The quartet was now in a cab. Alexandra was sitting next to Lestrade, looking out the window. Holmes and Watson had already been in the cab when they had gotten out there, so Alexandra and Lestrade had to sit next to each other.

Why don't they just divorce me and Mary and marry each other? Alexandra thought angrily.

"Who's on mortuary duty?" Holmes asked. 

"You know who." Lestrade said. Holmes sighed.

Anderson. He thought. I can tolerate Hooper, but not him. 

He had deleted ever knowing Molly awhile ago to make room for other things. This had made things all the more easier for Molly when she impersonated a man and went into pathology. Unfortunately, this put a damper on her and Alex's friendship. With Molly's new job, they never had time to see each other and since Molly was impersonating a man, they couldn't be seen in each other's company without scandalous conclusions being drawn.

When they got to the morgue, Alexandra followed behind Holmes, Watson, and Lestrade. She noticed that Emilia's body (it had to be Emilia's) was under a sheet and chained down. Holmes rolled his eyes when he noticed.

"Please tell me which idiot did this!" He said. Anderson turned around. Alexandra had always been repulsed by him. Since Molly had become the boss, she had made sure he stayed away from her, so that was good. 

"It's for everyone's safety." Anderson said. Alexandra moved forward and pulled the sheet back. 

"This woman is dead. Half her head is missing." She observed. She could feel Holmes glaring at her. "She's not a threat to anyone."

"Tell that to her husband, he's under a sheet over there." Anderson pointed to another body. 

"Whatever happened in Limehouse last night, I think we can safely assume it wasn't the work of a dead woman." Holmes said. 

"Stranger things have happened." Anderson said. 

"Like what?" Alexandra challenged, crossing her arms over her chest. 

"Well...stranger things." Anderson said.

"You're speaking like a child." Watson rolled his eyes. 

"This is clearly man's work. Where is he?" Holmes asked. Alexandra turned away, trying not to laugh. Molly was no man, that was for sure. As if on cue, the back door opened and Molly stepped out. 

She had the physique of a man no more than past twenty, but her tough attitude put any doubts about her capability to rest. She was dressed in a suit (how Alexandra wished she could wear trousers every day) and her once long hair had been cut short. She had a fake mustache that Alexandra had helped her apply a few months ago. She locked eyes with Holmes.

"Holmes." She said.

"Hooper." Holmes acknowledged. 

"You! Back to work!" She barked at Anderson, beginning to walk forward. "So? Come to astonish us with your magic tricks, I suppose?" 

"Is there anything to which you would like to draw my attention?" Holmes asked.

"Nothing at all, Mr. Holmes." Molly said. "You may leave anytime you like."

"Dr. Hooper, I asked Mr. Holmes to come here. Cooperate." Lestrade said firmly. "That's an order."

"Oh, I understand why he doesn't want to cooperate." Alexandra muttered. Molly laughed under her breath before building up her tough facade again.

"There are two features of interest, as you are always saying in Dr. Watson's stories." Molly said. 

"I never say that." Holmes said.

"Well, you do, actually, quite a lot." Watson said. "Oh, sister, have you read my latest story?"

"No." Alexandra said. 

"What? Why not?" Watson asked.

"I don't care to read stories where a woman who does so much to contribute is not mentioned at all." Alexandra said. "You have never mentioned me."

"Of course I do!" Watson said.

"No, Mary told me you don't." Alexandra said.

"She's right, you don't." Molly said. "Anyways, first of all, this is definitely Emilia Richoletti. She has been categorically identified. We have not a doubt it was her."

"Then who was that last night?" Alexandra asked.

"That was also Emilia Richoletti." Molly said. 

"It can't be. She was dead, she was here." Watson said. 

"She was positively identified by her husband several seconds before he died. He had no reason to lie. He could hardly be mistaken." Molly said.

"The cabby knew it too. There's no question it was her." Lestrade said.

"But she can't have been in two places at the same time can she?." Watson said. 

"No, Watson, one place is strictly the limit for the recently deceased." Holmes said. 

"Holmes, could it have been twins?" Watson asked.

"No." Holmes said. "Honestly, Watson, my silly wife is smarter than you." This caused Alexandra to glare angrily at Holmes, Molly doing the same.

"Why not?" Watson asked.

"Because it's never twins!" Holmes said. 

"Emilia was not a twin, nor did she have any sisters." Lestrade said. "She had one older brother who died four years ago."

"Maybe it was a secret twin." Watson said. 

"What?" Alexandra said.

"A secret twin?" Watson said. "You know, a twin that nobody knows about? This could have all been planned."

"From the moment of conception? How breathtakingly precedent of her, it is never twins, Watson!" Holmes said. 

"Then what's your theory?" Watson asked. 

"What's your problem?" Holmes asked, turning to Lestrade. 

"I- I don't understand." Lestrade said.

"Why were you so afraid? Nothing so far has justified your assault on my decanter." Holmes said. "And why have you allowed a dead woman to be placed under arrest?"

"Ah. That would be the other feature of interest." Molly said. She held up Emilia's right hand. 

"A smear of blood on her finger." Watson said.

"That could have happened any number of ways." Alex said.

"Indeed. There's one other thing." Molly said. "It wasn't there earlier."

"Neither was that." Lestrade said, leading Holmes over to the wall. The word 'YOU' was written in blood on the wall.

"Gun in the mouth...bullet through the brain...back of the head blown clean off...how could he survive?" Holmes murmured.

"She." Alexandra corrected.

"I'm sorry?" Holmes said quietly. Alexandra was taken aback. He hadn't spoken that gently to her in several months. 

"She, not he." Alexandra said.

"Yes, yes, of course." Holmes said. "Well, thank you all for a fascinating case. I'll send you a telegram when I've solved it. Watson, Mrs. Holmes."

"Um, the gunshot wound was obviously the cause of death, but there are clear signs of consumption. It might be worth a post-mortem." Watson said. "We'll need all the information we can get."

"Well, isn't he observant now that Daddy's gone." Molly said. Alexandra burst out laughing. Watson stopped in the middle of walking and turned around.

"I am observant in some ways. Just as Holmes is quite blind in others." Watson said. 

"Really?" Molly challenged.

"Yes, really." Watson said. Both Alexandra and Molly glared at Watson. "Amazing what one has to do to get a head in a man's world." He tipped his hat to Molly and left. "Come along, Alexandra."

Alexandra turned her head back to Molly as she left.

Sorry. She mouthed. 

It's alright. Molly mouthed back.

Alexandra followed her brother out of the morgue. Holmes was already waiting in a cab. Watson sat next to him and Alexandra across.

"Well, Holmes? Surely you must have some theory." Watson said. 

"Not yet. These are deep waters, Watson, deep waters." Holmes said. "And I shall have to go deeper still."

--------------------------------------------

(Several Months Later)

Alexandra was sitting on the couch, reading. Lestrade was here, while Holmes was pacing and reading an essay about something to do with the ecliptic. Alexandra had read the essay and understood every word of it. Of course, Holmes didn't believe her. She shut out their conversation and only tuned in when Holmes said he was going out.

"When will you be back?" She asked.

"When I get back." Holmes said. "You can make me dinner while I'm out."

"I'm not here to cook for you." Alexandra said.

"Then what exactly is the point of you?" Holmes asked.

"I don't know. Maybe we should just divorce." Alexandra said. She looked up at Holmes to see what his reaction was. She thought she saw a flash of worry cross his face, but it was gone in an instant and Alexandra thought she must have imagined it. 

"Why should we divorce?" Holmes asked. 

"It's apparent you don't want me around anymore." Alexandra said. "I should just go."

"Where would you go?" Holmes scoffed. "John won't take you in."

"How do you know?" Alexandra challenged. 

"He's already got Mary to worry about, he won't want his little sister around, too." Holmes said. "I have to go."

"Alright." Alexandra said. "Goodbye. I shall see you later."

Holmes just nodded to her as he left. Alexandra watched him go. She was hoping that Holmes hadn't wanted her to go and would try to stop her. It sort of seemed like he was trying to stop her in his own way. Alexandra sighed angrily and screamed into a pillow on the couch. She was so frustrated and confused lately. All she wanted was to be loved, or at least treated kindly, by the man she had married. 

"Er...Mrs. Holmes? Are you alright?" Archie asked, coming into the room.

"Oh, um...yes, love." Alexandra said. "Are you ever going to call me Mother?"

"I dunno." Archie mumbled. "Where's Mr. Holmes?"

"He's gone out." Alexandra said. "As always."

"You two don't really seem to like each other anymore." Archie said. "What's going to happen if you get a divorce?"

"You'd probably stay with Mr. Holmes. I'd see you every once in awhile, but not too often." Alexandra said.

Alexandra stayed on the couch, not moving all day. She finally fell asleep since she was so bored. She had changed into her nightdress beforehand since it was so comfortable. It was around the middle of the night that Holmes returned. Alexandra was half-awake when he came in. He came over to her and sighed.

"Right where I left you." He whispered. He picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bedroom, laying her down on their bed. He left after watching her for a few minutes.

The next morning, Alexandra woke up. She had a feeling the whole thing had just been a dream. She yawned and stretched before getting out of bed and changing into a dress. She came out of the bedroom and saw Holmes sitting in his armchair, reading the paper.

"Good morning." Alexandra said calmly.

"Good morning." Holmes said.

"When did you get home yesterday?" Alexandra asked.

"Late last night." Holmes said. "I went out to a concert with Watson."

"Oh." Alexandra said. "Was it nice? The concert, I mean."

"What's gotten into you?" Holmes asked.

"I'm just trying to have a normal wife and husband talk." Alexandra said. 

"Please cease and desist." Holmes said. 

"Alright, then." Alexandra sighed. 

An hour or so later, Watson had come. A few minutes after him had come Lady Carmichael. Alexandra sat on the arm of Holmes' chair, feeling a little more comfortable around him.

"Mr. Holmes, I have come here for advice." Lady Carmichael said. 

"That is easily got." Holmes said. 

"And help." Lady Carmichael said.

"That is not always so easy." Holmes said. 

"Something has happened, Mr. Holmes, something unusual and...terrifying." Lady Carmichael said. 

"Then you are in luck." Holmes smiled.

"Luck?" Lady Carmichael questioned.

"Those are my specialties." Holmes said. "This is really very promising."

"Darling." Alexandra elbowed him. Holmes glared at her.

"Please, tell us what has so distressed you." He said, turning back to Lady Carmichael.

She told them that she had been eating breakfast with her family, when the butler had brought in the mail, like any other morning. Her husband had opened one of the letters and he had gone pale. She had told her children to go out and play. She had taken the letter from her husband and emptied it. Five orange pips had fallen into her palm. She had laughed and asked her husband what it meant. He had told her that it meant death.

American secret societies. Alexandra thought quickly.

"Did you keep the envelope?" Holmes asked.

"My husband destroyed it, but it was blank." Lady Carmichael said. "No name or address of any kind."

"Did Sir Eustace used to spend time in America?" Alexandra asked. 

"No." Lady Carmichael said.

"Not even before your marriage?" Alexandra asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Not to my knowledge." Lady Carmichael shook her head. 

"Pray, continue with your fascinating narrative." Holmes said. 

Two days after that incident, Lady Carmichael had woken up in her bed, alone, to discover her husband at the window. He started telling her that someone had come for him. She had looked out the window and seen no one. Eustace had claimed that he had seen the bride. 

"And you saw nothing?" Holmes said. 

"Nothing." Lady Carmichael said. 

"Did your husband describe-" 

"Nothing. That is, until this morning." Lady Carmichael said.

She had woken up alone, again, and seen her husband walking outside in the maze of bushes in their garden. She had chased after him and finally found him standing in front of a woman in a wedding dress with a veil over her face. Eustace had said that the woman was Emilia Richoletti. Emilia had told Eustace that that night he would die. Eustace had fainted and when Lady Carmichael had looked up, Emilia was gone. When Lady Carmichael had finished her story, Holmes had his fingertips together and pressed to his lips.

"Holmes." Watson said.

"Hush, Watson." Holmes said.

"But Emilia Richoletti, the bride." Watson said.

"You know the name?" Lady Carmichael said. 

"You must forgive Watson. He has an enthusiasm for stating the obvious which borders on mania." Holmes said. "May I ask, how is your husband this morning?"

"He refuses to speak of the matter." Lady Carmichael said. "Obviously, I have urged him to leave the house."

"No, no, he must stay exactly where he is." Holmes raised his hand.

"You don't think he's in danger?" Lady Carmichael questioned. 

"Oh, no, somebody definitely wants to kill him, but that's good for us." Holmes said. "You can't set a trap without bait."

"My husband is not bait, Mr. Holmes!" Lady Carmichael said. 

"No, but he could be if we play our cards right." Holmes said. "You must go home immediately. Dr. Watson and I will follow on the next train. There's not a moment to lose. Sir Eustace is to die tonight."

"Darling." Alexandra muttered, elbowing him. 

"And we should probably avoid that." Holmes said.

"Yes." Alexandra nodded.

"Definitely." Watson agreed.

"Definitely avoid that." Holmes said. 

Lady Carmichael left shortly after. Holmes and Watson started packing. Alexandra wanted to go with badly, but she couldn't come up with an excuse. Mrs. Hudson approached her.

"Dear, a telegram came for you." She said. Alexandra took the telegram.

Meet me now. ~ M

Alexandra grinned, knowing who this was from. At least someone knew that she could do all the things that men did. She was able to slip out quickly without Holmes or Watson noticing. She made her way to the Diogenes Club and was met by a young man.

Miss Alexandra Holmes, I presume? He signed. Alexandra had almost forgot, silence was needed here.

Yes, that would be me. She signed back.

You're quite beautiful. It's a shame your brother doesn't mention you in his stories. The man signed.

May I see Mycroft now? Alexandra signed, not in the mood for flirting. I'm here on business. 

The young man, now embarrassed that Alexandra had rebuked his attempt at getting her to flirt with him. He led her to the Stranger's Room. Alexandra let out a slight gasp. Mycroft was even larger than she'd remembered.

"Hello, Mrs. Holmes." He said.

"Mr. Holmes." Alexandra said, nodding. She looked to the food around him. "May I?"

"Of course." Mycroft nodded. Any time Alexandra came around, she would always eat some of the food Mycroft had out. Alexandra took a particularly good-looking piece of cake and sat down. "Did Sherlock accept?"

"Accept what?" Alex asked. "Oh, you mean the case. Yes, he did."

"Little brother has taken the case." Mycroft smirked. "Of course. I now rely you to keep an eye on things, but he must never suspect that you are working for me. Are you clear on that?"

"You can count on me, Mr. Holmes." Alexandra smiled. "Thank you. I now have an excuse to go with my husband."

"How is he as a husband? Hellish, I imagine." Mycroft said.

"Oh, you have no idea." Alexandra said, taking another bite of cake. 

---------------------------------------------

I am so glad I got this finished. Speaking of getting things finished, I just finished reading a book called Art in the Blood. It's an original Sherlock Holmes story, and I definitely recommend it. It's the best book I've read in a while. The last good book I read before that was probably Paper Towns or Between the Lines. Okay, I'm rambling again. My point is, read Art in the Blood. It's really good.