Sherlock's P.O.V.
'If you take more then 5 minutes I'll leave without you.' Sherlock screamed at her room upstairs.
'You won't be able to access the folder.' She screamed back at him, her voice slightly muffled because of the door she had closed to change after her shower.
'I think we'd agreed on not challenging each other, so hurry up.' He screamed back, rolling his eyes and hitting his head against the wall out of frustration.
'Yeah well, I can't choose what to wear and it's hard, okay?' She screamed back and he huffed before realising that her anxiety might be playing a role in this.
'Put on a dress.' He yelled back, hoping that if he would tell her what to wear that she would be persuaded and that they could go.
'But I have only one other-' She started protesting but was cut off by Sherlock.
'Great, throw it on and then we can finally leave.' He said, ruffling through his curls and leaning his head back against the wall.
'No you don't underst-' She began to speak again but Sherlock wasn't having any of it.
'Yes I do, put it on right now or I'll leave you here and lock all the exits.' He shot back and he heard her murmur something that he couldn't quite understand, but he also heard how she opened multiple drawers, so he guessed that she was listening.
He walked back to the living room and sat in his chair, closing his eyes and placing his elbows on the armrest and letting holding his fingertips against each other, he always did when he was thinking. Right now he was contemplating whether it wasn't better to leave all by himself, if John had taken so long he would've left ten minutes ago.
He heard the wood at the door creak, and he looked up to her, seeing something he hadn't expected.
She almost leaves me speechless...
She was wearing a black dress with long sleeves and a wide neck that just showed off her collar bones, it hugged her figure perfectly and ended above her knees. It was the perfect combination of classy and sexy, in Sherlock's mind, and he was impressed, he hadn't expected her to be able to look that good. Furthermore, she had applied some makeup, eyeliner and mascara. He now also understood why she hadn't wanted to put on the dress, it was tight, and it made her insecure.
'You look absolutely radiant.' He said with a smile while standing up, looking outside to see if he would need his coat.
'Thank you.' She said softly, and he heard her voice waver, she wasn't convinced.
'Truly, I'm not someone who lies to please people, ask anyone.' He said with a smirk and she grinned, her shoulders straightening and her chin a little bit higher. He didn't understand that his opinion would influence her so much, maybe he would have to say them more often.
She didn't grab her coat either, it was fairly warm outside and long sleeves would be enough. Together they exited the apartment and stood on the pavement, waiting for a cab to pass by.
'Sherlock! Mate!' They both heard from their left, and they turned their heads to see who it was. Sherlock had however already recognised the voice, and he felt the urge to run away as quickly as possible.
Bloody hell, don't have the patience for him.
He also remembered he was with her, and that this could become even more awkward than he had anticipated if Sebastian would insult him. In some strange way he had grown to care about what she thought about him.
'Sebastian.' Sherlock said curtly, stretching out his hand and shaking his. He loathed Sebastian, because of the way how the banker felt the constant need to humiliate him.
'I wanted to come by your apartment and ask a favour of an old buddy of mine, but I see that you're already working on a case.' He said with that cocky grin on his face, then he turned his full attention on (Y/N).
Oh you bastard, you don't know who you're talking to, she'll eat you alive.
'And you, lovely lady must be his current case, I hope you're not in too much trouble. I'm Sebastian Wilkes, high-class banker.' He said smoothly, also shaking her hand, and squeezing it a little bit, adding a quick wink. Sherlock felt how she felt uncomfortable with this.
'(Y/N) (Y/L/N), and I'm not part of his current case.' She said, and Sherlock saw how Sebastian's gaze went over her whole body and back, his pupils slightly delating. Sherlock felt the urge to stand in front of her to protect her from this predatory gaze.
Sebastian, keep it in your pants, this isn't some stupid college girl.
'In that case you must be a colleague.' He said with a raised eyebrow, very subtly indicating that it wasn't possible for Sherlock to have any other relationship with you. Sherlock wanted to open his mouth to reply that she was a friend, knowing that anything else would make a person uncomfortable.
And he didn't want to go through the same thing as last time when he had introduced John as a friend, but John corrected him as a colleague, that had been painful.
'Girlfriend, actually.' She said with an angelic smile on her face, slipping a hand in Sherlock's, he immediately took it and smirked a bit, she was oozing confidence right now and looked nothing like a few minutes ago.
Much better like this, feels also nice, holding hands, though it is utterly unnecessary.
Sebastian's eyebrows shot up and his mouth opened with a loud pop, his gaze went over her body and face again and Sherlock saw that he wanted to scream that she was out of his league.
I agree with you on that Sebastian, however, she is even farther away from yours.
'Well, what a surprise, I would've never thought back in college that Sherlock would get a girlfriend, especially not this beautiful.' He said, trying to remain smooth, but he was just too stunned. Sherlock's eyes squinted and he raised his hand to haul a cab, his mind was spinning with what he could answer.
'You don't think much at all, do you?' She huffed, leaving Sebastian completely baffled and Sherlock proud.
'Gooday to you Sebastian, I'm unfortunately not interested in your case.' Sherlock said, no sign of regret in his voice as he opened the door for (Y/N) to slide in. He got in after her and closed the door before Sebastian could answer.
'Bart's hospital please.' He said to the driver, looking outside and seeing a pissed-off Sebastian. The cab drove away, and Sherlock felt her poke his arm, he looked to his right and saw a blushing (Y/N).
'I'm sorry if that was rude, I shouldn't have done that without knowing if you would approve of it. He was just being one of those mainstream douchebags and I thought that this might be... I don't know, sorry.' She apologized, almost stumbling over her words.
'It's alright, I enjoyed his reaction and I really didn't mind.' Sherlock smiled, hoping that his answer would make her less anxious.
'Now there are 4 people who think we're together, this might result in quite some trouble later on.' She laughed a bit, sounding like she didn't really mind. Sherlock felt a bit...warmer, though he subconsciously blamed it on the weather.
'Probably not, the whole world thought that John and I were together for a long long time, some of them still do.' Sherlock smirked and she chuckled again, shaking her head a little bit.
They got to the Hospital and it wasn't too crowded. There were a few people walking in and out of the hospital, probably for check-ups or something like that. There were several people standing outside to smoke, mostly huddled in groups. Though there was one woman standing alone.
Her face was familiar, but he ignored it as long as he could, opening the door for his fake girlfriend with a smile, which she immediately returned. Then he saw her face change as she saw Donovan standing at the entrance.
Why does everyone who hates me bother me today?
'Freak, what are you doing here?' Donovan said, facing Sherlock and not (Y/N). Sally didn't see the face of rage that (Y/N) had the moment she said freak.
'Our work.' (Y/N) spat, and the officer turned around to her with both her eyebrows raised.
'Has our freak gotten himself a little girlfriend? Who are you, his doctor or something? has he finally gotten help?' She said, obviously feeling very much superior to (Y/N).
'Well, I'm not proctologist, but I recognise an arsehole when I see one.' (Y/N) huffed and Sherlock snorted, that was actually a great comeback.
'Oh so you're an arrogant too? Do you want to be a detective when you grow up?' Sally said mockingly, but the girl she was talking to seemed unfazed, she kept a poker face on.
'I'm the head of forensics, (Y/N) (Y/L/N), I'd like you to remain professional.' She said, her face completely blank and her voice reserved as she just almost killed Donovan.
'Oh, so you are the one they replaced Anderson with?' She asked, using an extremely condescending tone while saying you. Sherlock had to step in or (Y/N) would rip Donovan's head of.
'I would say that they advanced rather then replaced.' Sherlock said calmly, and saw how a bit of the tension left his roommates shoulders.
'We'll see about that; she hasn't done anything yet.' Donovan snapped, crossing her arms and looking challengingly. She didn't care at all about the girl, she just wanted to humiliate him through her.
'I solved the last case, but I can't figured out yet what your part is in all this.' She defended herself, and Donovan was losing control of herself
'I can get you fired any minute.' She said, her voice's volume increasing as she said it, her face reddening as she balled her fists.
'Please Donovan, pull yourself together, you're making a fool out of yourself.' Sherlock said with as much apathy as a human could muster, (Y/N) snorted. And Donovan became a bit redder, Sherlock decided that it was enough, so he took (Y/N)'s hand and dragged her not the hospital.
'Hey!? I wasn't done with her yet.' She protested as she tried to keep up with the gigantic steps that man made.
'Remember what you said? Be nice to the people you have to work with, even if the are idiots.' Sherlock said, but he was amused that there was someone who hated Donovan as much as he did.
'Don't throw my own words back at me, Sherlock, that's extremely lame. And besides, I think there's an exception to that rule when the person is a complete and utter twat.' She huffed as they stepped into the elevator.
'In that case I would never have to be nice.' He said with a small sigh, but she shook her head.
'No you should, because those people are just stupid, or average, so idiots in your opinion. That arsehole we just met outside was intentionally trying to hurt people, and that's disgusting.' She said grumpily, her arms crossed and her stare burning a whole in the elevator doors.
'In that case you're right.'
'Bet your sweet arse I'm right, I'm a genius.' She said, still grumpy and apparently not really thinking about what she was saying.
Or did she really consciously say: 'sweet arse?'. This girl is a mystery.
He threw her a questioning look, with one of his eyebrows raised and she squinted her eyes.
'What.' She asked, while pacing the halls with small steps, looking like an angry miniature villain.
'I was just wondering if you really meant that.' He said with a smile in his voice.
'Of course I did, I'm a proper genius and you know it.' She said while throwing her hands in the air in expiration, Sherlock just chuckled.
'No you're not.' He answered, joking of course, she was a genius.
'OOOhhhhh yes I am, that guy agrees with me.' She said while pointing at one of the bodies lying on the exam table in the morgue.
'How would you know? He's dead, you can't prove that he does.' Sherlock proclaimed, making a 'what-in-the-name-of-Elizabeth-are-you-doing' kind of move with his hands.
'Ah, but you can't prove that he doesn't.' She said with a smug grin on her face, happy with the way this discussion was going.
'That makes no sense and you know it, with that way of thinking you could say that god exists!' He said incredulously, she just nodded.
'He could be real, it was never proven that he wasn't, right?' She said, probably just trying to mess with his head, well, she was succeeding.
Ah she's right about that and I hate it, stupid ratio.
'Ehm, sorry?' He heard a timid voice speak when he had already opened his mouth to sass something back. Sherlock had forgotten that they were standing in the morgue and that this was actually Molly's workplace.
'Molly.' Sherlock said with a grin, and Molly looked a bit confused.
'Hi Sherlock, and...?' Molly said slightly awkward, but (Y/N) gave her no chance to stumble over her own incapacity to feel comfortable around strangers.
'(Y/N)! Hi! Sherlock has told me a lot about you.' (Y/N) smiled as she quickly walked over the nervous girl to shake her hand. Sherlock wanted to frown, because he hadn't told her that much but he kept it to himself.
'Oh really?' Molly answered nervously, she hadn't expected Sherlock to say anything about her, and if he did it wouldn't be too nice.
'Really, I've been looking forward to meeting you.' She smiled and Molly smiled back, Sherlock saw how she unwounded and looked more comfortable with the second. Then Sherlock realised something.
One moment she's about to rip someone's head off while spitting fire at them, and the next moment she is being so sweet it makes me a bit sick, (Y/N) is something different.
'Thank you, are you helping him on a case?' Molly asked with a real smile, finally she wasn't acting like a nervous rabbit.
'I wish I did, but he's helping me on a case, I'm the new head of forensics.' She told Molly, and a twinkle came in the latter's eyes.
'You got Anderson's job? That means we'll be working a lot together.' She said with a beaming smile, she seemed to really like (Y/N).
'Let's start today then, we need the files on the case of Anastasia Cunnington, It's new.' She said to Molly, who nodded, already recognising the case.
'We haven't analysed everything yet, but most of the substances have already been recognised and written down.' She explained while walking to the secured file cabinet, the two other's following her. She opened it with a key and Sherlock felt (Y/N) gaze burning holes in him, he looked over to her and she shook her head.
I only wanted to borrow that key, and make a replica.
Sherlock huffed and crossed his arms, and saw how (Y/N) took the file and scanned it quickly, a small blush came on her cheeks as she really tried to concentrate on the papers in front of her. He decided to make it even more difficult by standing right next to her, sides almost touching and faces close to each other.
'Sherlock?' She asked, her voice composed.
'Yes?' He asked innocently, and saw how a small smile crept on Molly's face, he had forgotten that she barely saw him making any jokes.
'Personal space.' His flatmate said, hoping that he would get the hint. But Sherlock is a dick.
'What about it?' He asked and saw how she sighed, closing her eyes.
'You really should put some space between us if you still want in on this case.' She threatened and Sherlock's lips quirked upwards.
'Ah, you're really sounding like a Scotland Yard employee, bravo.' He mocked her and she threw him a death stare.
'How long will it take for the others to analyse the remaining evidence?' She asked Molly and Molly looked a bit uneasy again.
'It's Saturday, so they will be back on Monday.' She said while staring at the floor, she was feeling guilty for something she hadn't done.
'You're bloody joking.' (Y/N) said bluntly, looking extremely baffled.
'It was Anderson's idea to not work in the weekends to avoid stress and burn-outs.' Molly explained, not liking the idea herself.
'Wha- Anderson- Seriously are you fu- Those lazy-.' (Y/N) was stammering and got cut of by Sherlock before she could start swearing.
'Well do it ourselves, that way we'll be done this afternoon.' He said strictly, giving his partner a pointed look, she looked flustered and mad but she had to pull herself together.
'Yes of course, smart choice. I'll show you the body and then you can go to the lab.' Molly said professionally, pacing to one of the tables.
'We'll split up. Sherlock, you can take the file and go deduce whatever you think is relevant for the case and see what you can do with that, I'll analyse the substances.' She said, more in control this time.
'I can analyse them too.' Sherlock said with a frown and she nodded.
'But I can't deduce.' She told him with a smile, and he understood why she had chosen to do it this way. Sherlock stretched out his arm to receive the files which was given by Molly.
'Call me when you find anything.' He said seriously and she nodded, already looking at the body for clues that the team had missed.
It was honestly intriguing to see how she changed persona. Just like he had just noticed how rude she could be, and then change to a sweet girl, he saw now that all the banter and sass had left her mind, replacing it for the case. He liked that, he could discuss things with her, joke around a bit or fight for a sketchbook, but when he needed her to be in top focus she would be a reliable source.
'Thank you Molly.' He said with a curt nod as he readied himself to go back to the apartment. Molly seemed to be taken aback by the fact that he had actually acknowledged her before leaving, but he didn't care and left.
The next few hours went by smoothly, he read through the material and concluded that there had been multiple men involved, who probably knew the victim. (Y/N) called him several times to give him more clues about the case, and when she did, she sounded pretty empty, Sherlock had made a mental note to talk to her about it later.
Slowly they started to figure out what had happened, they discussed it on the phone and together they found out who it had been and what had gone wrong. Sherlock was content with this way of working, he could've done it himself of course, but having someone with a different way of seeing things while still being smart was refreshing and sped up things.
'I'll be home in a minute, but I have to go grocery shopping first.' She said on the phone, sounding incredibly tired. She had worked hard to keep up with the speed in with Sherlock worked.
'We'll order something, no need into wearing yourself out, just come home.' Sherlock said while glancing out of the window, noticing that there was a suspicious woman standing on the sidewalk.
'Alright, order something you like, I don't care.' She said, and Sherlock heard her close a door. She was probably exiting the lab, the ride would take her 20 minutes and she would be home in 25 minutes.
'I will, bye.' He said to her, planning on hanging up.
'Wait, what's your nickname?' She said, and he could hear the smile in her voice.
'Don't have one.' He answered, knowing what she was up to.
'Sure you have, please tell me, or I'll ask John.' She said, and he sat down in his chair with a grin on his face.
'Well, John will tell you he calls me Sherlock, or some kind of swear word.' He tells her, actually enjoying this conversation, he hears her chuckle.
'Then I'll have to come up with something myself.' She said, and Sherlock sighed, but kept smiling.
'Good luck with that, I won't answer to it.' He said challengingly and he heard how she was outside, probably hauling a cab.
'What about...Lock? No not lock that sounds too... I don't know. Maybe Sherly, though Sherly makes you sound like Barbie's fifth child, so no...' She said, half talking to herself half to Sherlock, who was still sitting in his chair, staring at the ceiling with an enormous grin on his face.
'Sherlock is quite easy to pronounce, and it suits me, so why not go with that?' He said with a bit of sass, as he heard her tell the cabbie where to go.
'You're boring Sherlock, I need a nickname for you, a good one. Curly? Ooh I like curly, what about you?' She said, and he knew she was trying her best not to laugh.
'Makes me sound like a sheep.' He answered and heard how a short laugh escaped from her lips.
That's actually a beautiful sound, objectively speaking of course.
'Al right, what about...ehm...something edgy and cool...homie...Holmie, HOLMIE.' She exclaimed delighted, and now Sherlock had to laugh.
'I think we both know we are way to British and mature to call other people homie.' He said with a laugh, and she huffed.
'Speak for yourself- wait no, you're not mature at all Sherlock, piss off.' She laughed and Sherlock raised his eyebrows.
'That's rich coming from you.' He shot back and heard her chuckle.
'I'm not in denial, however, I still need a nickname for my partner in crime...you're smart, but genius is too mocking when you're actually a genius...could call you snow white, since you're so pale and your hair is so dark, but that would make me a dwarf so no... I'VE GOT IT.' She said, and Sherlock heard her mutter an apology to the driver.
'You're Spock.' She said proudly, and he frowned.
'I'm a what?' He asked her, and he heard her gasp.
'You don't know who Spock is?' She asked him again and he huffed annoyed.
'No I do not know who Spock is, so would you tell me?' He asked impatient, he wanted to know with whom he was being compared to.
'No no, I'll show you, when I get home, we're going to have a movie night, and you'll meet your soul mate.' She sounded exited, and he imagined her jumping up and down in the backseat of a cab, with a horrified cabbie.
'Fine, are you almost here?' He asked her, sitting up in his chair and looking around the living room.
'Yeah, give me ten minutes.' She said, and he nodded.
'Alright, bye.' He said, now really planning on hanging up.
'See you in a minute, Spock.' She said and hang up before he had the chance, he huffed and shook his head, this girl was a handful.
'So, what does she have? The keys to Buckingham palace? A nephew who works with human recourses at Scotland Yard, a book you've been searching for forever, perhaps?' John asked as he walked back into the living room, he had been making a cup of tea for himself.
'What are you on about, John?' He asked him, not actually caring.
'Well, I just saw you behaving yourself, you just had a phone call for fun and you smiled. The last time I saw you acting this human with a woman, she was the secretary of a guy you wanted to rob, so what does she have?' He asked Sherlock pointedly, a bit on edge. Sherlock was taken aback.
'Nothing John, I just work with her, no romantic feelings are involved with this.' He said, sure of himself. She was just less annoying and better to work with, that's why he liked her, not that he liked liked her, just platonic.
'You were just giggling like a little schoolgirl on the phone with her boyfriend, don't sell me bullshit Sherlock, I've known you for way too long.' He warned Sherlock, and now Sherlock was getting a bit worked up himself.
'I'm not lying to you John, she is just very easy to talk to, she doesn't annoy me with stupid questions or ridiculous assumptions like you just did.' He spat to John, who pulled an instant bitchface.
'Well excuse me mister honest, but the last time I thought you were genuinely improving as a human who was capable of loving, you shattered someone's heart. And if you are planning on doing the same with this girl I want to know, because she has been through way too much to be hurt by your selfish plans.' He said angrily, and Sherlock got quiet
'I said that it was her fault, a human mistake to fall in love with me. But I do regret having to hurt her, and I know she doesn't care because she's actually smart, but I'm sorry.' Sherlock said blankly, no excessive emotions in his voice.
He saw that John was taken aback by his apology, and he felt uncomfortable with all of this.
'Oh, well... uhm' John started, clearing his throat and looking awkwardly at his own hands.
'It's all right John, I was the one who gave you the reason to believe that.' He said curtly, he might be getting more decent, but he still loathed all that emotional talk.
The door opened downstairs, and even John knew who it was, because she was singing loudly.
I see trees of green, red roses too
I see them bloom for me and you
Loud footsteps came up the stairs, skipping one step at the time, and she stood in the doorway with her eyes closed and her arms open.
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
She opened her eyes, which had a mischievous glint in it, she walked over to Sherlock, all through this singing.
I see skies of blue and clouds of white
The bright blessed day, the dark sacred night
And I think to myself what a wonderful world.
She had grabbed his hand and placed it on her hip, and she had taken the other herself. Within a second in which Sherlock finally didn't have control over situation they were waltzing through the room on the rhythm of the song she was singing.
The colors of the rainbow so pretty in the sky
Are also on the faces of people going by
I see friends shaking hands saying how do you do
But they're really saying I love you.
She sang with a huge grin on her face, twirling with Sherlock across the room, through the kitchen. And he was laughing too, he honestly didn't expect this to happen, ever. John took a few photo's when both of them were too busy looking at each other.
When she was finished she let Sherlock go and made a mocking bow to John who was laughing and clapping.
'Thank you, thank you, you were a great crowd tonight.' She said with a stupid smirk on her face.
'You're a really good singer.' John complemented her and she grinned, her cheeks rosy from the excitement.
'Thanks John, it's nice seeing you again.' She said a bit out of breath.
'Why are you so excited?' Sherlock asks her with a smile while sitting down.
'Well, my dear Spock, we are going to watch one of my favourite movies, starring you.' She said with an evil smile, Sherlock just huffed.
'Which movie?' He asked her, but then the doorbell rang.
'Oh, that must be the pizza, do you mind opening the door please?' She asked Sherlock, who simply nodded and walked downstairs.
He took the three boxes and paid the delivery boy, quickly making his way back to the living room again.
'... ah now I understand why this is your favourite movie. That's a handsome main character.' John laughed, and Sherlock stopped walking up, wanting to hear more.
'Who? Capitain kirk? Nah, he's cool, but not really my cup of tea.' She said, and Sherlock frowned, so she had types?
'Then who's your favourite?' He asked her and he heard some ruffling.
'Don't tell Sherlock, but I've always had a crush on Spock. He's my all time favourite, hands down.' She said with a low voice to John, so Sherlock wouldn't hear it.
But he had heard it, and a smile spread across his face. He didn't know what he felt for her, if it was simply friendship or something more. He didn't know if he was going to act on it, because that would go against everything he believed in. He didn't know if she even thought of him differently.
He didn't like not knowing.
But he liked her.