A/N: Short but sweet , as always I would appreciate all reviews and concrit.

Chapter 3: Nicotine

After another week the apartment was in good shape. There were still some of Sherlock's experiments around but Cecilia didn't mind them. She had even taken an active interest in some of them, reprising her role as research assistant. There were still no cases for Sherlock to investigate and as his boredom escalated so too did his unpredictable behavior. One moment he was sullen and withdrawn, the next he was ranting and storming around the apartment.

Sherlock was apparently in a rather tranquil mood as he was lying on the couch, eyes closed, hands pressed together under his chin, his cell phone held between them. Cecilia was enjoying the quiet of the afternoon as she sipped coffee at Sherlock and John's kitchen table, mindlessly sliding her finger along a deep scratch in the wood. She was going through a stack of mail, sorting out junk mail from overdue bills.

-ding- her phone announced a text message

: Coffee- two sugars

: SH

Cecilia looked at her phone for a second in disbelief. "Really, Sherlock?" She intoned loudly without turning around. " I'm right here… And you didn't even ask nicely." She added rolling her eyes as picked up another piece of mail.

-ding-

: Please.

: SH

She suppressed a smile, as she got up and filled a mug with coffee and added the sugar.

"Are you not speaking today?" she spoke loudly so her voice would carry over the tinking of the spoon against the mug . "I'm not complaining, but my phone is almost dead so I won't be able to do this all day." The threw the spoon down and it clattered in the sink. She walked towards Sherlock with the steaming cup. He didn't move as she stood in front of him. She cleared her throat. He didn't respond.

"Sherlock."

No response, except a barely perceptible twinge at the corner of his mouth.

"I saw that. And you are insufferable" she scoffed, and put his coffee on the floor beside him. She returned to the mail, pulling her chair around so that her back faced the living room. She finished sorting the mail and was just through putting the junk mail into the recycling when she heard her phone ding from the table.

-ding-

: Nicotine patch….please

: SH

" Sherlock Holmes using emoticons?" she made a note to show this to John later; sure he would get a laugh from it. She got the patches from the cupboard and walked over to Sherlock. He was still lying on the couch in the exact same position but the coffee mug was now empty. As she approached he did not open his eyes or make any other acknowledgement of her presence. When she stood in front of him he extended his arm to her, his other hand still held his phone under his chin.

"Sherlock, you're taking this too far." She was a little annoyed that she was being asked to do something Sherlock was more than capable of doing himself.

"hmmm" He flicked his outstretched arm, indicating for her to carry on.

She signed. She had done similar tasks for her research supervisor when she was engrossed in her experiments. Resigned, she knelt down beside the couch. She undid the button holding the cuff of his shirt closed and pushed his sleeve up his arm. She did this more roughly than was strictly necessary, but she was irritated. Noticing the forceful movements Sherlock cracked his eyes open and raised his eyebrow curiously. Cecilia made eye contact with him, trying to convey her displeasure but his ethereal eyes only laughed back at her. She pinched the nicotine patch that was already attached to his arm and pulled it off vehemently; taking pleasure in any discomfort this might cause him and, if she was honest with herself, also enjoying just being able to touch his alabaster skin. The sound of the patch tearing off his arm was loud in the silent apartment and Sherlock flinched ever so slightly, but still smirked up at her.

"Sadist." He said, in mocking tones.

" I do believe you are entering pot and kettle territory, Sherlock." She raised an eyebrow, and smirked back. She picked at the darkened residue left by the adhesive of the patch. He laid quietly staring at his arm, his eyes traveling from her fingers to her mouth; she was biting her lower lip in concentration. He realized that her attention eased his boredom and he let her carry on her ministrations, enjoying her touch. His mind drifted back to the case he had been mulling over. He noticed that his skin was reddening where she pinched and rubbed off the sticky adhesive.

" THAT'S IT!" he suddenly bolted upright. His eyes glowing orbs. He clutched Cecilia's hand, pining it to his arm. She felt gooseflesh rise on her body.

" What?"

" The marks on the corpse! He had been wearing patches, and must have died after taking an old one off and putting a new one on. He had these exact marks on him." He was staring through her. Obviously a huge part of some case had just fallen into place. " I have to change my files."

" What are you talking about, Sherlock. There is no case."

" It was three years ago, a man died in a sauna and if he was using nicotine patches it could have contributed to a natural cause, instead of staff negligence. I have to speak to Lestrade. He was striding toward the door in an instant. Cecilia, momentarily forgotten, was left kneeling by the sofa, her hand tingling from his touch. Sherlock swept out dialing his phone, the door slammed behind him. Cecilia sat for a moment, trying to understand what had just happened. She had definitely taken too much time, enjoying touching him far too much; but he hadn't stopped her, he had even held her hand. Her heart was beating very fast as she stared at the now empty couch. Her musings were interrupted when Sherlock popped his head back into the door.

"You coming then?"

She thought she had missed something. " Where?"

"To the station, I have to talk to Lestrade, and I would prefer to have someone to talk to in the cab and I've been banned from taking my skull."

" I'll be right down." She pulled herself together quickly, grabbed her purse and was nearly out the door when she grabbed a few of the nicotine patches and threw them in her bag. She raced down the stairs feeling giddy and out the door. Sherlock was hailing a taxi and it pulled to the curb just as she caught up. Sherlock opened the cab door and slid across the seat. Cecilia got in and they were off.

After telling the cabby where they were headed he sat back and looked at his arm. His sleeve was still pushed up.

"Damn." He swore softly to himself as he started to roll it back down.

Cecilia put out her hand, stopping him before he buttoned it. He looked up at her questioningly. She took a nicotine patch out of her purse and stuck it to his forearm.

"I'll have to bring you along more often, you're already more valuable than John." He joked and smiled warmly. He re-buttoned the cuff.

Cecilia couldn't contain her own smile.

"So tell me about this case…"