A/N- Sooo... this chapter, well, I don't think it's my best but I like where it's going. As per usual didn't go how I planned it might but I had an idea and ran with it... oops XD
Not edited yet... enjoy :)
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Darcy's POV
The final morning waking up in that hotel bed was both an absolute blessing but also terribly upsetting. I had grown used to having my own bed, my own room. All alone. Just me. No sleeping on the sofa.
It was getting close to my eighteenth birthday and I couldn't sleep on Sherlock and John's sofa for the rest of my life. The job Mycroft had offered was looking somewhat appealing in the ten minutes I lay awake that morning in that comfortable bed. I could be an MI6 agent or some kind of espionage person, frankly I had no clue what exactly it was Mycroft was specifically have me doing.
So, I quickly rejected the thought and got on with getting changed, then putting the clothes I had left in the wardrobe back in my suitcase that I'd left on the floor. I didn't bother to try and put any of them back in nicely, I'd deal with it when we got home.
The stairs to the lower floor were a nightmare to heave my suitcase down since they were small and case I had to carry kept hitting the walls. About halfway down the stairs I had a thought, I don't know where it came from but it was a sudden thought that bothered me for the next couple of steps I took.
So, I put my case on a large-ish step and left it before heading back upstairs. There weren't all that many rooms in the inn and I knew which one was Sherlock and John's, so it was just a matter of process of elimination. By knocking on doors and seeing who answered.
The first couple of rooms I tried were answered by older couples and I just had to apologise politely before moving on to the next room. Until I ended up with one left and knocked lightly on the door. No answer.
So where the hell was Scott?
I knocked once more on the door but a little louder this time and still no answer. So I just sighed and walked back to where I left my suitcase, picked it up and looked back at the hallway once more before carrying on down the stairs. When I got to the bar area Sherlock was stood there waiting for something, probably tea.
"Hi, Sherlock." I greeted with a smile and put my case on the floor by my feet, then took my room key from my pocket and stood by the bar next to him.
Sherlock just nodded in greeting and I stood waiting for Gary or Billy to appear. Which they did soon enough as Gary handed Sherlock two mugs of tea, after which Sherlock walked out the inn without saying a word, and Gary then came straight over to me.
"Checking out?" He asked with a smile although underneath it all he looked nervous. Really nervous.
"Yeah, thanks, Gary." I answered and put the key on the bar, he took it and walked over to the rack of keys.
When he returned he just smiled and tapped the bar. "It's all paid for, no problems." He assured me but then frowned as I remained standing at the bar.
"Scott Livingstone. Room 14? Do you know where he's gone?" I asked blankly and just stared straight at him. His nervousness was a gateway to get the information I wanted, he was still on edge about the hound situation.
Gary looked at me uneasily and seemed to think about whether or not he could answer before deciding, "He checked out as soon as he could this morning."
I nodded and picked up my suitcase. "Thanks, Gary." With that I left the inn and wandered outside, I stood there for a little while and flinched at the brightness of the sun. Honestly, since I was wearing all black I was overheating and considered going back inside had I not spotted John and Sherlock sat at a table.
"Morning, you two." I greeted as I sat opposite them on the picnic table and put my suitcase on the floor next to the table. Neither of them said hello in return. "Well aren't you both cheery this morning?" I commented sarcastically and rolled my eyes.
John looked up from the plate of food he was eating and seemed to go back to the conversation they were both having before I arrived. "Listen, what happened to me in the lab?" He asked.
Sherlock and I shared a look briefly, he reached for the sauce container, "D'you want some sauce with that?" He tried to change the subject and I span on the bench to face sideways and look at nothing in particular.
John looked between us and gestured with his fork as he spoke, "I mean, I hadn't been to the Hollow, so how come I heard those things in there? Fear and stimulus, you said."
"Well, maybe you were dosed with it somewhere else?" I suggested and John quirked an eyebrow at me in disbelief. "Pipes." I stated out of nowhere. "In the lab, the pipes looked pretty old... they may have been leaky?" Even as I said it I didn't believe myself.
Sherlock continued to look through the sauces. "Um, ketchup, was it John? Or brown...?" He asked in an attempt to change the subject again.
"Hang on, you thought it was in the sugar." John argued and Sherlock just stared back at him, trying to appear nonchalant. "You were convinced it was in the sugar."
Sherlock looked over at me and then cleared his throat, "Better get going, actually." I reached from my suitcase as he looked at his watch. "There's a train that leaves in half an hour, so if you want..."
John's eyes widened as he looked over at me and then realised. "Oh God. It was you two. You locked me in that bloody lab."
"Being honest, I didn't actually know that was the plan and I didn't enjoy it. Not for a second." I told him and put a hand on my heart. Sherlock frowned at me and John raised his eyebrows, neither of them believing me.
Sherlock then turned to John and appeared to look apologetic. "I had to. It was an experiment."
"An experiment?!" John exclaimed and people looked over at out table, so Sherlock and I shushed him as we noticed all the staring faces. "I was terrified, Sherlock. I was scared to death." John continued angrily but quieter this time.
I sighed and shook my head. "Sherlock thought the drug was in the sugar, so..." I paused in thought for a moment and then smiled, "... he put the sugar in your coffee, the one he made when we were questioning Billy and Gary. You, John, disregarded it as Sherlock's negligence to remember how you like your coffee."
"I arranged everything with Major Barrymore." Sherlock added whilst John sighed exasperatedly. "It was all totally scientific, laboratory conditions- well, literally. I knew what effect it had on a superior mind, so I needed to try it on an average one." I snorted a laugh as John looked up from his plate to argue. "You know what I mean." Sherlock said before John could speak and he went back to eating.
There was a moment while John ate that I was unsure of how he would take it and what he was going to say next. "But it wasn't in the sugar." John stated and I internally breathed a sigh of relief.
"Well, no it wasn't, but how were we supposed to know that you had already been exposed to the gas?" I shrugged and turned back around to face them both.
Sherlock nodded in agreement while John just tried not to smirk at him. "So you got it wrong."
"No." Sherlock retorted and I went to say something to agree with John but Sherlock glared at me so I closed my mouth.
John pointed at me with his fork and smirked. "Mmm. You were wrong, Sherlock. It wasn't in the sugar. You got it wrong."
I let out a laugh and raised my eyebrows at Sherlock who relented a little. "A bit." He stated and then smirked as he took a drink from his mug, "It won't happen again."
"Are there any long term effects?" I asked apprehensively as I thought about the reaction Sherlock and I had had because of the drug.
Sherlock smiled fondly and nodded. "None at all. You'll be fine once you've excreted it. We all will."
"Think I might have taken care of that already." John commented and I stifled a laugh, covering my mouth with the back of my hand.
Sherlock seemed to look out into the area around the inn and something must have caught his eye as he stood up rather quickly. "Where are you going?" I asked and shuffled down the bench so I could see where he was off to.
"Won't be a minute." He answered and turned back around to face me. "Gotta see a man about a dog."
I watched as he walked over to Gary who was by a table and he smiled at us apologetically before going back inside. Sherlock started to follow after him but I got up and hurried over, stopping him by putting a hand on his arm. "Sherlock." Reluctantly he turned and I caught him roll his eyes.
"You don't happen to know why Scott left, do you?" I asked and crossed my arms.
Sherlock frowned and pretended to think. "Who?" I raised my eyebrows and stared at him angrily. "Oh, him. Why would you assume I knew anything about his whereabouts?"
"I didn't ask if you knew where he was but if you knew why he wasn't here any more." I retorted snarkily.
Sherlock merely shrugged a little and flicked his collar down as he walked inside the inn. I glared at his retreating form but then just sighed before making my way back over to John.
"What was that about?" He asked as soon as I sat back down in front of him.
I shook my head and put my arms on the table. "Nothing, just had a couple of things to clear up." I gave John a smile as he glanced up from his plate of food sceptically and I smiled a little in return, he seemed to accept my answer then and go back to eating.
That was all John did, eat, until Sherlock returned and said we would miss the train if we didn't leave now. John then slept on the train and Sherlock just stared out the window at the passing scenery. I was left to my own devices and ended up walking up and down the train, mainly getting in peoples' way as they had actual places to go and seats to sit in.
No doubt, Sherlock had let my seat be taken by some cyclist who's bicycle was cluttering the standing areas. I was currently glaring at a bike that had fallen from the rack and was strewn in the walkway, it was severe trip hazard but also not my problem. So I simply stepped over it with ease and continued my walk back to where I was hoping I would still have a seat with Sherlock and John.
My face lit up as I saw the empty seat next to John and I hastened my walk in order to get there just before anyone else decided to turn up to take it. I flopped into the seat and pulled my leg up to my chest, resting my foot on the seat.
John was still asleep and Sherlock was still ignoring me. But there was no surprise there.
Which meant I was very surprised when he spoke out of the blue, so much so that my foot slipped off the seat. "Any text messages?" He asked suddenly but still kept staring out the window.
"What? No, why?" I virtually gasped and looked over at him in confusion.
Finally, he turned his head to look at me and asked again, "Any phone calls?"
"No, who would be calling me?" I chuckled and put my leg back up on the seat as I got comfy. Sherlock tilted his head questioningly and I glared over at him because of what he was insinuating. "If you're asking if Scott has been in touch- and god knows why you'd be asking- he hasn't been in touch, no."
Sherlock nodded and turned back towards the window, he returned to sitting in silence and occasionally his moved to look over at me. John's snores were getting on my nerves and I contemplated going for a walk again, however Sherlock's behaviour was considerably more interesting.
Seems Anxious. Therefore- Suspicious.
"Something the matter?" I asked him and when he turned his head slowly I quirked an eyebrow suspiciously.
Sherlock shook his head and tried to appear unperturbed. "No."
"You sure? You seem a little... off." I tried to coax him into admitting what was on his mind.
He just snorted a laugh, "Off? When he started to shake his head I just gave him a look as he pretended to not belief what I was suggesting. "Excited to get home that's all." He shrugged and went back to the window.
"Excited about the thought of new case, more like." I muttered to myself and craned my neck to look out the window as we arrived back in London. We started to pull into the station and slowed down, the jarring of the train jerked John awake and he slipped down in his seat. "Evening, John." I commented and smirked at him as he stretched his arms out.
Sherlock started to get all of his things together and put his coat back on as John rubbed his and asked, "What time is it?"
"Time to get off the train." Sherlock answered firmly and picked up John's suitcase, holding it out to him.
I chuckled to myself and reached up for my case, Sherlock soon took off down the aisle and I followed quickly after him. Well, as quickly as I could with my suitcase that kept getting in the way.
Once we were on the platform, a tired John wasn't too far behind us, Sherlock marched towards the exit. Deciding it was better for me to keep up with him that wait behind for John I picked up the pace a little and managed to walk by his side.
Sherlock kept giving me sideways glances as we walked out the train station and once we had made it outside I made Sherlock wait for John who hadn't managed to cat up with us. Sherlock paced back and forth in agitation as we waited.
"Come on, what else have you got to do today?" I remarked and put my case by my feet then stretched out my aching hand. Sherlock just glared at me in return and I rolled my eyes before looking into the station for John.
I spotted him making his way through the crowd and waving at me, signalling us to wait but we already were. He made it through the masses of moving people and breathed a sigh of relief, "Thanks for waiting."
Sherlock just tutted and walked off again. "You're welcome." I said cheerily and followed after Sherlock again, with John able to keep up this time.
We soon flagged down a cab and with our luggage we sat snugly in the back. It didn't take long to arrive at Baker Street and Sherlock now seemed content in the fact that my phone hadn't gone off once.
That wasn't the case when we got home as we had barely unpacked our cases when Sherlock's phone started to ring. Of course he ignored it.
"Who was that?" I queried as I left Sherlock's room, where I kept my clothes, and then went into the kitchen to put the kettle on. "Sherlock?" I added when he didn't respond.
"Lestrade." He answered from the living room.
My eyes widened and I moved to stand in the doorway. "So why didn't you answer?"
He merely shrugged and John appeared from the stairway, holding shopping bags full of food. "What's happened?"
"Sherlock ignored Lestrade." I answered sternly and went back to the kettle.
John sighed and followed me, putting the bags on the kitchen table. "Did he say why?"
"Nope. No doubt he's just being his usual stubborn self." I remarked and poured three mugs of tea as the kettle finished boiling.
It was then that my phone started to ring and stopped pouring immediately to go find it. I'd left it in Sherlock's room and picked it up off the bedside table, then looked at the caller ID.
Lestrade.
I'd forgotten that he'd given me his number in case of emergencies, whether that was for his benefit or mine I wasn't sure. So, I pressed answered and walked back in the direction of the kitchen. "Lestrade, can I help you?"
"Hi, Darcy, Sherlock isn't answering and I can't get through to John. Are you lot back from Devon yet, or not?" He asked through the phone and I put my device on speaker so John could hear it and left it on the table.
"Yeah, we're back Greg." John answered for me as I finished off making the tea. "What's up?"
Lestrade made a kind of disgruntled noise which caused Sherlock to get up and linger in the doorway to the kitchen. "Been a murder, probably gonna need some help with it." Lestrade spoke with the hope in his voice that we'd agree.
"We've literally just got back, Greg." John whined and I tilted my head a little as I took a sip of my tea. John moved to stand next to me and picked up his own mug, whereas Sherlock hadn't even noticed I'd done anything.
Lestrade sighed and I knew he was holding his phone a little away from his face. "You'll want it." He said finally and there seemed to be a little apprehension in his voice.
"How bad is it?" Sherlock asked in his monotone voice and crossed his arms.
Lestrade groaned a little and I took a sip of my tea as he replied, "Bad. Really bad, we need the help."
Sherlock looked over at John and myself, I slurped on my tea and shrugged at his questioning glance. He smirked a little and demanded, "Where?"
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The address Lestrade had given sent chills up my spine and made Sherlock even more... off than he was earlier. He kept glaring at me as I sat opposite him in the cab on the way to the crime scene, I knew it wasn't directed at me but the situation.
We pulled up outside the building and it looked completely different when there weren't so many people hanging around. Aside from the masses of police officers and members of the public who were curious as to what had gone on inside.
"The Elizabeth Hotel." Sherlock stated as we got out of the cab and stared up at the building. "Bring back some memories?" He sneered.
I glared up at him and pulled my coat rightly around me. "Shut up, Sherlock." I said sternly and walked over to Lestrade who was stood by the steps to the door waiting for us. "Lestrade." I greeted firmly and he sighed before smiling a little.
"Alright you lot." Lestrade spoke solemnly and looked between us all.
Sherlock nodded and put his hands in his coat pockets. "Where's the body?"
"Penthouse suite." Lestrade answered and sighed, "Look, I reckon we should just get up and have a look, yeah?"
As soon as he said Penthouse my breathing quickened and I refused to say a word when either Lestrade or John asked me what was wrong. The elevator ride up to the suite was silent and I couldn't tell if Sherlock was happy about getting a case or the potential victim that could be up there waiting for us.
It wouldn't break my heart if it was him lying there on the tiled floor because I didn't feel things that way. I suppose it would upset me a little at losing someone who I knew but it wasn't like he was my best friend or friend at all for that matter, just someone who hung around.
That was it.
When the doors to the lift opened I put my hands in my coat pockets to stop them from shaking at the sight of all the police officers. "Take us to the body." Sherlock ordered as he stepped out the lift.
"The deceased is Scott Livingstone, one gunshot wound to the head." Lestrade explained and I stopped dead in my tracks.
Sherlock and John just continued to walk, Sherlock looked over his shoulder and I could see he was trying not to look pleased. Lestrade led them towards a room on the right hand side of the suite but I just stood in the open plan living area, not knowing what to do.
That's when a voice, from one of the rooms behind me, was so familiar and clear that I could hear it over all of the muffled voices of the police officers. "Thank god you're all here."
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Thoughts? Yes, Cliffhanger I know ;)
Did you like how it ended, despite the cliffhanger? Like I said I had an idea and ran with it... I'm going to plan it out a bit more though for the next chapter XD
Please vote and comment, means a lot to me ;)
-HBH xxxx
Disclaimer- I don't own any of the characters, except Darcy and Scott, or any lines from the show. Those rights belong to the BBC and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.