Chapter 12; An Old Acquaintance
As soon as they returned home, Maria put on some tea and began to make dinner. Sherlock had decided to stay out of the room, mainly so he wouldn't just hover behind her the whole time she cooked. Instead he stood in the living room, contemplating very little for once, the day with Maria playing on repeat in his head, being saved and stored behind a secret door in his mind, where all his memories with her were kept for when he got lonely.
He realised throughout the day there had been a small tune playing over in his head, a tune that suited Maria. He hoped by it he could do her justice. He didn't dare pick up his violin and play though; he would write it down but wouldn't play it until Maria was out of earshot. He would perform it for her when it was ready for her to hear. He glanced behind him to look at her in the kitchen standing over the stove.
She had shed her coat and had returned to her trackies and sleeveless shirt. He remembered how she had used to always where long sleeved shirts to avoid people staring at the scar near her right elbow. He could see it clearly now. He remembered the first time she had shown him the scar; she had been in a car accident and a miracle that neither her nor her father had been injured, aside from her arm which bore the scar of the window slicing open her arm to the bone.
Absently, like as if she knew he was looking, she scratched the scar before returning to her cooking. Sherlock looked away, feeling bad for staring at her, again. He decided that he would talk to Mrs Hudson about these emotions, the woman wore him down to the bone but she knew better than he did on matters like this. Matters of the heart.
"Sherlock set the table please," Maria called, breaking through his thoughts. Sherlock silently began to clear off the table before setting down the placemats. He then poured their drinks and put them down. Meanwhile Maria was putting pasta onto two plates. When done with that she picked them up and laid them out on the table.
"You wouldn't be trying to get me drunk now would you?" Maria teasingly asked, noting the wine in her glass. Sherlock shrugged with a smile as he sat down in front of his meal. He went to go pick up his fork but Maria slapped his hand lightly and he looked at her with surprise as she sat down. Then he remembered, Maria always said grace.
He wanted to roll his eyes but he knew it would only lead to him copping a wooden spoon to his knuckles, like she had done once before when he'd stayed for dinner at her home once before. Maria held out her hands to him and he took them as she lowered her head. She said a few words to the Lord above before mumbling 'amen', Sherlock repeating it after her. He then released her hands and picked up his fork and began to eat as Maria did the same.
They ate in silence for a moment before Sherlock looked up at her.
"This is really good Maria," He praised and she smiled.
"Good. And best part I didn't blow anything up," She said with a laugh and he joined in for a moment before they lapsed back into silence. Sherlock finished up first and stood putting his plate and glass in the sink. Glancing at Maria, he walked off heading down into his room, leaving Maria alone in the kitchen. She downed the rest of her drink before putting her dishes in the sink; she'd deal with them later. Stretching, she walked out into the living room and collapsed into the nearest armchair. After a day out, all she wanted now was a nap.
However, the rest of the world had other plans. Its wasn't very long before Maria could hear the doorbell ringing far off and Mrs Hudson calling out to her from downstairs. Seeing as she could hear the shower going, Maria took it upon herself to make her way downstairs to see what was going on. She turned the corner to find Mrs Hudson standing beside two very formal looking men with shades on.
"Dr Maron, would you come with us?" The one on the left said and Maria sighed.
"Now?" She asked, sounding like a teenager being asked to do something they didn't want. The man who had spoken nodded. Maria groaned but trekked back upstairs to grab her coat and phone. She wasn't about to get dressed up, but she wasn't going to make the same mistake twice and go without enough on.
"Tell Sherlock I'm going out for a bit," Maria told Mrs Hudson, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder before she buttoned up her jacket and followed them out into the night air. One man opened the door on the waiting car for her and she slipped in, followed by the second man. The first took up a place in the front passenger seat.
Maria looked bored as they drove along to the apparently very remote location even though she knew exactly where they and who she was meeting. Once they'd stopped, Maria got out of the car and looked around.
"You dragged me from a warm apartment and a comfy armchair, this had better be good Mycroft," Maria said as she walked over to the older Holmes. He was wearing his usual expression, the one that lacked all emotion but some contempt.
"Lovely as always Maria," He greeted with one of his false smiles at her. "I see you and Sherlock have wasted no time together."
"If this about us living together…"
"It's about how he behaves with you. He becomes more mischievous and that could spell trouble in his case."
"I can handle him Mycroft. I know you worry about him but he's in good hands with me." Maria said and for a moment she felt like as if they were discussing a child, which was true in some respects. "I won't let anything happen to him."
"I know."
"Then why call me out here?"
"To see if you were as hopeless in love with him as you were back then, when we were children."
"Fancy me do you?" Maria said sarcastically and Mycroft let out a small 'hmpt' at her. She rolled her eyes.
"Stubborn as ever," He commented and Maria sighed.
"I went to war, you expected me to become any less stubborn?"
"No. Not really." Mycroft said looking at her. When they had been younger, she'd always thought Mycroft had been the one to worry more about. He'd always enjoyed power a lot more than Sherlock ever had. Maria jumped slightly at her phone going off in her pocket. She pulled it out and read the text from Sherlock.
'Are you with Mycroft? SH'
"He worries a lot about you." Mycroft commented. "But I'm sure he has no idea what it really means. Emotions and love are not his forte."
"I know, but like the idiot I am I'll keep loving him, even if he doesn't realise…" Maria said quietly before looking up at Mycroft. "I should get home. Goodnight Mycroft." She said before turning and walking away. Mycroft watched her walk away, remembering times a child when she had walked not only into Sherlock's life but into his. She hadn't had as much effect on Mycroft as she had Sherlock, but he still felt drawn to her, not in the same way his brother was, but she had an air about her that made her fascinating to all those who noticed her. She wasn't just a nameless face in the crowd.
The men in black, as Maria had dubbed them, took her home to Bakers street to the waiting Sherlock. She pulled off her coat as he watched her.
"Were you warm enough?"
"Yes."
"Did you get my text?"
"Yes Sherlock." Maria said with a sigh as she threw herself down into the armchair. Sherlock followed after her, kneeling down in front of her armchair. She sighed and leaned forwards slightly in the chair.
"What's the matter?"
"What did he want?" He asked simply and Maria found herself blushing softly.
"N-Nothing…" She said looking away from him, into the fireplace.
"Maria…" He said quietly, one long fingered hand resting over the top of hers. She nearly gave herself whiplash turning to look at him. She found his vivid eyes staring her down. She cast her eyes down to her hand, gently brushing her fingers absently across his wrist, causing him to turn his hand over.
"Well…" She started slowly, moving herself forwards in the seat towards him. She moved her other hand to brush back a few locks of his hair. "What we talked about…" She continued before gently pulling his head forwards slowly. She moved her head around so her lips were right near his ear. "..Is none of your business." She concluded in his ear before moving back to find him blinking at her slowly. She smiled softly before standing up and planting a kiss on the top of his head.
"Goodnight Sherlock." She said before moving away, leaving Sherlock to sit there stunned for a few moments longer. He looked down at his hand. Maria's pulse had been right there under his fingertips, her heart had been pounding, her pupils had dilated, he knew what all this meant but somehow he didn't believe it to be true. How could she love someone like him?
Maria however was in her room, happily inspecting the angel he'd given her. After finding that the perfect spot for it was right beside her alarm clock so it could be the first thing she saw when she woke, she collapsed into bed and was asleep within minutes.
