IMPORTANT DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters; all are owned by CBS and the Elementary writing team respectively. Any characters that are of my own design will be mentioned below.

OCs: Pete Harrison, Quinn Hurley, and Joe Steinway


Sherlock announced that Aria was to stay at the Brownstone until the correct family members were contacted.

She had gotten a small bag of clothes after the Crime Scene Investigators had declared that the room was available for use. Aria picked up some personal items, Sherlock could see: a photograph of herself and her mother, some CDs, and her laptop.

"Are you sure that you're okay to take the case, Sherlock?" Joan questioned him. "You didn't seem okay when we saw the body."

Sherlock sighed, rolling his neck. "I knew the victim."

"What?"

"Emmi and I were at university together. She studied English and Music, whilst I studied Chemistry."

"So... that little 'moment' in the living room...?"

"Merely a moment of compassion. I understand what it's like to lose someone close to you."

Aria placed her packed bag at her feet. "I'm ready." Her voice trembled; she wiped a stray tear away with the cuff of her sleeve.


The three arrived at the Brownstone to meet Aria's friends all sitting at the base of the door.

"What are you three doing here?"

The tallest of the group, Pete, spoke up. "Uh, waiting here for Aria."

"Shouldn't you all be getting home?"

"My mom's coming to pick me and Joe up in an hour, so." Quinn said.

"What about you?" Joan turned to Pete.

"My parents said it's best if I be with Aria - y'know, for support and stuff."

Joan gave a small smile. She admired Pete's nature and his obvious love for Aria: the way he hugged her close said it all.

She opened the door to the house. "I better put on some coffee."


Pete and Aria spent most of the night curled up together in the lounge. They sat watching Clyde climb over their conjoined legs.

"I got my room set up for you," Joan smiled.

"You didn't have to do that, but thank you, Miss Watson. I appreciate that." Aria moved away from Pete, picking up her bag.

Pete watched Aria leave the room; a look of compassion washed over his face.

Joan handed him a mug of hot coffee "How long have you known her?"

"Sophomore year. She was the new kid with amazing vocals: a powerhouse when it came to belting notes."

"Really?"

Pete nodded. "Yeah. When she performed with the band for the first time, I think she almost burst out the eardrums of the principal."

"Now that is a powerhouse."

"Watson," Sherlock interrupted. "Might I have a word?"

Joan went over to Sherlock in the study, double-checking that they were both out of Pete's earshot. "What?"

"We need to start working on this case. It's imperative that we catch Emmi's killer soon before Aria or her friends become targets."

"Okay, but shouldn't we get some sleep? I mean you've lost a close friend, and Aria has just lost her mother."

"Yes, Watson, I am aware of this, but if we do not make any sort of start, we will let a killer roam free and give them the chance to kill again."

Joan was in no mind to argue with Sherlock, so she had settled herself in the armchair by the fire, watching Pete slowly fall asleep.


A loud screech came from Joan's room. It was Aria.

Pete was the first to run and comfort his friend, and Sherlock followed him.

"What happened?" He asked; concern was deeply laced in his voice.

"I had a nightmare," Aria whimpered into Pete's shoulder. "I saw my mum getting murdered, and then I got stabbed - then I woke up."

Pete rocked her and whispered something to her. "It's all over now. I'm here: I've got you." He continued his ministrations till Aria had calmed down considerably.


As Pete left the room, Sherlock stayed, watching Aria stretch and breathe deeply as she sat on her bed, cross-legged.

"I'm sorry that you had to see that." She quietly said.

"That is of no problem," Sherlock answered. "I have had Joan see me in moments of great relief and sadness, so there is nothing to be embarrassed about."

She shuffled closer to Sherlock. "Can you tell me about my mum? You've clearly seen a side of her I have never seen in my nearly eighteen years."

"One time - this was when we attended university - that your mother had stayed up for four days straight, and survived on nothing but five cups of coffee and three slices of toast."

Aria drew her face in order to stop herself from laughing loudly. "Three slices of toast and five cups of coffee? I did that once and lasted about a week - but then I was taken out of school due to my over-exhaustion,"

"Your grandfather would claim that I led your mother down a path of idiotic living habits and near-death food habits, but she was the one who led me down."

"You're kidding?!"

Sherlock shook his head.

Unbeknownst to them, Joan stood outside of the door and listened to their chatter. As their conversation continued, Joan made one deduction: there was something that Sherlock had clearly neglected to inform her of.

Sherlock was Aria's father.