A/N: Hiya, here's a little update - updates will be slow but I will appreciate if you give my story a chance ^-^ Enjoy, my lovelies!

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"SHER - AH!"

At hearing the yell, the heads of both Mycroft and Sherlock whipped to the closed living room door, both their gazes were ones of confusion and yet presumption of the worst. Sherlock wasted no more time thinking and sprinted straight out of the door and up the stairs to see light spilling out of an open doorway. Mycroft followed swiftly after Sherlock as he entered his drawing room to see John on the floor and woman crouched by him, hurriedly zipping up her backpack. Elizabeth's gaze moved quickly to the two brothers in the doorway.

"What did you do?" The fury was clear in his tone, as the detective stepped forward.

Elizabeth got up, stepping back as though she were prey being cornered, "He's fine, just asleep."

"Why are you here? No, what did you take?" Sherlock asked as he scanned John's sleeping form and then the rest of the room before ending on Elizabeth, "Mycroft, what files are missing?"

"How do you know I took a file?"

"Government official, private room, filing cabinets, your clothing, your unexpected appearance, also your confirmation." He listed off arrogantly, "Mycroft, check your filing cabinet."

The brother hurried over to the filing cabinets at the back of the room as Elizabeth edged closer to the window, eyes fixed on the two of them, waiting for a signal for her to get a move on. She half expected them to be distracted by John's unconscious body but apparently that wasn't enough of a deterrent.

Mycroft shut the filing cabinet, his eyes gravely landing on Elizabeth, when he discovered what file was missing, "Sherlock - "

"How important is the file?"

There was a pause as Mycroft discreetly reached behind the cabinet, drawing out a dark, thin cylinder, no more than three inches long, "It breaches international security."

Elizabeth took several steps back, keeping the idea of her escape through the window in her mind. She needed to go but these were not her average victims. Who knew what they would do?

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Sherlock warned her, taking a step forward every time she took a step back.

"Or what?"

"Selling state secrets is treason. Selling international ones - even worse." Sherlock closed the wide gap between them by taking two steps forward, "Hand over the file you took and perhaps you won't get a life sentence."

Elizabeth smiled, "You won't get me."

"That's a pretty arrogant thing to say to someone whose solved every case they've been given."

"Consider this the first you won't solve then. I have protection." Her back hit the ledge of the open window.

Sherlock took his steps carefully, subtly getting closer to her. Elizabeth still noticed though. She wouldn't let them get her. Not them. Evading them was part of the challenge and she aimed to please Jim. What none of them expected was John's groan as he came back around which drew Sherlock's attention away from Elizabeth at just the right time.

She made her move to go out of the window until she felt another grip on her arm. Her sapphire eyes widened as she looked back to see Mycroft gripping her wrist and then proceeding to bring the thin, black cylinder onto her upper arm. She felt a sharp scratch as the small item made contact with her skin and she visciously drew her arm away, and shoved Mycroft back. He stumbled back into Sherlock who consequently prevented his brother from falling. Elizabeth's leg was already outside the window but as she turned, an overwhelming sense of dizziness washed over her. What the hell had Mycroft done to her? She gripped the window ledge as the world around her spun.

"Mycroft, what did you give her?"

"Just a little sedative. She'll be fine."

Their voices echoed as she still made an attempt to get out of the window.

Mycroft stood away from Sherlock and straightened his suit, "Let her fall. It's the least she deserves for what she tried to take."

"Since when did you become so blood-thirsty?"

"If you understood what she just tried to steal - " Mycroft left the sentence unfinished but his tone was cold.

Elizabeth almost fell forwards out of the window if it hadn't been for Sherlock who pulled her back into the room. Her head lolled and she simply felt nauseous but she fought to stay awake.

"No - " She murmured.

"You're in no position to protest." Was the last thing she heard from Sherlock before she finally let her consciousness slip.

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The four of them were in a different room now: Mycroft's basement. Elizabeth was bound to a chair in the centre of the room and the three men were stood in a small circle. Mycroft was staring off into space whilst John tried to wrap his head around what Sherlock had previously told him.

"Sorry, just tell me what happened again?" John winced as his hand made contact with the burn on his neck.

"She tasered you and you hit your head on his desk as you fell, rendering you unconscious." Sherlock answered for what felt like the fiftieth time.

"And what happened to her?"

Mycroft replied, "She tried to leave and I gave her a sedative."

Sherlock then added, "Then we brought her down here and tied her to a chair, ready to interrogate her when she wakes up."

"What did she try to take?"

"There's no use asking Mycroft that. He just replies with 'it's confidential'."

There was a moan from behind the three of them as Elizabeth started to wake up. She blinked hard as her eyes adjusted to the light once again. When she saw the three of them, she instinctively tried to get up and get away but immediately found her hands and feet bound to a chair and her backpack gone. Well, hell, she thought, this was not how she expected things to go. She looked like a fool as well but last time she checked, they had no weapons. That little trick with the hidden sedative was a complete surprise to her. That said, he was a government official with a brother who was a detective and his brother's friend who was an army doctor. It could have been worse.

"Welcome back, Miss You-Won't-Get-Me," Sherlock said with a sarcastic smile, "We got you."

"For how long?" She retorted cockily.

Mycroft stepped behind her, picking up the file she tried to take off of a table which also held her backpack, "You do understand what this is don't you?"

She contemplated, "My employer doesn't really share those details. A job's a job."

"Who's your employer?" Sherlock questioned.

"Like I'm gonna tell you."

"What even is the file about?" John then asked again.

Mycroft remained silent yet even Sherlock gave him a look as if he was saying 'just put us out of our misery'.

"All my employer said about the file is that it could change the world forever if the information ever got out."

"I take it in a negative way." John asked to confirm.

"Of course in a negative way - when has the government ever cared for making a positive impact?"

"What's the file called?"

"Sherlock - " Mycroft tried to interrupt.

"GW-three." Elizabeth smirked which earned her a glare from Mycroft.

Mycroft took a frustrated step towards her, bending down so his face was level with hers, "I will have the government try you for treason for trying to sell state and international secrets. I have the power to lock you away in a dark, damp cell and to throw away the key. You have no idea of what you are messing with." Came his fearsome hiss of a reply.

John was surprised with how Mycroft had reacted as was Sherlock. Whatever the file was about was important, all three of them could tell.

"There's a difference between being paid to get them and actually selling them." She paused, "Go on then."

Mycroft stood up straight again, "Go on what?"

"If you're going to lock me in a cell and throw away the key, might as well put us out of our misery. What's the file about?"

"We already know the name of the file," Sherlock added, "John and I are perfectly capale of keeping a secret, aren't we John?"

"Yes, yes, we are." John nodded in agreement.

Mycroft looked back to the two men and then scowled at Elizabeth, "Ever heard the expression: 'curiosity killed the cat'?"

"Yes and do you recall the rest of the saying: 'but satisfaction brought it back'?" She had a smug look about her, "You planted the little seed of curiosity in our souls. Now, you can satisfy us with an answer."

Sherlock couldn't help the little smirk that reached his lips with the way that Elizabeth acted so confidently towards Mycroft. He didn't appreciate what she did to John but he was enjoying the way she made her brother seeth the way Mycroft made Sherlock feel sometimes.

"I agree." Sherlock stated.

"Yeah, me too." Even John wanted to know.

"Global War Three."

"What?" Came the resounding, unanimous answer from all three of them.

"Global War Three. We thought that the acronym WW-Three was a bit obvious."

"You have a file that could start World War Three?" John looked horrified.

"Who has a file on that?" Came Elizabeth's answer accompanied with an incredulous look upon her face.

"Well, who would want a file like that?" Sherlock then directed his question to Elizabeth.

"Yes, indeed, who?" Mycroft interrogated her again.

Elizabeth looked to Sherlock, "You know who." If she didn't tell them and they guessed, well, Jim couldn't really give her any flack for it.

Silence fell across the room. Mycroft inhaled as they waited for Sherlock to click. Admittedly, Elizabeth was rethinking her whole job though. Why would Jim want the file that could lead to World War Three? Yes, Jim was insane but even he wouldn't want a world war. No, she thought, he wanted something else. He did mention power play. Now, he wasn't going to get what he wanted though.

"Moriarty?"

Elizabeth smiled, "I didn't break my promise."

"He's your employer? Well, of course, I doubt someone like you would want to start World War Three."

"Neither would he." She added.

"Why?" Sherlock stepped over to her.

Now she was risking her protection. If she let them know anymore, Jim might want her head on a platter - or worse, and yes, there was worse. She remained silent.

Mycroft considered something, "We can make you a better deal than Moriarty has."

"Like throwing me in a dark, damp cell? Because that is not a better deal."

"No."

There was a pause.

"Like what then?"

"Right now, you have a choice: keep the information you have on Moriarty in order to protect him and just be given a life sentence in prison or help my brother and his friend track down and eliminate Moriarty's network."

"Hold on, where exactly would she be staying?" John asked, "Because - no offence - but she did taser me. Who knows what else she could do?"

"With you and Sherlock, of course." Mycroft answered, "She would need to be monitored. Call it something along the lines of house arrest."

Sherlock remained silent, staring at the floor, the little cogs turning in his head. Elizabeth remained equally soundless as she tried to consider how she could go about this so Jim wouldn't kill her. Jim would find her. She could explain. But this would not look good until she explained. Turning on Jim would be as dangerous as bungee jumping into hell, only Jim would essentially cut the rope. That said, World War Three plans - what the hell was Jim thinking?

Sherlock looked to the young woman, tied to the chair. She made no noise. Sherlock observed and had she not been dressed up in all her burglar gear, he would have mistaken her for any other normal member of public with presumably a well-paying job. She liked to be active, she liked to be free. There was no chance she would stay loyal enough to Moriarty to be thrown into prison for life. No chance.

"What's your name?" Sherlock asked her.

She looked up, distracted from her thoughts, "Why would you want to know?"

"Because I know you're not going to take the option of spending your life in prison."

Another pause, her gaze stuck with Sherlock's. He was right, she thought to herself, but not completely. She would find a way out of this messy situation. She would have to.

"Cather - "

"Your real name." Sherlock interrupted her with a serious look.

She sighed, "Elizabeth."

"Elizabeth..." He urged her to carry on.

"Elizabeth Parrish."

"Nice to meet you," Sherlock turned to his friend, "John, I understand that you don't feel safe knowing that a burglar will be staying with us but I can assure you that Elizabeth won't do anything compromising should she fear for her life."

"Is that a threat?"

Sherlock smiled, "Not from me but you know who from."

"There will also be some ground rules." Mycroft added, "And if you break any of them, I can assure you that a prison cell will be your next best friend."