A Close Encounter

Sherlock barely slept that night, by morning his wall was covered with pictures and articles about the Doctor as well as notes from the case. Red yarn connecting them together, black marker crossing out different Doctors that did not match the description that Micky gave them. Lestrade returned to 221B around 9, and Sherlock deduced that his night went very well.

Mrs. Hudson brought up fresh tea with biscuits and gave Sherlock hell for smoking all night. "I had a very difficult time sleeping when I was suffocating from all the smoke you created last night. That smoke has to travel somewhere, you know. And if you don't open a window where do you think it is going to travel? Throughout the whole apartment building, including my room!"

"Yes, but this was a two pack case, if I could get my hands on some stronger cigarettes I wouldn't have to smoke so much. The effects of nicotine do not last long on the cigarettes I currently use." Sherlock explained as he helped himself to a cup a tea and biscuit.

"Well, next time open a window!"

"Maybe you could try some of the nicotine patches or gum, I hear the effects last much longer that way." Lestrade commented while he ate a biscuit. Lestrade had brought a cup of coffee, which he had already spilt on his tie. His hair happened to be a bit of a mess, as though he left in a rush, and wore the same suite as last night which meant Lestrade did not go to his place to spend the night.

"There you go! Why not give that a try?" Mrs. Hudson agreed with Lestrade. Sherlock sat down on his chair and asked Mrs. Hudson if she would clean the kitchen a bit, to which Mrs. Hudson replied, "I'm not your housekeeper!" and left the room outraged.

Sherlock and Lestrade drank their drinks in silence. Lestrade walked over to the wall across from the fireplace, with all the pictures and articles and notes on it. "So, this is what you worked on all night last night?" He paused and drank more of his coffee. "It is impressive. I see you made some connections to the case, although it looks a little far-fetched."

Sherlock got up from his chair and walked over to Lestrade and began explaining everything all too fast for Lestrade to keep up. Sherlock finally gave up, and simplified it for Lestrade, "The Doctor seems to almost always have a companion with him, someone to share the adventure with. That might be what Rose Tyler is to him." Lestrade nodded his head but still looked like he didn't quite get it. Sherlock rolled his eyes and grabbed their coats. "Care for a smoke, Mrs. Hudson will have my head if I smoke another cigarette in here."

Lestrade followed Sherlock outside, and had a smoke. Both Lestrade and Sherlock noticed a homeless teenager standing next to 221B asking for any spare change. "Got any money on you?" Sherlock asked Lestrade. Lestrade sighed but gave Sherlock £30, Sherlock then walked over to the teenage boy.

"Got any spar' change Sir?" The teenage boy asked hopefully.

"I do, got anything for me?" Sherlock asked. The teenage boy reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper with something written on it and handed it to Sherlock, and Sherlock gave him Lestrade's £30. Sherlock walked back over to Lestrade and the teenage boy walked down the street. Sherlock took a look at the note, and then quietly finished his cigarette. "The game is afoot!" Sherlock said excitedly. He hailed a taxi and opened the door, and signaled Lestrade to follow. Lestrade threw his cigarette away and followed Sherlock in the taxi.

"Where are we going?" Lestrade asked Sherlock.

"London eye please." Sherlock told the taxi driver. "Do you have any cash?" Sherlock smirked at Lestrade.

Lestrade rolled his eyes and was about to pay the taxi fee when they arrived at their destination, when Sherlock stopped him. "Not yet."

"Right, what exactly are we looking for?" Lestrade asked keeping the taxi door open.

"The blue box, the one in every picture. The only thing the does not change." Sherlock began to comb through the crowd with his eyes. "And what better way to hide something that would seem so out of place, than in plain sight. You go past the London eye and make you way back here. I will go the other direction, meaning we will meet somewhere in the middle."

Lestrade got back in the taxi and drove off. Sherlock slowly began to make his way through the busy street. He looked in every ally, over the bridge, down the river, and yet he could not see what he was looking for. It wasn't long before he caught up with Lestrade, who, to Sherlock, seemed to have come up with something. "Anything?" Sherlock asked a little anxious.

"Yes, I think I saw it. Come on, I will show you." Lestrade lead Sherlock back to where he thought he saw the blue box. Sherlock's blood was pumping! He never felt so alive, this kind of rush was way better than any drug he had before. Lestrade finally stopped, and looked around frantically. "It was here; see I took a picture of it." Lestrade pulled out his phone and showed Sherlock the picture. "How could an entire police box just vanish, it would take a crane to move it. How..." Lestrade looked around some more as Sherlock examined the photo on Lestrade's phone. There it was, just beside the London eye, people walking past it not even noticing. Now it was gone, just like it was never there to begin with. "Now the station will really think I'm mad."

Sherlock rolled his eyes at Lestrade's comment. "They all think your mad no matter what, people will always judge you, despite what you do to try and stop it. Quiet complaining, we have work to do."

"Fine," Lestrade replied more upset than normal. "Well, something that size couldn't have gone too far, why don't we walk around and see if we can find it."

Sherlock agreed and gave Lestrade his phone back. They started to walk once more up and down the street of the London eye, and then walked over towards Big Ben and Westminster Abby. They were unable to find anything Sherlock got ready to call over a taxi to go back to 221 B.

"Are you hungry?" Lestrade asked Sherlock. "It's almost 11:30, and I just thought we could get an early lunch. I noticed a fish and chips place while walking down The Queens Walk." Lestrade paused to let Sherlock reply.

There was no point to go back to work if Lestrade was going to think of lunch. 'People can be distracted so easily.' Sherlock thought as he nodded and followed Lestrade back towards the London Eye. They got to the fish and chips place next to the London Eye and Sherlock ate a few chips from Lestrade's lunch. Lestrade talked about how his evening was the previous night and Sherlock tried to be polite and listen, they took another walk up and down the street, Sherlock keeping an eye out for the blue police box. As the past the fish and chips place once again, Sherlock saw it. In fact he almost missed it, the blue box, hiding in plain sight. Just across from where Lestrade had originally seen it. He ran up to the box and stretched out his hand to touch it.

"There it is! How long has that been there? We must have walked by it at least three times. How could we not notice it?" Lestrade asked out loud. "Look, no one is stopping to take pictures, they seem like they don't see it."

"You would be surprised as to what our-your brains will filter out." Sherlock commented, correcting himself. "We should wait here, and see who comes back."

"I disagree, we should look for Rose, show her picture around. I'm sure someone has seen her, we should." Lestrade stopped and pulled out his phone which was vibrating. "I have to take this. Hello?" Lestrade walked away as he answered the phone. Sherlock stayed, he turned to face the crowd scanning for Rose Tyler or the man she was last seen with. Lestrade returned with a disappointed and embarrassed look on his face. "That was the Captain; he wants us back at the station now."

Just as Lestrade finished his sentence, Sherlock saw them, or thought he saw them. A blond girl with a burgundy and white hoodie, and grey t shirt. Standing next to a man with a red t shirt and leather jacket. They were sharing chips, and laughing, Sherlock began to walk towards them when Lestrade grabbed his arm to stop him. "Sherlock, did you hear me? We have to go."

"No, we can't their right there. See! Don't you see?" Sherlock pointed towards where he thought Rose and this Doctor where. Lestrade took a good long look; he shook his head and pulled Sherlock back to the street to catch a cab. "You don't see them? How could you not see them?"

"I don't see them, there are many people here, and you're grasping at straws." Lestrade called over a taxi, and got in. Sherlock knew that they were going in to a meeting with the Captain, and by Lestrade's reaction, it was going to be a bad one.

"Unacceptable, stupid, your brining a bad name to this department, and you!" The Captain pointed a stern finger at Sherlock, "The only place you should be is behind bars! What were you thinking, letting him be part of this?"

"Well, Sir. He has proven to be resourceful, and I think he could really help..." Lestrade began defending his position. Lestrade stood looking ashamed, much like a child in the principal's office for the first time. Sherlock was trying not to smile, because he noticed a mustard stain on the Captains new tie which he though was amusing. Also the Captain seemed to have missed a spot shaving, in his rush to work. Not to mention the vein that was about to burst from his forehead, Sherlock all found rather funny. Of course Sherlock thought it was because he could feel his craving for drug's again.

"Stop, just stop. Mr. Holmes got lucky on that last case. You asked to prove that you're ready to have your own division. So I gave you a simple missing person's case, and you turn it into an absolute joke. I hear your looking for some magic box that can is in every major historical event. Well, no more. I am giving you until tomorrow to come up with a real lead, if you don't your off the case." The Captain sat down and waved his hand which was a sign of dismissal to Lestrade and Sherlock. Lestrade opened his mouth to retaliate, but instead stormed out of the Captains office back to his desk. Sherlock went to follow Lestrade when the Captain stopped him.

"No, you don't get to leave yet." The Captain looked up from his paper work. "Lestrade may have given you a free pass, and believes you can be of value. However we do have rules Mr. Holmes. If you do want to be a, what did Lestrade call it? Oh yes, a consultant for this department you will have to be subject to a drug test every moth, and get into rehab until further notice. Molly Hooper would be the person to do your test here in this facility. Now, there is a rehab class that starts tomorrow, if you wish to continue to work with us on cases you will go to it. Otherwise, you can go back to your cell, I have already phoned your brother who has agreed to not bail you out this time around." The Captain paused and tore off a note with addresses and places to be.

Sherlock took the paper and looked at it. "I assume you will be check in to make sure I actually go to these sessions?"

The Captain leaned back on his chair as if his answer was very obvious. "Yes, you assume correctly."

"Hmm. Why have the tests done here? Do you not trust the local hospitals, or clinics?"

"Not at all Mr. Holmes. If the tests are done here, I know you can't cheat."

'I wouldn't be so sure.' Sherlock thought to himself. Sherlock nodded, and walked out of the office and past Lestrade's desk.

"And where do you think you're going!" Lestrade yelled at Sherlock who was getting in the elevator. Lestrade jumped in just as the doors began to close. "You have just cost me my future! Made me an embarrassment in front of everyone, and I thought you would actually help. You have done some great things to help with other cases," The elevator doors opened and Sherlock and Lestrade walked. "You may have helped with great insult to the officers in charge but you did help. Pointing them in the right direction. Now when I need you to help me find a missing person, all I get is a story of a magic blue box and a man who has a thing for major historical events!"

"Are you done?" Sherlock asked annoyed at the amount of lectures he was getting.

"Yeah, I'm done." Lestrade took a look around him and realized that they were not in the main lobby. "Where are we?"

Sherlock gave Lestrade the piece of paper, and walked towards the morgue.

WOOO! Sherlock got super close there. If it wasn't for Lestrade, Sherlock would have met the Doctor for the first time. Now we get to read about Molly and Sherlock's first meeting! I am working on the Chapter now. Trying really hard to get the details right. I hope to have it done by the end of January. Sorry if that seems like a long time. I hope you are all enjoying the story and how everything is unfolding. :) Don't forget to comment!