"I thought I told you not to wait up," Sherlock stated when he entered his flat and saw John draped over the sofa which he so constantly occupied. John stirred when Sherlock switched on the main light in the darkened room and he rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly.

"I wasn't going to," John denied. He was planning to do just that, but when he heard the clock strike twelve he realised Sherlock had either done something he had never known Sherlock do, and that was to stay over at a girl's house or that he was truly interested in her. The latter option occupied his mind at that moment in time and he realised that the first option should never have been thought of.

"Yes you were John," Sherlock rolled his eyes, throwing his keys onto the coffee table and then depositing his wallet down next to them. "And you can get off my sofa."

"I pay half the rent," John stated. "Sometimes more depending on you."

"You're forgetting who bought the sofa in the first place," Sherlock pointed out and John simply shook his head in disbelief, moving from the sofa and sitting in the armchair instead whilst Sherlock lay down and reflected on the night's events.

"So go on then," John urged him. "You've picked on me so I expect some information."

"The case was as I believed, boring. Simple if we're being honest. Why the police couldn't find the killer is beyond me, I mean he was the husband for goodness sakes," Sherlock said and John raised a brow, watching as his friend closed his eyes and rested his hands behind his head.

"What? I thought you were taking a girl out? Don't tell me there was a dead woman as your date?" John wrinkled his nose and Sherlock allowed his head to fall to the side as he narrowed his eyes at his friend.

"Sometimes speaking with the dead can be much more favourable than speaking with the living as they can't ask dumb questions and annoy you, hence why my skull was my best friend," Sherlock stated, checking his watch and blinking several times in order to read the time which was ten past one in the morning.

"Sherlock," John complained "can I get a name at least?"

"Scarlett," Sherlock spoke, her name sounding odd on his lips. "Scarlett Jenson."

"And how do you know her?" John asked and Sherlock simply rolled his eyes;

"Honestly John," he said curtly. "Do you want her whole life story as well?"

"I was only asking where you met," John defended his actions. "But I imagine you got her life story in less than ninety seconds?"

"Possible," Sherlock mused. "I didn't count however."

"So do you plan to tell me anymore about her? And what is this about a case?" John continued rooting for information, but, sometimes talking with Sherlock was like banging your own head against a brick wall and it was rare that results were made.

"Lestrade wanted help whilst we were at dinner...I took her with me," Sherlock shrugged. "She waited outside...Donovan tried to poison her mind but I didn't expect anything less. Anyway, the case was impeccably easy. I sometimes think that the police only use me to help solve the boring murders quicker and make themselves look good."

"Wait," John shook his hands slightly whilst Sherlock went back to closing his eyes, begging for John to shut up so he could gain some well earned sleep. "You took her? As in you took her to a crime scene? That's almost as bad as mine and Sarah's first date."

"Not quite John," Sherlock pursed his lips. "Scarlett was never in danger anyway...and what is so bad about taking her to a crime scene?"

"You never take anyone but me to them," John almost sounded hurt and Sherlock picked up on his tone and couldn't help but smirk, waiting to taunt him;

"Jealous John?" he wondered. "Don't worry...there's always a place for you at them."

"Thanks," John replied dryly. "But why take her? Clearly it shows you felt bad for having to leave her and that maybe you was enjoying another living humans company which had to mean that you...you cared enough about her to take her with you..."

"Or maybe I just was kind enough to save her from walking home alone and stop being stared at pitifully?" Sherlock suggested and John simply nodded;

"The key word there is 'kind'...you being kind...something odd that is," John joked and Sherlock scoffed to himself and simply shook his head;

"You have me down as some kind of man who doesn't act like a gentleman," he said, "it hurts deeply John."

"You're never hurt," John replied. "So why are you back so late?"

"Because I kept my word and took Scarlett out for dinner," Sherlock's lips twitched upwards a little, remembering the way she had eaten the fast food like a normal girl, nothing prim and proper like her clothes would have suggested. He was deeply intrigued by her.

"You could have just taken her home...but you were being a gentleman...and you didn't try...you know?" John wondered

"What?" Sherlock asked, once again opening his eyes to look at John who had turned a slight red colour as he nodded suggestively at Sherlock who rolled his eyes and looked back at the ceiling.

"God John," he complained. "On the first date you thought I'd even try and get into her pants?"

"So you admit to it being a date?" John jumped onto his every word so that he could manage to gain as much information as he could from Sherlock.

"What else do you call it? Obviously you'd call it a 'pulling parade,'" Sherlock wound him up but he didn't take the bait, wanting to know more about Sherlock's mystery woman.

"I'm being serious Sherlock," John said and shifted in the chair to make himself more comfortable.

"Yes," Sherlock snapped, "it was a date...and even Anderson didn't ruin it...or Donovan."

"And she is still interested?" John checked with Sherlock who just smirked a little, not enough for John to notice him.

"Judging by the way she didn't want to say goodbye I would say she is probably interested," Sherlock said. "Now are you quite done? I'd like to go to sleep and your constant wittering is getting on my nerves."

"No," John said quickly back to him. "Will I get to meet her...she has to be some form of nuclear scientist to capture your eye."

"She's a secretary," Sherlock replied. "For a law firm."

"What?" John replied in shock. "A secretary? Not a neurosurgeon? Or a top politician?"

"No I'm joking John," Sherlock said sarcastically, "she's a rocket scientist."

"Really?" John replied.

"No," Sherlock snapped back. "If I say she is a secretary then she is a secretary."

"So she must have some deep dark past to keep you interested," John mused over it by himself.

"No. She's an ordinary girl," Sherlock said.

"You don't go for ordinary," John replied.

"Maybe there is an exception to every rule," Sherlock muttered under his breath so John couldn't hear him.

...

"Sherlock," Scarlett gasped when she saw the young man sat on one of the steps of her home, wearing his clean grey coat and purple scarf. Scarlett moved her bag further onto her shoulder as she twirled her keys in her hand.

"I'm sorry to be bothersome," Sherlock stated and he stood up, straightening out his coat as he looked at her. "But I realised you may need this back," he said and handed her back her winter coat which she had left at the restaurant the previous night. She draped it over her arm and nodded;

"Thank you," she said. "I was going to go back and fetch it...well tonight anyway."

"I figured it may have been partly my fault that you didn't pick it up and I thought I would save you a trip," Sherlock replied.

"Well do you want to come in?" she unlocked her front door and stood in the hallway, watching Sherlock as he stood on her doorstep and looked behind her into the house and then back into her eyes;

"Are you sure?" he asked and she nodded.

"I'm sure," she whispered lightly and hung her coat up and Sherlock stepped in and took his coat off, Scarlett reached out to take it from him and she hung it next to her own.

"Can I get you a drink?" she asked and moved into the kitchen area and flipped on the kettle, pouring herself a hot chocolate.

"Coffee, please," Sherlock said, removing his scarf and draping it over her sofa.

"Got it," she said and then heard the ringing of her doorbell. She placed the kettle down as Sherlock looked at her;

"Would you like me to answer it?" Sherlock asked her and she shook her head, handing him his coffee and moving past him;

"I'll be back in a moment," she said and unlocked the door to find a woman stood there with long curly hair, a phone plastered into her hand as she smiled up at Scarlett.

"Hi," she said chirpily and Scarlett simply just looked confused as Sherlock recognised the voice and moved over to the door, standing behind Scarlett, his hand clutching the door above her head, his body close to hers as he looked at the woman and shook his head, a small smile on his lips.

"We weren't expecting you to be here," she said, but she didn't look shocked. Instead she simply looked emotionless.

"No?" Sherlock asked. "Well you can't be tailing me very well at this moment in time. Tell me, is he sat in the car across the road?"

"I should suppose so," she drawled lightly and Scarlett looked up at Sherlock in confusion and he caught her eyes, shaking his head;

"Don't ask," he muttered. "Ah...here he comes!"

"Sherlock," a man greeted the consultant and Sherlock simply inclined his head;

"Mycroft," he said. "I imagine you are here to speak with Scarlett?"

"Me?" Scarlett squeaked out and Sherlock watched as his brother took to the steps and stood opposite him, his assistant moving behind him slightly, still on her phone.

"I was," he agreed. "To ask what Miss Jenson is doing with you."

"Like you did with John?" Sherlock checked.

"You know we're watching you Sherlock," Mycroft arched a brow. "We're concerned for you."

"And so because John didn't take the money to spy on me you wondered if Scarlett would," he deduced and Mycroft looked at the blonde and then back to his brother.

"Am I supposed to understand what is going on here?" Scarlett wondered and Sherlock simply shook his head;

"No," he told her. "I'll explain later...but seeing as how you are here now Mycroft, you need to sort out the police force, they are becoming far too incompetent."

"That's not my area," Mycroft said.

"Really?" Sherlock replied. "I thought you ran most of the government?"

"Don't be absurd Sherlock," Mycroft responded curtly.

"So if there is nothing that Scarlett and I can do for you then you should be on your way, wouldn't you say so?" Sherlock said cockily and Mycroft shook his head;

"I'll be watching Sherlock," he promised.

"Oh I don't doubt it, now goodnight Mycroft," he said, pulling Scarlett back into the house and then shutting the door whilst the blonde simply looked confused, looking from Sherlock and then back to the door.

"Are you going to explain?" she asked him. "Because I am really confused."

"That was my brother," Sherlock said, moving back to the coffee table where he had placed his cup and taking a sip of it he looked at Scarlett.

"That was the strangest reaction I have seen from any brother," she said and Sherlock snorted;

"I'd imagine so. Me and Mycroft don't get on...he seems to think I'm incompetent," Sherlock rolled his eyes, "and likes to keep a watch on me and my methods."

"So he was planning to offer me money to spy on you?" Scarlett checked and Sherlock nodded;

"I should think that was the reason for his presence," he simply shrugged and Scarlett's eyes widened. "Would you have taken the money?"

"No!" she responded quickly.

"Why not?" Sherlock pushed her. "We haven't known each other long and he does pay handsomely."

"But then I wouldn't be able to look at you and be honest," Scarlett replied.

"You could have lied when you saw me," he told her and she simply looked at him and shook her head;

"No," she said sternly. "I wouldn't have...and I won't if he ever asks me again."

"Well," Sherlock nodded. "Fair enough."

"Is knowing you always going to be this odd?" Scarlett muttered, sitting down on the armchair with her hot chocolate whilst Sherlock occupied the sofa and smiled into his coffee and then straightened his face again when he looked at her;

"Possibly Scarlett," he told her.

"Well I can't say I haven't been warned."

...

Thank you to anyone who is reading this! I've done two updates in one day and I hope they're okay, I'm trying to keep Sherlock in his normal character which can sometimes be difficult but I hope it's not too bad. Anyway, please do leave me a review to let me know what you think, thank you!