Just a little idea I had. Don't expect anything good.

Disclaimer: I don't own.

It was around three in the morning that Sally Donovan was woken by the violent ringing of her phone.

She groggily answered it moments later, sleep still clouding her eyes. It was dark. Far too dark to see much. But she'd received calls like this more than enough times to know the procedure.

"'lo?" she enquired sleepily.

"Sally, we need you to come down. There's been a break in at Lord Appden's manor, and the burglars are still in the house." said the familiar tones of a officer trying to stay calm.

No apprehension or worry tinged Sally's face as she quickly got dressed, and left for Appden's manor. She was fairly surprised some common place burglars had gotten through all the security. As far as she was aware, the place was like fort Knox.

It turned out these thieves were far from common place.

She arrived half an hour later, to find the manor grounds swarming with police. But none of them seemed to be doing much. A fat, shrivelled man was standing on the steps of the house, talking loudly and angrily to to highest ranking officer.

The man looked relieved beyond words when Sally stepped over.

"We can get a move on now, sir. The sergeant has arrived."

Sally was quickly told of the situation. Lord Appden had been woken a short time earlier by a loud clang. He'd gone down to investigate, and found a vase smashed, the door wide open, and the living room door locked and bolted from the inside. Naturally he had called the police, and all servants and family had been assembled in a safe place.

Lord Appden's concern was of what the thieves were doing in his favourite lounge.

"We can get them out now." Sally said.

The officers hurried into the house, and Appden pointed to a door, fear quivering in his eyes.

Sally was the one to go up to the door and pound on it, wondering if the burglars would be out by the thirty second mark.

"I need more time," a voice hissed from inside. "Tell them to go away."

"I'm not your skivvy." said another voice, which sounded far from tense. More grumpy.

"Open up! You're surrounded." Sally shouted, causing a moment of silence from inside.

"We're not coming out." called a confidant voice, the first one, which just made her want to punch the owner in the face.

Somebody hissed a name, sounding more yet again, grumpy and not fearful.

It was then that Sally Donovan began to realise she was dealing with thieves with no sense of self preservation.

"I warn you, if you don't open this door in ten seconds, I'll break it down."

A snigger. An actual snigger from inside.

Ten seconds went by, and the two robbers continued a hushed conversation, involving the words 'hurry, idiots, go, and pathetic'.

It did not buoy her spirits.

"I'm coming in!" she shouted finally.

She put her shoulder to the door, along with two other officers, and pushed.

"You'll never get that down. Solid oak, with double locks. And I've piled furniture against it." the cocky voice called happily, teasingly.

She had to admit he was right.

"It'll be worse for you if you don't come out now. Surrender yourselves."

Nothing.

Except a scuffling noise.

Lord Appden gave a squeal of anguish, and sat heavily in a chair, cursing everything under the sun except himself.

There were two 'hahs' of appreciation from inside.

"Try again boys." Sally commanded her men, and they charged at the door again.

It was five minutes later than they began to make progress, using a piece of wood and several other tools. It was also then that the criminals inside played their final card.

"Gun." was all that was said.

Without any delay, two bullets thudded into the door, right next to each other.

"This isn't making your situation any better! I warn you to hand yourselves in."

She was beginning to feel a large amount of severe dislike to the men inside that room.

Donovan turned to an officer.

"Call Lestrade." she whispered.

There was an almighty crash from inside, and a piercing whine from Appden. Things were out of her control.

Lestrade arrived fifteen minutes later, and all that time there had only been the comfortable conversation from within. It seemed the two house breakers were not concerned by their situation.

It only made Sally the more annoyed.

Finally Lestrade was on the scene, taking charge with sighs of resignation. It was his turn to hammer on the door.

"Come out, right now." he snarled, not the least happy about his sleep being disturbed by two stubborn burglars.

"Just a minute." the second, slightly less annoying voice called, though there was a definite smile in his voice.

Lestrade turned to Donovan.

"How long has this been going on?"

"Almost half an hour." she replied in a mortified whisper.

There was a cackle of laughter from inside, which sounded familiar, as did the small chuckles which accompanied it.

Suddenly the whole situation seemed familiar... The voices, especially the voices.

"We're coming out now."

The police surrounded the door, several guns pointed.

There was the sound of furniture being moved, the grinding noise deafeningly loud in the previous stillness.

There the door was unbolted, and after a few exchanged words, unlocked.

Everybody held their breath as it swung open.

"Drop your weapons no-"

Lestrade stopped short. Everybody stared.

Except Appden.

"Get them! Get them quick!" he screamed.

"Lestrade, I believe you were wanting this." Sherlock Holmes said, stepping out the room, smug smile twitching his lips.

He held out a necklace. A necklace which had been stolen from Lady Kien a week earlier.

At his shoulder John Watson smirked, tipping Sally a nod. They glanced at each other, smiles spreading across their faces.

It made Sally want to hit them.

Writing that certainly cheered me up. Any reviews you can spare would be nice.