Watson leaned against the door leading to the sitting room to catch his breath after climbing the seventeen steps. Today was one of those days where his leg felt more than useless, due to the damp cold outside he was in constant pain and could barely stand, much less walk all the way from his patient back to Baker Street. No doubt, Holmes would be deducing all that as soon as he would step into the room, so Watson took a deep breath and steeled himself before entering the warm room. Luckily Mrs. Hudson had a fire going, but against his expectations, there was no sign of his fellow lodger.
With a weary sigh, Watson walked over to his chair and sank into it, glad to be in the warm confines of his home.

Lestrade smiled slightly when Mrs. Hudson opened the door and informed him that only the good doctor were present and that Mr Sherlock Holmes had not been seen since the early morning hours. Nevermind, he thought and shook his head, maybe it was quite as well that the detective wasn't here at present to hear the news. Lestrade made up his mind to just tell the Doctor about it and let him break the news to Mr. Holmes in return. At least he wouldn't kill the doctor for it...
"Good afternoon, Doctor." Lestrade greeted politely, he couldn't help but observe the slightly pained expression on the other's face. "Are you quite alright?" he asked in concern. Over the last few years, he had became good friends with the man and knew about the pains his leg and shoulder gave the man at time.

"Oi, there! Watch out!" Paul exclaimed as someone slammed into him from the side as he was about to enter the building. "Oh, it's you, Ian." he shook his head, a crooked smile on his pale face. The older boy loved to run into people at random, a thing Paul was determined to put out of him. "Let's get in.." he pulled himself up to the window and sneaked inside. Not that it was much warmer than outside, but at least it was protected from the cold and rain.
Leaning against the wall, he looked up and watched the other Irregular pull himself inside. "Where 'ave ya been, ey? Mr. 'olmes' got a new case for us?" he asked, his cockney accent clear in his words.

Ian's roaring laughter received some filthy looks from the people around them, but he really couldn't care less. He knew quite well how to behave himself, but only when in company deserving it, like when he visited Baker Street. Then again, if he wouldn't Mrs. Hudson would toss him out on his ear and that really hurt a lot.
"Don't whine, Paulie." he grinned at the younger lad and jumped into the house. "Nah, I saw 'im earlier, I did, but 'ee had nuthin' for us..." Ian said with a sigh. He really could use some money, so being employed by the detective would be awesome. "Nevermind, so what 'ave you been up ta then? Your sister's still ill?" he asked, concern colouring his voice. Paul's younger sister had a bad caugh for several days already and that never boded well with winter yet to come.

Watching the fire always had a rather calming effect on Watson, so he let the warm glow of the flames lull him into a dazed state while he thought about his last case. His patient, a young girl of fourteen, had finally, after weeks of torment, succumbed to tuberculosis. It was always hard to witness a patient pass on, but to see such a young person, still a child die was very depressing.
He let out a sigh and snuggled deeper into his armchair when suddenly the door opened unannounced and Inspector Lestrade walked in. Watson gave him a warm smile and waved him to the couch. "Good afternoon, Lestrade. What brings you to us? I fear, Holmes won't be back for some time. He said something about not waiting with supper." he told the other man chuckling.
At his concerned question, Watson waved it off lightly. "It is just my leg acting up again. Nothing a warm fire can't cure." he said grinning.

Paul shook his head at the other boy's loud laughter, why Ian always had to be so obvious about everything was quite beyond him, as he himself was much more quiet a person. Still, the laughter was somehow infecting him as well and he felt a smile tug at his lips as he bent down to pick up his bag. "It's a pity that Mr. 'olmes doesn't have any work for us." he muttered under his breath. "But I managed ta nick us some apples from the market." Paul grinned and threw one to Ian.
As Wiggins asked after his sister, Paul's smile dropped again. Lizzy was still coughing quite badly when he had left the house this moring and his mother was immensely worried about her. "She's still very sick... I just don't know what I can do ta help 'er. That's why a job from Mista Holmes would be great. We could buy something to help 'er." he said dejectedly.

Chewing on his apple, Ian thoughtfully looked out of the window to the road below where the busy people hurried along on their way. He would love to help his young friend by giving him some money. Hell! He would even steal the medicine, if he knew what the girl needed. Alas, he didn't and he knew that the Quangs didn't have enough money to pay a doctor.
A DOCTOR! That was it! "O' course! How could I be so stupid!" Ian exclaimed and slapped his forehead. "Paul, you must ask the Doctor." He jumped up and rushed over to his friend to pull him to the window. "Let's go right away. Dr. Watson will help us, no doubt. He always 'elps. Come, Paul!" With that, Ian jumped out of the window to the pavement below and grinned up at Paul, relieved that he had finally thought of the right idea.

Lestrade took off his bowler hat and nervously squeezed it in his hands, as he walked over to the couch to take a seat. He really didn't want to admit his own failure, even to the Doctor who was a friend. Well, at least I don't have to face Holmes' wrath, he thought sarcastically. "The weather truely is getting worse by the minute." he agreed, looking outside to the darkening sky. Not much longer and the rain would pick up again, hopefully after he had made a dry journey home.
The other man's warm manner made him feel a bit more at ease, though he did not like to spoil his mood. For if he heard what had happened this morning, he would certainly not be in this amiably a mood any longer. "Doctor, I am here because I need to inform you of something that might turn into a threat towards your and Mr. Holmes' life." he said gravely, eyes shifting from the man in front of him to the wall behind him. "Early this morning, around four o'clock, Colonel Moran escaped from prison." Lestrade braced himself for the Doctor's reaction.

A deep sense of dread crept up in his heart, as Watson watched the inspector fidge with his hat, something he only did when extremly nervous about something. At hearing the other man talk about a threat to both himself and Holmes, this dread evolved into sheer panic. What could have probably had happened to upset Lestrade so? he wondered, steeling himself for the next words.
Still, nothing could have prepared him for the news that came then. Moran? Colonel Moran, Moriarty's right hand was free again? And probably out for Holmes' blood. And mine, Watson thought, trying to shake the overbearing sense of foreboding from his mine.
"How could that happen, Lestrade?" he asked the Yarder, his voice shaking slightly. "Didn't Holmes warn you to keep in securely locked away?" Watson could remember like it was yesterday, the day when they caught Moran and how he had cursed Holmes, promising revenge. And now he was free to do that. Jumping to his feet, Watson started to pace agiatedly in front of the fireplace. They had to warn Holmes. The man had no idea and that that madman was running around London again.

Paul looked up as suddenly Ian jumped up and pulled him to the window, confused by the change in his mood. "What?..." he couldn't even ask a question when the other boy already talked right over him. But of course! Hoe come Paul didn't think of the Doctor before. "Do you really think Dr. Watson will have time to help my sister?" he asked hopefully after he landed next to Ian on the pavement. Lizzy was very ill and desperately needed a doctor and Paul knew that Mr. Holmes' friend was good at his job and always willing to help even if no money was involved. Still, he didn't dare to get his hopes up just yet, as they ran down the street towards 221B.

Pulling her jacket tighter around her small body, Lily raced through the crowded streets of London. How on a day like this, cold and wet, there could be so many people about, was quite beyond her. She wanted nothing more than to go back home to granny Aggie, but she had promised Linda to meet her by the barber shop in Brixton Road. After exchanging a quick hug, Linda, who was about three years older than Lily, had told her about the nice lad she had seen by the docks the day before and now wanted Lily to help her find him again. She snicked as she remembered the blush her friend had been trying so hard to hide. Lily really had no interest in boys at all, they were mostly just annoying anyway, but she had promised to help her friend.
Now, she was on her way back home when she almost ran into two of her fellow Irregulars. "Paul, Ian!" she called out and grinned at them, though her smile quickly dropped off her face at their expressions. "Is everything alright, mates?" she asked worry colouring her voice.

Lestrade felt his own heart sink at the doctor's shocked expression and he blamed himself even more for being the one putting it there with his news. Although he wasn't personally responsible for the prisoners, Lestrade had been the one to take Moran into custody and knew of his hatred for Holmes and the Doctor. He should have made sure to place extra guards around the colonel's cell. "I have every free man at the Yard searching for him, Doctor, and they shall not rest till he is locked away behind bars again. We at the Yard take this matter very personally, as you and Mr. Holmes are the ones threatened this time. You both have helped us so often, now it is our time to help you." he said with a very serious expression on his mouse-like face.
Lestrade knew that as soon as the detective got wind of this, he would go feral, it would probably be best for Lestrade not to show up as long as he didn't have some positive news.

Coming to an abrupt stop, Paul tried to regain his balance to avoid crashing right into the red-head standing in front of them. "Lily!" he exclaimed. "We're on our way to Baker Street. I wanna ask the Doctor if 'e would take a look at me sister. Lizzy is still coughing so bad and me mum is quite worried." he told their friend, who knew his family well, too. "I hope he will have the time ta check on 'er." Paul looked worriedly at the younger girl to see if she thought it a good idea as well. He really did not want to bother the doctor who always was working so hard anyway, but he was also worried for his sister's life.

At the Inspector's heartfelt words, Watson couldn't help but smile a bit. After working with the Yarders for over a decade, he knew that he could count on them. Even if they were often annoyed by Holmes and his condescending behaviour, they still respected him a lot and looked up to him. And Watson himself had become something of an honourable Yarder over the years where Holmes was gone, as he had been occationally working as a police surgeon.
"I know you will be doing all in your power to get him back under lock and key, but you also know that Moran is now probably the most dangerous man in London and could cause a lot of destraction not only for Holmes and myself. We must try to catch him as fast as possible." Watson said, his voice calmer once more, but still his eyes were much unsettled.

Lily's heart dropped at her friend's worried expression and she quickly jumped forward to hug him tightly, hoping that she could show him that she would be there for him. "I'm so sorry to hear that, Paul." her voice was very soft and soothing. "Of course the Doctor will help you! He and Mr. Holmes would always be there for us. He will be able to help her, I'm sure." she said, believing it from the bottom of her soul. "Let us go to them right away, guys." With that, she turned around and pulled Paul at his hand with her.

"Extra extra! Murd'ruh escapes from prison!"

Naturally, the headline attracted the attention of a man who made it his business to help put men behind bars. He paid for the paper and began reading immediately. Colonel Moran?! The man reading the paper looked round him immediately, as if expecting to see the Colonel across the street. He saw nothing, but still felt ill at ease. Best to get home.

He checked himself before entering Baker Street, remembering Moran's last attempt on his life, and crossed round to the back of the house. He remembered leaving the window open, but if Watson was in, he might have closed it.

Fortunately, "might" dealt only with possibilities, and he found the window open. He climbed the ground storey to the window, then paused a moment at the sill and listened. "I have every free man at the Yard searching for him, Doctor, and they shall not rest till he is locked away behind bars again. We at the Yard take this matter very personally, as you and Mr. Holmes are the ones threatened this time. You both have helped us so often, now it is our time to help you." The rare expression of gratitude from Lestrade surprised him, but he paid it no mind and eased the window open enough for him to crawl through. He managed to get inside with a minimum of sound, and dusted himself off before going to his door and listening again.

"I know you will be doing all in your power to get him back under lock and key, but you also know that Moran is now probably the most dangerous man in London and could cause a lot of distraction not only for Holmes and myself. We must try to catch him as fast as possible."

Holmes chose that moment to fling open the door. "Watson, Colonel Moran is unquestionably the most dangerous man in London, considering the death of his master. I am not surprised the Colonel managed to escape, as precious few among the police give his abilities their due. The fact that this is a mistake any ordinary man could have made does not excuse the reality. Moran is loose. For the first time, London has a real danger wandering the streets."

Watson spun around at a noise from behind. Years of working with Holmes on top of being an ex-soldier had honed his reflexes and senses, but the familiar voice of his friend set him at ease not a second later.

"Holmes! You're back!" he exclaimed, glad to see his friend unharmed. "So you have heard of what happened already? Do you have any idea what he might be planning, now?" Watson asked, his worry making him speak faster than was usual for him. But he could not help but feel nervous at the thought of a man like the Colonel running wilde in London. To be honest, Watson was quite worried about his friend's life, remembering clearly how Moran had hatefully glared at him during his capture.

Taking a deep breath to steel his unsettled nerves, Watson adressed his friend once more. "Do you think he is an actual threat towards you, Holmes? I mean, maybe he just wants to leave the country and escape justice?" he asked almost hopefully. At least then they would be rid of him, though he seriously doubted that someone as proud as Moran would simply take defeat like that.

Lestrade looked up at the impressive figure of the detetive, trying to judge his mood from what little emotion was visible on his face. Luckily, so far he didn't seem to be angry at him, so Lestrade relaxed slightly. "So it is already all over the town..." he growled under his breath. "I told Gregson to make sure that it stayed covered up from the public." That man truely was not capable of even the smallest task.

He quickly put his hand on the doctor's shoulder in a gesture of comfort when he noticed his friend's unease. Lestrade could easily understand the other man's fear. The Colonel was a very dangerous man, he was probably out for blood. "What is the plan, Mr Holmes? Personally, I would prefer if you and the good Doctor would safely stay here at Baker Street with a constable standing guard, while my men search the town for Moran, but something tells me that you won't be satisfied with this solution." Lestrade said to the detective.