Sherlock and John sat watching the people of London as Sherlock nitpicked at every person John picked from the crowd. "How about that one," John said pointing at a young boy. Sherlock watched carefully deducing everything he could about him. The boy was about 17, a jock if he ever saw one, juggling two girlfriends, pretentious, and struggling with a parent divorce.
"No his personal life would cause too many problems and his girlfriends may get in the way of his attention."
They continued to scan the crowd as John pointed at a woman reading underneath a tree. "How about her, she looks like a good choice."
Sherlock again picked at the woman; 20-22, two to three cats, married, husband is cheating but she doesn't know for sure, sleepless nights from waiting, and a librarian. "No not her, too much drama and she isn't observant enough. Plus her mind is already preoccupied with suspicions of her husband who is cheating on her probably with his assistant."
John shook his head in frustration, "Honestly Sherlock you can't be so picky."
Sherlock stared out and noticed a young girl sitting on a bench writing intently into a notebook while watching people as they passed. Sherlock watched slowly learning; writer, dancer, sings, cat person? No dog person, curious, observant of surroundings, extremely intelligent, internal disease, cancer maybe? Suddenly a collision between a biker and a garbage can caught her attention. Sherlock noticed a change in her expression as she stared on. Was it a hero complex? No it couldn't be. He watched what seemed to be a fight for control in her expression but was thrown off when she shook the expression from her façade.
Sherlock pointed to the girl, "Her."
"Her?" John asked in confusion. "Isn't she a little young?"
Sherlock locked his gaze on the girl, "She's clever and brilliant. She's A blogger like you John but different."
Suddenly the girl got up from the bench tucking her things away into her bag. She brushed off her lap and positioned her bag upon her shoulders as she decided which way to go.
Left was crowded with too many people and the crosswalk would take her onto a longer route home. Although the right was crowded with people, her mind had calculated it to be the quickest route. 'Bloody mind palace' she thought t herself. She wandered off trying to maneuver through the crowd when she felt a strange feeling, like she was being watched or followed. Although she felt she should have trusted her feelings, she continued on through the crowd to the path ahead.
"Come along John," Sherlock said as he swiftly moved from the bench after the girl.
"Sherlock I'm sure we could be arrested for following her around."
Even though John objected he still followed after Sherlock. For blocks they followed her, hiding behind corners, in coffee shop windows, and at tables outside restaurants. Suddenly Sherlock noticed she had been watching from the corner of her eye and was now changing her course. He watched as she closed her eyes and focused. 'Mind palace?' he thought. She turned the corner and Sherlock had lost sight.
"She knows were following her."
"Good now let's go before she calls the police."
Sherlock smirked, "She won't. She's testing us, playing a game."
"A game," John asked quizzically
"She's testing to see if we're actually following her. Clever one she is."
He ran into an alley way, following the street she had turned onto. He watched the street carefully, searching for the girl. Suddenly he spotted her not far ahead and he followed just a couple paces behind. Suddenly she stopped in her tracks.
"Might I ask why you're following me?"
Sherlock grabbed her elbow and ushered her into a cab, throwing the address at the driver and finally heading towards Sherlock's flat.
"I am-"
"Sherlock Holmes," she smiled. "You must be Doctor Watson then," she smiled. "Your blog is quite brilliant. Again might I ask why you have now kidnapped me?"
Sherlock kept his face straight, "Not exactly kidnapping if you came willingly."
She smiled deviously, "Touché Mr. Holmes."
Watson shook his head and watched out the window as they rode in silence. Finally, the cab stopped and the three entered the flat. Mrs. Hudson came out of her kitchen with a smile that her boys had returned. "Oh Sherlock how lovely you've returned home." She kissed John's cheek, "And John always a pleasure to see you." Mrs. Hudson stopped on the girl Sherlock had brought inside. "Who might you be, Mrs. Hudson asked. She smiled," Scarlett Ashby, pleasure to meet you."
"Nice to meet you Scarlett, what brings you by?"
Scarlett removed her coat and trotted up the stairs after Sherlock, "Mr. Holmes kidnapped me," she smiled.
Sherlock opened the door and immediately perched himself into his chair and watched as John pulled up a chair for Scarlett.
"Tea," John asked with a polite smile.
"Oh yes please," Scarlett smiled
"I have brought you here to offer a proposition," Sherlock perched his hands under his chin.
"Well then I suppose you should explain then."
"First I wish to test your intelligence and observation skills"
John set down the tray next to his chair and handed Scarlett a cup offering sugar and cream. She smiled and watched John as he walked to set himself down across from Sherlock.
She smiled looking down at her tea, "Afghanistan or Iraq?"
Sherlock's eyebrows perked up. John laughed, "Afghanistan. I would ask how you knew that but I have a slight idea." He threw a playful look at Sherlock.
"If you're implying that Mr. Holmes told me you would be very wrong indeed." She giggled," How you walk and carry yourself says military but you've been out for quite some time. You're married now and have a baby on the way and judging by the bags under your eyes you haven't gotten much sleep which either implies nightmares or staying up with your bride. But the marriage started out rocky didn't it. When I said married something changed in your eyes and Mr. Holmes had a pained look. You would think she shot him or something." She laughed to herself as she noticed their silence. "Judging by the awkward silence I say she did. Obviously in the chest but not enough to kill you, to keep you silent then, yes?"
Sherlock smiled," Observant are we."
"Very actually," she began," how people carry themselves gives me a slight look. The way they react gives me more of an insight than originally intended." She tucked her legs underneath herself and placed the cup along the armrest. "I have heard you are an observant man as well Mr. Holmes. Please then, tell me about myself."
He looked closely," You are 17 with divorced parents. You hate your mother, love your father, but your family is quite the rocky one isn't it?" Scarlett's nod prods him further, "You love to read but never share what you read, you can sing but you're terrified, and you write but don't deem your writing worthy of human eyes so you keep it all to yourself. People make you angry because why can't they just think? Yet at the same time you love to observe them and learn all that you can. You have a boyfriend and this one is quite the step up from the last one then yes?" Her slight smile confirms his suspicions. "You research everything you can; you have a fascination with violence and have an attraction to knowledge. You fight between good and evil in your head and you my dear are like Moriarty and I put into one. Also you suffer from an internal disease, one you can live with but one that will kill you over time, cancer then?"
Scarlett smiled a pained smile, "Spot on."
"As I suspected."
"Of course," Scarlett said.
"Let's see what you can deduce of me." Sherlock sat back in his chair, his fingers in a steeple below his chin.
"You are very very intelligent, smart yet you still make mistakes but not very often, in fact they are a rare occurrence aren't they? Observant beyond the normal human standard and you are learning more as we speak. You have a brother, younger? No, older for sure. He constantly reminds you to be unattached. Traumatic incident as a child used to his advantage. A dog maybe? But even though you have been unattached for as long as you have Mr. Watson is changing that, isn't he? You now start feeling but it's strange so you're pushing it aside. But Watson here changes all of that. If I didn't know any better I would say you two are in love." Scarlett began to giggle as she watched both men.
"I am not gay," John exclaimed.
"You have to say that a lot though don't you?"
Sherlock smiled," She's perfect."
"Sherlock are you sure about this? She's quite young."
"Might I ask what this proposition of yours is now?"
Sherlock set his hands on the armrest of his chair and quickly pulled himself up, "I need a companion for when John is unavailable. I need someone brave, smart, observant, yet someone I could teach." He stood facing the wall and looked behind him at Scarlett. "You of course have surpassed my initial expectations, yet I do the same thing with people so I suppose it wasn't much of a surprise"
"What makes you think I'll say yes?"
Sherlock smirked, "You didn't hesitate when I pulled you into a cab and freely displayed your knowledge and deductive talents."
"I'd do that with anyone," she said defensively.
"Not without looking like a freak," he started. "Yet you knew I was the same as you or at least similar and you knew John wouldn't dare say a word against you."
"Alright Mr. Holmes," he cut her off.
"Please call me Sherlock."
"Alright Sherlock I accept your proposition."
A sly smile spread across both of his face, "Perfect."
"You said you had cancer," John asked with concern spread across his face. "Wouldn't you want to prolong your life instead of putting it in danger?"
Scarlett looked down at her hands as a sad smile took hold. She looked up at John, "I'm already dying John. But dying doing something brilliant, something meaningful, sounds so much better than dying from a disease."
John smiled and slowly nodded his head, "Bravery is admirable gift Miss Scarlett, keep that."
"How is your availability," Sherlock turned to face Scarlett. "Parents, job, school, anything that could interfere?"
"I live alone actually and my family is well off so my father provides financially and school never taught me anything that I didn't already know, so I suppose you could say I'm open," She smiled. "Although I must say I do live quite far from here so that may pose a problem."
"Nonsense," Sherlock interrupted, "You can stay in John's old room."
"Are you sure," Scarlett asked hesitantly.
"Absolutely, you would be available at all times and Mrs. Hudson would love to have you around."
"Well then," Scarlett smiled, "I should move as soon as possible."
"Indeed," Sherlock responded.