I sit in stunned silence.
"Did he just-" I begin.
"What just happened?" John says at the same time.
"I have no idea." I can feel the heat coming to my cheeks.
"Well, considering what I just witnessed, and considering about what Sherlock usually does, I have to tell you this." He turns around to face me. "Ana, Sherlock will do this to you. He will lead you on and it will mean nothing. You have to be prepared, okay? I don't want you to get hurt, so do whatever you have to, to build up your 'walls' again." I nod, still vaguely stunned.
"I am going to go back to my flat to sing sad songs and play the piano, okay? I just want you to know where I am." I say, and I see John give a little grin. I turn to leave the room, but I walk back to John and yank him up out of the couch.
"Also, if you ever tell anyone what I just told you, they will have to pry my hands off your cold, dead, bloody body." I cock an eyebrow, flash a smile, and leave the room. I skip down the stairs to my flat and sit at the piano. The song that comes to mind is by Rascal Flatts, Here Comes Goodbye.
I can hear the truck tires coming up the gravel road
And its not like her to drive that slow, nothin's on the radio
Footsteps on the front porch, I hear my doorbell
She usually comes right in, now I can tell
Here comes goodbye
Here comes the last time
Here comes the start of every sleepless night
The first of every tear I'm gonna cry
Here comes the pain
Here comes me wishing things had never changed
And she was right here in my arms tonight, but here comes goodbye
I can hear her say I love you like it was yesterday
"No!" I say out loud. That's not what I'm supposed to be singing! An unbelievable attractive man just kissed me! One that I had a crush on! And it was bloody Sherlock Holmes!
Am I drunk? Or maybe I'm dreaming
I oughta be screaming! He suddenly -
Everything today is thoroughly -
Just like that, without any warning
At two in the morning, he suddenly -
Everything today is thoroughly -
Were there signs, and I didn't see them?
A random remark, occasional sigh
That day in the park, the gleam in his eye
Everything today is thoroughly -
Everything today is thoroughly -
Jimmy, oh Jimmy, silly boy
Gee, what a real swell guy
Jimmy, oh Jimmy, oh what joy
He makes my troubles fly
His glance had fireworks in it
We kissed, my heart did a
Whiz-bang, flip-flop
Heaven for a minute
Jimmy, oh Jimmy, don't you know
What I can't quite confess?
So coax me, implore me
I promise you won't bore me
Jimmy I might say yes
He makes my troubles fly
His glance had fireworks in it
We kissed, my heart did a
Whiz-bang, flip-flop
Heaven for a minute
Jimmy, oh Jimmy, don't you know
What I can't quite confess?
So coax me, implore me
I promise you won't bore me
Jimmy I might say yes
I end up twirling around my flat, dancing with myself, pretending it was someone else. But I froze on that last note and just sang! I put my hands on my head and thought about what I had done. I was in love with Sherlock Holmes and I sang about it. Oh, who am I kidding the second one is irrelevant, the first one is what it's about. Oh dear, god Sherlock kissed me! I hear a knock on the door. Oh gosh, what if it's Sherlock?! I pat down my hair and smooth my shirt. I open the door. It's John.
"Oh, its you." I sigh.
"Yeah, its me! I heard a happy song!" He looks at me with such disdain that I laugh.
"Sorry, I got carried away. I decided that I've been so broken by love that I should enjoy it while I can, and try not to get too carried away." I lift a shoulder. "Want tea? Since I didn't have any at your flat."
"Sure. And maybe later, you could play something." He gestures to the piano.
"Maybe, but don't expect me to be as good as Sherlock."
"Nobody can be as good as Sherlock." He smirks.
And by reflexes I say, "Oh, I had drinks with this great single girl last night, I thought you might be interested considering you haven't had a girlfriend in a while." I pause. "Your hair. You usually do more to it, but you're feeling so dejected that you didn't do anything."
"Apparently, I was wrong."
"You think?" I finish the tea and set it in front of him. "So, what do you want me to play? I swiped this piece of music from Sherlock's stand and thought I could adapt it." I glace at the notes on the paper and create some chords to play along with the graceful melody. I place my hands on the keys and play, my left hand bounding back from low notes to lower notes, while my right hand plays the sweeping melody. I play for a while, some repeats, until I think it should end.
"So, how was that?" I say, looking up from the piano.
"Um-wow, Ana, that was absolutely-perfectly- amazing! How do you do that?"
"I dunno. I just look at the music and it just kinda comes to me. While I was at the orphanage, I would sneak down in the middle of the night and play. My dad had taught me before he died."
"You have a gift. You and Sherlock should work together. Like a duet. He's like a god on the violin." John smiles.
"That good, am I, John?" Sherlock barges into the flat, and my cheeks immediately start to flush. John shoots me a look and I get control of my emotions.
"Well, how about it, Sherlock? Grab your violin and I'll change the melody to something else on the piano." I look up at him, my face blank. I let some excitement show. He gives me a slight smile, before disappearing out the door.
John winks at me.
"What?" I say, bewildered.
"He only gives that look to the most special people. So you and I."
"Well, thanks for that, glad to know we are both in love with-" Just then, Sherlock walks through the door, violin in hand.
"The telly!" I hurriedly say and the same time John says, "Jam!" I give him a confused look.
"What? Don't you like jam?"
"Of course I like jam, but why? Oh never mind." I catch Sherlock's eye and he raises an eyebrow. I raise one right back at him.
"Ready? I'll play-um-" I think for a second, "2 bars, then you come in with the melody, okay?" He nods in approval. I shove Sherlock Holmes away from my brain and play. I play a little different then before because I can use both hands. I look at Sherlock and nod. He comes in with the melody and we play together. Sherlock and Ana. Violin and piano, together at last. It is absolutely beautiful. No professional musicians could play that better than we are. At last we are finished and he lowers the violin, looking surprised.
"That was exce-" But his words are cut of by my lips. Our worlds collide and his strong arms wrap around my waist. One hand is around his neck and the other in his soft, curly hair. We break apart and John awkwardly says, "Yeah, Hamish for baby names might be in order right now." He drains the last of his tea and walks out, but not before saying, "Use protection."
"John!" I exclaim, turning as crimson as a tomato. We sit down on the couch.
"I'm going to let you know, that I have no idea how to do this." Sherlock says.
"Me neither, my last relationship was with a murderer." I grin slightly. "And I also have a feeling that this isn't going to be very 'traditional.'"
"John usually asks out his girlfriends to dinner." He grabs my hand, then thinks better of it and drops it. I raise my eyebrows and say, "Dinner sounds great."
"I'll pick you up at 6." He say, kisses me on my cheek then tries to walk out, but I grab his hand and pull him in for a real kiss. We break apart, breathless.
"See you at 6," I say with a wink and Sherlock leaves my flat. I twirl around into the bedroom. I look at my closet and think, "Oh gosh, what am I going to wear?"
Several hours later
After 20 minutes, I decide on a navy blue dress that shows off my curves. I pair it with a cute jacket and some flats. I put on some mascara and a little lip-gloss, not too much. I hear a knock on the door and I grab the purse on my bed, shove the lip-gloss into it, and run to the door. I open it and there stands Sherlock, looking wonderful in a purple shirt and black jacket. When he sees me, his eyes grow big.
"You look beautiful." I blush and look at my shoes.
"Thanks and you look just as handsome as ever." A twinge of color appears in his cheeks.
"John wants us to go up to the flat, so he can take pictures."
"Okay, he's probably more excited than you are."
"Oh you don't know that." I stare at him with awe. Where was stony Sherlock? We go up and John snaps quite a few shots, then tells us not to stay out to late. He shoos us out the door with some well wishes. We are out in the cold London air. I look at Sherlock.
"You ready?"
"Only if you are." He wraps his arm around my waist and uses to other one to hail a cab. And I wait for the cab, snuggling into Sherlock.