"Mrs. Hudson this is Max. She is going to be staying with us until she can find a place. Max this is Mrs. Hudson. Come."

Mrs. Hudson hugged Max before she could follow Sherlock up the stairs. Mrs. Hudson smiled at her and started muttering about how Sherlock was gonna be okay and how she was going to bring some kind of light.. Max smiled at the old woman pleasantly. She was kind hearted and strong and Max knew she was just going to love her.

"I like this one!"

Mrs. Hudson called to Sherlock before she disappeared into her room saying goodnight as she passed. Max made her way up the steps, when she reached the first landing with the door wide open she saw the smiley face on the wall with bullet holes. Sherlock's footsteps came from the staircase right next to her. She smirked at the look of confusion and displeasure on his face.

"As it turns out the upstairs bedroom isn't ready for use. So you can have my bed and I could do with the couch-"

"No. You're not leaving your room. I'm fine with the couch. You can have your bed. Please don't argue."
Max added when she saw his mouth open part of the way.
"I'm your guest and this is how it's going to go."

Sherlock stood, mouth still hung half open in the middle of protest. He snapped his jaw shut and nodded.

"I see. Let me show you around."

-Line Break-

When Max had changed later on the night, she took a seat on the couch. Sherlock was still up and about on his laptop, his finger placed on his lips in thought. When he noticed her sitting, he closed his laptop and laid his arms on the armrest of the chair. They went back to studying each other. This time Sherlock gave up.

"Question: Violin?"

Max's eyes gave off a softy, small, sparkle and the edges of her lips twitched in an attempt to smile.

"I've always wanted to play it. The music it has, the sounds it makes with just a pluck or scratch. They sound beautiful, have to be one of my favorites."

Sherlock looked her up and down then nodded. He flashed a fake smile and bid goodnight. Max slowly began to fall into slumber. She was smiling when sleep finally did come at four in the morning. This time she had no idea why.

-Line Break-

POV SHERLOCK

The sun peaked through the curtain and straight into his eyes. He woke and listened patiently. He heard Mrs. Hudson shuffling as usual, but today she was talking. It seems Max made friends with Mrs. Hudson as he knew she would. Who couldn't love Mrs. H? He rolled on to his back and smiled. Mrs. Hudson seemed please to have the company. Sherlock stretched out, got out of bed, and struggled to his closet. He picked out a blue button up and black dress pants. He made his way to his door to reach the shower in the hall. When he stepped through his door he didn't expect to see Max right there.

That's not right. I can always detect something out of place... she didn't I hear her come close?

Sherlock couldn't help, but be curious as he watched her place her head down and step out of his way. By the way her body went stiff, he knew she wasn't usually like this. He was about to say something, when his eyes were caught by a strange sight. There was multiple scars running over the curve of her shoulder. For the looks of them, they ran deep, really deep.

"Where did you get those?"

Sherlock nodded to her shoulder. Max's head snapped up and she adjusted her shirt to cover it up. He looked into her eyes and saw something flash by. It was bright and warning bells signaled in Sherlock's head. He was angry all of a sudden. That flash made his angry and he didn't even know what it was. He felt like this once before, when Mrs. Hudson was attacked over that bloody phone a long time ago. He searched her eyes for that flash, for something, that could explain to him what was happening.

"I slipped down a steep cliff once when I was hiking a few years ago. The doctor said they ran too deep in order for them to disappear." She turned away from him and walked briskly down the stairs. He heard her knock on Mrs. Hudson's door asking if she could use the bath in there. He heard the door shut behind her and Sherlock instantly fled into his mind to replay the scene.

This doesn't make scene, getting angry for no reason. An aftermath affect of a fall, that's all. She couldn't be lying. I would have been able to tell... but then again they didn't look like something that could come from a fall.

Sherlock shook his head and headed into the restroom.

-Line Break-

When Sherlock entered the living room he noticed Max looking at the books stacked on his shelf longingly.

She likes to read too.

Sherlock found himself smiling slightly and shook his head once more. He took a swing of his tea and walked over to the shelf. Found his favorite book 'The Beast' and handed it to her.

"Have you read this before?"

He watched as she came closer to him, reaching for the book, the tips of her finger brushing his. She turned the book over and began to read. A wicked smile appeared on her lips and she nodded.

"It's my favorite."

She looked up at him and he returned her smile.

"Mine as well. Though I'm not the biggest fan of fictional books, this is an exception."
He glanced at the bookshelf then back to her.
"If you want to read some of them you can you know? You don't have to ask."

Her face lit up like a Christmas tree. She had her eye on one already. She picked it up with a last glance at Sherlock and read the back. His smile got bigger as she picked up another, read the back and placed it on her arm along with the other. She looked up again scanning for more.

"You don't have to take them all you know?" He chuckled "When you're done with one and want another just bring it back and take it."

Her face, Sherlock noticed, grew just a tiny fade of red. Sherlock felt like he accomplished something. She looked up at him and smiled.

"Thank you."

He nodded in response, then leaned forward. To where his nose was inches from hers. "So why are you acting different Max?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well I mean you're acting shy. Which was clearly how you were as a child, but not now. Now you've grown into the exact opposite of that. I can tell that from when you stood your ground with Anderson yesterday."
He watched her closely, seeing if he had hit home run.
"You've grown into some what of that person, so why is it that you are acting different. You're acting shy and like you're pathetic, which you aren't, but it's starting to make you look weak. It's obvious you don't want that as well, judging from your reaction to me helping with a bag. So if you don't mind could you be yourself, and not something I fell obligated to look out for?"

At first Sherlock got the feeling to run and hide, but he saw her eyes shift instantly from anger to understanding, as his words took effect and she straightened herself out. She looked him dead in the eye and gave a small smile. A meaningless smile. The same one he gave to everyone else. All Sherlock thought about at that moment, was the feeling of a pang of quilt.

"Sorry, I just don't know who you are exactly. I don't know where the line stand with you or how I should be cause I really don't feel like pissing someone off. Especially you since I'm staying here for now. SO I chose to observe and wait, but I found where the line stands."

"Really?" Sherlock raised an eyebrow "Where does that line stand?"

The same smile still plastered to her face. "There is no line. If you're going to be yourself, you don't expect anything less from anyone else. So I apologize for the rudeness."

Sherlock cocked his head to the side and nodded. "Correct. So tell me, have you always been this clever?"

"I have no clue what you're talking about Sherlock."

"Oh, don't play it that way. You know what I'm talking about. The place where all things important are kept."

"Do you mean the mind palace?"

"Yes! The mind palace, you have it?"

"Created it when I was in the seventh grade. Only getting what I needed to get straight A's. Then again being friends with the teachers also helped."

Sherlock smiled as she did fondly at the memories.

"Brilliant. Seventh grade huh?"

-Line Break-

Okay guys. I've tried posting this chapter twice now. I hope it works this time. This is a pretty long chapter and it was going to be longer but I thought I could just add the rest to the next chapter.

In the next chapter there is going to be a time jump. And I'm going to warn you guys, there is a reason this is rated M. There are mentions of torture and blood, lots of it, abuse, and some other things I will warn you when the time comes.

Thank you guys for giving my story the time to be read. I really appreciate it guys. The next chapter should be up really soon. So have fun guys.

-Maxy