Dancing with the Devil (part one)

Chapter 25: Half Naked Psychopaths

Astrid woke up the next morning at about nine o'clock. She wiped her eyes and as soon as she realised where she was she smiled. Images of the previous night, flashed through her head, causing her to feel ecstatic, she could feel her stomach churning up with delight. She didn't even bother looking to her right, she was sure that Moriarty wasn't a staying in bed kinda guy.

Instead she continued to look up, thinking about everything that had happened then, she thought about what Jim had said and frowned, 'are you going to tell me what your real name is?' she though it through and then reminded herself as to why she had hidden it in the first place.

"I've never seen anyone with so many different emotions on their face before." came a tired Irish voice from beside her and she looked over at him and chuckled half-heartedly.

He smiled.

He actually smiled.

It wasn't one of his fake snarls or smirks.

It was a genuine smile.

Astrid smiled back and continued to stare at the ceiling. She thought about her Father. Hansel. Lucas Hansel. She should of known that her dad would show up, that she had put herself right in the path of him. God she was so stupid.

She felt the mattress next to her move as Jim sat up and reached for the box of cigarettes next to the bed. He offered her one but she shook her head.

She continued to look at the ceiling, when a thought sprung into her head. He knew. he'd found her, she didn't have to hide anymore.

She could be Astrid.

She could be Astrid Wingham again.

"Astrid." she said out loud and tilted her head to Jim, " Astrid."

"Astrid as in.." he frowned and she nodded, causing a large grin to appear on his face, "that's your name?"

"My dad's found me. He knows who I am," She smiled and sat up and took the cigarette out of Jim's lips, "I can be Astrid again."

She took a puff of the cigarette and gave it back to Jim, before finding her t-shirt from the previous night and pulling it over her head.

"Do you know who he is?" Jim asked, and Astrid nodded "so you know your real sur-name then?"

"I do, but it will surprise you." She said and turned to face him.

"Try me." he smirked and Astrid clicked her tongue

"Hansel." she said it clearly, for the first time to herself and to Jim.

"What the fuck?"

"Surprised yet?"

"Son of a bitch." he said angrily and lept out of the bed, pulling on his trousers. He stubbed out his cigarette and rummaged through the pile of clothes at the foot of the bed for his phone.

"What are you doing?" Astrid laughed at the half naked psychopath running around her room.

"I'm having that bastard killed?" he said

"Why do you want to kill him? You're like best friends."

"Al- Astrid, are you serious?" he seemed almost angry, yet Astrid smirked at him using her real name, "the nutcase killed your mum."

"You've killed hundreds of people."

"Seriously?" he raised his eyebrows unbelievably, "you really are turning into a little psychopath."

"Oh, only for you, my dear" she mocked and jumped out of bed, her top just covering her bum. She approached him and slouched in front of him, arms crossed leaning on the wall. The consulting criminal shook his head and laughed.

"Good to know I have some sort of influence over you."

"That you do." She smiled and pressed a brief kiss to her boss' lips, "I'm having a shower."

She sauntered over to the en suite, but before she went in she turned back to face Jim to give him an inviting look, however, he seemed to have read her mind as he was already practically on top off her, pushing her back into the bathroom so that Astrid was perched on the edge of the sink, looking into his eyes. He pecked her lips and leant back turning the shower on.

Astrid hopped down from the sink as Jim turned back to her. Their faces were inches apart from each other as Jim pressed Astrid against the sink.

"So, Mr Moriarty." she put her hands into his hair, "what will we be doing today."

"We're meeting Irene Adler."

"Are you gonna tell me who she is."

"Probably at some point," he said, letting her down from the sink.

"When?" she said as she slowly undid the top of his jeans, eyes never leaving James'.

"Later," he said lifting up her t-shirt, "as for now, I've got something else in mind."

"Oh, I bet you do."