"That man was awful," Y/N told Mary when her roommate finally returned home.
"I very much agree," Mary said as she hung up her coat.
Y/N was seated in the living room, curled up in a chair with a book in hand. "And you and John left me there with him. Alone."
"He didn't do anything to harm you, did he?"
"No. He actually seemed disappointed in himself for what he'd done... It was... interesting."
"Well John sends his apologizes and told me to tell you that he'll be over in the morning to give them to you himself."
"He shouldn't be apologizing for the actions of his roommate."
"Unfortunately, I think that is a common occurrence."
"He needs to learn some manners."
"Maybe you could be the one to teach him." Y/N rolled her eyes. "I'm going to get ready for bed. Good night, Y/N."
"Good night, Mary."
Y/N sat there and focused back on her book. She don't know how long it had been before a knock sounded at the door. Wary, but curious, Y/N slowly went to the door. She opened it slightly to peak out. A woman was nicely dressed and facing the street. She was in a red dress with black lining and a black hat.
"Hello?" Y/N questioned as she opened the door further. "Can I help you?" The woman turned around to reveal herself and Y/N gasped. "Irene?"
"Surprised to see me?" Irene taunted.
"How did you find me?"
"You mean to ask, does he know you're here?" Y/N swallowed. "He doesn't, yet. But if I'm here, he won't be far behind." Y/N's heart rate began to speed up. "Are you going to invite me in?"
Y/N looked behind, checking for Mary, before opening the door wider for Irene. Irene waltzed in, immediately inspecting the place as she headed for the sitting room to the side.
"Nice place," Irene commented as she made herself at home on one of the chairs.
"What do you want, Irene?" Y/N wished to get straight to the point. She needed to know how soon and how far she needed to run.
"I need your help."
"You need my help?"
"Yes."
"And what if I refuse?"
"I'll make sure he finds you faster. If you help me, I can slow him down."
Y/N glared at Irene. "What do you need?"
"You need to get Sherlock Holmes back on the Blackwood case."
"What? Why me?"
"I know you've just met him and it seems like the case is closed, but trust me it's not."
"Trusting you is something I'd rather not do."
"But you will. You don't want the Professor finding out where you are, so I know you will."
"So I just need to some how convince a man I met to reopen is last case?"
"Oh don't pretend that you can't do it. You were once the best in our field."
"Not by choice."
"Still," Irene stood up, "it's the truth." She glided passed Y/N. "I'll keep you in the loop." Irene opened the door. "Stay safe, Y/N. I really wouldn't want anything to happen to you."
Irene flashed her one last smile before she shut the door and disappeared into the night. Y/N stood frozen as her mind raced with different scenarios. She could back up and disappear right now, but how far would she get? Or she takes her chance with Irene and hope that she stays safe?
"I should have shipped off to America when I had the chance," Y/N muttered, running her hand down her face.
~~~
The next morning, John showed up to apologize for his roommate.
"I really am sorry to you both for what happened last night," John sincerely stated. "Sherlock struggles with basic-"
"Manners," Y/N interrupted. She waved it off. "Seriously John it's fine. Actually... I was meaning to talk to you."
"Yes?"
"I would like to see Sherlock again."
"What?" Both Mary and John questioned.
"Honestly, I would. He seems interesting and I need some of that in my boring life."
"I-I-I don't know if that's a good idea Y/N."
"I promise he can't do anything to me. I just want to test the waters."
John eyed her silently for a while before caving in with a sigh. "Fine. I'll mention something to Sherlock. See what I can do."
~~~
John showed up at the fight ring after stopping by Y/N and Mary's. It was empty, all but the workers, and a mess from the night before. He already knew where Sherlock would be so he headed up the stairs to the small room above the bar. Opening the door, he found his friend picking notes on his violin while studying a glass bottle of flies.
"Watson?" Sherlock questioned. He paused what he was doing and stood up straight.
"Right," John confirmed. "Let's go." He headed further into the room to see what Sherlock had been taking.
Sherlock began circling around the jar of flies. "What started merely as an experiment, has brought me to the threshold of monumental discovery," he stated. He paused, picking at his violin again. "Now, if I play a chromatic scale, there's no measurable response."
"You do know, what you're drinking is meant for eye surgery."
"But, now, and this is remarkable. If I change to atonal clusters... Voila! They fly in counter-clockwise, synchronized concentric circles. As though a regimented flock." John came closer. "Watson this is exceptional. I, using musical theory, have created order out of chaos." After looking into John's eyes for a brief second, he began picking at the violin once again.
"How did you lure them in?"
"Excellent question. Individually. I've been at it for six hours."
"And what happens if I do this?" John opened the top of the jar and tapped against the glass with his cane, causing the flies to fly out.
Sherlock watched all the flies hurry away. "Right."
"Clean yourself up. You are Blackwood's last request."
Sherlock got as cleaned up at he wanted to. Which meant he put on a tie and gathering the rest of his clothes in his arms before meeting John at the carriage. John was silently brooding as he started out the window.
"Look at those towering structures," Sherlock tried, moving to look out the same window. John turned away. "It's the first combination of a Bascule's suspension bridge ever attempted. Most innovative." Turning to Watson, Sherlock fell back into his seat. "What an industrious empire! Oh, I have your winnings from last night." He held up some money. "You weren't there, so I made your customary bet." John went to reach for them but Sherlock quickly retracted them. "You're right. I'll keep it with your checkbook, locked safely away in my drawer." John licked his lips in frustration before focusing back out the window. "Did you know the opera house is featuring Don Giovanni? I could easily procure a couple of tickets if you had any cultural inclinations this evening." Sherlock sighed when there was, again, no response. "You have the grand gift of silence, Watson. It makes you quite invaluable as a companion."
John quickly punched Sherlock in his nose, proudly. Sherlock exclaimed as he put his handkerchief to his nose. He looked at his friend in utter shock and disbelief.
"I knew she'd been engaged," John responded. "She told me."
Sherlock sniffed as he took the handkerchief away from his face. "So that's no to the opera then?" Both men looked away from each other. Sherlock went to grab the waistcoat near John, when John quickly snatched it.
"That was my waistcoat."
"I thought we agreed it's too small for you."
"I'd like it back."
"I thought we agreed." Sherlock tried to tug it closer.
"I want it back."
Like an angry child, Sherlock gave in and let Watson have it. Then without a second thought, John wadded it up and threw it out the window.
"I can't believe Y/N wants to see you again," John muttered.
Holmes immediately perked up. "She what?"
"Y/N wants to see you again. I can't imagine why."
"She told you this?"
"Do you think I would just make something like that up? After the stunt you pulled last night?"
"When did she tell you this?"
"This morning, when I went to visit her and Mary to apologize for you."
"And you didn't think to bring her with you?"
"Why would I bring her with me to pick you up from a bar to take you to visit Lord Blackwood?"
"Why not?"
"You're unbelievable."
"I'll just have to visit her myself once we're done here."
"You should probably actually clean up then."
"Well if you hadn't toss my waistcoat out the window, maybe I could have."
John smirked, trying to hide the confusion laced within. Why was Sherlock so interested in Y/N? And why was she suddenly interested in him?
Sherlock busied himself with getting ready. For some reason, it appeared, that Y/N wanted to get to know him. And he so wanted to get to know her, and all the mysteries surrounding her.
~~~
After Blackwood's hanging, John had stopped by to tell Y/N that he would escort her to meet with Sherlock the next day. So the next morning, with Y/N on his arm, John took her over to see his roommate once again.
"Now, I will take you back to yours and Mary's the second he oversteps, okay?" John was just trying to make sure you'd be alright.
"I'll be fine, I promise." Y/N patted his arm with the hand that was holding on to it. "Sherlock's not going to do anything to me."
"Well, you clearly don't know him very well."
"John, stop worrying. I can hold my own."
He sighed as he led her up the steps of 221B Baker Street. "I know. But Sherlock... he's... different." John opened the door and helped Y/N in with another woman quickly coming down the stairs with her head down.
"Hold the door," the woman said. Y/N inhaled sharply, knowing it was Irene. "Thank's doctor."
John shut the door after Irene, only then pausing. Realizing who it was. "Hmm," he hummed furrowing his brows as he led Y/N towards the stairs. He glanced back at the door, taking off his coat.
"Do you know who that woman was?" Y/N questioned.
"If it's who I think it was then unfortunately, yes."
Suddenly, Sherlock rushed down from the top of the stairs to the window at the landing in the middle. He threw open the window without a second thought.
"Holmes," John greeted. "What are you doing?" Sherlock turned, noticing the two behind him.
"Nothing." He responded. He quickly grabbed one of Y/N's hands and barely brushed his lips against her knuckles. "Y/N." He just as quick, he dropped her hand.
"Mr. Holmes."
"Are you wearing a false-"
"A false nose?" Sherlock interrupted John. "No."
John turned to face the front door in confusion. "Tell me that, that wasn't-"
Sherlock ripped John's coat from his arms and jumped out the window. "It wasn't!" He yelled as he landed on the small shed.
"Holmes!" John shouted as he and Y/N peered out the window. "Where are you going?"
Sherlock jumped onto the next shed, crashing through it. John stood back and sighed with a shake of his head as Y/N still watched.
"Watson?" Sherlock shouted.
"Excuse me, Y/N," John said as he reached over her to grab the window.
"Help! Watson!"
"Sorry about all that." John shut the window.
"Aren't you going to help him?" Y/N wondered as John began to guide her further up the stairs. She kept glancing back at the window.
"He'll be fine."
"If this is a bad time-"
"You were the one who wanted to see him again. I can hurry you home if you'd like?"
"No, I think I'm good. His antics can be entertaining when they are not aimed at my friend."
"Yes. We can wait in here."
He guided her through an open door to a long room. It was messy, full of what appeared to be random items. It was clear that it was Sherlock's space and not John's. John began to take off his other coats as Y/N slowly took in everything.
"Make yourself at home," John said.
She smiled kindly as she continued looking around the room. There were things on the floor, like they had been pushed there in the midst of a frantic search. What caught Y/N's eye the most was a small picture of Irene standing up on a table. She picked it up.
"This is the woman at the door," Y/N said, pretending she didn't know anything. "Does Sherlock know her?"
John peered over the papers he was reading from his chair by the window. "Yes. Irene Adler is her name."
"She's beautiful."
"Don't let the looks fool you."
Y/N nodded, setting the photo down. How did Irene know Sherlock? And why was Irene wanting Y/N to convince Sherlock to get back on Blackwoods case? There was a picture of her in Sherlock's room. They have to be close.
Dirtier then when he left, with still the faux nose on his face, Sherlock walked in. There was a sense of shame lacing his features, that only grew when he caught sight of Y/N in the room. His eyes avoided her as he went and sat down in front of a small mirror. He began taking off the nose and wiping his face off.
"Look at you," John commented, focused on the newspaper he was now reading. His feet were propped up on the table near him. "Why is the only woman you've ever cared about a world class criminal? Are you a masochist?"
"Allow me to explain-" Sherlock tried.
"Allow me! She's the only adversary who ever out smarted you. Twice."
"Twice?" Y/N repeated. She raised her brow at Sherlock. "Wow."
"Made a proper idiot out of him."
"Right," Sherlock stood up, heading towards John. "You've had your fun."
"What she after, anyway?"
"It's time to press on."
"What could she possibly need?"
"It doesn't matter."
"An alibi? a beard? A human canoe. She can sit on you back and paddle you up the Thames." Y/N laughed at that.
"That's no consequence to you really, it is Watson?" Sherlock reached John. "We've done our, last case together."
"You have?" Y/N questioned. "Shame. I was hoping that John would continue to have stories to tell when I visit him and Mary."
"And I couldn't tell you them myself?" Y/N shrugged. "Would you like to have a seat?" He awkwardly gestured to a chair nearby. Y/N nodded and made her way to sit. Sherlock stared at her for a second too long before moving to pick up a pile of papers.
"I've already read it," John stated, not even looking at Sherlock. He threw them back down. "Missing person. Luke Reordan." Sherlock reached down for his violin. "4 foot 10, read hair, no front teeth. Case solved. You're obviously not her type. She likes gingered dwarfs."
"Midgets."
"So, you agree."
"No, I don't agree. It's more than a technicality, you see." He moved closer to John. "You are misrepresenting the dimensions of foreshortened peoples."
"I've said too much. I can tell, I've upset you."
"No, I'm just simply stating, that one has-"
"What were you doing?"
"Will you allow me to explain?"
"I wish you would," Y/N responded, the men turning to face her. She crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm waiting."
Sherlock then sat down, began to play his violin and talk about how Irene asked him to work on a case. He obviously needed to follow her, hence the run in with him in the disguise. He followed Irene until she got into a carriage. There he crashed into the horses, forcing the carriage to stop. Sherlock then went up to the window to beg for money. The man in the carriage had his face hidden but whipped out a gun at Sherlock. At the mention of the man Y/N gasped slightly, which didn't go unnoticed by Sherlock.
"This man intrigues me," Sherlock said, putting his violin on his lap. "He's got Adler on edge."
"Which is no mean feat," John said.
"She's intimidated, she's scared of him."
"Yet she work's for him."
Sherlock placed his violin on the floor. "Right."
"It's nothing to do with me, but I advise you to leave the case alone."
"Well I may not have a choice, hmm?" He leaned back in his chair. "After all, I may be paying the rent on my own soon. Thanks to you." He pointed his violin bow at John.
"Get that out of my face."
"It's not in your face, it's in my hand."
"Get what's in your hand out of my face."
"You two are utter children around each other, aren't you?" Y/N questioned, shaking her head.
"Mr. Holmes?" A man called, entering the room.
"Clarkie!" Sherlock responded. Y/N turned to see that the new visitor was a member of the police force.
"Sir, Inspector Lestrade asks you come with me at once."
"What's he done now, lost his way to Scotland Yard?" Sherlock chuckled, causing John to do so as well. "Watson, grab a compass. 'You' means 'us'."
"No, you means you," John replied.
"It's Lord Blackwood, sir," Clarkie continued. He, uh... Well... it appears he's come back from the grave, sir."
"What?" Y/N gasped. "How is that possible?"
Sherlock leaned forward and put his hands together in front of his face. "Most engaging."
"Very clever," John commented. "I pronounced the man dead myself."
"What are the facts?"
"Groundskeeper claims he saw him walking through the graveyard just this morning, sir," Clarkie answered.
"I'll leave this in your capable hands," John said, pushing himself out of his seat. "I have an appointment with Mary. Y/N, we should-"
"It's not my reputation at stake here," Sherlock stated.
"Don't try that."
"Have the newspapers got wind of it yet?"
"Well that's what we're trying to avoid, sir," Clarkie replied.
"Certainly. What's the major concern?"
"Panic. Sheer bloody panic, sir."
"Indeed."
"You're not taking this seriously, are you, Holmes?" John questioned, astounded.
"Yes, as you should." John scoffed. Sherlock slapped his knee and stood up. "It's a matter of professional integrity. No girl wants to marry a doctor who can't tell if a man's dead or not."
"Well, this is exciting," Y/N said, standing up. "When do we get started?"
"No, no, no," John said, shaking his head. "You're going home."
"What? I can help. Plus I'd just sit there and read anyway. What's the harm in me coming?"
Sherlock smirked. "Yeah, Watson," he agreed. "What's the harm in her coming? We could always use an extra set of eyes."
"Besides, I am a grown woman. I can make my own decisions."
"That settles it then." Sherlock walked over to Y/N, a small smile on his face. "She's coming with us."