Fight for Me

Chapter 4

It took less than ten minutes for John and Sherlock to get to Brasserie Zédel, even with the cabbie going out of his way to increase their fare. Sherlock bounded into the café, sprinted down the staircase, and burst into the bar area through the lobby, John following him a few steps behind. Before entering the bar, John threw some money at the ticket booth and muttered, "police emergency."

John found Sherlock standing to the side of the bar, watching the woman currently on stage. Clothed in an elegant midnight blue gown was Lydia, her teal eyes shining under the lights. She stepped down from the stage as she sang, meandering through the tables of the audience to sing to them.

"But as I peruse this world we abuse, it's hell that choose and heaven must lose."

Her voice rang throughout the room, the skirt of her dress fluttering behind her. Both John and Sherlock's eyes were glued to her figure, John surprised that this was the same girl that he used to play with. Lydia's eyes rose to meet them, her act faltering slightly upon registering their presence. John she wasn't expecting until tomorrow's performance and Sherlock she assumed would have had to be dragged kicking and screaming to attend an event like this. So it had to have happened, Jacob had been killed.

But she slipped back into character almost immediately, trailing her fingers over the shoulder of one of the audience members. She approached the boys standing into the back of the room and flashed them a flirtatious smile.

"Evil's for me, you can have good," she sang, cupping Sherlock's cheek in her hand. "Doesn't suit me to be Robin Hood."

Sending John a wink, she made her way back up to the stage and belted out the ending of the piece, the audience breaking out into applause. As though snapping out of a trance, Sherlock motioned to John to follow him and slipped backstage.

That's where Lydia found them, being told off by two other members of the group, Lawrence Rees and Zoe Richards.

"You can't be back here, I don't care who you are. Audience members have to stay in the main bar area," Zoe argued, looking quite annoyed with the detective.

Lydia was quick to step in as it was clear Sherlock was growing more and more frustrated with the inferior minds. "John, Sherlock, I'm so glad you could make it! I'm sorry, Zo, I should have warned you that they were coming backstage to see me, I just weren't sure they were actually going to make it. They're here on my invitation."

Zoe and Lawrence turned to face her, both looking quite confused. Lawrence was the first to speak, "you've invited someone backstage? You've never done that before."

Lydia nodded, "it's just that John was a very good friend when we were younger and I've been trying to reconnect with him. He took an interest in what we do for a living, as did Sherlock, so I told them that they could come back here after I'd finished my last solo piece. I should've checked with you guys first, I'm sorry, but I didn't think it would be much of a problem."

"No, it's fine, it was just surprising is all," Lawrence flashed Lydia a warm smile, but was still not convinced. But it wasn't like these men seemed to pose a threat, so he let it go. Besides, if they were actually her friends, it would be nice for her to spend some time with them with how often they travelled.

Once Zoe and Lawrence were out of earshot, Lydia turned to the two men and her eyes narrowed, "can I ask what you're really doing here? John, I know you said you'd come tomorrow and Mr. Holmes, I didn't peg you as a man interested in musical theatre."

"I'm not, I find it utterly fatuous. But I'm here on a case," the detective replied, his voice deep and commanding.

"Case? I'm sorry, I don't understand."