I'm really really sorry for the gap this time but life got in the way and I had to postpone this chapter. But, on the other hand, I'm so so happy with the reviews! Guys, thank you so much! All other notes at the end, so here we go: Enjoy!
Chapter 5:
The next evening, Hermione arrived with Theo, along with about fifty cardboard boxes.
"John! Could you please open the door for me?" Hermione's voice shouted from downstairs, as the front door was thrown open with a smash. It was becoming quite the ritual.
"Alright!" John shouted back and quickly opened the door, just as two figures covered with boxes entered inside. A head of black hair was visible from behind one but Hermione's head was hidden completely from view.
"That's a lot of paperwork." He commented, as they put down the boxes on the floor. Theo cast a look around, searching for Sherlock, John assumed, and heaved a small sigh on noting his absence.
"This is just the home part, Lavender's going to bring in the office work for today." Hermione replied, already out of the door, Theo following closely.
John was thankful that Sherlock was out visiting Molly, he should have been suspicious but the detective had assured him that he needed to replace the frog's eyes that Theo had mutilated. How he had done that, John didn't know, since he hadn't dared to touch them since yesterday, or the kettle, for that matter.
It took them about an hour to shift all the boxes from Theo's car to the flat, and then to Hermione's room which proved Sherlock's theory that Hermione genrally worked form home. John was completely thrown by the size of the boot of the car; there was no way that all those boxes would have fit inside it. He didn't get a look at the insides of the black car, so he wasn't sure about that option too.
After the shifting was done though, Hermione disappeared into her room, sorting it all, probably, and Theo, after discovering that the frog's eyes were done with, went down to Mrs. Hudson, dragging John along, convinced that Hermione needed some time alone in the flat.
Mrs. Hudson was as welcoming as ever and agreed to make some complex dessert (the name of which John couldn't remember) for Theo- the man had a bad case of puppy dog eyes.
"So, where were you posted during the war, Mr. Watson?" he asked, as Mrs. Hudson went to the kitchen.
"Afghanistan. And please call me John." John replied, glad to have a talk with someone who was as normal as he would find in his abnormal life.
"Alright, John. How was the War? Were you a soldier or a leader?"
"Actually, I was a doctor."
"An army doctor! Amazing. I did that work too for some time in my life."
"Oh, you did?" John asked, thoroughly surprised. Theo didn't look like a person who would have been involved in a war.
"Oh, don't look so shocked. I must not look like it, but I am quite a fighter." Theo said, chuckling slightly.
"The Second Iraq War? What station?"
"Oh no, not the Second Iraq War, it was a Civil War in our home state. You wouldn't know about it, it didn't hit the news since it was more like a Cold War which ended with a huge battle. I wasn't even affected much but we had casualties, many of them, in fact."
"Someone related to you?"
"Yeah, my Dad. He was in the centre of it. Not on the clean side either, mind you. But we survived, and that's what matters."
Just as John was about to ask if Hermione had anything to do with it too, there was a loud knock on the front door.
"John, could you please get that for me?" Mrs. Hudson said from the kitchen and John got up and shuffled over quietly to the door.
The woman on the other side looked like an office worker from her uniform: a white shirt tucked into a grey office skirt and a large black overcoat. She had slightly curly brown hair (nothing compared to Hermione) tied into a neat ponytail and was clutching a handbag, along with a large bag on her shoulder. What caught his attention though, was a large faded scar along the right side of her face: it was deep and ran down from the side of her eye to under her ear, disappearing to the back of her neck.
"Hello, how can I help you?" John asked, looking right into her eyes, trying not to stare at the scar.
"Um, is Hermione here?" she said in a very low tone, and looked around her, as if she was afraid someone would see her or something.
"Are you Lavender?" John replied, remembering Hermione mention her.
"Yes!" the woman exclaimed thankfully and quickly entered inside, closing the door as well.
"She's upstairs. Do you need help with the bag?" John asked, but woman- Lavender- shook her head and shot him a smile.
"It's fine. I'll manage, thanks." She said, and went up the stairs.
John retreated back to the kitchen where Theo had been humouring Mrs. Hudson, probably telling a story or something. His attention shifted to John as he entered though.
"Was that Lavender?" he asked and John nodded silently, taking his place on the counter.
"Good, now I don't have to worry about keeping the beast under control." Theo said, and offered John the dessert which Mrs. Hudson had made for them.
John laughed lightly as the evening passed and he went back to his flat, while Theo checked out the bakery with Mrs. Hudson. Sherlock came back soon enough, carrying a large case which he hid in his own room, and John filled him in on the arrival of the new woman, Lavender, and his conversation with Theo. Sherlock listened attentively and started fiddling with his laptop, probably thinking about the developments.
After about half an hour, Lavender emerged from Hermione's room and introduced herself to John and Sherlock, and asked John if he would like a break from cooking for one day. John happily agreed and Lavender went downstairs, just as Hermione emerged from her room.
Her hair looked charged and there were circles under her eyes that John hadn't noticed before.
"Good evening, John. Sherlock." She greeted and flopped down on the couch beside John, putting her legs on the table before her.
"Moving is a bloody menace for my brain." She groaned, clutching her forehead.
"That's because it can't store enough information required for the quick transportation of data so you have to write it down, so there's more papers to take care of." Sherlock said suddenly.
"No, it's because I choose to delete the information from my brain and write it down on paper so that it's easily accessible to others and they don't have to hound me about it all the time." Hermione replied evenly.
John went to his room and brought a painkiller, and handed it to Hermione, "This'll help with the pain." He said and she thankfully accepted it.
Lavender entered then, followed by Theo.
"I'm making dinner tonight!" he exclaimed happily and retreated to the kitchen, while Lavender sat on the sofa, busy with her mobile.
"Lav, make sure he doesn't put anything inedible in there. I don't want us all to end up dead because he decided to experiment with the food." Hermione said, her eyes closed.
"Aye Aye Captain." Lavender mock saluted and went into the kitchen too, and John felt some relief melt into him; at least he was sure he wouldn't die by food poisoning today.
Dinner was a quiet affair; the food was good and Theo was definitely an exceptional cook, John wasn't sure he had tasted such nice Italian even in a restaurant. Lavender and Hermione were working on a file which they had brought to the table (they were dining with Mrs. Hudson), and Sherlock was staring and eavesdropping unabashedly, while Mrs. Hudson seemed content to just enjoy the food, Theo was talking non-stop about what he liked in the medical field while simultaneously questioning John about various methods and prospects.
Theo and Lavender departed after that. Hermione was sitting in the living room with a file and Sherlock was in the kitchen doing something. John was a bit worried about the latter but his book was quite interesting.
Halfway through the next hour, Hermione suddenly cursed and grabbed her phone.
"Oh shit! How in Mer- How did I forget him?!" she exclaimed and John put aside his book for once.
"What is it?"
"I forgot Crookshanks!"
Note: This chapter has been edited/Beta-d as of 25/3/14.
Review answers:
sethiel: Thank you so much! I'm glad you like it and here is your update. :) As for Romance, I guess so but I'm totally undecided with the pairing so no offence! :)
Sarah: Totally agreed. And I'm glad you're enjoying it. :D Theo isn't one of the famous ones, but he was needed in the story. :D He has some special work in the plot in future. :)
Guest: (Thanks for reading, I know who you are :D ) I'm glad you enjoyed, Zissy. :D
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Thank you again for reading guys, I totally love to read your reviews! Do let me know how you liked this one. :D
PS: Before I totally forget, I'm having trouble in searching for a Beta for this story. Guys, if any of you know anyone who would be up for it or interested, please please please please let me know. Most preferably, PM me here, please. I'm in serious need of one and I'm not able to find it. Thanks so much in advance!
PSS: I have exams starting in a month so the updates might be a bit messy. That sucks, I know.