Chapter 7

I awoke feeling cranky and more exhausted then I had when I feel asleep. I dragged myself out of bed, disturbing Babycat who gave me an irritated meow as she stretched lazily. My sleep had been full of nightmares and I wanted nothing more than to just crawl into bed and sleep until I had to be at work later tonight. But I could hear John and Sherlock banging around in my kitchen, and concern for my house gave me the energy to throw on a worn pair of jeans and a blue top and go see what they were up to. Why couldn't they be out chasing demon hounds or something? I was not in the mood for my brother at the moment.

The day passed slowly, I felt as if I was stuck in a fog and I couldn't seem to shake my morose mood. I managed to prevent Sherlock from burning down my kitchen, he swore he was just attempting to make me breakfast...but I had never known my brother to cook. After I had distracted Sherlock from his attempted…whatever he was trying to make, I managed to whip up some eggs and toast and we enjoyed a decent meal. I wasn't used to entertaining so we spent the day just watching Sherlock watch the telly, he would literally yell at the screen like the people inside could hear him. It was quite amusing. He was so distracted by the show he didn't even notice when Babycat curled up in his lap. I don't think I ever just sat down and watched telly with my brother before. Finally it was time to get ready for work, as I changed clothes I heard Sherlock and John planning their expedition to the moors. I had been checking my phone discreetly all day, but not a single text or call from James.

"Please be careful out there tonight." I said on my way out the door. "I really don't want to have to come find you, but if I haven't heard from you once I get off of work I swear I will!"

"Careful is my middle name Cassandra!" Sherlock said while twirling a gun on his index finger. John just shook his head and mouthed "I'll watch out for him." I winked at John and with one last wave I was out the door. I was very grateful that Sherlock had found such a great friend in John. He seemed to be exactly the kind of person my brother needed to keep him safe. Sherlock had always been foolhardy but I never worried too much since I knew that Mycroft constantly had people watching him. But I felt better knowing that he had a true friend now, he never really had anybody before.

Speaking of friends, Ellie was waiting for me outside my flat, we worked the same shift tonight and I had completely forgotten that she had told me she would walk in with me. We had decided to spend more time together before she moved back to London, but all the event of last night had pushed her out of my mind.

"Hey! Ready for work?"

"Not really," I sighed. "Honestly all I want right now is some tea and my bed."

"What's wrong Cassy? You look a bit...well...disheveled, but I didn't want to say anything. Is it your brother? Is he being a pain again?"

"No actually it isn't him...Sherlock has changed. He is still a royal pain don't get me wrong, but he is a better man then the Sherlock I knew from a year ago."

"Then what is it? You just don't seem like yourself."

"If I tell you, you have to swear that you won't tell another soul." I wasn't sure if I was ready to talk about James with anyone yet, but maybe it would help me shake this mood I had been in. And if anyone could cheer me up it was Ellie.

"Of course I won't tell anyone! Now spill it sister!" So I did. I recounted the events of how James and I had met and our wonderful date we had last night. I gushed about the magical kiss we had shared, and how I had felt afterward. I told her about my insecurities and I how I felt like he had changed my life already, but how I hadn't heard anything from him today and how Sherlock's caustic words had really hurt me.

"Oh dear you need a hug! I think you are in love Cassy!" She pulled me into her arms, almost tripping us both.

"Let go! I laughed, trying to untangle one of her many rings from where it had gotten caught in my ponytail. "How can I be in love? I don't know this man at all...I have talked to him twice. How can he possibly mean so much to me already?"

"That is true love Cassy! That is how it is meant to happen! You think with your head too much but your heart knows that it has found your soul mate and you just don't want to accept that. I am jealous of you I have to say. I wish I could find a boy who makes me feel that way." She sighed wistfully. Ellie was such a romantic at heart but for as long as I had known her, she had never found a man who caught her eye.

"Well what if he doesn't feel the same way back? What if he never calls?"

"Oh don't be silly! He will call you I know it. You are beautiful and unique, I am sure he is head over heels for you already! He probably doesn't want to creep you out by calling you the very next day. Boys are like that, they think they have to follow this stupid three day rule or something silly like that. And if he doesn't call we will just go find him! What did you say his name was again?"

"James Moriarty." His name came out like a caress and Ellie smiled broadly. She was thoroughly enjoying this.

"Hmm..well I don't know anyone named Moriarty in Grimpon, but keep your chin up. I will bet you fifty quid that he gets in contact with you within the next two day."

"Ok Ellie you are on!" I was right, talking to my friend had cheered me up. As we approached the Cross and Keys, I felt the dark clouds that had been my mood drifting off.

My night seemed to be passing slowly, it was a dead night at the Cross and Keys and I spent half of my time checking my phone to see if either my brother, or James, had texted me. Ellie kept telling me to give James another day or two, and I was trying to take her advice. But as night fell with still no word from Sherlock, I began to get worried. Just as I had pulled my phone out to text him, the door of the pub was shoved open and in walked a very shaken up looking Sherlock. He didn't say a word to anyone he just stalked to an unoccupied arm chair in front of the fire and huddled down in his coat.

"Sherlock what happened? Where is John? Are you all right?" As I got a better look at my brother in the firelight I saw how terrible he looked. His face was pale and drawn, and his hands were trembling, even though he was trying to hide it.

"John is fine, I am fine, and if you could be a dear and bring me some brandy I would be most appreciative." I saw by the look on his face that he had completely shut down and he wasn't going to talk to me. Something had happened out there on the moors, but I knew Sherlock would never admit it, at least not to me. As I moved off to grab Sherlock his drink, I slipped his phone from his coat pocket. I wasn't a bad pick pocket and Sherlock had been so distracted I don't think he would have noticed if an elephant came and sat down in front of him. I opened up his contacts, there was only three names, Mycroft's, mine, and John's. Well that certainly made my job easy. I pulled up John's number and sent him a quick text, asking him to come to the pub and that Sherlock needed him. Once I was reassured that John was on his way, I brought Sherlock his drink, and then I tried to get back to work while discreetly keeping an eye on my baby brother. I almost screamed when I felt someone grab onto my arm, I had been so focused on my Sherlock. When I turned around, ready to berate whoever had scared me, I was confronted by a very excited looking Ellie.

"What did you do that for?! You nearly had me jumping out of my skin." I grumbled irritably.

"Cassy look over there! Are you seeing what I am seeing?" I turned my gaze to where she was pointing, but all I saw was my brother, who was downing his brandy a bit more rapidly than he usually would be.

"I don't see anything Ellie, just my crazy brother." Ellie grabbed me by the shoulders and forced me to look at her.

"You mean that is your brother?! Why didn't you tell me?!" She hissed in an agitated whisper.

"I did tell you he was in town silly, what are you going on about?"

"You didn't tell me he was so handsome!" Ellie was almost squealing now, I had never seen her so worked up over anyone before, it was quite entertaining.

"Well, since he is my brother I don't view him that way, obviously!" Ellie began stuttering something that I couldn't understand, but just then Gary walked up and broke up our conversation.

As I was cleaning up a recently vacated table, the door creaked open and John's slight figure walked in. He saw me by the table and, after a nod from me, he strode over.

"How is he?" John asked quietly.

"I don't know, he doesn't look all right. I have never seen him so shaken up. What happened out there John? You didn't really see a demon hound or something did you?"

"Well I didn't...but Henry definitely did...and Sherlock…well I don't know. He stormed off in a huff swearing he didn't see anything...but I am not quite so sure."

"At least your here now, every time I try to check up on him he pretends he can't hear me."

"Don't worry I will get him to talk, or calm down at least. I can't make Sherlock talk about anything he doesn't want to talk about."

"Thank you for coming John." I smiled up at him. "I am so glad he has a friend like you now. I feel so much better knowing that you are around." John blushed a deep red then he muttered something that I couldn't understand.

"Um...I'll just go check on Sherlock now," he said when I asked him to repeat himself. I watched out of the corner of my eye as John lowered himself down in the chair next to Sherlock and began talking. I relaxed a bit and I was able to focus on work.

That didn't last long however, just as I was balancing a pile of precariously stacked mugs Sherlock shouts "THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH ME! DO YOU UNDERSTAND?" I was so startled by his outburst, I literally don't think I had ever heard Sherlock raise his voice like that before, that I dropped all of the mugs and they shattered on the floor. Luckily no one was paying any attention to me, they were all staring at Sherlock. Ellie came over and helped me pick up the shattered crockery, but we were both so distracted keeping an eye on Sherlock that we didn't get much of it and Ellie managed to cut herself on a particularly sharp piece. Finally Billy came up and shooed us away, he began to sweep up the mess with a broom and I went to go get more mugs for the guests. When I returned Ellie was still in the same spot, dripping blood onto the floor. I nudged her and she shook herself out of her daze as I led her over to the first aid kit behind the counter.

"What happened while I was gone? Is everything ok?"

"I am not sure," Ellie whispered back as I bandaged her hand. "They lowered their voices, but your brother still seems really agitated." She was right, Sherlock was gesturing wildly and he didn't seem like himself, there was a frantic edge to him that I wasn't used to.

"Girls come here," Gary called out. We walked over obediently, hanging our heads in shame at being caught talking again. "Why don't you ladies take the rest of the night off? I can tell something is going on, I may not know what it is, but why don't you go deal with it tonight and come back tomorrow with clear heads."

"Oh thank you sir! Thank you so much. I promise we will be better tomorrow!"

"Of course," he waved off our thanks. "Whenever you need some time off, all you have to do is ask."

"Thank you again sir, and I will remember that." Ellie and I quickly grabbed our stuff, and were just preparing to leave, but as we walked by where Sherlock and John were sitting we heard Sherlock hiss "I don't have friends." John replied with "no...wonder why?" Then he grabbed his coat and stormed off.

"Oh god this isn't good...Ellie can you stay here with Sherlock and make sure he doesn't do anything stupid? I am going to go after John and make sure he is all right."

"Of course I will!" Ellie's eyes were twinkling with excitement. "Just text me if you need me. I'll keep you updated."

"Thank you dear, I don't know what I would do without you." I grabbed my coat and rushed out the door, not sure what I was going to say to John, but it would be better than doing nothing.