Chapter ten: Life's little quirks

By God, Lisa Walker was a difficult woman. If he took a step towards her, she walked the other direction. He'd been trying to get her alone during the festivities, but she was good at avoiding him. She was determined not to hurt her dearest friend. And as much as he hated to admit it, he admired her for it. She wasn't as ignorant as she acted. She was brilliant with avoiding him. She had come up with over thirty excuses not to get close to him and she was succeeding at it.

The wedding dance had been torture for him to perform as he and Mary danced to the Christmas Waltz. Every move had been executed perfectly, every step was in time but the lack of emotion on his part had made it awkward. Mary was now curious, wondering if she'd done something to put him off her, he could sense that. And by right, she hadn't done anything wrong, except love him. He felt so stupid. How could he not have seen something so basic as Mary being in love with him? Was he truly that blind? It was a poor reflection on himself. What if he missed something vital in a case that had long since passed? He wasn't his father and now, apparently he didn't take after him in that way at all.

Everyone shouted and applauded as father pulled mother up onto the dance floor. Linda and Clark laughed as mother kept shaking her head. Father lifted her up into his arms, moving her to the center of the floor. She relented and they began to dance. It was a fun and sprightly dance, the west coast swing. They looked so happy together. Father kept pulling her close and kissing some part of her face when the Beach Boy's sang, "God only knows what I'd be without you."

That's what he wanted. He snuck a look at Lisa, finally letting her sadness show. She discreetly wiped her eyes. Then, as if sensing his eyes on her, she looked at him, noticing him. She smiled at him, but turned and looked towards his parents, but she was looking at him through the corner of her eye.

"What's going on?" he turned to see Scott watching him. He shoved his hands in his pockets, hoping to ignore him. "You're in love with Lisa Walker."

He didn't even blink at his brother's honest truth. "Don't be silly."

"But….she won't have anything to do with you, because of Mary, who's in love with you." He turns and glowers at his younger brother, who doesn't even flinch. He crosses his arms across his chest. "I may be two years younger than you, but I'm not blind. Do you want me to run interference for you?"

That caused him to jump in surprise. "What?"

He shrugs. "We're brothers. It's the least I can do."

He shook his head. "No you don't. It's not that easy." He study's Scott's unwavering glance. "You're in love with Mary."

Scott doesn't hesitate in answering. "Always have been. I probably would have stood a better chance if she wasn't always following after you."

"Sorry about that."

"But…if you've got Lisa, then maybe, she'll give me a second look."

Sherlock grinned and clapped Scott on the back. "She's all yours brother."

Later, that evening,

Sherlock inhaled the night air deeply. It was a beautiful night and it had been the perfect day for the wedding. Aunt Irene had caused the whole group to die of laughter as she pulled uncle Mycroft out for a very sexy and risqué tango. Uncle Mycroft glowered at her the whole time, making it funny. Father had filmed it and declared that he was going to post it on youtube, causing the two of them to get into a politely, heated debate.

"There you are." He turned to see his father approaching him, tugging at his tie. "Your mother sent me to find you." He shoves the tie in his pocket. "These ties had to be invented by a woman, for no man would have created such an instrument of torture to inflict on his fellow man."

Sherlock chuckled as his father leaned up against the wall, looking up at the sky. After a few moments of pleasant silence, he asked. "How did you know you were in love with mother?"

His father frowns. "What made you ask me that question?"

"Weddings."

"No. that's not it. You're not in love are you? Please, don't let it be Mary Watson." His father made a face. "I couldn't bear to be John's in-law."

He chuckled. "It's not Mary Watson; I don't know why everyone thinks that. Now…you were saying?"

"I don't think I was planning on saying, but I'll tell you anyway." He exhaled and leaned over the rail, looking towards the stars. "It was on a case. You read it in their book, the blind Banker. I had a hunch that I cared when a gun went off and I thought she'd been hit. Imagine my relief when she popped up cheerful as a bird and says I owe her a new dress, as she crawled through a gutter." Father and son chuckled. "Later….she did something no one else had done before. She complimented me on my character. At that time…I'm not the man you know now and most compliments that were thrown at me were mainly out of awe. But her expressions and words were so genuine that I was momentarily without words." He shook his head. "There she was, covered in mud and water, saying that I was a valuable person. No one…not even your grandparents ever said that to me. Probably would have kissed her then and there if she hadn't run away from me."

"What did you do?"

He shrugged. "I followed her to the club, she was opening there and on route, for some reason, I bought her a rose, a fake one."

Sherlock laughed. "Great move dad."

"Your mother loved it and she still has it." He pointed out. "It serves as a permanent reminder of our first kiss. Granted, it was unusual, because her ex-boyfriend had showed and started harassing her. I was so mad that he dared to touch her that I faked that we were dating. But…the moment I kissed her….I knew I was in love with her."

"So…what did you do?"

"I hopped the first plane to Belarus and went to solve a stupidly obvious case of open and shut domestic murder."

"You're kidding."

"No. I thought by the time I'd get back, the infatuation, which I hoped was temporary, would have worn off." As Sherlock laughed, his father shook his head. "Your mother has made it her life's practice to scare me to death. That first kiss sent me across the world!"

"Were you scared?"

"She was the first woman I ever kissed that made me want to never let her go again. Of course I was terrified! She was going to change everything in my life. I had to concentrate on the work and I didn't have enough money to support a wife. I could barely make the rent and I didn't want to rely on her for money. I didn't want to involve her in my life, especially since it was so dangerous. By the time I hit London, I had talked myself out of being in love with her."

"So…what changed your mind about her? What did she do?"

"She walked in the room." He smiled slightly. "She had me from the moment she said hello. There had been a bomb explosion in the building across from us, she was helping by making sandwiches, drinks and handing out blankets. She conned me into it, by having our first, real argument. After fighting these….insane emotions for hours, I realized that she'd captured my attention without even trying. So, I finally asked her to start dating me at 2:15 that morning." He shook his head. "I can still see her now. Dead tired, eyes red, her feet and hands cold, her makeup smudged, her hair a mad tangle and her body was exhausted."

"But…she looked like the most beautiful thing you'd ever seen?"

He nods. "Yeah. And she still does."

He hesitated. "Do you really get mom so worked up that she thinks she's going to vomit from the excitement?"

"Your mother happens to be my personal harp. I shall play her as I please and get whatever sounds from her I want."

"So romantic Sherlock." Both spun around to see her leaning against the door. She shakes her head. "Linda's going to leave now. You should see her off."

Father walked towards her with a slight sulk. "Do I have to?"

"Yes Mr. Holmes, you do." His father mutters something in her ear, causing her to laugh and scold him. "Sherlock! Don't!"

He watches in amusement as they walk away. At that moment he decides, he's going to find Lisa and make her talk to him.