A/N: Yes, yes I know it's been months since I last uploaded. Excuses, excuses, college, life, etc. Sorry lovelies, life just happens. But I hope you enjoy nonetheless!
Evelyn shifted the paper bag full of groceries to her other hip, reaching out with her right hand to open the familiar black door. She walked inside 221B Baker Street and exhaled, happy to be in the warmth of her new home. It was a particularly cold day, and Evie was more than relieved that she didn't have to sleep outside. She walked over to the table by Mrs. Hudson's door and saw there was mail. Excitement bubbled up inside her, and she set down the bag of groceries on the floor next to her. She began shuffling through the various envelopes.
It had been two weeks since Evelyn had sent her letter to Adam, and she had yet received no word from him. She knew the post took about two to three weeks to deliver mail, so until recently she hadn't really been checking for his letter. Now she checked every day, almost religiously. Evie scanned an envelope that was spam, claiming she won a free month vacation to the Bahamas. She rolled her eyes and flipped to the next one. Her eyes locked onto one small word written in almost incoherent scribble: lock. She gasped and dropped the rest of the mail. She picked it up hastily as well as the food she had purchased that morning. Evelyn all but threw the unimportant envelopes onto the table and ran upstairs.
She burst into Sherlock's flat like a bat out of hell, quickly setting the bag on the kitchen counter. Sherlock was down at Bart's hospital, checking out a body for a case Lestrade had desperately needed help on. During the past few weeks they had done little with the Oliver case, besides keeping a low profile until Adam arrived.
Their relationship had not changed much, with one exception. What had been a single night spent in the same bed turned into a routine for the both of them. Neither commented on her newfound presence in Sherlock's bed every night. It was just a re-occurrence. Nothing ever happened beyond sleeping, however, and Evelyn felt relieved about this fact. She felt comfortable and safe knowing Sherlock was the kind of man that would never try to take advantage of her, unlike some unsavory partners she's had in the past. She was genuinely happy with him.
Evie ripped open the envelope, but was delicate with the actual letter. Adam's font was near illegible, and was slanted slightly. It looked like he had hurriedly written it. She read:
E,
I got your letter with no problems. Work has settled down a bit, though I do remain on alert at all times. I still check my house for bugs every night, even though I know you'd make fun of me for it. I still think I'm pretty interesting, even if the government doesn't agree. You should see my grocery lists.
The information is in safe hands. I'll tell you where I hid it in person, in case this letter gets intercepted.
I have already scheduled a two-week vacation, and will be in town two weeks and one day from the day I send this letter, if my estimations were correct and you got this two weeks after I sent it. I am interested to meet your new friends and personally thank them for taking you in. Meet me where our Journey began. At high noon, partner.
My personal life is going well, I suppose. I still work too much, as you used to point out to me practically every day. The huge Anna White case still hasn't been solved. Of course progress would be getting along faster if you were here. I hate that they've soiled your name, E. It was one thing to try and kill you, but another to say you are a traitor of the country. You've done too much good for them to slander you so easily.
No, I'm not seeing anyone. The girl from Narcotics got engaged while you were away. To that prick from Intelligence that was always too handsy with you, no less.
I got a dog. I know you're a cat person but she's sweet. A German Shepherd named Missy. Still a puppy. I'll have to bring her along with me, as there's no one to watch her, so be prepared for the little ball of energy. She's still being puppy-trained.
This detective seems like an interesting character. We'll all have to go get drinks when I get there. As with this O, I'm a little concerned. I managed to run him through our database and it doesn't look good. He's way too involved in our own military than can be good for us. We'll talk more once I see you.
Looking forward to seeing you. It's been too long.
-A
Evelyn reread the letter a few more times, smiling all the way through it. He sounded just the same. Her eyes were drawn to one little sentence more than any of the others: No, I'm not seeing anyone. She pushed it from her brain completely, instead deciding to plan ahead for the fact that Adam was arriving tomorrow and she was definitely not prepared. She scanned over the code where they would be meeting. She instantly noticed that the word "Journey" was capitalized. Evie grinned, knowing exactly where he meant.
The first time they met was at a work party, and they were both quite drunk. They got to chatting, when a Journey song came on titled "Wheel in the Sky". They both cheered and danced together, quite sloppily, and since then their friendship only grew. She knew immediately he meant to meet at the London Eye, the largest wheel in the sky there was.
She wasn't sure how having a puppy around was going to help much, but she had always been an animal person, and welcomed the chance to have a furry companion around. Her family used to own a cat when she was younger, a tabby named Tarzan, and he seemed to only get along with her. All she could hope for was that Missy was potty-trained.
Evelyn thought about what she was going to say to Adam when he arrived as she began putting away groceries. Mostly she thought about the fact she would have to eventually tell him about Sherlock, not because he would find out on his own, but because he was her friend and he deserved to know. She was sure he'd be happy for her, but she wanted to make sure he knew she was still there for him, no matter what.
Once she was done putting away the groceries, she walked over to the fireplace, letter in hand. She saw there was already wood in it, so she grabbed a box of matches from the top and lit one. Evie stared at the paper one last time, before setting it and the envelope ablaze, dropping them both onto the dry wood before the fire reached her fingertips. She absentmindedly jabbed the logs with the fire poker, then left the fire to burn of its own accord.
She went up to her room to her closet and opened it, shuffling through her clothes until she came upon what she was looking for. She took it back into Sherlock's flat and sat in John's old chair. Almost robotically, she began disassembling it. Evelyn recognized the black gun in her hands with ease, remembering the feeling of its cold metal against the small of her back as she traversed through the Ministry of Defense. It was a STI Lawman 4.0, a standard 9mm pistol used mostly by law enforcement agencies. It was popular for its soft recoil and tactical sight, which allowed the user to maintain precision and absolute reliability. Evie ran through this information in her head as she took it apart completely. She wanted to check out the state it was in before Sherlock found out she still had it. As much as she thought he was a genius, she wasn't willing to give up her safety for the sake of his pride.
It checked out good, so she quickly put it back together and reloaded it. Evelyn took it upstairs and hid it once again. When she came back the fire was still burning strong. She sat down and massaged the bridge of her nose. Looking around at the flat, Evie wondered what Adam would think of her new life. Before the chaos, she was living alone in her one-bedroom apartment with no company but the pizza delivery man that occasionally rang her doorbell. Now it seemed her life was one big hurricane of crazy after another. Parts of it were good, even better than she'd ever known, but others were bearing down on her so hard she wasn't sure she could take it. For once, Evelyn had the crazy revelation that she was actually living.
Every day of her life seemed more and more like a contradiction. It was like good and bad experiences were hand in hand with each other. Before, any experience at all was rare, and the only rush she got was from taking down some drug lord in some country somewhere. Now every feeling she had waged war in her heart, and everything was significant. And for some strange reason, the stirring in Evelyn's chest was not one of frustration and anger, but of gratuity. She was seeing clearly for the first time, it seemed. All these years of running had been to return to the life she had thought was the one she wanted, but she was wrong. Evelyn wasn't fleeing to her old life, but was fleeing from it. And the one she stumbled upon was actually one worth keeping.
Now was her chance to let the past be just that. Evelyn felt that if she were to actually end Oliver's torment, she could finally start anew, the way she wanted. And without even thinking she knew that future included Sherlock. She saw herself with him, solving crimes, their relationship unfaltering. Being with John and Mary, as they should. Molly as one of her closest friends and allies, and Mrs. Hudson a strong confidante and mother-figure. Evelyn felt as if she could weep with happiness at the mere thought, and was so overcome with desire for it that she was ready to take on Oliver that day.
She took a deep breath, calming herself down. She'd been getting way too emotional lately, and she wasn't used to it. Evie had always been taught that emotion just got in the way. She was much more effective as an agent if she just shoved her feelings off to the side. All these new ones were overwhelming.
Her keen ears picked up the sound of the front door downstairs opening. She figured it was Sherlock, but her hands involuntarily gripped the arms of the chair a little tighter anyway. The sound of footsteps crept up the stairway. The wooden door to the flat swung open, and in stepped the consulting detective. Evie let out a sigh of relief. Sherlock removed his coat and scarf, hanging them up. He was wearing the usual black suit but with a black dress shirt underneath. Evelyn admired his effortless grace for a short moment, before Sherlock turned to her.
He sniffed the air and glanced at the blazing fire.
"Adam's letter came in the mail today. You burned it to get rid of evidence."
Evie was a little taken aback, but was getting more and more used to his deductions.
"Yes. He'll be here tomorrow. I'm supposed to meet him at the London Eye at noon tomorrow."
He raised an eyebrow. "That's all?"
She looked away. "Well… no. But the rest was just fluff. It doesn't really matter."
He walked over to his chair and unbuttoned his jacket before sitting down. "You're embarrassed. Do you not want me to know about your past life?"
"No!" She exclaimed. "I just… it's hard, Sherlock. Letting someone in." She winced.
He nodded. "You know I would never betray your trust. I will listen, if it pleases you."
She stared into the fire and took a deep breath. "Alright. You know a lot about me already, but I haven't told you much about Adam. He's been my best friend for many years. The only person I could really trust. We met at an office party the first week I began working for the FBI. We became instant friends. I remember our first mission together." She paused, hesitation growing in her eyes.
Sherlock shifted. "If you can't talk about it, I won't make you."
"No I… need to get this out." She continued. "We were in Tokyo, following the crime syndicate Yakuza. They had been smuggling drugs out of Hawaii to Japan for a long time, using the state as a gateway to their own violent practices. The FBI had managed to receive intelligence from an important member of the Yamaguchi-gumi, one of the world's wealthiest gangster crime organizations. We were tailing him secretly back to his designated headquarters. Adam was my boss, training me as we went along. It was my first mission, simple recon, but it didn't start off well. We had bugged the guy we were following, and monitoring communication from a nearby skyscraper, one which was abandoned. I was an amateur, we were spotted. Before we both knew it, bullets were flying through the air, shattering glass all around us. The only cover we had was a few large columns throughout the empty room. I didn't make it to one in time." She closed her eyes, hearing the sounds of high-speed projectiles and seeing Adam's terrified face as he realized she was too far away from a concrete pillar. "I got hit, I was down. They were still firing at us, as I slowly began to bleed out. It would have only taken a matter of hours. But Adam saved my life. He took the only grenade he had, threw it across the two skyscrapers, and managed to get it into the floor we were being fired upon from. That gave us just enough cover for Adam to scoop me up and get us the hell out of there. He carried me down fifty flights of stairs. By the time we were back into our safe house, I had a fever, and was as pale as a ghost."
Evelyn stood up and lifted her shirt, exposing her abdomen. She lightly touched a spherical scar where her rib cage began. Sherlock's face was stone.
"Adam stitched me up. The bullet was still lodged in my side, and we were the only ones there. All I had was a bottle of Jack and a clean rag to bite down on. It was hell, but he saved my life. He's always been good to me, through the good missions and the bad ones. He never let me blame myself for any of it, no matter how many… people I've had to kill. Even though it burned me inside."
Sherlock stood too. She looked away, thinking of all the screams she's heard in her life, and how many were her fault. He made her look at him, and the echoes of pain slowly faded away.
"Evie, understand there are also things in my life I am not proud of. People whom I've tried to help. Solve a case for. They've ended up dying, though they shouldn't have. There's been people I've pushed away. I have regrets. Everyone does. You and I, we just have to do our jobs. It's who we are."
Evelyn shut her eyes. "My life has been a blur. A violence-filled blur. And I'm not sure how to make it stop."
"I'll tell you how." He touched her cheek gently, like a mother would her child. "We end this, once and for all."
Evie smiled. "God you're dramatic."
"We fit well together then." He smiled back, and she tugged on his lapels, pulling him down so his lips met hers. She dug her fingers into his dark curls and pulled him closer. He gripped her shirt, holding the small of her back. They broke apart, breathing heavily.
"You're very good at that," Evie panted. "Had much practice?"
Sherlock glanced to the side. "I've done my research."
"Wait, you researched how to kiss properly? That's dedication." Evie raised her brows. "That wasn't your first kiss, was it?" She was suddenly worried.
He simply rolled his eyes. "Please. I did attend college."
She nodded. "Yes, well, on that subject…" Evie didn't make eye contact.
Sherlock was suddenly confused and wary. "Yes?"
"Uh…" Evelyn froze, her mind screaming at her. She'd never felt more awkward discussing anything with any past partner. "Have you… ever-?" She left the question where it was, unable to go further.
The lines in Sherlock's face didn't go away. "Are you asking about my past sexual relationships?"
Evelyn's heart practically stopped beating. "Yes." She whispered.
He pulled away from her, and she was already mentally berating herself for even asking.
"Is this something that's important to you?" His tone was cold.
Evie shook her head. "No. I'm sorry I asked Sherlock, if it makes you uncomfortable. I don't care if you've been with five women or eighty. Your past is your past. I just wanted you to know that I've… uh…" Somehow Evelyn, in her mad scramble to take back her personal questioning, turned the tables on herself.
Sherlock was still silent, looking like a deer in headlights. She was on her own.
"I've only… h-had… sex once." The last word was more like a squeak, which was a rarity for her. She flinched, awaiting his laughter or scoffing at her lack of experience. His face evened out, and Evelyn was now the baffled one.
He tilted his head. "You were afraid I would humiliate you. You believe I have had many sexual partners in the past."
Evie didn't even breathe. "Well, obviously, I mean look at you. You're practically perfect."
Sherlock's eyes filled with warmth. "Evelyn, I'm a virgin."
Evelyn's mouth dropped. "W-what?" She was completely astonished. Here she was thinking he was some sort of sexual god when he somehow had less experience than her. She suddenly realized the meaning behind his coldness when she first brought it up. It wasn't that he didn't want to share his many conquests, it was that he didn't want to reveal his lack thereof. He was insecure, and thought she had way more sexual experience than him. She thought he'd judge her, and he had thought she would judge him.
"But… you said… you went to college?"
"Yes, as a young adult I felt I needed to get that mundane 'first kiss' ceremony out of the way as fast as possible. Mycroft was being obscenely annoying about it. As for intercourse, it was simply unnecessary and distracting from work."
"Huh. That's quite relieving actually." Evelyn smiled.
Sherlock smiled back. "So, why did you bring up this topic in the first place?"
Evie's smile fell clean off. She was sure he knew exactly why she brought it up and just wanted to see her squirm. Well two could play at that game.
"No reason." She grinned.
Sherlock's smile disappeared at not receiving the reaction he was hoping for. "No." He came closer, towering over her. She held her breath, unable to tear her eyes away or make her feet move. His face was inches from hers.
"You want me." His voice was low and rumbling. Heat pooled in Evelyn's lower stomach area, a feeling she'd never had before.
"Uh…" All coherent thoughts left her mind. All she could focus on was his warmth getting nearer, and the shape of his lips as they moved closer to hers. Right before they touched, Sherlock smiled a triumphant smile.
"Interesting." He then stepped away completely, leaving her a panting mess as she realized what he was doing. She thought she had won their banter, but he just completely demolished her victory. And all it took was seeing the straining of his shirt buttons and his perfect cupid's bow. Damn him.
"Sherlock! What the hell?" Evie exclaimed, flustered beyond control.
He simply chuckled deeply at her frustration and escaped to his room.
Evelyn stared at his door, tempted to rush in there and make him finish what he started. But she shook away that feeling and sighed instead. That man was going to be the death of her.
A/N: Man, I love sexual tension. Don't worry lovelies, it is all building up to something in the near future. That's where the M rating comes in, aside from the language. Hope you enjoyed it!