"So who's moving in Mrs. Hudson?" asked Mary with curiosity.
"Oh this very lovely girl who just moved into London. She seems very charming. Reminds me a bit of Sherlock though. She kind of keeps to herself." Mrs. Hudson said in a low voice as Sherlock left to his room.
"Really? So is she like a detective too?" asked Molly.
"I asked her that, but she said no. She said she is working in the library part time."
"How did you meet her?" asked Mary.
"Well she came here actually asking for a room."
"Then why does she remind you of Sherlock?" asked Molly.
"Well, she kind of stands with her hands behind her back and she is very observant with her surroundings. She doesn't smile a lot, is very prudent and kind of finds you out. I mean when she first met me, she told me to be careful because I have a weak hip. I never told her about my hip. Then she started telling me about my life story."
"Wow, sounds like Sherlock alright," giggled Mary. "I would like to meet her."
"Even so she is very nice. Very polite. Well I'll leave you dears. I need to go ahead and give her the keys to the flat." Mrs. Hudson left the apartment and went upstairs as John was carrying four bags upstairs.
Sherlock comes back from his room and goes to the kitchen to look down on his microscope to observe one of the fingers that Molly brought him. Mary and Molly felt the need to bother Sherlock about the new neighbor that apparently reminds Mrs. Hudson of him. They thought it would be a fun opportunity.
"Wow Molly, another Sherlock living in Baker Street. What are the odds?" Mary said in a teasing voice.
"I know, I wonder if I will ever get to meet this person." Molly joined.
"What on earth are you talking about?" Sherlock asked with his eyes still on the microscope.
"Oh Mrs. Hudson was just talking to us about your new neighbor. She tells me that she reminds her of you." Mary said with a playing voice.
"Don't be absurd Mary. There is no one like me. I am one of a kind." Sherlock said as he looked at her.
"Well you never know Sherlock. There have been people that are just like you, may I remind." Molly said crossing her arms.
"Oh please Molly, the only person who was close to that was Moriarty and I beat him. The same goes with the Woman. So we both know that not everyone can go up to my standards."
They later noticed a figure coming from the hall. When they turn to see the figure, they saw John coming in with a young girl on his side. She was dark haired, tan and short. She looked like a child. She was standing with her hands on her back and observed them all with curiosity. John introduced her to them, "Hey everyone, this is Athena Tavington the new neighbor."
"Hi nice to meet you." Mary and Molly said in unison. Athena stretched her hand to both and shook their hands.
"How do you do?" she said as she placed her hand on her back.
"Athena, this is Mary my wife, and this is Molly. Over there is Sherlock Holmes." John says as he pointed to the people in the flat. Athena bowed her head to all in salute.
"Nice to meet you all. So Molly, what hospital do you work in?" Athena asked Molly.
"I'm sorry?" Molly asked in surprise.
"You're a pathologist right? Which hospital do you work in?"
"How do you know I am a pathologist?"
"By the state of your hands, they seem to be paler than your arms. Your fingertips also seem to be partially wrinkly meaning that they were sweaty. So that tells me that you have been wearing latex gloves. Fabric gloves don't make you sweat as much as latex gloves. Mostly people who wear latex gloves work in a hospital, at first I thought nurse, but then you have the smell of formaldehyde and methanol. Those chemicals are usually used for embalming, therefore, pathologist. So which morgue or hospital do you work in?"
"Um…yeah…uh…I work in St. Bart's Hospital." Molly said in amazement.
"I always liked the study of the human body. I was sort of a biology major in high school. I would like to see your work one day Ms. Molly. Nice to meet you all." Athena said bowing her head once more before leaving.
Everyone stared at each other in amazement. Mrs. Hudson was right, she is like Sherlock. They all stared at Sherlock and saw the shocked expression on his face. For the first time in his life, he felt threatened. As he saw her standing beside John, he couldn't read her. It was just like the occasion he met Irene Adler, but this time it was different. Irene could deduct some points of him and John but not specifically just like this Athena person did with Molly. At first, he thought that this was a joke made by Mary, but her shocked expression told him that she was surprised as he is. There was a long awkward silence between them, until John broke it.
"Ok, well…um…yeah. So I guess we better clean up and get going. Mary, a little help?" he gestured towards the table and Mary followed him and helped him clean up.
"Right, well…I should better be going back to Bart's. I will see you later Sherlock. Are you still coming to look at the body?" Molly said as she put on her coat. Sherlock just nodded in response, his gaze still at the door. "Ok, um…see you later." Molly left the apartment. Sherlock's gaze moved from the door to the floor, still shocked about what happened. He slowly moved towards the living room and sat down on his chair, his gaze still at the floor. John and Mary finished cleaning and prepared themselves to leave. John gestured to Mary not to bother Sherlock of the matter, for he knows Mary's need to bother Sherlock. However, this time, he wanted to give him space, for it was a big shock for him to handle. Just a few minutes ago, he told Mary and Molly that the only people that were close to be like him were Moriarty and Irene. Now here is this girl who came out of nowhere and demonstrated skills that were identical to his. A lot of questions were running inside his head trying to find the answers, Who is she? Where did she come from? Why is she here? How is this possible?, but he couldn't seem to find the answers. He could not read her, even if she was standing there in front of him.
"I'll meet you downstairs babe." John told Mary as she walked out the door. He then turned to Sherlock, "Hey mate my lunch break is almost over, I better be heading back to the clinic but it was nice seeing you. We might visit you later if that's fine." Sherlock nodded in response, his hands bellow his chin as he was analyzing the questions in his head. "Right then…see you. Take care mate." He was about to turn to the door but was stopped by Sherlock when he called out to him.
"John," Sherlock said as he turned to look at John. "Was she real? Did this really happen?"
"Look Sherlock you seem tired…"
"John please don't play games with me. Tell me…"
"Yes Sherlock, she's real. It wasn't a joke or dream. It was real." John said with honesty. Sherlock didn't see any signs of a lie. With that, John turned and left the apartment while Sherlock placed his fingers under his chin once again and returned to his thoughts.