Vague Shadows

There was intense silence around us after Sherlock’s words, and it was clear the tension in the room was close to snapping. Not even “Sherlock’s Sweethearts” could muster up a hushed giggle.

Anderson was beginning to be a real pain in my ass at the moment. Though I hated to admit it, he was stronger than I’d given him credit for, and my attempts to wrench myself free were achieving nothing. We were in our own little battle, me occasionally elbowing his ribs and him significantly tightening his grip.

The real showdown, though, was between Sherlock and Anderson. My arm was beginning to ache, and Sherlock could easily see the discomfort in my face. His sharp, clear eyes snapped to Anderson, and I could actually feel his resolve begin to crumble under unwavering glare.

“Look, freak,” Donovan began as she stepped between Sherlock and Anderson. I gave the back of her head a nasty look. “I called to give you a fair warning, not to entice you here and start unnecessary problems. All you’re doing is hurting Laicee-“

“Actually, that would be Anderson,” I piped up, wincing as his nails dug into my arm. I jerked my arm towards me, and he yanked me right back. Sherlock made to reach for me, but Donovan pushed him back.

“Dr. Watson,” she begged, giving John a desperate look. But for once, John looked as if he whole-heartedly agreed with Sherlock. Instead of “talking sense” into Sherlock, like Donovan wanted, John turned his attention to Anderson. He came forward, shoving past Donovan and grabbing Anderson’s arm. In one sharp move he ripped his hand off me and shoved him back; I could see his rigid soldier behavior starting to come out.

“All you told us over the phone was that you were coming to hold Laicee in secure custody until we wrapped up this case,” John growled, turning to look at Donovan while keeping himself between Anderson and I. “No explanation, no warning, only a threat being made to someone we care about. Are you really surprised we showed up?”

“The Chief Superintendent doesn’t want-“ Donovan began.

“No. Tell me why you’re detaining Laicee – the real reason,” Sherlock demanded, his burning eyes now switching to her. Anderson began to object, but Donovan shot him a look. With a sigh, she explained.

“The Chief’s wife is a social worker, and some people around the office have been talking-“

“By some people you mean Anderson,” Sherlock interjected with a sneer. “Don’t attempt to be vague with me.”

“Fine, fine,” she snapped. “Anderson and I are taking Laicee’s safety into consideration, and we firmly believe that staying with you is putting her into unnecessary harm.”

“That’s ridiculous,” John, Sherlock, and I shouted at the same moment, startling the room of onlookers.

“In the past year alone you’ve been attacked, beaten, stabbed, held hostage, drugged, and nearly killed, all thanks to those two. Your safety matters, and if Lestrade won’t man up-“

“Just hang on a sec,” I snarled, taking a step towards her. “This isn’t just some happy coincidence. This was all planned out. You waited until the right excuse cropped up at the right time-“

“A potentially dangerous case taking place the exact moment Lestrade is out of town-“ Sherlock added.

“And you come to take me in for an evaluation from a social worker?”

“It’s perfect timing, isn’t it?” John muttered, looking almost sickened by their actions. “Lestrade is the only one in Scotland Yard that was putting in a good word for Sherlock and I, and the moment he’s gone you lot jump all over us.”

“Regardless of the matter at hand,” Donovan interjected, waving her hand to silence us. “Laicee needs to come into the station for an evaluation, and we’ve been given direct orders to detain her-“

“Don’t I get a say in this?” I asked, feeling more than a little forgotten in the matter. “I’m not complaining about anything that’s happened. I’m choosing to stay with them, and I’m definitely choosing to go with them to Dartmoor. Besides, most of what’s happened to me was my own fault-“

“This isn’t the time or place to discuss this,” Anderson snapped. “We are taking you in to the Chief Superintendent, and that’s the end of this matter.”

“Laicee will be coming with us to Dartmoor,” Sherlock said to back me up,and I nodded in agreement, crossing my arms. Anderson took a step forward, but Donovan pulled him back, shaking her head.

“Let me handle this-“ she started, but it was clear Anderson was off on a power trip, attempting to use the little power he had in Scotland Yard to his advantage. Sherlock, though, had caught on, as had John. As Sherlock stepped forward, John pulled Donovan aside, giving me a swift wink as he began to discuss matters of my detainment.

Left alone together, there was no way Anderson could outplay Sherlock in a game of wits and sly words.

“What’s to stop her from walking out of here right now?” Sherlock challenged, and I recognized the mischievous gleam in his eye. Anderson, of course, did not, and Donovan was too preoccupied with John to intervene.

“I will not allow her to walk out,” he snapped. “You mock my authority, but I have power over you that you can’t imagine, Sherlock!”

“You won’t allow her to walk out?” Sherlock mused, and Anderson gave him a demeaning sneer.

“Didn’t I just get through saying that?”

“Is that the only restriction? No walking out?” Sherlock asked; I had to smother my grin.

“Oh, oh I see,” Anderson laughed. “Think you’re clever, do you? No, no walking, no running, no hopping, skipping, jumping!”

“Of course I think I’m clever, I am clever-“

“Sherlock,” I muttered, stopping his egotistical rant in its tracks. He sniffed, twitched his brows, and got back on subject.

“Those are her only limits, then?” he pressed, and Anderson rolled her eyes.

“Well of course they are-“

“Say that again, would you?”

“How thick are you?” Anderson snapped. “Yes, of course those are Laicee’s only limits, what else would you expect her to do? Fly out?”

“Oh no,” Sherlock chuckled, beginning to unbutton his coat (earning him squeals from his little fanclub). “Something much more practical. Really, Anderson. Flying?”

Anderson began to back up as Sherlock pulled his coat and scarf off, having an almost terrified look.

“If you hit me, I have means to arrest you-“ he began; Sherlock rolled his eyes and bundled his things up.

“I’m not going to hit you,” Sherlock said; his lip quirked up. “Well, not yet. John, my coat, would you?”

John turned and took Sherlock’s things, and then Sherlock shook his arms out, loosening his dress shirt a bit and turning to me. Donovan glanced over at us, and she narrowed her eyes.

“Freak, what are you doing-“

“Call him that one more time, Donovan, and I’ll give you a reason to detain me,” I snapped; I had begun to turn towards her, but Sherlock snagged my wrist.

“Laicee, we’re on a bit of a schedule, and Anderson –as usual- has managed to waste most of our time. Threaten the police force later.”

“Sherlock she is not leaving with you-“

“I believe, Donovan, that the only restraint I was given is that she cannot leave the premises on her own accord.”

Anderson’s eyes widened and his face contorted into a snarl as he took a step towards us.

“You tricked me! You used my words against me. That’s not right, you know what I meant-“

“I know exactly what you meant, but I’m listening to what you said,” Sherlock told him, and with that as my only warning, Sherlock pulled me closer. He wrapped one arm around my middle and used the other one to scoop my legs up.

This, of course, sent everyone in the room into a frenzy. Jeanette burst out laughing, the girls behind us began to fangirl like crazy, the rest of the students –Mrs. Davies included- began to talk wildly about the fact I had just been picked up by Sherlock Holmes himself, and Donovan and Anderson began to snarl demands.

“Sherlock put her down immediately! This is not acceptable, this is resisting police demands-“

“You can’t play around with the law like this, it’s illegal-“

“No, it’s clever wording at it’s finest,” Sherlock informed the two of them, glancing at John. “Shall we?”

“Lets,” he said with a wide grin, following behind Sherlock as he headed out of the room.

“You’re absolutely brilliant, you know that?” I said; John came up beside us and rolled his eyes.

“Don’t feed his ego, Laicee. It’s already at dangerous levels.”

Sherlock’s lips quirked into a smile, and I laughed.

As Donovan and Anderson chased after us, shouting demands, Sherlock continued his pace, ignoring the things they called.

“I have a feeling this won’t sit very well with Lestrade when he finds out,” John sighed, trotting down the stairs ahead of us. Students had begun to peek out, and those in the halls stopped and stared. Riley came out of his class and gave me an incredulous look. I grinned and waved.

“Not in the slightest. I fully expect actual detainments to take place when we get back,” Sherlock agreed, and I sighed.

“Let’s just hope Lestrade can work his magic again.”

As John held the front doors open for us, I saw a cab parked and waiting. As John went forward to open the back door, Donovan paused at the top steps of the school.

“Sherlock,” she said; it was honestly the first time I’d ever heard her address him by name. He paused, and turned us to look at her. She was giving him an almost pleading look. Anderson was nowhere to be found, and I realized he was most likely off placing calls to Scotland Yard. “Anderson is constituting this as a kidnapping.”

“I’m going willingly,” I said, crossing my arms as best I could in my position.

“But you aren’t leaving of your own accord,” she pressed; Sherlock scoffed at her and I could sense him rolling his eyes. “You even said that yourself, and he’s twisting it around-“

“If Anderson wishes to accuse us of kidnapping, let him accuse.”

“There is only so much Lestrade can do for you, and you’ve gone way past your limit this time,” she said quietly, turning and disappearing back into the building. I frowned after her, concern beginning to well in the back of my mind, but Sherlock didn’t seem bothered.

He turned and sat down in the back seat, still holding onto me, folding me up onto his lap as he pulled his legs inside and shut the door. John slipped into the other side, and Sherlock deposited me on the seat between them.

I was back in my accustomed spot, right between my two most favorite people in the world.

I looked up at Sherlock and nudged his arm.

“D’you think Anderson can really pin you guys with kidnapping?”

“I’m not even confident in his abilities to find his way back to Scotland Yard unaided,” Sherlock assured me, giving me the ghost of a smile and then turning his attention to the view out the window. That was the most comforting he’d be getting for the day.

“We’ll be alright,” John promised, giving my knee a comforting squeeze. “We always are.”