It didn't take long for the trio to arrive at the national antique museum. When they get there, Nick quickly directs them towards where Soo Lin usually could be found, and loo and behold, they found Andy.

Not wasting any time, Sherlock started looking around while John asked Andy some questions.

Suddenly, Sherlock turned away from the antiques he was inspecting and prowled towards poor Andy, who was standing up straight and tense, "What was the last thing that she did, on the final afternoon?"

Andy and Nick looked at each other and started guiding the doctor and the detective, down to their inventory.

"She did this demonstration for tourists," Nick explained, "a tea serving, very mesmerizing to watch."

"She should've packed the thing and left them here," Andy said and opened the door to the inventory.

But Sherlock moved away from them and walked towards a statue to their left.

A statue with yellow graffiti on it.

John and Sherlock looked at each other and then started jogging back the way they came in. Nick, not one to be left behind, ran after them to catch up.

They were unfairly fast - or he was out of shape- and he ended up getting to them when they were standing outside the museum talking to another person.

He lead them away and to an underground place, filled with people skating and cycling and performing all sorts of tricks.

hidden between the graffiti, was one similar o the one Nick saw back in the museum.

"I don't understand," Nick finally asked as they walked away, "What does the graffiti mean?"

"We don't know, but Soo Lin is going to end up dead if we don't find her."

Nick felt himself go pale and John sympathetically pat him on the back.

"Spread out and see if you can find anything," Sherlock ordered, "John, give him your number."

John looked at him confused, "Why don't you do it?"

"Lost my phone," He then took out his phone and turned on the flashlight, "Alright, call when you find anything."

And with that, he left.

Nick smiled at John awkwardly, "He doesn't like me much, does he?"

John took out his phone, "He doesn't like anyone to be honest," he took Nick's number and then looked at him, "Be glad he hasn't told you you're whole life story."

The ex-con nodded, "Noted, don't ask for bedtime stories."

John laughed awkwardly before there was silence between the two.

"Ok, I'll head that way," Nick pointed over his shoulder and started walking backward.

John nodded and then walked in another direction.

Finding a specific graffiti in the mids of graffiti was like finding a nail painted the same color as hay in a haystack.

It seemed like a fruitless search until John called him and gave him directions to where he had found the graffiti.

He arrived at the same time as them, slightly out of breath.

The wall John pointed out was the cleanest wall Nick had seen tonight.

John approached the wall with a confused look on his face, "It's been painted over. I- I don't understand..."

Sherlock looked at the wall and then around, "Someone didn't want us to see it."

He then grabbed John's face and started spinning him around asking how much he remembered of the graffiti and then slandering him for an average human's memory. Which was ridiculous, he was also a human.

Turned out John had taken a photo before running off to find Sherlock and the notion of it seemed to surprise sherlock.

Having found something, Sherlock and John decided to go back to their flat and compare the new evidence with their previous foundings and after giving him their address, they parted ways.

That night, Nick didn't get much sleep. Or better say any sleep. He tossed and turned in his bed, made himself a nice cup of warm milk with honey, just how his sister did it back when he was a kid, and tried to keep his mind off of the big glaring issue by watching some tv and then reading books.

Andy took a look at the bags under his eyes the next morning and then double-checked when he saw Nick's usual cheery self, seemingly not at all bothered.

Sherlock and John arrived sometime around noon, and the two explained everything to Andy -and some more details to Nick- When once again, Sherlock pointed to the pots Soo Lin took good care off.

Yesterday one pot was shining, and today there were two.

㋛

That night, the trio stayed at the museum to catch Soo Lin because Sherlock said so.

Nick was a dashing ball of energy, fixing his hair a bazillion times before Sherlock snapped at him to quit it. Not wanting the taller man to hate him even more, Nick stopped fidgeting and instead became as still as a statue.

A statue at night at the museum that is. Iconic.

Soon enough, they heard the sound of pots being moved and used, and as promised, Nick did not jump in to go greet his dear friend and instead let Sherlock do his creepy entry.

"It's centuries-old, better not break it," Sherlock said as Nick entered the room.

"Soo?" Nick whispered and her head whipped around to lock eyes with him, "Hey there."

Soo Lin, overwhelmed with the amount of stress she's been under, strode up to her friend and gave him a hug.

A little fact about Nick: his hugs are the best.

He'll hug you just tight enough to feel he's there, he has you and you're safe. It's warm, comfortable and you never want to move again.

Soo Lin wanted to stay in her friend's arms forever and forget the cruel faith awaiting her.

"I missed you," She whispered.

He squeezed her a little more, "Me too."

Behind them, John cleared his throat, making the two reluctantly separate and sit around the table.

"You saw the cipher," Soo Lin began, "Then you know he's coming for me."

"You've been clever to avoid him so far," Sherlock stated.

"I had to... to finish this work. I knew it was only a matter of time before he found me."

"We can help you," Nick said desperately, not wanting his first true friend to succumb to the same faith as the others.

She smiled sadly, like he's a naive little boy who still believes in the Easter bunny.

"Who is he? Have you met him before?" Sherlock continued to question her, not wanting to waste any time.

Soo Lin nodded slowly, "When I was a little girl, we met in China. I recognize his... signature.

"The cipher," Nick breathed it out.

"Only he would do this, Zhi Zhu."

John repeated the name.

"Spider," Both Sherlock and Nick translated at the same time before the taller man glared at the ex-con.

Showing them her tattoo, she then explained her childhood, the black lotus, how she left her life and started a new one in London, being happy with friends. But then they came looking for her. She revealed how The Spider was her brother, turning him against her and sicking him on her.

Sherlock gave her the graffitis and as soon as she started explaining, the lights went out.

John, Nick, and Soo Lin hid behind the table as Sherlock ran out the door, ready to confront the assassin.

Hearing the gunshots, the three exchanged worried looks, before John left the two to help his friend.

The Chinese woman looked at her friend with teary eyes, "They're not going to stop him."

"Then we fight him."

"We can't."

"We run," Nick snapped, "Damn it, Soo Lin, I can't just let him kill you."

"Yes you can," Soo Lin's voice was determined, "You've been the brother I lost, and I can't let him kill you to get me. i...I love you didi*."

"Don't say it now," Nick said as tears escaped his eyes, "I love you too, but we're going to get out of this."

He saw her close her eyes, sobbing.

More gunshots followed, making Nick snap his gaze from her to the door. He didn't see her picking up one of her favorite pots, he just heard her whisper a quiet "I'm sorry" before something slammed against his head, and he knew no more.

Later, he'll scold himself for not seeing it coming, but how was he supposed to know she'd pull something like this.

When he woke up, it was in the back of an ambulance with a concussion, and John's worried face next to him. He remembers being checked by a doctor, and then being forced to stay awake. He ultimately falls asleep and when he wakes up for the last time, it's to john by his bed,

"Hey," the man said silently.

"Hi,"

John stood up and cleared his throat, "So, I'd hate to say this but-"

"She's dead," Nick nodded, "Yes, I'd thought so when she knocked me out."

The army doctor frowned, "So you're not...sad?"

"Oh, absolutely, I'll deal with it another time," He smiled.

He was discharged not long after, and as a doctor, john felt responsible for him and invited him to his and Sherlock's flat. Both to keep an eye on him and involve him in the investigation.

Nick expected a normal-looking flat. Maybe something weird here or there to scream sherlock, but what he got was a library instead.

"You guys really love your books," He said the moment he interred, making Sherlock's head snapped up from where it was buried in a book.

"You," He narrowed his eyes, "What are you doing here?"

Nick rolled his eyes and winced at the pain, "Yes me, I'm here to... I have no idea, to be honest. John just guided me and I followed."

"You're concussed," Sherlock observed.

"Yes, blows to head do that," He shrugged off his coat and sat on a chair by the open laptop.

The man possessing the world's sharpest cheekbones glared some more before moving his eyes of death to his friend, accusing him of inviting the enemy t their den.

John rolled his eyes and telepathically told the other to suck it up and stop being so dramatic.

"We need some air, we're going out tonight," Sherlock declared all of a sudden making Nick blink a couple of times.

"I've got a date," John said a little smugly making Sherlock look at him with confusion. "You have a what?"

"Where two people who like each other go out and have fun?" John informed his friend.

Sherlock looked at Nick confused, "That's what I was suggesting."

"No, it wasn't," The doctor paused, "At least I hope not."

The consulting detective -as Nick was kindly informed- moved between the boxes, "Where you taking her?"

"Uh, Cinema."

"Nice," Nick pipped in, "Girls love to watch a movie and whisper to someone about it. Cinema gossip is the best."

"Then why aren't you in a long-term relationship?" Sherlock snapped like an angry 3-year old.

"Because I'm bi."

Sherlock opened his mouth and then closed it before he growled, "Really?"

"You couldn't tell?" John asked bewildered.

Nick grinned smugly.

Sherlock slammed a paper against john's chest, "Don't listen. Cinemas are too predictable, try this."

"Thanks but no."

㋛

Not long after John left, Sherlock stood up and walked over to Nick, "We're going out."

"On a date?" the ex-con grinned.

Sherlock didn't rise to the bait, "I want to make it very clear, I don't trust people like you and it's very likely I'll never do. I'm only letting you stick around because you're friend was involved and now I can easily kick you out or better yet, inform the police about your whereabouts, I'm sure they'll be glad to finally arrest you."

Nick looked away, "I left that life, I turned over a new leaf. I don't want to go back and I tried to make amends for my past mistakes. It's okay if you don't like me, somedays I don't even like myself. Just let me help catch her killer."

They locked eyes, sherlock's eyes burned holes deep into his soul, baring his insides for him to look at and make a decision. Whatever he saw, it made him give a brief nod.

He threw on his coat and followed the detective to go ruin his friend's date.

When they arrived, John was wondering how two tickets became four, when Sherlock's voice pipped in and happily told the irritated doctor how he called back and booked another two.

Nick beamed at Sherlock for including him and skipped to where John and his date were standing, "Hi, I'm Nick," He shook her hand and then nodded towards Sherlock who was having a weird staredown with John, "That's sherlock. Thought it would be fun to go on a double date."

Sherlock snapped out of his childish game when Nick lopped their hands together and then smiled the fakest smile to ever smile.

Nick needed to give him some acting lessons is this was his convincing 'nice' smile.

Serah looked weirded out by the 'circus' and John and Sherlock's hush hush discussions. Nick nudged her and gave her a warm grin, "Seems...interesting."

She gave a small laugh, "definitely."

The show began with a woman dressed in traditional Chinese clothes, revealing a dangerous-looking device that Nick wanted to get away from, and demonstrating the danger of it by dropping a feather on the plate and activating the device which shot a javelin like object to the opposite direction.

The crowd jumped a little from surprise and Serah moved closer to John, While Sherlock and Nick watched from behind them.

Sherlock then explained how the act worked, the warrior had to escape his chains before the sandbag emptied and a weight hit the plate.

The warrior escaped just in time, and in the midst of the excitement, Sherlock sneaked into the back.

Nick watched him go before looking at the woman who introduced the next act, the spider.

It was a beautiful act. Nick had worked with acrobats before and had sat in a rehearsal once or twice. He knew how difficult it was to make it look so smooth.

In the middle of the act, Sherlock and a warrior came from the backstage and prompted John, Nick, and even Serah to jump in and help.

A lucky blow in the head from the spider made Nick want to curl up and die right there and then.

But Sherlock, that evil gremlin, dragged him up by the arm and made him escape the merciful death he was about to get.

Deciding to go back to the flat instead of Scotland yard with the rest, Nick made his way back and then flopped down on one of the chairs. He was about to shut his eyes for a nap when he heard footsteps coming up. Light, had heels a bit unbalanced, likely caring something. Mrs. Hudson.

And as if waiting for her cue, the nice landlady walked into the room with a tray which held a glass of water, some pills -painkillers- and a wet towel.

"Mrs. Hudson, you're a saint."

"Oh, hush you flirty boy," She smiled and set down the tray next to him, "Now, drink up and get some rest while you have the time. John texted me, said you'd be feeling down."

"You're a saint!" He said again at her retreating figure.

Listening to her, he took the pills and then drank the rest of the glass, got comfortable on the chair, and rested the towel on his forehead.

When he woke up, it was to the sound of people moving around the flat.

"What's wrong with him?" He heard a faint feminine voice.

"He's got a concussion, then he got hit again tonight."

"Oh, should I check over him?"

"If you want to, I'm just going to bring something out to eat."

Nick wanted to be left alone to sleep, but Serah had other plans. She sat on the armchair and stroked his hair.

He groaned and moved closer.

"Hey," She said softly, not wanting to overwhelm him with sound.

He mumbled a reply.

She said something else, but he was passed out.

Nick woke up to Sherlock's loud voice saying something about numbers and 9 million. He shifted and went back to sleep while Serah and John ordered take-out.

He was once again awoken by Sherlock's loud voice.

"Wha-" He looked at Sherlock's frozen form and followed his gaze.

Yellow graffiti. Outside their window.

"Shit."

㋛

Sherlock had deciphered the code and upon finding the flat empty except for the passed out Nick, set out to find they were holding John and Serah.

He found it quickly and gestured to Nick to stay, but was faced with a concussed and stubborn ex-con.

Admitting defeat the two went out and arrived in the nick of time.

The leader had set the very dangerous device straight at Serah, the poor woman was in a state of panic, facing her death until John kicked the device.

Nick stayed out of the fight and instead helped John and Serah out of their restraints.

The 9 million pound treasure turned out to be a hairpin. A very expensive hairpin that Van Coon had gifted to his PA. Who thought he was taking her for granted.

Nick had a good laugh when Sherlock told him and John the next day over breakfast.

The consulting detective had told the ex-con he would only tolerate him until the end of his case, and he had yet to act in a way so Nick could take the clue and not overstay his welcome.

But, with Soo Lin gone, he had found new friends -well, maybe not plural for now, but he's working on it- and he'll stick around until they tell him to leave.

㋛

Hi!

hope you're all having a great day.

I've been writing this since 6 pm and right now it's 2 am. *clown*

Next time someone please stop me-

hope you liked this chapter and the trio's dynamics.

*didi: Chinese for little brother.