Mirror Image (Under MAJOR editing)

Chapter 31

Sherlock walked down the street, his curly hair was plastered to his face from spending mere minutes in the rain. He needed to get out of the flat. John had kept reminding him of his unemployment status and he needed to find a case. Sherlock knew he was too busy tracking down Moriarty. He knew he was out there somewhere. But there was something else that was keeping him away from Scotland Yard and he couldn't put his finger on it. It wasn't because he didn't want to face Lestrade and Molly after his little stunt because the matter of fact is he had seen Lestrade since then. Molly, however, he hadn't but he knew Molly would be fine. She helped plan his death.

Sherlock was lost in his thoughts when he heard screaming come from three blocks down. Sherlock paused and contemplated his choices: should he go and check it out or go back to the flat. "Oh Hell. Why not? John is still writing on his blog." Sherlock walked down the street as the screams got fainter and fainter. Sherlock paused and listened intently to the movements emanating from the alley. Three people: one dead, one victim, one aggressor. Sherlock smirked. This could be fun.

He nonchalantly walked out into the middle of the opening for the alley and saw what he suspected: one dead man, one girl on her back and one other man on top of her strangling the life out of her.

"You." Sherlock spoke crisply, his baritone voice cutting through the night sky. He saw the man look at him and smirk.

"Looks like your guardian angel has arrived. Too bad Nan doesn't have one. I'll see you later Marley and we will continue where we left off." The man then let go of her neck and stood up, glancing at Sherlock one last time and then turning and running down the alley and getting lost in the darkness.

The girl looked at him, lifting her head off the ground and trying to reach out but quickly succumbing to the darkness. Her head fell onto the ground finally allowing her some peace of mind.

Sherlock slowly walked towards her and noticed a sort of peacefulness of her. She was at war with something in her mind yet it didn't show on her face. Her hair was fanned out around her head and her head was tilted to the side. She was laying on her side, one arm outstretched and the other gently covering her torso. Sherlock paused for a second and then quickly scooped her up, making his way towards 221B Baker Street.

John sat in his chair, sipping his tea and looking through the internet when the door swung dramatically open. "What Sherlock? What's got your..." John paused in awe as he saw Sherlock holding a bloodied girl. "Oh no Sherlock. Not another one."

Sherlock dismissed him and walked straight to his room. Sherlock quickly yet gently set Marley onto his bed and looked at John. "I know what you are thinking. I didn't do it. I found her John, despite what you may think."

"You found her? How? You know what, I don't need to know. She looks injured." John walked over to Marley and examined her multiple wounds.

"Wow John. Brilliant deduction. I just simply couldn't have seen that without your intellectual prowess." Sherlock smartly retorted.

"Sherlock, will you please control your sarcasm for just a few minutes. She's actually in really bad shape." John gently moved Marley to her side to see if there was any blood on her back or any wounds. "I'm going to need to call Molly. Stay here and make sure she doesn't die."

"Why would you call Molly? She's a mortician." John rolled his eyes and quickly walked out of the room, flipping his phone on and dialing Molly Hooper's number.

Sherlock looked back at the door and then looked at Marley as he stepped closer. "Who are you?" Sherlock reached out to brush the hair off her face when John walked back in.

"Don't touch her!" Sherlock pulled back and looked at him. "Bloody Hell Sherlock. She's dying. Just leave and let me work." Sherlock opened his mouth in protest but John interrupted. "I will call you in when she's stable or I need help. I need you to let Molly in when she gets here."