John opened the door and stepped into the flat he shared with his fiancé. He was still irritated with Sherlock. For a genius his friend could be very thick sometimes, most of the time, pretty much all the time.

"Mary, I'm back," he called.

"In here," she replied from the living room. He could hear the telly. She must be watching a movie or one of her programs. "Didn't expect you back so soon." He stepped into the living room. She turned from her seat on the sofa and gave him a smile, but she must have caught the irritation he wore. "Did you two have a domestic?"

"You could say that," he replied, crossing the room and sitting down next to her.

"Did he do that thing again? Where he asks you what you think happened and then tells everyone what really happened?" she asked in that teasing way that always made him feel better.

"No he was too busy being a prick," he snapped and then caught her gaze with an apologetic look. "Sorry, didn't mean to take it out on you."

"He really got under your skin this time, didn't he?"

"He might be a genius, but he's the thickest person I've ever met."

"So, are you going to tell me what this is about or keep telling me what I already know?"

"He met someone."

"He met someone?" she asked, as if she wasn't sure what he was talking about.

"That's right."

"What? You mean someone else to solve cases with?"

"They have worked on cases together, but that's not what I mean."

"Is it jealousy then? You're jealous because he's working with someone else," she asked, again in that teasing way.

"No, nothing like that. He met a woman."

"I'm sorry? What? Are you…" she gave him a disbelieving smile. "Are you telling me that your friend, Sherlock Holmes, met a woman?"

"Yep."

"One he likes?"

"If he'd let himself admit it, yeah."

"And she likes him back?"

"It seems that way."

"What do you mean, it seems that way?"

"You'd have to see for yourself."

She grinned, motioning to his pocket where he kept his mobile.

"Well, what're you waiting for? Ring them up."

What did she want to do? Invite them over?

"I don't have her number and even if I did I don't think Sherlock would come over knowing she was coming too."

She eyed him.

"I thought you said he likes her."

"More than likes her, but he won't admit it. He's gotten it into his head that she's up to something and that's why he's interested in her. His exact words were she's a trick or a trap."

She grinned.

"He's got it bad, doesn't he? Where's she live? Maybe we could pop over."

"221 Baker Street. She rents the basement flat."

He could see the gears in Mary's mind turning as she formulated a plan. She was good at that sort of thing.

"Could you get her number? Do you know someone who might have it?"

"I suppose Greg probably has it, since she's done some consulting for him."

"Do that. Call Greg, get her number, and ring her up."

He pulled his mobile out of his pocket.

"Why am I doing this?" he asked, as he dialed the inspector's number.

She smiled conspiratorially. Yep, she had a plan.

"Find out if she'll be home tonight so we can drop by."

The phone rang once and Lestrade picked up.

"Hello?" the inspector asked.

"Hi, yeah, it's John…Watson," he replied.

"John. Hi. What can I do you for?"

"Um. Yeah. I was hoping you had Rose's number."

"Rose," Mary said, testing out the name. "I like that. That's a nice name."

"Is that Mary I hear?" Lestrade asked.

"Yeah. She wanted to drop by Rose's flat. Introduce herself."

"Ah, that's nice. You've got a good woman there, John."

He couldn't help smiling at that.

"I know and she won't let me forget it."

Mary gave him a playful shove, knowing who he was talking about because it's something he often said.

"I'll send you her number."

"Thanks, Greg."

Lestrade hung up and a moment later John received his text with Rose's number.

"Well, call her," Mary said, giving him another playful shove.

He typed in the number. She had a plan, but he wasn't sure what it was.

"I still don't understand why we're doing this."

"You said I had to see it for myself."

"Right, but Sherlock's not going to be there."

"You think he'll be able to stay away when we go over there? You know as well as I do he'll want to know why we're there, which will bring him over to her flat."

Oh. He smiled. That was a very good plan. If they showed up at Rose's flat, dinner in hand Sherlock would notice and he'd be curious and eventually he'd come down to find out what was going on. He wouldn't be able to leave either. Not with them still there.

"You're a sneaky woman you are," John said, giving her a smile.

"Hello?" Rose asked on the other end of the line.

"Hi. Hello. Rose?" he inquired.

He'd only met her that morning by walking in on her and Sherlock in bed together and now, ringing her up, he started to feel a bit awkward. What would she make of it?

"Yeah?" she inquired as if she wasn't sure what to make of some bloke ringing her up. Brilliant.

"It's John. John Watson."

"Oh, John," she said in that cheery voice that made anyone she spoke to feel like they were her best mate. He didn't have to see her to know she was smiling which made him smile.

"I got your number from Greg, hope that's all right."

"Oh, sure, that's all right."

She didn't ask who Greg was, which told him she knew, but then she was far more people friendly than his friend.

"I was wondering if you were going to be home tonight."

"Why is John calling you?" Sherlock asked in the distance.

"What? A girl can't go on more than one date a night?" she teased.

"We're not on a date," the detective insisted.

John chuckled. Mary mouthed what's going on? He put his hand over the receiver.

"She's with Sherlock," he replied.

"Are they working a case?" she asked.

"You bought the chips," Rose quipped and he could almost hear her grinning.

"I think he took her to a fish and chip shop," John explained.

Mary leaned closer.

"Wait. Are they on a date?" she inquired.

"Not according to Sherlock." He gave her a grin that she returned and then took his hand off the receiver. "So, were you going to be home?"

"Oh, sorry, yeah. I'll be home. Didn't have much planned, just some telly and a bath."

"Do you mind if we come over? Me and Mary. Thought we'd pick up some dinner on the way, make a night of it, if that's all right."

"That sounds brilliant. What time you think?"

"Oh, I don't know," John replied and then put his hand over the receiver. "She wants to know what time."

"Well, its three now," Mary said, glancing at her watch. "How about six?"

He took his hand off the receiver.

"Six sound good?"

"Yep, six sounds great."

"See you then," he said before hanging up. He glanced at Mary. "We're all set."

He pocketed his mobile and then put his arm around his fiancé's neck, settling back to watch the rest of the movie that was playing on the telly. They had a few hours before they needed to leave.

Standard Disclaimer.

Thank you to all my brilliant readers!

If you have time reviews are always welcome. :)