'…For the thousandth time, there's nothing I can do about it!'

'Try then!'

'There's not exactly much to work with!'

'You're the police!'

'No, I'm a detective inspector! I can't just find people! You've already shown that you can do that on your own!'

'The law isn't exactly on my side!'

Adele had almost had it. Sherlock and Lestrade had spent the best part of the last hour yelling at each other, much to the annoyance of pretty much all of Scotland Yard. John had long since gone to looking at the news on his phone, occasionally pointing out an interesting article to Adele, who had at first found a nice corner of Lestrade's office, but she could still hear all the shouting from there. Now she was sitting under the table, hands over her ears. It wasn't helping. The yelling was only muted.

'…if he's given her until midnight, why are you hanging around here instead of solving it?'

'Because you could be helping!'

'I've already told you that I can't!' Lestrade paused. 'Where is she?'

Adele drew her knees up to her chest. So this didn't exactly help keep her hidden, but still. It made her feel a lot safer from the impending threat of Hammet and scary blonde kids. Sherlock's face appeared under the table, grinning. Adele scowled at him.

'Found her. Although I don't think she wants to talk to any of us.'

Adele shook her head. Although, knowing Sherlock, he would have some sort of trick to get her talking. Sure enough, on the floor a few feet away was a packet of cola bottles. Unfortunately, they weren't on the bit of the floor that was under the table.

'Want them?'

Adele nodded. Considering that she hadn't eaten this morning, cola bottles would be two birds with one stone. Nice food, and not hungry anymore. Perfect.

'Come and get them.'

Except for that. She would have to deal with all the yelling if she got them.

'Don't mess around, Adele. It's a good offer.'

Adele gave Sherlock a look of complete hatred. 'Stop shouting.' She muttered.

'Deal.'

Adele crawled out from under the desk, grabbing the sweets from the floor. Lestrade smirking, but immediately stopped after Adele threw him an evil glare. Out of the corner of her eye, Adele say Donovan walk past the office, look in and shake her head.

'Adele, I hate to tell you, but you need to solve this one quickly.'

John, the voice of reason. Sherlock looked ready to protest. So, he was finally beginning to realise that Molly was important. Okay, so the fact that she probably fancied him was bound to annoy him. Hell, it annoyed Adele. And Molly's over cheerful approach to everything wasn't exactly entertaining. And she was a bit eager to help. But it was Molly. She wasn't that bad. Just a bit strange.

'Sherlock wants to go and find her.' Sherlock nodded in agreement. 'But we don't know where she is. If I solve it, he'll tell us.'

Sherlock looked annoyed again, but Adele continued anyway. 'I'll just solve it quickly. Anyway, how is she different to Donovan?'

He had no answer to this. Adele actually would much rather have Molly around than Donovan, but she couldn't exactly say that in front of Lestrade, who looked pleased now.

'Fine. But we're not staying here.'

Adele rolled her eyes. Why did he have to be stubborn? Admittedly, Scotland Yard was boring, and the flat was much easier to work in, but knowing Sherlock the entire day, aside from solving the stupid riddle, would involve going back and forth between venues, yelling, and Lestrade being unintelligent. What a great day. Then of course, they would have to go and get Molly, who would be timid and scared. Adele would have to excuse herself from that.

Sherlock led the way back outside, ignoring Lestrade's protests. John was trying to talk to Sherlock, although he was hardly paying attention, instead texting furiously.

'He'll listen to you.'

Adele jumped as John fell into step with her. 'What?'

'Tell him I'm going out. Please?'

'Why can't you do it?'

'He won't listen!'

'He won't listen to anyone at the moment. Where are you going?'

John looked embarrassed. A girl? Likely. That meant…

'Kaylee?'

He nodded. 'Yes.' John had now lowered his tone.

'I think she's weird, but fine. I'll tell him later.' John clapped Adele on the shoulder. Ow. The stupid blonde kid had apparently managed to bruise that as well. She watched as he jogged off in the other direction, checking his watch. Sherlock was still texting as Adele caught up with him at the kerb. He was too tall for her to see what he was typing, although it was worth a try. Adele craned her neck and stood on tiptoe, but Sherlock caught on fairly quickly. He raised the phone slightly until it was impossible to see. What was so secretive anyway?

'Are you going to get a cab or what?' It was getting slightly annoying, standing at the edge of the pavement like this.

'I'm texting.' Adele sighed. Chances were that he was trying to text Molly. Didn't he realise that in a situation like this, even Hammet, who was a complete idiot, would have made sure she didn't have her phone? 'Where's John?'

'You've noticed? A girl.'

'Oh.' Adele could tell exactly what was going through his head. It was exactly the same as hers.

'It won't last.' They said in unison. Adele could see the smallest of smiles edging its way across his face. 'That only works if John is here.' Sherlock looked slightly disappointed.

'Cab.' She reminded him. Just as she said it, one drew up in front of them. Adele was surprised that she wasn't sick of the things now. The amount of times she'd used them was incredibly high. Still, it didn't look as though that was going to cease anytime soon.

One good thing about John not being at the flat was that it was much quieter. Every time John did something, Adele's ears would pick it up, making it near impossible to concentrate. Sherlock was perfectly happy to get on with his experiment. Adele had put the television on at a very low volume, just to check for anything suspicious. The problem with doing this was that every so often, Sherlock would glance up and make a face which clearly said I disagree with this and want to argue. But he wasn't saying anything at the moment, which was good. How long that would last, Adele couldn't tell. But chances were that it wouldn't be for long.

Four men were in a boat on the lake. The boat turns over, and all four men sink to the bottom of the lake, yet not a single man got wet! Why?

Adele sat staring at the text. She resolved to write it out in her own handwriting, which didn't help. Adele's own handwriting was shaky and pretty much unreadable. She managed to steady her hand long enough to write it out it block capitals, but the patronising tone of the message was still there. Did he really have to put an exclamation mark there? Really? Adele glanced out of the window. She almost jumped when she thought she saw the blonde boy hanging around on the corner, only to look closer and realise that it was someone else. Hammet had gotten what he wanted. Now she was seeing things. Great.

Four men.

Well that bit was easy enough to understand. There were four men in a boat. No intelligence required to understand that. Depending on the type of boat that they were in, it was most likely that they were too heavy. Or had been being idiots. Either way, it was highly probable that the number of people in the boat wasn't really relevant.

The boat turns over.

The boat. Chances were that these four men were fishing. Adele could imagine John fishing. It seemed like the type of thing he might do. Fish. Then again, Adele had been seriously wrong in her deductions when she had first met John.

'Adele, this is Dr Watson.' Sherlock gestured to the man standing behind him. He looked confused, to say the least. But more to the point, why was the man standing behind him? Unless-

'You have a boyfriend and you didn't tell me?' So Sherlock had broken the rule. How many times had he conveniently forgotten to mention something significant to her? This would have to be noted down.

'No. He's moving in with us.'

'We're moving?'

'That's the general idea, yes.'

'Aren't you going to tell me how long this has been going on?' Adele squinted against the sun.

'Met him yesterday.' So far, this Doctor hadn't said anything. So neither of them was openly denying it. Interesting.

'And you're sleeping with him?' Adele raised her voice a bit.

'Could I just-?' So now he was getting involved.

'No.' Adele turned back to Sherlock, trying to put on a furious face. 'When are we leaving?'

'Ten minutes.' He grinned.

Adele frowned at Dr Watson. ''Kay. I'll get my shoe box.' She began to jump up the stairs. 'You could do so much better, mother.' This time, it was her turn to grin as an amused expression crossed Sherlock's face, and a confused one crossed Dr Watson's.

Adele almost smiled at the memory. In her own defence, they were quite easily seen as a couple. Almost everyone they met asked about it.

'What's she-?'

'The shoe box? That's all her stuff. And then some books, but I think I've already got those.'

'Oh. But-'

'Mother? People keep asking whether we're related, I don't know why.'

'What about her-'

'Real mother? Wouldn't ask that, no one except the two of us knows.'

'If you tell him I'll find something you love and drown it in sulphuric acid!' Adele yelled down the stairs. 'Doctor Watson might not look so pretty!'

But then she'd told John herself. Was that her biggest secret? Adele wasn't even sure. But there were lots of things that she didn't tell anyone. Like that she was scared in case she got this riddle wrong and Molly got hurt. And that she was scared that Hammet would send those two kids out to hurt her again. Or that Sherlock would one day just disappear, leaving her alone. So many things she was still scared of, all of which would probably never leave her head.

'Concentrate.'

Adele jumped. Sherlock was standing in front of her, looking at the blank sheet of paper.

'Sorry.' Sherlock smiled at her.

'Not your fault. It looks difficult.'

This surprised Adele. 'You haven't seen it?'

'Nope.'

She frowned. What? Why not? Sherlock seemed to sense the question before she had a chance to say it. 'If I work it out, it's not fair that you still have to sit here and solve it.'

'When did he say that I have to work it out myself?' It was true. Adele seriously had no recollection of this.

'Somehow got my number. I've had a few lovely texts this morning.'

'Oh. How?'

'Wouldn't say. Anyway, concentrate.'

Adele threw a pencil at him as he walked away. Sherlock, being the complete pain that he was, caught it without even looking. 'Play nicely.' He said. Patronising git.

The front door opening sounded through the house, and neither party looked up. Adele's eyes were fully intent on the task Hammet had set her, and Sherlock staring straight ahead, evidently puzzling out where Molly's location might be.

Adele looked up sharply as an altogether far too cheerful voice floated up the stairs, accompanying the sound of four footsteps rather than John's two.

'So, how old is Adele?' The voice asked.

'What's he brought her back for?' Adele hissed to Sherlock vehemently. Her carer made no move. It wasn't long, however, before Adele got her answer.

'Hey everyone!' Kaylee appeared in the doorway, sunny as usual. 'John was just talking about some… riddle, you guys were facin'?'

Adele hid her snigger at the way Kaylee pronounced John's name. It really was an odd way of speaking.

'So, what is it then?' Kaylee asked, falling onto the sofa next to Sherlock. Adele looked up, blinking in alarm. Kaylee tilted her head a little and sent John a grin. Adele rolled her eyes while she wasn't looking. It was inhuman for someone to be that sickly sweet. With a sigh, Adele looked toward her guardian, who was still staring straight ahead.

'Lock, you're dead to the world, right?' She asked. Really, the fact that he hadn't reacted when Kaylee sat next to him should have been proof enough, but she liked to be sure.

When no reply was given, she read the riddle aloud.

'Four men were in a boat on the lake.' She read laboriously. 'The boat turns over, and all four men sink to the bottom of the lake, yet not a single man got wet. Why?'

'What?' Adele was surprised to see that the two voices were that of the two men. Kaylee was squinting into the distance, and Adele had to wonder if she was all there.

'But that… it doesn't make sense does it?' John frowned.

'It's a riddle.' Adele deadpanned. 'But I see what you mean.'

'Shut up, shut up, I can get this!' Sherlock was shouting, his head in his hands.

'Oh, what was that?' Adele said snidely. 'But if I work it out, Adele, it won't be fair on you!'

'Shhh!' Sherlock hissed erratically.

'None of 'em are married!' Kaylee exclaimed abruptly, standing up.

Adele stared at her. Sherlock turned his head slowly.

'Say that again.' He instructed.

Kaylee suddenly looked nervous, the scarily excited look in Sherlock's eyes probably doing nothing to counter that.

'None of 'em are… married?' She repeated, a little shakily.

Sherlock jumped up from the sofa, his face alight. It dropped for a moment when he said:

'Why didn't I think of that?'

Adele huffed and rolled her eyes.

'I- I got it right?' Kaylee asked, her voice a mix of disbelief and achievement.

Adele got up from her chair.

'Yes, yes, but come on. Now we must save Molly Hooper for the second time in our lives.' She said.

'When was the first?' John asked.

'Tell you later. Now come on.'

Just in time! I'm off to Vancouver tomorrow morning, so I miss a whole day of writing But I'll write extra fast to make up for it!

My friend, IngridNixie is writing a companion to this trilogy, Go and check it out! It's awesome! s/8375669/1/Elided_Mirths

So review if you like, review if whatever, and review if you want Molly to be saved sometimes within the next week!

[Even though I'll still continue no matter what].

Love you guys! :D