Hello again, everyone! I finally found the time to get started on the one-shots featuring Sherlock and my OC Zoe from the "Secrets Kept" fic. If you hadn't had a chance to read that, I would recommend doing so. It's only five chapters so it's not a long read. A big thank you to everyone who read and left comments on SK. I appreciate it. To kick things off, Sherlock and Zoe hop across the pond to visit Zoe's sister and her family for a very patriotic holiday. No copyright infringement was intended. I also do not own Sherlock or any recognizable characters, places, or references.
Enjoy!
Sherlock was relieved that he and Zoe's brother in law, Jamal, were nowhere close to being the same size. The doctor had played football for most of his life up until he started medical school. Unlike Sherlock, he had wide shoulders and looked like he spent time in the gym. Zoe didn't have the same luck. Although her sister was seven years older than her, the siblings were both around 5'7 (170 cm) and had the same athletic but curvy build from years of dance and sports.
When Zoe came down to breakfast, she looked very patriotic in her red, white, and blue. She rolled her eyes at Sherlock's smirk. As she moved to help her sister pour everyone a glass of juice he took in her entire look. Her natural hair had been stretched and braided into a fishtail braid that was still drying. The red top she wore was flowy and off the shoulder. Her legs. Sherlock paused. Zara must have caught sight of his reaction because she giggled. Zoe looked over to see what her sister was laughing about.
Zara must have caught sight of his reaction because she giggled. Zoe looked over to see what her sister was laughing about.
"What?" she asked.
"I'll tell you later," her sister answered with a sneaky grin.
The jean shorts Zoe wore were shorter than Sherlock had ever seen her wear. The only time he had seen so much of her legs was when she was in some state of undress. He pushed those thoughts away.
"Don't you dare laugh," she murmured when she sat down next to him at the kitchen table. For breakfast, Zara and her husband pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, and toast just for Sherlock. Zoe had told her sister about that the previous night. Even though he was eating more when they went out or when they stayed the night at one of their flats, his tastes were very simple when it came to breakfast. Being a U.K. native, Zara also had a nice variety of tea in her kitchen, which Sherlock was grateful for. Jamal had teased them the first morning, calling it another British invasion when he found Zoe, Sherlock, and Zara in the kitchen conversing over tea and biscuits.
"If you really wanted you could argue that you wearing British colors as well," Sherlock said.
Zoe only rolled her eyes and shook her head fondly.
Today was day three of their scheduled five-day trip to the States. Sherlock was definitely missing his chair in Baker Street. Over the first two days, Zara led them around some popular spots in New York although they had both seen most of them; Zara a while back while on the promotional tour for her first novel, Sherlock while on travel for cases, although he never really paid much attention to the iconic spots. He had spent quite a bit of the subway train ride from New Jersey to New York making silent deductions about those around them. Zoe's ten-year-old nephew Reggie had excitedly tagged along telling her all kinds of stories about school, baseball, and his friends. They also walked around the campus of Columbia University where Zara taught during the school year.
After breakfast, Zoe volunteered to help do the dishes but was waved off as Zara asked Sherlock to help and suggested Zoe help Jamal set up for the barbecue happening later that day. Sherlock predicted the move and prepared himself for whatever conversation was about to happen. After Reggie scurried off to play his Xbox, Zara grabbed the bottle of dish soap and a sponge before getting to work. She didn't speak until Sherlock was placing the first plate on the bottom rack of the dishwasher. He didn't understand the point of washing the items twice but kept silent on the matter.
"Zoe explained a bit to me about the kind of person you are. I've tried to avoid Googling you, but I did come across a few not so pleasant comments before I really committed to no more internet searches," she began. "I just- I just want to make sure you really care about her and that this isn't some sort of experiment or way to get some dirt on someone she knows for a case. Saw one article about an ex-girlfriend or something bragging about the sex. That was an awkward headline to explain to our mum."
Sherlock's ears flushed. "I-Yes, well. That was for a case. Janine's stories were also fabricated so she could make money out of her scorn for the lie I created. My relationship with your sister, however, is not for a case. It is genuine. I will admit that I am not the best person when it comes to social interactions and relationships, but I try for her and find comfort in her acceptance," he said not taking his gaze from the plate. He wasn't comfortable discussing his feelings, but he knew it was important to reassure your significant other's loved ones that you would treat the one they cared about well. It was something John had mentioned before Sherlock had left. It was one of the reasons he was glad that John knew about Zoe and their relationship. He could go to the doctor for his opinion and advice when his friend wasn't busy changing diapers and adapting to fatherhood.
Zara gave him a small smile before nodding. "Please take care her, Sherlock. Her last boyfriend, he was a complete prat in the end. He was nice at first. He would help her study for exams in university, bring her all of her favorites when she wasn't felling well. She adored him and went out of her way to make him happy. She even went back home from our mom's birthday one year because he was having a difficult time in law school. After graduation, he didn't want her to have her own success. He encouraged her quite a bit to consider simply writing as a hobby and not pursuing it as a career after she got the attention of some publishing houses and agents. She overheard him telling his friends that he wanted her to stay home. " she said.
Sherlock frowned at the thought of someone trying to block Zoe from pursuing something she was so very passionate about. He imagined that if he ever ran into Zoe's ex-boyfriend scathing words would not be hard to come by. "He was an idiot. Probably realized a woman like Zoe wouldn't stick around long if she had her own. He aimed to keep her dependent on him." Sherlock said.
"And he was an asshole, but idiot works too," she said before handing the detective another plate.
Zoe fanned the smoke from the grill away from her face as she poured herself another glass of sangria. She wondered if her sister ever felt weird celebrating another country's independence from her home country. July in Jersey City, New Jersey was humid. If it was up to her the barbecue would be held inside in the air conditioning.
On the patio, Sherlock stood with her sister and her son Reggie in the shade provided by the awning attached to the two story home. Jamal and Zara had a few friends over who were polite enough when they were introduced earlier. There were a few lingering stares and facial expressions that made Sherlock decide to create distance from some of the couple's neighbors, but no one had said anything rude...yet. Music was playing in the background and Zoe was thankful for the trees in the backyard for blocking quite a bit of the sun without having to be trapped on the patio.
As Zoe walked back towards the patio she picked up on the conversation.
"So, am I supposed to call you Uncle Sherlock?"
Sherlock was mid sip and choked a bit on his water at the question. He looked down at the young boy with a frown before shooting Zoe a glance. To anyone else, he looked uncomfortable, but she knew he was panicking with the eyes of not only her nephew but everyone else at the barbecue on him.
"How about no. Just call him Mr. Sherlock," Zara said stepping in. She gave Sherlock a small smile.
"Sherlock is fine," the detective said after a moment. Zara looked at him for a second to make sure he was really okay with it and not just saying it before nodding her head.
"Auntie Zo said you're a detective. Do you really chase bad guys and get shot at? I saw that once on SVU," Reggie said.
"Who let you watch SVU?" "What's SVU?" Zara and Sherlock said at the same time.
Jamal rubbed the back of his head with a nervous chuckle as he sat a tray of cooked hamburgers on the food table that had been set up. Zoe was fond of the doctor. The first time they met was when at Zara's college graduation from Harvard. Zoe had only been a teenager at the time. His family, the Leslies had been kind to Zoe when she met them at the couple's wedding almost twelve years ago.
"He must have caught of few moments when I was watching it the other night," Jamal said. Zara glared at him playfully.
"Law and Order: SVU is a television show about a Special Victims Unit of a New York police department," Zoe said to Sherlock.
"Most cop shows chose the wrong person to be the killer. Most of the time another character has a better motive than the person who ends up being guilty at the end of the episode," Sherlock said.
Zoe quirked an eyebrow.
"John was watching something similar once. The writing was horrid," he said at her look.
"John would be the Dr. Watson, right? I saw a few articles on the internet," Jamal said.
Zoe nodded. She knew Jamal and John would hit it off, both being medical men. Jamal's brother Jordan was also in the U.S. Army. She imagined that the pair together would be an entertaining site as well. Jamal was a 6'3 (190 cm), African American man, while John was just 5'6 (167 cm). Sherlock made sure not to mention that even Zoe was taller than the army doctor when in his presence.
For the rest of the day, it seemed that Reggie had endless questions for Sherlock. A few of Zara's friends wanted to know about Zoe's book, so in between nudging Sherlock to censor some of his recollections of cases, she discussed a little bit of her forthcoming novel. It wasn't long until her sister and several of her friends pulled her away from the men to discuss other things. She was more than happy to separate from the group after one of Jamal's friends tried to flirt with her when Sherlock had gone to get her more food. It wasn't the guy's first attempt either. He had gone to school with Jamal and attended their wedding.
"So how did you two meet?" Madeline, one of Zara's co-workers asked. Zoe like Madeline. The woman was one of the most genuine of her sister's friends. She worked as a photojournalist for National Geographic. It was easy to tell by her tan lines that she had recently traveled somewhere with plenty of sunshine.
"I was working on a story and he was working a case in Madrid. We ran into each other in a museum and had an unorthodox dinner together two nights later," Zoe said.
"And there haven't been any problems or anything with his line of work?" Zara asked.
"You mean me being in danger? No, we've kept things away from the press quite well so far." She didn't even want to imagine the extra stress of publically being the girlfriend of Sherlock Holmes. It was in that moment that was very grateful that Moriarty was no more. Sherlock hadn't faced the same quality of criminal lately and she found a bit of comfort in that.
Zoe took a bite of the cupcake in her hand and found Sherlock's eyes across the yard. He was giving her a look she couldn't understand. She gave him a confused shrug before returning her gaze to the circle of women around her as one of them spoke again. Her phone chose that moment to vibrate. I'll check it later.
"I don't mean to be rude, but he seems a bit odd," another woman said. She was a mousy looking caucasian woman in an all white romper.
"There's no way that statement could be not rude, Jess," Zara said folding her arms across her chest.
Zoe frowned before straightening her expression as she finished chewing. She looked the blonde woman in the eye as she spoke.
"Sherlock is very intelligent. Genius level really. It seems that smartest people are always a bit odd, doesn't it? I think that's only because us average people can't quite see things the way they do. It doesn't change the fact that he treats me well," Zoe said.
"Is he good in bed?" And that would be Cassie, the seventeen-year-old daughter of their next door neighbor. Zoe resisted the urge to facepalm.
The young woman's mother gawked as her cheeks flushed. "Cassie, you do not ask people questions like that!"
Cassie only shrugged in response.
"I believe I'm going to go get some more food. If you all would excuse me," Zoe said before walking away from the group. She grabbed another cupcake and a bottle of wine from the cooler before heading inside the house. She was glad to find the living room empty and the air conditioning on, creating a quiet and cool spot for her to relax. She placed her glass and the bottle on the side table and pulled her cellphone from her back pocket before she sat down.
1 Message from Sherbear
The blonde doesn't like me. Prepare for something rude. -SH
A little too late for that now, she thought to herself.
It didn't take long for Sherlock to find her. "I probably should have informed you that she was going to ask a sex question. She eyed me a little too long when they arrived," he said sitting next to her on the couch. He sat down the beer Jamal had convinced him to try.
Zoe huffed and tucked herself into his side careful not to spill her drink. "I just read your text. I'm sure if I had had more to drink I would have made a scene. Zara said they were nice people, but…" she trailed off.
"Nice to your sister and her family, but in the face of strangers or someone a little different than what they're used to and they can flip a switch easily," Sherlock said.
The pair sat quietly for a moment before he spoke again. "The men have been better company. Jamal was explaining Juneteenth to me. It's disappointing how much gets left out of the history books and curriculums. Vince has been a little passive aggressive. I'm assuming he has a thing for you."
She nodded but didn't add anything to his observation. "Think you can tolerate sports and doctor talk?" he asked.
She gave him a small smile. "I'd prefer it to answering questions about our sex life," she said. He scrunched up his nose at the comment. "I'm quite happy with it if you must know though," she added. He rolled his eyes and pulled her up from the sofa. "Vince would be unhappy to hear that," he murmured.
As the sky grew dark, Zoe and Sherlock listened as Reggie and his young friends talked about school, superhero movies, and the latest videos. After being surrounded by adults all day, it was nice to listen in on a simpler conversation. The four boys and two girls were thoroughly enjoying popsicles and ice cream as they waited for the fireworks to begin.
"I mean wouldn't Iron Man get hot in his suit during the summer?" one of the boys asked. Zoe saw that Sherlock was lost when it came to superhero talk and patted his knee. He looked over a bit disgruntled. "I'll explain later," she whispered.
"The suit probably has a self-cooling system. He's a genius. I'm sure he built himself air conditioning or something," Zoe said to the children.
They nodded absorbing what she had said. "I want a suit like Riri Williams has," one of the young girls said. "Me too, but I want to fight like Black Widow," the other said.
Before the boys could respond the first boom of a firework echoed in the distance. The adults watched in amusement as the children scrambled over to the edge of the yard to get a better view.
"I wonder how much people in this country spend on fireworks every year," Sherlock said during a lull in the cheers and booms.
"Just enjoy them. They're nice to look at," she said.
He hummed and took in the view.
This was actually and surprisingly well timed since Independence Day is tomorrow here in the States. I started writing this last month and finally really buckled down. Review and let me know what you think. Are there any moments you want me to feature in one of the future one-shots? Next time: Zoe is introduced to the people in Sherlock's life. FYI these one-shots won't be chronological.
Until next time, K