#it was something with Holmes insulting one of the inspectors' minds :))

[mustfindcreativeusername]

Huh. I read this in Romanian and with books here we don't have the dialogue in quotes. So for me what Watson says was written like

- These are the records of your early work, then? I asked. I have often wished that I had notes of those cases.

So I was today years old when I found out he actually says that out loud. The second sentence, I mean. I thought he just told us, the readers. And also Holmes doesn't really acknowledge the "I have often wished" thing, so. Yeah.

Huh

hey, do you all remember when Sherlock Holmes was like “all the cases I took on before I met you, Watson, were premature” ??? “You should have been there, Watson” !!! “Before you came into my life I missed you so bad, WATSON” !!!!

[renegadewangs]

Van Zieks - the Examination, part 4

Warnings: SPOILERS for The Great Ace Attorney: Chronicles. Additional warning for racist sentiments uttered by fictional characters (and screencaps to show these sentiments).

Disclaimer: (see  Part 1 for the more detailed disclaimer.) - These posts are not meant to be taken as fact. Everything I’m outlining stems from my own views and experiences. If you believe that I’ve missed or misinterpreted something, please let me know so I can edit the post accordingly. -The purpose of these posts is an analysis, nothing more. Please do not come into these posts expecting me to either defend Barok van Zieks from haters, nor expecting me to encourage the hatred. - I’m using the Western release of The Great Ace Attorney Chronicles for these posts, but may refer to the original Japanese dialogue of Dai Gyakuten Saiban if needed to compare what’s said. This also means I’m using the localized names and localized romanization of the names to stay consistent. -It doesn’t matter one bit to me whether you like Barok van Zieks or dislike him. However, I will ask that everyone who comments refrains from attacking real, actual people.

Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

It’s time to take a close look at Episode 2 of the second game, The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro!

Episode 2-2: The Memoirs of the Clouded Kokoro

Remember how in the last episode we vaguely got Barok on our side near the end of the trial by proving Mrs. Garrideb was actually involved in the crime? … Yeah. Forget that progress. It's being undone. Case 2-2 is the first case of the second game which features Barok, which unfortunately means he needs to be 'reintroduced' to the audience and it takes him back several steps in his growth. It makes sense, I suppose, it would've been weird starting a new game with him already being lightly on Ryu's side. Even so, it's a bit insulting how this case acts as if the chronologically previous one accomplished nothing.

So anyway, this case flashbacks to something which supposedly happened right after the first game's fourth case. The day after Soseki's acquittal, even. Turns out, Soseki awoke to find one of the other tenants in his building dead and asked Ryu for help, but (S)Holmes tagged along. Gregson is at the crime scene, keeping an eye on the place and on Soseki in particular since he's suspicious. (Sure, Gregson. Sure. Has nothing to do with the Reaper's curse, probably.) After some investigation with (S)Holmes, Gregson has enough evidence to actually arrest Soseki, which definitely feels like a step backwards. A bit later, it turns out the victim is Not Actually Dead Yet. Again! The Great Ace Attorney really enjoys throwing us for a loop by pretending we're in for another murder case.

Anyway, during the course of the investigation, I found two mentions of Van Zieks. The first is when you investigate the broken glasses and bottles in the victim's room. Susato is immediately reminded of Lord van Zieks.

And when examining Garrideb's old army uniform, Susato points out it might suit Lord van Zieks.

Haha, as if his usual outfit isn't ostentatious enough already. So we learn that Susato doesn't have a very high opinion of him at all, and I should hope it's not still related to that time he called detective novels pathetic. It's fun of them to refer to him in an investigation that he's not involved in in any way, especially when they don't know yet that he's the prosecution again.

Speaking to Soseki in the gaol, we're once again told that he's had a dreadful time in England so far. He sees foreigners everywhere and he's sure they're all laughing at him. He's been so on edge the past year that he's moved 'more times than he can remember'. So once again, we're reminded that racial prejudice in 1900s England is a focal point of this game's story. Once the conversation is over, Gregson appears to let the gang know that the victim has regained consciousness and is accusing Soseki of poisoning him. We're going to trial for an attempted murder charge, y'all!

The next day, in the defendant's lobby, Susato comes bursting in with the dreadful news that Barok van Zieks has once again taken on the prosecution. It's definitely safe to assume now that either Ryu or Soseki is the reason he's taking on these not-really-murder trials when he normally wouldn't. As I mentioned before, this is his reintroduction in the second game and so the game feels compelled to remind the player of what went down in case 1-4:

He sure did! The game also once again reminds us what the Reaper's Curse entails, and that perhaps that's the reason why Soseki is on trial yet again. He's doomed, perhaps. Susato also informs us that (S)Holmes is running late, just as he was two days ago, and Ryu thinks that's a good thing because if the Great Detective were there, Ryu might come to rely on his help.

… I suppose? He already relies on Susato for help and I feel like that would warrant far more 'preying' from Van Zieks than relying on a male, adult British detective for help. Though knowing (S)Holmes, he'd end up stealing the show and taking the words from Ryu's mouth, but that doesn't seem to be what Ryu's worried about here. I suppose the main point to take away from this remark is that Ryu wants to do as much as he can by himself. He wants to appear strong in front of Van Zieks to avoid presenting an easy target, and I think this might actually be the first time we see a sentiment like that from him. Is he afraid of Van Zieks? Does he actually care about the man's opinion? Anyway, he swears to show Van Zieks what a Japanese lawyer can do.

Inside the courtroom, Van Zieks does the usual prosecutor spiel about how the defense needs to be ready for defeat. Ryu thinks to himself that Van Zieks has a particular animosity towards Japanese people for some reason.

Good thing we got a second game in the series, eh? So because the defendant was on trial only two days ago, the same jurors were chosen where possible. The only juror not returning is Mrs. Garrideb, who's too busy being in prison. Her spot is now taken by a very fancy lady we later learn to be the wife of the Altamont Gas Company's owner. She may as well be the CEO herself with how she's acting, though. Anyway, Van Zieks addresses the jurors directly.

“However, the innocent verdict afforded to this eccentric Nipponese before... has had dire consequences. Did the accused repent for his wrongdoing in that affair? Far from it. Instead, he used his freedom to perpetrate a most blood-curdling crime!”

Van Zieks makes record time by taking off his cloak immediately after this line. He's gone straight into overdrive. The witnesses summoned this time are Inspector Gregson and... Soseki? It's very irregular for the defendant to be testifying, especially this early in the trial and especially by the prosecution's request. I can't really make much of it. It feels like the only reason Soseki is testifying is for this joke:

Also found when examining the testimony is a remark from Van Zieks that I honestly found shocking in how ferocious and scummy it is.

Unnecessary, that remark. It didn't need to exist at all in my opinion. So after Ryu shatters the testimony and scatters Gregson's fish 'n chips, Van Zieks calmly pours himself a glass of wine. I have to be honest, by now whenever he does this I'm left wondering what he'll do next. Will he crush the chalice? Will he throw it? Will he actually take a sip? The versatility of the action and unpredictable nature of Van Zieks add a bit of suspense. Turns out, his mind wandered during the testimony.

And then he ends up crushing the glass in his hand anyway. Alas, poor chalice. We knew it. So after a bit of debating back and forth about whether Shamspeare drank the supposedly-poisoned-tea after Soseki left the room, Van Zieks suddenly falls silent. We get three different, consecutive frames of him going “......” and when the judge asks what's wrong, he says this:

Supersonic hearing, this one. That is, unless the carriage entered the courthouse and literally pulled up in the hallway outside the room? Haven't we learned our lesson from the last time a carriage was driven into the Old Bailey?! So Shamspeare was apparently subpoenaed by the prosecution and has shown up to testify (with his doctor's permission). Bad news for us, since he's the one accusing Soseki in the first place. There's also a second witness to support Shamspeare's insistence there were no other visitors to the room and therefore only Soseki could have poisoned him. After that testimony is over, Van Zieks gets his wish and all the jurors vote guilty.

Van Zieks really seems to think that Soseki is a terrible person deserving of justice, huh? He was right there during the previous trial, saw Ryu prove without a shadow of a doubt that Soseki was innocent and still insists that justice will be done “this time”. Calm the heck down man, you're the one who sided with us when Mrs. Garrideb needed to testify, remember? And here comes another example of the game pretending the previous trials didn't leave an impact; when the Summation Examination is brought up, it's with disdain and this remark:

Bro, we used the Summation Examination successfully like five times already. Sit your butt down and watch the show. The jurors once again give prejudiced reasons for their decisions:

And unfortunately, instead of changing their minds by proving Soseki is a morally upstanding, innocent citizen, Ryu instead gets through this Summation Examination by basically proving Shamspeare is a worse person than Soseki. That's... not the direction you should be taking here, narrative. After convincing four of the jurors that Shamspeare is a fishy liar, Van Zieks flings another chalice of wine in frustration. The judge still thinks he could technically pass a ruling on the trial, since the new information didn't exactly disprove that Soseki is the culprit, but the jurors have been influenced so thoroughly that they can't let this new info go ignored. Testimony from the Altamont Company is allowed! Van Zieks thinks it's a waste of time, of course, and if this were reality it would be. Since it's an Ace Attorney game, we know Shamspeare's gas thievery is bound to somehow be related to the incident. Van Zieks flings yet another chalice after hearing the testimony (how many has it been already? Five?) and very shortly after, he tosses the entire bottle over his shoulder. Susato points out that he seems to be in a violent mood. I feel like someone must've pissed in his oatmeal that morning, because I've got no real explanation for why his character regressed this badly in the course of what chronologically was only two days.

Van Zieks flings two more chalices as the testimony progresses to prove that Shamspeare made fake coins to fool the gas meter. At the end of it all, he supposedly 'throws his hand up in despair and happened to catch his hallowed bottle along the way', flinging yet another one of those into the gallery. I'm starting to feel very bad for the people seated behind him now. Is the game overdoing these quirky animations to compensate for his regressed attitude? Because I'm not sure it's working... Van Zieks continues to insist that the situation hasn't changed and only Soseki could have poisoned the victim, so he calls for immediate adjucation. The game gives Ryu the option to either object or wait and see, and I have to be honest, this gave me pause. After what happened with the penalties in case 1-4, I was sure Van Zieks might dish out more punishment for waiting and seeing. Turns out, he doesn't. Ryu points out that Shamspeare likely used the tea to make these fake frozen coins of his, meaning there's still tea left at the scene of the crime which can be tested for poison.

Head in my hands right now. Again, I get it, they basically had to reintroduce Van Zieks to newcomers of the game (however few there might've been) so they had to regress him a bit, but I really don't like this. He honestly felt like he'd grown at the end of 1-4 and the game's not only undone it, it feels like they've made him even more of a scumbag. This line and this gesture honestly doesn’t quite correspond with the character established in the previous game. Anyway, court adjourned till the next day so the police can test the tea for poison.

During the investigation segment, we get a conversation that I'd quite honestly forgotten even exists. Turns out, (S)Holmes and Van Zieks are acquainted! ...or are they? (S)Holmes says he 'must pass the time of day with Mr. Reaper again, as it's been too long' and when asked whether they're acquainted, (S)Holmes replies that there isn't a person in the world who doesn't know his name, expertly dodging the question. Naturally, a new conversation topic opens up about it, so we can still attempt to needle more details out of him.

He explains the history of the Reaper's curse a bit more. Previous defendants found not-guilty would 'disappear from the capital' by falling under a passing carriage, drowning in the Thames, succumbing to a sudden fever... Etc. Susato points out that if those rumors are true, then surely the obvious conclusion would be that they were killed by Van Zieks's own hand. (S)Holmes points out that's impossible, since Van Zieks was already investigated on the matter before and for every single incident, he had a solid alibi. (This... doesn't disprove Van Zieks had anything to do with it, but okay (S)Holmes. Sure.) (S)Holmes also rubs it in yet again that Van Zieks retired from the courts five years ago and didn't return until the day Naruhodo arrived. I honestly don't know why they keep bringing that 5 year hiatus up in every single case, because as far as I can recall it was never fully explained or relevant.

I love how “foul smell” is wedged in-between those two topics as if it's also related. Anyway the conversation continues when Ryu brings up that Van Zieks seems to have a particular disdain for Japanese people. Susato demands to know whether (S)Holmes knows a bit more about it and while he's silent at first, he relents and tells us a tale (which will apparently be forgotten by Ryu and Susato in case 1-5). Van Zieks “chose to enter the legal profession ten years ago, but before that time, the man's closest companion hailed from the empire of Japan”. Which is a wording that baffles me, because it implies that Van Zieks chose to enter the legal profession at the same moment that Japanese person betrayed him, which we know is not the case. He was already in training to be a prosecutor before that, otherwise how could he possibly have prosecuted the Professor trial? Ryu is shocked and asks to know more, but (S)Holmes says the veil on the events from the past will be lifted soon enough. I'll get back to the implications of what this means for Van Zieks's backstory when we hit this exact same reveal in case 1-5.

Van Zieks is mentioned very little in the rest of the investigation segments. We only learn that he tasked Gregson with finding new clues, much to Gregson's dismay, as there isn't much to be found. The Inspector does immediately leap at new information when we uncover it, which implies he's eager to either please Van Zieks or avoid being scolded by him. I'm assuming the latter, but it's also possible Gregson feels guilty over the whole Reaper thing and Klint's autopsy, and is now compensating by working his hardest to fulfill Van Zieks's requests.

At the very end of the investigation, when evening falls, (S)Holmes reminds us that “it'll be hard to escape the grip of our friend, Mr. Reaper”. The next day, in the defendant's lobby just before the trial begins, Ryu thinks to himself that he doesn't believe in the legend of the Reaper any more than he believes in the convict's curse Soseki keeps mentioning. What's interesting here is that Ryu isn't dreading the confrontation anymore. After the McGilded trial he seemed genuinely intimidated by the concept of going up against Van Zieks (not because of the racism but because of what happened to his first defendant), but now he's not so hesitant anymore. He's beginning to see that Van Zieks can be defeated, that the Reaper thing is nonsense and that protecting his client is a fight worth fighting.

Into the courtroom we go for day 2 of the trial! When the judge asks about the results of the tea test, Van Zieks is silent for a moment. He pours himself a glass of wine, asking for a moment to “savour a liquid of a more sanguine hue”, then refers to Gregson for the full report. Gregson confirms no poison was found in the tea remains, but the prosecution wouldn't be the prosecution (and the game would be pretty boring) if they didn't have a backup plan. When Ryu proclaims Soseki is innocent, Van Zieks accuses him of jumping to conclusions, “a typical Nipponese reaction”. It's also a typical prosecution reaction to be hypocritical, no surprises here. He throws his chalice (first one of the day) and summons Shamspeare back to the stand to testify about how Soseki's unpoisoned and undrank cup of tea had been used to make the ice coins.

There's some lines here that I thought I might as well include:

“Yet on occasion, tedium distracts me and I pour more times than I intended until the bottle is dry.”

You know, it occurs to me that this drink is pretty much confirmed to be wine. He's very extra when talking about it himself, but he had his silly little wine analogies in the previous case and Susato referred to his glasses as “wine glasses”. And you would think it's obvious that it's wine, but we know Ace Attorney's long history with 'grape juice'. Either way, this dialogue leaves a pretty harsh implication that Van Zieks drinks alcohol simply to distract himself from troublesome moods. Sure, he says “tedium”, but this is a stoic prosecutor in the year 1900. They referred to depression as “melancholia” back then, and since he doesn't appear to have any friends, I expect he experiences “tedium” quite often outside the courtroom. He apparently set a rule for himself not to fill his glass more than seven times during a trial which, in turn, implies he's aware any more would cause problems. All of this is moot, of course, since 80% of the wine he pours for himself ends up on the floor between shards of glass. Still, though... Zieks, are you okay?

I don't think he is, because he pulls a very dirty trick here. Ryu proves Soseki drank all his tea and therefore it couldn't possibly have been used, so Van Zieks insinuates to Shamspeare that perhaps he misremembered using the tea from Soseki's cup and instead used tea still left in the teapot. An excuse Shamspeare happily takes, of course. Not gonna lie, I got angry, not because it's a dirty trick but because it's inconsistent. This is the very same character who all but dragged Mrs. Garrideb down from the juror bench to testify when it became clear she likely threw a knife out the window. And now he's feeding slippery excuses to a man who's very clearly lying about all sorts of things? What??? And remember this incident, because I'm going to be referring back to it later.

He crushes another chalice, removes his cloak and continues to insist that we should believe this thieving liar at the witness stand. The jurors for some reason buy the baloney served to them on a tinfoil platter and even twist Ryu's sentiments around, with some bloke going as far as to interpret the situation as 'the lawyer lad believes anyone who steals gas deserves to be poisoned'. Summation Examination gets very funky this time around, with the outcome being that Shamspeare probably blew the gas pipes (s-snerk) and the poison was laced on the pipe.

Van Zieks pours himself a glass of wine and pretty much immediately flings it, saying these are all empty assertions without a shred of proof. When Ryu presents the picture with the skin prints, Van Zieks once again breaks the rule of the prosecution staying silent during Summation Examination to point out that skin prints cannot be used as evidence, since that method is not recognized by the court (yet). Aaand he crushes yet another chalice in his hand.

Susato claims it was never meant to be used as official evidence, it was only a tool to demonstrate a new possibility to the jury. Jumping through some loopholes here, we are, since the picture is clearly in our Court Record as evidence. But, well, the prosecution cheats too so what's the harm? Some jurors vote not-guilty, but there's still one more that needs convincing on order to keep the trial going. Ryu says he has a witness who's already testified that the pipe-blowing incident did indeed occur that night, as Soseki stated the other day before the court that his stove went out in the dead of night. (Hang on, is this why the narrative made him testify alongside Gregson?) With that the majority of the jury votes not-guilty and the trial has to continue, but Van Zieks is extra rattled now. (Another bottle goes soaring.)

He once again reminds the court that skin prints aren't admissible evidence and therefore, there is no real proof Shamspeare put his mouth to the pipes (ghghhh I'm sorry this is such a silly thing to have to type out). Ryu asks for an investigative team to test the mouth of the gas pipe for poison, but since it would've evaporated by now, that's a no-go. Also, Van Zieks says that “what appears to be simple is my Nipponese friend's mind” and that's a scumbag point. Ryu attempts to turn the trial around by claiming that Shamspeare attempted to kill Soseki, making the defendant the victim, but Van Zieks ain't having it. The aggrieved being the accused is an interesting notion, but doesn't change what actually happened. In fact, if anything, it establishes a motive for Soseki to lay a trap for Shamspeare. Because who else could have known about the gas pipe trickery and put the poison there, right? Why, the true culprit, of course.

Our man Van Zieks really doesn't like (S)Holmes, huh? A tidbit which the games will never bother to explain! Either way, Ryu raises the name of Olive Green, the victim of the previous case. And I gotta say, I do genuinely like the way they integrated these two Clouded Kokoro cases together. The chronology of everything that went down is very fun to decipher, but long story short, Olive Green was at Briar Road the day she was stabbed for a reason and knows more about the 'convict curse' Soseki and Garrideb kept mentioning, so let's drag her into court! Van Zieks agrees to subpoena Miss Green in order to 'see his Nipponese friend's farce through to its conclusion'.

So during intermission some more evidence is handed to Ryu and when trial resumes, Van Zieks continues to be his usual self.

“The prosecution has tried to extend every courtesy to this amateur newcomer from dubious Eastern shores.”

Ryu sweats bullets as he meekly thanks Van Zieks “(for his backhanded consideration)”, but once again the judge is the one to call Van Zieks out on his attitude.

Amazing. It's so refreshing to see a judge who actually disagrees with the prosecution's haughty attitude problems and acknowledges it has no place in a courtroom. Nothing against Udgey, because we all love Udgey (and his Canadian brother), but this man actually grows and learns. So Olive Green takes the stand alongside Shamspeare (maybe not the best idea since Ryu just accused her of trying to murder this man) for dual testimony. When Green brings up what a dreadful ordeal the knife to her back was, Van Zieks says this:

Hang on, empathy? He's giving her advice? This reeks of humanization! Green seems taken aback and thanks him for his words, so the sentiment was genuinely accepted. This in itself is a very nice scene to see in action, similar to Van Zieks allowing Roly Beate to keep his job. Unfortunately, Van Zieks's character is in a wild rollercoaster of moral inconsistency during this particular case which sours the experience somewhat. Case in point:

YOOOU hypocrite! This actively angered me, because at the very start of this same trial day he was personally feeding lies to Shamspeare. Now he's warning Green not to lie? It gets even worse a bit later on when Green gets cornered about stealing the note, she asks him whether it could all be some sort of misunderstanding, and he says:

ACTIVELY FEEDING SHAMSPEARE A LIE. THE VERY SAME DAY. I'm all for prosecutors using dirty tactics. It helps to juxtapose them further to the honest defense attorney we play as. However, it needs to be consistent. Either a prosecutor condones a witness's lies to help their case, or they feel that they're above it. The third, most used option is for them to start off condoning it, only to learn that truth takes priority over victory. This sloppy back-and-forth morality that Van Zieks has going on here is insanely frustrating, so it's no wonder some players end up disliking him. It honestly feels as if they rewrote this case so many times, they screwed up the exact growth trajectory Van Zieks has.

Anyway, it seems Van Zieks is suddenly fully on our side now to help Ryu prove that Green was in Shamspeare's room and laced the gas pipe with poison. And I mean help help. When the judge points out that if Green had laced the pipe the very same day she was stabbed, the attempted murder would have happened six days ago. Van Zieks is the one to say “Perhaps not, My Lord” and explain Briar Road was full of police at that time. At this point, Van Zieks and Ryu (and also Susato) actively start to take turns to explain the proper chronology of events. So the defense and the prosecution are in perfect sync right now, working together to explain the whodunnit. This is the ideal outcome to any trial, usually not seen until the last case of the game, so it's curious that this dynamic abruptly shows itself in a case like this. Van Zieks does still have one moment of gaslighting when he claims Ryu may have inhaled some dubious gas, causing his judgment to be clouded, since there's no motive behind Shamspeare's attempts on his fellow lodgers. A matter that's very easily resolved, of course. Once the name of Selden is brought up, Van Zieks continues our little game of back-and-forth-truth-reveal until (S)Holmes shows his face.

“Your usual haunts are the filthy backstreets of the capital, are they not?”

To which (S)Holmes replies that it's been too long, and Van Zieks's complexion has worsened since last they met. Alright, so Van Zieks and (S)Holmes definitely have met in person before, some undetermined amount of time ago. You'd think that going by (S)Holmes's friendly attitude they might've even been friends once, but our great detective is like that towards everyone. This is evidenced by an earlier encounter with Gregson where (S)Holmes insists they're friends and Gregson says that they're not friends, to which (S)Holmes quietly agrees. So really, this little exchange tells us nothing about the history between the great detective and the Reaper.

Some shenaniganry, a breakdown and admittance to guilt later, the court is finally ready to deem Soseki innocent. Van Zieks once again has some interesting lines here:

“And one I certainly didn't envisage walking... with you.”

Considering he attempted to trip us up for most of this walk up until the very last stretch, I don't like this remark very much. It feels very unearned. This is another one of those things that would've been more suitable in the last case of the game, but instead it's being crammed into a messy mid-game moment with the pretense that Van Zieks learned a lesson about being our ally.

In the defendant's lobby, the game basically gives the exact same dialogue as at the end of the original Clouded Kokoro case; that Soseki is returning to Japan and hopes to pen his own literature there, with the rest of the cast pointing out that the Reaper's Curse must factor into his decision to some degree. So we're still holding onto that question of whether Soseki will escape an untimely death or not. Anyone who's already played the last case of the first game will know the answer, of course.

So to summarize... I genuinely didn't enjoy Van Zieks's portrayal in this case. It really feels as if something went horribly wrong and they got some notes mixed up about where his character was already headed in the previous game. It's a crying shame. There was a lot of potential for a case set between 1-4 and 1-5, but they really dropped the ball when it comes to consistency and I've no doubt that it reflected badly on people's opinions of him. Though I think when we return to the first game for The Unspeakable Story, everything will right itself out again to some degree. Stay tuned!

[dragon-kazansky]

A rose in London - Sherlock Holmes

I would be a fool to not use this gif

Chapter 9 - The Grand Hotel

When Sherlock reached the end of your street, for a moment he stopped and turned around. There was a smile on his face as he looked at your door, which was closed now you were inside. His smile was warm and genuine. Having spent this amount of time in your company, and the fact you still want to be around him, has only brought the pair of you closer.

The kiss on the cheek was not a simple 'see you later' either. He did it because he wanted to.

He turned back around and carried on. He needed to speak to a certain someone.

The Grand Hotel was where Irene Adler was staying. Apparently in the room they shared once before. Getting in was not a problem for Mr. Holmes. He found the room easily, despite how long it had been since he was last here. The detective knelt down in front of it and turned to his tool kit. He grabbed what he needed and popped them into the keyhole, barely turning the device when the door opened.

Irene Adler, barely dressed in only a sheet, was standing over him with a smile on her face.

"Well, perhaps you'll have better luck opening that." Irene held out a bottle of wine to him.

Sherlock put away his tools as he got to his feet.

"How is it going with our case you refuse to take?" Irene asked, making her way behind a screen, dropping the sheet from around her in view.

"Oh, I've hit a dead end. Literally."

Irene didn't look convinced as she looked at him. She turned away and began to cover herself up with a satin purple robe.

"I found your man. He's buried in Blackwood's tomb. If you still need him." Sherlock trailed off.

"Oh dear. Hope my client doesn't coming looking for a refund."

"He's a professor, isn't he? I couldn't see his face, but I spotted a bit of chalk on his lapel. I've never known a professor to carry a gun and on such a clever contraption." He was referring to when he had hopped out of the window the previous day, upon your arrival. He had chased Irene Adler to see where she was going. The man in the carriage had sprung a gun on him, though he was in disguise. It flew from his sleeve attached to a device. Quite clever really.

"Eye patch." Adler knew what he was talking about, she hadn't realised it was him at the time, however. "Nice touch. So, case closed. Which makes this a social visit."

"No, it's a you're in over your head Irene, visit. Whoever killed your man is covering their tracks." Sherlock was struggling to open the bottle of wine he had been handed. "Which makes you the next loose end to be snipped." Sherlock struggled some more with the cork, eventually it gave a pop as it came out.

"Let it breathe." Adler ordered lightly. "I've never been in over my head."

"Leave now. Disappear." He poured the wine. "You're good at that, or stay and volunteer for protective custody."

Irene came out from behind the screen to reveal the purple kimono. Sherlock was taken a little off guard by her appearance as he looked he rover. She wasn't at all trying to be discreet.

"If I'm in danger, so are you." She came to stand right beside him. "Come with me." He didn't say anything. "What if we trusted each other? Hmm?"

"You're not listening. I'm taking you to either the railway station or the police station."

Irene looked him in the eye as she tried to read him, tried to find something she was curious about. Whatever it was she was not getting from just looking at him.

"That woman who was in your flat, who was she?"

Sherlock halted his actions for a moment, not expecting you seem important to Irene. Neither one of you knew each other and he felt this was an unusual topic to bring up.

"A friend of Watson's."

"I've never met her before."

"They've only been friends for about a year. I also wasn't aware you knew all of Doctor Watson's friends." He eyed curiously.

"I don't." She was still trying to read his expression, but it was becoming pointless.

"Then she is not of importance to you." Sherlock gave a small twitch of a smile as he picked up the wine glasses he had just filled. He handed one to Irene.

"No. She isn't." She agreed.

They clinked their glasses and Sherlock drank his in one. Irene didn't and put her glass down instantly. Sherlock noticed. He looked at her. He was beginning to feel a little funny. Irene only smiled at him as he no longer found it easy to stand and fell back into a chair behind him. She had drugged him.

For a moment, Sherlock found it rather difficult to say anything. His mind was becoming fuzzy.

"You decide.... which will it be." He tried to keep going. It was getting quite hard to focus.

Irene hurried to his side and stopped him from falling onto the floor.

"I told you to let it breathe." She cradled his face. "Can you taste the comet?"

Sherlock spotted the syringe under the table. He knew exactly what she had done. Injected the drug into the wine bottle, and because the seal was wax, melted it over the hole the syringe would have made to smooth it out again. He hadn't known at all.

Irene pulled the man into her, letting his head rest on her shoulder. He wasn't at all able to push away or do anything about this situation. All he could do was think. He was thinking about you. He was glad he had sent you home. He didn't want you and Irene to meet. He didn't want Irene to do anything to you.

He didn't want Irene to take you away from him.

There was concern settle in his mind about Irene asking about you, but it seemed, from her reaction, that right now you were not important to her. He knew he could rely on John if anything did happen, despite the argument that took place in the yard.

"Oh, why couldn't you just come away with me?"

Sherlock was trying to say something, but it just came out as grunts. She cradled his face once more and gave him a long kiss. It only broke apart when he fell unconscious. She let him fall.

When morning came around, and Sherlock came to, the detective found himself in quite a situation.

He blinked his eyes awake and chose to ignore the pounding headache as he adjusted to the bright room. When he came to his sense he realised everything at once.

Sherlock was as naked as the day he was born and he was handcuffed to the bed.

A cushion rested over his crotch and he was certain the key to the cuffs was under it.

Irene Adler was gone, so all he could do was wait for help, which came in the form of the cleaner. The door opened and the woman entered, halting instantly and screaming at the sight.

"Madam, I need you to remain calm and trust me, I'm a professional. Underneath this pillow lies the key to my release." He said calmly.

Not happy and feeling rather disgusted, the maid stormed out.

Sherlock looked down at the bed sheets. Of course she would react like that. It, of course, didn't come out as he had intended it to, so when the police arrived, he wasn't surprised.

He was released and permitted to get dressed.

"Of course, she misinterpreted my intention entirely." Sherlock explained the officer as they sat in a carriage.

"Naturally, sir."

"And that's why I find this modern religious further so troubling. There is no latitude for misunderstanding."

The officer continued to agree.

"And chambermaids were once of a liberal breed."

"My wife's a chambermaid." The officer stated.

Sherlock froze for a moment.

"Anyhow, it would a good thing she was offended, sir, or we would never have found you." The officer continued, not sounding insulted by the previous remark. Sherlock went along with it and agreed. "The Inspector had been over to Baker Street himself this morning, sir."

Silence fell between them as Sherlock, still feeling awkward, tried to think of something else to say.

The officer leaned forwards and said, "just joking about the wife, sir."

Sherlock was relieved.

The detective was filled in on what took place last night. Sir Thomas Rotheram was found dead in his bathtub. They were on their way to the crime scene, where you were waiting for Sherlock. The detective was relieved to know you were alright. He had held concern over you about Irene.

His heart seemed to skip a beat at the thought of you.

Tags:

@awyr @fandombeehive @charmed-asylum  @sigynbandraoi-blog @procrastinatingmurder @madshelily @phantomofhogwarts @photography-to-all

[victoriaholmeswriting]

A Waste of Talent

Chapter Two: Lestrade’s Relief

Read it on AO3!

Rating: M

Words: 895

  D.I. Lestrade sat at his desk eating a glazed donut and re-examining the crime scene notes.  Donovan and Anderson were rambling on -- well, more like ranting -- about the details of the case and the unexplained poison, but Lestrade wasn’t listening.  He didn’t need the genius deductive skills of Sherlock Holmes to know they had nothing and were merely stalling.  This happened every time he brought Sherlock and John in on a case.  He no longer had any patience for their jealousy and honestly wished they weren’t so under-staffed as he would gladly be rid of them.

  He looked up at the sound of footsteps approaching and honestly could have hugged both of the men that entered his office.

  “Oh, thank God!” he exclaimed as they made their way in.

  With a nasty sneer on his face, Anderson opened his mouth to say something no doubt cruel.  He quickly closed it again, however, when he noticed John’s glare.

  Sherlock locked  eyes with Lestrade as he coldly remarked, “There seems to be too many people in the room, Lestrade.  The level of stupid is suffocating.”  His baritone voice dropped lower to carefully emphasize the last word. 

  Lestrade snapped his fingers at Donovan and Anderson.  “Out!” he barked.

  The rejected duo scowled as they stormed out of the room, slamming the door.

  As soon as the latch clicked, Sherlock held out his hand for the case file.

  “As I said in my text,” Lestrade started, handing it over, “we have three bodies all with the substance we found at the crime scene in their systems.  Problem is, no one can figure out what in the hell the substance is.  We believe it’s what killed them, but -- as we can’t identify it -- it’s only a theory.”

  “Why didn’t you call me in sooner?” Sherlock interrupted, clearly annoyed.  He momentarily looked up from the file to give Lestrade a scathing look.

  John, who had been making notes as Lestrade debriefed them (as was their routine), frowned reproachfully at his friend, but said nothing.  He had long since gotten used to Sherlock’s abrasive personality personality.  And he knew that if anyone could brush it off as easily as himself, it was Lestrade.  The poor man had put up with Sherlock’s ego and lack of social skills far longer than John had, though he seemed to only have room in his mind palace for one of their given names.

  The detective inspector sighed.  “Are the bags under my eyes that obvious?”  He was definitely used to Sherlock, too. 

  Before Sherlock could say anything else, he continued, “We kept waiting to figure out something -- anything -- about what is in the mystery substance.  Anderson insisted he could get the results, but -- as usual -- relying on him was a mistake.”  Lestrade paused to take a deep breathe.  He shook his head.  “But you’re here now, so what do you think?”

  Lestrade’s tired eyes pleaded for Sherlock to say that he’d take the case.  But, for once, Sherlock did not comment on or even notice his desperation.  There was no cocky smile or condescending remark.  He didn’t even insult Anderson, which Lestrade had honestly been looking forward to.  In fact, he wasn’t even blinking.

  Sherlock stood ramrod-straight, eyes glued to the paperwork in his hands.  Lestrade’s brow furrowed deeper.

  Noticing the taller man’s odd behaviour as well, John moved to look at what had caught his attention.

  There were several pages with childish handwriting scrawled across them.  More notable was the sheer amount of things that were crossed out.  The lines were deep and the pages were torn in some places.  Anderson’s frustration was far more clearly on the pages than any of the words.  The ones he could make out made absolutely no sense to the doctor.

  “I need everything you have on this case, including any and all samples you have of this substance.  And no one is Scotland Yard is to go anywhere near this case until I have solved it,” Sherlock order at a rapid-fire rate, his eyes snapping to meet Lestrade’s.  His tone and the look in his eyes mode it clear he wasn’t going to take no for an answer.

  Having no clue what Sherlock was no about, John folded his arms and looked at Lestrade, waiting for him to concede to the demands.  Even when he didn’t know Sherlock’s reasons, he trusted the man had them.

  At least, he hoped he did.

  Lestrade nodded, looking both slightly concerned and elated at the same time.

  “Of course!  I’ll have all of it sent to Baker Street immediately.”  He grabbed the phone as he spoke, into which he was now barking orders.

  Sherlock didn’t waste any time in turning on his heel and rushing out of Scotland Yard.  John said nothing as he followed him until they were out of the building and away from any nosy officers.

  “What was that about?” he asked finally, both of them stopping on the curb.

  Sherlock handed him the case file before holding out his arm to flag down a cab.  “It’s not just a poison, John,” he said.  A slightly manic, excited look growing in the eyes that leveled with John’s.  He lowered his voice slightly, but the glee that came with any case that promised to entertain the man was quite plain.  “It’s a potion, John  The killer is a wizard!”

Tags: @josiecarioca @madshelily @klinenovakwinchester

[cheekygeek05]

The Impossible Impostor (Part 3)

Summary: Alexus King is a FBI Special Agent of the BAU who is uprooted from her home and sent to London to work for Scotland Yard. Upon arriving she quickly loses what little enthusiasm her naivety had allowed her. Turns out the British don't take too well to imposing Americans. Who knew? Kind of a Xover, mentions Criminal Minds maybe some guest appearances!

Words: 2376

Tag List Open

Previous Part

Alexus watched Sherlock leave. Maybe she had been a bit mean…After all there was no need to make enemies so soon. Though she could already feel Donovan's eyes boring into to her as she stomped out. At least she had Greg. Speaking of which, where'd he swan off to? Walking outside she found him talking to Sherlock looking quite exasperated. This man must have the patience of a saint. Alexus thought to herself, as she approached them.

"Gentlemen." Alexus greeted.

"Alexus I was just going to see if you were ready to go." Lestrade responded.

"Whenever you are toots." She answered accompanied with a smile.

"Are you accustomed to speaking to near strangers with such familiarity, or is that is reserved for a special few?" Sherlock grunted.

"Aww. Sweetie all you have to do is ask, I'll be happy be flirt with you. Just don't go falling in love with me because I have no intention of following through." This was said with her most flirtatious wink she could manage. She was pleased to see his composure shift, becoming a bit more flustered.

"Please stop embarrassing yourself." He retorted.

"Oh love, I'm not the one blushing. It's getting cold, how bout we take off?" Alexus turned to the DI who was currently staring, surprised at his new partner's boldness.

"Oh yes. Of course." Lestrade said offering her his arm. He didn't miss the snort that escaped Sherlock.

Taking his arm, she began her walk back to the car. Smiling to herself. Alexus was starting to think she would be alright after all. She would still miss her old job and team, but she could see herself enjoying her time here. She would most enjoy the game she had started with the obnoxious Sherlock Holmes.

"You were fantastic earlier." Lestrade complimented once they reached the car.

"Thanks. I was taught well. I'm afraid not everyone was as impressed as you."

"You just have to give them time to get use to you. They will, fairly quickly once you prove you're nothing like everyone's favorite consulting detective."

"I'm just used to saying whatever I see. Back home that's what we did. We said what we saw and waited for our team mates to see something we didn't. That's why we were so good, everyone contributed. All-stars sell tickets, teams win games." Alexus quoted her mentor since childhood. He had told her that when she joined the team and it never left her.

"Unless the all-star is Sherlock Holmes." Lestrade scoffed

Alexus smiled although she completely disagreed. Her team could beat Sherlock. No question. She could see Lestrade cared for Sherlock. She admired him for that. She was quickly coming to realize there was a lot she admired about this man. Maybe being partners wasn't such a grand idea. She could easily see herself liking him. She looked at him again. He had such a kind face. Worn and weathered, but kind. He looked over at her and smiled.

"Eyes front soldier." She teased grinning.

"So, did you always want to be a detective?" Greg asked once the laughter died down.

Alexus was surprised by the question. Her childhood was not something she enjoyed discussing. She wasn't sure how to answer. He apparently noticed her hesitation. He quickly added.

"Because I have since I can remember. There was a two-year period where all l wanted to be was 18." Chuckling nervously after.

Bless him.

"Really? I can't imagine you as anything else."

"Oi give me a chance here I'm not completely two-dimensional!"

"That's not at all what I meant. All my favorite people in the world are law enforcement." Alexus' mind went back to her team. She had some phone calls to make when she got back to her place.

Lestrade pulled up to her place and stopped the car.

"I know it's not exactly home, and I'm not your team. If you ever need anything you can tell me. I mean it."

"Thank you." Alexus' only reply before exiting the car and walking to her door. She waved one final goodbye to her favorite Detective Inspector.

i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i

Alexus put water on the stove. She had already tried the whole English tea thing but decided it wasn't her thing. She had discovered long ago, the best thing in the world for just about anything was a steaming cup of hot coco with whipped cream and marshmallows. After everything was ready she picked up her phone and played phone roulette.

"Hey! How's my girl?" Of course she would get Derek.

"Oh, you know just the normal, corpses, blood, murder, sociopath and hostile coworkers. You?"

"I thought you didn't start till tomorrow."

"Yeah my boss called and asked if I wanted to start early he'd just gotten called in for a case. It went pretty well." Alexus let it end there.

"You can't hide things from me baby girl. What's wrong?"

"It's just different. It seems they're not close like us. They just all seem to wander and do their own thing. It's strange. Then there's this guy who calls himself a consulting detective. He actually seems like fun."

"And by fun you mean?"

"Not like that. He just seems really uptight and callous. I definitely am looking forward to messing with him."

"Be careful sweetheart don't be cruel." Morgan couldn't help the smirk he wore. He knew his girl, she could be quite the heartbreaker.

"Yeah, yeah. Trust me he's in no danger of that. He'd first have to acknowledge someone other than himself. Lord knows that'll never happen."

"So, I'm bored and now more than a little interested. Tell me about it."

"What?"

"Everything. Start with this guy. Talk me to sleep baby."

"Alright. Well he's your typical smartass. He tried to profile me. He said I going off my age I was inexperienced and therefore less than incompetent for my position. He then insulted my clothes saying they meant I didn't take my job seriously. Luckily, I'm good enough to feel I don't have to prove it so I ignored him for the time being. It took everything in me not to profile him right then and there. It was really amusing though, seeing his face when I completely disregarded him. I guess he's used to get a reaction. Probably why he does it. Wait I almost started a profile."

"You know what I said earlier, about taking it easy one him?"

"Yes?"

"Give 'em hell baby girl!"

Alexus couldn't help but laugh. God, she loved this man.

"Will do. So how are my favorite profilers?"

"They're good. It's weird not having you though. Hotch called on you several times yesterday. He even told Reid to go to the crime scene with you. It was awkward. He misses you. We all do. Spence refused to let anyone in your room. He's decided it stays exactly the same for when you come back. He's pretty down about the whole thing."

"So am I, trust me. You have no idea how empty this place feels. I'm going to see if anyone needs a roommate. Or whatever it is they call it here. It's so quiet I'm pretty sure I'm going to go crazy. Besides rent is insanely high here it's just not practical to live one my own."

"The rent is too damn high!" Derek declared, doing his best Jimmy McMillan impression.

The two friends burst into laughter.

"Derek Morgan I am going to miss having you here like it's nobody's business!"

"I already miss you like it's no one's business baby girl."

Just then there was a knock on Alexus' door.

"Hey Derek there's someone at my door. I just texted you a number to call if you hear trouble ok?"

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah it's just nobody but my partner Lestrade knows where I live. Did you get the number?"

"Got it ready."

"Alright I'm gonna answer it."

Alexus went to the door, revolver in tucked away on her person.

"Sherlock?"

"Obviously!" Sherlock replied dryly. Walking in completely uninvited.

Sherlock pranced around the house looking for anything clues to help in his quest. While Alexus couldn't seem to fully comprehend what had just happened.

"It's very rude to remain on the phone when receiving company." He reprimanded.

That was all it took for Alexus to snap out of her momentary shock.

"Good thing I'm not receiving company tonight." She said grabbing him by the arm and dragging him towards the door. Where she quickly pushed him out, shut and locked it.

"That was weird���" She finally said.

"Who was it?" Derek asked expectantly.

"Oh shut up you heard the whole thing. I put you on speaker just in case."

"How?"

"No idea."

"What?"

"I got nothing."

"Why?"

"Drawing blanks here." She answered, pondering the same questions. "Anyways. Is Garcia there?"

"Do you think I could keep the fact I'm on the phone with you from her?"

"Spence?"

"They went to seem some local production."

"What language?" Knowing Dr. Spencer Reid was involved, said production would probably be in a foreign language.

"Russian. I'll never understand why you went with him to that stuff."

"He didn't like to go alone. Once I started going he went more often. He deserves to enjoy himself."

"Uhuh…right. And that's the only reason right?" Morgan asked smiling.

"Listen here seniorita! We have flushed that topic out,"

"Says you,"

Alexus could almost picture him sticking out his tongue at this point. She couldn't help but grin at that. She must have looked ridiculous sitting on her kitchen counter drinking hot coco and smiling all by herself. The thought made her smile grow wider. She looked over to her left and noticed a red light flashing on her mantle place. She wouldn't have seen it from any other angle. Oh that mother of a camel!

"Listen babe, I gotta go and take care of some stuff." Or shank someone. It could go either way.

"Alright. You all good?" He asked concern leaking into his voice.

"As John Wayne in a western."

Morgan laughed at that.

"Goodnight then baby girl!"

"Goodnight. Kisses to all my lovelies. Tell Hotch hi and I'll call him soon."

"Will do. Peace"

"Peace."

With that she ended the call, grabbed the bug from the mantel piece and stalked to her door. Opening her door, she found none other than Sherlock on the curb with headphones. Alexus walked over ripped them out of his ears and dragged him into her apartment.

"Rule #1. Don't mess with me when I'm happy."

Sherlock looked at confusedly. Not understanding her meaning.

"I won't always be able to call home and when I can, I don't want to be interrupted for petty games!" She said losing her will to be angry but having no intention of letting him know that.

"The next words out your mouth better be an apology followed impossibly quickly with an explanation."

Sherlock was not one to back down from confrontation, but the on her eyes told him she wasn't fooling around. So, he tried his very best to find a happy medium. Okay maybe happy was stretching it. A satisfactory medium.

"I want-"

At which point he was interrupted. Rude!

"Apology first."

"I apologize if I scared you." He said hoping that would suffice." By the glare he was receiving he imagined it wasn't. "And for unwittingly interrupting your phone call."

She had better be happy with that because there was no way in hell he was going to give her anything else.

"Apology accepted. It needs work, but it'll have to do for now."

Sherlock was beyond himself. This woman is impossible!

"Now for that explanation."

"I wanted to ask you if there was anything I could do to help you settle in to London. I know this place better than anyone."

"And where does the bugging my apartment factor in to 'helping me settle in'?"

"I…" Sherlock faded out not knowing how to get out of that one. "How did you find it anyway?" genuinely curious. He made sure and put it somewhere she would never see it.

Alexus was not about to admit it was completely luck. She didn't want to risk him trying it again.

"Come on sweet cheeks. What's a girl without her secrets?" She said leaning into his personal space. Completely aware of the discomfort it caused and loving the blush that came with it. "I'll tell you. Boring."

Sherlock grunted. This was not at all going how he imagined.

"So now that you're here let me be clear on one thing. Bugging my apartment, never going to happen again. Capiche?" She said, for it was in no way a question. "If you want to know anything about me you can ask me or observe it. Bugging is cheating. Cheating means you're incapable. Are you incapable Mr. Holmes?"

Sherlock did not like her implication at all. He was completely capable. He wouldn't, for one minute, have her believing otherwise. So, he did the only he could think to do.

"You will find there is nothing I am not capable of." His answer assertive and much too sure of itself.

"I'm glad we're clear. Now the sirens who inhabit my bed are singing a song that is much too beautiful for me to ignore. Are you planning to stay the night or will you be showing yourself out?"

Sherlock considered taking her up on her invitation, if only to snoop. John would tell him to leave. No question. Then again, when did he ever listen to John? He looked up and saw a question in her eyes. He saw a lot more to her question than he first thought. Maybe John was right.

"I can show myself out." Sherlock turned to leave hoping he had made the right choice. Before he got far he felt her pull him back. She gave him a hug, kissed her hand and hit his forehead with the same hand. He had no idea what that meant, but it made him want to smile all the same. Luckily he still maintained some of his senses, with which, he held it back. Just barely.

"Goodnight Mr. Holmes." Before he could respond she was gone.

Oh, the game is, most definitely, on!

[orenbeval-blog]

Rosie Watson’s diary - Sat.09/02/2030 (part 2)

Molly picked me up at half past eleven, as planned. She didn’t ask anything, she already knew, I could see. Of course. I wondered if Daddy knew too.

Stella, Molly and I went to that cosy place we only go before theatre or musicals. While the waitress was taking our order, I politely asked, very ladylike and grown up, if Stella was not working on Greg’s case this Saturday. She only smiled. Molly rolled her eyes at her. I love Molly. I really do. But Stella is like the personification of coolness. I mean… Yeah, Sherlock is cool too in his mighty posh “high standard cloths” attitude when he is all acting as the consultant detective everyone thinks he is… but Stella has this very cool touch that make even the “big guys” look all shy.  She doesn’t even need a coat or a cigarette to look cool. She just is. I once told her. And she just replied : “That’s because I am proud to be who I am.” I mean, how cool is THAT ?

“So, you are not working with Greg today ?”

“No, Rosie, obviously I am sitting here with Mo and you.”

“Come on Stella, answer.”

“Oh well, then. No, I’m not working on that case. Sally is. Your Sherlock Dad must have soooo much fun right now…”

She snuggled. Molly’s face went a bit sad : “Not a very bright day for poor Sherlock.”

Stella looked at her with an lifted eyebrow : “I beg your pardon ? I personally really pity Sally right now. She’s probably right now rolled over by a fast track train of insults and nasty comments and is being humiliated to the bones by Dark-mooded-genious-sorry-i-am-a-sociopath-Sherlock. He can be such an asshole when he wants to. And I bet he clearly wants to, right now.”

“Well… he…”

Stella just waved Molly’s try of an explanation off and grabbed her red wine glass. Molly rolled her eyes, again. Anyway, she remained silent and sipped at her beer. I could see they wanted to talk about something but didn’t really know how to. So I broke the ice.

“How long did Daddy have to wait after he proposed ?”

They both looked at me, then looked at each other, slightly puzzled. And suddenly it clicked. So Sherlock did tell them. Stella coughed a bit.

“Well… I can’t say, I’ve never been close to your parents. Between Sherlock Holmes and I, it’s really only professional. Never beyond. I think he is closer to Sally than to myself, actually… -she laughed a bit- I only got invited to the wedding as Mo’s “plus one”, that’s all I know.”

“Well… I actually thought it was Sherlock who proposed. He asked Greg how to do this.”

Stella’s eyes went BIG : “WHAT ?!”

Molly shrugged : “Well.. Greg used to be married… and he is a man, obviously, and…he is Sherlock’s closest relationship to what friendship might look like between two guys… is it so surprising ?”

“Well, no, put like that it seems pretty logical…”

“Anyway, Rosie, Sweetheart, what makes you think it was the other way around ?”

“Sherlock told me this morning.”

“Ah.”

There was some short silence. Stella broke it.

“Rosie girl, you are a big girl now. Maybe it’s a bit early but well, I guess there is no choice left here, you will have to learn and face it.” 

She had a gaze exchange with a nodding Molly : “Grownups, adults, are not all super casual, super sure, super right, super strong, super responsible, super reliable, super mature and so on. Some are, but many aren’t. So is your Sherlock Dad. He has his own issues to deal with and he needs time to sort the things that happen to him. Every brain is unique and quite different from the other brains but some are a bit more unique and a bit more different than the average and they need some extra kindness and some extra patience. It’s all like a bridge… everyone takes the step they can take and in the end, everyone can meet. Doesn’t matter if one meet in the middle of the bridge or very close to one edge or the other. See what I mean ?”

As I remained quiet, Molly went on : “What Stella is trying to picture is that Sherlock is putting some effort, every day, to deal with the world. He doesn’t understand things as clearly as we usually do. It’s difficult for him. But he works on it on a daily basis. We don’t see it because it seems normal to us but for him it is exhausting. Anyway, he is adapting to us. And this time, he is overwhelmed and it is your turn to adapt to him. I mean, more than usual. See ?”

Stella got it from there : “It’s easy to loose one’s mind over Sherlock’s insensitive behaviour, to become resentful and to give up. But you know him, Rosie girl. You know he is reacting and behaving awkward compared to average. This is by no means different. He is just acting strange and this should not be compared with “normal behaviour”. See ?”

“I am sorry, Sweetheart, I should have warned you. I thought you would sense it. Or that John would explain this to you.”

“Daddy never talks to me about anything.”

“Sweetheart, that’s not true, and you know it.”

She made a little pause as she always does when she is on the verge to say something huge.

“Anyway… he does take it very seriously and he does care very strongly.”

“How do you know ?”

“Well... he talked about all this to Greg this morning. He told Greg you gave him those forms and he texted me about your argument. Look…”

She showed me here phone. I saw several text messages from Sherlock :

“Molly, I need help. As always, you are the only one I can get it from. I am too ridiculous to handle this properly. I’m lacking words, I’m lacking brain cells, I’m lacking everything, even confidence. Watson, I want to adopt her. Have already. Since John brought her back at 221B. Of course I did. You knew, John knew – of course John knew -, even Lestrade and Mrs Hudson and that girlfriend of yours, Hopkins… you all knew/know… But Court thing is just so… official. Need time to adjust. Like always. Watson is too young to get it right and John… well it’s John. Talk to her if convenient ? – SH”

“Talk to her anyway. – SH”

“Please. – SH”

When I looked up, Stella showed me her phone. Texts from Greg :

“Morning Inspector Hopkins. Hell down here, hope you enjoy your Saturday off. Inspector Donovan is turning insane. Sherlock Holmes is really difficult to handle this morning. He told me something barely making sense about some official adoption papers and an argument with Dr Watson’s girl… Is Holmes adopting the girl ? This is great and long overdue but… maybe someone should talk with the girl or with him or with Dr Watson… would you mind asking Hooper if she can do something about this ? I need my sanity back (and the sanity of ALL my inspectors) to keep things working here. Thank you very much.”

“PS : sorry to bother you but I don’t have Hooper’s number as I lost my phone last week. Maybe you could also ask her to text me or something, so I wouldn’t have to use you as her clerk. Thank you. Have a nice day.”

I swallowed hard.

Molly sat next to me to take me in her arm while I was starting to sob. Again.