More Ways Than One

Karen had expected the residence of Sherlock and John (as they had formally introduced themselves as in the taxi) to be... well different. Instead of a clean, tidy modern flat that she would have expected of the strange couple, it was clean but old styled flat with a suitable huggable land-lady who had gathered her into her arms, much to the amusement of John who had reminded Sherlock of the similar hug she had given him at their first meeting with her. And the flat was most defiantly not tidy. There was papers, cushions, several laptops and phones strewn here, there and everywhere. There was even a skull on the sideboard above a fireplace, that didn't look as though it had been used in years. It reminded her of home.

Not the claustrophobic flat that the police had housed her in, but her old house that she and her brother had been brought up in. The house that her mother had been brought up in and her grandfather before that. There was something about the house, be it the musky smell of books that her mother and she had pored over when she was a little girl or the twisting staircase that reminded her of the one her brother had chased her up on a daily basis. With Sherlock's coat still on she walked silently across the threshold and sat lightly on the worn, maroon seat. She wiggled slightly and her face cracked into the first proper smile since the explosion.

She looked over at the men who were standing in the doorway with Mrs Hudson hovering in the background. Sensing her eyes on her Mrs Hudson disappeared down the stairs into her flat. Karen chuckled.

"Ok then which of you two sleeps on the couch?" she asked, directing it at both but focusing on Sherlock. He frowned and walked forward.

"That would be me" he said looking at her intently. She nodded and shifted slightly in the seat again. Sherlock sat in the seat next to her, his eyes still searching her.

"How did you know that?" he whispered, his face centi-metres from hers. Karen leaned in slightly closer, watching him curiously as his face tensed unintentionally at the exceedingly close proximity.

"Because you left the dressing gown under the cushion and that pillow there has a cheek indentation" she said seriously, pulling at the maroon dressing gown. She raised her eyebrows as an old, holey gown revealed itself.

Sherlock reddened slightly. Karen chuckled.

"Don't worry Sherlock. I'm a sofa-sleeper as well; I used to leave my gowns in it all the time. I think I could count the amount of times that I've slept on a proper bed in my adult life on one hand." She looked around.

"Although I suppose if you're the same as me... you're going to have to fight me for it." She chuckled raising her eyebrows suggestively. Sherlock frowned and breathed loudly through his nose. She was over compensating for the dark mood of the night through humour and flirting. Not that he was really minding, it was better than her crying, he didn't like seeing women cry. He decided to fight fire with fire.

He looked around the room, crossing his arms and breathing once more loudly through his nose.

"Or we could share it?" he pondered, looking at Karen through the corner of his eye. It was her time to flush but she did a good job of hiding the shock in her face.

"Yeah ok then" she agreed smiling. Sherlock reddened once more, this time going a deep tomato red at the thought.

"Although I have nothing to sleep in... I'll have to borrow the dressing gown" that same suggestive expression on her face. Sherlock gulped his mouth suddenly dry and his mind running through the images of Karen in a towel from earlier on in the day. He shifted uncomfortably.

John ran a hand through his hair as he watched the interaction between the two. He knew at that moment he had no chance with Karen, she was literally the perfect match for Sherlock. That equal combination of brains and wit, that Sherlock had made her more than a match for him, in more ways than one.

Next time: It gets... fluffier? That the correct word? Short summary: Karen has to deal with a bored Sherlock and occupies him with a childish prank. Madness ensues. Then it gets kind of slashy... won't say any more. :D...

p.s thanks to insaneradio for pointing out a spelling mistake... A numpty I am :D