Thank you so much for following/clicking the favourite button and everyone that left a review, I love you very, very much.

Also I wanted to say in the last chapter (but figured I was already rambling on a bit) that I have been using John's blog to help me fill in these gaps and inspiration for scenes. I would have also liked to have used Sherlock's website but for some reason that's no longer available.

May

Emily muted the television as she heard the front door slam. One day that door will break, she thought to herself as the unmistakable sound of the boys greeting Mrs Hudson met her ears. Neither of them had given her hints about their current case, so she was (though she wouldn't admit it out loud so Sherlock could hear it) eager to hear everything that had happened.

She waited patiently, deciding to turn the telly off completely and tidy up the mess that she had made, as they took their time in arriving in the kitchen. She flicked the switch on the kettle and grabbed three mugs from the cupboard.

Only as she was pouring some milk into hers and John's concoction did they stroll through the doorway.

"Ah! Good girl!" John praised upon seeing her stirring the drinks. "Was just about to do that myself."

"How was the case?" She questioned and immediately scolded herself. She didn't want to seem too impatient to discuss it or Sherlock would know.

"Oh Em, you should have been there!" John's tone was full of passion and it only caused Emily to become all the more interested.

"Oh?" She worked on handing out the coffee and tea before taking a seat at the table as the boys had already done. She briefly made eye contact with the Detective, the pair shared a brief smile (though Sherlock's had been more of a smirk) as she handed him his mug. Since apologising, it felt as if Sherlock had backed off slightly. Whether to give her space so she could become ready to tell them what was left to tell them, or so he could have space from her so he wouldn't be tempted to question her she wasn't sure. Perhaps it was neither of those things. Perhaps she was, once again, overthinking everything. How she wished he hadn't asked her to promise she would tell them eventually. She could have quite happily gone to the grave with her secret.

"The Tilly Briggs pleasure cruise it was called - "

"Hang on." She paused him before he could even really start. "You were on a ship?"

"Didn't we tell you?" She shook her head. "I guess we haven't really seen you properly for a couple of days." John mused. "We'll make it up to you this weekend."

"How?"

"Takeaway." Sherlock answered before Emily could make any silly suggestions and John could go along with them. God forbid he might have to watch one of the awful romance films John might pick.

"Alright." She shrugged, knowing that a takeaway night was really the only time they sat down together without the interruption of whatever she or John was trying to watch. Or really, the interruption of Sherlock moaning about the programme she or John was trying to watch. "So tell me about this pleasure cruise then." She took a sip of tea, intent on not looking at Sherlock whose gaze she could feel on her face.

As John began describing the events that took place on the ship, Sherlock kept his eyes on the blonde woman across from him. He, though he refused to admit it out loud (he would never hear the end of it from John) had missed her the past couple of days. While John was indeed good company, he rather preferred looking at Emily than he did John. He still had yet to figure out what it was exactly that drew her to him. He had decided he was going to enjoy working it out.

Molly had asked her that morning if she had fancied lunch together. Emily had thought this would mean herself and Molly.

What she got was herself, Molly and Matthew.

Though why Molly had failed to mention that the red headed man would be eating with them was beyond her.

Instead of a nice catch up with her friend, the two women had barely said a word. While Matthew may have been very easy on the eyes, (a fact which not just Emily had noticed judging by the way a few of the nurses were ogling him) he really knew how to work his mouth.

She could only speak for herself, though watching Molly's face she felt the same way, Emily was bored.

If she was honest with herself, she hadn't felt this bored since she had been living at home with her Mother.

A feeling of guilt swept through her at the thought of that woman.

Since the morning after the pool, Emily hadn't given her all that much thought despite not knowing where she was. Did she need to file a missing person report? Surely if Jim and Seb had anything to do with it, then the answer was probably yes. But then -

"Oh!" Molly suddenly exclaimed. "Hi!" The woman's face had lit up like a kids on Christmas. That could only mean one thing. "Sherlock, I didn't know you'd be in today?"

"Hadn't been planning on it." He swept his gaze over the man sitting opposite his flatmate, taking mental notes for later should he need them. "Emily." She looked up at him not noticing the put out look that crossed Molly's features.

Emily noticed though and felt instantly awful. It only made it worse when she realised that the feelings she had towards Sherlock really never could be discussed with her friend.

"Where's John?"

"On his way. I need - " The Detective flicked his gaze to the two seated opposite his flatmate and decided to rethink his phrasing, "You to come with me. Immediately. It's very important- "

"Alright." She stood, grabbed her mess and turned back to her colleagues. "Molly, we definitely need a catch up at some point. Just us girls?" She put the tiniest amount of emphasis on her last three words, hoping her friend would catch on.

"Y-yes alright." She looked even more put out at the fact that she was being left alone with Matthew.

"Matthew..." The red head looked up at her hopefully and she couldn't help but wince. She hadn't really listened to a word the man had said. "It was lovely to...eat with you." She mentally face palmed, not noticing the man's smile brighten. Evidently he didn't catch onto her unenthusiastic tone.

"And you." She began to walk away followed closely by her flat mate. "Pop down, any time!" He called after her causing a few of the nurses to flicker their gaze between him and Emily. She simply gave him a thumbs up over her shoulder and instantly leant her back against the wall as she vacated the cafeteria. She released a sigh and Sherlock switched his gaze between her and the window in the door back into the room they had just left.

"Trouble?"

"Not really." She replied and began to lead him to her office. "Just glad you came when you did." His eyebrows raised in surprise but Emily hadn't noticed what she had said, too intent on getting away from the other man.

"Is he bothering you?" Sherlock watched the woman beside him as she walked, noting the cardigan she carried in her arms wasn't actually hers but in fact John's.

"Not really. He's just a bit - "

"Boring." Sherlock finished her sentence.

"Yes."

"Seems keen on you." Sherlock muttered as Emily reached for her office door. Sherlock beat her to it and opened it for her, offering her entry first. She gave him a bemused look but chose to ignore the feeling of butterflies erupting inside her at the action.

"Coming from you that means he definitely likes me. Could you close the door behind you please?" He did as she asked. "I'd offer you a seat but the only one I have is mine so...did you want to sit down? I can go and grab another one from somewhere?" Not that there's much room for one. She added mentally.

"In a moment perhaps." She nodded and sat down herself, slipping her heels from her feet and bringing them up onto her chair.

"What did you want?"

"I need to access a few of your files."

"The Emily that works as a filing clerk has to say that those are private and confidential."

"But?"

"The Emily that is your flat mate and friend wants to help and know more about why you need them."

"So you are curious." He teased, stepping closer and spinning her chair to face him.

"Never said I wasn't."

There was a beat of silence where the pair did nothing but stare at one another. "Will you help me?" His voice had gone deep and seductive as if he knew it would help his cause.

"Will I get into trouble?"

"I'll make sure you won't."

She hesitated. What if Roid bursts in? Or anyone for that matter? But Sherlock had just said he would make sure she wouldn't get into trouble. She trusted Sherlock. And if it was to help a case... "Would Roid approve?" She questioned now, placing her feet back on the cool floor and manoeuvring herself back to face forwards.

"Absolutely not."

She immediately straightened her posture and unlocked her computer. "What do you need?"

Emily fastened the hair band tightly round the bun she had made with her blonde locks and turned the taps for the bath off. She wasn't sure if there was more water or bubbles in the tub, she had most definitely poured too much bubble bath in and she would have to remember to buy her landlady some more when she next went shopping.

A day off meant she could refresh herself. Wash the sweat away from her skin that she didn't have a chance to yesterday after work. It was getting warmer again in her office and while she was looking forward to summer, she wasn't looking forward to over heating in her tiny work space. She would have showered, but her legs were aching and she fancied the sit down in some hot water to try and make the pain go away.

The only issue was, after a few minutes, no matter how much she enjoyed the idea of a bath, she always ended up getting bored. She never trusted herself to take her phone or a book in with her. Knowing full well that one small slip and whichever item she had chosen for company would either be broken or sopping wet. She disliked using the radio in there too but that was mainly because Sherlock always moaned about her choice of station. There wasn't exactly much else to do in the bath when you were an adult.

But the steaming water felt good on her legs as she eased herself in slowly so it wasn't a shock on her cool skin.

After a few moments, she was submerged to her chin and wondering if she should throw caution to the wind and just let her hair get wet too. But her eyelids were drooping and she figured if she just rested her eyes for just a few minutes it wouldn't hurt.

But her eyes shot wide open when the door to Sherlock's room banged open and the Detective himself waltzed through.

"SHERLOCK!" She shouted and silently thanked herself for pouring too much bubble bath in when the water was still running.

"It's not a good idea to fall asleep in the bath you know." He informed her at the same time she heard John's voice call her name in question.

"It's not a good idea to walk into the bathroom while people are in the bath either!" She scolded. "How did you know I was falling asleep?"

"You weren't falling asleep, you already were asleep." He paced around the room as if it was the most natural thing in the world: scolding someone whilst they were trying to take a bath.

"Emily!" John's voice was getting closer to the second door opposite the kitchen.

"Please don't come in here John." She shouted back and sunk slightly further into the water as if that would do any good. She sincerely hoped it would swallow her whole.

"Are you alright?"

"Peachy!" She turned her irritated gaze to Sherlock. "Why are you still in here? I'm awake now aren't I?"

"Is Sherlock in there with you?" John could not have sounded more confused if he tried and Emily could only imagine the look on his face.

"Unfortunately, yes." She muttered.

At the same time as Sherlock spoke. "Of course I am John, why do you think she was shouting my name?"

"What? Why is Sher - but not in the bath with you though?"

"No."

"Shall I leave the two of you to it?" His confusion had vanished and now it sounded as if he had a stupid smirk on his face.

"That sounds like a great idea." Emily snapped. "So great in fact, that Sherlock should leave me to it as well!"

His features creased in bewilderment, his pacing stopped momentarily. Had it been anyone else in her position, she probably would have had to conceal merriment. But it wasn't someone else in her place. It was her currently in the bath while Sherlock stood over her.

"Why?"

"HA!" John laughed from outside and Emily made a mental note not to talk to him for the rest of the day.

"Oh, I dunno, because I'm trying to have a bath perhaps?" Elbow resting on the edge of the tub, she hid her face in her hand.

"But you fell asleep."

"And now, I'm wide awake! Thank you! You can leave now!"

"You might fall back to sleep?" He replied as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"OUT!" She shouted as loud as she could, hoping that their landlady wouldn't hear and come upstairs to find out what was going on and ultimately join in.

"But you really could - "

"OUT!" She tried again, this time throwing water at him. It worked as he dodged it quickly, though she managed to catch a corner of his dressing gown, and shut his bedroom door back behind him. She let out a deep, frustrated breath. So much for a relaxing bath. She thought to herself.

She was fairly certain she could still hear John chortling from the living room and vowed not to speak to him for the rest of the week.

She attempted to relax again, though the water was nowhere near as warm as it had been and she could already tell her fingertips had gone wrinkled. Clearly her eyes had been closed for longer than just a few minutes.

She had been about to lean forwards to turn the tap on again to give herself more hot water when she heard Sherlock's door ease open again.

"By the way Emily." He started, his voice deep. She stopped moving to show she was listening. "You're running out of bubbles." She picked up the item closest to her, which so happened to be the bottle of bubble bath, and turned to chuck it at the Detective. She was saddened to watch as he managed to close the door in time to miss it.

Emily yawned as she entered the living room, stretching her arms above her head not particularly caring that her shirt rose with the action.

She had opted, for once, to dress before breakfast to see if it quickened her morning routine but so far she only felt as if she was still half asleep.

"Dressed already?" Sherlock questioned whilst eyeing the skin on show between the bottom of her shirt and the top of her skirt.

"So it would seem." She replied attempting to hold in another yawn.

"Not going well I assume?"

"What makes you say that?"

"Your skirts on backwards."

"Oh for - " she began to twist it around, not much caring that she had an audience.

"What are you doing Em?" John asked, carrying his laptop in from the kitchen.

"Apparently I can't dress myself." She mumbled.

"Did you know there's also a massive hole in the back of your tights?" John informed her. Her shoulders slouched forwards all the more. "I'll take that as a no." He took a seat at the table opposite Sherlock, turning away from her momentarily to type his password in to unlock it. "Do you want me to make you something for breakfast while you go sort it out?" But she had already disappeared by the time he had finished talking.

"What are you typing?" Emily heard the Detective ask, but zoned out to take a quick look around the kitchen wondering if she should take some sort of lunch in with her. Only after running all the different lunch ideas she could think of through her mind, she decided against it and only managed to come back to reality when she heard the doorbell ring.

She closed the doors to the kitchen and hoisted her repositioned skirt up high enough to begin pulling her tights down. Holding onto the back of a chair she she slipped the ruined garment off her feet, she padded over to throw them in the bin, pulling the skirt back down to give herself some dignity.

Breakfast. She sighed, she couldn't really be bothered to make anything, so she opted for a packet of Wotsits. Maybe she could steal some of Sherlock's coffee too?

She re-entered the living room, stuffing the snack into her mouth, noticing Sherlock was absent she moved quickly over to his mug and took a sip. Pulling a face at the awful taste.

"I could have made you your own you know? The way you like it. All you had to do was ask." John admonished.

"No time."

"You've plenty of time." He checked his watch. "Ooh, maybe you don't."

"Hmm." Emily slipped her heels on, grabbed her coat and waited for whoever was climbing the stairs to hurry up and move.

"No tights?" Sherlock questioned. He watched her stuff the remaining handful of Wotsits into her mouth before crumpling the packet in her hand and tucking it into his blazer pocket.

"I'm looking for Dr John Watson and Sherlock Holmes?" A man spoke to Emily. She only pointed at the Detective beside her and clomped down the stairs ignoring the snort John released. "You want a better secretary than that. No matter how good the legs look."

Sherlock was already bored of the man, though invited him through into the living room. "She's not our secretary."

"Oh?" He sounded surprised.

"She's our flatmate."

"She's his girlfriend." Both of the Baker Street boys answered at the same time. John could only smirk at the look on Sherlock's face at the word. "How can we help?"

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