Dazed and Confused

Looking down at my grandfather was the last thing I thought I would be doing. Years ago there was a terrible explosion and he was presumed dead. I didn’t hesitate to help him out of the abandoned building and he didn’t speak a word to me, obviously not wanting to acknowledge who I was. It was likely he thought I was just a random woman trying to assist him since he hadn’t seen me since I was twelve years old. Just as we exited the building the thing exploded, the explosion causing both our bodies to flew forward. Again I should have seen such a thing coming but alas I was too involved with the fact my supposedly dead grandfather was very much alive.

In the process of all the chaos I had suffered a hit from the debris as did my grandfather. Somehow he had been knocked unconscious by the blast and I did not like the looks of things. Help however arrived, the police arrived along with Doctor John Watson and the intrigued Sherlock Holmes. I propped my grandfather’s head up against my frame and attempted to wake him.

“You found Gregory Francis, his maid reported him missing about two weeks ago,” one of the policemen states. I looked up at Watson who knelt down beside me.

“I‘ll take care of him from here,” Watson states in a gentle tone. I nodded slightly and carefully let Watson do his work.

“I do think this classifies as being in over your head,” Holmes comments smugly as he observed the blaze.

“Why? I got exactly what I wanted out of this,” I retort. My eyes cast downwards as my grandfather began to stir in his unconsciousness. His eyes flicked open the reveal the familiar blue I had remembered them to be. I smiled softly down at him and he reached out to touch the side of my face. He looked confused and I wanted to reassure to him that I was his granddaughter but it just seemed like poor timing. I moved his hand from her cheek and placed it back on his chest. “No words just rest.”

I didn’t say anything more and found myself watching as he be taken away. Left standing was Holmes, Watson and I which I could have done without. There was a lot to be taken in even for me. Watson was understanding and led me to the carriage and we began to head back to 221B Baker Street. During the ride I found myself staring at Sherlock Holmes.

“Was the meeting as stimulating as you wished it would be?” Holmes questions.

“Was sitting on your ass just as stimulating?” I counter.

“Very much, all I had to do was wait to be called upon to get you out of your mess. It seems like a common event now.”

“Mess? As I recall I was out of that building with him without your assistance.”

“Stubborn woman. You won‘t admit you are in over your head,” he retorts.

“I will do no such thing, you are so far up your own-- you know what forget it Sherlock, I‘m done arguing with you, it‘s pointless,” I state angrily.

“So then you admit it, you‘re in over your head,” Holmes presses causing me to lose my temper. I smacked him across the face rather roughly and he stared back at me somehow thrown off by my actions.

“I said I wouldn‘t argue, take that as me saying that if you continue to talk I‘ll smack and or punch you.”

“Dually noted.”

“I want you to be aware that I never smack anyone, I find the act unappealing but when I am around you that is all I‘d like to do because you are ridiculously infuriating.”

“Many people feel that way,” Holmes states.

“Yet usually they walk away and never speak to you again,” I add.

“Meaning, Moriarty offered you something in exchange for you to stay around me.”

“I don‘t know what you are talking about, I was sticking around long before that offer came around.”

“Moriarty offered you a job?” Watson interjects.

“Of course not,” I reply.

“But you just said.”

“I said what Holmes wants me to say, if I am going to be stuck in this game I might as well play along.”

“You‘re not as daft as I thought you to be,” Holmes comments looking at me rather impressed. Watson shifted uncomfortably in his seat being that he couldn’t pick up on what was occurring between Holmes and I.

“Mary wanted me to invite you to have tea with her this Sunday,” Watson announces.

“Mary is a very lovely woman but I have to decline.”

“Shall I tell her you aren‘t feeling well?”

“Whatever makes it easier John,” I reply simply as I leaned back against my seat. I felt exhausted from the day’s events and when we finally arrived back to 221B Baker Street I was more than excited for a glass of alcohol with the possibility of talking to Sherlock alone. With everything going on, if I could get him in on everything perhaps we’d double our chances of taking down Moriarty. But I had to be very subtle in my actions and words for there could be many watching for the dreaded man called Moriarty.

Of course John had to take his leave and once in the house I headed straight for Sherlock’s bedroom chambers. I plunked myself down on his couch and stared expectantly up at Holmes as if to say things were about to get serious. He didn’t however take a seat right away. First he grabbed his pipe from his pocket and began to pack it with tobacco. I pursed my lips and proceed get back onto my feet to take the pipe from his mouth. Placing the end carefully between my lips I sat back down and inhaled some of the smoke into my lungs. The act itself caused Sherlock to stare and eventually sit down next to me. I gave him the pipe back and leant back into the couch in a somewhat tired manner whilst the smoke billowed out from my barely parted lips.

“Can you display any signs that I possibly mean something to you?” I question looking at him. “It doesn‘t need to be genuine just appear to be.”

“He wished for you to distract me then,” Holmes comments. I proceeded to turn my body fully and draped my legs across his lap.

“There is distraction and there is manipulation, the key is to understand that he wants me to accomplish both. We can beat him at his own game by making him believe I am doing what he asks.”

“What are the stakes?”

“My life and my grandfather‘s as well as the very possibility that this could earn me a ticket home back to my own time,” I say.

“Gregory Francis is your grandfather?”

“Up until a couple hours ago I thought him to be dead. I haven‘t seen him since I was twelve years old and thought it best that I tell him who I was when he was in a better shape.”

“So you aren‘t trying to seduce me,” he comments at the closeness in which I spoke to him.

“Not really, just giving an illusion to any one working for Moriarty that may or may not be watching,” I reply quietly as I rested my head on his shoulder. “It makes me every bit as uncomfortable as it does for you.”

“I‘m not uncomfortable who said I was uncomfortable?”

“You are avoiding eye contact, and your posture became very rigid when I got closer to you.”

“Hardly something that you could have noticed being that it was very brief,” Holmes counters stubbornly. I pulled away and patted his chest lightly.

“I have my moments Holmes,” I say as I swung my legs off his lap and got up from the couch. “I think I‘m going to go lie down for a while.”

Sherlock Holmes merely looked off into space no longer wanting to acknowledge my presence. A soft smile played on my lips and I left his room without another word. After everything that happened that day I wanted to get the debris out of my hair and change into something less restricting than a corset dress. It took a bit to get the soot and blood off my skin but before long I was able to lay my head on a comfortable chaise lounging chair. Like any other time I tried to rest, something was there to stir me from my slumber. Upon hearing the ruckus in the main sitting room I made a move to see what it was all about. When I saw the hulking older man having pinned Sherlock against the wall, I immediately went to his rescue. The man looked up locking his blue eyes with mine and he let Sherlock go to charge at me. Only I didn’t fight him, I let him grab me by the shoulders and pin me up against the wall.

“How much is he paying you?”

“What?”

“How much is he paying you whore?” my grandfather repeated.

“Okay one I‘m your granddaughter, two I‘m sorry I don‘t look like a twelve year old anymore because you‘ve been dead to me for nearly nine years, three it is so painfully obvious you are the reason Moriarty brought me here which gives you no right to treat me with such hostility. I did nothing wrong so fuck you,” I growl shoving him away from me. His facial features softened and looked down at me with wonder.

“Queeny?” he says in a questioning manner. I gave him a haughty look and crossed my arms in front of me.

“Just for clarification you called me a whore. I am many things but a whore is not one of them.”

“I am sorry Queeny, on a better note you‘ve gotten stronger.”

“What happened to you? There was a horrible explosion and they said you were dead. Have you been here this whole time?” I question all at once.

“Moriarty stole all of my life‘s work and I couldn‘t get back, obviously he found a way to get you, most likely for collateral so that I will make what ever he wants,” he responds. “My dear girl, I never thought I‘d see you grown up.”

“As happy I might be to see you I can‘t let it override the fact we are currently stuck here. You may have been pronounced dead but I have not.”

“You are dead to them. I hate to break it to your but traveling between times is not an exact science, for example where were you when Moriarty took you?”

“I was at a party then I don‘t know I think maybe I was in my car, I think he drugged me so I don‘t remember,” I ramble as the panic started to hit me all at once.

“It is likely it was destroyed in the process just like before with my home,” he spoke. I looked down at the ground and I fidgeted with my sleeve. “Maybe we can rework everything. Have you continued your schooling with an emphasis on engineering and biology?”

“No, I’ve been going to school for business.”

“Well, I won‘t act like this isn‘t a disappointment.”

“No I don‘t suppose you would,” I reply looking up at him. “Do me a favor and apologize to Sherlock for attacking him while I got get something proper on.”

I left the room and headed back to where I had been staying the past week. Like any other time it took me a few minutes to put on any dress made in this god forsaken century that required so many damn buttons and hooks. Granted the clothes were beautiful but a beautifully intricate pain in the ass. Once I was dressed I went back to the front room to see Sherlock standing with one hand behind his back. My grandfather held out his hand towards me and smiled reassuringly. I took his hand knowing that I would no longer be staying in the same building as Sherlock Holmes. My restless body told me it was a good thing because I would be granted more sleep elsewhere but my mind wasn’t quite ready to be away from him not matter how much he irritated me. Regardless of everything I had to go with my grandfather and gain more information on how to possibly get home as well as find out just what he had been up to all the years I thought him to be dead. This certainly was going to be a long night.