TO BE FOUND : Book One

TO BEGIN ANEW {Revised AGAIN}

Sherlock and Victoria turned around to find a man with dirty blonde hair standing in the doorway with a puzzled look.

"Hello John." Sherlock said pulling his arms away from the woman. He moved to take a few steps back, placing his hands back into his trouser pockets.

"Did I miss something?" John asked curiously.

"Did you not get the groceries?" Sherlock asked in return, ignoring his question.

John shook his head "No, I got in a row with a chip and pin machine. It sat there and I shouted abuse. Now can you explain what I missed?"

Sherlock walked away from Victoria and sat on a chair at a table where his laptop was, checking his email, "Victoria meet John. John meet Victoria. Victoria is a friend. An old friend. Now let's carry on with life."

She looked over at John and reached out to shake his hand "Hello, John, my name's Victoria Phillips. It's a pleasure to meet to you."

"Uh, pleasures all mine...Watson, John Watson. Not everyday you meet a friend of Sherlock's." He replied with a chuckle.

"I know what you mean. Its good to know someone has been taking care of him." Victoria said, glancing back to the curly haired man who seemed preoccupied.

"Yes-Uh...It's quite," Sherlock glanced up at the military doctor who carried on with a chuckle, "Educational."

The red head laughed "That is an excellent way to put it. It's okay to say it though, Sherlock is very difficult to please."

Sherlock glared at the woman, shaking his head, Victoria pointed an accusing finger, "Oh no you don't. You're a difficult and stubborn man, Sherlock Holmes. Don't deny it."

Dr. Watson watched the pair closely, unsure of where she came from and why he hadn't heard Sherlock mention her before today. He shook his head and cleared his throat, "Sorry, I should just go on and ask, have you got cash?" John asked.

Sherlock replied, nodding to the table in the kitchen, "Take my card."

John walks towards the kitchen where Sherlock's wallet is lying on the table, but before he gets there he turns back to him.

"And what happened about that case you were offered – the Jaria Diamond?" John questioned.

"Not interested." Sherlock stated, bored.

Victoria walked over to stand behind the detective, nudging him, "I always knew you would be a detective. While I was away I always loved to look at your website."

"You always did have an appreciation for my..." Sherlock trailed off to find the right words.

"Artistry?" Victoria offered. Sherlock smiled up at the woman briefly.

John looked on at the pair before him in curiosity, glancing between the two and attempting to figure out how they long they had known each other. Even wondering where she had been this entire time. What a strange day it had turned out to be. John began to realize how much he didn't know about Holmes.

The detective cleared his throat, looking away from Victoria, then to John, "I sent them a message." Sherlock said glancing up at his old friend.

John found the card, but pauses to bend over to look more closely at a new long narrow scrape in the top of the table. He sighs and runs his finger along the cut, rubbing at as if it were just a mark that could be wiped away, "Ugh, Holmes." He gave an exasperated sigh.

Looking across to the pair, he tuts pointedly. Sherlock shakes his head innocently, causing Victoria to laugh softly. Then, John turns and leaves the room, trotting down the stairs as Sherlock looks back at the woman behind him.