221B

Chapter 8 - A Scandal in Belgravia

Kate P.O.V.

“I hope Kate wasn’t hurt too bad…” Irene mutters. I turn to look at her. We’re back at 221B.

“Yeah I hope so too.” I say with a sarcastic tone.

She looks at me. “Not you. The other Kate.”

“You mean the woman who was with you.”

“Smart and pretty.” She observes. “Sherlock’s a lucky guy.”

I arch an eyebrow at her. “Excuse me?”

“Well, if I were Sherlock…I’d be taking full advantage of that friendship of yours right now.”

“But you’re not. You’re Irene Adler, the most…er, seductive person on the planet-to be modest.”

She nods. “True. But he’s still a bit seductive.”

“Sherlock is not sed-”

“You’re telling me you don’t find him the least bit attractive?” She asks, raising an eyebrow. She nods her head towards his direction. “Come on. Look at him and tell me you don’t find him the tiniest bit sexy.”

I lock eyes with her for a moment, and then look over at Sherlock, still unconscious and lying on the bed. Irene walks forward and gently rests a hand on each of my shoulders, leaning in close to speak quietly to me.

“Have you seen his dark hair? His bright eyes; the way they change color and flit around, taking in every last little detail in less than a minute. Even the way he moves?” She says “His voice. He speaks so quickly, so…elegantly when he talks. The deductions he makes; so accurate, so…sexy. Such a good flirt, too.” She pauses. “Got that confirmation when he made the accurate observation that your pupils dilated.”

I look away from him and at her in surprise. “How do you…?”

“Don’t you remember, Kate? I have my sources. My ears.” She pauses. “So come on, tell me,” She moves one hand towards my face, holds my chin, and slightly turns my head towards him. “Is he not even a little appealing to you?” She pauses a moment. “Your pulse is rising. Skipped a beat, too.”

I look at her, then look down and realize that one of her hands has moved down to hold my wrist; her thumb placed exactly where my pulse can be felt. She smirks at me.

“Knew it.” She says.

“That does not mean tha-“

“Oh yes it does. What else would have done that to you? Who else can make you short of breath and make your pulse quicken every time you see him?”

I look her in the eye. “How do you know you’re not talking about yourself?”

She smirks again. “Don’t worry, honey, your secret’s safe with me.” There’s a moment of silence. “So, considering that I have my ears…” She walks round to face me. “I suppose he doesn’t know about your past quite yet, does he? Same with John.”

“And they don’t need to know.”

“Are you sure?” She says. “I know. And so far I’m not hurt. None of them have come to question me.”

“I don’t need anyone else to know.”

“Who knows?” She asks.

“Just you and Sherlock’s brother.”

“Hm.” A moment later she speaks again. “So, what happened with Hal Brooks?”

“Your ears didn’t tell you that?”