands on her hips, "You should say good-bye to your guest." She said as Adrian helped Carmella to her feet.
Sherlock came back around and bowed his head to Carmella, "Until tomorrow." He said.
"Until tomorrow." Carmella replied, bowing her head in a similar fashion. At that Sherlock left and John led Carmella and Adrian to the door.
"Pleasure meeting you." John said shaking Carmella's hand that wasn't holding her umbrella.
"And you doctor." Carmella replied, American accent returning, clearing feeling self conscious and went to hail a cab.
"Until we meet again." Adrian said taking hold of John's hand.
"Adrian! Stop flirting!" Carmella called and shortly after Adrian trotted over to the smaller woman and John closed the door.
"Why is it everyone thinks I'm gay?" he muttered heading upstairs.