The Science of Blood, Bombs and Brothers//BOOK ONE

Chapter 23~ What's Deleted (Never Really Is)

Lestrade's P.O.V

When I walk into the pub after work i spot Teddy sitting in the same booth we had been in the other night. One of her hands were gripped around her glass while the other lay on the table, fingers playing with her unclasped bracelet. I walk over and sit down next to her silently. All around us people were talking and laughing, music playing loudly, but in our little booth it was like time had stopped. Teddy's eyes were fixed on the bracelet in silence, a small frown on her face.

"Did you get another present?" I ask. With a sigh she let go of the bracelet and leaned back, nodding.

"Unfortunately yes," she murmurs with closed eyes. "It was a dress, that was all. It was in the box of nutella Mycroft ordered me. Someone put it there."

"Was that it?"

Teddy's eyes flick open and she looks at me.

"He left a note. He called me fox," she says, rubbing her face in frustration. I frown. Why would Teddy get a nickname from the bomber? From this- this Moriarty character? He didn't even know her. Well, in person at least.

"OK, Teddy, lets-lets go through all the things you've gotten from him. Those presents," I suggest. Teddy pulls her hands away from her face and looks at me questioningly.

"What?" she says.

"Well, you're getting these presents to help you remember something you've forgotten. Maybe if we go through them together it'll help you," I explain.

Teddy sits up straighter, looking down at her bracelet. She smiles and brings the glass to her lips, taking a long drink. She then looks at me.

"We better get you a drink first," she says.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"So, first present," I say when I get my drink.

"The bracelet," Teddy replies, flicking it with her fingers. It slid across the table about a centimeter or so.

"What does it bring back?"

"Um," Teddy stares at it for a moment, licking her lips. "Nothing."

I pick up the bracelet and examine it, thinking. Teddy stares at it, elbows on the table with both hands cupped under her jaw. Her eyes sharpened as she looked at it the way Sherlock's eyes would when he had thought of something.

"The presents are given to me to jog my memory. The only way they can do that is if they're related to an event that happened in my past," she tells me.

"OK. What would this bracelet be related to?" I ask, chucking it to her. She catches it with one hand and shrugs.

"You tell me," she says.

I think about it for a moment. It's expensive, it wouldn't be just an everyday gift.

"Event? Birthday, Christmas, anniversary..." I trail off, looking at Teddy.

"Birthday is a possibility but i actually don't celebrate it with presents. Just cake. Christmas, no. Haven't celebrated it since leaving home. Anniversary? Perhaps," Teddy says.

"That one seems most likely, then?" Teddy nods.

"Shall we say that the bracelet is to remind me of an anniversary, then?" she asks.

"Sure."

She puts the bracelet back on her wrist and smiles.

"Well, that's one present done. Next: Peter Pan."

I scratch my head. This one seemed like it would be harder to sort out.

"Do you-" I begin.

"Have any idea what it's supposed to remind me of? Nope," Teddy finishes.