Sherlock Holmes - A New Beginning (COMPLETED NOW EDITING)

Chapter Twenty Four

Chapter Twenty Four

Jo POV

I sat staring up at the ceiling doing my best not to hyperventalate. To say I was panicking would be the understatement of the century. I had only two weeks until my due date, TWO WEEKS! And it only just occured to me that I'm so not ready for a baby. I've read tonnes of books about pregnancy, but nothing about actually looking after a baby. And we still haven't bought any of the big things that the baby's going to need like a crib or a car seat!

I slipped out of bed, put on my dressing gown and walked through to Sherlock's room. I knocked on the door and walked in.

"We need to go shopping." I announced. He looked up, with his eyes half shut.

"What?" He asked, his voice thick with sleep. I sighed.

"We. Need. To. Go. Shopping." I said, spelling it out for him. "We don't have anything that we need for the baby!" My voice started rising and panic took over again.

"Calm down, we'll go tomorrow." He muttered, shooing me out of his room.

"Promise?"

"Promise. Now go away." He groaned, lying back down. I smiled slightly and walked out of his room, closing the door behind me. I went back to my room and sat back down in my bed.

I woke up in the morning feeling awful. My baby thought it would be funny to kick me ALL night long. However she chooses now to sleep. I rolled out of bed, pulled my dressing gown on and trudged into the kitchen. Sherlock was already up making coffee.

"Morning." He said walking past me. I groaned in response. I heard him chuckle so I sent an evil glare his way. "You still up for shopping?" He said, and I could tell by his tone of voice that he was hoping I'd say no. Well I wasn't; we need to buy this stuff.

"Yes." I replied shortly, reaching to get a mug to make my own coffee. Sherlock huffed and I chuckled, he isn't a shopping person. John walked in yawning and stretching his arms. 

"What's going on?" he yawned, looking between me and Sherlock. 

"We're going shopping." I replied, handing him a coffee and walking into the lounge sipping my stupid decaf coffee. I heard him sigh. 

"Ok." He wasn't a shopping person either. After I'd drank my coffee I went to have a shower and get changed. I came out half an hour later wearing a long top/dress and black maternity leggings. Sherlock and John were standing by the door waiting. I smiled and followed them downstairs to flag down a taxi.

The store we went to was 'babies R Us' which seemed like our best bet. It had everything we needed. I dragged the boys around it for an hour, and in that time I'd bought anything that looked like I needed it. We walked out of the store with Sherlock gaping at the receipt.

"The delivery cost is nearly as much as the total cost!  How can a baby need so much stuff!?" He exclaimed. I chuckled. Sherlock's phone buzzed but he was too busy reading the receipt. I took it out of his pocket and answered it. 

"Jo Williams, Sherlock's epic assistant." I answered, watching John roll his eyes.  There was a voice at the other end that I didn't recognise.  "Who is calling?" I asked.

"Layla." A child's voice answered.  I frowned and looked at Sherlock.

"Who's Layla?" I asked quietly.  His head snapped up and he took the phone from me.

"Where?" He listened intently for about half a minute before hanging up. 

"Who was that?" I asked, following him as he strode towards an allyway. 

"Homeless network." He replied shortly.  Homeless network?

"But that was a little girl..." I trailed off.  She sounded no more than four.  Four and homeless, that must have been hard.  I looked up to see Sherlock jogging ahead, making me groan. 

"Do we really have to do the running?" I asked, trying my best to keep his pace. 

After ten minutes of jogging, I nearly collapsed. 

"Please..tell me...we're there....now." I wheezed, looking up slightly at Sherlock who was looking around cautiously.

"Yes." He replied.  

"Uh, where are we?" John asked, looking at Sherlock confused.  Yeah, where are we?  I thought to myself.  Sherlock ignored John and started walking, but stopped suddenly, turning around.

"Stay close, and be quiet." He warned, and I swear I saw a hint of fear flicker across his face.  but being Sherlock, he quickly masked it.  John and I nodded and walked behind him.  We walked through an array of allyways and then down some steps underground.  John froze.

"No, Sherlock this is a stupid idea." He hissed.  What?  Was I missing something?  Sherlock turned around looking at John.

"No, this is the only way to find him." He replied, his voice no higher than a whisper.  He carried on and I quickly followed, tugging John along with me.  We walked underground for a few minutes, the torch Sherlock had brought helping us find the way.  Every now and again, Sherlock would stop, inspect the ground, and then resume walking.  What was he looking for?  John and I looked at eachother, confused, but still followed him.  Suddenly, Sherlock stopped, making me bump into him and John bump into me.  He scowled at us both, pushing us to the cold wall.  What were we hiding from?! 

"He's here." Sherlock whispered.

Sherlock POV

This is it, it's now or never.  He's here, just around the corner.  Oh this is fantastic!  Finally, we will catch him, think of how many lives will be saved.  I couldn't help but grin at my tracking skills.  I peeked around the corner to see The Golem hunched down on the floor, looking at something.  I looked closer to see it was a tiny body.  Oh no...I recognise that body.  The body stuggled slightly, her pitiful screams muffled by the Golem's hand.  There wasn't anything we could do for her now though.  Little Layla was dead. 

"What are you looking at?" Jo hissed, looking around the corner.  She gasped when she saw it, and before I could stop her she jumped out.

"HEY!" She screamed, picking up a large rock and throwing it at the Golem, hitting him on the back.  He made a growling sound, and stood up to his full, humongous height.  Jo backed away slightly, obviously scared but she held her ground.  She picked up another rock as he ran at her.  He tackled her to the ground and she repeatedly hit him on the head with the rock.  John lept onto the Golem's back and tried strangling him - it made no difference.  The Golem shook him off and began squeezing the life out of Jo.  On an impulse, I launched myself at the golem, knocking him off Jo.  I kicked him hard in the knees - the only place I could really reach.  He picked me up and threw me at the wall.  He then went back for Jo.  She tried to crawl away but he grabbed her by the throat and held her up against a wall whilst he kicked her in the stomach....he kicked her baby.  John and I both jumped on his back, our combined weight enough to prise him off Jo and to the floor.  John punched him in the face whilst I looked around for some defense.  I glanced at Jo who was lying on the floor in a pool of blood.  Her clothes were soaked in her blood.  I looked at John who was now throwing rocks at the Golem who was running away - coward.  When he'd gone, John ran back to us but froze when he saw Jo.  She looked up at us, beaten and broken, her arms cradelled around her stomach.

"Sherlock...the baby."

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DUM DUM DUUUM!!!  So, what do you think?  I know it's been a while since my last update but I wanted to update my other book first :)  Vote and comment if you like :) xxx