In The Game of Love

eight

 John, Irene, and Y/N read Sherlock's note and quickly got to work. The women changed into pants as John got Sherlock's friend, Tanner, to agree to take them, on his boat, to where they needed to be on the river Thames. They piled on, with an extra set of clothes for Sherlock, knowing his plan. They waited near the Palace of Westminster, the home of Parliament.

"So..." John whispered as he came up beside Y/N. "You and Sher—"

"You saw that?" Y/N quietly exclaimed.

"Well, it wasn't very discreet." She shook her head. "I'm happy for you both."

"It was just a kiss, John. Nothing will come from it. It can't."

"Why?"

"It just can't."

She walked off to the front of the ship, wanting some time alone. John allowed it, with a quirked brow, as Irene watched quietly from the back. Tanner and John then began bickering about which window Sherlock would be jumping from. From where she stood, Y/N watched Sherlock launched himself from one of the higher windows.

Y/N watched with bated breath for Sherlock to emerge from the rushing waters. His hand, holding his pipe, emerged first. A large breath of relief left Y/N's lungs as Sherlock's head came up and John threw him a rope. John pulled him to the boat and helped him into it. Y/N was ready and waiting with a blanket, quickly ushering him to sit and wrapped the blanket around his shoulders.

"I told you he'd be coming out the top window, soldier boy," Tanner commented, pointing at John. "There isn't any way he'd be coming over that terrace."

"Technically, that isn't the top window, is it, sailor boy?" John retorted.

"What is it?'

"Well, it's the middle window."

"Anyway," Y/N said, trying to get them to stop bickering. She sat next to Sherlock as Irene sat down in front of him.

"Yes, anyway, you'd be pleased to know that Lestrade performed his role perfectly," Sherlock stated. "In fact, I think he rather enjoyed it."

"You got what you needed from Coward?" John asked.

"Yes, I smoked him out with relative ease." Y/N and John smirked. "Tanner?"

"Sir?" The captain responded.

"If you would, captain take us under the bridge, Portside, proximately 100 yard. Beyond that you'll find the tunnel that leads us to the sewers."

"Right away, sir."

Y/N got up and quickly retrieved Sherlock's dry clothes. "Here," she said, handing them to him. "Change. We can't have you getting sick while we're trying to finish this."

Sherlock's hands brushed up against hers as he took the clothes. "Thank you, darling."

Sherlock finished changing just before Tanner pulled the boat up to the tunnel. John and Irene got out first, with Y/N allowing Sherlock to help her out. She understood that after this was over, if her secret plan to bargain for her freedom didn't work, that she'd either need to run or tell Sherlock. And she didn't think she could to the latter. That would put Sherlock in much more danger than he was already.

Once inside the tunnels, they let Sherlock take the lead. John insisted on being the caboose so that the women were sandwiched between the two men, not that he didn't believe they couldn't handle themselves. Y/N was right behind Sherlock, with Irene behind her. They hid behind a wall once they reached where Blackwood had men guarding a machine.

"Behold, Blackwood's magic revealed," Sherlock whispered.

"What does it do?" Irene asked.

"It's a chemical weapon. The first of its kind." Now Y/N understood why the Professor wanted the machine.