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

{ seventeen }

When they got back to 221B, Sherlock went to his room. Random articles of clothing flew across the room and hit the wall. Carmen glanced at John, "Do you know what he's doing?" John just shrugged, "I learned not to ask."

Carmen frowned. She hated not knowing. "What're you doing?" she called. "I'm going into battle, Carmen, I need the right armor!" he answered. He stepped into view wearing a bright yellow safety jacket. He frowned down at it, "No." It too got thrown across the room.

A bit later, they all piled into a taxi. Sherlock wore exactly what he had worn before. Carmen sighed. Only Sherlock would drag them back to his flat to try on a few coats before leaving again. And they got upset when she popped by to feed her pet!

"What's the plan?" John asked.

"We know her address," Sherlock muttered.

"What," Carmen sighed, "We just ring her doorbell?"

Sherlock smirked at her, "Exactly." He leaned forward to stop the cabbie, "Just here, please." Carmen leaned her head back on the seat, "You didn't even change your clothes." Sherlock adjusted his scarf, "Then it's time to add a splash of color."

They got out of the cab and walked down the street a bit. Sherlock took his scarf off and paced a moment. "Are we here?" John asked. Sherlock hummed, "Two streets away, but this will do."

"For what?" John asked.

Sherlock gestured up to the side of his cheek, "Punch me in the face."

Carmen raised her eyebrows, "Punch you?"

"Yes, punch me. In the face. Didn't you hear me?" Sherlock asked sarcastically.

"I always hear 'punch me in the face' when you're speaking, but it's usually subtext," John remarked. Carmen chuckled. Sherlock heaved a sigh before hitting John in the jaw. He stumbled back and held the side of his face, "What'd you do that for?"

Carmen stepped up to Sherlock. "Oh for God's sake!" she exclaimed. And with that, she threw a right hook. Sherlock stumbled back, holding the side of his cheek. He gaped at Carmen, "Thank you that was, uh..."

He was interrupted by John, who had recovered from the shock of what had happened and now tackled Sherlock. John held Sherlock in a choke hold. "I think we're done now, John," Sherlock gasped out.

"You remember Sherlock, I was a soldier. I killed people!" John said angrily.

"You were a doctor!" Sherlock protested.

"I had bad days!" John shouted.

Carmen stood back, watching the two and massaging her knuckles. She chuckled as John finally let Sherlock go. He straightened his suit angrily. "Thank you Carmen, and John. You two make quite the team."

A trickle of blood leaked down Sherlock's cheek from the cut. Carmen realized belatedly it was from the little opal ring she always wore. "It doesn't hurt too bad, does it?" she asked worriedly. Sherlock took a piece of white plastic from his pocket and fixed it under his collar. He looked like a vicar, now. "I've had worse," Sherlock dismissed. He glanced over at her, "You throw a mean right hook, though."

The three of them began walking down the street towards Irene's house as they spoke. "Didn't know you had that sort of strength in you, Carmen," John remarked. She held up a fist menacingly, "Wanna try me?" John held up his hands, "I'm just saying, for a ballerina, you seem like quite a brawler."

Carmen sniffed, "I've seen a fair few fights in my life, John Watson."

Sherlock chuckled before he pointed to the house in front of them, "It's just here. Let me do the talking."