I would like to make a quick shout out to Anon: if you're reading this, your review really made me smile. So now I'm worried that this chapter and the more that will follow, will not be good enough. Thank you for taking the time to read this story.

I don't own. Only Emily.

Apologies for any spelling/punctuation mistakes I have probably made.

"What do you mean you didn't bring any lunch?" Mike asked patiently from his seat on the park bench. The two companions had taken a slow walk away from St Bart's, talking about anything and everything and had come to a stop conveniently where there happened to be a rather uncomfortable looking seat, set in a rather empty park.

"You know me Mike. I get up, get cleaned, get dressed, and leave. I scavenge food on the way if I can." She answered with a dismissing wave of her hand as if she had told this story a thousand times. Since she had started work at St Bart's, this routine had been the norm for Emily. Actually, if she thought about it, it had been the norm when she had still been going to school.

Ever since her half brother had left home to do whatever it was he had left home to do, their Mother had become somewhat of a wreck. She had taken to drinking first thing in the morning, would pass out at some point in the afternoon, and then when she had recovered, would empty another few bottles of whatever she could find. There had been many mornings when Emily had descended the stairs to find her Mother in some unusual position on the floor where she had fallen from dancing around the room. But even worse, there were nights when she could hear every sigh, and moan her Mother and whatever man, sometimes even woman, were making as they, well, did their drunken business. Emily shuddered just thinking about those nights.

"Here." Mike began to rummage through his bag that was constantly at his side. "If you don't look after yourself, someone has to." He turned back to face her with a couple of sandwiches neatly wrapped in cling film in his hand.

"Mike, I can't." Emily refused straight away, shaking her head adamantly.

"Emily." Mike sighed taking her hand, he held it so her palm was facing up. "Just eat." He slapped the food into her hand.

"I'm not hungry." She attempted to insist. But her stomach had other ideas. With a loud rumble, it bought her lie abruptly to an end. She was actually surprised that the people walking across the paths didn't hear it, and it was in vain that she hoped Mike hadn't heard it. But judging by the slight smirk on his face, he had indeed heard.

"Just eat." He pulled out the newspaper from his bag and flipped it over to the front page, folding it in half so it was easier to hold. The silence between the pair wasn't awkward. Rather the opposite. They were both comfortable with each other's presence. Emily was grateful for company that wasn't slurring their words, or letting their eyes roam.

She stared off into the distance as she took her first bite of the sandwich. She hadn't realised just how hungry she was until she started to chew it. Her thoughts turned to her half brother as she continued with her meal. Neither she or her Mother had heard from him in a while. They used to receive letters every week, letting them know he was alright and that he missed them dearly. But it had never gone into detail about where he was, or what he was doing. On those days that the letters arrived, her Mother would stay sober for a few hours. Or at least long enough to read the letter.

It had been so long since she had seen him, that she often wondered if she would recognise him if she were to pass him in the street. Perhaps she already had.

A noise that was getting closer made it through her subconsciousness. A tap against the pavement. Tap, pause, tap, pause. Her mind still elsewhere, she looked at the cause of the noise. A man, who looked to be more than a few years older than her, his face set in seriousness, was rushing past them.

"John." Mike's voice beside her snapped her from her daze. "Wait here." Mike told her as she took another bite of the half eaten sandwich. He had a hold of the handle of his bag, his newspaper held tightly in his other hand as he called out to the man again. "John Watson." By this point he had vacated his seat in favour of walking the slight distance to the other man.

The other man turned, the look on his face told Emily he really was not in the mood to be stopped but paused in his expedition none the less.

"Stamford. Mike Stamford." The bespectacled man said as he indicated himself. "We were at Bart's together." The other man looked down at the ground before he switched his crutch to his other hand.

"Yes, sorry, yes Mike." He took Mike's offered hand. "Hello, hi." Emily got the impression he would rather be anywhere else judging by the unimpressed tone of his voice.

"Yeah, I know, I got fat." Emily now understood why the stranger had not recognised Mike. She quickly swallowed her mouthful of food in order to speak.

"Is that why you gave me your sandwich?" She called over to him. They both looked back towards her.

Wow. John thought to himself. The girl on the bench sent him a polite smile. He nodded his head back towards her, letting her know he wasn't ignoring her friendliness. Her blonde hair shimmered in the light from the winter sun that was peaking out slightly from between the clouds. She was a beauty. He only stopped looking at her when Mike spoke again.

"I heard you were abroad somewhere getting shot at. What happened?" He ignored Emily's question in favour of turning back to John.

"I got shot." The man deadpanned. Even from her seat on the bench, Emily could feel the embarrassment emanating off the two men.

"Do you want to catch up?" Mike asked politely, gesturing behind him to the bench.

John looked around, contemplating the mans offer. What was the harm in just catching up with an old friend? "Coffee?"

"I thought you'd never ask." The girl from the bench spoke from beside the two men, neither of which had heard her approach them, even in her heels.

After devouring the sandwiches, Emily had become rather thirsty, rather quickly.

"John Watson, this is Emily Cooper. Emily Cooper this is John Watson." Mike introduced the pair. She smiled angelically at John as he offered her his hand, she accepted it as she spoke.

"Know any good coffee shops then?" She asked directing the question at whoever was listening, flicking her gaze between the two men as she tucked her hands into her coat pocket to make sure she had some spare change.

The trio had taken a seat back on the bench and were quietly taking their time to sip their drinks. She briefly glanced at the watch she only ever used for work.

"Do you have to leave soon?" Mike asked her from his spot on the other side of John.

"No, I have plenty of time. Let's face it though, I'm only missing Mr Roid looking at my chest and the longer I'm away from that man, the better." She replied not bothering to look in Mike's direction.

"Is he really that bad Em?" Mike asked patiently.

"You have no idea." Emily mumbled back to just loud enough for him to hear before she took another sip of her coffee.

The three were once again silent as they continued their drinks. Another silence had descended, but this time it felt awkward.

More from a lack of things to do rather than discomfort, Emily slipped her heels off, wiggling her toes around in the hope that she could warm them up a little.

From the corner of her eye, she watched as Mike kept looking at John. She knew that he had many questions to ask of the man, but none of them passed his lips. Instead it was John who started a conversation.

"Are you still at Bart's then?" He asked politely in an attempt to break the awkward tension that had developed into a tension so thick, it could have been cut with a knife.

"Teaching now. Bright young things, like we used to be. God I hate them." A smile broke out on Emily's face. She was used to the way Mike talked about his students. Which was rather a lot.

"Is that how you two know each other?" John asked taking it in turn to look at the two he was sat between.

"Sadly no." Emily answered straight away. "I couldn't afford to be a student. Went straight from school to work. I'm the Filing Clerk. But Mike was the only person kind enough to talk to me on my first day. Apart from Mr Roid of course." She added as an after thought.

"What about you? Just staying in town 'til you get sorted?" Mike asked.

"Can't afford London on and Army pension."

"Ah, and you couldn't bear to be anywhere else. That's not the John Watson I know."

"Yeah, I'm not the John Watson..." Emily had been watching the clouds as she traced the letters on her coffee cup with her thumb. Grey, looked like it was going to fall any minute. Great, numb and wet legs, she thought to herself.

"Couldn't Harry help?"

"Yeah, like that's gonna happen." John replied sarcastically.

"I dunno, get a flat share or something?" Mike shrugged trying to think of ways to help.

"Come on- who'd want me for a flat mate?"

"I know the feeling." Emily mumbled beside him. John turned to look at her now.

"You looking for somewhere too?" He asked bringing her into the conversation. She nodded thoughtfully.

"Every ad I've seen, is either too creepy sounding, too expensive or just doesn't appeal to me you know?" From the other side of the bench, Mike chuckled. She leaned forward now to look at him, as John too, turned back to face him.

"What?" They both asked at the same time. Emily looked completely confused now, but John looked like he was annoyed at the fact that he was being laughed at for his predicament.

"Well, you're the second person to say that to me today. You're the third." He looked over at Emily now, who was brushing stray hairs away from her face and tucking them behind her ear. The pair beside him looked at each other again, now sharing a look of utter confusion and curiosity. It was John that asked for them.

"Who was the first?"

Mike smiled as he stood. "Come with me." With that, he started to head back in the general direction of St Bart's. Emily quickly slipped her heels back on and stood, waiting for John.

"Slow down Mike." She shouted to him. The man stopped at a bin, placed his empty coffee cup into it and patiently waited for his friends. He smiled to himself as John and Emily began to walk towards him. His idea was brilliant, he wandered why he hadn't thought of it sooner.

"Was he like this when you were at Bart's together?" She asked the man beside her. There was no way she was going to walk as quickly as Mike had. At least not in her heels. So she settled for going at a slow pace with John.

"Well. He wasn't fat." Tap, pause, tap, pause. "But apart from that, he's pretty much the same."

Emily chuckled. She liked this man. Even if she had know him for what felt like only five minutes. There was something about him, something that reminded her of her brother. A kindness. It had shone through when he had stayed to catch up with Mike. Although he hadn't really wanted to stay, he had, simply because Mike was an old friend.

There were many times when her bother could not stand the sight of her. But as a girl, she had always wanted to play with him, and Jim of course. And being the decent older brother that he was, he let her. Or maybe he just felt sorry for her that she had no one else to play with. Either way, his kindness had always beaten his annoyance with her.

Emily, caught up in thoughts of her brother, stumbled. If it wasn't for the hand that John used to catch her arm, she would surely have fallen. She took a deep breath as she regained her breath and listened to Mike titter.

"Thank you." She told him earnestly, looking up into his worried face.

"Your welcome." He replied not letting go off her arm just in case. "You alright?"

"Yeah. Bloody heels." She murmured the last part to herself as they started off again.

John hadn't laughed at her stumbling, but at sound of her cursing, he couldn't help it. She certainly wasn't your average girl. She laughed along with him as he offered her his arm. She gratefully took it as they carried on their way.

"Mike where are we going?" She asked her friend as they finally caught up to him.

"St Bart's of course." He replied mysteriously.

"Eugh. Of course." She uttered.

BELIEVE IN SHERLOCK

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