The Science Of Second Chances//Book Two

Chapter 21~ The Break In

Teddy's P.O.V

I didn't take a cab home. I walked back in a daze I don't know how I managed it without getting hit by a car but I did. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and questions. She wasn't dead. Irene wasn't dead. She was alive and living and she had lied to me. She had made me think that she was dead. For the past week I had been struggling with my emotions, trying to deal with my best friend's 'death'. To find out that she had been alive this whole time...

I had been relieved and happy. Then it all changed into silent, bubbling fury that sat in my chest. She hadn't just caused me pain but also my brother. I had never seen Sherlock so... emotional. So heartbroken. I wondered if he knew.

He must know, I thought, pushing the door open into the flat. If she had a heart, she would let him know.

Perhaps it was because I was so distracted by my thoughts that I didn't notice the jemmied door or the scuff marks just above the skirting board. It wasn't until I sniffed that I stopped halfway up the staircase. I smelt men's deodorant which didn't belong to either Sherlock or John. Unless Mrs Hudson had started wearing men's deodorant, I thought, then there must be someone in the house.

My fears were confirmed when the door leading into 221B's living room opened and revealed-

Ugh, the head honcho from Irene's house. He didn't seem to realize that I was standing on the landing of the staircase until I spoke, my gun pointing at him.

"I don't think you're supposed to be here."

He flinched slightly, surprised to hear me. His eyes landed on the gun I was holding and he smiled. That arrogant smile, along with my growing fury at Irene's lie, made me cock the gun, my eyes going icy.

"Look, you smirking bastard, I am not in the mood to screw around. If you don't get out of this flat right now I will shoot you," I snarled.

"And risk the life of your landlady?" he replied. I froze. I had completely forgotten about Mrs Hudson.

"Where-" I began, cutting off when I heard a whimper upstairs. Without a word I ran up the stairs two at a time, shoving past the smirking leader and entering the living room.

"Oh, God, Mrs Hudson!" I gasped. My eyes raked over her, taking in the rip in her top and the cut on her cheek.

"Teddy, Thea, oh, I'm sorry," Mrs Hudson sobbed as I took a step closer, horrified at the state that she was in. I was also horrified at the guns that were pointing at her from two men who were on either side of her.

"Now would be a good time for you to hand over your gun, Miss Holmes," the leader behind me purred.

I calculated my options. I had a full cartridge of ammo. I could shoot the two men but there would be a chance of Mrs Hudson getting caught in the crossfire. I could shoot the leader but by the time I went for the two other men Mrs Hudson would be dead and I could be too.

So I placed my gun down on the table and turned, facing the leader with a grim expression on my face.

"So now what?" I said, putting as much venom as I could into my voice. The leader smiled.

"Now we wait."

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

We didn't have to wait long for Sherlock to turn up. About a minute after I was tied up ("because knowing you, you'll probably try something," the leader had told me) Sherlock walked into the living room, observing the sight around him. Sherlock locked eyes with me and I stared back, a clear question in my eyes.