I'm putting this up on the message board coz i'm too lazy right now to open up my e-mail... I'll do it later...

I'm sorry if you people find the ending of this story wacko, it's just that I came up with it right after I had that beautiful sh22 dream...(channel 20 started playing it on sudays) and well... yeah, anywho....

---

Holmes sighed. "Inspector Lestrade of New Scotland Yard-"

Holmes began explaining the situation and soon the two were deep in discussion. At first, though, Watson had checked them both for fever or concussions but he eventually believed the outlandish tale. Of course Lestrade's wristcom (which she was continually playing with, seeing as she had been left out of the conversation) and clothing probably helped him accept the facts.

---

Lestrade was seriously bored. The two cronies had been talking for the past hour. At least, that's how long it had felt. Holding in a yawn, she went over to the big bay window. Suddenly, something caught her eye. In the distance she could just make out a huge billow of smoke....

"Holmes! Holmes! Look!" Lestrade pointed out the window excitedly.

"Oh my." Watson uttered in astonishment.

"Ah, come, Watson! The game is afoot!" With that Holmes shrugged on his coat and marched out the door, Watson on his heels.

"'Come Watson'?! What happend to me? Geez!" Lestrade angrily followed the two out the door.

---

The fire was huge. It had started in some lord's mansion but now it had consumed the entire block.

People were everywhere, screaming and crying. One lady was hitting a fireman, sobbing that her baby was in there. Others were simply in shock. The children were terrified and running in every possible direction. In the confusion Holmes and Watson disappeared from Lestrade's view.

The lady with the missing child had now come up to Lestrade, despite her strange clothes. "Please! Please, you have to help me!!! She's in there! She's going to die! You know she's only two! Oh my poor little Amelia! Sarah! Please! You have to get her out!!"

The woman was delirious. 'Sarah'? But that didn't really matter. After gently disentangling herself from the woman, Lestrade proceeded into the fire.

The child was probably already dead. What was she thinking?! Gingerly, Lestrade picked her way through the burning walls, burning her hands and feet. Then, somewhere beyond the crackling and screaming, Lestrade could hear a baby crying.

There were two of them, underneath a fallen bathtub. The girl and a cat. It was a kitten, really. They were black from soot, the girl crying and coughing in turn. Lestrade would've cried herself at the sight, if her face and eyes hadn't been burning. Carefully she picked the two up, turned around and began to make her way to fresh air.

She had no idea how she got back. She had been all ready to collapse and burn up on the spot and then suddenly she was back on the street. The lady came crying over too her, taking back 'Amelia'. She didn't seem to notice Lestrade after that.

Talk about grateful! I coulda died! But oh no! Don't even say thanks! Lestrade looked back to the lady, who was completely oblivious to her. The girl looked all right and that was what mattered...

Huh? Blinking, Lestrade looked back to where the girl had been held by her mother, but she'd disappeared. But I coulda sworn she just winked at me!

Thoroughly confused, Lestrade was brought back to reality by a scratch on her cheek. "Ow! What was that for, ya little monster?!" She glared down at the kitten. It purred and nuzzled her arm. She smiled. "Oh great! What am I gonna do with you?"

Her answer was interrupted by Holmes and Watson. They had made their way to her and were now frowning down at her. "What?" What was up with them?

Not answering, Holmes walked into a disintegrating building. Watson, after looking somewhat confused, followed. Lestrade couldn't believe her eyes. "Wha....?" Deciding that she couldn't leave them in there alone, she ran to catch up.

---

They were in the middle of a stone room. Lestrade didn't know how they got there or where they were. Her best guess was someone's cellar. Why they were there, she wasn't even going to bother thinking about....

In front of them stood a metal room. The time machine. What EXACTLY is it doing here?

Lestrade was thoroughly confused.

"Here is the way home, Lestrade." Holmes didn't turn to her, simply gestured to the machine. It was the first thing he'd said to her since they had first arrived at Baker Street.

"Yeah...." Lestrade walked over, barely controlling her excitement (not that she didn't like the nineteenth century, but it just wasn't the same as home) and opened the door. She was just then hit by a horrible idea. "You are coming back with me...aren't you, Holmes?" She held her breath as she turned to face him.

"Well..." He looked at Watson. "...this IS my time period...."

Lestrade had suddenly found her shoes very interesting.

"So yes, I do believe, I wil be staying here. Goodbye, Inspector." With that he turned and walked out, back into the fire. Watson didn't even look back as he walked away and left her standing there.

Lestrade looked up at their retreating backs. They left.... How could they leave her here like that?! Not really saying goodbye.... "HOLMES! HOLMES! COME BACK! COME BACK HERE, YOU JERK!!!" she screamed, then whispered, "I-I needed to tell you someth-thing..." Lestrade viciously wiped her eyes.

No! If he was gonna leave her like that she was not about to cry over it! Turning back to the time machine, she stepped inside, slammed the door and stabbed in the co-ordinates. Then she gave in. Leaning miserably against the spinning swirling wall, she started crying. Not even noticing the little black kitten nudging her leg.

---

Inspector Beth Lestrade sat up with a start. Dream.... was her train of thought at the moment.

Looking around her, she saw the hotel room. All a dream.... She was in Liverpool, for that press conference... Oh God! Just a dream.... Her pillow and face were soaking wet.... But it was all so real, just a dream.... She sighed loudly. "Oh, thank you, God." Picking up her palm phone, she dialed Baker Street. Just to make sure.

---

"Hello?" Sherlock Holmes was barely containing his yawn. It would be on one of those days when he was actually tired that someone would phone at three in the morning....

"Holmes! Oh, good! You're still here! You didn't leave!" Lestrade's face appeared on the screen.

"Lestrade!? It's three-" His angry remarks faded away as he looked at her face...she had been crying.... LESTRADE=CRYING? There was something new....

"Yes, Lestrade, I'm still inhabiting 221B Baker Street during the year 2103. Really! I couldn't possibly think of leaving...the law enforcement being what it is! You'd have levelled the entirety of New London by now, if I weren't here. So you see, I must stay!" He grinned at her, his words mocking, but his tone quieting. "Is there anything else you would like to know at this time? Might I add that it's three a.m. here in New London?"

Lestrade gave a small smile. "No, there's nothing else. Good night, Holmes." She blanked the screen.

What an eccentric girl, thought Holmes as he returned to bed. Though she's awfully cute when she smiles...Wait one moment! What AM I thinking?!....

---

Lestrade sighed as she lay back down. She couldn't wait to get back to New London. She had something she needed to tell Holmes...before he left for real....

Lestrade was so tired then, that she managed to fall asleep without noticing the little black kitten sleeping at the foot of her bed....

The End...*or is it?*

---

It is. I was gonna write an actual time travel story but I didn't.

*as you can see*

Artemis: Yes, I do believe the readers can tell that....

Angel: (rolls eyes) Tell me whatchya think....
(hits Artemis and *c.d.* over head with The Return of Sherlock Holmes in hardcover)

*Can you guess what she has to tell Holmes? Ooh swirlies!!!! Hee hee hee%&(#&...ugh....* (falls over from concussion)