So this here is an idea I've actually had floating around for ages, but never bothered to get down on paper (or, to be more precise, on Microsoft Word…). Anyway, I got annoyed by all the John/Sherlock shipping fics about the episode "The Hounds of Baskerville" and decided to write my own with Irene.

This is just a very short prologue to set up Irene and Sherlock's relationship for this story. For any of those who have read my story "Him and Her" can base Irene and Sherlock's relationship on that as well, or at least on the first few chapters of that story.

Enjoy!

.

.

.

The Baskerville Incident

.

.

.

He saved her, in the end. She couldn't remember ever feeling more grateful, nor more indebted. Both feelings annoyed her; the last thing she had wanted was to be dependent on somebody, especially if that person was Sherlock Holmes. She had expected scathing remarks and sarcastic comments, ridiculing the fact that she actually needed to be rescued by someone. The woman, always so independent, suddenly needing to rely on someone else's help if she wanted to stay alive.

But none of that came. Sentiment prevailed, feelings for each other surfaced, something that surprised both of them. She knew her own feelings, as much as she had tried to block them and ignore them. But for him to admit his own (albeit not completely free-willingly), to step so completely out if his comfort zone, was something that amazed her.

Sherlock stayed with her for a week, helping her settle into her new life, providing the necessary legal paperwork and making completely sure that it would seem that she had indeed been executed by the terrorist group that had held her for so long. But she knew that he could have easily sorted everything out in only a couple of days, and that he wanted to stay with her.

He left, but she knew she would see him again. Although he had told her not to misbehave, she knew that she couldn't simply stay in the place he had chosen for her, live and ordinary life and act like a good little girl. She needed the thrill of danger, and he knew that perfectly well. She supposed his imploring her to behave was some sort of an attempt to at least try to convey the seriousness of the situation to her, although he must have known that it wouldn't work.

Just before he took a taxi to the airport she teasingly whispered to him that this wasn't over. He had stared at her for a second, his piercing gaze making her shiver slightly, before he smirked slightly, amusement dancing in his eyes. He knew very well that he would see her again, whether he liked it or not. And right now, she knew, he definitely looked forward to it.

He didn't need to wait long. Within a few months she got bored of the country she was in; she missed England, which had been her home for so many years. She knew that she was risking her safety simply by going however, disguised as she was. But England and the gorgeous blue eyed detective that lived there drew her there, and she did nothing to resist the pull.

She was careful to never go to London. She loved the city, and missed it extremely, but she had far too many enemies there. Instead she followed John's blog closely or simply texted Sherlock and found out whenever he was alone on a case outside of London and went there immediately.

Sherlock looked surprised the first time she showed up, and she felt triumphant at being able to shock someone so clever again. After the first few times he no longer looked surprised, but she knew he was always happy to have her there.

Sherlock never told John about her, and she didn't ask him to. The less people who knew she was alive the better.

.

.

.

Please tell me what you thought!

Laura xx