I walked up the stairs to my flat carrying my cello carefully in front of me and dreading what I was sure was about to transpire. I was worried and hoped that he wasn't in one of his moods. I leaned my cello slightly against the door as I unlocked it with my now free hand the lock making a dull thunk as the key turned to open it. I placed the key back in my jean pocket and took a deep breath picking up my cello. I closed the red door behind me and toed off my black flats then walked down the short hall as quietly as I could.
My grip on my cello case was tight, my knuckles turning a bright white noticeable even with my pale skin. The wood flooring creaked loudly beneath my bare feet and I winced at the sudden sound. I heard a chair fall over loudly in the tiled kitchen and froze as I saw him walk angrily through the door of the kitchen.
"K-Kael. I texted you that I would be late I had to drop him off at his house. I-I'm sorry." I managed to get out as my face paled draining of any color I had. He came right up to me the only thing keeping us apart was the cello I held tightly to.
"Eleanor you little bitch! You honestly think you can leave me, is that what you think!" yelled Kael the smell of alcohol rolling thickly off of his breath. I stepped back slightly terrified and not wanting to anger him.
"Kael I'm really sorry it won't happen again." I whimpered my eyes beginning to water.
"You bet it won't!" He yelled his large hand reaching quickly for my shirt front. I quickly threw my cello case at him and began to run down the hall even when I heard the case making hard contact with the wall. I was crying and breathing heavily and was nearly to the door when I felt a firm grip on my upper arm making me scream.
"You think you can get away from me like that!" He grabbed my long blonde hair slamming my head against the pale blue wall next to the door. I yelped my head pounding with pain. I gripped his wrist with my small hands trying to get him to release my hair.
"Please Kael you're hurting me please stop." I choked out through tears. His grip only tightened in my hair.
"No! You tried running away for the last time!" I screamed loudly as he dragged me down the hall by my hair making it difficult to keep my feet under me.
"I didn't try to run away. He needed a lift home!" I cried out in desperation fear growing into a tight ball in my chest.
"SHUT UP!" He yelled slapping me hard across my face shocking me into mere whimpers of pain as he tossed me hard against the wall by the kitchen entrance. He came up to me his huge form casting a shadow over my body. I curled into myself trying to somehow protect myself from the monster now in front of me.
His fist made contact with my face making me scream out loudly in pain and fright. This continued from my face to my arms and torso. Punches, kicks for what felt like forever. That's when I heard sirens they got louder and they got closer giving me a small glimmer of hope. My face was now swollen and I was aching all over. He grabbed me by my arm pulling my limp body off the ground.
"So you called the cops now?" I whimpered once more and shook my head sending a wave of dizziness over me. He laughed in a way that can only be described as evil and began to drag me to the red front door. My feet brushing against my cello case as we past it, he slammed open the door and picked me up so my feet were now touching the cold concrete of the top stairs leading to our flat.
"Well Eleanor you wanted to get away. Here's your chance. Fly away!" and with that he pushed me down the concrete stairs my head hitting the first stepping blurring my sight and the rest digging into my body. The last thing that I saw was the flashing lights coming from down the street. It's funny the bruises always fade but the pain always remains, and then my world went black and silent as I passed out.
~One Month Later~
I adjusted my orange trench coat carefully before I carried my box of books to the black door with the numbers 221 attached to it. My brown heeled boots clicked lightly against the side walk as I walked up to the door. I sighed placing the box in one arm while reaching the other hand out to open the door thankful the bruising on my face was gone. The door opened easily and I stepped inside and continuing to the door labeled 221C and opened it. I quickly walked down the stairs leaving the door opened. I pushed my bangs to the side after I set down my box on the floor. I walked back up the stairs and heard two masculine voices as I was about to step out of my new flat's door.
"Honestly John I don't know why people cannot think! I simply cannot comprehend it!" I peeked around the door jamb and was met with the sight of a rather tall dark haired man and a shorter blonde one. I gasped causing the dark haired one to take notice of me.
"Whose there? When did Mrs. Hudson rent out that flat John? Come out I know your there." I took a shaky step out my door so that I was standing in front of them.
"Hello there," the blonde one said kindly, "I'm John and this is Sherlock." He said extending his hand for me to shake it. I reached my petite hand out as well to return the shake.
"Hello John, I'm…." I whispered before I was interrupted by the one named Sherlock.
"You're a relation to Mrs. Hudson, niece perhaps, but more likely a granddaughter based on your age and the physical similarities. You play a stringed instrument looking at the calluses on your fingers most likely the cello looking at their placement. It's also your job but you're not a professional a professional would have manicured nails and yours look as if you did them yourself there for you are more likely a teacher. You have also been hurt recently based on the bruise pattern on your wrist which resembles fingers I would say you were robbed or a victim of domestic violence of some sort. Am I correct?" My eyes widened and I paled.
"Sherlock!" John said shocked.
"I-I have to go." I whispered and turned back to my apartment and closed the door behind me. As I leaned my back against the door I felt chilled and wrapped my arms around my body. I just wanted to forget. Was that so impossible he was gone, the monster was gone and could never hurt me again but why was I so afraid. I heard Sherlock and John walking up the stairs to what I assume was their flat. I pushed myself off the door and slipped out of my coat and boots happy that my last box had been the books. After taking off the heeled shoes I was a good three inches shorter. I walked over to my books which I placed by the book shelf.
Opening the box I began to place the books on the shelves unable to use the top two shelves due to my height. I carefully placed each book down running my hands along the spines. Kael never let me put my books out before and now I could. A lot of things were going to be changing and honestly I was scared. I was scared I would be hurt again, I was scared I wouldn't be allowed to do things again. I sighed deeply finishing the books and standing up running my hands over my leggings and adjusting my gray sweater.
I looked across the room where the fireplace was. In front of it was a love seat and under the window by the fireplace was my favorite dark blue wing backed chair. I smiled this place was mine and only mine and I could do what I wanted with it. As I was about to organize the kitchen there was a knock on the door causing me to turn around. My socked feet shuffled towards the door and I opened it slowly to reveal my grandmother.
"Hello Ellie dear. John invited me upstairs to have a cuppa join me?" She asked her purple dress bringing out the light and graying blonde of her hair. I leaned my hand against the door and looked at her with a small smile.
"I don't know gran, I have a lot to do down here and I don't know them." I answered quietly. Her face grew stubborn and that's when I knew that I had lost this battle.
"Exactly! The only way you get to know someone is by interacting with them. So come along were going to have tea with John and Sherlock. Both are such lovely boys you know." I rolled my eyes and slipped on my gray converse that were by the door and closed it once I entered the hall.
"Gran you know I can't deal with that right now." I saw my grandmother hesitate at the first step and then she looked over her shoulder. Our eyes connected and she had a sad smile on her face.
"Ellie you of all people deserve to be happy. I know it will take a while but you will realize there are still some good and kind men out there." She then turned back around and continued up the steps with me close behind. The door at the top of the stairs was wide open and my grandmother walked right in. I stopped at the entrance not sure what to do. My Gran hugged John and then walked into what I guessed was the kitchen. I saw Sherlock sitting at a desk between two windows scrolling through a website on a computer.
"Eleanor Jane Hudson! Get in here and help me with the tea." I stepped over the threshold and crossed my arms protectively in front of me. John looked up from the paper he was reading while sitting in his red chair and gave me a smile.
"Hello again. So your name is Eleanor, it's nice to see you again. Don't worry about Sherlock he probably hasn't noticed that anyone else is here yet." I raised my eyebrows in question towards John before he smiled then went back to reading the paper. I walked into the kitchen and just stared at the chemistry set on the table.
"Gran what is it that they do?" She continued working with the kettle but answered me sweetly.
"Sherlock works with Scotland Yard and John is an army doctor who helps out Sherlock with cases. Love can you get me the milk out of the fridge please." I walked quickly over to the fridge to get the milk. I reached out a hand my sleeve sliding back revealing part of my bruise. Ignoring it I opened the door and screamed a blood curdling scream and fell onto my butt on the ground. John and Sherlock ran in and my Gran turned from the stove.
"Th-theres a head in the fridge. J-just a head no body attached." I said still shocked by the male head in the fridge. I heard my gran sigh exasperatedly behind me.
"Sherlock that is not sanitary." I turned my head and looked up at the dark haired man behind me.
"Mrs. Hudson it is an experiment and checked out from St. Barts." Sherlock said like it was nothing to fuss over. He then looked down at me his blue eyes connecting with my gray ones.
"Did I get anything wrong?"
"Wh-what?" I stammered out standing up and closing the fridge after gran grabbed the milk.
"When I told you about yourself. Did I get anything wrong?" He asked simply clasping his hands behind his back making him seem even taller. Once I stood up I realized that I only came to the top of his chest.
"No you didn't get anything wrong; how did you know?" I asked looking up at him as the side of his mouth tilted up in a smirk.
"It was just deduction really. Which was it?" I gave him a questioning look making him sigh loudly. I watched as my gran walked to the sitting room with the tea tray.
"Were you mugged or a victim of domestic violence?" I looked at him and crossed my arms over my chest unknowingly revealing the bruising on my arm once more.
"I don't see how that is any of your business. I mean I don't even know you."
"I'm Sherlock Holmes consultant detective, the only one since I invented the career, to Scotland Yard."
"Well Mr. Holmes it still isn't any of your business." I said flatly passing John as I walked out of the room. As I was entering the sitting room I heard John talking to Sherlock.
"Sherlock stop trying to show off. It pisses people off and she might not want to share that with you." John said before entering the sitting room and sat on his chair while my gran and I sat on the couch. Sherlock came and sat down in his chair steepling his hands in front of his mouth. My gran watched outside while sipping on her tea when John looked at me as he was holding a cup of tea.
"How do you take your tea?"
"Just plain. Thank you." I said still upset with Sherlock's question and glared at him slightly. John handed me my cup with the saucer and sipped his tea.
"It's no use. He won't acknowledge you he is in his mind palace."
"His what?" I asked taking a sip of tea recognizing it as Earl Gray.
"His mind palace it's where he goes to think. It's like he shuts down and just thinks. In theory he is able to store anything he wants there and make a road map of sorts. Making it to where he never forgets anything."
"That's not normal." I whispered looking into the dark liquid in my cup.
"No it's not but when it comes to Sherlock it is." John said this with admiration in his voice.
"Are you two…" I trailed off looking John right in the eye. He got this horrified look on his face and shook his head quickly.
"No we are not a couple!" I just smiled and shook my head and continued to drink my tea while observing Sherlock. I don't know what it was he seemed at first meeting an insufferable know it all. Then again when you looked at him like this with his thick curly hair hanging slightly in his eyes he seemed I don't know. Trust worthy? Likeable? Maybe I would learn to like him.
"John get my phone out of my coat."
"Sherlock why can't you get it yourself?"
"Phone John."
Then again maybe he is just an arse I thought as I smiled slightly and finished my tea.