TW: MINOR CHARACTER D*ATH AND MENTIONS OF R-PE.

Sherlock and I left at around five thirty. It was a twenty minute walk to our destination. Sherlock had suggested we take a carriage but I shook the idea off, saying that we shouldn't drag any innocents into our situation. He scowled for a good five minutes as we got ready but as soon as we stepped foot outside the door into the rain he was practically leaping towards our possible demise.
The behavior and movements of my friend were shaky and erratic and I presume he had taken an injection before we departed.
He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, then pressed them to his lips. ''So exciting. Watson aren't you excited?''
When he turned to me he rolled his eyes in a rather dramatic fashion. ''Dear god. Your gun is not going to fly away. Stop patting at your pocket, it looks quite silly. There are pickpockets more skilled than you could ever imagine and you're not the most observant individual I've ever clapped eyes on. They could take your whole coat and you wouldn't notice.'' I felt a pang of hurt in my chest but it quickly blossomed into anger. ''Oh really? and how do you know what I would and wouldn't notice?' Do tell.''

Sherlock smiled. ''You see but you do not observe. I'd recommend putting these on. It's quite chilly out.'' My eyes widened as he held my coat towards me, folded neatly with my hat and firearm atop the bundle. ''I-I I was wearing all that. How did you take that from me without my noticing?'' I sputtered. His grin only grew wider and he placed the hat atop my head crookedly before twirling back around and continuing to walk beside me.

''Please. I could strip you of all your clothes without you noticing.''

My face flushed a deep red and I pulled the brim of my hat down in front of my face to hide it. I peeked down at myself to reassure my trousers and shirt were still on. ''Oh shut up Holmes.'' The smile on his face did not falter as he slipped behind me. He began to put my jacket on for me, a nice gesture, but his fingers brushed my shoulder and before I could stop it, I flinched and a small groan came from the back of my throat.
Mentally cursing myself, I sucked in a breath, hoping he had not heard my reaction to his touch. He froze for a second, but buttoned up the last button, and then handed me my revolver, gesturing for me to put it back in my pocket.
I let out a shaky sigh, relieved that the physical contact was over.

We walked in silence the remainder of the way to Covey Lane.
I was nervous and although he didn't admit it he was as well. His hands were trembling violently. Perhaps it was the drugs or maybe he really was eager to reunite with her. Sherlock held The Woman in high esteem. She had beaten him the first time they met, but he retaliated with handing her to the British Government. She was quite a beautiful woman and she used it to her advantage to get what she wanted. I feared Sherlock would be injured trying to face her, running into danger stupidly without opening his eyes as he typically seemed to do. We slowed our pace, as we turned onto the street. It was better to remain as quiet as possible. We stood, back to back watching the shadows. I once again rested my hand on my pocket. A seductive melodical voice rose from the dark.

"Well how lovely of you to accept my invitation."

Sherlock shook his head and let out an amused grunt. "It was more of a demand."

"Well you weren't inclined to come. I didn't have... a gun to your head. Something hard and cold was pressed to my temple. My eyes finally adjusted to the darkness and I let out a shaky gasp. The woman had emerged from the shadows and now had a gun of her own aimed at my skull.
In a flash, Sherlock had swiped my weapon from my pocket and had positioned it at her head as well.
His galaxy eyes flashed dangerously in the darkness. They were narrowed into slits, and his chest rose and fell rapidly, but he spoke in a collected, calm, quick manner.

" If you pull that trigger, I will not hesitate to kill you, then turn on myself."

Her blood red lips contorted into a smirk. She seemed satisfied by Sherlock's statement and I let out a sigh of relief as the two lowered and pocketed their weapons, ending the duel. "Calm down Sherlock I was only teasing." She took a step back and her gaze raked up and down Holmes' body. She appeared to be undressing him with her eyes.
"I had dinner alone, by the way. Not very thoughtful of you Mr. Holmes."

Sherlock shrugged.
"Thoughtful.. Not really my area. So why did they have to die? Your brother and Mr Balinkey."

Irene scoffed. "You've deduced it already."
When Sherlock did not respond, she shifted and looked at the floor, fidgeting in an uncomfortable way. Her confident mask dropped as we stood in the cold, watching, awaiting an answer.
"We have some time before the Government officials get here so why don't you share your little story? John doesn't know why you did it. He doesn't quite have the brain power."
I glared at Sherlock but it went unnoticed and he continued eyeing the woman with a sort of determined silent power.

Silence.
Irene let out a tired sounding sigh, giving up quiet match and began to speak.

"I was twelve. Young and foolish and pretty. A group of boys from my classes decided to chase me, trying to get a peek up my skirts and so I hid behind the first thing I saw. An old tree, its branches filled with peaches. A girl from my class lay there on her stomach, admiring bugs and little leaves that littered the ground with her big brown eyes. Every so often she would push a strand of hair behind her ear and continue her observing. I approached her after the boys had given up their search and left.
We became the best of friends. Every day after school I would run up the hill, hoping to meet her, hoping that she would be waiting for me behind the peach tree.
There we would sink our teeth into the juicy fruits, and tie ribbons into each others hair. One night when we were sixteen we scrambled up the ladder and sat on the loft in her family's farm. I didn't care that the hay was giving me a rash.
I was with her and that's all that I needed.
She looked so pretty.
Her eyes shone in the moonlight and her smile lit up my life. Every time I was around her my chest felt like it would burst with happiness and butterflies would pour out.
She smelled like butterscotch and flowers, and everything in life worth living for.
So, I leaned in and kissed her whilst she was in the middle of a sentence about her medical studies, pressing my lips to hers.
She ran her fingers through my hair, and smiled into my lips and that's when I knew that she was the one I was going to grow old together with.
I wanted to lay awake at night to admire her beauty.
I wanted to kiss her until I lost my breath.
We would frequently lay awake at night discussing our plans for the future.
We were to get married, and have a secret ceremony under the peach tree where we first had crossed paths. It would be only us, and we would buy pretty dresses from Carmichael's to wear as we were wed. But he saw us.
Her face darkened, showing pure disgust. She took a shuddering breath before continuing, her words dripping with venom.
"That foul evil clod of a human.
He saw us.
He had always felt something for her. It was obvious. Not even close to how I loved her. You should have seen the looks he gave her. Like a lovesick puppy. But she was mine. She was my sun on the dreariest of days.
He saw us embrace. And in an act of revenge and lust he ruined her. His filthy hands touched her skin. The skin only I was allowed. I wasn't there to save her. But I was there when she died in my arms.

In the middle of bearing his offspring. I left our home that day to seek him out and kill him, but he had already fled, knowing what he had done. When I heard he was back in town after all these years I knew I had my chance."

It was silent. The air lay heavy with emotion. I opened my mouth but words failed me. Sherlock spoke instead, surprising me with his soft almost caring tone. "A proper man shall never take advantage of a lady like that and while I can not relate to your pain I-"
Shouts were heard in the distance, interrupting us, horse heels against cobblestone faster and faster, sounds coming closer.
Then it happened.

The gunshot rang out and muted my hearing but when I regained it and looked back up from my recoiled stance, Irene lay on the ground, blood seeping between her lips. It puddled underneath her shaking form and matted her hair. Sherlock knelt by her side and I ran to join him. I pressed my fingers to her chest wound. She looked up at Sherlock, tears making streak lines down her powder covered cheeks. I began to stutter orders to Sherlock to keep her alive but I felt a hand grasp my arm and I looked down.
" J-John It's ok."
She smiled and her eyes shone brightly as she gazed up lovingly at the stars.
"I'll be with her now. That's all I ever wanted.
She's waiting for me by the peach tree. I see her.

My sweet Molly Hooper."