John slumped down in his chair, his arms crossed and his eyes closed. Sherlock had been an age getting ready and the late nights with the baby were running him ragged. He danced around the edge of sleep, feeling the warm pull of a mid morning nap. It seemed a million miles away that he heard the click-clack of heels on the tile. 'Mrs. Hudson' his brain whispered to him.
Serene had been let in by an older woman downstairs. She had silly pink dish gloves on and there was some soapsuds stuck in her hair where she had brushed something off her face. She had smiled and nodded when the landlady had asked if she was there for a case and said the boys were expecting her so there was no need to announce anything. It seemed Sherlock didn't agree with his brother on the level of security required.
She had found the apartment door unlocked and had let herself in. She wondered at the audacity of this move, she had assumed Sherlock would be expecting her, but as she walked down the hallway of a completely silent apartment she realized she had never actually told him anything. There was something about him that made her act without speaking, as if everything was a shared understanding between them.
Serene walked into the front room of the apartment, and the effect was dizzying. She hated the way her brain began to pull apart the room, all the way down to counting the rings left by mugs on the furniture. Tiny marks and scuffs told you everything you needed to know about the habits of the people who lived there. She always tried to scrub herself away in Graham's apartment, to not develop routines that wore away at the crispness of the flat. She always felt that honour should belong to Graham. Sherlock however had carved his name across the flat.
She saw John sleeping in his chair. Or it had been his chair when he lived there. Sherlock had dragged it about, but had dragged it back again; John must have started coming around again. Everything else in the flat seemed stagnant, never moved or cleaned.
Except.
There was soot on the tile in front of the fireplace; a fireplace that wasn't in use. Serene smiles as she walks to the mantel, she reaches into the firebox and feels along the small ledge inside, ancient soot floats down to the tile. She felt what she was looking for, crinkling cellophane and cardboard. She pulled out the hidden cigarette packet.
Serene tries to not make it a habit she hadn't been able to feed her sex drive, but she could have this. She walks to the window and opens it. Leaning out like a teenager, she pulls a cigarette from the half empty pack; inside is a small flint Clipper. She lights up and can taste the bitter tang of fuel and soot.
Somewhere in the back of his brain John can smell cigarettes. He tries to rouse himself to tell Sherlock off and take the packet from him. His eyes blink open, everything is blurry and he squints against the sun.
"Sherlock-' his eyes come into focus and he can't see Sherlock, instead he sees Serene's outline in the window. 'Oh hello. Mrs. Hudson doesn't really like us to smoke."
"I heard it devalues the wallpaper." Serene smiles as she flicks the ash out the window.
"Yes something like that... Can I.. can I get you anything? Tea?" John feels awkward about the beautiful woman catching him asleep, and her nonchalant smoking in an apartment that is no longer his own. He speaks rapidly trying to subvert his awkward position.
Serene opens her mouth to answer, but stops, her eyes flicking to the doorway. John turns to look and sees Sherlock standing in the doorway, immaculate in his black suit.
"Don't steal my lighter." His tone is wry she's pleased him. John can barely process this anomaly before Sherlock's words catch up with him.
"Wait, those are yours? Where-?" John looks exasperated, as he watches Sherlock cross the room to Serene.
He takes a hold of her hand, turning it in the light.
"The fireplace pack-' Sherlock nods appreciatively. 'Now you are just showing off."
He holds her hand a second longer than he would anyone else and John wonders what is between them. Sherlock takes the cigarette from between her fingers and throws it out the window.
"Wait, is there more than one pack in here?" John asks frustrated.
"Six"
"Seven" Sherlock corrects.
"Six" Serene smiles and throws the pack out the window.
Sherlock doesn't even turn his head. His eyes are locked on Serene.
"My lighter?"
Serene holds up her other hand, the yellow lighter tucked in her palm.
John runs a palm over his stubble; apparently this is how Sherlock flirts, throwing things out windows. He is not surprised, really. "Am I the only one having tea?"
"You've been making tea for over an hour."
"I've had enough tea, merci. Your brother says 'Hello' by the way." Serene leaves the window and crosses to chair.
"Mycroft. What did he say? Tell me everything." Sherlock springs to life, he kneels in front of Serene.
"Mycroft came to see her? Why would he do that? What is going on?" Sherlock's eyes move from Serene to John and back again. The look in his eyes urges Serene to ignore John's questioning. Serene instead breaks their intense eye contact and turns to John.
"He just wanted to remind me who's baby brother I was kissing on a balcony.' she looks back at Sherlock her mouth quirked in a teasing smile 'Apparently your girlfriends are often a threat to the nation."
"That's not necessarily untrue." John interjects. "Right then, I am going home."
Sherlock's head snaps to look at him.
"Oh don't give me that look. I am not following you two around all day with your half sentences and goo-goo eyes."
Serene laughs at him loudly, and Sherlock stands up adjusting himself irritated.
"I don't know what you are talking about."
Sherlock has stalked to the window to pull it shut. The set of his shoulders tells John he has hit a nerve, but John won't be swayed into staying.
"Lovely to see you again, Dr. Watson." Serene extends her hand to him and John shakes it. There is warmth to Serene that John appreciates, he doesn't worry about leaving them together.
"Remember there are cameras everywhere, Doctor" John jokes with his quick grin. Serene smiles back.
"I shall endeavor to behave myself."
Sherlock makes a disgruntled noise behind them.
"Just leave if you are going. I am sure I can take care of whatever Doctor Laurent requires."
"I am sure... you... can" John ducks out as Sherlock flings a disgusted look at him. He laughs to himself as he takes the stairs two at a time.
"Leaving already John?" He hears Mrs. Hudson call from her kitchen; he stops to bid her farewell.
"Yes, Sherlock can handle this one on his own."
"That's a bit unusual, isn't it? She was very pretty." Mrs. Hudson's words come out in a quick stream her thoughts running into each other.
John gives into temptation to create a little trouble. He fishes his phone out of his pocket and steps closer to Mrs. Hudson.
"I believe Sherlock would agree with you." He turns the photo he took earlier to show Mrs. Hudson Sherlock kissing Serene. She makes a surprised pleased sound her hands flying up to cover her mouth.
She takes the phone and turns it so she can see the picture better. She whispers conspiringly "That's quite bold isn't it, right out in the open like that."
"Who knows what I am leaving you to witness Mrs. Hudson." John grins at her and her eyes lift up to the flat upstairs.
"About time if you ask me." Mrs. Hudson kisses him on the cheek. "Say hello to Mary and the baby, tell her to bring herself around sometime. Give an old woman some joy."
"Will do. Have a good day." and with that John exited Baker Street.