Dinner Date

It has been a month since the accident with John; Sherlock went to the hospital every day and sometimes actually stayed there for a couple days. John's allowed to come home today, Sherlock's a little bit excited, but what he doesn't realise John's actually going to stay at Marys for the night because they haven't seen much of each other. When Sherlock heard the news he wasn't angry, he just stood up and started playing a sad song on his violin.

"Let's go out for dinner" Irene said out of the blue with a smile on her face, not one of her flirtatious smiles, just a simple happy smile.

"Ok" Sherlock said in his cold voice and put down his violin. She was surprised that he actually said yes, she hadn't asked to go out for dinner since the kiss they shared out the back of the hospital. She got up slowly following him to the door and down the stairs. He hailed a cab and they went to an Italian restaurant that they couldn't pronounce the name to. Through the whole car ride and when they got to the table they were silent, not sure what they could say to each other. The menus came and as they were looking over Irene spoke.

"So what made you change your mind?" she said looking at him with one eyebrow up. He just continued to stare at the menu.

"Well you haven't asked in a while so I thought it was time we went out just the two of us." He said still not looking up

"But Mr Holmes, we've never spent any time alone like this" she said looking around the restaurant

"Well it's about time we did, so we get to know each other" he said as he looked up from his menu with a small smirk on his face.

"Oh so that's your game Mr Holmes, try and con some information out of me so you can deduce me better?" She said returning the smirk as they ordered their dinner and talked a little. To anyone who had no idea who they were it sounded weird but to them it was normal. Talking about how they deduced cases and different types of murder.

"So Mr Holmes why am I not allowed to tell everyone what you told me?" Irene said after the finished talking about a case. This question had been in her head all day and it wouldn't go away.

"If people knew I was intimate at one stage in my life a believe they would stop looking at me like I am now and they would start to think that I actually feel something." He said, saying feel like it was the worst word in the English language.

"Did you feel anything for that woman?" She said trying to hide her interest in his feelings. It didn't work; Sherlock heard the interest and smiled at her.

"A little jealous are we Miss Adler?" She shut up after that and they just sat in silence eating desert.

After they were done, they paid the bill, courtesy of Sherlock, and got a cab. They made it back to the flat, as they were standing out the door to the apartment Sherlock turned to Irene and smiled.

"Oh, by the way" he said leaning closer "Happy Birthday Irene" and with that he closed the space between their lips just lightly kissing her. As he pulled away Irene let out a little sigh.

"Thank you, Sherlock" she was still wondering whether she should call him Sherlock or Mr Holmes, she thought cause he had called her Irene she could call him Sherlock. He opened the door to the apartment and all of a sudden everyone jumped out and yelled surprise. She looked around with a shocked expression and just smiled. She saw John, Mary, Lestrade and Mrs Hudson, as well as a few other people she didn't know that well. She looked at Sherlock who was just standing there smirking at her.

The party went on and she didn't have many drinks but everyone else had had quite a few. She just talked to people and after a while strolled over to Sherlock who was just sitting there with a bored expression on his face, looking as cold as ever. She sat down beside him and just looked around the room.

"How long did you know?" He asked his voice as cold and dull as ever

"Whatever do you mean" she said acting surprised and putting her hand to her mouth

"You would have figured it out, you are as smart as me" he said looking at her

"Was that meant to be a compliment Sherlock?" she said looking into his eyes smirking

"Well it is your birthday so I think you deserve at least a compliment" He said plainly and coldly, their eyes never breaking each other's. They sat there for a minute just looking at each other, trying to deduce one another. Then Anderson walked over.

"Happy Birthday Rebecca, it is ok I call you Rebecca right?" He said holding his cup close to his chest. She looked up at him annoyed but made it look like she was happy.

"I'd rather you call me Miss Grayson honestly" she said with amusement in her tone "I don't know you well enough for a first name bases yet Mr…"

"I'd rather just be called Anderson" He said rubbing the back of his neck in awkwardness "I rather not state what my last name is"

"I see, but if you don't mind I know your type and I'd rather not talk to you"

"How could you possibly know my type you know nothing about me!" he said in an irritated tone

"Well I know that your cheating on you wife with Sargent Donovan and you're here because you got pulled along when Lestrade asked you" She stated and looked over to Sherlock who had an amused smile on his face.

"Don't tell me he told you" Anderson said pointing towards Sherlock

"No actually" she started sounding a bit like Sherlock, but still in her American accent, "Your cologne and the state of Sgt Donovan's knees told me you were sleeping with her, your finger has and indentation of wear a wedding ring has been recently and your pure look of boredom told me you got dragged along" He stared at her in disbelief, trying to work out everything she just said. She started laughing in amusement as that look, that Sherlock had taken a picture of, came in person. You could see Sherlock trying not to laugh at the look to, he let out a low laugh before he put his cold, normal, look on again. He remembered back to when he said the same thing to Anderson about 2 years ago about the affair.

"No wonder you want to talk to Sherlock you're exactly like him" he said shaking his head and walking away. Irene looked over at Sherlock again and him at her. He had only just realised how similar they really were, the way they thought, the way they manipulated people by flirting, how similar were they really? After that the night dragged on boring as usual, Sherlock went to bed early of course, not to sleep, but to get away from the noise. After a while he thought he had heard he's door open but he kept his eyes closed to act like he was asleep, he felt something move into bed with him. He felt her hair run against his nose as she slid into bed and laid down, he felt oddly comfortable knowing she was there and safe and that scared him. He actually went to sleep after a couple minutes of lying there staring at the back of her head.