Detective Sergeant Sally Donovan of New Scotland Yard seemed to believe that actions only had consequences for other people. She was mistaken.

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Sally Donovan despised the Freak also known as Sherlock Holmes. The man insulted everyone in NSY, tried to show them up, had no care about the victims, and she was positive that he was actually turned on by murders. Today, the Freak had the audacity to bring some crippled bloke he introduced as Doctor John Watson to the crime scene. Of course, the man was left behind when the Freak went running off without a word of explanation to anyone.

The female officer felt rather smug as the compact man with the cane realized that he had been abandoned by the self-proclaimed "consulting detective" and condescendingly strode over to him. She failed to notice that the man stifled his impatience at her appearance or that her earlier rudeness still rankled him.

"You're not his friend," she announced abruptly, further irritating the doctor. "He doesn't have friends. So who are you?"

Her disrespect and lack of professionalism exasperated John Watson; it was excessive and unreasonable, especially as she had instigated the earlier confrontation with Sherlock through her juvenile name-calling. Even so, he kept his voice mild. "I'm nobody. I've just met him."

She leaned forward and replied, "Okay, bit of advice then. Stay away from that guy."

Keeping his voice calm, he mildly asked "Why?" Anyone who had served with him in Afghanistan would have recognized the quiet warning signs, but this NSY officer apparently was as unobservant as Sherlock claimed.

With a sneer, the woman answered, "You know why he's here? He's not paid or anything. He likes it. He gets off on it. The weirder the crime, the more he gets off. And you know what? One day, just showing up won't be enough. One day, we'll be standing around a body and Sherlock Holmes will be the one who put it there."

Very softly and in a tone that would have caused those under his command to still into attention, John asked, "Why would he do that?" His military company knew that Captain Watson was at his most dangerous when he spoke softly in a calm and measured voice. They also knew that it meant Run! Run! Run! Get out of the way, NOW!

The woman scoffed, "'Cause he's a psychopath. Psychopaths get bored." As she finished her declaration, she was surprised that the small and mild-mannered crippled man in front of her suddenly seemed to gain a new stature as he straightened. His eyes glittered with intensity and he seemed to radiate dominance; uncompromising and severe authority.

"What is your name and rank," he demanded curtly.

Somewhat unsettled by the change in the man's attitude, she still drew herself up. "I am Detective Sergeant Sally Donovan" she announced proudly.

"So you're not a licensed physician with a specialty in Psychiatry? No? Then you have documentation that Mr. Holmes was evaluated by a panel of licensed specialists with an agreed upon diagnosis? No? Well, Detective Sergeant, perhaps you forgot that Mr. Holmes was specifically invited to participate in the investigation of this crime by Detective Inspector Lestrade. He told you that when we arrived. Your unprofessional behavior not only insulted a man who was specifically requested to attend, but also deliberately insulted and publicly undermined the man who invited him; your superior, if I'm not mistaken."

Donovan blinked in surprise at both the cold statements and the idea that she had been caught getting what she thought was a subtle dig in at her boss for his continuing involvement of the Freak. Before she could respond, the somewhat intimidating man in front of her continued.

"Not only was your behavior unprofessional and disrespects the chain of command, but it violates the very laws you are employed to maintain; or does New Scotland Yard no longer enforce the country's defamation laws? Your slander of Mr. Holmes to me, someone you never met before tonight, is a criminal offense." His glare raked her shocked appearance with disdain. "If you were under my command, I would have you before a tribunal for gross insubordination and conduct unbecoming an officer."

With another cold glare, he turned sharply on his heel, and literally marched away, leaving her with her mouth open in disbelief. Those who had been watching the confrontation could hear the man muttering "disgrace to law enforcement everywhere" as he left. By the time she recovered, he was several buildings away. She looked around at the officers watching her and sneered, before returning to her duties, but spent quite a bit of time trying to decide how she was going to pay the so-called Doctor back for the public dressing down he had given her. After all, no one could deny that Sherlock Holmes was a Freak and a psychopath.

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Two days later, and the Freak had figured out that the serial killer was a cabby who had forced his victims at gun point to choose between taking one of two pills; one poisoned and one safe. Before he could force the Freak to take one, he had been shot and killed. The shooter hadn't been found. She was wading through a pile of paperwork at her desk when her boss called.

"Donovan," Lestrade called from his office door, "get in here." He then turned and returned to his spot behind his desk.

She blinked in surprise at his less than courteous demand. Usually DI Lestrade was polite with the team, so this was peculiar behavior. She entered his office and closed the door at his order. Now she was a bit worried. He rarely closed the door to his office.

"How many times have I asked you to stop calling Sherlock Holmes a freak," he snapped as soon as she closed the door. "How many times have I asked that you stop insulting him?"

"The Freak? He's a danger..." she began.

To her shock, he slammed his hand down on his desk. "Enough!" She managed not to take a step back from her obviously livid boss. "You just couldn't behave, could you? You just couldn't be a professional? No, not only did you insult a man I personally asked to assist us, you had to turn on the colleague he brought. Well, congratulations, you've finally done it."

Donovan blinked. "Sir?"

He indicated some papers on his desk. "This is an official complaint from Dr. John Watson, formerly Captain Watson of the RAMC, detailing your unprofessional conduct and defamatory comments regarding Sherlock Holmes. How many times have I said to leave him alone? But no, you had to take his ability to observe better than the majority of the Yard as a personal insult and then engaged in petty school yard bullying and name-calling. If you wanted to bring yourself to the attention of the Superintendent, congratulations, you've done it. Internal Affairs is investigating, but as you apparently very publicly slandered Holmes in front of multiple witnesses, to a decorated war hero with a sterling reputation, this is going to be a black mark in your file. If Watson or Holmes file charges for defamation, it could end your career."

He shook his head at the Sergeant Detective. "And I have just been reamed by my boss for not reining in your improper conduct earlier. The complaint demonstrates that you're so used to calling Sherlock a "freak" that you don't even think about it twice, and you did it again as soon as I mentioned his name a moment ago. No one wants an unprincipled officer in the field who can't be trusted to act calmly and professionally and has a frankly appalling attitude."

He took a deep breath. "Until Internal Affairs completes their investigation, you are on desk duty. You will have no contact with Sherlock Holmes or Doctor John Watson. You are dismissed, Donovan."

The woman stared at him in shock before she gathered her few remaining wits and left his office. She made her way back to her desk, sneering at the looks her colleagues were giving her. Obviously Lestrade's voice had been heard through the thin office walls. Sitting down, she tried to understand how trying to warn someone against an obvious psychopath could have come to this. It wasn't fair! And that crippled little man was a war hero? She doubted it; it was probably one of the Freak's charades. Internal Affairs would find the truth. They would find her blameless. They had to, didn't they?

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