Chapter 2: Sherlock

They waves were all around me. There was no escape. They would swallow me, and that would be the end of it. I had no way of fighting back, I'd never been a good swimmer, and the fact that my parents died in a boat accident didn't help at all.

I felt someone shaking me awake. I opened my eyes to see someone staring down at me. It was dark, so I couldn't really see who it was.

"Another nightmare?" He asked (at least, I think it was a he).

I nodded. He picked me up, carried me into my room, and set me down in my bed. He tucked me in and and kissed my forehead. "Sleep tight" he whispered. I smiled sleepily. "Don't let the bedbugs bite."

BEEP BEEP BEEP

I sighed and shut off my alarm. I got ready for work as usual. I looked in the kitchen, delighted to find some tea bags waiting for me. That's odd I thought. Usually Mrs. Hudson doesn't go to the store until tomorrow. Not that I wasn't grateful to have my tea. I chose a dark purple dress from my closet and put it on. I put on my black converse, grabbed my coat, and went to Speedy's.

I walked out of my flat, bracing myself against the cool winter air. Sherlock approached me as I walked into Speedy's. I readied myself to start acting. (I suppose at this point I should explain something that's kind of important. Sherlock Holmes is my adopted younger brother (I'm the adopted one, not him). We actually get along rather well, but not in public. The thing is, we both have enemies, and it would be easy for them to use us against each other.) "So," he asked "how long have you been living at 221c?"

"I suppose you expect me to be dumbfounded now?"

He shrugged. "Slight confusion would work too."

I rolled my eyes "I don't even want to know how you found that out, but you're probably going to tell me anyway." It wasn't a secret, but I didn't exactly go around announcing my address.

"Three reasons" he said. "One, I saw you walking out yesterday, and then again today. Mrs. Hudson doesn't have visitors this early in the morning, and I'm pretty sure I didn't invite you in. There was also a newspaper outside your door this morning, which means that someone has been living there. So therefore, you live at 221c."

"And the third?" I asked

He smirked. "I saw you there last night"

"That was you?" I asked

"Of course it was me. Who else would it be?"

I shrugged. "I was half asleep"

"Fair enough" he said. "You didn't answer my question."

"A while. I haven't really kept track. I know it was after university."

"Wow, that really clears it up" he said sarcastically. "Do you have time to catch up?"

I looked at the clock. "I have about ten minutes until my shift starts"

We sat down at an empty table. "Its been a long time"

"Yeah" I agreed, "But not long enough"

"You should probably be nice to me, seeing as we're going to be neighbors."

"Since when am I nice to you?"

He thought about it for a moment. "I can't seem to think of a specific moment…"

"Exactly. Get used to it."

"I never got the chance to ask you, how did that mission go? The one in Paris. Operation Eiffel if I remember correctly?"

"Sherlock!" I exclaimed. "We're in a public place! He might be watching! You know I can't reveal anything about it." We both looked around, making sure no one noticed.

"Right, sorry. I forgot you had a falling out with him."

"It wasn't a falling out! We just had our differences."

"And so you quit."

"I prefer to use the term 'early retirement.'"

He laughed. "32 and already retired."

"31." I corrected him. I wasn't turning 32 for a couple of weeks. "Look, if you want to make fun of me all day, that's on you. but I need to get to work." I went behind the counter and put on my apron. "If you want to stick around, be my guest, but you'll have to buy something"

"I'll have coffee."

"Black, two sugars?" I asked.

"You know me too well."

"I have to agree with that. That'll be 1 pound and 60 pence."

"What?" he asked.

I sighed. "You do realize that you actually have to pay for it, right?"

"Right, of course, I knew that." He fumbled around in his coat pocket.

I sighed again. "Do you need me to buy it for you?"

"That would be wonderful. You're an angel."

"I know. You can repay me by telling me when you get a new case. I'm bored out of my mind, and I haven't had a day off in weeks." I sensed an opportunity to get to know his flatmates, assuming they went with us.

"Will do" he said, taking his coffee from me.

"Enjoy your coffee."

"Thanks" he said. "I hope you enjoyed your tea." So that's where it came from.

I was closing up for the night when I got a text from Sherlock. "Got a case. You coming?"

I texted back "Sure, I'll be outside in two minutes."