My Clever Girl

A Scandal in Belgravia (Part 3)

It was quiet as I hear Iris take a deep and shaky breath. "I had Molly pick it up for me since I forgot it at the morgue." She said as I looked at her to see she was wearing the same lipstick as Molly. "You always say such horrible things. Every time. Always. Always." Molly said as I didn't know what to say. "I am sorry, girls. Forgive me." I said as everyone looked at me while I was crazy. I stood in front of Iris and looked down at her at her warm brown doe eyes. "Merry Christmas, Iris Watson." I said and gently placed a kiss upon the corner of her mouth when my phone ruined the moment and moaned, causing everyone but John, Iris, and Mrs. Hudson to be surprised. "That wasn't me." Iris said, informing them as I looked at her present in my hand. "No, it was me." I said as everyone but John, Iris, and Mrs. Hudson where surprised.

"What?/My God, really?" Lestrade and Molly asked at the same time. "My phone." I said and looked at them. "Fifty-seven?" John said in more of a question. "Sorry, what?" I asked and sat Iris' gift down. "Mantelpiece." It said as I looked at the mantelpiece. "Fifty-seven of those texts, of those texts, the ones I've heard." He said as I walked over to it. "Thrilling that you've been counting." I said and looked to see a gift. "Why would you be counting?" Iris asked curiously. I grabbed a red shining box and looked at it. "Excuse us." I said and grabbed Iris' gift then gently grabbed her hand. "What's up, Sherlock?" John asked as they watched us. "I said excuse us." I said as I dragged Iris to my room. "Do you ever reply?" He called out as I ignored him. I walked in as Iris was confused.

I sat on the bed and opened the box to see the phone we tried getting the first time. I looked at it as did Iris. "She gave up her protection." She said softly as I pulled out my phone and called Mycroft. "Oh dear Lord, we're not going to have Christmas phone calls now, are we? Have they passed a new law?" He asked as I looked at Iris who crossed her arms. "I think you're going to find Irene Adler tonight." I said as Iris looked upset for Irene. "We already know where she is. As you were kind enough to point out, it hardly matters." He said as we noticed John peeking in. "No, I mean you're going to find her dead." I said and hung up then stood up.

"You guys okay?" He asked as I walked over. "Yes." I said simply and shut the door. I looked at Iris. I decided to grab her gifts from my dresser and walked over to her. I held it out to her, but got a call. "Come on. You can open them when we get to where we're going." I said and grabbed my trench coat. I let her take the gift she got me since I held onto hers. I let her change into something comfortable. She came out in a Christmas sweater and leggings without her make-up. I told the gang as Molly insisted she came so we let her go home and change.

Time Skip

We walked down the hallway and to the morgue with Mycroft as Molly was already in there. "The only one who fitted the description. Had her brought here, your home from home." Mycroft said as we walked over to the metal table. "You didn't need to come in, Molly." I said softly. "It's okay, everyone else was busy with...Christmas." She said as I felt a bit bad letting her do this and I can tell Iris does too. "The face is a bit sort of bashed-up, so it might be a bit difficult." She said and pulled the sheet to show the face. "That's her, isn't it?" Mycroft asked as Iris shook her head. "Show us the rest of her please." She said softly. Molly removed the rest of the sheet as we looked at the body. I looked at Iris as she nodded. "That's her." I said and started walked away.

I was staring out the window as I felt a small hand on my back and turned to see Iris with her head tilted with a small smile. I gave a small smile back as she held her gift out. I gently took it and gingerly opened it to show a single cigarette. It may be a small thing to some, but since I've been trying to cut off, it's pretty big. "I notice you've been having a rough time. Just the one though. " She said softly with a smile, looking out the window as I took it out and looked at her. "Why?" I asked softly as I see a lit lighter come between us. "Merry Christmas." Mycroft and Iris said in unison with soft smiles. "I talked with Mycroft about it and he said it was alright." She said as Mycroft nodded.