I Can't Stand You, Sherlock

Chapter 25: Tip Off From Friends

I woke up in my old room the next day with sun pouring into the room. I was not sure how I got here and I didn't linger on the subject. I got up and looked around and noticed that it looked the same, but instead of the mess I left it in, everything was in neat stacks on my desk. It was if Sherlock knew I was coming back. He didn't toss out anything. I walked over to my dresser and saw my clothes were still in place. I was shocked. I thought that as soon as I left everything would be tossed , at least that is what I would do. I would rather get rid of it then focus on the memories.

I walked out of my room and into the family room where Sherlock was asleep on the floor with bits of shredded paper laying around him.

I smirked. I hated to admit it but I really did miss him. I missed the company and the feeling of belonging I got when I was around here. I walked into the kitchen and opened the fridge to see no body parts in it but instead a full fridge of food. "This is new." I said as I pulled out some goat cheese and got out a slice of bread for breakfast.

As I put the bread in the toaster I heard movement from behind me.

"Goat cheese?" Sherlock asked as he moved right beside me.

"I like it on my bread." I said and shrugged as the bread popped out of the toaster.

"I'm on the verge of something. I was reading and taking notes about the lady that confronted you. She lives in Scotland."

"What makes you think that?"

"The phone number she gave you has a Scotland area code and plus she was awarded the best volunteer last year in Gairloch. Is this what she looks like?" he said and showed me a photo of the woman with a huge smile on her face. She looked like a football mum, not like how I saw her. Hate boiled though me. It was her.

"Where's she at?" I demanded, not wanting to wait around the flat any longer. I wanted to attack.

"Scottish highlands. She goes by the name of Alice Parish." Sherlock stated as if I should have known that.

"Ok, Let's get her there." I said confidently not thinking it though. I knew the more time we wasted the more powerful she could get. I was going to be the last person she would ever black mail or threaten to join her team. This was ending with me.

"No the plan needs to be played out carefully. She knows what she's doing, we can't rush."

I frowned at him, not liking the answer he gave. We didn't have much time until she would start killing again. "What's the plan?"

"First off we need you working like normal. John and I are you going take you out on the street and you're going to steal some wallets for practice. We need you on the top of your game if we want to stop her."

I frowned again. We were just wasted time that we didn't have. "When is this going to happen." I asked as John walked through the door of the flat.

"Now."

I nodded at him and rushed back into my room to change. I pulled my hair up and threw on some clothes that I was sure didn't match. I walked back out and then together we hailed a cab and went to the river in the center of town. We all knew that this was the place business people went for their lunch breaks and in a matter of minutes being here, we were in the thick it of the lunch rush.

Sherlock did not waste any time trying to get me to practice. He would pick a person and I would have to try to get their wallet although we had been out here for the past hour and all I managed to get was some pocket change. This was just the first easy step for white collar crimes and if I couldn't do this then I was in trouble. I had lost my touch and I wasn't sure if I could ever get it back. I felt like I was a failure.

"Just go for it." Sherlock said and gave me a slight nudge on the back with his hand to signel me to move forward instead of stay frozen.

"I- ok." I said still unsure if I could take this women's wallet without her knowing. I walked up to her and bumped into lightly and in the process I slipped my hand into her pocket only to pull out nothing. With my head hung in shame I walked back over to Sherlock and John.

"So?" John asked eagerly.

"Nothing. Wrong pocket." I said and shrugged as I pretended that it didn't bother me. I should have seen that it was in her other side but I was too busy watching her face to notice anything else.

"Try it again." Sherlock said firmly.

"She's been at this for the past hour Sherlock, I think a nice break is needed." John said as he defended me. Sweet John always paying attention to things like this. There was a reason why John was one of my favorites.

Sherlock looked at me waiting for a response from me. I needed to get better before time was out but I was tired. I knew the more tired I got the more sloppy I got. John was right, I did need a break but I couldn't take one. "I don't want to stop." I said to them.

"So be it." Sherlock said and looked over at an older man across the road, signaling me to take his wallet.

I nodded at Sherlock and then walked over behind the old man. I looked at him from head to toe, an older man but he lived in this town his whole life based on his cap and coat he was wearing. He would have been use to pick pocketer's then, he wouldn't have stuck his wallet in his back pocket, no but in the inner pocket of his coat, it would be close to him and safe. After making a game plan, I made my move and bumped into him. "Oh I'm so sorry." I said politely as I flashed a small smile at him. I patted his shoulder and at the same time I put my other hand in his other coat pocket then pulled out a wallet. I smiled brighter than before as I stuffed it into my back pocket before he saw. A heavy wallet in my pocket made me feel powerful. I just did that. I beat a Londoner at something he was used to.

I walked over to Sherlock and John and smile as I pulled out the wallet I just took. "I did it."

"And how does that make you feel?" Sherlock asked me with a ghost of a smile on his face.

"Empowered. Let's do it again." I said and smiled at him. Suddenly not feeling tired any more. I wanted to stay out here all night long because I think I could finally improve.

"Wait?! Shouldn't we return the wallet first?" John asked us.

My smile fell. Always John to ruin the fun. "Sure but you will do it." I said to him and shoved the wallet in John's hands.

He frowned but didn't say anything.

The next two hours, I had racked up about 5 wallets and the sun was starting to get lower in the sky. I knew the sun would be starting to set soon. I was tired, physical and mentally and now I was happy with calling it a day and going back to the flat for some sleep.

"John and I are going to take a cab back do you want to come?" Sherlock asked me, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"No, not this time. I would like to take the Tube."

"So be it." He shrugged. He knew I was going to say that.

"See you at the flat Rori." John said and smiled at me.

I waved them off and walked over to the Tube. Before long, I was walking home in the dark humming a song that I didn't even know the title to. Today was a good day, I was starting to feel like I had a chance to get back to my normal self. I couldn't wait to see what tomorrow held because I could only go up from here. I was right about this place, I felt like I truly belonged here. I felt more confident already and I had only been back for about only one full day.

Breaking me out of song was a cop car that zoomed passed me with the lights on. I quickly hid in the shadows hoping that no one saw me. I knew that it wasn't looking for me but I just wanted to be safe. I did have a bounty on my head after all. If they only knew I was back, I would be in trouble for sure.

After I couldn't here the sirens anymore, I decided it was safe to continue walking on the path I was going on. After a few minutes of walking down the road I heard someone call my name from behind. It made me jump because it wasn't John or Sherlock's voice behind me.

"Rori!" It rang out again.

I looked back to see Lestrade. I frowned, wanting to know how he found me. I knew that he would bring me into the station and lock me up if he caught me. I couldn't let that happen just yet. I had to stop Alice first then as much as I hated it, I would own up to the broken contract that I had with Scotland Yard.

Without waiting a second I took off on my feet, running as fast as I could away from him.

"Freeze! You are under arrest!" I heard him say from behind me.

I wasn't going to stop. Now I can see why the bad people didn't stop. That was stupid. I was going to do all I could to get away. I sped up, putting every bit of energy into my legs. At that moment I felt something hit my back and sent a shock down my spine that crippled me to the ground. Damn Tasers.

"You are under arrest for breaking the contract you had signed with Scotland Yard before your time was up. Any and every thing you say can be used against you in the court of law." Lestrade said as he hand cuffed me and pulled me up from the ground.

"How did you find me?" I asked him. I had been so good at avoiding cameras and hiding in the shadows. Someone must have told him I was here because we all knew that he wouldn't have been able to find out on his own.

"We got a tip off." Lestrade said as he sent a text for back up. "Now who are you staying with? Sherlock?"

I chuckled cynically at him. "Now do you really think I would be staying with him? I can't stand that man. I'll never go back if I had a choice." I lied easily like I use to. I couldn't get Sherlock into this mess. I needed him to look spotless that way he could help me if I was able to get out of this mess I was in now.

"Then where are you staying."

"Like I would tell you." I retorted at him.

"Now Rori, we don't have to play this game." He frowned.

"We started this game when you put me in cuffs." I had to think fast. I knew that backup was coming and if they came, I would be put back in prison and then Alice Parish would go on a killing spree. I couldn't let that happen. I looked behind my back for a quick second to see him right behind me. There he was, totally oblivious to everything, like normal. If I turned on the spot and kicked him in the chest, that would get me enough time to run, but if I ran where would I go? Sherlock's? Lestrade might not look there and that was better than nothing. If I took time getting there I would miss the interrogation Lestrade would give to Sherlock. And I knew that the interrogation wouldn't last long because as far as Lestrade was concerned, I hated Sherlock.

I turned on my heals and kicked Lestrade as hard as I could in the chest. He fell straight on his butt and I took off running.

"Stop!" I heard him say to me.

"I don't think so Lestrade! Not this time! And Sorry about this! I'll tell you everything when I'm done!" I said as I ran off. I took back alley ways for a good 20 minutes until I knew no one was following me. I shoved myself into a crack in the wall as I took a breather. I needed to pick this lock to these cuffs. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out a bobby pin. Sometimes it paid off being a girl.

I scoffed when I remembered the time when Sherlock thought that my lock picking hobby was a waste. Look who's laughing now. I was about to.... And I heard the cuffs click and the right cuff loosened off my hand. When my hands were in front of me, I was able to take off the left one. I then quickly tossed the cuffs in a trash bin and kept running.

I ran back to the flat in another 40 minutes knowing that Lestrade's men might be around the Tube waiting for me. I mentally prepared myself to spend the night on a street bench if Lestrade's men were still at the flat but I was surprised to see that there were no Bobbie car at 221 when I arrived. I ran inside without saying hello to Miss Hudson and flew up the stairs. Just before I open the door I pressed my ear to it, making sure Lestrade or any of his men weren't left there. All I heard was John's voice talking to Sherlock and after a minute I realized that it was safe to go in.

I opened the door and walked in causally like nothing happened.

Sherlock looked up from the newspaper he was reading and frowned. "You look like hell." Sherlock said to me flatly.

"Why thank you." I said sarcastically back to him.

"Would you care to tell us why Lestrade's men came here about 20 minutes ago?" John said with worry in his voice. By the way he was standing and how his hair was messy, I knew that he had been pacing and running his hand through his hair an awful lot. Aww, he was worried about me, nice to know he cared.

"Yeah, about that..." I said scratching the back of my neck trying to think about what I was going to say.

"They said you got away, kicked him hard, bruised some ribs." Sherlock said while surprising a small smile.

I raised my eye brows, I didn't think I kicked that hard. "I just needed to get away from him." I said, now starting to feel guilty for my past actions.

"I'm proud, good job." Sherlock said.

"Sherlock! Don't encourage her!" John said and pointed to me as if I admired Sherlock and would listen to what he would say to me in the first place.

But in this moment, I did listen to him. I didn't imagine that he would tell me something like this and it made me smile a little. I couldn't believe that he was ok with what I did. "Oh relax Watson, I won't do it again." I said as rolled my eyes.

"Good." John said with a sigh of relief as if he actually believed that I said was the truth.

"How did you get caught?" John said.

"You know me, I'm just so popular, everyone wants to talk to me." I said and shrugged as I flopped down on the couch, the weight of the day starting to wear me down.

John gave me a look as if he was my mother and I knew he wanted the truth, not a joke. I looked at Sherlock who had a face that said, he really didn't care if I told them or not. "I'm not sure how they found me. He said that he got a tip off and I bet you that it's Parish trying to make this hard for me. I think she likes killing and if I get in jail, she'll just go on that killing spree until I get out. You know I only have 4 days to get in touch with her. We need to make a plan."

"You need more practice Rori." John said.

"We don't have time! I can't wait till the very last day John, we need to act." I said to John, raising my voice at him.

"We still have a couple more days."

I looked at Sherlock for help and then back to John with a frown. "John's right. Another day wouldn't be bad." Sherlock said from his newspaper he was reading.

"Fine! Whatever! I'm done, good night." I said as I threw my hands up in the air out of frustration towards them and stormed off into my bedroom.