So, here we get to see the aftermath of Blind Banker. Things don't go well for poor Anna.

We also get an explanation to Anna's past, so there's that?

Plus, there's a bit of a Grenna moment? Not really... well, kinda? We see (kinda) how Greg feels, in a small... teensy... bit... Yeah, no? Okay. Sorry.

Also, no idea who a superior would be for the forensic techs, so I just went with all detective inspectors being a superior officer to them- since they technically hold a badge and all?

* Note: Leroy Roux is a randomly put together name from a name generator. If you know someone with that name = total coincidence.

Disclaimer: I don't own Sherlock or Criminal Minds, but I do own Anna

The next morning Anna stood at her desk in the Forensics lab, reading over a report she had ran for one of the Detective Inspectors.

"The fingerprints line up, but the DNA doesn't… why?" she wondered, furrowing her brow as she pondered," The only explanation that comes to mind is that we're dealing with twins… but there's no record of Leroy Roux ever having a twin sibling…"

She was so deep in thought that she didn't even hear the door to the lab open- or register that someone was calling her name.

"Holmes—Holmes! Bloody hell—" Detective Inspector Lestrade narrowed his eyes as he reached her chair and spun her around," Anna!" The sudden movement caused a gut reaction of a surprised jump- her heartrate accelerating, having not expected his presence.

"Could you not do that?" Anna asked him, placing a hand over her heart, willing it to calm down. After the events of the previous day—paired with her emotional wreck the past week—the last thing she needed, or wanted, was more unexpected events like that.

"Well, if you'd answer me- I wouldn't have to," he quipped back, crossing his arms in front of him," What are you doing here?"

She knew what he meant, but instead played it off with a shrug," Working. What's it look like?" Anna turned the chair back around and started typing into a new database that hopefully would get her the answer she needed—the case depended on her finding the answers.

"No, no- not this time," Lestrade frowned, turning her chair back around," Don't think I haven't heard about what happened."

"It's nothing, Lestrade. Now, if you don't mind- I really need to—"

"Go home, Anna. You need time to process."

"No- I really don't," she argued," Look- I'm fine, really! All I need to do is focus on this case, if you wouldn't mind? The fingerprints and DNA—"

"Can be figured out by another tech."

"I've almost got it- Lestrade. I don't need to pass it on to another tech."

"Anna!" His voice was sterner than she was normally used to; he spun the chair around once more and kept a forceful grip on the armrests- boxing her in. The lab was quiet for a few moments, just the machines whirring in the background, as they stared at one another- until Lestrade broke the silence.

"You need to go home. Take some time off—"

"I'm fi—"

"Bloody Hell- Anna! You are not fine! The past week you've been out of it—we've all seen it! Every year it's like this! Top that on being held hostage and nearly killed?"

"I said I'm fine!" Anna exclaimed, standing up and causing Lestrade to back up a step. She could see it in his eyes though, he was becoming irritated—but she was annoyed too.

"What is it with you Holmes?!" Lestrade exclaimed," You are not the only ones capable of doing your jobs!"

"No- we're just the best at it! There's a missing connection and—"

"One of the other techs will find it!" he interrupted," You might not care—but I do! For God's sake, Anna—learn to put yourself first once in a while!"

"He… cares?" the thought gave her pause for a moment, before she shook her head to clear it," It's—It's not that easy!"

"Well I'm about to make it that easy—" Lestrade frowned," Take three days off, starting now. Don't come back until Friday—and no working off the clock with Sherlock."

"You can't be serious!"

"That's an order, Anna." He glared at her, crossing his arms in front of him once again," Now- your Identification card—you can get it back on Friday." Lestrade held out a waiting hand, and to keep from digging herself a grave, Anna bit her tongue and nearly slapped the ID card into his palm before brushing past him and stalking out the room.

"Anna—Anna!" He called out, exasperated- but she didn't stop to acknowledge him.

An hour later, John walked into 221B and began to smile as he saw Anna at the bookcase behind Sherlock- but when the older Holmes gave him a small shake of the head, John's smile faltered. Wordlessly, John walked over to his chair and sat down with the paper, watching Anna as she picked book after book out of the in-wall shelving unit and moved them around. His brow creased in curiosity as he watched her, his eyes dropping to Sherlock in silent question- but the man across from him stayed completely silent. Opening his mouth to question what was happening, the Army Doctor's eyes went wide in surprise as a very loud, strangled scream came from Anna—as the book that had been in her hands went flying across the room, smacking into the opposite wall with a loud thud before falling to the floor. John watched in shock as the normally calm Holmes glared at everything around her; her hands balled into fists beside her.

"Who the bloody hell does he think he is?!" she exclaimed as she began pacing the flat.

"Uh…-" John began, only to see Sherlock shake his head once more in warning, causing John to keep quiet.

"I'm doing JUST FINE! Then he goes and SIDELINES ME?! The NERVE of that GIT!" Anna yelled, as Mrs. Hudson hesitantly appeared in the doorway, holding a teacup and saucer in her hands.

"Anna… dear- why don't you have a cuppa?" Mrs. Hudson gently suggested, holding the cup towards the youngest Holmes, her hands shaking slightly.

"I don't. Need. A Cuppa." Anna glared.

"Please, dear… It-it'll help."

John watched with bated breath as Anna continued to glare down the elder landlady, before she gave a huff of annoyance and—as gently as she could in her irate state—took the cup of tea from her.

"Thank you," Anna bit out with a frown, flopping down unceremoniously onto the couch—and after taking a look at the tea, downed it all in one large gulp. Getting up, she walked over to Mrs. Hudson and pushed the now empty cup into her hands- before she continued her angry pacing. John noticed Sherlock slowly stand up from his chair, his eyes on his younger sister- as if waiting for something.

"It's like he doesn't even—even… ev…." Anna trailed off, her steps going unsteady, before she began to fall towards the floor. Sherlock caught her before she did, however, and carried her over to the couch- carefully laying her down. John watched quietly, as the eldest Holmes brother came into the room, tossing something at sherlock- who caught it and unfolded the material. Draping the blanket over their younger sisters' body, Sherlock quietly walked away from her sleeping form and re-took his vacated seat.

"What just happened?" John asked softly.

"I had Mrs. Hudson add a much stronger soother to the tea that she offered to Annalise," Mycroft explained, standing nearby.

"Why was she…?"

"Being a menace?"

"Well, I s'pose that's one way to put it, yeah," John nodded.

"Blame that on Graham."

"Sorry?"

"Detective Inspector Lestrade," Mycroft informed John with a sigh," He… ordered… her to take a set amount of days off- including not working along side Sherlock and yourself. Even took her work Identification card from her, which she can retrieve when she returns on Friday."

"Why was she so worked up though?"

"Our sister is very… headstrong. Believing- as she should- that she's the best for her job and the other techs are lacking in capability."

"Wonder where she gets that from," John muttered under his breath, earning glares from both brothers.

"Poor girl," Mrs Hudson frowned, a sad expression on her face as she watched Anna's sleeping form," Past week just hasn't been the kindest on her at all. Oh- I know. I'll get to preparing supper—her favorite! That should help cheer her up!"

With that, Mrs. Hudson disappeared down the steps, leaving the three of them with Anna's unconscious form.

"So she… always…get's like that?"

"Heaven's no," Mycroft frowned.

"Just when she feels the entire world is against her, the voices are out to get her, the shadows won't leave her be and she's mentally, emotionally and physically drained," Sherlock explains.

"Come again? Shadows—voices?"

"Ever since she was a little girl, Annalise has had night terrors that keep her from getting adequate sleep. One of the reasons a lot of foster families inevitably turned her away." That was one thing John could understand- as he still had nightmares about his days in the War.

"We've taken to calling the night terrors the 'shadows' – the voices are ones that she hears only very rarely. Static on the radio or the telly- voices that aren't actually there- but a part of her hears them. Luckily, she's smart enough to discern that they aren't really there and for the most part can completely ignore them," Sherlock continued.

"Unfortunately, once a year- everything seems to hit a high, all taking it's toll on her during the first week of July."

"The week she was put up for adoption?" John inquired, remembering they had very briefly discussed it yesterday—before being kidnapped.

"Plus the day she was born," Sherlock added.

"W-what?" John asked, eyes wide," She never mentioned it was her birthday!"

"Never does. It's a sore subject for Annalise, if you might be able to imagine," Mycroft explained," First of July, 1986. She was born at 19 minutes past 7. Exactly four minutes later, the paperwork was signed, giving up custody to the state effective immediately."

Letting this news sink in, John leaned back in his chair- not able to find the words to describe his surprise.

"Does she know—about her birth family, I mean?"

"No one does."

"Except you."

"Not even I, brother mine," Mycroft shook his head," Her file has been sealed- very effectively, might I add. I doubt even I would have the clearance to unseal it." Sherlock gave a small 'tch' in response, obviously not believing his older brother, but kept his comments to himself.

"Regardless, she should be much calmer when she awakes. Do try not to bring up anything that transpired, however, Doctor Watson."

"Got it," John nodded, as Mycroft gave one last glance at Anna's sleeping form before leaving 221B. A few moments passed in silence, before John had one more question for Sherlock.

"So that's why she's been so out of it this past week? The tiredness and general lack of enthusiasm?"

"Precisely why," Sherlock nodded in agreement," Every year, for this one week… her sleep lacks, due to the shadows; she feels abandon by her birth family and can not find out why- since the record is so 'sealed'. It wouldn't have been so bad…"

"If last night hadn't happened," John guessed, to which the Holmes brother nodded once more, his attention on his sister- before he jumped up and grabbed his coat.

"Where are you headed off to?"

"Bored," Sherlock explained," And can't very well receive a case from Geoff with Anna around- means I have to go to him. Coming with?"

"Hmm? No, no. You go ahead. I'll stick back… case she wakes up…"

"Suit yourself." With that, Sherlock disappeared down the steps, leaving John with a sleeping Anna. The army doctor gave her form a sad glance, finally being able to put all the puzzle pieces together. There was so much more behind that smiling face than he realized- but it made him appreciate her all the more.

"I'll always be there for you, Anna- if you need me," John whispered, before unfolding the newspaper, slowly reading through it as younger woman slept on the other side of the room.