One day, when there had been a particular dry spell in the department of cases for Gabriel to solve, I awoke to the most beautiful music lilting down the staircase from Sir Locke’s study.

Putting on one of my now rather old dresses, and making a mental note to start saving up for new ones, as well as a new coat, I went downstairs to the kitchen. It was what I did every morning, if not intercepted and diverted by Gabriel on the way there, or once I got there.

“Morning!” I said to Mrs. Hudson, “It does seem that you’re going to have my help around the house again today, since he doesn’t have a case.”

“Oh good! I need the dusting on the upper levels done, love, if you wouldn’t mind!” Mrs. Hudson told me.

“Of course I don’t mind, it’s my job. Although sometimes I think he rather forgets that’s what I’m here for, to help you with the housework.”

“You don’t like helping with his little mysteries?” she laughed.

I grinned guiltily, “No, I very much enjoy doing that, but it’s not what he hired me for.”

“As long as you’re both happy, I don’t care if I have to walk the stairs every hour. You’re very good for him, Joan.” Mrs. Hudson confided.

“I don’t know about that.” I said, feeling my face flush a little. There was a pause in the conversation as some particularly sweet notes floated to our ears. I couldn’t keep from smiling. “I didn’t know he played the violin.”

“I think he’s capable of far more than even we know.” The elderly housekeeper replied, shaking her head a little, as if mystified.

“That’s probably true.” I had to agree with her, just going by the fact that he could use magic, not that I had ever seen him use much, but that was understandable enough, as it was something that needed to be kept rather secret, which I knew from my own experience.

“I’ve put breakfast for two on the tray, so that you can stay up there and keep him company, I think he’d like that, although he’d never admit it to anyone. Especially since he doesn’t have a case at the moment.”

“Alright then.” I said, taking the heavy breakfast tray. But the tray was exactly that, heavy, and I wasn’t sure I’d made it up the stairs with it all intact. So using my magic, I levitated it, getting a small, approving applause from Mrs. Hudson. Then I headed upstairs. After knocking on the door, I heard a pause in the music, and it opened. “Breakfast!” I said, smiling, hoping to cheer him up, as he obviously looked a little morose.

But he didn’t smile, “She’s made breakfast for two, I see. Well, come in then.” He lifted the tray from where it levitated, and stepped aside to let me in.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Gabriel.” My friend and employer corrected, his lips forming a tight line. He seemed to be in a prickly sort of mood, as was normal when he was bored.

“Sorry, force of habit.” I cringed, sitting down on the couch. To my surprise, he sat next to me, stretching his legs out on the long couch, and leaning back into the cushions, closing his eyes and sighing quietly. “Aren’t you going to eat?” I asked, noticing that he’d put his violin down on the table.

“I’m not particularly hungry.” Gabriel replied somewhat lethargically. Sometimes he seemed almost lazy, but then he’d be so full of life the next moment that it was hard to believe that the man darting about, searching for some component of one of his various science projects, was the same person who’d been too lost in his own thoughts and boredom to eat not moments before. Then there would be days exactly opposite of his languid, bored ones, where he didn’t eat because he was so occupied with one of his cases that all else fell from his mind, and it took me and Mrs. Hudson both reminding him, repeatedly, to actually eat something.

“That won’t do. Mrs. Hudson will have my hide if you don’t eat, Gabriel. At least drink some coffee.” I told him.

“I grow weary of this stagnation, not having a case…” he muttered, but sat up and accepted the coffee that I handed him, his fingers brushing against mine. I felt my face flush the slightest bit at the accidental contact.

Gabriel Locke could be pig-headed and rude, at times, and he wasn’t handsome in the conventional sense, but there was something about his sharp eyes that betrayed a deep, powerful mind, and there was an air of mystery to him, one that came from more than just solving them on a constant basis, something that I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Unfortunately, that air of mystery was almost devilishly attractive, in the strangest of ways. I didn’t feel that way at first, but now I certainly did, though I wasn’t sure what to do with that fact. We got along very well, I felt, even on his prickly, bored days, when he wasn’t in a particularly good mood, I still found myself happy in his company.

“I’m sure you’re not going to die of boredom, Gabriel.” I told him, turning and pouring myself a cup of tea after putting down the coffee pot, pushing all of the ridiculous thoughts from my mind. “It’s only been a few days.”

“It’s been a week, and I’m dying!” he cried rather melodramatically, setting his coffee cup down, and falling back into the couch, closing his eyes.

“Well, let me see.” I set down my teacup and put my hand lightly on his forehead, taking his temperature.

Gabriel’s eyes flew open, startled, “What on earth?”

I pulled my hand away, “Well, no fever, I can almost completely promise that, since you don’t have a fever, it’s most likely that you’re not dying…or so your doctor says.” I told him, grinning.

I expected him to retort with something sarcastic, but instead he broke into a small, bemused sort of smile, and laughed a little. “Alright, alright. Perhaps I’m not dying…but I am bored, Joan.” he seemed listless.

“Well, Mrs. Hudson and I do enjoy hearing your violin, even if you are bored. It makes the house feel very high-class.”

“This is certainly a high-class house.” He said, closing his eyes again, running his fingers around the edge of his coffee cup. For a moment, he looked young, very young, and almost handsome by even normal conventions.

“Gabriel?” I asked.

“Yes, doctor?” I wasn’t sure if I imagined it or not, but his voice seemed to have a note of fondness in it.

“Why do you look older?” I had been thinking a lot about how old he looked. “I mean, older than is normal for magicians that are human…typically we stop aging by twenty five at the most…you’re nearly thirty, or older, aren’t you?”

Gabriel was quiet for a few moments, and I wondered if I hadn’t overstepped my bounds, and I was about to apologize when he finally spoke, “Maybe I just look older than I am.”

“For a moment there, you looked almost my age…”

“What, seven years younger? I must be doing well then.” He chuckled, sitting up again. “Of course, I’m actually more than seven years older than you.”

“I guess I hadn’t thought about that. Just how old are you? I know that human mages supposedly live as long as the fabled elves, supposedly, but I’ve never had another one to talk to about it before.”

“That’s a secret I won’t divulge, not just yet, anyways.” Was his mysterious reply, which was coupled with a somewhat sly sort of grin.

“Oh, now you’ve only made me more curious! Come on, now you have to tell me!” I pulled on his sleeve, laughing a little.

“Then I will settle with old.” He said quietly, a strange look passing across his face, a flicker of emotion that I didn’t recognize, and I let my hand drop, not wanting to annoy him.

“Old?”

“Very old.” His voice was quiet, and he looked away.

Of course, this only made me curious as to what ‘very old’ meant, but I also knew that he wouldn’t answer at this point. “I see.” was all I said, not pressing the matter, even though I desperately wanted to.

To my surprise, he handed me a plate, taking his own and curling up on his cushion with it, prompting me to do the same, so that I could face him, our knees almost touching…almost. “Thank you. Will you play your violin some more?” I asked, taking a bite of my breakfast.

“Most likely.” He replied with a shrug, “I am terribly bored.”

“Sorry I’m so boring, then.” I smiled, knowing that it wasn’t what he meant.

Gabriel blinked, as if surprised. “You always say things like that. You’re not boring, Joan.”

“I was teasing.” I laughed. “I usually am when I say stuff like that.”

“Oh.” I’d confused him again, and I could see it written on his face, reflected in his sharp eyes.

I could only giggle, amused that I’d only succeeded in confusing him. “You’ll understand people better someday, I promise.”

“What if I don’t want to?”

“Well, why not?”

“People…they are a nuisance.” He murmured, tracing the lip of his cup with his fingers again, eyes foggy, and far away from where we were at the moment, but wherever his mind walked, he was far, far away.

“I’m sorry we’re such a nuisance to you, Gabriel.” I told him quietly, but was pretty sure that he wouldn’t hear me.

“You’re doing it again! But that statement doesn’t include you, Joan, you should know that when I say those things, they never include you.” he frowned. But his eyes were still fixed on something or somewhere far away.

Suddenly, he shook himself, and finished his coffee, swiftly ate the rest of what was on his plate, and leapt up, grabbing his violin and holding it to his chin. The sweet notes filled the air as he pulled the bow across the strings.

I smiled, and enjoyed the rest of my breakfast while being serenaded by his music. Closing my eyes, I leaned back into the couch, listening happily for a long while. The music stopped for a little while. “Joan?” I heard him ask quietly, a hint of uncertainty in his voice.

“Why did you stop?” I asked, opening my eyes.

“I thought you’d fallen asleep.” He said, sounding relieved. “And I wasn’t sure what I’d do if you’d fallen asleep.”

“You could have woken me up. I shouldn’t be falling asleep so early in the day.” I laughed.

“No, I couldn’t wake you up, that wouldn’t be right…” he paused, tilting his head to the side a little, “I could have easily carried you back to your own bed though, I suppose.” He said in a mild voice, dropping his eyes, and fiddling with the knobs on the end of his violin.

“I guess that’s probably true.” I nodded.

“Besides, it’s not as if you actually weigh much.” He added, holding his violin back to his chin.

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“How could you possibly know how much I weigh?” I teased him, amused by this observation.

Gabriel blinked, “It’s a simple matter of calculating your height verses-” His sentence was cut off by a knock on the door. “Enter!” he cried, looking at the door, clearly surprised. I stood to greet whoever was out in the hallway.

The door opened almost immediately, revealing a man who appeared to be in his forties, perhaps early fifties. He had a very stern gaze, a grim slash of a mouth, and neatly combed, sandy-colored, thinning, hair. He wasn’t as thin as Gabriel, who was a bit of a stick, indeed the man was almost portly, but…but there was a certain similarity that hung about their features that I couldn’t ignore as just a coincidence.

“Myles.” Gabriel blinked, seeming surprised.

“Little brother.” Myles Locke said. Gabriel’s voice and tone was most often a mild sort of neutral tone, but Myles’ was outright cold and detached.

Suddenly, I recalled that Gabriel had said that he was very old, and was thus very confused as to how he could possibly have an older brother, if he was indeed so old, as magic wasn’t usually something that ran in families. But then all thoughts left me, and I quailed as Myles’ intimidating gaze landed on me.

“Who is this?” he asked, sounding vaguely annoyed.

To my surprise, Gabriel’s hand suddenly rested gently on my shoulder in an approving, reassuring sort of way. “This is Joan, Joan Watson. I hired her as my maid, but she’s a doctor, and has been helping me with some of my cases.”

“Rather.” Myles said coldly. “That’s why I had to show myself in.”

That comment irritated me, as I hadn’t even heard anyone knocking on the door, and normally I did, even from all the way up in the study, which meant he either had purposely knocked very softly, or not at all, and had simply let himself in, somehow. Maybe he had a key?

“Indeed…Well, what are you doing here? What can I do for you?” Gabriel seemed a little on edge, perhaps startled by his brother’s rather sudden appearance.

“There is a matter that I want you to look into.” Myles said.

“Myles, you feel the need to constantly remind me that you’re better at what I do than I am. Surely you don’t need my help.” Gabriel said, now sounding annoyed.

“I find that this particular case requires more than one person with our particular…abilities.” Myles said.

“What do you need me for?” Gabriel asked, clearly now in a rather bad mood. I could see the change in his temper, from a bored, but otherwise good mood, to a rather annoyed one, in how he sat down rather hard, and pinched the bridge of his nose with a little sigh.

“It’s a matter of the utmost discretion.” Myles said in his cold voice.

“I know you’re not worried about me breathing a word, so you must be concerned with Joan. Allow me to assure that she will not speak a word about whatever it is to anyone other than you and me. Can you keep that promise, Joan?”

“Yes sir.” I nodded.

“Brother…”

“I trust her. That should be good enough for you.” Gabriel’s eyebrows shot up.

Myles was quiet for a moment, and I felt his cold, calculating gaze on me, scrutinizing. “I cannot allow it.”

“Then I won’t help you.” Gabriel replied in a cool voice, but he crossed his arms.

I felt my face heat, realizing that he was refusing to help his brother unless I was included.

A vein in Myles temple pulsed. “You’re being utterly childish!” the elder Locke snapped.

“Perhaps I am, but I’m afraid that I must insist that Dr. Watson is included in this case. I have found her to be an invaluable asset in my recent plights, and I think that you’ll see that I’m right to want her inclusion in this case, whatever it may be. Please trust me.”

Myles was quiet for a little while. “Fine.” He snapped, and then sighed, “You are terribly stubborn! Mother always let you get away with far too much.”

A flash of victory flickered briefly over Gabriel’s face, and he set down his violin, steepling his fingers in front of him. “Thank you, Myles. Have a seat, Joan.”

I sat back down on the couch, having been frozen during their argument, not sure if I was going to be banished, or allowed to stay. “O-of course.”

“Now what is this matter of discretion which is so important that it prompts you to burst into my already busy schedule and thrust the responsibility onto me?” he asks. That was a big fat lie, he didn’t have anything to do, and was dying of boredom, as he’d so dramatically put it.

Myles rolled his eyes at his younger brother. “I don’t know how aware you are of certain…issues in the kingdom of Averah at this moment.”

“I’m a fairly aware person. I’m assuming, however, that you’re referring to the crime rate of late, which has grown to be nearly unbearable for the police, and has thus made them turn more and more often to my services.” Gabriel shrugged.

Detective L’Strade did often consult my employer. At least twice a week, and that seemed like a lot, now that I thought about it.

“Quite.” The elder Locke nodded. “I have had my people making discreet inquiries, and have spent many hours myself looking into the cause of this. The situation directly affects the safety of the King and his family, as well as the welfare of the kingdom as a whole, and that, in turn, directly involves me.”

Gabriel was quiet for a moment. “You suspect a conspiracy?”

“More or less. I have heard, upon impeccably good authority, that a criminal network has been formed. It is a subtle one, incredibly difficult to detect, but it...shall I say, it has its finger in many pies. There was a bombing of a bank that you no doubt read about in the newsprints last week, with threats of more to come, there has been a series of break-ins taking place among the upper-class, though nothing has been actually stolen, that we are aware of, there was an incident that I believe involved a vampire, and all-in-all, the kingdom, and this city in particular, has become more and more dangerous each day.”

My mind flickered uneasily to the men who’d followed me the day I’d started my position at the Cooke Street house. The streets were certainly far less than safe, it seemed.

Gabriel is quiet for a moment, then sighed, “Yes, I’m…aware of these things. You forget that I have my own people, and my own information network. I’m sure we utilize some of the same sources of information.”

“You mean the hundreds of little street rats that you keep on retainer? Typically they are an inexhaustible source of information, but even they are not privy to the information that I have sought out. After all, they’re only children.”

“And children are the future of this society, need I remind you.” My employer sighed again, shaking his head, “You hint of a conspiracy, but you have given no proof that any of those occurrences are connected.”

“I was getting to that.”

“Forgive me.” Gabriel motioned for his brother to continue.

“You did not investigate these crimes, but I did, and I couldn’t help but notice certain small coincidences and patterns that only you or I would be capable of discerning. At first, they were just that, coincidences, but then there were so many that I could no longer attribute them to mere coincidence. So, through much strenuous work, and much…advanced interrogation” a cold chill ran through me as I realized that Myles meant torture, “of the perpetrators of the aforementioned crimes, and indeed many that I did not mention, I finally heard whispers of rumors of the name of the person behind various crimes, coordinating them all towards some end that I have not yet been able to imagine, unfortunately.”

“A name?”

“Well, part of a name, really, but I did attain the assurance that a conspiracy did, in fact, exist.”

“What was this name? Or part of a name?” Gabriel asked. His brow was furrowed, and his tone was very grave. I’d never heard him so grave before now. Where he’d been dismissive of his brother’s suspicions moments earlier, he now seemed utterly serious about the conspiracy that his brother spoke of, which worried me. Was there really some secret organization out there, pulling strings and organizing crimes?

“All I got was the name M.” Myles sighed, apparently annoyed that it was really only a letter.

“M?” Gabriel’s eyebrows skyrocketed, and he looked a bit peeved as well.

“Just that, just M. But each person that I…extracted the information from was terrified to even speak the name, and have each died sudden, suspicious deaths upon admitting their knowledge.”

Gabriel was quiet for a few moments. “What do you want me to do?”

“At the moment, I want you to continue on as before, like nothing happened. Keep solving your little cases and helping the police in any way that you can, as they’re out of their league, as always.” Myles said.

“Of course.” My employer nodded, frowning a little.

“But if you ever feel a vague suspicion that something is amiss with the crime, that it was perhaps too clever for the person that committed to have come up with, then send for me immediately.”

“I can get information well enough by myself.” Gabriel protested.

“And I would not have you risk your safety by doing so.” Myles’ voice was stern, “This is bigger than the pair of us.”

“The three of us.” My employer corrected quietly.

Myles Locke blinked, “...Indeed.”

“What do you think, Joan?” Gabriel turned to me, “I think that we’ve possibly already run into one such case, actually. That one with the drill seemed a bit too clever for the perpetrator, Mr. Stone…though he is accustomed to thievery.”

“I…I won’t deny that it scares me to hear that there’s someone who’s out there pulling strings and making more crimes happen.” I shifted, “But I think you’re right. Remember those men who were following me that one day?”

“Ah yes, when I was disguised as the priest.”

“Ten years ago, that never would have happened.” I shrugged, shuddering a little.

“You also probably weren’t the woman you are now ten years ago.” Gabriel pointed out somewhat delicately.

“Oh forgive me for not having stopped aging earlier, and retaining a childlike appearance. You can’t blame me for getting older.” I rolled my eyes.

Myles blinked, apparently taken aback by the banter, and I felt my face flush a little.

But Gabriel grinned a little, “Of course.”

“And they probably would have done that to any woman that was walking by at that time in the evening.” I told him. “When I was younger, my mother and I would take evening strolls through the city to take in the cool night air. We were never scared of doing so, but I wouldn't do it now.”

“Indeed.” He shrugged, and then turned to his brother once more, sighing. “Alright, Myles, I will let you know if anything is ever amiss during any of my cases.”

“Good.” Myles Locke nodded, then blinked, and said, “Oh yes, I’ve almost forgotten. There is to be a Coronation Ball for the Crown Prince exactly six months from now, and I need you to attend it.”

“What?!” Gabriel cried, now clearly annoyed.

“During these troubled times, I can use every pair of trustworthy eyes.” Myles shrugged. “Besides, you wouldn’t be allowed to live such a happy little existence here if it weren’t for me, so I think you owe me as many favors as I wish.”

“Fine, fine!” Gabriel sighed. “But don’t expect me to dance with anyone or play nice!”

“You shall do both, even if I have to force you to myself!” his brother’s eyes flashed.

“As you wish, my liege.” Gabriel muttered sarcastically, waving his hand impatiently. He picked up his violin again, and began to play again, drawing the bow back and forth rapidly across the strings.

Myles was suddenly in a hurry to leave. “Alright. Well, like I said, it’s in six months, and you’d better be in attendance, little brother, or I shall have your hide! Now I must bid you a good day. I’ll see myself out.” He quickly left the study.

It was quiet for a while, other than Gabriel playing his violin, which had become a melancholy, pensive kind of melody.

I thought about Myles’ words, and tried not to shudder again, and instead put my focus into listening to the beautiful music that my employer produced so easily.

Finally, Gabriel put down his violin, and sighed. “I suppose you will need a ball gown, yes?”

I blinked, not quite understanding. “Why would I need a ball gown?”

Gabriel sighed, “To go to the Coronation ball…” he said it as if it were obvious.

“He wants you there, not necessarily me.” I frowned.

“And I will not go without you. So go you will.” He said, then blinked, and added hastily, “If you want to, I mean. If you have cause not to go, then certainly-“

“I’ll do it.” I said, perhaps too quickly, feeling my face flush. “I’ll go. Of course I will. I can’t have you looking ridiculous with no one to dance with.”

“I’ll have you know that most of the high society women are perfectly willing to dance with me.” Gabriel replied, arching an eyebrow at me.

“Somehow, I find that hard to believe. Are you entirely certain of that?” I teased him.

“Completely. Not only am I Myles’ brother, but I’m an excellent dance partner.”

“Then I suppose I ought to look forward to this.” Now I was thoughtful, and just a little…anxious? Perhaps that wasn’t quite the word, but my heart was fluttering rather strangely.

“You need a dress, first.” He said, his voice serious.

“That’s a wonderful thought but I…I don’t have the money for a ball gown, Gabriel.” I admitted quietly, feeling a little embarrassed.

“On the other hand, I have plenty of money, and have been meaning to have a new wardrobe made for you for sometime now, but have continued to forget to do so.” my friend grimaced slightly.

“Sir, you can’t-“

“I can, and I will, and don’t call me sir!” he said in an intense voice, his dark eyes flashing.

I quailed a little, finding that, for a moment, Gabriel had favored his brother more than I was comfortable with. Where was the man that had held my hand once so comfortingly in the dark? “Alright…sorry.” I muttered.

Immediately, he was by my side, apologizing. “No, I am sorry, Joan. I should not have been cross with you…Though it is no excuse for me to be short with you, my brother puts me in a bad mood.”

“A downright awful one, I should think.” I muttered, looking at my hands, which were folded in front of me, and rested on my lap.

“Yes, downright awful.” He said, sitting next to me. Very much to my surprise, he reached out, and hesitantly took one of my hands. “And I am sorry.”

“I-I forgive you.” I stammered. Good heavens, I was far more attached to him than I ever intended to be, or was appropriate. The thought that he might lean forward and kiss me danced tantalizingly through my mind before I banished it, and gently pulled my hand away…as much as I wanted to leave it in his grasp.

Gabriel did not protest, but stood up, and went back to his violin, setting it in its place beneath his chin, “Take the tray from breakfast downstairs, and tell Mrs. Hudson not to bother with lunch, I’ll be out making inquiries today.”

“About this mysterious crime network?”

“Yes.”

“Alright.” I nodded, and went downstairs.