Chapter 4:
17 years earlier.
18th December, 1999
A small cottage sits outside of a village, with rose bushes lining the front of the homey place. The grass is a dull green, while the branches on the trees lie bare, since the leaves have withered and died long before.
It was winter, and the snow still hadn't fallen, but the air was getting colder, and everyone's breath became an icy veil in the air.
Inside the cottage, it is warm, and the furniture spoke of a homely feel. In the main bedroom, a young man around the age of twenty opened his eyes to see the coolness of the outside world through the window.
He sighed and sat up, before placing his hands over his eyes which were light blue, with a brown dot above the right pupil. His hair was black-brown colour, which covered his head in a curly mass.
He looked down at his clothes, realizing that he had fallen asleep in the clothes he had been wearing the entire day before, again. His feet were cold, which told him that they were bare, even without looking down at them.
When he turned around to look at the spot beside him, he expected to see a young woman sleeping there, with her eyes closed, and cuddling up close to him.
But no one was there, and this shocked him. Normally, he was always the first one up. Then he looked over at his watch which on the bedside table next to him.
He frowned as he saw that it was a little pass 7:00, which was the time when he always woke. She didn't wake until somewhere around 7:30.
Again, he looked over his shoulder, while putting his watch on, but this time he read off of the bed and the way the covers were thrown back.
This told him that she had jumped out of bed with a sense of emergency, and the bathroom door was closed, which told him that she was in there.
He sighed and stood up, walking towards the door which led out into the hall. He was just about to step outside of the bedroom, when he heard the sound of retching coming from the bedroom. He frowns, before asking through the door, "Sam? Are you alright?"
More retching, then Sam calls through the door, "I'm fine, Sherlock. I'll be out in a minute."
"Take your time." Sherlock replied, before moving on through the hall into the kitchen, where he started making him a cup of tea.
Soon after the jug had finished boiling, Sam came shuffling out, her face pale, her chocolate brown hair messed up around her face, and her brown eyes had lost their spark that they normally had.
"I must have eaten a bad prawn." She told Sherlock as she sat down at the table, while he continued to make tea in two cups. He gave her a small smile, knowing that she was referring to the seafood they had the night before.
After he had finished pouring milk into the cups, Sherlock picked one up and placed it in front of Sam, before going back to stand behind the isle bench and drinking his own tea.
Sam sat there for a few moments, playing with the handle of her cup, before sighing and saying, "I've got to get ready for work."
"Hm." Sherlock replied, while he continued to drink his tea. Sam looked over at him and frowned, asking, "What's wrong?"
Sherlock frowned, before putting his cup down and asking, "What do you mean?"
"You just don't seem like yourself lately." Sam said, tilting her head on one side. Sherlock gave a small smile before mumbling, "I was just thinking about the case at the office."
Sam nodded, before standing up and walking over to the cupboard, pulling out some bread and placing some slices in the toaster. She stood there for a second, thinking, before turning to Sherlock and asking, "Do want anything?"
"No." Sherlock answered, not looking over at her as she went into the fridge and pulled out some butter, jam, peanut butter. She placed all of the items on the bench, before taking a slice out of the bag and eating it, while she waited for the toast to pop.
Once she had finished eating her breakfast, which was rather quite larger to her normal meal, Sam walked back to the bedroom so that she could get out of her pyjamas, which smelt of vomit.
Sherlock waited until he heard the shower turn on, before whipping out his phone, which was the latest in production, NOKIA 3210, and he quickly texted his brother Mycroft.
I have a new one for you.
What happens when a woman wakes up in the morning, and needs to go to the bathroom, but vomits?
SH
After waiting for a few moments, Sherlock got a reply, saying,
Easy.
Either a woman has eaten something that didn't agree with her, or she has a bug.
M
Sherlock gave a small laugh before replying while the water continued to run in the bathroom,
What if that woman did not eat anything disagreeable, or if she is sick. What if her breast have grown bigger, as well as her appetite?
SH
The water turned off, and Sherlock quickly put his phone away and Sam walked out, wearing her new work clothes. She spun around so that Sherlock could see the whole outfit, which he gave a small laugh, before saying, "Very nice."
Sam smiled at him, before replying, "Funny thing. The shirt and jacket are a bit tighter than when I last tried it on yesterday."
She looked up at Sherlock, who was still drinking his tea, but a lot more slowly now. She frowned slightly as his phone went off, and she asked, "You and Mycroft are at it again, aren't you?"
Sherlock shook his head, saying, "I don't know what you mean."
Sam gave a small laugh, before heading into the entry way to the front door, where she pulled on her coat and grabbed her handbag.
Sherlock walked in behind her as she said, "I better get going, if I want to keep my job. But I'll be back tonight to make dinner." She turned to face Sherlock, holding up her car keys at him, saying, "Try and not play any more games with Mycroft, won't you?"
"I promise." Sherlock gave her smile, before leaning down and kissing her cheek. Sam gave a small laugh, before opening the door, and walking out to her car.
Sherlock waited until she was in the car, before closing the door, to stop the warm air escaping. He heard the car start, and waited until it drove away and he couldn't hear anymore. Then he pulled out his phone and looked down at the text Mycroft had sent him.
Then that woman would be pregnant, or she would have an undiscovered disease.
M
Sherlock gave a sigh, and a small laugh, before putting his phone away. He walked back into his room, and decided to change his clothes before he went to work.
