A/N: Disclaimer - No affiliation with Sherlock, the actors or the BBC. No Copyright infringement intended. I own Percy and naturerocs owns Angie. Check out 'Didn't Expect That' by naturerocs for more adventures with Angie and Sherlock.
Chapter 2 - Coming to the Present
We had been sat in the computer suite for half an hour, it was tense and weirdly boring, the novelty of Sherlock's brain had worn off. I sort of wanted to leave, but was rooted to the spot, just in case he found something. After all, the information he could uncover would change my life. I wonder why my parents gave me away?! A thought I'd often pondered. Maybe they were young and in love and forced to give me up because society disapproved of their bohemian tryst. Lost in my romantic thoughts, another thirty minutes slipped pass with only the occasional mutters from Sherlock, the silence only broken when he sighed in frustration.
Angie looked up. "What's wrong?"
"I can't find anything on it! Not one thing!" Stormed Sherlock.
I shrugged, hoping to hide my disappointment. "So maybe I was wrong. Maybe it's not a family crest."
"Yes it is, just look at the design. But I still can't find anything on it!" The intensity and frustration in voice, willing me to believe in him.
I looked over at Angie, a worried expression on my face. "Is he always like this when he's wrong?"
Angie nodded. "Either this or he completely denies that he's wrong." Her answer just made me giggle.
We waited as Sherlock passed and after another hour of Sherlock getting nowhere, and me getting more and more deflated and frustrated, we left. We all climbed into the jeep in silence and Angie dropped me at my house and they left quickly back to there own cottage down the road.
I walked into the kitchen and put the kettle on, I pulled my iPad out of my bag and opened it, clicked on my e-mails, hoping to have heard from James, I was in luck.
''Hi Percy,
I'll be with you by 3 tomorrow, I'm driving the Audi down. Can't wait to see you. It's been a stressful week, London is so lonely without you.
Love you,
JM x''
Reading James's message made me smile, I was really looking forward to seeing him. I hoped he would get on with Angie and Sherlock, if that's at all possible, to get along with Sherlock. I hit reply and wrote him a response.
''Hello Love,
I'm really looking forward to seeing you too; it's been too long. I hope sleepy rural Wales doesn't bore you too much. I hope you don't mind, but my best friend and her boyfriend just arrived back in town and I offered a double date.
See you so very soon,
Love,
Your Percy xx''
I hit send and let the warm fuzzy feeling wash over me at the thought of James. I opened Facebook and searched for Angie, with no luck, I then tried Angie Watson and got success. I hoped she'd realise who I am, sadly I still had to use a pseudonym. There had been a few hacking problems on my Facebook account. I've never been so glad that Dad got the landline sorted in both our houses, so the Internet was actually available! Vital for my business of course, not just Facebook.
My first message was the generic greeting, but it made me smile anyway. Since I'd been re-introduced to Angie, I hadn't stopped smiling.
Hey! Guess who? :D (Hint: It's Percy.)
What's with the different name? Was Angie's response.
Oh, my boyfriend tends to be a little possessive, and I didn't want him bothering me online. I may as well tell the truth, it was a slight blip in the relationship a few years back.
Ah. Anyways, it's so good to see you again!
I know! I can't believe it's been five years! It's good to have you back! :D
It's good to be back! I missed you so much!
Although, dealing with Sherlock made up for some of the crazy we used to have. :P
Yes, Sherlock seems like a handful…I'll try to be nice. Is the cottage alright?
Of course! I've always loved the cottage! Remember the sleepovers we used to have here?
Aww yeah! They were so much fun. Disney nights were the best. Scaring each other with ghost stories, your stories always terrified me. It is a lovely place. Has Sherlock blown anything up yet? Shot at a wall?
Not yet. I took his gun away months ago, and he hasn't found it yet. :)
And I'm not sure he knows that I took his chemicals and stuff out of his suitcase before we left.
You saint! I don't know how I'd explain the aftermath to my parents. I can't wait for you to meet the BF! A double date, this is going to be great.
Yeah. Don't say that just yet, remember, Sherlock's going to be there.
I'm sure it'll be fine, James is lovely, a bit quirky, but a great people person. Sherlock can't be that bad…can he?
You haven't spent that much time around him.
James? Funny, I dated a guy named Jim last year. Didn't turn out so good, though. I'm sure it'll be better for you, though. :)
Well, we have this on and off thing, he has do business stuff, I go off on tour with a company or am working horrible hours on a show, but we're back on again at the moment. When it's good, it's wonderful, when it's bad it's...volatile. I'm sure Sherlock is not as bad as you say, I'll get used to him, you around for 2 months, he can't hog you for that long, we have way too much to catch up on!
I know! Only two months to catch up on five years?
Sherlock will just have to put up with being bored sometimes.
Sherlock can tag along if he feels he has to, but we are going to relive our adventures!
Yeah! And Sherlock would probably just end up following me anyway. He has a bad habit with that.
Don't you find that creepy? Actually, what am I saying, James is a little possessive, hence the pen name on FB.
Yeah, I've gotten used to it, and I know Sherlock means well.
At least he'll be there to help you out of trouble, which always find you! ;)
Yeah, yeah, keep bringing that up.
It's not like I'm looking for trouble.
Unlike someone else. :P
I refute that accusation, stuff happens and we all giggle at the end of it? :D
Yeah, sure. Refute all you want. It doesn't mean it's not true. :P
You're right, as usual! Has Sherlock made any headway with my enquiry?
He's still working on it. Making a rut in the living room right now, with all the pacing.
Lucky you! Could you say thank you from me to him, he really didn't have to take the case. It's probably a bit dull!
Actually, he seems really caught up in it. It's...not like him.
I closed down Facebook and turned off my iPad. I made another cup of tea and wandered upstairs to my room, I got changed into my PJs, climbed under my duvet and grabbed my book. I was reading Lord of the Rings again, it's my favourite book. I was a little wired, with James coming down to see me and Angie reappearing in my life and Sherlock working on the mystery of my parents, there was a lot to process. It felt weird not have my locket round me neck, I hadn't taken it off since I'd received on my 16th birthday. I turned the radio on and let the gently muting lull me to sleep.
When I woke up the next morning, it felt the same as any day. I got up, showered and washed my hair. Picked out my favourite outfit and spent the morning making myself feel like a princess. I was so excited to see James, it been about a month since we'd seen each other for longer than lunch or a coffee between work. Then I had had to come to Wales. This weekend was going to wonderful, our relationship was flourishing, I couldn't help feeling that maybe we would be taking the next step soon. James and I had been together for seven years.
Despite my excitement, little did I know that it would be the day my life changed forever.