A/N: Hello, everyone. I apologize for such a delayed post. Life has surely thrown me a curve ball, dealing with school, work, and the illness and the death of a family member. To be honest, it's a lot to deal with and it's been rough and I imagine the next few weeks will not be easy, as well. So, whatever you choose to believe, please keep my family in your thoughts or prayers.

I also apologize for the quality of this chapter. It's not my best but I wasn't sure how else to get it rolling again. I promise that the next few chapters will be better as they are already planned out.

It was Friday evening. John was somewhere in the flat and Sherlock sat at the kitchen table, his gaze beamed through his microscope. He studied it until he heard footsteps from John's room down toward the living room.

"There you are." Sherlock didn't bother looking up but extended out a small slip of paper from his pocket. "I need you to do something."

"Can't." John walked passed him and opened the fridge door for a quick look, but then just as quickly regretted it. "I've got plans."

"Cancel them." His hand was still held out.

"Sherlock, no. I've a double with Anna." John moved towards the living room. "We're catching a cab together."

"A double?" Sherlock stole a glance away from the specimen under the microscope and lowered his arm.

"Yes. A date."

Sherlock returned his gaze to his experiment and grew silent a moment.

"Since when does Anna date?" He abruptly turned towards John again.

"You mean like a normal person?" John sat down in his chair. "Yeah. Strange." John checked his reflection in the chrome finish of a hanging pot, straightened his collar, and smiled to himself. "I'm off."

Sherlock still remained silent, almost sour.

"Well, goodbye."

There was no reply.

Sherlock could tell that had slightly annoyed John but that was nothing different. However, Sherlock felt irked, and for hardly any good reason. It sometimes evaded him that people, unlike himself, didinteract with other people for enjoyment. He heard the front door close to the building and he couldn't resist going over to the window and push back the curtain a little.

There was already a cab waiting in front of Anna's building. John stepped in and waited for Anna.

Within just a few seconds, Anna stepped out. Her hair was swept back into soft curls, even from this distance Sherlock noticed a shade of color on her lips, and the hem of a black dress was peaking from her long jacket. Red heals accentuated the muscles of her calves. Clearly, she was trying to make an impression to someone.

Then, with a deeper frown, Sherlock noticed her date.

The man was tall—taller than her at least—with very light blonde hair that was neatly trimmed. Dark frames sat on the bridge of his nose and a brown leather jacket hugged his lean frame. From his movements, Sherlock could see agility and strength. The man opened the car door for Anna and they both ducked in.

Sherlock's upper lipped curled as he returned to his microscope.

Anna, her date—Robert—, John, and Mary all decided to eat at a quiet dinner club. It wasn't anything too high class but still made for a classy first impression. Really, the night had gone well. The food was great—ugh, the wine!—and the company was just as good. Mary and Anna seemed to hit things off well together and Robert seemed to be a nice guy.

Robert was polite; he pulled out Anna's chair for her before his own. He was extremely handsome—his jaw muscular, his masculine hands, and his white smile. His dark eyes sparkled under the soft light in the room as he looked at Anna.

The three of them had been conversing about music—a topic which John felt insufficient in—and listened instead. Soon, he became lost and their topic choice became too in depth for him to understand well.

Then, his mobile vibrated against his leg.

Tell me what's happening.—SH

What? Why?—JW

Curiosity. I want to know who this man is.—SH

You're jealous. That's it.—JW

No.—SH

John tried to ignore his phone again as desert had been brought out.

Then it vibrated once more.

Well?—SH

She seems to be enjoying herself.—JW

What kind of signs does she have?—SH

Signs?—JW

Body language, John.—SH

John looked up, trying to be discrete and studied Anna across the table from him.

Laughing, brushed hair behind ear, shoulders open and turned towards her date.—JW

Anna then noticed John observing her and she gave him a slight smile, and raised her eyebrow, only just a little as if to ask a silent question.

John himself grew embarrassed and tucked his mobile back into his pants pocket for the rest of the night.

John returned to 221B that night by himself, but a grin spread his cheeks wide. He set his just set his keys down on a table before Sherlock bombarded him.

"Well?" Sherlock asked expectantly.

"Well what?" John slipped past him.

"How much did he tip? What color socks was he wearing? What scent cologne?"

"Um…" John stopped in a doorway on his heels. "What?"

Sherlock rolled his eyes. "It's astonishing how unobservant ordinary people are. How do you figure out anything?"

"It sounds like you're more interested in her date than anything." John loosened the tie around his neck and watched as Sherlock crouched aside one of the windows and moved the curtain aside. "His names Robert, by the way. Nice guy."

"Yes, fine." Sherlock brushed his comment away and watched in silence.

Out his window, Sherlock could see Anna and The Man, standing on the first few steps to her building. His back was turned but Sherlock could see a soft smile on Anna's flush face. Her laugh lightly echoed in the darkness of the street.

Sherlock's upper lip curled again.

Many things bothered him. Couples flirting in public happened to be one of those things.

A small part of him felt happy, though, when they parted their ways, her only offering a peck on his cheek and he only giving a tight hug before leaving.

At this point, Anna was quite happy with herself. She'd had a fairly successful date—the first in almost two and a half years! She'd met Mary, who she decided makes quite the adorable couple with John. The guy she'd seen—Robert—is the violist with whom she recently decided to perform with, which made rehearsing together that much more enjoyable. She'd only had one problem, though.

Sherlock. It was Sherlock.

She hadn't even seen him, hardly even talked to him but she'd always thought about him, even when she was with Robert. It was like his voice was in the back of her mind, always throwing in some snide, Sherlock-like comment.

To a certain extent, it wouldn't have bothered her but, rather, it made her feel guilty! It always managed to distract her from Robert. Really, he was such a gentleman and quite the extraordinary performer. But something was just missing, it seemed to Anna.

Since Brandon passed, things have never exactly felt normal.

What made it worse for her was that Robert seemed to be more into the idea of their relationship than Anna actually was. Sure, it was nice to have a handsome man fussing over her and showering her with attention but it wasn't what she needed.

Still, Anna tried to get passed things and waited over time to see if her feelings would change.

It was a few weeks later after their first date and Anna and Robert were meeting at Baker Street to rehearse together a piece for Robert's recital. They were playing a piece she'd never heard before: Piston Duo for Viola and Violoncello. It was quite the complicated piece, with the two voices intertwining and working back and forth with each other. To the ordinary listener, she was sure it was quite dizzying.

Waiting for Robert's arrival, Anna's mobile vibrated.

I'm in the mood for some Handel.

Oh good choice.

Anna smiled and set the phone down. This was the first time in a few weeks that they'd talked to each other.

Sonata in A Major?

What? Oh. Sherlock I'd love to but I have a rehearsal.

Anna frowned now. She'd been meaning to play with him again. He was a great performer and communicated well with his body, which is a skill in itself while performing.

She listened as he started to play on his own.

Lalo's Symphonie Espagnole.

It's a standard repertoire piece and demanded specific skill and technique. Tonight, it seemed Sherlock pounded away and growled at the feisty rolls and turns of the melody.

Then, her buzzer rang.

"Let me in?"

She pressed the button and she could hear the door at the landing close as he walked in. As it had been several weeks that they'd been 'seeing' each other, Robert let himself in. Anna was sitting back in her cello chair and she felt his arm snake around her waist and plan a soft kiss on her cheek.

"Hello, beautiful."

She smiled into his grasp. "Hey, yourself. You're late."

"Musicians are always late."

Now, Robert managed to bring Anna to her feet and turn her around to his side. He gripped her waist gently.

Anna's ears perked up as Sherlock's piece was coming to a close. Its final chord progressions dragged her heart to a sudden halt.

Robert was now trailing soft kisses on the visible parts of her neck. His hands gripped her waist a little more firmly and she could feel his heart beat pitter patter faster.

Across the street, the melody came to a final climax and then it became silent around her. Aside from her own breathing, and Robert's heavy breath on her neck, all Anna could think about was one thing.

Sherlock.

Love it, hate it, let me know. Ta.