Sherlock's Daughter

13 - Irene Adler

Irene Adler

Juliet launches herself off her bed whilst Mrs Hudson givesher a look of puzzlement. "Yes that's it..." The elderly woman trails whilewatching the young Holmes dart around the room fumbling in her jacket pocketand then her bag looking for her phone which she then finds in her trouserpocket. She rolls her eyes at her own stupidity before dialling Sherlock'snumber but surprisingly receives no response and goes straight to voicemail.She grunts and chucks the phone onto her bed after hanging up leaving MrsHudson still baffled. "Problem?" She asks naively.

"It's just...Irene Adler is in a lot of photos with Sherlock'sbrother, Sherrinford. You probably haven't heard of him, he's a disappointmentto the family or something. The Holmes criminal." Juliet rambles while MrsHudson blatantly nods. "Now Irene was a sort of criminal...she just liked to play, well she is a dead sort ofcriminal now, but now that I know that she had close connections withSherrinford...criminal intent? Maybe?" She questions herself. Juliet knows thatshe is skilled in the science of deduction like her father but she is stillunable to link things to the incredible degree Sherlock can.

"You're just like your father." Mrs Hudson comments with agrin making Juliet smile. She loves Mrs Hudson and how she looks after her. Thedoorbell chimes - between them they managed to persuade Sherlock not to shootthis one or put it in the fridge. "Could you get that for me? You will probablybe quicker." She requests while signalling to her hip, "And I will give thisroom a once over with my duster."

"Sure." Juliet smiles and scampers down the two flights ofstairs. Her room is John's old room and is located on the top floor of thebuilding, below that is the rest of 221B. Juliet pulls open the large frontdoor revealing the last person she would expect to see on the doorstep. IreneAdler. She is almost unrecognisable, in the pictures she looks grand withexpensive clothes, exquisite jewellery and beautiful makeup but now she lookslike ghost. A ghost haunting the doorway. Her face is without make up and isgaunt, maybe she is dead. Her basic sweatpants and scruffy hoody really outlineher haggard figure.

"Oh!" Irene exclaims in surprise, "Hello. I am here to seeSherlock Holmes...if he still lives here?" She tilts her head to one sideobviously confused at why there is a young, spritely teenager homing in thedoorway. She was most likely expecting Mrs Hudson or maybe even Sherlockhimself (unlikely, he is too idle).

"Y-y-yes of course." Juliet plasters on a fake smile andstands to one side letting the dominatrix in who walks up the stairs withlittle thought showing Juliet that she has been here before making her bloodboil. The pair make their way into the living room where Irene takes a seat onthe sofa quite leisurely leaving Juliet standing.

"Who was it?!" Mrs Hudson calls from up the stairs obviouslystill dusting.

"Just a client!" She responds, "I will make them tea!" Withthat, Juliet shuts the door to the living room leaving her and Miss Adler to alittle privacy. She smiles awkwardly at the older woman then enters the kitchenand starts to rummage around in the cupboards for the needed supplies. Sherlockalways moves stuff around to accommodate for experiments and body partsetcetera.

"My name's Irene." She greets from around the corner out ofview, "I am a friend of Sherlock's. Who are you may I ask? I haven't seen youaround here before." Juliet cringes at the fact that Irene calls her father afriend but decides to shrug it off to continue to look for the god damnteabags.

"Juliet." She replies, "I'm new here."

"Clearly." Irene spits making the teenager raise an eyebrow.

"Why do you say that?"

"You cannot find the simple components to make a cup of tea.Forget the tea! Come and sit, chat. Don't be shy." Feeling defeated, Julietdrags herself into the living room and falls back into Sherlock's chair. Shedoes not want to be near that...woman."So...what brings you to Baker Street Juliet? Are you a relative of Mrs Hudson?"

"No, no." Juliet smirks at the naïve woman sitting acrossthe room, "I'm Sherlock's daughter." This statement seems to make Irene Adlerchoke on air or have some kind of coughing fit.

"You are who?" She gasps.

"You heard me. And I know exactly who you are." The wayJuliet speaks these words it is like a threat making Irene feel slightlyuncomfortable in her surroundings. "You are Irene Adler also known as the womanor the dominatrix. You give people...recreational scolding I think it is howMycroft put it to his advisors. When people are tied up - literally - you stealinformation which you could use in some way...a get out of jail free card. Butthis isn't monopoly."

"No?"

"No. You aren't just a dominatrix or a thief. You workedwith Jim Moriarty, the king of crime and evil but I know you are also associatedwith Sherrinford. My other uncle."

"You sound just like your father." Irene is completely inawe with the person set before her, a female version of Sherlock. It is anincredible, unique site.

The pair were rabbiting so loudly and intently that neitherof them heard the front door open until Sherlock enters the room in his longcoat and blue scarf with John following close behind. Sherlock shows no emotionwhen he sees the woman sitting on his sofa but John is complete and utterlyshocked. "Irene Adler?!" He exclaims. "You're dead!"

"And so is he." She points at the consulting detective, "AndJames Moriarty."

"Fair point." The blogger mutters under his breath stillcompletely overwhelmed by it all. You would think nothing else could surprisehim after his best friend coming back from the dead and interrupting hisproposal and all.

"Why are you here?" Sherlock speaks for the first time, histone is firm like he is not prepared to be messed around with.

"I'm surprised you didn't tell John about saving my life butthen again you are very stubborn anda little bit sexy." Juliet clenchesher fist into balls as she listens to John's rant about how he cannot believeSherlock didn't tell him. This goes on for a few minutes with Sherlock notinputting what so ever until Juliet has enough and stands up to leave.

"Where are you going?" Sherlock questions.

"Just away from her...my head hurts." Juliet tries to swooppast Sherlock but is stopped by him grasping onto her arm to halt her.

"You okay?" He whispers and she shakes her head.

"I just don't get it!" She shouts and makes her way to thecentre of the room while rubbing her temples. "Sherrinford goes missing so Iresearch him, there are many pictures of him and Irene together. Suddenly sheis on our doorstep looking like she has been living on the streets for sixmonths! Coincidence?!"

"The universe is rarely so lazy." Mycroft's monotone voicefrom the doorway is sudden and does not go unnoticed.

"Sherrinford's alive?" Irene's voice breaks like she aboutto burst into tears drawing all attention to her. "You must find him Sherlock,Mycroft...he's insane."

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