It has been barely a week since Sherlock Holmes made himself comfortable in the new apartment. He had also asked around for a flatmate and to his luck, an acquaintance of his found him one.
Now, the tall sociopath was in the apartment and was showing around a quite shorter man with dirty blond- brown hair and kind eyes. The man was dressed simply unlike the taller one and was leaning on a black cane while listening to his new flat mate.
Finally, after Sherlock stopped talking and Watson was free to speak; the bottom door opened and closed with quite the noise and a groan echoed in the 3-story house.
"Perfect" the sociopath said as he looked at the clock, the tip of his cupid shaped lips rising slightly. "Time to meet the other resident"
"Other resident?" the short man questioned/repeated confused as he turned his head to the open door as the sound of someone climbing the steps reached his ear.
Lex stopped on her steps as she noticed the new face inside Sherlock's apartment and instead of going up to her own, she started to walk towards them.
This time she wore black cargo pants and a long-sleeved lime-olive green shirt with her signature black jacket and black army boots. Her hair was in a low ponytail that passed right above her right shoulder and stopped at chest size with a few strands hanging around her face.
"Lex! This is John Watson, my new flatmate. John, this is Alexander Stronghold; the resident of 221 B1 or in other words, the apartment above us"
"Pleasure," John said as they shook hands.
"I thought I smelled some fresh blood" the woman joked and caught the older man off guard.
"Excuse me?"
"Come on Lex; don't scare him away from now. The poor soul hasn't even managed to bring his stuff here"
"Forgive me. I couldn't help it" she said and gave a smile before dropping the handshake. Afghanistan or Iraq?" she asked which shocked and slightly angered John.
"Oh no no no! What was this time? The cane or something from my clothes? No, must be something on my face, right?" he said with a slightly raised voice, annoyance crystal cleared.
Lex looked at Sherlock with an amused look which Sherlock replied with the same before she decides to clear things for him.
"John wasn't it?" she asked as the man finally calmed down. "Relax, I am not a mastermind or annoying like the man behind you" she started which earned a scowl by the said man but a small smile from Watson. "I asked because my father was in the army. I have been around soldiers long enough to recognize one.
"Oh, I see… Sorry about that then… what division was your father?" John asked, now completely calmed and slightly embarrassed.
"2nd division sir"
"Oh, I see. I was in the 5th and to answer your question, Afghanistan… Again, sorry for the temper" the man said as he looked down and played with his cane from embarrassment.
"No worries. It's completely understandable… oh and by the way, please calls me Lex"
"Lex it is then"
"Lex!" Mrs Hudson called the young woman's name as she came out of the kitchen after her small attempt to clean a little bit the mess the tall man had caused. "Dear, this is the other resident I wanted to tell you about. She stays on the apartment above this one and is also the one with the spare second bedroom"
"Yes. So in case you need a break from the guy behind you, feel free to knock on my door. It will be good to have some company once in a while"
"Oh don't complain Lex, you spend more time here than in your apartment. You are far from lonely and if you want a company you can adopt a pet or start dating that also could work"
Lex showed her tongue at the Sherlock which amused John a lot, glad that there was a more… normal soul here and someone so enjoyable as well. He couldn't still say about Sherlock, but he could say that the lady in front of him would be an excellent company and friend.
While those three were talking, Mrs Hudson had managed to grab herself the newspaper and look at the first page where 3 major suicides that happened in the past weeks were. "Sherlock, what will you do about those three suicides?" she asked as she kept reading but the said man was walking closer to his window and looked below.
"4 suicides"
"4?" she asked, no one having noticed the police car that had stopped outside of the building a few seconds ago.
"4" Lex confirmed as the bottom door was opened and closed before fast and heavy footsteps could be heard.
John and the landlady looked confused as their attention went to the door as a moment later, a man entered.
He had brown military cut hair that majority of it had turned grey due to stress and old age. His eyes were a dark brown, almost looking back and faint wrinkles could be observed at the corner of his eyes. He was dressed in a simple pair of pants, a white shirt and a dark brown long-tailed coat.
"There is something different this time though," Sherlock said as everyone turned to look at the newcomer. "Where?"
"Brixton, Lauriston Gardens" the man said.
"What's new about this one? You wouldn't have come to get me if there wasn't something different"
"You know how they never leave notes?
"Yeah"
"This one did"
How peculiar, Lex thought as she stayed quiet and took in everything from the small conversation. She was aware of the suicides, heck it was all over the news and she wanted them to stop.
She had a small talk with Sherlock a few days prior, both agreeing to the part that they were not suicides but murders. Of course, they were the only ones, for now; something was telling her that soon the scales would change.
"Interesting" Sherlock muttered to himself, but she saw right through his little act, betting money that the Sociopath had seen it coming.
"Will you come?"
"Who is on forensics?"
"Anderson"
"He doesn't work well with me" Sherlock said as he turned his attention away from the man.
"Well, he won't be your assistant"
"I need an assistant"
Lex held herself from clearing her throat, reminding Sherlock that she could fit the position pretty well since those the two of them worked perfectly fine. Plus, she was the only one who could bare up with him, well; her and now John.
"Will you come?"
"Not in a police car. I will be right behind"
"Thank you"
Mrs Hudson and John looked confused as the detective started to climb down the stairs while Lex smirked.
"Incoming in 3…2…1"
As she finished counting, Sherlock gave a quite devilish smirk and jumped high on the air while clapping his hands once. "Brilliant. Yes!" he had shouted, and his face showed more joy than anyone had him capable of showing.
John looked shocked and his eyes went to Lex, who was leaning against the wall, and the now happy Sherlock.
"4 serial suicides and now, a note. Oh, it's Christmas! Mrs Hudson, I will be late; might need some food" he said as he grabbed his scarf and coat while heading towards the kitchen.
"I am your landlady, dear, not your housekeeper"
"Something cold will do. John, have a cup of tea. Make yourself home and get to know Lex better" he said from the kitchen as he wore his black coat and fixed his scarf. With no other words, he had left, and Lex left out a sigh while shaking her head.
"A cup of tea would be lovely. Thank you" John said as he grabbed the newspaper and made himself comfortable in the armchair.
"Just this once dear, I am not your housekeeper. Would you like a cup as well Lex?" the woman said, and Lex held the urge to laugh.
"Yes please" This was something the old lady would say all the time but yet always offered to make cookies and tea. It was her motherly nature that Lex loved. It was rare to find a landlady or landlord with such a kind character. She had crossed paths with plenty of rude, drunk or money lovers that caused her only trouble. Not this woman though, this woman was an angel. "Hmmm" Lex exclaimed as she heard the sound of footsteps.
"What is it, Lex?" John asked, and the woman pointed with her thumb at the door, only for a second later to be opened by Sherlock who stood there like a statue.
"You are a doctor," he said and drew John's full attention. "You are an army doctor"
"Yes," John confirmed his question which was more of a fact as he stood up.
"Any good?"
"Very good"
"Seen a lot of injuries then. Violent deaths"
No shit Sherlock. The man was in Afghanistan after all. Just ask him what you truly want from him, Lex thought as she kicked herself off the wall and made her way towards the two men.
This could be the perfect chance.
"Well yes"
"Bit of trouble too?" the taller of the two men asked as he was now standing in front of the army doctor.
"Of course, Yes. Enough for a lifetime, far too much"
"Want to see some more?"
"Oh God, yes"
Lex mentally laughed at how the dramatic mood changed and how the wounded, emotionally scarred man wanted to see more. She expected it though, the adrenalin of the battle.
She knew this feeling too well.
As the two men turned and were about to walk towards the door, Lex sidestepped and blocked their path.
"I am coming with you" she said as she folded her hands in front of her chest.
"No"
"You promised Sherlock, or do I need to remind you that I am the only one who can work with you so far and believed at your theory that those suicides are murders?"
"What?" John asked but he was ignored as the duo glared at each other in a challenging way, none of them bout to step down any time soon.
"That doesn't mean anything. I have John with me, and I am sure we can work perfectly fine"
"One more brain in the group won't kill you"
"No"
"Fine then. I will stand right here and not move until you say yes. You can try and move me but we both know it won't end up good *John looked confused between the two*. Knowing how excited you are for this case, you won't be able to sit down and wait for me to back down, as you also know how stubborn I can be. Plus, the clock is ticking, and the Police won't let the body lying there for much longer now, will they"
A smirk was on her lips as Sherlock scowled. This woman knew how to press his buttons in a way he didn't like it. His brain ran in an amazing speed as he tried to read the woman, find a way to escape but he came with none.
She was good, too good sometimes.
"Very well"
The smirk stayed as she stepped aside and allowed the taller man to walk down the stairs while she followed right behind her, leaving John back.
"John, are you coming?"
Her words snapped him from his little shock and he quickly followed the duo, not wanting to be left behind.