The Art Of Deduction (A BBC Sherlock Fanfiction)

27. The Dominatrix

REVISED & EDITED

Not long afterwards, John and Elisabeth have been shown into an enormous ornate hall with massive crystal chandeliers hanging from the ceiling. They look around for a moment, then follow their escort who gestures them to a nearby room before walking away. John stops in the doorway. On a small round table in the middle of the room is the pile of clothes and shoes which had been put down in front of Sherlock earlier. There is a sofa either side of the table and sitting on the left-hand one is Sherlock, still wrapped in his sheet. He calmly looks across to John. John holds out his hands in a "What the hell?!" gesture. Sherlock shrugs disinterestedly and looks away again. Nodding in a resigned way, John walks slowly into the room, then sits down on the sofa beside his friend. Elisabeth follows John and sits on the sofa too. John gazes in front of himself for a moment, chewing back a giggle, looks around the room again and then looks at Sherlock, peering closely at his sheet. He turns his head away again.

"Are you wearing any pants?" Asks John.

"No." Answers Sherlock.

"Okay."

He sighs quietly. John turns and looks at Elisabeth. A moment later Sherlock turns and looks at him just as John also turns to look. Their eyes meet and they promptly burst out laughing.

"At Buckingham Palace, fine." Says John, still laughing.

"Oh, I'm seriously fighting an impulse to steal an ashtray." Says Elisabeth.

"You worked in MI6, surely you've come here before." Says Sherlock.

"Nope." Answers Elisabeth.

"What are we doing here, Sherlock? Seriously, what?" Asks John.

"I don't know." Answers Sherlock.

"Here to see the Queen?" Asks Elisabeth.

At that moment Mycroft walks in from the next room.

"Oh, apparently yes." Answers Sherlock

John and Elisabeth crack up again and Sherlock joins in. The three of them continue to giggle as Mycroft looks at them in exasperation.

"Just once, can you three behave like grown-ups?" Says Mycroft.

"We solve crimes, he blogs about it," Elisabeth says, pointing to John

"and he forgets his pants, I wouldn't hold out too much hope." She completes.

Sherlock looks up at his brother as he walks into the room, all humour gone from his face.

"I was in the middle of a case, Mycroft." Says Sherlock.

"What, the hiker and the backfire? I glanced at the police report. Bit obvious, surely?" Says Mycroft.

"Transparent." Says Elisabeth.

John looks startled.

"Time to move on, then."

He bends down and picks up the clothes and shoes from the table, turning to offer them to Sherlock. His brother gazes at them uninterestedly. Mycroft sighs.

"We are in Buckingham Palace, the very heart of the British nation. Sherlock Holmes, put your trousers on." He says sternly.

"What for?" Asks Sherlock.

"Your client." Answers Mycroft.

"And my client is?"

"Illustrious ..."

The trio turn to look at the man who has just enetered the room.

"... in the extreme." He completes.