"You're up early." Sherlock said to Annie as he came into the living room. The brunette was sitting at her laptop, fingering a memory stick. The clock read 3 in the morning.
"Yeah. I—um-wanted to make sure you got everything you needed." Annie avoided his gaze and she spoke like her thoughts were elsewhere. "About my kidnapping and...everything."
"Right." Sherlock brushed past her and into the kitchen, starting a pot of tea. "Breakfast first? I never solve crimes on an empty stomach."
"You always solve crimes on an empty stomach." Annie smiled halfheartedly at him. She pushed back her chair and joined him in the kitchen. She sliced several pieces of bread to make toast when she spoke again. "I set aside more cases for you to look at. They're next to your chair."
Sherlock didn't reply but he glanced at the papers Annie had printed out, discarding them one by one. "Obvious. Boring. Ugh, don't these people have sense at all?"
"Not everyone can be the great Sherlock Holmes, you know." Annie quipped. She made a tray for Sherlock and brought it to him before sitting in John's chair. The memory stick was in her hands again and she stared at it.
"You've not eaten in days." Sherlock said, taking a bite of the toast, mostly for Annie's benefit.
"Not hungry." Annie replied. "Do you know the kind of things people hide on memory sticks, Sherlock?"
"Nonsensical things, I should imagine." Sherlock put down his food and dusted the crumbs off his hands.
"Then why would they try so hard to protect it?" Annie tossed him the memory stick. "When I was taken, just as you all rescued me, that man stuck this into my pocket."
"What's on it?"
"I don't know. I've used everything I can to get into it but nothing's worked."
"Have you considered the possibility you aren't as talented as you think?" Sherlock sipped his tea.
"Have you?" Annie asked with a smile. "I should go home, just for a bit. I need to shower and some fresh clothes."
"Or since your father will be here later to question you as well, you could simply have him bring a change of clothes."
"I still need a shower."
"We have a shower."
"Still, I'd like to be home for a bit." Annie said. "I'd like to be alone."
"Very well." Sherlock stood up and headed for his room. "I'll go with you."
"I said alone, Sherlock." Annie called after him.
Molly wasn't home, even though it was past 4 in the morning but that wasn't unusual. Annie stood in her room a moment before getting new clothes, very aware that Sherlock was watching her every move as she rifled through her underwear drawer. Pausing in the doorway of her adjoining bathroom she said, "I'll be out soon. Make yourself comfortable."
Sherlock observed Annie's room: the unmade bed, the sweets wrapper on the bedside table, and the countless photos of her friends and family. "No photos of her mother." He muttered to himself.
His eyes landed on a photo from the anniversary party that she had thrown for her parents. It was a photo of himself and Annie while they danced. The way she looked at him in the photo spoke volumes and he was a bit surprised to find that he was, in fact, smiling at her.
"I feel much better." Annie's voice caused him to spin around when she exited the bathroom. She had her phone in her hand and was texting. Molly had asked if she was okay and Annie replied in the positive.
"Your smell has improved as well." Sherlock said, moving from the pictures.
"You had better be nice to me." Annie pinned back her freshly dried hair after tossing her phone on the bed.
"Why is that?" Sherlock had his hands clasped behind his back.
"You've let me stay with you the last few days and we've shared a bed."
"Yes?" Sherlock waited for her to continue.
"So, if you aren't nice, I'll tell the press that the great Sherlock Holmes loves to cuddle." Annie teased.
"I doubt anyone would be interested in that." Sherlock said.
"People like to know that you're human." Annie sat on the bed to tie her shoes.
"I don't care what people like."
"Of course not." Annie sighed and slipped her coat on before Sherlock led her from her apartment. They shared a cab back to Baker Street. John was awake when they arrived and was pouring tea for himself.
"Good morning." John smiled at Annie and she returned the smile. "How are you feeling this morning?"
"Great." Annie lied.
"Lie." Sherlock muttered from the other room.
"Would you like to know something interesting about Sherlock, John?" Annie asked loudly.
"We've work to do, Annie." Sherlock scolded.
Annie took a cup of tea for herself and joined Sherlock, sitting on the couch. Sherlock looked at her expectantly and she started to recount every detail she could remember from her kidnapping. He asked her to repeat it several times before he disappeared to his mind palace. Annie took the opportunity and plugged the memory stick into her computer again. John left for an early shift at the hospital.
"Come on." Annie mumbled to herself as she clicked the keys, trying to break the memory stick.
"We're going to burn him, you know." That man's voice echoed in her ears and caused her to grit her teeth.
"Your precious Sherlock Holmes. You love him. That's why you call for him."
"Shut up."
"He doesn't love you. Nobody does. Why do you think you're still here?"
"Shut up!" Annie slammed her keyboard angrily and shoved her computer off her lap. The momentum caused it to knock her teacup over, spilling the liquid on the table, and Annie dissolved into tears. Sherlock had his eyes closed but his head turned in her direction and Annie had to get out of the flat, now. She snatched her coat and ran down the stairs, not pausing when she got outside. She ran until her lungs burned but she couldn't stop. When she was still, that was when she heard the man's voice, see his eyes dance in her vision. Annie looked at the building she had stopped in front of and ran inside, through the familiar halls until she reached the morgue.
Molly was startled when the door burst open but when she saw the look on her best friend's face, she peeled off the gloves and left the current post mortem open on the table.
"I'm not okay, Molly." Annie said, trying to catch her breath and crying at the same time. "You asked if I was and I'm not."
"It's okay." Molly took her roommate in her arms and hugged her tightly.
"I can hear him. I can hear his voice." Annie clutched her best friend.
Molly got Annie a chair and had her sit down so she could calm down. She took a break and got them both some tea.
"When was the last time you slept?" Molly noticed the bags under her friend's eyes.
"I don't remember. A few days." Annie admitted. "I can't sleep. When I try, I either have nightmares or I hear his voice."
"You were staying at Sherlock's the last few days. Didn't he notice you weren't sleeping?"
"I faked it the best I could. He probably did."
"Right." Molly cleared her throat. "I'm going to finish this post mortem and then we're going home and you're going to get some sleep."
Annie was too tired to argue with her roommate and finished her tea while Molly finished. When they got to their flat, Annie laid in her bed and tried not to fall asleep but she succumbed after a short while.
"Go ahead. Admit it. Admit the fact that you're in love with Sherlock. Better yet, admit to yourself that he doesn't love you." Her captor's voice was pounding her ears. "You're a bargaining chip at best."
"You were supposed to keep her safe, Sherlock!" Molly's voice shouted outside of Annie's bedroom. "She hasn't slept in days!"
"Let me speak with her, Molly." Sherlock's voice was deadly calm.
"No. You can come back when she wants to see you." It was quiet for a few minutes and then Annie heard what sounded like a slap. Molly repeated, "You can come back when she wants to see you."
Greg Lestrade knocked timidly on her door and poked his head in. "May I come in?"
"Yeah." Annie sat up in bed. "Of course."
Greg perched himself on the edge of her bed and took her hand. "Sherlock wants to talk to you too but Molly slapped him something good."
Annie laughed. "She's a bit angry at him right now, I suppose."
"I'm just glad we found you." Greg squeezed his daughter's hand and cleared his throat to prevent the tears from falling. "I don't know what I would have done if we hadn't."
"I knew you would."
"You've given Sherlock as much as you can, so you need to get some rest. You need to deal with everything that happened." Greg said.
"I'm doing my best." Annie said softly.
"You're not." Greg patted her hand.
There was silence before Annie spoke again. "I think I want to get some more sleep, Dad."
"Of course." Greg pulled the blankets up over his daughter's body like he used to after she'd had a nightmare as a child. "I love you."
"Love you too, Dad." Annie smiled at her father before he left. She could hear Molly and her father talking outside of her door. It sounded like they were walking away from the door so she was surprised when she heard it open. She didn't bother to roll over and see who it was. She was sure it was Molly.
"You didn't have to slap him, Mols." Annie said, staring out the window. "He just wants every detail he can get to solve the case."
"I've brought your laptop." John's voice said behind her. Annie sat up and stared at the doctor as he sat down next to her. "Sherlock said you left it. He also said that you haven't eaten or slept in days."
Annie stared at her hands. "I haven't been hungry. And every time I try to sleep...I just have nightmares."
"Can't lie to your doctor, Annie." John's smile was warm and encouraging. He checked the rope burns around her wrists and ankles. "Get some rest and you'll be back to solving cases in no time. Sherlock's going to need your help."
"He's got you."
"Not exactly." John handed Annie a letter he had received earlier in the day. "I've been called back to the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers."
"When do you leave?"
"In a week." John used his finger to lift her chin to make her look at him. "Can I trust you to take care of yourself? Or do I need to have you watched constantly?"
"No. I'll be okay." Annie hugged John. "I'm going to miss you."
"I'll be back before you know it." John pressed a friendly kiss to her hair and chuckled. "You'll write to me and update my blog for me?"
"Absolutely." Annie smiled.
Six days later, Sherlock was grumbling about going to John's going away party. Annie rolled her eyes as she checked her hair in the mirror above the fireplace.
"Why are we throwing a party for John?" Sherlock said for the tenth time. "He's coming back."
"We're doing it because he's our friend." Annie extended her wrist to Sherlock so he could fasten her bracelet. He fastened the tiny clasp and his fingers lingered on her skin for a moment. Annie had tried to convince herself that the gesture didn't make her heart pound but it was a lie. She was head over heels for the world's only consulting detective. She pulled away from him and said, "You should get your coat. We need to leave."
John's party wasn't going to be a formal affair and Annie had chosen jeans with a off the shoulder top. She wasn't sure how she did it, but she managed to convince Sherlock to wear jeans as well. He insisted on wearing his purple button up and Annie decided it was a good compromise. Sherlock didn't drink much at the party, instead he did what he does best. He pissed everyone off.
"Can you try to have a good time?" Annie asked, sipping her drink.
"I doubt it." Sherlock spoke over the music.
"Come dance with me, then." She placed her drink on the table nearby.
"I don't think so."
"Please?" Annie batted her eyelashes at him. She was a little tipsy but she didn't care.
"No."
"Hi." A cute guy came up to her. "You want to dance?"
Annie glanced at Sherlock and back to the handsome stranger. "Sure."
"Sorry. She's promised." Sherlock interjected, taking Annie's hand and leading her outside.
"What the hell, Sherlock?" Annie asked. "You won't dance with me and I'm not allowed to dance with anybody else?"
"Exactly." Sherlock said simply.
"You're not the boss of me."
"Actually you are my assistant so there fore I am, in fact, the boss of you."
"I'm off the clock."
"Consulting detectives are never off the clock and neither are their assistants."
"You're a pain in my arse." Annie glared at Sherlock. "Give me one good reason why I can't enjoy myself tonight after the time I've had?"
Sherlock paused before he answered. "I just want you to be safe."
Sighing, Annie gave up the argument. Instead she said, "You know what your fan mail calls your purple shirt?"
"I hardly care what-"
"The purple shirt of sex." Annie giggled.
"Excuse me?" Sherlock furrowed his eyebrows.
"You've got a large woman fan base. They find your purple shirt sexy."
"How dull." Sherlock rolled his eyes. He was glad to have a bit of quiet away from the pounding bass of the music.
"You will miss John, won't you?" Annie asked.
"He's going to come back. Sentiment will hardly speed the process along."
"May I ask you a question and have you answer honestly?"
"If you'd like."
"Do you ever get tired of pushing other people away? I've known you for months and the nicest thing you've done for me is let me sleep in your bed."
"Your father asked me to watch you. It would hardly be beneficial to let our witness disappear again, as was probable so it was advantageous to keep you at Baker Street."
Annie offered a half smile. "I want to meet the woman who makes you fall in love. She must be a rather amazing specimen."
She patted his arm and rejoined her friends. Sherlock watched her leave. "She certainly is."
A/N: Next chapter will be more substantial, I promise. Feel free to drop a review on your way out. I'd love some feedback on how I'm writing Sherlock. A big thanks to everyone who favoritied and followed my story. I love all of you. xo