Contact High → Sherlock Holmes (BBC) [on hold]

{ sixteen }

The man who was sent for clothes put them down in front of Sherlock. Carmen finally detached herself from him and looked through them. "All black?" she muttered, "What are we doing? Breaking in somewhere?" Carmen turned to the man who grabbed them, "Would it have killed you to grab a color or two?"

He just stared blankly at her. Sherlock raised an eyebrow, "It doesn't matter anyway." The second man, who seemed to be in charge, sighed, "Please, Mr. Holmes. Where you're going, you'll want to be dressed."

Sherlock glanced back at him and looked him up and down, "I know exactly where I'm going."

As the men herded the two downstairs, Carmen elbowed him. "Mind telling me where we're going?" she hissed. He chuckled but didn't answer. She huffed a sigh, "I can't believe I have to go out with you dressed in a sheet." They were outside now, and a man opened the back door to an all black car.

Sherlock just gave her a wink before carefully getting in.

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John walked into the elaborate room. His eyes settled on the little pile of clothes on the table in the middle of the room. Then he looked over and caught his eyes on Sherlock. Carmen glanced over at John, clearly upset. "He wouldn't get dressed," she snapped.

John shrugged at Sherlock in a kind of 'why?' attitude. Sherlock shrugged back. John walked over to the couch slowly, and Carmen scooted closer to Sherlock to make room. She glanced down at the pile of clothes, "Would it kill you--,"

Sherlock shushed her. Carmen sighed angrily. John glanced over at Sherlock and studied him a moment, "Are you wearing any pants?" Sherlock paused, "Mm. No."

They were all silent for a moment. Sherlock caught John's eye and all three of them burst out laughing. Carmen clutched at a stitch in her side. She glanced up at Sherlock and realized it was the first time she had seen him really, truly laugh. He caught her stare and his laughter cut off. He raised an eyebrow and she blushed. "In Buckingham Palace," John said, trying to keep his laughter at bay, "I'm seriously fighting the impulse to steal an ashtray."

That set them off again. All three laughed for a moment before settling down. "What are we doing here?" John asked, "Sherlock, seriously. What?"

"I don't know," Sherlock answered truthfully.

"Here to see the Queen?" John asked.

Mycroft rounded the corner and Carmen grinned, "Apparently yes."

All three burst out laughing again as Mycrost stood angrily in the doorway. "Just once," Mycroft snapped, "Can you three behave like grownups?"

"We solve crimes, I blog about it, she tags along, and he forgets his pants. I wouldn't hold out too much hope," John muttered.

Carmen frowned, "Tags along?"

Sherlock shrugged, "Well, it's true." Carmen sniffed, "I consider myself the moral compass of the trio, thank you. I also make sure your brother gets fed and dressed, although this time," she threw a glance at Sherlock, "It didn't quite go as planned."

Sherlock ignored her, "I was in the middle of a case, Mycroft."

"What, the hiker and the backfire?" Mycroft shoved his hands in his pockets, "I glanced at the police report. Bit obvious, isn't it?"

"Transparent," Sherlock sighed.

Carmen and John glanced at each other in surprise. It seemed that case was already done for. Mycroft picked up the bundle of clothes and held it out to Sherlock. He glanced at them before looking away. Mycroft sighed, "We are in Buckingham Palace, the very heart of the British nation. Sherlock Holmes, put your trousers on!"