I'm not sure if anyone reads these things. Maybe I'm talking to myself. Hmm? Ooo kettle's done.
Sherlock was sitting inside the glass box at the far end of the room, hand resting near his chin, elbows on the arms of the chair and slouching a little, phone on the desk screen towards Sherlock and camera towards Jaiden who was seated in a chair that looked too important for him.
Carmella poked around the lab and began talking to Dmitri who had come out of whatever hiding with a fresh lab coat. John saw them talking but couldn't make out the words as he watched.
"Ron, Ron…Ronald." Sherlock said growing impatient and hit John's thigh to get his attention.
"What?" John snapped and Sherlock inclined his head slightly over to Jaiden. John could see that Sherlock's phone was not set to voice recording; on the other hand the screen was clearly showing Jaiden fidgeting in his chair with the small red light in the screen was blinking.
"Do speak loudly so I can have the most accurate notes." Sherlock said loudly for emphasis.
"Can't you just write it down? What I say I mean." Jaiden still looked uncomfortable looking at the small black device.
"'Fraid not." John said loudly as Sherlock had done, "Ever since the um, paper mill fire we have to record using voice recorders as opposed to writing them."
"What? Why?" Jaiden looked more concerned than ever.
"None of your concern." Sherlock said mildly, "Now then Mr. Smith, if we may get started."
John was still keeping a close eye on Carmella as she bent to look at some papers Dmitri was showing her. He didn't seem like a threat, he seemed far too quite to do anyone or anything harm. Then again that saying did go 'It's always the quite ones' what would have to gain though? That was the big question.
"Ron."
John looked away and shook his head to see Sherlock looking up at him, "What now? What?" he asked looking from Sherlock to Jaiden.
"I asked for your take." Sherlock said.
"On?"
"You have a phone call." Sherlock said looking back to Jaiden.
"What? No I-"he started but then his phone started to vibrate in his coat pocket, "Pardon me." John said and left the room. How had Sherlock known?
"Hello?" John answered.
"DOES THAT BASTARD SHERLOCK NOT KNOW HOW TO ANSWER A DAMN PHONE?" shouted the other end, in shock John pulled the phone away from his ear, "I'VE CALLED TEN TIMES AND SENT MESSAGES!"
"Um, and who is that?" John asked carefully then pulled the phone away again.
"WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK?"
"Oh will you shut him up?" Carmella snatched the phone from John's hand, "God damn it Adrian, and I can hear you cross across the lab."
John heard soft talking then, "WAIT! YOU'RE IN THE LAB? YOU KNOW YOUR NOT-"at that Carmella hung up.
"He so loud." Carmella grumbled and put John's phone back in his hand before started back to the lab.
John looked at the phone; to Carmella to the phone to Carmella then it rang again.
"YOU EVER HANG UP ON ME AGAIN YOU LITTLE PIPSQUEAK-"
"Hello Adrian." John said, cutting the other doctor off.
"Oh. Well hello John." Adrian purred at the other end of the phone.
"Stop flirting Adrian!" Carmella shouted over her shoulder.
"I swear she's faking it," Adrian grumbled, "Now why is my little charge doing in the lab?"
"She wanted to." John answered.
"I-…" Adrian paused, "I mean why…why is she not inside?"
"She is inside."
There was another pause, "Why is she in the lab when she was not allowed?"
"She's stubborn."
There was another pause then a loud laugh, "Ha! That she is that she is!" Adrian took a moment to calm down, "Ok the door shopping is done, we're head back to your apartment, please watch her, this time of day she get's sleepy and dehydrated. Get her some water and make her sit down."
"Alright, I understand. Good-bye." John said.
"Until we meet again." Adrian purred again.
"Adrian!" Carmella shouted then the line went dead.
John came over where an elaborate formula had been worked out on several sheets of paper. Carmella was working out an equation on another piece of paper when he put his hand on her shoulder.
"Carmella, you should-"
"Not now." Carmella said shortly.
"Adrian said-"
Carmella looked icily over her shoulder, "I said not now."
John took a step back and backed into Sherlock, he turned around, "Sher- Harry."John corrected, "What the devil-"
"What did Adrian say?" Sherlock asked looking at Carmella.
"That she should be sitting and drinking some water." John replied.
"Get us some water." Sherlock demanded looking over at Jaiden.
"Um, yeah sure." Jaiden said before scampering off.
"Get me a chair, Ron." Sherlock said carefully before striding over to Carmella.
John went into the office to get a chair and brought it back for Sherlock only to see him picking Carmella up.
"GET OFFA ME!" Carmella kicked; he had grabbed her at the waist.
"You need to rest." Sherlock said and brought her over to the chair.
"I can rest when I'm dead! Which will be sooner than later unless you…let…me…WORK!" Carmella shouted and was held into the chair by Sherlock.
Jaiden trotted back with the waters and Carmella was panting. She could hardly catch her breath and looking at Sherlock John knew he must have felt bad or at least a little sad. If she had been his friend (or whatever he chose to call them) Sherlock must have known her when she was strong and robust, why else would he mention that her punch was still strong? But John could see that she was weak, and getting weaker, the majority of her strength was going towards appearances. That she wanted everyone to think she was fine despite the outlook on her life.
"Drink the water." Sherlock said taking a bottle.
"N…ever." Carmella said, stubborn as ever, "I…hate…water."
"Just drink the damn thing, you'll feel better." Sherlock said throwing a look to John.
"Right, right you'll feel better." John agreed.
Carmella seeing she was out number and tired gave up and held her hand out for the bottle. Sherlock took the bottle from Jaiden and then paused when he tried to open it.
"The lid is loose." He said.
"Um yeah, I opened it." Jaiden said, a little surprised Sherlock would mention it.
Sherlock easily took another bottle and looked it over before opening it himself; Jaiden made a face, "What? Can't just use the one I opened?"
"Dr. Cobromance stated she was infected in the lab," Sherlock looked over his shoulder, he let Jaiden have an icy stare, "And I'd rather not have her get a second dose."
Jaiden looked angered, "What makes you think she was infected? She could have just been klutzy and made a mistake!"
Carmella took a break from drinking her water, "I never make mistakes." She commented before taking another drink, "I hate water, it has no taste." Carmella muttered.
"Drink." Sherlock commanded shortly, "Ron you stay here and watch our doctor." He said and waved Dmitri over, "Come on your next."
Carmella stuck her tongue out as Jaiden, Sherlock and Dmitri left. John chuckled.
"How did you two meet anyway?" John asked looking back at the glass office where Sherlock again had started observing the men.
"Me and Sherlock? We were kids." Carmella said and placed the now empty water bottle on the floor, "He used to play at the playground near my house."
"Sherlock? Play? That doesn't sound right." John chuckled again.
Carmella laughed a little, "Sherlock's version of play was moping on the swings…"
A small pale boy with a head of black curls was sitting on the swing on the far left of the small playground. The playground only held a slid, two sets of swings, a set of baby swings, and a small sandbox. The sun was starting to set and the boy was clearly not moving or in any hurry to get home by his slouch position on the swing.
Carmella had snuck out of her house to go the park. Her parents had been arguing and she needed the escape. It was really the first time she had seen anyone at the park at dusk seeing as though the sign in front clearly stated no one was allowed there after sundown.
"What are you doing here?" Carmella asked loudly, hands on her tiny hips under her bright red raincoat.
The boy looked up, green eyes catching the setting sun, "Leave me alone." He said but Carmella didn't see his mouth move.
"You're on my favorite swing." Carmella said boldly, trying to establish her role on the small playground as it's proud master.
"There's three more over there." The boy said and then looked down, blue scarf hiding most of his face.
Carmella puffed out her cheeks and stomped over the boy and saw that under that scarf was a split lip and a bruise on his cheek.
"Did someone beat you up?" Carmella asked, totally horrified that someone would hurt such a cute boy.
"It doesn't matter." He said annoyed and looked away from the girl.
Carmella reached up and pulled his collar up and out, the boy looked up, confused, "This will make people think your cool and tough, I've only seen those mean boys around the corner do it."
The boy blushed a light pink, "My name's Sherlock."
"I'm Carmella."
John smiled at Carmella who had a tear rolling down her cheek looking past the lab and into the playground of her memory.