Look out for the <> for when to listen to the song!

Enjoy!

Darla H

I looked through the mound of papers Sherlock and I had in front of us. We had be looking for some painting that fit the requirements that we were looking for. So far we were coming up with nothing. Suddenly my eyes caught a photo of a painting that I had seen before in my white collar days. "Found something!" I pointed to a photo of a portrait with a lady and her dog. It was painted in long brush strokes and looked aged. Not like the new modern crap that people called art now. It was classic and would have fit the time frame in when Aaron would have donated it.

Sherlock took a look at the photo and nodded at me. "Great. Let's go," Sherlock said and popped out of his seat at the library excitedly.

I frowned, if Zane was still desperate, he might follow us there. We needed a better plan than just going there. "We don't have a plan."

"That's right but the library is about to close and the museum has to be closed by now. We have to go regardless." 

I tried to look out the dark window, just realizing that we had spent hours here already. "What time is it?" I looked around the empty room knowing I must have lost track of time while I was here. 

"It's 7:30 and as for a plan, I have one. While you were looking up the Museum's database I texted your friend Walter. He is going to be the distraction while you break into the museum tonight. Before you say something stupid, he actually suggested that he should help. As for me, I'll make sure my brother or Scotland Yard doesn't stick their noses where they don't belong," he said and smiled smugly at me.

I raised my eyebrows in amazement, he didn't even know Walter's number, unless he talked to them at my funeral, but we didn't had any of the information at the time. I checked my pockets for my crappy burner phone as I did so, Sherlock put my phone on the table with a smirk. I frowned at him but instead of fighting him, I just went with it. I was too tired to fight. "And you just made this up?"

"It took me 30 minutes."

"You didn't know we would find the painting tonight though."

Sherlock shrugged. "I knew you would."

I suddenly felt an urge to hit him right up the head, bringing his cockiness down a level. He out of all people missed one big part of the plan, Zane. What were we going to do with him because I was sure he was still around. "You missed a part."

"And what is that my dear little Rori?" he asked, sure that he missed not one part.

"Don't say that again or I will hit you," I threatened. "Your plan is missing Zane. He saw me before you came. He has the compass. And he knows I'm hiding something. We need to make sure he's not going to follow us and I need to get that compass back." 

He nodded. "I'll get it. It's about time that I met Zane face to face. Let's see how clever he really is," he said as he started to walk away from the table I was sitting at.

"We can't just do it now." I stood up from my chair. If I had learned one thing in life that was never such into things. This whole plan didn't sit right in my stomach. 

"Why not? I have it all planned. Come," he said not waiting for me to catch up. I had no choice but to follow him. I shut the book, turned off the computer then ran after him.

We walked out of the library and I shuttered. It was freezing under the London open sky. I followed Sherlock down roads until we ended up in front of the art museum. I froze as I looked at the massive building. It had a daunting feel to it tonight as it loomed over me. Something did not feel right about any of this but it seemed like the plan was already in motion. 

"Rori try to keep up, I don't have all night." Sherlock walked behind the museum. I nodded and ran after him, not having a choice to continue. 

Behind the building was Walter in a janitor costume. There was something so trustworthy about Walter, suddenly my fears about tonight faded as I waved to him. "Oi, Rori! How are you? I thought you were dead, went to your funeral and everything only to get a surprise text from Sherlock. You never cease to amaze me. I knew you weren't one for suicides, you're a little to proud for that," Walter said to me with a smile. 

I thought he would be mad at me for faking everything but he seemed calm as ever. I just hoped that Kale could act as calm as Walter was. "You think you can get rid of me that easily?" I asked with a chuckle, trying to be as calm as he was. "Where's Ameila?" I asked as I noticed her not around.

"She's part of the distraction remember, just in case she's needed," he said and smiled widely at me. He seemed so excited about this. I wondered if he lied in Ireland about wanting stability because he seemed to mold back into this life.

"Rori, we can give you 15 minutes without the cameras working to get the painting and get out," Sherlock said as Walter handed me a folded outfit. "Change into this." 

Sherlock went over the details once again of the building's security system as I quickly slipped on the oversize janitor outfit over my current clothes. "I got it." I said confidently as I put the badge on my pocket. I was going to break in through the back. The plan should be simple,  I was just going to merely walk in like it was my job.  The only problem I was working out in my mind was how to remove the painting without getting caught.

"What time is it?" Sherlock asked as he pulled out his phone.

I looked at the watch on my wrist and said, "9 on the dot." It was time for me to go in. 

"Good luck," he said as if that was my cue to go through this plan. I turned on my heels and walked a fast pace to the nearest rubbish bin. I then pushed it to the back door, to fit my outfit as a janitor. 

It only took about two minutes until another janitor walked out, leaving the door open for me to slip in. "Thanks mate," I said to him casually making sure he didn't get a good look at me as I walked into the back of the building.

"Don't you have the keys?"

"Left 'em in the break room." As soon as I got into the door, I left the rubbish bin in the hall. I walked down the gray hallway then took a left, then a right. That's what Sherlock said to do anyhow. I then stopped when the hall ended at a door. I took a breath and watched as the right light of the camera's turned off. I had 15 minutes from now. I pushed the door open and looked at the large white room with painting on the walls. I ran out of the room and took the left hall. I turned down another hall as I looked at my watch. 12 minutes left. I took another left and found myself in a red room with at least 10 different paintings on the walls. I remembered what Sherlock said to me, 'The green room, that's where you have to go'.

"Night," I heard a guard say from behind me.

I pulled my cap down to hide my face a little better before saying, "night" back to him. I walked through the room and took a right which led me to a room that was colored light brown.  I swore under my breath. Wrong room. Wrong turn. I stomped my foot on my ground and turned on my heels. I was running out of time and I was lost. I got back into the hallway but instead of taking left I took a right this time. I found myself in another red room. I walked though it and on the other side was a green one.

I smiled as my eyes scanned for the painting I was looking for. Low and behold it was right in the middle of the room, both cameras on it. I looked at my watch, eight minutes left. I then looked at the cameras to see their red lights were off. I was still safe for now.

I ran over to the painting of the lady and her dog. I just needed the frame. I wrapped my arms carefully around the golden frame and pried it off the wall. I then took out the knife that I had in my pocket and made sure to cut the painting out with precision. I would be leaving that behind. I looked at my watch and saw I had 3 minutes to get out. I stood up, grabbed the frame and started to sprint to the service halls, not caring who saw me anymore.  

<>

I was just about to walk into a service hallway when I heard a voice that I didn't want to hear anytime soon. "Aurora?"

I almost dropped the frame in shock. It took me a few seconds to regain myself but I slowly turned to face Kale. My mind was blank as I tried to come up with something to say to him however, the only that came out of my mouth was, "hi."

"What are you doing here?"

I frowned, I thought he would be happy to know I was not dead. I looked at the frame I was holding as I thought about what to say. Should I tell him what was going on? I opened my mouth to be honest with him just as the alarms started going off. I was out of time, the cameras were back on.

"I thought you were dead. I went to your grave," he said, not taking notice of the alarms that were blaring.

This was not the moment for a heartfelt conversation. If we stayed here, we would both be caught and then the great Rori Anderson would be coming back from the dead way too soon. "I don't have time for this right now." I blurted out as I noticed some guards coming our way.

"Oh so that's what you tell me? You don't have time?!" he said, getting worked up. For being so collected normally, he was taking this a little hard. Didn't he see this wasn't the moment for this?

I frowned at him. "No Kale! I don't have time. I have to go and you should too! Now!" I looked towards the hall that would lead to freedom.

"And so you're going to leave me, just like that?"

I bit my lip as I thought about what to say. "Come with me I can explain."

In that moment he looked at me like he use too, wide eyed and curious but the face disappeared as soon as it came.  He looked at the ground and mumbled, "I can't."

I would be lying if I said that didn't hurt. I wanted him to come but something was forcing him to stay. It felt like someone stabbed me in the heart. Was I not that important to him? "Then I can't help you. Goodbye Kale."  With that I forced myself to turn and run into the service hall without the man I loved. 

I walked back out of the museum in to the fresh air as I struggled to breathe. I was suffocating. I took off the janitor outfit and tossed it in the closest bin then ran down the nearest alley way where Sherlock said he would meet me. I quickly regained myself as I ran to meet him. I didn't want to talk about this. I had to get Kale out of my mind but that was the only thing I thought about, Kale. Why was he there? What was he doing? Whatever it was, it had to be because of his brother. Zane had ruined too many lives. I needed to fix this. I needed Kale back. I turned a corner to meet Sherlock but instead of Sherlock I was face to face with Walter.

I smiled lightly until I saw the look on Walter's face. Something wasn't right. He looked like he was in agony. "Where's Sherlock," I demanded a little to harshly towards him.

He frowned. "I'm so sorry, Rori," he said and looked at the ground.

I automatically assumed the worse and I felt my ears go hot with rage. I clenched my fists with rage. "WHERE IS HE?!"

"They had Ameila. I had to give him over."

I shook my head. I thought I could trust him. He was my old friend. I suddenly understood why he came back, this was all Zane's plan. Walter didn't want to give up his life in Ireland. Zane forced him here to distract me. This was why I never saw Ameila, they had her all this time. I should have seen it. Without thinking about it, I slugged him as hard as I could in the face causing him to get knocked to the ground. "Who took him?" I shouted over his body even though I knew who had him.

"It was Zane! He took him!" he whimpered. "Please Rori, you have to forgive me."

Walter was as good as dead to me. "It's not in my nature to forgive." I said heartlessly, knowing this was the last time I would ever trust Walter again. I resisted the urge to beat him to a pulp. I wanted to make him suffer for doing this, but if I did, how much better was I then Zane? Without saying anything more, I turned around and walked back from where I came.

sorry this is late! I'm in the process of packing up to move to Ukraine for an internship and things have been a bit crazy the past week...