Sherlock was striding off from the venue. Leaving his best friend's wedding early. "I mean, who leaves a wedding early? So sad." Mrs. Hudson's words burned his mind. But the worst part was hearing it in John's voice.
"Stop it." He said out loud.
"Sorry, I thought you enjoyed my company." Sherlock froze where he was. When he heard a woman's voice he hoped it might've been Molly or the pretty bridesmaid. But it wasn't any woman's voice. It was the woman's voice.
"What are you doing here?" He tried to say it as nonchalantly as possible, which was hard considering that moments ago he was in the verge of tears. "Thought you would still be working. Or hiding. " Same thing, he brushed it off to himself.
"Well, I heard my competition was getting married. I couldn't miss out on that." Her voice was sweet and fierce unmistakably the sound all men – and women- would drop naked for.
"Not only married but with a baby on the way." It was hard to tell whether Sherlock heard or understood Irene Adler calling him and John a couple. Even harder to tell if he absorbed that she had called John 'competition'. After all, it's hard to understand even for the most brilliant mind when the heart was filled with loneliness.
"Why didn't you stay for the party? To celebrate with them?" She paused with a smirk. "I thought you loved dancing."
"They- John doesn't need me anymore." He thought of asking how she knew about the dancing. But of course she did.
"Is that what you really think?" The smirk had fallen from Irene's face.
"Would you like to dance?" A slow song had started inside the venue and it was loud enough to listen from the little path that led to the parking lot.
Sherlock took the dominatrix by the waist and rested her hand on his.
"Is this our dinner?" She whispered, Sherlock didn't answer a spoken answer, only planted a kiss on her cheek. He guided his well trained partner throughout the song. Their feet glided the stones between the grass. Sherlock loved this feeling of lightness that came with dancing. He even forgot for a while how lonely he felt.
"Thank you." He said bowing.
"Already looking forward to our next meeting dear Sherlock." The seducing smirk back on her red-blood lips.
Sherlock turned away from the woman and the venue. Loneliness protects me, he tried to convince himself. Before John could answer, he started walking faster towards the parking lot. But the answer still came in a soft whisper.
"No, friends protect you Sherlock."