Chapter 8: Epilogue

Kagome sighed, a small, phantom twinge echoing in her stomach. She grimaced. She had no idea how long this would continue - phantom pains in her stomach. Moriarty was clever, causing her muscles to cramp up nearly every time he was around her. Now she only had to think about him for her stomach to curl in anticipation, even though she'd destroyed him twenty-four days ago.

Looking down at the Thames below her, ignoring the people around her that were rushing on with their lives, Kagome allowed herself a moment to breathe and relax. Sherlock was back in business and had numerous cases per week, John and Kagome tagging along. She'd met some of the Homeless Network and they'd taken to her very well - even helping her on some of her own cases. Some of them recognised her for what she was, but as far as she knew, they told no one about it.

A familiar aura distantly pierced her thoughts and her eyes widened. Without conscious decision, her lips lifted upwards into a small smile. "Irene." She breathed.

"Hello, Kagome." Kagome turned her head, not bothering with the rest of her body that was leaning on the railing of the bridge. Irene smiled prettily. "Feeling better?" Kagome laughed.

"Yes, very much so. Thank you, by the way." Irene winked.

"Anytime. Though who would have thought that we'd meet once again in London?" Kagome's brow furrowed in confusion.

"Speaking of, why are you here? Mycroft still thinks you are dead, Sherlock - of course - knows your still alive and John knows as well. Don't you think that walking in plain view of security cameras is a bad idea. Any where I go, I get watched." Irene raised an eyebrow and smirked.

"And you know the Holmes brothers and John Watson? Interesting." Kagome blushed, for some reason that she couldn't explain.

"I work at the Yard and I've known for the better part of four months that Sherlock didn't really commit suicide. John needed the support."

"How did you come to be included in those three anyway?" She smiled.

"DI Lestrade was worried about the way I act at crime scenes, so he brought in John to… psycho-analyse me, I suppose. I, of course, resisted." Irene snickered.

"Of course you did." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"And for the seven or eight months before that, I was like a personal assassin for Mycroft Holmes himself. I was careless one night, and dealt with a problem in front of a security camera. Mycroft found out and kidnapped me. I agreed to being employed and basically carried on doing what I was doing originally - only legally." Irene rolled her eyes this time.

"I can't say I'm surprised, Kagome." She said with a small smile. "You always knew how to attract the strangest of people. Well, when you weren't in a deep depression." The smile turned into a wicked smirk. "We should catch up. Talk a little bit more, when we have a little bit more time."

Kagome laughed and found herself blushing. "Well you know what I like." The smirk widened.

"Indeed I do." Kagome looked around and noticed two camera nearby that were focussed of them. She smiled at Irene.

"You should probably go. Mycroft is, no doubt, going to be giving me a good talking to." Kagome came closer and kissed both of Irene's cheeks. "See you later, Irene."

"Goodbye, Kagome. You know where to find me." Kagome smiled.

"Always."


Sherlock and John, both sitting down and discussing the points of the most recent case, looked at each other in confusion when they heard the front door close and someone come skipping up the stairs. Kagome appeared in the doorway, smiling happily.

"Hello, boys!" She carried on through to the kitchen. They looked at each other in confusion. Sherlock shrugged, he didn't have a clue why she was so happy - there was an unfamiliar scent that followed her in, but apart from knowing that she had met up with a woman, he had no idea.

She came back in minutes later with three cups of tea and a plate of HobNobs, which she put in front of Sherlock, knowing that it's pretty much the only thing he'd eat when on a case.

"Why are you so happy?" Kagome frowned playfully.

"Am I not allowed to be happy now?" John shook his head, a small smile on his face, Kagome's good mood being as contagious as a common cold.

"Yes, but usually there's a reason for it." She titled her head in assent.

"True. But it's always a good occasion when the woman you've missed appears back in your life." Sherlock narrowed his eyes at the odd wording, noting Kagome's mischievous glace in his direction. John took no heed - Kagome could be strange when she wanted to be. Kagome smirked when she noticed that Sherlock had noticed the odd way of putting that sentence. "It's like she hid from me and the world - she pretty much disappeared." She continued, giving Sherlock all the clues he needed, if he could just put them together.

Sherlock steepled his fingers under his chin, case momentarily forgotten as he focussed on Kagome's cryptic words.

She hid from the world.

Disappeared.

The woman.

Appeared.

Back in your life.

He drew in a sharp breath. The Woman was back. Mystery solved, Sherlock turned back to the case when one question niggled at the back of his mind. One question that was discarded for the present case and would be re-examined later.

How did she know?


A/N: Phew! All done! No more for this series, though I may do a series of drabbles, so feel free to give suggestions of situations, if you wish. Reviews are welcome! P.S: Kagome is not pregnant - just thought I should point that out.

BP