Chapter Four

It was with the profoundest sense of déjà vu that Doctor Watson felt the simultaneous need to strangle a duck and comfort a hysterically repentant young boy.

Before the situation could even fully settle into the roommates' understanding, Tracy had begun a slightly high pitched string of explanations and apologies. "I thought 'e might be needin' some fresh air and whatnot an' I opened a window- I tried to stop 'im jumpin' out, 'onest I did! I'm so, so sorry, I'll be more careful – I 'ad no clue 'e'd try and scarper, like—"

Holmes had turned on his heel and sprinted out before the young Irregular could finish. Hastily, Watson tried to calm the boy down, eventually ordering, "Alright, alright, lad, please – no, don't cry, it'll be fine. Tracy!" He placed his hands on the boy's shoulders and shook them gently to get his attention. "Tracy, stop now, listen! If you want to help – then help! We've got to catch him again!"

The space of a heartbeat passed before Tracy nodded jerkily, adrenaline fueling the need to act. The two followed Holmes' lead, which was only ten or eleven seconds ahead of the pair, and thundered down the steps.

Out on Baker Street, a percentage of the walking traffic had stopped dead, rooted in place, to stare incredulously down an alleyway to the left. Watson and Tracy followed the sounds of avian shrieks into the same alleyway and observed a flurry of brown-feathered wings beating spastically in midair.

Somehow, Holmes had managed to be cornered against the wall, arms raised to fend off a truly irate waterfowl. With the occasional hop, the duck fluffed out its wings and bit at various points it could reach beyond Holmes' defense. Its obscene honking was only slightly less colorful than the epithet rolling off of the detective's tongue.

"Good heavens, Holmes, what the devil did you do to make it so angry?!"

Holmes gave a brief cry as the duck made another successful peck at his shin. "I am hardly an ethologist, Watson," he snarled. He aimed a kick and missed, the bird simply dodging away for a moment before squawking and closing back in. "For mercy's sake, drive this damnable thing away from me!"

Tracy rushed forward with his coat in his hands. Foreseeing recapture, the creature grunted loudly and tried to make an escape.

Thinking quickly, Watson removed his own jacket and tried to make a wide circle in order to cut off its retreat. It was a difficult thing in the narrow alley, but he managed it.

The corridor was loud with the sounds of frantic flapping and duck noises. Feathers were strewn everywhere, and the bird was making a valiant attempt to dodge and weave away from its two pursuers. The game would have continued for many minutes had Holmes not then joined in, coat in hand, and closed off another side.

The trio moved in, pinning it against the wall. The duck was hardly capable of fighting a battle on three fronts and so, while it whistled and flapped at Tracy and Holmes, Watson dove forward.

Strong muscles in its wings tried to beat their way against Watson's grip, but with no success.

Breathless, Watson felt strangely exultant. "There! I've got it! We got it," he babbled.

Tracy gave an explosive breath of relief, falling back onto his bottom. Mindful of the alleyway's detritus, Holmes opted to lean against the wall instead, taking similarly winded breaths as his companions.

Suddenly, he stiffened, gaze locked upon the ground.

"Watson!"

The doctor had just handed the slowly calming coat-full of bird to Tracy. He turned back around to see Holmes squatting and picking something up with his handkerchief. Only then did Watson notice the other things left in the alleyway during the duck's panic. Which could only mean—

Holmes was not smiling, but his eyes were aglow as he turned, hand outstretched, to present Watson with his finding.

He was not disappointed to see the huge grin of relief spread warmly across Watson's face.

NOTE: Gosh, that's a short chapter. I plan a quick epilogue!

I had thought about embarrassing Holmes and Watson in front of Lestrade, but I worried that their egos wouldn't handle such abuse very well...