Hey everyone! it's been awhile hasn't it? i've been having a bit of a problem with writers block. and work got in the way...and having fun with my friends. oh well here's some more of the story don't worry more will be coming! thank you to all who have been reading and are reading! and thank you to theatrephoenix for reviewing! Please review, please read, and Please Enjoy!

Sherlock sat in his chair staring darkly at John and Lily as they laughed together in the kitchen. It had been nearly a month since Raz had begun painting his picture all over London. It was a simple portrait of Lily and him that Mycroft had insisted they get taken in Sicily with the words 'I'm back…and I'm not alone' written in script but with one deviation, John stood between them with a wide smile. The response had been immediate, the press had been in an uproar demanding interviews and statements from everyone and anyone connected with Sherlock or Lily, admirers of all kinds had flocked to 221B only to be turned away by a very firm Mrs. Hudson, and everyone was asking the big question of when Sherlock would be open to new business.

Mycroft had managed to cover up most of Lily's past and surprisingly no one asked too much about her. Sherlock would never admit it but he was grateful for what his brother had done, the only spotlight on Lily was the fact that he was supposedly head over heels in love with her. After they had refused several attempts at interviews the press had given up on getting a decent story and had left them alone.

John was taking everything pretty well, after initially not speaking to Sherlock for a few days. He had caved when Lily had locked them both inside the apartment, threatening to keep them both in there until the world ended if she had to. Sherlock, after making sure all the windows and doors had been locked and short of breaking through the walls they were trapped inside, had finally broken down and apologized in his own fashion.

Once Lily was satisfied that John and Sherlock's relationship was once again cemented in place, they all worked together to clear John's name. He was the primary suspect until Sherlock was able to prove his innocence beyond a shadow of a doubt. Lily and John had simply let the proclaimed sociopath do his work, helping when they could, getting out of the way when they couldn't. It was his most brilliant performance ever in Lily's opinion.

After Mrs. Hudson's initial disappointment that Lily wasn't pregnant with Sherlock's child she had come to accept her as a surrogate daughter, even going so far as to chastise Sherlock for not paying enough attention to her. Although she was very quiet on that subject after he listed off nearly all her likes, dislikes, and several intimate physical features before Lily managed to shut him up. (i.e. She kicked him in the butt…literally.) She and Molly had developed a sort of distanced friendship. Lily was well aware of the other woman's affection's for Sherlock and Molly was completely aware of the ring on Lily's finger.

"Why would they use an American sniper rifle?" Sherlock said as he swung his bow around for a moment before drawing it across the strings of his violin. John and Lily ignored him as he played a pretty rendition of some classical piece. Suddenly the instrument gave an almighty screech, causing them both to turn. Sherlock had begun sawing on the violin like it was just a piece of wood.

"Sherlock leave that poor thing alone." Lily said going over to him and taking the bow out of his hand. He began plucking at the strings rapidly and cruelly until she yanked the violin out of his grasp. As she turned back to John, who looked distinctly relieved, he grabbed her hand and pulled her down to his eye level. He studied her eyes carefully for a moment before releasing her with a huff of irritation. She rolled her eyes before going back to sit with John in the kitchen.

"What was that all about?" The army captain asked looking confused.

"He wants me to sit with him while he ponders the existence of the future." She replied as she began studying the violin closely.

"I heard that!" Came the surly reply from the living room. Lily stuck her tongue out in his direction and lifted the violin to her shoulder.

"You play?" John asked as she began to pull the bow across the strings softly.

"Only what I taught her." Sherlock said from the doorway.

"He thinks he's so brilliant." She said looking up with a half smile.

"Well I am."

"Uh huh…What have you figured out?"

"You and I need to go out tonight."

"What?" John asked looking shocked as Lily continued playing quietly. "I think I lost my hearing for a moment."

"You heard me perfectly fine, John." Sherlock replied as he stared at Lily with a seemingly blank look. She finished the short song she was playing and looked up with a smile.

"It has been awhile since we've gone out together just the two of us." She said as his face twitched into what almost constituted as a smile. "It would be fun."

John looked from one to the other with a bewildered expression. He knew they were married, or what could be called 'married' when you consider who it was, but he still couldn't believe it. They didn't act like any couple he'd ever seen and they had never gone out together alone.

"Angelo's?" Sherlock suggested.

"Sure…Tonight?" Lily replied.

"How about now?"

"Alright."

They both got up and left the apartment, leaving John sitting there with a confused look on his face.

"What just happened?" He said to no one in particular.

Lily and Sherlock walked to Angelo's in silence, but it was a comfortable silence. Lily soon reached out her hand and entwined her fingers with Sherlock's. They walked together, the picture of a happy couple, and when they reached the restaurant he opened the door for her.

"Sherlock!" Angelo said greeting them with a smile and pulled Lily's chair out for her. "I haven't seen you in ages!"

"It's good to see you again too." Sherlock said as they made themselves comfortable.

"And who is this? A lady friend?"

"My wife, Lillian."

"Well! Any woman who could tame a man like you long enough to get to the alter deserves to be commended!" Angelo said with a laugh. "Dessert will be on me tonight Lillian."

"Thank you Angelo, that's very kind. And please, call me Lily." She replied with a sweet smile. An hour later they walked out of the restaurant arguing good-naturedly about the serial killer case Sherlock had swiped from Lestrade the other day. They still hadn't found the person who killed John's fiancée and the other people. It was one of Sherlock's longest cases.

"All I'm saying is, he could have done it." Sherlock said with a shrug as Lily shook her head.

"And I'm telling you, Jason couldn't have done it."

"Why not?"

"Because he's a character in a movie!"

"What movie?" Sherlock asked with a raised eyebrow as he flagged down a taxi.

"Nightmare on Elm Street!" She said exasperatedly. "You could really do with some useless trivia in your head."

"And then what…end up like you?" He replied rolling his eyes as he held the door to the taxi open for her. Lily just looked at it and then glared at him before walking off. He looked surprised a moment before following after her.

"I'm not stupid Sherlock." She said as he caught up with her.

"I know."

"I might not be as smart or as clever as you but I know how to hold my own."

"I know."

They walked together for awhile in silence. Suddenly Sherlock grabbed Lily's hand and drew it through his arm.

"I'm sorry…" He said as she looked at him in surprise. "You're right."

Lily looked at him a moment before smiling and shaking her head.

"And how did that taste coming out of your mouth?" She asked.

"Like tar and charcoal." He replied.

"And you would know what that tasted like?"

"Of course."

Lily laughed and hugged his arm as they walked through the shops and restaurants on either side of the street. A little ways away, down a dark alley, a man smoking a cigarette stood watching the couple carefully. His eyes were dark as the tip flared for a moment before the smoke curled around his face. He watched as Lily pointed out a bookstore and dragged Sherlock inside with a laugh. He smiled sinisterly as the happy couple looked through the books before turning away.

"Have a good time tonight, Detective." He said in a deep voice as he walked away. "The game begins again soon…"

John had left a note on the refrigerator saying that he and Lestrade were out having a pint down the street but it didn't stop him from worrying. Every time a siren sounded he looked up expecting it to go by the window.

"Calm down John." Greg said as John turned back after the fifth time of looking. "If he was going to burn the place down, we would've heard it by now."

"I know, I know…I'm just a bit nervous leaving him alone."

"Lily's with him right?"

"Yeah…" John replied with a look on his face that said exactly what he thought of her.

"You don't like her?" Greg asked as he took a swig of his beer.

"Like has nothing to do with it."

"Well then?"

John said nothing for a while. It wasn't that he didn't like Lily, she was alright. She protected Sherlock like a guardian angel would and put up with him like a saint. He'd even go so far as to believe she loved him and sometimes, when he paid close attention, he thought Sherlock loved her back. That was the dangerous part.

"I don't trust her." John said finally causing Greg to look at him in surprise.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"I don't know…she seems too good to be true."

"You're out of your mind, John. She keeps Sherlock in line, hell she keeps everyone in line! Anderson and Donovan haven't said a word about Sherlock or you since she chewed their asses out two weeks ago. She pays attention to details. She brilliant, John, what do you have against her?"

"Greg…" John said with a sigh.

"You know, I think you're jealous." Lestrade said with a laugh.

"What?"

"Yeah…"

"I am not jealous. I'm cautious. We don't know anything about her."

"Sherlock trusts her." Greg said after a moment's pause.

"And you trust Sherlock…" John replied sarcastically. "I just have this awful feeling that someone is going to get hurt because of her."

Greg just rolled his eyes as John glared at him.

"…Try not to burn the building down you two. John…" Lily said, reading the note John had left as Sherlock began knocking books off the shelves to make way for the new ones. "P.S. the liquid started to smoke and spark so I had to toss it."

"That's fine…" He said as he examined one of his new books with interest. "It wasn't that good anyway…"

"Hey…" Lily said reaching around Sherlock from behind to hug him. "Something's bothering you, what is it?"

"The serial killer…"

"We haven't found him yet?"

"Yes…"

"You think he's the one we've been looking for don't you?"

Sherlock put the book down and sighed as Lily pressed her face into the crook of his neck.

"I'm sure of it." He said a shadow passing over his face for a moment that would have frightened Lily if she had seen it.

"Then you know what we have to do." She said holding him tighter as his hands went over hers.

"What if I don't want to do it anymore?"

Lily raised her head and moved around to kneel in front of him looking concerned. Sherlock looked at her with a tender expression that no one had ever seen on his face before. She raised a hand to his face as a single tear worked its way down his face and brushed it away with her thumb.

"Everyone has to make sacrifices…it's what being a good guy is all about." She said with a smile.

"I don't want to be a good guy then…"

"You have to…tomorrow. Be the good guy tomorrow, Sherlock."

"And if I say no? If I say they can take care of it themselves and not involve John in this?" He said looking up at her as she straddled his lap and lowered her lips to his.

"Then you would be lying…My brilliant genius…" She whispered to him before kissing him gently.