The move

Dani

Dani got out of the car to inspect her new street. She had just moved to a new flat with a man called Sherlock Holmes, she hadn't met him yet but was assured by the Landlady that he was an intelligent young man, although very strange at times. The street was a normal London street, filled with tall three stories off white town houses. There was a little café around the corner and the local shop about five minutes away, her new flat was in the middle of these old style town houses. She smiled, dragging her suitcase up the stairs and reading her new flat number, 221B Baker Street. She wouldn't forget that easily, it was unusual.

This place was going to be interesting. Not far off from the middle of town and only twenty minutes from her university. The university halls she had been staying in for the last year were cheap and dingy. She hated the cramped space and the used feeling. No matter how much she cleared the place up or moved things around she couldn't stop her mind from wondering who had previously lived there. The last person who occupied this space could have been a tramp or had sex on every surface. She didn't have OCD but she needed some idea of her living arrangements. So she was excited to meet this Sherlock Holmes that Miss Hudson always went on about whenever they would meet. Dani was thankful for Miss Hudson for letting her move in, but as soon as she mentioned that she needed somewhere to say, she was more than happy to oblige. The apartment was technically hers, so she could rent the room out to anyone she wanted, but Sherlock had been living there for a few years. Miss Hudson loved him like her own son and practically doted on him, she felt the same about Dani.

After Dani had moved to London, a year ago, she had seen Miss Hudson a sum of 10 times. They would often go for dinner or on days out to see the sights. She rang the doorbell and waited for a response, she waited two minutes before pressing down on the button again and speaking through the intercom "Miss Hudson, it's me Dani." She paused "can you let me in?"

The door buzzed open and she pushed it and listened to the creek. Great, this is how all horror films started, She stood inside the hallway, it was dark and slightly dusty. She was going to get murdered, the cute girls always die first in the movies. Not that she thought she was cute, that would be vain. She could however understand why others might find her physically appealing.

"Miss Hudson" she called out weakly. Rule two was broken, never ever call out when in a scary situation. She was most defiantly going to be murdered now. The door opened behind her and she almost jumped out of her blue converse. She turned to face a man with dark blonde hair. He was slightly taller than her and looked fairly muscular with a cute face. She noted his simple jacket over jeans and a shirt.

He smiled at her and she quickly said "Dani", extending her hand to shake his. She smirked hoping to cover the fact she jumped when he came in the door.

"John Watson" he responded, looking at the suitcase by her feet "your Sherlock's new flat mate."

She nodded towards him and his smile widened "I'm his old flatmate, I moved out the other week."

"I couldn't find Miss Hudson" she muttered. She was beginning to wonder if she was alright.

John looked confused "she said she was going to be in all day so she could get you settled in, wait how did you get in?" he said quickly.

"Someone buzzed me in" she answered; John sighed. He grabbed a set of keys out of his pocket and held them out for her. She grabbed them and nodded at him in thanks.

"Sherlock" he shouted up the stairs, there was no answer. He whispered "you can go up" she did as he said and climbed up the old wooden stairs, he was close behind her holding the pink suitcase. When they reached the top, he set down her bag and walked into the kitchen.

"Sherlock I told you to tidy up while I was gone, your new flat mate is here" John articulated walking through the open door into the lounge.

The lounge was decorated with a dark pattern wall paper and brown furniture. She noticed immediately the cluttered book shelves, she loved books. There were two windows looking out onto the street with a table/desk in between. Half of which was scattered with papers, the other side was empty and she assumed was for her to occupy. A sofa was against the wall and two armchairs diagonally adjacent from each other by the books shelves and fireplace.

She smiled, this looked like home or more specifically a place that she could call home, she could be happy here.

"Could you pass me my phone?" a unfamiliar voice said in the kitchen and she followed it "I asked you before."

The man who the voice belonged to was sitting at the table, looking through a microscope. He was lean and although he was sitting down she could tell he was tall.

"I've been out all morning" he said in amazement, rolling his eyes at the man sitting at the table.

She cleared her throat; she was leaning on the door frame admiring the scene.

"Sherlock, this is your new flatmate" John said gesturing towards where she was stood.

Sherlock lifted his head up from the microscope and looked at her.

She breathed in sharply, he was beautiful. She knew already this was not going to be an easy task, living with the gorgeous Sherlock Holmes. He had pale skin, dark curly hair which sat around his ears. Dani had to bite her lip to stop herself from screaming like a giddy school girl, his cheekbones were sharp and well defined on his face. Light blue eyes sat above them and were looking at her. He was wearing smart black trousers and a dark purple button up shirt.

"Hey" she said quickly waving her hand towards Sherlock, who stood up and stared at her intensely. "I'm Dani" she could help but wonder why he was staring at her in that way.

"Sherlock Holmes" he spoke softly, shaking his head for a brief moment, almost as if snapping himself out of a daze.

She extended her arm to him and waited for him to mirror the action, when he didn't she dropped her hand back to her side.

"Miss Hudson has never mentioned you" he said slowly, carefully pronouncing each word.

"she knows that I'm a private person" Sherlock exchanges a brief look with John, who shrugs at him, he looked back and she continues "We'll get to know each other in no time I'm sure. I think we'll be great friends."

"I don't have friends." Sherlock said simply.

"your loss" she replied, she gestured above her "my room?"

John nodded and she walked out of the room. She heaved her suitcase up the stairs and she opened the door to her new room. It was acceptable and clean unlike student accommodation. It was furnished but bare, a spacious closet built into the wall, a set of draws and a chest at the end of the bed. There was a desk on the wall by the closet and a small space in the corner which was the perfect size for a vanity desk. If she could find something with a vintage feel she would be happy.

She placed the suitcase on the bed and headed down to her car to collect the rest of her stuff. Three trips to the car, two sets of stairs and three hours of carful unpacking later she was officially moved in.

She ran down the stairs in joy, holding a small bag of toiletries. Sherlock was sitting at the desk frowning at a book. He snapped his head around to look at Dani as she jumped down the last three steps.

"Hey Sherlock" she said, without response. "what are you reading?" she placed the bag on the stairs and walked into the lounge, the settled herself on one of the armchairs.

"nothing of great intelligence" he picked up the book and threw it across the room. It landed by her feet, she smiled and read the title 'Romeo and Juliet'.

"The ultimate tale of love" she said mimicking her lecturers husky tone.

"Predictable and boring" he muttered.

Dani almost gasped "I'm insulted" she said mocking and leant back in the chair. It was comfortable. "It's mean to be predictable Sherlock, the reader is told in the prologue they are going to die. It evokes feelings of destiny and infatuation."

"English" he blurted out.

She laughed at him "what In God's name Sherlock?" he rose from the chair he was sitting in and moved to the chair across from her.

"Your and English student" he started and she nodded at the statement as he sat down in the armchair, his eyes meeting hers in an intense gaze.

"how did you figure it out?" she asked, looking deeply into his blue eyes.

"you really want to know?" he asked softly.

She nodded at him "tell me."

He took in a small breath before blurting out "A student cleared from your age, 19, the first year is over and you needed somewhere else to live. There's pen marks on your arm, faint but still visible. You write fast and in great quantities, spending a lot of time on essays. You knowledge of Shakespeare seems to be advanced and the mere mention of books and your face lights up. English was the only answer."

Dani was impressed but wanted Sherlock to really impress her, she wanted to see what he could do "That was easy, I want you to deduce me"

He raised an eyebrow at her and she grinned at him. "Miss Hudson informed me of your skills of deduction, as you call them."

"Miss Hudson has never mentioned you and you claim you're a 'private person' but you're close to her, otherwise she wouldn't have suggested for you to move here. She wants to keep a close eye on you, protect you. You have a large sum of money, enough for your car and the rent on this place, a trust fund presumably from your dead parents. They died in a car crash and you grew up with your sister, but she is not here now either, she is also dead."

"How?" she started.

"Quite obvious really" He overlapped.

"Your wrong though" she said slowly, he exhaled and looked at her. "Brother not sister, he died two years ago in a car accident. My parents died in a fire when I was 10."

Sherlock looked confused.

"House rules?" she asked, smiling at him.

Sherlock raised his eyebrow at her "This isn't school Danielle, we don't have house rules" he stated simply.

"So I could…" she paused trying to think of a possible scenario, she sank back in the chair and smiled "have sex on this chair and that wouldn't be a problem?" she finished, watching his facial expression become uncomfortable. She knew it was a mean thing to ask but she wanted to tease the poor man. He was gorgeous and she needed to know more about him.

"On the chair?" he repeated, raising his hands in a prayer like position to his mouth.

"It's comfortable and I imagine very accommodating" she smiled at him.

"I wouldn't know" he muttered.

Talking about sex obviously made him uncomfortable, this much was clear by the way he covered his mouth and his body tightened beneath his clothes. A light bulb lit up in her head, could he possibly be a virgin?

"Sherlock, does sex alarm you?"

"No" he replied quickly and in a childish manner.

"Are you a virgin? She asked bluntly, he moved his stare to the floor and she bit her lip, confirming her suspicions.

"I've always found love to be a dangerous disadvantage."

She bit down on her lip harder "I wasn't talking about love or even making love, I was talking about sex" she started and watched as his cheeks glowed pink "the two are not always mutually exclusive."

She stared at him for some time before speaking again and saving him further embarrassment "I understand Sherlock; you're waiting for the right person. I wish I did. I'm going out tonight with some friends from uni, don't wait up for me."

Sherlock

Sherlock watched as she bit down on her lip harder, turning the surface a deep red. "I wasn't talking about love or even making love, I was talking about sex." Her voice reached his ears. He felt his cheeks burn as they turned pink and she continued "the two are not always mutually exclusive."

Danielle's openness shocked him and he didn't know how to react. He was visibly embarrassed, that much was clear from his glowing cheeks, but he felt himself getting hotter. How could he even begin to discuss a subject which he didn't understand fully? She had embarrassed him if she meant to or not.

He was fully aware that he was a twenty six years old man and still a virgin. He didn't pride himself on it but it never bothered him before now. He was also aware that a nineteen year old girl was openly talking about sex like it was the weather. She was obviously more experienced than him, this much was clear but he had never understood the need to physical contact. Or more specifically, physical contact with women.

He shouldn't have been embarrassed over something that was so logical to him but he was.

Danielle was staring at him, he green eyes meeting his gaze. He looked closer and noticed small brown flecks in the dark green surface. They were rather unusual eyes and what someone might find pretty. He pushed the thought from his mind and focused on the silence between them.

"I understand Sherlock; you're waiting for the right person. I wish I did. I'm going out tonight with some friends from uni, don't wait up for me." She said before walking away, he watched as she walked.

Why would he wait up for her? He didn't completely understand what she meant. But one thing was for sure, he would find out. And he would solve this girl.