*BEEP BEEP BEEP* Shalice fluff in this chapter!! WARNING!!

(Alice’s POV; NEXT MORNING: )

 Sherlock – now fully recovered – and John were sitting at the table in the living room. I, also fully recovered, was sitting in Sherlock’s chair. John was eating breakfast while Sherlock was reading a newspaper. I was looking blankly at Mycroft, who stood nearby.

 “The photographs are perfectly safe.” Sherlock assured.

 “In the hands of a fugitive sex worker.” Mycroft argued bitterly.

 “Mycroft. Please. She’s not interested in blackmail. She wants protection for some reason. I take it you’ve stood down the police investigation into the shooting at her house?” I said, interrupting Sherlock. He glared at me when I was done and I just gave him a smug look.

 “How can we do anything while she has the photographs? Our hands are tied.” Mycroft insisted.

 “Your hands are tied, Mycroft.” I corrected quietly. He gave me a, ‘not now’ look.

 “She’d applaud your choice of words. You see how this works: that camera phone is her ‘get out of jail free’ card. You have to leave her alone. Treat her like royalty, Mycroft.” Sherlock explained.

 “Though not the way she treats royalty.” John added. I smiled and made sure they all saw it. John smiled round at Mycroft sarcastically, who returned the smile humourlessly. Just then an orgasmic female sigh filled the room. John and Mycroft frowned.

 “What the bl**dy h*ll was that!?” I exclaimed. Sherlock gave me another look.

 “Text.” Sherlock said simply, trying to sound nonchalant.

 “But what was that noise?” John clarified. Sherlock got up and went over to pick up his phone from nearby. He looked at the message which read, “Good morning, Mr. Holmes”

 “Sherlock you did not.” I warned.

 “Did you know there were other people after her too, Mycroft, before you sent Alice, John and I in there? CIA-trained killers, at an excellent guess.” He asked, ignoring both of us. He went back to the table and sat down again as John looked round at Mycroft. I shook my head and sighed.

 “Yeah, thanks for that, Mycroft.” John thanked bitterly. Mrs. Hudson brought in a plate of breakfast from the kitchen and put it down in front of Sherlock, at which I smiled and got up, moving behind the detective.

 “It’s a disgrace, sending your little brother into danger like that. Family is all we have in the end, Mycroft Holmes.” She said sternly.

 “Oh, shut up, Mrs. Hudson.” Mycroft commanded.

 “MYCROFT!” All three of us exclaimed, stern and furious. We glared at him. Mycroft looked at our angry faces glaring at him, then cringed and looked contritely at Mrs. Hudson.

 “Apologies.” Mycroft said, defeated.

 “Thank you.” Mrs. Hudson said quietly.

 “Though do, in fact, shut up.” Sherlock added. I smacked the side of his head quite hard and he sighed angrily at me. I smiled, satisfied, but it faded as his mobile ‘sighed’ again.

 “Ooh. It’s a bit rude, that noise, isn’t it?” Mrs. Hudson said, going back into the kitchen.

 “Yes. It is, Sherlock.” I said, grabbing a piece of bacon off the plate. Sherlock looked at the latest message which read, ‘Feeling better?’

 “There’s nothing you can do and nothing she will do as far as I can see.” Sherlock said, continuing the Miss Adler conversation.

 “I can put maximum surveillance on her.” Mycroft suggested.

 “Why bother? You can follow her on Twitter-” Sherlock began, but I interrupted him again.

 “I believe her user name is ‘TheWhipHand’.” I finished. Sherlock looked behind him and took my bacon. I tried to take it back without looking like an upset child, but failed, so I huffed behind him and took another piece.

 “Yes. Most amusing.” Mycroft said sarcastically as our little ‘confrontation’ happened. His phone rang and he took it from his pocket. “’Scuse me.” He said politely, walking into the hall. “Hello.” Sherlock and I watched him leave, frowning suspiciously. John looked at Sherlock.

 “Why does your phone make that noise?” John asked. I smirked, looking to the doctor.

 “What noise?” Sherlock asked innocently.

 “That noise – the one it just made.” John clarified.

 “It’s a text alert. It means I’ve got a text.” Sherlock said blankly.

 “John, you obviously know.” I said, feeling cranky as Sherlock took my current piece of bacon.

 “Hmm. Well, his texts don’t usually make that noise.” John said, giving me a snide look.

 “Well, somebody got hold of the phone and apparently, as a joke, personalised their text alert noise.” Sherlock explained. I sighed and gave up on bacon, taking a piece of toast and moving behind John.

 “Hmm. So every time they text you-” John began, but was cut off –right on cue- by his alert. I chuckled.

 “It would seem so.” Sherlock said, giving me a death glare.

 “Cranky, Sherlock?” I taunted.

 “Could you turn that phone down a bit? At my time of life.” Mrs. Hudson requested. The text message read, ‘I’m fine since you didn’t ask.’ Sherlock put down the phone again and went back to reading the paper.

 “I’m wondering who could have got hold of your phone, because it would have been in your coat, wouldn’t it?” John said, knowing exactly how but trying to get Sherlock to admit it. Sherlock raised his newspaper so that it was obscuring his face.

 “I’ll leave you to your deductions.” He said simply. John smiled.

 “I’m not stupid, you know.” John said, sounding proud.

 “Where do you get that idea?” Sherlock asked: His version of a compliment. I smiled to myself and walked back to Sherlock’s chair and taking the entire paper out of his hands in one quick tug as I walked by him. I sat down, faking to read the paper myself. His hands stayed as if the paper was still there for a moment before lowering them, giving the wall a blank look. It quickly turned to irritation and he rolled his eyes. Mycroft came back into the room, still talking on his phone.

 “Bond Air is go, that’s decided. Check with the Coventry lot. Talk later.” He ordered. He hung up. Sherlock looked at him.

 “What else does she have?” the sociopath asked. Mycroft looked at him enquiringly.

 “Irene Adler. The Americans wouldn’t be interested in her for a couple of compromising photographs. There’s more.” Mycroft answered. He stood up and faced his brother.

 “Much more.” Sherlock clarified. I lowered the paper and watched the two closely. Mycroft looked at him stony-faced. Sherlock walked closer to him.

 “Something big’s coming, isn’t it?” Sherlock questioned.

 “Irene Adler is no longer any concern of yours. From now on you will stay out of this.” Mycroft ordered.

 “Oh, will I?” Sherlock asked, locking eyes.

 “Yes, Sherlock, you will.” His brother answered severely. Sherlock shrugged and turned away. “You as well, Miss White.” Mycroft said, glaring at me. I gave him an angelic sarcastic smile. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have a long and arduous apology to make to a very old friend.” Mycroft said, sounding the tiniest bit stressed.

 “Do give her my love.” Sherlock said sarcastically. He began to play ‘God Save The Queen’. Mycroft rolled his eyes, turned and left the room, Sherlock following along behind him as John and I grinned. As Mycroft hurried down the stairs, Sherlock turned back and walked over to the window, still playing. I smiled happily and really read the paper.

Oh! And now would be the time to read Weight. Next chapter is the Chrismas party. =) Enjoy, vote, and comment, fun peoples!!! =)