Nine

It was us, on the couch, from her perspective. It wasn't perfect and I could tell she was irritated it wasn't, but it was pretty damn close.

She got our faces perfectly and our build, and the shadows were immaculate, but somehow that wasn't good enough for her. It even looked a little three dimensional, but only a… oh! That was what was wrong with it.

"You'll get better with practice, don't worry," I assured her and John was confused as to why I hadn't said it was amazing. But she was relieved to see that someone finally understood.

"It's not completely three dimensional, and I've been working on it for about a year now, and I still can't get it to look right," she explained as she swiped the book from John's hands. "But I do a lot of things, people, animals, landscapes, anything really," she shrugged.

I rose my brows at John and he rolled his eyes at me. "Okay, so you were right. But why did she have to draw us?" he complained when she was up the stairs.

"Because you two are adorable," Anthea said with a straight face. I'm glad she had an answer, because mine wasn't that good of one.

"But I don't understand, why didn't she draw someone else?" John asked. And Anthea repeated herself as he gave up, huffing as he leaned back into me again. And he rested his head on my chest as he looked up at me.

I gave him an upside down kiss before he was satisfied and settled. Rivera came marching down the stairs again as she suggested, "Can we just go back outside and sit in the garden and eat lunch?"

I second that notion. I haven't seen the garden yet, and I'm hungry. Especially with the fun time I've been having. Sherlock agreed as the rest of us simply got up and I went to the kitchen. Sherlock followed as he asked what I was making.

I honestly don't know, depends on what we have. "Dunno, what does your brother have in the kitchen?" I asked. He hugged me from behind as I placed my hands over his and he hummed in thought.

"Last time I checked," he started…

They had all agreed to let John and Sherlock take over the kitchen as they went back to the garden. This was their favorite place now, definitely. The flowers were still blooming as they sat in the grass.

The smell of the pool was undetectable as they laughed and talked and all at the same time they wondered what Sherlock and John were doing in the kitchen. "Hopefully only cooking…" Rivera giggled as the rest of them joined in laughter.

But Mycroft and Greg couldn't much judge, because they hadn't only taken a shower. But they still enjoyed joking about the adorable couple in the kitchen. "But seriously, though. Does anyone else agree that John is just the cutest little thing?" Rivera asked.

Molly nodded and Anthea smiled as Mycroft and Gregory smiled at each other. "Mhm," Molly agreed, and continued, "and Sherlock is just sexy," and Rivera laughed.

"Yes," she giggled. "They're adorable together," she nudged at Molly and whispered so only Molly could hear, "I think you should try Anthea," she pointed as Anthea was staring in confusion.

Molly blushed, "No," she said quietly, but everyone could hear her. "That wouldn't work," she admitted what she was thinking.

"And just why not?" Rivera asked aloud, and then whispered, "Haven't you seen the way she looks at you?" Molly just shook her head, her pony tail swishing behind her. "Okay, but when… never mind," she shook her head and simply smiled as everyone was confused. But then Mycroft understood and he smiled as well.

Anthea and Molly. Not exactly what was in mind, but okay… Anthea deserves to be happy, and dear God, Molly needed someone. And I guess Rivera saw that. "But you know, if that does happen," Mycroft started, knowing what the quiet conversation was about, "what about you, then? You don't have anyone," he pointed out.

"Never needed anyone, and I don't need anyone now," Rivera explained and her smile faded a little, but she was still smirking when Molly looked to her in surprise.

She was about to question when Sherlock and John walked out and Sherlock explained for her, "Rivera has a certain complex that allows her to love, but she doesn't exactly need someone," he sat and placed the plate of sandwiches in the grass.

"I'm the same way, it's just that I never realized until…" he left that open and John blushed as Sherlock pulled him down into his lap.

Hearing Sherlock explained us was amazing, as I knew he didn't really have an interest in Molly and therefore I figured he wouldn't have any interest in me, either, but now look. Rivera just smiled her thanks as everyone took a sandwich.

Sherlock and I couldn't decide on anything else, so we settled on something simple that we knew everyone would eat. And they were gone before Sherlock and I finished ours. I forced Sherlock to eat, and he hated it, but he reluctantly did.

Mycroft was almost forced to as well, but he sensed Gregory was going to do the same as I had done, and he simply ate. But he was smirking the whole time and Sherlock was just pouting. But when I tackled him into the grass and gave him kisses all over, he calmed and laughed a little.

I could tell that everyone was staring at us, and when we sat up, they pretended they weren't. But they really have no room to judge, as Mycroft and Gregory are in a relationship, and I swear there's something going on between Molly and Anthea.

Just the looks Anthea gives her. I haven't seen her really look at anyone, especially the way she was staring now. Like she wants to kiss her, but she can't. Well, she could, but the look she's giving say she thinks she can't. The look I used to give Sherlock.

And he even asked, "Why is she looking at Molly like that?" he gestured.

"Like what?" I asked.

"Like you used to look at me," he confirmed and I whispered to him what I thought on that one. Sherlock nodded as I finished and Anthea and Molly stared at us. As did the rest of the group. "Since when were we the attraction of attention?" he asked them.

"Since you got together," they all said. Literally, and almost in perfect unison. It was a little creepy, and Sherlock rolled his eyes.

But I turned to him and automatically we were laying in the grass and I was on him, kissing him senseless. I know everyone's looking and I don't care. I'm not sure he does either as he was participating and our tongues met in the silence that fell.

Anthea couldn't help staring at Molly and her hair and those lovely eyes. Molly caught her staring as her eyes wandered to Molly's thin lips. Molly blushed as Anthea realized she had been getting stared at as well. And she looked into those deep green eyes, and smiled.

Rivera decided she would go back inside as she caught the drift that everyone had someone and she was alone. But it was always like this and as she walked away, those kisses were what she was smiling at.

She was glad everyone finally had someone and she was actually a little glad she didn't have anyone. She wouldn't have someone that would mourn her more than usual. She knew what it was like to cry over a death of someone important, and it didn't feel too good, so why would she do that to someone else?

It was evident that she would die at some point, so why bother? So as she stomped up the stairs, she was smiling and she plopped down on her bed and wondered when something fun would happen.

It was kinda boring right now. And then she got an idea for another picture and picked up her new sketch book. She still loved Sherlock for that gift. She had never been given a sketch book. She always had to buy them herself.

Granted, she always bought them anyway, it was still nice to know someone cared. Even if they were an arse. But he was dating the cutest and sweetest man, so she couldn't really say much. She loved that everyone had someone.

So as her pencil hit the page in loving strokes, she was happy as she could be in this mess of bullshit. And then there was the banging on the door that woke her from her concentration. So she stomped down the stairs and it was consistent as she could tell it wasn't a zombie.

So then who the hell would it be now? And as she opened the door, her eyes widened and her mouth split into the most pleased grin she's given since she came to this mansion…