Waiting downstairs for Harry to arrive was slightly more nerving than John had thought it would be. Whilst being painfully aware they were being watched there was the mixture of worry, waiting for Harry to arrive, and anticipation that the two would at least like each other. If anything John was thankful that he had some time away from Sherlock. He loved the man but he couldn't half be an irritating prick when he wanted to be. With everything going on John needed a break. It was like a week of cases piled up into one and, quite frankly, he was having trouble adjusting back to normal. Whatever normal was any more.
Speedy's was surprisingly quiet, Toni and John being the only ones inside. John had already ordered their drinks and had purchased Toni a muffin. Small talk was exchanged as a way of passing the time. John managed to find out that Toni had lived in London her entire life. Her mother died when she was only five which meant her father had raised her; which explained why she had turned out like she did. She could pick a lock in under a minute and she had an odd liking for Queen. Then again, John thought, who doesn't like Bohemian Rhapsody?
By the time John was halfway through a story about his childhood, involving Harry and a very wet hat, the distant sound of the door opening echoed through the café. Looking up John could see the familiar dirty blonde hair and the wide grin that he use to see a lot in his younger years. Harry had arrived.
Toni noticed John shifting in his seat and looked up. There was a woman who looked a lot like John, but she didn't seem to have the worn out expression he wore.
She was pretty, rather petite and had a beautiful smile. Those were the things Toni noticed first.
"Hello, brother of mine." She laughed, squeezing in next to him.
"Harry." He smiled, his eyes brightening somewhat. He gestured across the table to Toni. "Toni, Harry. Harry, Toni."
Harry's eyes swept over Toni's face. A sigh escaped her lips. Toni flushed a bright pink; had she done something wrong?
"You can never avoid helping the pretty ones, can you John?" Harry asked, raising an eyebrow. She turned back to Toni. "Even as a kid, he had a weakness for the pretty ones."
Toni laughed, shocked that Harry thought she was pretty, relieved that she wasn't angry and flattered by Harry's comments. "So, Sherlock's a pretty one then?"
"You've seen the man, ain't you? Looks like he walked out of one of those stupid fashion shows." Harry smiled at Toni. At least she seemed funny then. "You really aren't that subtle, John."
John huffed, sitting back in his seat, hoping that the waitress would bring their drinks as a distraction. But of course he had asked for them when Harry arrived and they had only just started making them. "I do not have a weakness for the pretty ones and I'm very subtle thank you very much."
Harry gave him that look which asked him if he was really sure about that and he could practically hear her sarcastically asking him too. Looking at the two of them Toni chuckled. She gathered this was what normal families were like but she hadn't really seen it until now. It was comforting. Breaking a bit of her muffin off Toni popped it in her mouth, continuing to watch the silent conversation being had. It was almost a shock when Harry's words brought her back into reality. "I'm somewhat pleased you turned up at my brother's, Toni, not because of the situation but because this idiot hadn't rung me once in three weeks."
"Three weeks?" Frowned Toni, looking over at John.
"And you would have thought when the love of his life turns up after three fucking years he'd tell his sister," Harry sighed, rolling her eyes. "But nope. I heard it off the freaking telly."
John sat uncomfortably in his chair. It wasn't like he could deny it. He had been avoiding her recently. "The past few days have been absolutely crazy and he isn't the love of my life." Those sort of things had to be mutual, he added to himself.
Harry snorted, rolling her eyes. "Whatever you say."
"Really," John mumbled, "he's not the love of my life. He's not... Sherlock doesn't... Doesn't do emotions. And I'm not in love with him!"
"I think the lady doth protest too much." Toni smiled sweetly.
Harry burst into noisy laughter and her blonde hair fell into her eyes in a way that John knew she hated. She swept it back and focused on Toni. John suddenly felt like a third wheel. "What about you then?"
"Me?" Toni asked, pulling her muffin to bits with her delicate hands. "There's no love of my life... I met a girl once, but it didn't work out." She smiled, but John could see a sadness in her eyes that reminded him of everything he felt about Sherlock. Heartbreak, not as rare as you might think.
Harry seemed to be silently kicking herself. "I'm sorry, but that's her loss." She said weakly, not really sure what else to say.
"You?" Toni asked, her eyes not quite meeting Harry's. "Anyone special?"
Harry scratched her neck. "Well, unlike my dearest - and only - brother, I got married. But, it didn't work out and she left me. Sometimes I think I too should fall in love with a mental detective. Might save me some hassle."
John glared at her for a second, but shrugged. "Not really saving anyone hassle. It's just... Well, dangerous and it's a bloody rollercoaster."
"So you do love him then!" Toni smirked. "You pretty much just said so yourself!"
"You know what, he did! Busted, Johnny boy," Harry chuckled, reaching over to nudge John. "There's no point denying it now."
John sighed, there would be no winning with Harry and Toni seemed to be encouraging her. True he was lying to them but that wasn't the point. The point was he wasn't going to admit it straight out because knowing Harry she'd march straight upstairs, call Sherlock the stupid names she use to and tell him everything. After which she'd probably demand he do something about it and it made him shudder to think about the possibilities. "I'm not in love with him. Can we please talk about something else?"
Rolling her eyes Harry turned to Toni. "So whilst John sits there in denial, thinking we girls can't tell he's got a case of puppy love, how about you and I talk a bit more? Get an idea of living arrangements and stuff."
"Yeah, that will be good." Deciding not to bother any more John stood up, went to the counter and collected the coffees himself. Saving the waitress the bother of bringing them over. When he returned they were already well into a conversation. "Oh you don't snore do you?"
"Oh God no and if I ever do feel free to come in and throw something at my head. Preferably not too hard." Harry winked, picking up her coffee and taking a sip. "Thanks, John. Hey, you aren't one of those vegetarians are you? It's no bother just I cook a bit of meat and all."
"No," Toni replied as if it was the most obvious answer in the world, "I couldn't live without bacon."
"I love bacon!" Harry slammed the table, then realised what she had done and looked around. Luckily, there was only an empty room.
Toni looked like a deer in the headlights of an oncoming train for a second. Harry seemed to realise what she had done.
"I'm so sorry." Harry apologised, "I do tend to get carried away."
"I'll note it." Toni smiled as she took her coffee from John. "I tend not to talk for days, I sort of... Daydream."
"That's fine." Harry sipped her coffee. "Oh, needs more sugar."
Toni pushed the pot with the sugar in over with her elbow. "You have a sweet tooth then?"
"I love sweet things." Harry ripped open three packets of sugar and poured them in, mixing the concoction with her finger. "It's a weakness."
"After all," John quoted to no one in particular, "potential flatmates should know the worst about each other."
Harry waved John off before taking another sip of her coffee. "Perfect."
"I guess this means there will always be sweet things around the place then?" Toni asked, her lips turned up into a smirk.
"Of course," Harry replied. John shuffled in his seat before picking up his mug. He was definitely feeling like the third wheel now. Taking a sip of his coffee he let the girls get on with it. He would have left them and gone back upstairs but he wasn't prepared to face Sherlock again. Not yet. "Is there anything in particular you like that you'd like me to get me?"
"No, I'm pretty good with whatever people give me. Normally use to having to go without anything for a bit so you get use to it," she shrugged. Toni was glad of that actually. It meant she had been able to adapt. "Though I have one request I guess."
Harry nodded, sitting back in her seat. "Sure, what is it?"
"I want to make you my special spaghetti and meatballs," Toni blushed, looking down at her hands. "As a sort of thank you for having me. John and Sherlock can come if they like. I need to thank them too. Otherwise I'd sort of be out on the street bleeding."
Reaching over the table Harry placed her hand on top of Toni's. "Sure. That will be nice. I'll invite them but I don't know if they'll turn up."
"If you invite us, and we aren't running around getting shot at, then of course we'll come," John said, shaking his head. "Though I can't guarantee Sherlock will eat anything or not complain."
Toni smiled politely at John, wanting to avoid the question that sprang immediately to mind. "'M sure that won't be a problem."
Harry sniggered at the thought of Sherlock wandering around her apartment, completely lost and unsure what a dinner party actually was; the great man was even confused by deerstalkers and the earth rotating the sun. "It might," she looked up, "be something we all enjoy."
John raised an eyebrow at his sister as he took a long draw from his mug. She shrugged, a secret playing at her lips. Oh god, the voice that alerted him to danger mode, she has a plan.
John rushed to check his watch before she could say anything more. It was a good a time as any to take his leave.
"Excuse me," he said rather pointedly ignoring Harry's attempts at eye contact, "I have to go. Sherlock and the... Uh, police await."
"Yes, I'm well aware, John," Harry rolled her eyes. "I'll make sure I take Toni back into Baker Street after we're done here. I'm assuming you want her there before you bring her to mine?"
Nodding John stood up. "Yeah, do that. Just don't go anywhere else. People, you know? Everything's paid for by the way. My treat. I'll see you later." Tucking in his chair John began to walk towards the door. As he put his hands in his pocket he felt his fingers brush against his wallet. Turning back he made his way to the table and withdrew his wallet before taking out his Lloyds TSB card and practically throwing it onto the table. "I forgot to give you that, Toni. In case you need anything. Like you want to buy ingredients to make Harry a meal or a present or clothes or something. Harry knows the code; she'll give it to you. Take as much as you like. I don't touch that card anyway."
Flashing the girls a quick smile John made his way out of the café, swearing he heard a conversation about them having to clothes shop as he left. Which he gathered was justifiable. She had come to Baker Street with only the things on her back. She needed more clothing. It wasn't like he'd miss the money anyway. It wasn't his, in his mind. It was pity money. A gift from Mycroft for no reason at all. Though John knew what it was. It was Mycroft's way of trying to eradicate the guilt he felt. Hence why John had refused to take it.
Climbing the stairs was difficult. His feet weighed him down, dreading the assent. He wanted to leave Harry and Toni to talk but he also wanted a break from Sherlock to process everything. Yet he couldn't leave Baker Street. Facing Sherlock seemed like the easiest thing to do. Considering he would probably be ignored and the only thing he would have to deal with would be the pang of desperation in the pit of his stomach.
Sorry it took a while, Guys. We've been so so busy. Start of school and other stuff.
