Lady A: What?! A new Sherlock fic already?! Yeah, I know but fret not. I am still writing Two Minds, One Heart with a passion. With that being said, welcome to Deduction and Deception. This lovely little story is inspired and dedicated to my Sherlock. *winks* So without further ado, I present the prologue of Deduction and Deception. *bows*

Prologue: Shadows and Flames

Screams…screams of pain, of agony, of sorrow, and of despair. The screaming was so loud and every change in pitch or volume made her wince. She screwed her eyes shut, her hands clutching her head. She would be the one screaming soon. He was saving her for last. Why?

A part of her understood why she was last. He wanted to break her completely; to shatter her mind, her heart, and her very soul. She was the biggest threat to him, the person in which he most feared. She was the one who saw, who understood without even trying. Why?

Footsteps…he was coming. The door opened and she was blinded. The man before her was completely backlit, his form dark and menacing. The only clear feature was his eyes. They were dark green, so dark that they were almost black. He smiled at her and her stomach churned. Why?

Pain…so much pain and in so many different ways; physical, emotional, and mental. He was toying with her, playing with her, and torturing her. What did she do to deserve this? Nothing, she had done nothing. She had only been born different…unique. Why?

She cried, her own screams echoing in her ears. Her body was in agony, a never ending cycle of pain. She was so tired. Her mind was racing with so many thoughts, so many images, and so many memories that were nothing but lies. Her mind could not stop and was speeding towards its doom. Why?

Her heart was wailing, her very soul spilling forth and yet she did not yield. Her heart was cracking, but it refused to shatter. She would not give in. He wanted her to give in, to succumb to his darkness and shatter like glass. She couldn't give him what he wanted. Why?

She stared into the eyes of the man who had betrayed her, her friends, and her family. He took everything from her and yet she stayed true to her heart. She was strong and he could not break her. Why?

He stood backlit in the doorway once more, his anger raging in his eyes. He had failed to break her so he left. His departure was followed by flames as they licked at the doorway, their orange light dancing across her darkened vision. Everything was burning around her. The flames crawled their way towards her as her eyes began to water. It hurt to breathe, to think, to move. Why?

Darkness, so much darkness yet she still existed. She had been saved from the flame's embrace. She had survived where others had fallen. She made a promise to herself. She would stay true to her heart and be the light he feared. She would never be like him. Why?

She was the warrior whose heart beated with ancient ideals. Honor, nobility, valor, kindness, compassion, loyalty and love. She would let her light shine in a world of darkness. She would dispel the shadows of hatred and douse the flames of rage. Why…because she could.

Lady A: There you have it. Prologue: Shadows and Flames is complete! Was that cool or what?! This turned out way better than I thought it would. *grins* Coming Soon: Suspicious Behavior!