The feeling of someone moving me woke me up. I opened my eyes to see Sherlock getting up. "What time is it…?"
"It's 5:58," he replied. "Sorry. I didn't mean to wake you. There's someone at your door."
"Oh." I sat up and ran my hands through my hair as he walked over to the kitchen window and peeked out of it. "Who is it?"
"Looks like your friend Mary and…dammit, I'll be camping in your bedroom. You have to answer your own door," he said walking back out to the living room.
"Why?" I asked throwing the blanket off me as I heard my doorbell ring and knocking start.
"John's with her for whatever reason," he said grabbing his blazer from the chair and walking back to my room. He stopped and looked at me, gesturing me to hurry up. I rolled my eyes and pushed myself into motion. Dead men were bossier then they should be…
I walked down the steps and opened the door. Mary stood there, first raised, ready to knock again. She let out a breath before attaching herself onto me and hugging me, squeezing me to death. When she finally let me go, she put both hands on my cheeks and looked me in the eye.
"How are you? I was worried because you weren't answering your mobile so I told John we were stopping to check on you before we went to dinner." I moved aside to let them up the stairs.
"Hello again," John greeted following Mary.
"Hi," I croaked, my throat still dry from the unplanned nap I had taken. I followed them up the steps to my living room. John was looking around while Mary stood awkwardly by my chair watching me.
"George called me," she said when I didn't say anything. "I'm sorry. I am so, so sorry. Are you ok? Do you need anything?"
"Honestly, I'm still in shock over the whole thing," I sighed. She nodded her head before walking over and hugging me again.
"Have you eaten yet?" I shook my head. "Why not come with us?"
"No. I'm not crashing your date," I said shaking my head and trying to blink back new tears. "You two go, have fun."
"Charlie, I am not leaving you here to wallow alone. Your sister died, she was all you had. I'm not leaving you by yourself," Mary said grabbing my arms gently.
"Mary," I said taking her hands, "Seriously, I'm fine. I'll be ok. Just let me go today. Tomorrow you can get on my case about it. I won't be alone anyway."
"What do you mean you're not alone?" she asked still giving me a worried look. "Who's here?"
"No one at the moment," I sighed not wanting to tell her about the guest in my bedroom since John was with her.
"At the moment? Was someone here?" I rolled my eyes at her and walked into my kitchen. "Was it talk, dark and handsome from the pub?"
I felt my face burn and tried to avoid looking in John's direction. I heard my text message go off and went back out to grab my phone off the table. I picked it up and unlocked it and opened my messages.
-I'M BACK. BE AT THE MORGUE IN AN HR. MOLLY-
I turned the screen off and turned to Mary and John were both watching me. "I have to go change. I'll be ok one night, I promise. I still have to talk to Tony yet about arrangements and all that. I'll be at the pub early tomorrow afternoon if you wanna come in earlier."
"But I don't want you by yourself," she said hugging me again.
"I won't be. I promise," I said trying to give her a small smile.
"Tall, dark and handsome?" I rolled my eyes again and nodded my head to appease her. "Does he know?" I nodded again. "Ok. I'll trust him only because I trust you. If you need me for anything, absolutely anything, call me."
"I will," I said letting her hug me again. "Thanks for stopping by."
"Not a problem. It never is," Mary replied.
"Was nice to see you again John," I said as I walked them to the stairs.
"Same though I wish it was under better circumstances," he said holding out a hand for me to shake. "My condolences."
"Thanks. Have fun and you take care of Mary," I said as they walked down the steps and out the door. I sighed, wiping my eyes of any wetness and walked back to my bedroom. I opened the door to see Sherlock laying stretched out on my bed, arms behind his head, staring at my ceiling. "They're gone."
"Took you long enough."
"When Mary's determined, she can be very difficult," I said falling onto my bed next to him. "Your friend texted me. She's back and will meet us in an hour at the morgue."
"Excellent. You still want to go?" I nodded. "Why was John with Mary?"
"Date."
"Ah. Same old John," Sherlock sighed. "Your brother-in-law texted you while you were asleep. I read it, hope that was ok."
"Fine," I said unlocking my phone and reading the text for myself.
"Apparently the police aren't going to release the body until the investigation is complete which I could've told you. I'm surprised Lestrade didn't mention it," Sherlock drawled. He reached down and took my free hand making me look at him, "Are you ok?"
"I'm fine. At least he seems to have the majority of everything under control. Why didn't he call?"
"Couldn't talk? It's hard to say." He sat up on my bed. "You better get dressed so we can get going. You don't have any other clothes here do you?"
"Closet," I said point and sitting up. He walked over and opened it. "Box on the top shelf." He rummaged through the box after pulling it down.
"How long ago did he leave you?"
"Six months. How'd you know?"
"There's not a lot of clothes here, enough for maybe a load of laundry and you still have tons of space in your closet. So he took what he could because he left in a hurry meaning no time to wait for dirty clothes to become clean. You weren't home, probably at the pub. Lucky for me, he was about my size."
"Yes, you're very similar height wise," I sighed.
"Am I right about the other stuff?"
"Why does it matter?"
"Because I like being right and knowing I'm right," he said smirking at me as he pulled out a pair of jeans and button down flannel shirt.
"Yea, you're right," I rolled my eyes. He gave me a small smile before turning and going into my bathroom to change. I took the opportunity to change into my own jeans and a camisole. I looked threw my closet for a shirt when I plaid button down caught my eye. I pulled it off the hanger and sat down on the floor.
"What are you doing?" I heard Sherlock ask from my door. I looked up at him as a single tear slid down my cheek. "Her shirt?"
"I borrowed it and never gave it back. Now I can't ever give it back," I stammered holding it close.
"Do you want to come with me or not?" I looked up at him. "You'll need to hold it together a little better than this, ok?"
"Ok," I mumbled. He held a hand out which I took and he pulled me up. I slipped into different shirt and followed Sherlock back out to my living room. I opened the closet, handed him my hat, a different scarf and one of the older jackets in my closet from my dad. He looked down at them both and back up at me. "Incognito yes?"
"Yes."
We left my apartment and grabbed a cab. Sherlock gave the cabbie the address across from St. Barts. His friend was waiting for us at the entrance when we walked up. She was a mousy girl and did not look happy to see us.
"Why Molly, you're holiday has done you wonders," Sherlock said giving her a quick smile.
"Save it," Molly snapped. "I'm still mad at you."
He rolled his eyes and gestured for me, "Molly, this is Charlotte Brennan."
"Charlie please," I said giving her a small smile. "He's the only one that calls me Charlotte."
"It's you name isn't it?" he growled.
"Yes and how you knew it without me ever telling you is beyond me," I grumbled back.
"Nice to meet you Charlie," Molly piped up before Sherlock could say whatever it was he was going to say. "I'm glad he found someone else to bug, no offense. I was getting sick of him. What's he wearing anyway?"
"My ex's clothes," I replied looking at him with her. He had on my dad's old military style jacket over a flannel shirt and some worn out jeans along with my hat and scarf. He was an odd site to see, especially since he seemed to look uncomfortable in the getup.
"It's weird seeing him in jeans," Molly chuckled as her and I walked side by side into the morgue. "So it was your sister?" I nodded. "I'm sorry. It's not easy to lose someone."
"No it's definitely not," I sighed.
"Molly, did you-" Sherlock started before Molly cut him off.
"Yes. I have copies of the reports for you and everything else is ready. Why do you think I asked you to meet me here in an hour?"
"Oh."
As we walked in, I tried to gather my emotions and locking them in a box somewhere in my head to deal with later. Molly led as into an exam room where a block body bag sat on a table. Sherlock glanced at me quickly before walking over to it and waiting for Molly. She gave me a small smile before grabbing gloves and unzipping the bag. I stayed where I was, rooted to the spot as I watched them. I tried my best to no look at the body and I tried to ignore Sherlock as he walked over to me a few minutes later. When I did look at him, his eyes were questioning.
"I'm fine," I managed to say with an almost straight voice.
"Did you want to say good-bye? I know some people like to do that," he said quietly. I debated in my head for a while before shaking it. Probably not the best idea. "Are you sure?"
"That's what funerals are for."
He nodded his head before looking back at Molly as she pulled the zipper closed. "Meet you in the lab?"
"Yea," Molly agreed. "Folder's on the counter for you."
Sherlock nodded before turning me on the spot and gently leaning me to the door. A few minutes later we were walking into the lab. He pulled out a stool and sat me on it before picking up the manila folder and started reading it. Molly came in a few minutes later and stood next to me.
"So how'd you meet him?" she asked curiously. "He's been good about being invisible."
"He was in my pub, sitting in my booth," I answered. She gave me a questioning look. "My sister and I own Brennan's Pub. We have our own private booth that we sit in at the back of the pub to keep an eye on things. He was sitting in it last night when I got to work."
"Was he watching someone?" she asked sounding annoyed.
