A/N: Hello lovely readers! Sorry for the delay in updates, life is raging away at the moment!

On a fun side note one of my friends called me Mrs. Moriarty today. Which made me smile. :)

My perpetual gratitude to naturerocs for her support, ideas and hilarity when writing these chapters!

Updating the disclaimer: This is for non-profit. No copyright infringement intended. All recognisable characters belong to Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and the BBC. Percy belongs to Gwilwillith and Angie to naturerocs.

Chapter 38 – The New Holmes and Watson

Boredom. Mind numbing, debilitating boredom. Sherlock's idea of shooting the wall even seemed appealing. I had tried composing, that hadn't helped. Music was irritating me. I had tidied up my art room, not that it was particularly messy. I had cleaned the house. I tired to sleep, but I was just too awake. I couldn't even concentrate on a book. The TV was filled with inane rubbish. Just when I thought my day would be a total waste, my phone rang. It was Angie.

"How bored are you?" She asked.

"Very." I sighed.

"How would you like a murder mystery to solve?" She asked. I couldn't stop the grin forming.

"Really?!" I asked excitedly.

"Greg asked me for help, but I'm stumped. We don't have Sherlock anymore, but you're just as good as him. I already Okayed it with Greg, if you're interested." Angie told me, she sounded hopeful.

"Text me the address, I'll be there as soon as possible." I said quickly, already pulling on shoes and a coat.

"On it." Added Angie. In minutes I heard my text tone sound. I hailed a cab and was on my way. Excitement bubbled up inside of me. I know it seems incredibly morbid that the possibility of a vicious murder that has everyone stumped makes me happy, but that's just me.

I arrived at the address Angie had text me and noticed several very tired and wet looking officers; the rain had only subsided during the taxi ride here. I flashed my government ID and walked straight into the crime scene. I saw the sneering faces of both Donavon and Anderson; before they could speak I just flashed my ID again and acted as though I owned the place. I followed the commotion up the stairs. I stuck my head around a door and called out.

"Angie?"

"Hey! In here."

"Hello. Oh wow someone went on a killing spree then. Interesting splatter patterns, murder not suicide for the girl." I said, trying not to seem too pleased. I will clarify, I'm not happy three people are dead, that's tragic and an unnecessary loss of human life, but it's the puzzle that makes me smile. Unraveling the mystery, it's such a rush. I examined the blood further, an artery had been nicked, not severed, but enough to cause sufficient blood loss. The arterial spray caused a strange, but distinct pattern against the silk wallpaper. That and the multiple stab wounds to the girl's abdomen. They were too violent and in odd places to be self-inflicted.

"Where is the knife, should be a kitchen knife about 8 inches long?" I asked. I looked around trying to spot a link between the three bodies.

"See, I don't think like that. I don't even think of the splatter pattern." Said Angie to Greg. "They haven't found any murder weapons yet. I assume they're still looking." Angie told me. I rolled my eyes and kept scanning the scene. There really was a lot of blood.

"Okay. You're right. We've made more progress in thirty seconds since she showed up than in the last three days." Greg agreed. He gave me a quick smile. I grinned at him for a second and then re-focused.

"Anderson was being so stupid, he kept saying it was either suicide or murder. I don't really think there's another option..." Angie prompted. I looked up at her. I looked back down at the woman in the bed. The wife, she was happily married by the condition of her wedding ring, clean, but well worn. She had a scared expression on her face, she knew her killer. I carefully lifted the pillow up, it lay next to her head, and it has been recently dislodged. There was a damp patch marring the satin of the pillow.

"The wife, she was suffocated with that pillow, you can see her saliva on it, its still damp. That will be by the husband, her hands are also bound." I informed them.

"Anyways, I have a feeling a fourth person's involved." Angie stated. I looked around again. Nope, only the three of them, there were no other footprints other than the girl's.

"No fourth person." I dismissed quickly.

"So if he killed the wife, could he have killed the girl, too? And then killed himself?" Angie asked.

"Before the girl died, she stabbed the husband, look at the angle of the wound. He then shot himself in the head. Probably guilt." I surmised. Why they couldn't see this, I had no idea. "Right, where is the gun?" I asked.

"Oh this is weird, it's like watching Sherlock at work. Except Percy is more polite. Are they related?" Greg smirked.

"They haven't found the gun yet." Angie answered.

"Idiots." I hissed. I looked round the room again, something wasn't right, and then I felt it, a slight breeze and a deadening in the sound of the room, the echo vanished. "Has anyone realised this wall is false?"

"Uh, no." Angie said surprised.

"The knife will be behind the wall. You can see the blood drops and feel a breeze from under the door."

"Gosh, I know how John always felt now. Is there a tunnel behind it, or..."

"Probably a panic room. Old and wealthy, probably paranoid." I interrupted.

"If the murder weapons back there, we should be able to get fingerprints and confirm whether he killed them." Angie told Greg. I rolled my eyes again.

"It was the husband. But yes, if you really need it." I replied sarcastically. Angie came into the panic room and stood next to me.

"I don't know, I just have this gut feeling...maybe he did kill the wife, but...until we figure out who that girl is, I just don't see how it fits. But then, I'm not the genius, so..."Angie shot me a look. I just smirked and went to find Greg.

"Greg can I get a closer look at the girl?" I asked.

"Yes, go ahead." Greg sighed.

"Thanks." I said. I gave him a winning smile and made my way into the dressing room where the girl's body was.

"Right, what were you doing here? Not a manual labourer, look at the nails, far too manicured. What is it that I'm missing, you look familiar, why do you look familiar? Defence wounds to your attacker, you begged to stay alive, look at the fear...money perhaps?" I said thinking out loud.

"Supposedly, the couple had no children, but she could have done her research, found out they were rich, but it went wrong?" Angie questioned. I didn't really hear her, but something registered in my mind.

"Hmm...No children, huh..." Then it hit me. It was so obvious, I was getting slow. "Oh...of course...look at her, she's his daughter. The eyes give it away and look at their hands, the same nail shape and finger length. DNA would be the only way to prove that 100%." I looked up as Angie asked another question.

"But the woman's not the mother?" I gave her a withering look.

"Uh no. The eye shape is wrong, the hands are too small; look at her body shape, all so wrong." I said.

"Alright, sorry. Blimey, I can really sympathise with John now."

"Don't apologise, it's not your fault." I smiled.

"So...maybe...maybe he killed her, because she was his dirty little secret or something, maybe she wanted a share of the inheritance, but since she's not legitimate, he wouldn't give it to her? And then maybe his wife found out and he killed her out of anger? And then feeling guilty killed himself?" Suggested Angie. I gave her another smile; she'd connected it all together.

"See, you can do it. That's exactly what happened. DNA will make that solid evidence. Oh this was fun." I exclaimed. I hoped I didn't seem to patronising, but even someone as extraordinary as Angie needed a lot of prompting through these things. It must so nice in their quiet minds. I looked round the room, something wasn't right. It was too easy. I had to be missing something. I began to pace and talking to myself.

"…There is still something not right, a missing piece, but I'm sure that will appear in time...research the family. Married for forty years, happy for her, unhappy for him. His wedding ring, taken off to sleep in, but it's dirty. Kept the revolver in bedside table, paranoid about burglary, loved wife enough to protect her, but killed her. Panic room, again paranoia, but nothing of excessive value kept in the house. The safe could hold money or jewelry, but that's most likely at the bank. The girl, obviously related to the husband, most likely an illegitimate or forgotten family, after her rightful inheritance, so why did he stab her...no the wife stabbed her, the husband killed his wife, the girl saw him do that, the threat of blackmail and prison, caused him to shoot the girl, she stabbed him, this made him angry. In his guilt, he shot himself…" Oh, I really was getting slow I realised. "A Revolver, has anyone seen a revolver?!" I shouted.

"This is seriously creepy. Uh, I don't think they have." Angie stood staring at me before confirming my suspicions. How do these people get anything done?

"Typical. Although the more I look I think your theory of a fourth person could be right. I mean where and how did a revolver just magically disappear? The guy shot himself in the head, he didn't get up and walk around and hide the gun then die." I said, beginning to get annoyed. "What is it I am missing?!" I cried out.

"Are there any open windows, or maybe something out the back entrance that might show if there was a fourth person?" Oh Angie, how I love you. You always inspire such useful thoughts.

"One of the balcony latches, look. If only I was three inches taller, the top latches are broken, forced open.

"So that's how they got in, then? I think the girl's too short for her to have gotten in like that...if they're that tall, it's probably a man...if he hauled himself up there, he must be at least semi-athletic, so probably younger...but how would anyone else have been involved? Unless the older man really got around and had more than one illegitimate child?" Angie observed. I nodded.

"All possibilities." I agreed. Greg came back into the room. He looked pleased.

"Well Angie was right you are as good as Sherlock. We'll get everything sent to the lab and let you know the results." I smiled at Greg. I was just happy to help.

"Thanks Greg, that's kind of you to say, I'm an amateur compared Sherlock." I patted his shoulder and went to wait for Angie in the corridor. She came and stood beside me a few minutes later. We watched as the officers and forensics teams bagged up the evidence I'd found

"Ang fancy coming over for dinner?" I asked. I was actually quite hungry and at home I could spread out my ideas and try and spot what I was missing.

"Sure!" Nodded Angie. "I'm surprised you haven't run into Donovan and Anderson. Usually they get right on 'outsiders' showing up." She smiled wryly.

"Well, I met them on my way in, I ignored them. Also having ID that shows you outrank them is always fun." I grinned. I didn't use it often, but sometimes it could be so useful.

"I should start using my CIA ID more often. Maybe that would shut them up." She smirked.

"You should, also Mycroft's name is useful at times. I'll wait to spring the surprise of Jim on them." I chuckled. Oh, I'd love to see Anderson and Donavon's reactions at meeting my husband properly. I saw Angie's frown.

"What? He had nothing to do with this. It's way too "messy" for him. Come on think of how amusing it would be to scare the gruesome twosome?!" I knew this wasn't him, this was a challenge because of the unknowns, but it wasn't that clever. I caught Angie's eye-roll too.

"Percy, please don't take this the wrong way, but...you weren't there...those two played a major part in Jim's plan to ruin Sherlock's reputation, without them even realising it..." Angie started hurt anger in her voice. She shook her head, pushing the memories away. I looked at her sympathetically. "Sorry, I just...I'm just not used to the side of him you're used to."

"Okay, sorry. I know he takes some getting used to. He's really trying not to creep you out, well further than he already has." I smiled. He really was trying, but it wasn't really working.

"The only reason I put up with him at all is for your sake." She smirked nudging me in the shoulder.

"I know and I appreciate it more than I can explain in words." I smiled back.

"Well, I would do anything for my best friend." She grinned.

"Right back at you. I don't know about you, but all this detective work has made me hungry." I laughed. I laughed more at her stunned expression.

"Yeah, me too. Uh...I'd better let John know that I won't be back till later." Angie looked at her phone with a frown. "My battery's dead, can I borrow your phone?" She asked.

"Sure, call away. I'm just going to have one more look at blood splatters from the girl's body they were very unique. Give me a shout when you're ready." She gave me an indulgent smile.

"Okay. Thanks." Nodded Angie.

I had another look at the blood splatters they really were very unusual. I'd been to enough dissections and read enough case files to see the difference in arterial spray and splatters from a dripping murder weapon or stab wound. I really was immersed in y own little world that I didn't notice Angie standing next to me for a while.

"Maybe I should have gone to med school instead of Art College? Get through to John?" I asked as I rose to a standing position. Angie looked at me blankly and gave me a small smile.

"Uh, yeah. Here. Thanks." She handed me my phone and slipped back into my pocket.

"Brilliant, then home my dear Watson." I grinned. I linked arms with her and we started to walk towards the main street. The afternoon's rain had stopped, making way for a clear evening.

"After you." Laughed Angie.

"What are in the mood for...I'm craving pizza." I really was, I felt as though I could eat three pizzas. This was the odd way metabolism worked. I would get extremely hungry and could enough to feel a small army, but then I wouldn't really need to or want to eat again for about a five days.

"Mmm, sounds good. Angelo's, then?" Angie suggested.

"Perfect, we can get a cab there and walk back to mine." I smiled.

"Okay." She nodded.

We hailed a taxi and sat quietly watching the bustling streets of London go bay. It was slightly surreal, all these people going about their daily lives when we'd just been in a house where a particularly triple murder/suicide had occurred and now e were on our way to get pizza. It felt totally normal to me, but I think the outside world would be horrified. Personally, I'd rather stay with people like Angie and Jim, who at least didn't get overly freaked out by my quirks. I text Angelo our order as we got into the cab and the pizzas were ready for us to collect as we arrived. Angelo was so brilliant, when he'd found out I was Sherlock's sister; he seemed to love me a little more. How he found that out is another story for another time. I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door. I called out to Jim as we got in.

"Jim, I'm home. I come bearing pizza and an Angie." I turned to Angie and conformed. "Not necessarily in that order." Angie just smiled and rolled her eyes at me. Jim entered the kitchen and kissed my cheek before ravaging one of the three pizza boxes.

"Hello love. You are the perfect wife I'm starving. Hi Angie. Where did you run off to earlier?" Jim asked quickly. He seemed to be in a good mood, but it might be the fact I had also brought is favourite pizza. Jim loves spicy food, so his pizzas have to have chilies, jalapeños and spiced pepperoni and pineapple. I can't judge, I love avocado on pizza.

"Its been so much fun, I got to help Angie on a case!" I grinned. I pulled out some napkins and grabbed a slice of pizza.

"It was so weird." Smiled Angie.

"I'm sure you were brilliant, why was it weird?" Jim smiled indulgently.

"There was so much blood. I haven't been that close to real cadavers in ages, it was kind of thrilling. I feel great my brain feels alive." I reeled off excitedly. The mix of being with two of my favourite people, pizza and a wonderful day of brain activity had me positively buzzing.

"She is so much like Sherlock, it's like I was talking to him, not her. I really can relate to John now." Angie smiled wryly. It had been a strange day for her.

Really? How...interesting?" Remarked Jim, he wore a strange expression, a mixture of intrigue and fear. One could even say he looked perturbed.

"Why do you say it like that? They are siblings, it's not that surprising." She countered, irritated at Moriarty's reaction. "Or let me guess, the fact that he's your arch nemesis has something to do with this?" She remarked snidely.

"You know I've never seen splatter patterns like it, they were so unique, the angles were strange. There is so much to work out yet; it's like a giant jigsaw that needs piecing together." Babbled Percy happily. Neither her husband nor her best friend noticed, locked in a battle of wills.

"I knew they shared similarities but for you of all people to compare her so openly, it's a little unnerving." Jim admitted. He truly was unsettled by Angie's observations. How could he be in love with someone so similar to Sherlock? Perhaps it was inevitable, the reason he loved Percy so much and the reason he hated and admired Sherlock.

"Me of all people?" Snapped Angie, affronted.

"You're relationship with both of them... She hasn't taken anything has she?" He asked still unsure. He eyed Percy who was still happily chatting away, oblivious to being ignored. Occasionally, when her control slipped and she got high in a good mood, she would just chatter away for hours and giggle at anything.

"I'm pretty sure she hasn't, she's just excited. What does my relationship with them both have to do with it, because I know them both better than most people, so it means it's pretty much true? Is this going back to the whole 'he's your arch nemesis' thing?" Quipped Angie still irritated that she hadn't received a decent answer.

"Yes. Fine. Percy is NOT like him. Yes she's intelligent and wickedly insightful, but..." Jim snapped back.

"But you don't want to think that the woman you married is anything like Sherlock, again, going back to the stupid game of yours. Well, I hate to break it to you, they are related, and she is a lot like him. The only difference is that she actually shows her emotions, but that might just be an environmental factor." Replied Angie sternly.

"Anderson was so useless and Donavon, that witch, how she ever got promoted I have no idea." Laughed Percy, still lost in her bubble. Jim could see the cogs turning in her mind, she babbled and recounted her day she was processing every tiny detail.

"She is not like him...She is mine, not his." Jim exclaimed he wanted nothing of Sherlock tainting his love for Percy. He again looked at his wife, and smiled as she happily munched away, her youthful innocence shining through. "At least she's eating she thinks I don't notice."

"Whoa, what?! 'Yours, not his'? What is that supposed to even mean?! She's his sister! You are not making any sense." Sniped Angie. She didn't like the possessive attitude showing. Percy was a human being, not a possession for two stubborn men to fight over.

"Are you guys alright?" I asked. I knew they were bickering about something, I had a feeling it was either Sherlock or I. It usually was. Whilst they sniped at each other I had sorted through all the information I'd gathered today.

"Sure. Sounds like you had a very exciting afternoon." Jim smiled tightly. I looked between him and Angie. She looked just as tense.

"Good. Yeah it was amazing. Ang, what's up?" I asked.

"Nothing, fine. You're actually eating, that's good. You tend to have a bad habit with that. So does Sherlock." Replied Angie, not looking at me, but pointedly at Jim.

"I do not. I just need to eat less than other people. Sherlock is an odd duck." I dismissed. She had known for how long and still questioned my eating habits?

"Hmm. When you haven't eaten for three days, it does get a bit worrying love. I know you'll be fine, but...never mind." Jim knew there was no point chastising me. I leaned across and kissed his cheek.

"I've always been the same. Try not to worry so much, darling. If anything, I eat more now I'm older. I was awful as a teenager wasn't I Ang?!" I stated. Angie gave a smile that said 'yes'.

"Yeah. We were all surprised you weren't anorexic." She replied. I rolled my eyes at her. I was not that bad.

"There is a difference, I'm not bothered by eating food, I don't starve myself. When I'm hungry I'll eat plenty." I retorted indicating the pizza box in front of me, I had eaten two-thirds of it.

"I know, I know. So you've got the case cracked, or do you have more work to do?" Jim enquired; he took my hand under the table, resting on him leg. I needed reassurance about something. I'd talk to him later.

"I'd say we're 75% of the way there. Seeing as I didn't grow up with Sherlock, it is odd how similar we are. If there wasn't an age gap I'd say we were tw..." I tailed off realising what I'd missed. Twins, the girl had a twin, probably male. "We, well, Percy has a pretty good theory, just needs confirming." Angie finished for me and looked at me quizzically. "If there is a fourth person involved, that means there's a murderer on the loose." She added.

"Percy?" Jim asked, he'd noticed my stillness.

"Percy, it's fine, you are a lot alike. In a good way, you're not nearly as arrogant as he is, but with the good stuff, you are almost like twins." Angie said, patting my arm. The word 'twins' caught my attention and the world came back into sharp focus.

"No the murderer is already dead...the fourth person misread the scene he found. The gun, it belonged to the girl, not the husband." I countered, telling her the facts not the conjecture of the situation. I fell back into my mind. "Twins, they were twins." I said quietly, no louder than a whisper. IT all made so much more sense.

"Oh...how do you know he's already dead?" Asked Angie. She appeared confused again. I felt Jim give my hand a comforting squeeze and release it. He knew I'd start gesticulating and pacing as my thought got more focused. He kissed my cheek.

"You really are a marvel." He said fondly. I glanced at him and lost my thoughts for a second.

"It was the husband." I snapped at Angie.

"Um...I'm confused now. Are you saying the husband was the girl's twin brother?" Angie asked. I gave her a withering look.

"No. The husband is the girl's father." I said harshly.

"Alright, hold on. The husband had twins illegitimately...but you said the gun was the girl's...where does the twin come into play?" She asked again still not understanding.

"The fourth person. It was the girl's brother. Sentiment caused him to come after her, he found the bloody scene, saw the girl's gun and took it. The husband hid the knife. I knew I was missing something." I said quickly, it really was blindingly obvious. "Who knew food could help you think?" I smiled happily. Angie nodded taking in everything I'd said.

"So...did he find it after the husband killed himself, or did he kill the husband?" Angie questioned further. I sighed and rolled my eyes. I stood up and started pacing the kitchen. I was getting agitated that she didn't understand.

"The husband killed himself, the brother broke in." I said.

"Okay..." Angie said, still not understanding.

"It's quite simple." I replied disparagingly.

"If you say so..." Angie replied bashfully.

"I do kind of wish it had been harder, but thanks for asking me to help." I grinned. It had been some good stimulation; I now understood why Sherlock loved it so much.

"No problem." Answered Angie, looking bewildered. I came back towards the table, I looked at Jim, and he seemed so out of sorts.

"You're quiet Jim, are you sure you're okay?" I asked I stood behind him, draping my arms about his shoulders.

"Yeah, just a lot on my mind." He replied. I nodded.

"I love you." I whispered into his ear and kissed his cheek. He brought a hand up to mine.

"Percy, we should probably get down to Scotland Yard and tell Lestrade you've figured it out." Angie prompted. I looked up at her. I looked at Jim worried about him.

"Right, of course. See you later." I kissed Jim goodbye and went out to grab my coat and find my bag.

Angie watched as Percy left. She rounded on Jim and fixed him with a determined glare.

"Listen, I don't if you're starting to see something in her that's the same thing you saw in Sherlock that made you decide to go after him like you did, but I swear if you do anything to her...just take this as a friendly warning." Seethed Angie. She would not entertain the idea that anything could hurt Percy. Angie knew how caring and trusting her best friend was. Sometimes she needed protecting too. Jim matched Angie's stare.

"A brave choice of words Angie. I would never lay a finger on Percy. I suppose I hadn't faced how similar they were." He replied firmly. The notion that he could lay a harmful finger against Percy was preposterous.

"Forgive me if that doesn't reassure me, since technically you didn't lay a finger on Sherlock either. I don't know what it was that made you want to do all that to Sherlock, but I mean it, don't you dare do anything to hurt her, even in the slightest bit..."Angie tailed off angrily. Jim interrupted her.

"Percy means more to me than you'll ever understand. She will never come to harm at my hand. Sherlock is the only person who has been a worthy rival, and he understands that. She's lucky to have you in her life Angie." Jim dismissed. Angie gave him another hard glare and left. She met Percy in the hallway and they made their way to Scotland Yard.

We spoke to Greg and relayed our information. He was pleased with our progress and was now searching for the girl's twin. Her name was Emelia Peirce. She was only twenty-four. It was a horrible loss. I returned home at 10pm and found Jim in the library. I quietly walked up to the sofa he was sat on and curled up next to him. I rested my head on his shoulder.

"Are you going to tell me what's upsetting you?" I asked.

"What? Nothing's upsetting me." He brushed away. He still looked withdrawn.

"Really? Is that why you're all tense and twitchy, or why you can't look me in the eye?" I pushed. Giving him half a deduction, hoping that he might answer me of his own volition.

"It's nothing. It's just...a little disturbing seeing you act like that today. Angie was right, you're...you are a lot like him. And knowing my history with him..." He sighed. He truly looked lost.

"I'm sorry. I can try to change if it makes it easier?" I said quietly, pulling away from him. Jim stopped me, putting his book down, he held me close to him.

"I'm not gonna ask you to change who you are. Maybe it's just because I never really noticed it before, or maybe with you working on a case, it brought out the similarities more...I'm not gonna ask you to do that, Percy." He scoffed.

"I know you love me, but I'm always worried that...well since I found out about my family...that I'll do something to push you away and you'll see me like Sherlock. I'll drop the case..." I confessed quietly. Jim kissed my hair.

"No, you don't have to do that. Listen, I fell in love with everything about you long before I had ever even heard of Sherlock Holmes. So I guess it would be more correct to say that he's a lot like you." He told me with such conviction. We looked into each other's eyes and I could see his love for me. I smiled.

"He'd hate that, not being the world's one and only. As long as you don't fall for my brother we'll be alright." I smirked. Jim laughed.

"Don't worry, I've already fallen for you." Jim smiled.

"Like I said a long time ago, you're stuck with me." I grinned. He leaned forward and captured my lips with his. We shared a passionate kiss.

"Let's both stop worrying." I offered.

"Alright." Jim agreed.

We spent the rest of the night reading together, we hadn't done this for ages, sat and read until the small hours, just being close and talking quietly. We both relaxed enough to fall asleep.

The couple slept soundly, comforted by each other. They had known each other so long and yet they still had so much to learn. Moran watched them via the hidden camera's he'd installed. It was too easy, to cause the dischord, to sew the seed of doubt. It was just a matter of timing. He smiled darkly. Oh, how he was looking forward to the upcoming chaos.