So sorry about the delay. School has been crazy and I haven't had much time to write. But finally finished a chapter. Short again, I am sorry, but a chapter none the less.

Anyway please review if only to tell me what you don't like. It makes me all warm and fuzzy inside :3

Enjoy...

Next Day: Paris, France

I had been to France on multiple occasions as a child, forced along on business trips with my father, but I never remembered it being this miserable or this cold. I turned my collar up as I walked out the front doors of my hotel, briefly thinking about what John had said all those weeks ago about it making me look mysterious. I allowed myself a brief smile at the thought.

I made my way down the street, past a woman on her way to a secret lover and a man on his way to his dealer. But I didn't care about their secrets right now; I had my own to attend to.

At this moment only two people in the world knew that I was still alive. The ever faithful Molly Hooper and, The Woman, Irene Adler herself.

Molly's involvement had been unavoidable and after she had helped me out of the country she had reluctantly agreed to go about her life as if I was dead. Irene had been another story entirely.

After I had helped her out of the certain situation she'd gotten herself into, she had decided to keep up the ruse that she was dead and holed up in Germany. That is she had been there, until I had contacted her about my own situation.

I wasn't foolish enough to trust her but I was desperate enough to use her. She was the only person I could reasonably trust that had any information on Moriarty. Besides that she owed me her life, something I was defiantly planning to exploit.

I made my way into a small café and ordered two coffees from the overworked barista, taking a seat in the corner of the shop. Moments later the bell above the door jingled and she slipped into the booth across from me.

I took a moment to take in her appearance. Hair down, unkempt but recently washed with hotel shampoo. Smudges of color under her eyes told me she hadn't been sleeping but rather drinking the underpriced wine in her room instead. Her nails were chipped and drumming on the table nervously.

"I'm surprised you arranged such a public meeting. For a dead man you sure are bold." She smirked, jerking me out of my thoughts.

"I don't have time to be subtle." I said watching her plop two sugars into the coffee I had pushed across to her.

"You have no patience," she tutted "Perhaps I should teach you some?" She cocked an eyebrow, a sultry curve in her lips. I narrowed my eyes. I didn't have time for this power play or her bothersome desire. Seeing my annoyance she dropped the come hither look and folded her hands. "What do you want to know?"

"Who did Moriarty turn to as his second in command? I know he's here in the city but I don't know where."

"Moriarty's business didn't really encourage trust. He was good and to be good you have to be careful. If you're asking me who's holding the trigger now that he's gone, I can't say. There is a man I'll tell you that, but I never heard a name and I never asked. His base of operations is in the city, you're correct in that much, but if you want specifics I can't help you there either." She clasped her hands, eyeing me expectantly.

"So…they are…I mean, what I'm trying to say is…"

"They are all still in danger, yes. Moriarty was thorough and no doubt his right hand man is the same way." I stood wrapping my scarf around my neck deftly. "Be careful, will you? I may have use for that pretty face someday."

As I turned to leave I felt a hand brush my wrist. I turned to look back at her. She'd gained a few grey hairs since I'd last seen her and her lipstick was a cheaper brand, no doubt one you could purchase within the hotel, but she'd still managed to afford a suite with a window overlooking…

"I am sorry," It was a whisper as her fingers slid past my palm.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." I turned walking toward the street.

"Neither do you."

At the moment, we were connected, if only by the sheer fact that we knew the other was lying.