The Charlotte Holmes Case (Sherlock Holmes fanfic)

Chapter 18: He Lost Another One

Lestrade and John search for a couple of days for the kids and John blames Lestrade for losing them. Sorry it's a little short though. This chapter goes a little back to the Oxford Kidnapping so as not to confuse you a bit.

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Chapter 18: He Lost Another One

John raced into the building when he heard the sound of gunshots being fired inside the University. Lestrade and his men followed behind as they raced to the sounds of the gunshots. He turned many corners and climbed countless flights of stairs before entering a long hallway and across from it was his kids struggling to escape the grasps of what looked like men in black attire hauling them out of a window.

"Lestrade!" he heard her screams from across the hall. He ran towards the men and fired gunshots at them. He shot almost all the men except the one that took his kids. He finally made it to the end of the window where they made their escape, but they were gone. Lestrade came in a few moments later asking what happened, John shook his head. "DAMN IT!" he yelled. Lestrade told his men to search the area while he tried to calm the doctor down.

"Don't worry, we'll get them back, I promise," the inspector soothed. John was too enraged to listen. "Why the hell did you even give the bloody case to Charlotte in the first place? Did it even cross your mind why a child isn't suppose to solve crime cases at all? You saw what happened to Holmes and look what happened to him! I made him a promise that I would look after her and now she was taken by the same man that took him, my son too!" he yelled.

"Of course it crossed my damn mind, Watson! I told the girl countless of times I didn't want her involved in that case, but she is old enough to know what happened to her father. She needs her father back, and I let her do the case. I was right behind her every step of the way to make sure no harm came to her, and unfortunatley I was doing a horrible job at that," Lestrade confessed.

They were silent. Lestrade was pissed at himself, he knew Charlotte would get into touble, but he never thought she would actually be in the middle of it. I should have never let her go into that building by herself, how stupid could I have been? he scolded himself. He felt selfish for everything he put her through. When she reasoned with him that this case would help her find Sherlock and they would solve cases like solving easy riddles, he had to let her give it a go. For a while, the only reason he liked her was because she reminded him of his good friend.

He shook his head in dissapointment. Using his friend's daughter to replace who he once knew? Yes, she was a spitting image of her father and just as remarkable as him but that was pathetic. It was his fault that he lost another one. He would have been so dissapointed in me.

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It had been a few days since the men in black took the kids and they were frantically looking for them. John told Mary what happened and she was in hysterics. Her son was kidnapped and they had no idea where he was or how to find him. She wept for hours and didn't talk to anyone.

Lestrade decided maybe Charlotte wrote something in the notebook that could indicate where they could have been taken. They reviewed what was originally in the notes and then Charlotte's new notes. TBP was written in big words and both men were just as stumped as Charlotte when she first saw it.

"What do you suppose that could mean?" Lestrade asked the doctor. "I haven't a clue," he responded. It was written inside the book twice so obviouslly, it must have been important. "I remember Holmes had this page open on his desk for many days and he was just looking at it. He never wrote or talked about it much, just scowled at the very mention of it."

"TBP, maybe it's the first name of the next victims, or the initials of someone's name?" Lestrade suggested. John obviously knew the acronym meant more than that, but it was an idea. "I should be getting home now, Mary's waiting for me," John said and Lestrade nodded.

The ride home was long and silent. He looked out the window and saw the leaves on the floor blowing in every direction. What have I gotten myself into? he sighed and rested his head on the back of the wagon. He hoped his son was alright, nothing happened to him and he was safe. He rubbed his hands through hs remaining hair and kept gazing out the window.

"Tell me Watson, what do you think TBP means?" he heard a voice say. He laughed. "I haven't the slightest idea, honestly," he replied. "Obviously it's a name so theres a start, now lets think harder. Where have you seen this before?" the voice asked.

"In the book, but that's not the answer you're looking for. But I do remember seeing this in an article somewhere years ago. 'A Fire Near the TBPC' I don't know where the C came from but maybe it's not important..." 

"Very good, but no, every little detail is important, you must remember that. This article you saw it on, what else did it say?" the voice questioned.

"Hmm, it's not much of a building, but an area, within the city and..." he came to a realization, he knew what TBP was and he smiled. "I had faith you would figure it out," the voice said.

"Not without your help of course!" John laughed. "I never thought I would be able to hear your voice again, I guess I still remember what it sounds like after all these years.." he faded off. He looked up and realized he was alone. "Sir, we've arrived to your destination!" the man driving the wagon called from above. John sighed, "Thank you, Holmes," he smiled sadly at the darkness and got out of the wagon.

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Yes it is exactly what it looked like, John was talking to 'Sherlock', just a figment of his imagination. Some sad Johnlock right there :( AND YES! I just left you with another cliff hanger, sorry to dissapoint but you still won't know what TBP[C] stands for until a chapter or two more.

-iam22345