The first day

Dani

Dani breathed heavily, the tears had dried up hours ago and she had just sat in silence. Her body ached from a mixture of falling down the stairs, crying and emotional defeat. She couldn't admit that it had happened, that her friend had drugged and raped her. She had no proof, had no idea what happened so she could easily deny it. Forget that it happened and carry on living.

Her mind itself was broken, the black cloud of last night's events hovered. She would think of Sherlock every so often and it made her feel worse, made her feel guilty. And the thought of a relief would enter her mind but she pushed it away. She didn't want to use again, she couldn't put herself through that again but it played on her mind constantly.

Dani pulled herself up. Her limbs ached from staying in the same position for too long. She took a moment to stretch out her body before pulling on some clean clothes. She chose a black skirt and green vest to match her eyes, then pulled on a black jacket and ankle boots. She needed to get out of the apartment, she also needed something to eat. She decided to go out for lunch, that would solve both problems.

She looked at herself in the mirror and pulled her matted hair into a lose bun at the top of her head. She opted for no make-up. Her face was pale and her eyes red. She grabbed her handbag as she walked out the room and slowly down the stairs.

Her eyes darted to Sherlock who was laying on the sofa face up with his eyes closed. She lent on the wall and watched him. A while later he opened his eyes and sat up, he noticed her immediately.

"What were you doing?" she asked.

"I was in my mind palace" he said quickly, looking around the room and taking in the surroundings.

"Your mind palace?" she repeated, her voice verging on laughter, she held it back by biting her lip.

"It's a memory technique. It's not an actual place but the way that it works is that you put information there and theoretically you'll never forget it, you just have to find your way back to it."

"So it works like an attic?" she asked hopefully.

"I suppose" he said standing up and buttoning his blazer.

"But you described it as a 'palace'" she said mockingly and he straightened up.

"I've upgraded" he said plainly causing Dani to break down in laughter. Sherlock looked at her confused unable to understand the funny aspect of what he had said.

"Wow Sherlock, I've barely touched the tip of the iceberg with you." She smiled at him, he walked towards her and stopped when he was only inches away. She looked down to avoid his gaze "I was wondering if you'd like to join me for lunch, it's on me." She said hopefully.

Sherlock smiled at her "what did you have in mind?"

"Chinese?" she asked, he nodded at her and she smiled. "There's a place round the street."

Dani walked out the apartment with Sherlock close behind her; he grabbed a long coat and scarf from the banister as they walked out.

They walked in silence to the Chinese restaurant which was five minutes away, they were greeted on arrival by a stout Chinese woman with dark eye make-up and red lipstick which was smudged at the corners.

They got sat down on a small table in the corner of the restaurant. They both grabbed menus and scanned the food list.

Sherlock's eyes stayed close to the menu while Dani looked over and observed him. He was sat with his back straight against the uncomfortable wooden chairs, his eyes frantically reading the menu.

He glanced over his own menu, his eyes meeting hers for a second before she looked down.

The Chinese woman came over again with a pad in her hand "order?"

Sherlock gestured towards Dani, who laid her menu down as she spoke "I'll have some pork noodles, fried rice and sweet and sour chicken"

The Chinese woman took her eyes from Dani onto Sherlock "I'll have the same." He stated, Dani was surprised that he had chosen the same as her. They both watched the woman walk away before looking back at each other.

"So, what do you do Sherlock?" she asked quickly to fill in the silence.

"I'm a consulting detective."

"What's a consulting detective?" she said eagerly.

"It means whenever the police are out of their depth – which is always- they consult me."

"The police don't consult with amateurs"

"Exactly" he said smugly, the smile on his face widening.

"So you solve crimes?" she asks, putting the conversation in simple terms.

"Yes" he says annoyed by the questions.

"What kind of crimes?"

"Kidnappings, robberies, murders – whatever they cannot solve themselves."

"Wow, that's amazing." she spoke softly. "What did you study? I mean to be able to be a 'consulting detective' there must have been something specific."

He almost snorted at the question "school is a waste of time."

"What about university?" she asked hopefully.

"The biggest waste of time" he said, observing her slightly upset emotion.

"So you didn't study anything?" she asked and he replied quickly. He shook his head at her and she pouted in his direction "you amaze me Sherlock." She regretted the words as soon as they left her mouth and wished that she could take them back. She blushed and looked down. "I mean that you are just not like anyone else I have ever met." She mentally pinched herself. That sounded worse. "Wow, this is really embarrassing, could we talk about something else?" she said quickly, her cheeks still burning.

"Why are you embarrassed?" he asked and she answered avoiding his gaze.

"It sounds like a really cheesy movie where I tell you you're the only one in the world and that there's no-one who compares to you. Then we run of into the sunset or something" She said mockingly.

He was just staring at her blankly, she laughed. "Don't you like cheesy romance movies?" she asked as the stout Chinese woman returned with their plates of food. The placed them on the table and a younger man placed a jug of water down with some cups.

She started eating straight away, using her chopsticks to pick up noodles.

"No" Sherlock said before mimicking her action, using the chopsticks to pick food up off his plate and into his mouth.

"No, what?" Dani questioned, pausing.

"To answer your question, I have never seen a cheesy romance movie." He said quickly before continuing to eat.

"We'll soon change that" she smirked at him and continued eating.

After ten minutes of eating both Sherlock and Dani had finished eating, most of the food on their plates had disappeared. She smiled and reached into her bag for her purse. She pulled out a £50 and placed it on the table.

Sherlock eyed up the money and stood up, pulling his collar coat up around his ears. She smiled as they walked out of the restaurant onto the cool street.

They walked next to Sherlock, their shoulders touching. She nudged him gently and stared at her questionly.

"What was that for?"

"Nothing" she answered quickly "It's just something friends do, they have fun and joke around Sherlock."

"Ohhh" he started and she laughed at him.

"We could play dares." She said excited and he looked at her with questioning eyes.

"Dares?"

"Yeah like when you dare each other to do stuff and if they don't they forfeit and have to buy the other something." She beamed.

"Why would we do that though?" he questioned, his eyes narrowing.

"For fun Sherlock, I take it you have something about that in your mind palace" she mocked.

"I don't really…" he began and she overlapped him.

"Maybe you should have a clear out" He looked at her blankly "your mind palace. Maybe you should clear out your mind palace and start storing some other stuff up there." She tapped his head lightly.

"Fine" he said like a child who had lost an argument "what kind of things do you have in mind?"

She looked around the street, her eyes clapping on two women around her age, dolled up like cheap Barbie's. "Them" she pointed, stopping and facing him "get there numbers."

He sighed and walked over to the women, she watched as they exchanged a few words and the girls laughed at Sherlock in a flirty manner. She felt a small pang as the smaller one touched Sherlock's arm and beamed at him. Sherlock returned a few moments later brandishing a piece of paper with both numbers on it, but he still seemed bored.

"Nice one" she said as he approached "your turn"

He looked around the street trying to find an appropriate option for her; he didn't want to stray too far from the dare she had given him.

"There is a coffee shop just round there, see if you can get someone to buy you a drink." He said slowly, she nodded taking in the request.

"Ok" she said simply, handing her bag and jacket to Sherlock. She stood in her green vest top and black skirt. She pulled the skirt higher to show more flesh and walked over to the coffee shop. Her arm loosely by her side and her hips bouncing as she walked. She turned and winked at Sherlock before turning the corner to the coffee shop.

When Dani opened the door she smiled widely and watched as the men turned to look at her. She walked up to the counter and stood next to an average sized man with greying hair. He was tanned as if he had just come of holiday and was wearing a grey suit with a white shirt that was unbuttoned at the top.

She smiled widely at him before biting her lip "Hey, I just moved in down the road. Do you come here often?" she said in a low seductive tone.

He smiled at her before lifting his left hand and pointing to a silver band. She mocked a disappointed face, pouting at the man "all the good ones are always taken."

He laughed at her and she smiled "is a coffee out of the question?" he looked at her and smiled.

"What do you want?" he pulled the wallet out of his pocket.

"Just a black coffee" she said, the waiter quickly poured another coffee into a take away cup. He handed it to her and she smiled.

She walked out of the shop while the man was paying; she felt bad but refused to lose to Sherlock Holmes.

Dani ran around the corner, holding the coffee cup up high enough to show Sherlock.

She stop in front of him and smiled. "Done"

She hands him the coffee and take her jacket and bag from him. She struggles to put it on when the phone in Sherlock's pocket buzzes. He reads the message and his face lights up.

"A case"

Dani smiled at him "can I come?"

"I don't see why not" he replies, scanning the street for a cab.