Hi! So, this is a new Sherlock fic and it's gonna be the first time I've written anything more than one-shots and it's also my first Sherlock fic! So, I'd love if you could all cut me a little bit of slack as I get started here, because I'm not the most experienced at writing prose. I'm hoping to try and update this fic at least once a week but knowing me I probably will not succeed. I have a vague idea of where I want the story going, but it's still not solidified. So any little notes about my writing style, the plot, or just suggestions of little bonus chapters i could make easily in between parts of the main story, possibly about Anna's history or other past experiences of her's. Anyway...On with the fic! (P.S. This is rated M to be on the safe side because some topics later on in the fic could get a bit mature. But no smut, I always find that it interrupts the story.)
Trigger Warnings: Self Harm, Mentions of drug use, Strong language, Mentions of Panic attacks

Dr. Anna Ethelin strode into her lab in St. Barts on Tuesday the 17th of June, 2014, her 24th birthday, at 9:04am. As usual, sitting at her microscope was Sherlock Holmes, clearly focused on whatever sample he was studying. Anna sighed, taking a long sip of her steeped-for-10-minutes tea.

"Morning Sherlock." She muttered, flopping into the seat in front of her computer and tapping the keyboard to wake it up.

"You're five minutes late." He said, his words precise as always.

"Seriously, Sherlock?" she whined, "That's all you can say to me right now? I told you last night what today is and you still can't even be bothered to mention it, you simply complain about my bloody punctuality."

"Apologies, Anna," he said, still clearly preoccupied by whatever it was he had on the microscope stage, "I didn't think it would be important to bring it up, since it is simply another day that happens to indicate the completion of another orbit of the sun for you."

Anna was about to reply but thought better of it and turned to log into her computer; she had to write up the stats from her last trial. She had been testing dosages for a new antibiotic drug on some lab mice, using a strain of Streptococcus pneumoniae, and the results so far were extremely promising. All the mice treated with 10mg daily doses for 2 weeks had completely recovered from the infection.

At St. Barts there was constant research, from cancer treatments to new birth control. Anna had been invited to work there 2 years before, after her astounding scientific prowess; she had graduated from Imperial College with a Masters in Pharmaceutical Chemistry at the age of 19, and had completed her PhD by the age of 21. She had researched antibiotic resistant bacteria while studying at Imperial and quickly ended up getting noticed in the medical community. That had led her to St. Barts. She was, in all honesty, a genius.

She collaborated with doctors at the hospital to look for new antibiotic drugs, and that was how she met Molly Hooper and, by extension, Sherlock Holmes. After having been friends with Molly Hooper for a few weeks, she had walked into Molly's lab to ask if she had any spare change and stumbled upon Mr. Holmes sitting at the microscope.

1 year earlier

Dr. Ethelin walked into Molly Hooper's lab absentmindedly, quickly doing the maths for how much money she'd need to borrow. It's fine, she thought, Molly won't mind. It's to get a present for Alex. She'll understand.

"Molly do yo-" she stopped in the middle of her sentence. Sitting in Molly's normal chair, hunched over a computer, was a tall, skinny man with a mop of curly black hair. He didn't even glance at her. "Who the fuck are you?" she exclaimed.

He suddenly stood up and turned to look at her, smiling ever so slightly as he took in her appearance.

"Sherlock Holmes," he said, extending his hand, "And you must be Dr. Anna Ethelin, brilliant."

"How the fuck did you know that?" she questioned, stepping back slightly.

"You're wearing an ID badge, Dr. Ethelin," he said and smirked when Anna quickly looked down to where her ID badge was clipped on, "Now, clearly you came in here to ask Molly for something. I'm afraid she left an hour ago, presumably to go on a date. She will likely be back soon, given her history with dating. May I take a look at your left arm? I have to check something."

Anna panicked. He couldn't look at her arm! He'd see the scars… She quickly hugged her left arm to her chest, shaking her head with a scared look on her face.

"Thank you for proving my theory to be correct, Dr. Ethelin." he praised. "Now, what was it you came here to collect from Molly? As incredible as my deduction skills are, I have very little to go on other than that it is likely for a boyfriend, given the slight blush and smile when you came in and the way you are subconsciously touching a bracelet with a heart and the name 'Alex' engraved."

Ha! She thought, Got 'im now.

"Ah, Mr. Holmes. If that's what you concluded from the situation you may not have as incredible of deduction skills as you once thought." she retorted, grinning at his stunned expression.

"I don't see what I could have gotten wrong, Doctor." he replied, clearly flustered.

"Alex, Mr. Holmes," she said, a sly smile creeping onto her face, "Is my girlfriend."

Present Day

"Sherlock," Anna moaned, "How long are you gonna be here? I mean, it's great seeing you and all but you talk while you think and it's really distracting, I've gotta write up these results. And anyway, I'm leaving early today for my birthday party and I have to lock up the lab...Sherlock are you even listening to me?" she yelled.

"Yes, I am listening to you." he muttered, "I am studying a sample of what should be pure arsenic. Need it for a case involving a strange string of murders…"

"Right, fine, yes, good!" she mumbled, continuing with the stats.

"Right, Sherlock, I gave you enough time to finish up. Get out of my lab so I can lock up." Anna shouted from the door, constantly checking the time to see if she could still make it to her own party.

Sherlock strode past her, glancing at her wrist as he did.

"You do know your watch is an hour late, correct?" he asked.

What. she thought, Oh no, it can't be. She pulled out her phone, seeing 8 missed texts from Molly.

17:15 Hi! Um, are you okay? You were meant to be here 15 minutes ago to help set up.

Oh shit

17:21 Anna? Look, if you're running late that's fine but I need you to text me.

Nonononono

17:25 Don't just ignore me, what did I do? I helped you plan this whole thing and you're just gonna not turn up? Well, you'd better be here for 6.

Oh nooooooo

17:55 Are you okay? Anna, I'm getting really worried, you're never late.

Well this is gonna be awkward…

18:01 Anna, people are arriving, they want to see you. I need to you text me ASAP because I'm panicking a bit.

Bloody watch

18:10 Greg's here! Didn't think he would come.

Huh, that is weird…

18:12 Anna? Anna, I really need you to answer me. John and Greg are both here and they're getting worried too. Normally when you aren't answering it means… ya know. So please just answer. Just so I know you're okay?

Oh my god Molly I'm so sorryyyyyy

18:15 Right, me, Greg, and John are all gonna come to your flat to see if you're okay. The party will be fine, I'm pretty sure Mycroft is surveilling it incase Sherlock comes, I doubt he wants to leave his little brother on his own at an alcohol fueled party. We'll be there soon 3

"Oh FUCK!" she yelled, catching Sherlock's attention from down the hall, "I'm late for my own BLOODY party and now Molly, Greg, and John are heading over to my flat." He continued walking down the hall after a few moments, "Sherlock, wait! I don't have any money and I need a cab, can I borrow some?"

"Of course." he said, handing her a wad of bills which she quickly snatched as she began sprinting towards the exit, with a quick "Thanks!" yelled over her shoulder.

During the 15 minute drive Anna was absentmindedly rubbing her arm raw, as she struggled to prevent a full-blown panic attack. Her friends had a longer drive, but knowing Greg he might have used the sirens on the car, given her history.

Once the cab pulled up by her flat she quickly paid the driver and stumbled out, still scratching her left arm. She fumbled with the door keys as she trembled but eventually managed to slot them into the lock and open the heavy oak door.

Once inside Anna shrugged her jacket onto the floor and took a moment to breathe and try to calm down. She looked down at her arm and mentally cursed herself as she saw it bleeding. Before she could go upstairs to put on a long sleeved shirt there was a pounding on her door that made her jump.

Molly's POV, 18:09

It was 18:09 and the party was already in full flow, with music blasting from the stage at the end of the hall, and people already tipsy. Molly had been greeting everyone at the door, saying Anna was just running a bit late. People bought the lie, at least; Molly didn't have a clue what Anna was doing, she never ran late, if she wasn't here now she wasn't gonna be here at all.

Greg and John walked through the open door, engrossed in a conversation about the different states a body goes through after death. When Molly saw them, she quickly ran over and pulled them back outside.

"Oh thank god you're here!" she said, anxiety rising in the her voice. Upon seeing the extremely confused faces of her friends she continued, "Anna was meant to get here an hour ago and she still hasn't shown up. She hasn't answered any of the texts I've sent her and normally that means…" she trailed off at that point. They all knew what it meant.

"Right," Greg said after a few moments of silence, "Text her again, say we're all worried. If she doesn't reply in a few minutes we'll head over to her flat."

Molly obliged and pressed send, her heart racing. What if something awful's happened? Molly's brain supplied, Who knows what she's done? She has keeps everything in her flat, I know she has hiding spots for some of the stuff she knows we'd take away… Oh god, what if she's dead? She could have-

Molly was taken out of her thoughts by John snapping a finger in front of her face.

"Molly, don't spiral." he said.

"Oh! Yes, sorry…" she replied guiltily

"Okay," Greg repeated, "Molly, tell Anna we're coming over to her flat to check on her. She doesn't need to worry about the party, I'm pretty sure Mycroft is watching it incase Sherlock shows up."

Molly typed up the text with shaking hands as they all clambered into Lestrade's car, setting off in the direction of Anna's flat, with molly constantly repeating "Please be okay, please be okay," under her breath.

They pulled up to the flat about 25 minutes later, all rushing out of the car and towards the front door.

"Well, the lights are on," John observed, "That means she is either sitting in there with some tea, was too preoccupied to remember to turn them off as she left the room, or she's shooting up. Let's find out!"

Anna's POV

"Anna, it's Greg, open up!" Greg's voice floated through the door, "You know I can break this down easily if you don't open the bloody door."

Fuck, Anna thought, Guess I'm gonna have to face the music.

She walked to the front door and hauled it open to see 3 worried faces on the other side. She silently beckoned them inside and led them into her living room; they sat on her sofa and exchanged knowing looks with each other after having seen the state of her arm. She soon came in with a tray of tea and sat on a chair. After what felt like hours but was only a few seconds, John spoke up.

"What happened?" he said, almost inaudibly, with a hoarse voice, as he got up to look at the wound.

Anna was too emotionally and physically exhausted to tell them everything. There was too much to say, and she didn't want them getting mad with Sherlock… It wasn't his fault.

"I broke."

There it is! The first chapter! Please do leave reviews, as it would really help me improve the quality of the fics to come!