This story previously posted on profile of Emiko96. Being as it is a collab between ReiraKurenai and Emiko96 all further updates will be posted here.
We only own our OC's and no profit is made from the writing of this story
Please Enjoy!
Hello
The café was small and cosy, the seat by the window was occupied by two men. The men didn't have much in common and to the stranger's eye it looked like a date between colleagues or perhaps even lovers. It was a bit confusing, actually. The taller of the two had dark curls and blue eyes which were focused on the street outside. His friend was sitting with his back to the window and he seemed to be thinking about something as he watched his partner.
Finally, the waiter bought a plate of food for the shorter man. The taller man's attention was fixed out of the window and he was quietly drumming his fingers on the table.
"People don't have arch-enemies," John Watson pointed out as he took a bite of his food.
"I'm sorry?" Sherlock Holmes asked several seconds after John had actually asked the question.
"In real life. There are no arch-enemies in real life. Doesn't happen." John stated pushing food around on his plate then taking a mouthful while looking up at his partner.
Sherlock's attention turned back to the window, disinterested in the conversation. "Doesn't it? Sounds a bit dull."
"So who did I meet?"
Ignoring the question Sherlock asked one of his own, "What do real people have, then, in their 'real lives'?"
"Friends; people they know; people they like; people they don't like ... Girlfriends, boyfriends ..." leaving the statement open for comment John turned back to his food.
"Yes, well, as I was saying – dull."
"You don't have a girlfriend, then?"
Still looking out of the window, Sherlock's attention remained beyond the glass. "Girlfriend? No, not really my area."
"Mm."
A moment passes before realisation set in about the possible significance of this statement. The food seemed to lodge in John's throat for a second.
"Oh, right. D'you have a boyfriend?"
Sherlock looked at him sharply.
"Which is fine, by the way." John avoided eye contact while waiting for his answer.
"I know it's fine."
John smiled to indicate that he wasn't signifying anything negative by what he said but was still uncomfortable by the awkward answer that he wanted brought to light once and for all.
"So you've got a boyfriend then?"
"No."
John still smiled, though his smile was becoming a little fixed and awkward. "Right. Okay. You're unattached. Like me," He looked down at his plate, rapidly running out of things to say in the awkward moment. "Fine," Clearing his throat he finished weakly. "Good."
Sherlock looked at his new companion suspiciously for a moment while the man continued eating before turning his attention back to the dark and somewhat quiet night outside. For a moment his expression appeared startled after his brain had further processed John's statement, his speech becoming awkward and speeding up in an almost babble.
"John, um ... I think you should know that I consider myself married to my work, and while I'm flattered by your interest, I'm really not looking for any ..."
"No." he cleared his throat to interrupt the man. "No, I'm not asking. No." he denies, fixing his gaze onto Sherlock's, obviously trying to convey his sincerity. "I'm just saying, it's all fine."
Sherlock looks for a moment more before nodding. "Good. Thank you."
In a doctor's surgery, John sat opposite a beautiful strawberry blonde woman, clad in a pristine doctor's overcoat, holding in front of her his Curriculum Vitae.
"Just locum work," Sarah Sawyer stated looking up at him.
"No, that's fine." In a forcefully reassuring way.
"You're, um ... well, you're a bit over-qualified." A nervous sort of chuckle escaped her lips.
John smiled, "Er, I could always do with the money."
"Well, we've got two away on holiday this week, and one's just left to have a baby. Might be a bit mundane for you."
"Er, no; mundane is good sometimes. Mundane works."
"It says here you were a soldier," Sarah whispered.
"And a doctor," John confirmed nodding with a smile while Sarah looked down at his papers again.
"Anything else you can do?" Sarah asked flirtatiously.
"I learned the clarinet at school," John smiled.
Laughing Sarah pretended to be flabbergasted. "Oh! Well, I look forward to it!"
Suddenly the office door slammed loudly and a brunette woman stumbled inside. She looked dishevelled and anxious, a nurse hot on her heels.
"I'm sorry Doctor," the nurse apologised before Sarah could utter a sound, "I tried to explain you were in an appointment but she pushed right through."
Sarah stood up from her chair sending it banging up against the wall behind her. The young woman stood still just inside the swinging door, breathing hard, clutching the jacket around her protectively.
"Alley?" Sarah asked, surprised. "What are you doing here? Are you alright?"
"Maybe," John cut in, "I should go…"
"No, wait..." Sarah turned to him for a split second but was interrupted by the distraught woman's ramblings which he could not comprehend.
"Help…pregnant… Felix…Rim…alone."
Sarah moved from behind her desk towards Alley and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "Calm down, Alley. I don't understand. Speak slower this time."
John really thought it was time he should go…but his presence had been forgotten.
"I'm p-pregnant," Alley finally mustered to say without hysterical sobs.
"Oh," Sarah said, moving Alley to the sofa, "sit down, dear."
"Felix…." Alley muttered, "don't tell him."
"Why not?" Sarah asked, "is he not the father?"
"It's not that," Alley cried, "it's…well…I found something in his coat pocket. A symbol. I recognised it."
Sarah's eyes widened in realisation, while John was left confused.
"Alright," Sarah sighed, "we won't contact Felix. But you can't stay with me – he'll look there first."
Alley bit her lip, turning her head towards the door in terror, as though the man they were talking about would walk in any second.
"Where can I go, I can't go anywhere else, I'm alone, no-one…" her speech sped up and her breathing became erratic.
"She could stay with me…err, us," John suddenly cut in, "at least until you find other arrangements."
Sarah and Alley turned their attention to John now, their expressions surprised. Neither of them had noticed him until he spoke.
"You would do that?" Sarah asked. She had certainly liked the idea of this man, but now he was proving to be a gentlemen. She liked gentlemen. There could be no question of his honour, he was a soldier and a doctor, right?
"Sure," John replied, "I got connections."
Sarah turned to Alley. "How does that sound, Alley?"
Alley had calmed down somewhat and her green eyes were focused on John.
"Only until I find better arrangements," Alley finally agreed, "I don't want to impose."
"Of course," John smiled. Now if only he could convince Sherlock that easily…
The number on the door read 221B, John unlocked it and called out, stepping aside to let Alley through.
"Sherlock?"
Alley stepping into the hall in front of a set of stairs that led up to a bright doorway. A walkway beside the stairs led down to another door that opened to reveal an older lady, clad in purple, a smile across her face.
"Hello John, and who's this then?"
"Mrs Hudson, this is Alley, she's going to be staying with us temporarily."
"Hello dear, I'm the landlady for these two hooligans." Alley looked at her but still said nothing, choosing instead to offer a polite smile.
From upstairs a rather deep, dramatic voice called down, "John, quickly, I need you!"
"What now?" John turned his apologetic gaze upon Alley and then turned, taking the stairs two at a time before disappearing into the doorway. Mrs Hudson motioned for Alley to follow before her and so she did, at a more sedate pace.
"I need your phone, mines on the desk."
"And you couldn't take two steps away from that skull to pick it up?" John pulled his out of his coat pocket and slapped it into Sherlock's outstretched palm just as Alley passed through the door.
The man was tall, dark and handsome, his piercing blue eyes locked with hers and his entire body stiffened, nearly dropping the mobile. His recovery was as abrupt as his pause, leaving Alley breathless. He began frantically texting while he paced the well-worn carpet in front of the mantle.
"So who's this then John, one of your girlfriends gone wrong?" Sherlock asked without looking up from the phone.
"Actually, this is Alley. We met today after my job interview," John explained.
"You're not the type to bring home strays, are you?"
"No!" John exclaimed, "I just…"
Sherlock suddenly stopped pacing and looked Alley in the eye. She blinked, while he narrowed his eyes.
"You're not Alley," Sherlock stated, "Alley's not your real name." He started pacing again.
"How did you know?" Alley asked, surprised. She hadn't even had the chance to greet the man, how on earth could he have figured out that her name wasn't actually Alley?
"You don't look like an Alley," Sherlock shrugged, "you look like…Alison. No, that's not right. Amelia?"
Alley crossed her arms across her chest, a small smile tugging on her lips. This man was very peculiar and she had to admit she was enjoying this, whatever it was.
"No," she grunted.
"Ah, of course not," Sherlock sighed, "Natasha! No, not right either. Madison?"
Alley raised an eyebrow. "It's Alodia, actually."
Sherlock stopped pacing and turned to her. "Well that's rubbish, who has old-fashioned names like that nowadays?"
John cleared his throat from the chair he was comfortably situated in. Sherlock glanced at him, and then back at Alley.
"Oh, right," Sherlock muttered, "old-fashioned, how quaint."
"Your mum like history?" Alley asked.
"Unfortunately," Sherlock muttered, "Alodia, hm? I don't like it. You need another name."
Alley tried to contain her anger while Sherlock flicked through names in his head. He looked at her eyes, down to her neck and finally her hands. He inhaled deeply and a fresh scent filtered his senses.
"Aloe," Sherlock suddenly stated, "that's your name, Aloe Vera. Suits you perfectly."
"How so?" Alley asked.
"Numerous reasons. Your eyes are very green, your pendant is shaped like a leaf and your hands smell strongly of Aloe Vera. I have reason to assume you like the plant, so Aloe Vera," Sherlock explained without taking a breath.
John's phone beeped and Sherlock's attention waned. He started pacing again while texting madly. John offered to make tea, Alley taking up on the offer. Suddenly Sherlock stopped pacing again and he took two large steps toward Alley until he was merely inches away from her. She looked up into his eyes, her throat suddenly very dry.
"You're pregnant," Sherlock pointed out boldly, causing Alley to wrap her arms around her stomach protectively. "John, did you knock her up?"
"What?" John echoed from the kitchen, his head popping back in through the doorway. "Are you mad?"
"No," Sherlock shook his head, "you're not the one. You haven't had sex in months. Never mind."
And he started pacing again. Alley took this as her cue to escape to the kitchen.
"What are you doing here again?" Sherlock asked, just as Alley stepped out of the room.
"She's going to live with us for a while," John yelled from the kitchen.
The sound that followed was very similar to a gunshot.
Chapter title inspired by Beyonce's "Hello"