Chapter 16: Scarlett

It had been two weeks since Scarlett had last seen John and Sherlock, and a week since leaving hospital, she had had her cast taken off and the her check up had all gone very well. She had quit her job much to her agents horror and had yet to fully decided what she was going to do instead but she had plenty of savings to survive for a few months without.

As promised she was going to visit John and Sherlock she was better both physically and mentally, she would never forget what had happened to her but neither would she allow it to hold her down any longer.

She had regained any weight she had lost in hospital and during her stay with Theo and her skin had now lost its grey tinge and returned to a healthy glow. Her hair was no longer lank and dull and again sparkled like the nights sky. She was back to being the Scarlett she had been before, bouncy loud and flirty.

Her old personality was back and long gruelling 6 weeks of rehabilitation were over. The fear was gone and the true Scarlett shined through.

She couldn't deny she had thought about Sherlock a lot, thought she kept that all to herself, Sammie had come to see on the day after Scarlett was out the two girls chatted for a long time, never touching on the horrors that had been inflicted upon her, just idle chit chat and Scarlett had appreciated it, but when Sammie had touched on the subject of Sherlock, Scarlett gave nothing away.

She could not deny the man fascinated her, he had this wall that somehow she had the ability to break down without even knowing how and somehow he too could see right through her, she never had felt so naked as she did under Sherlock's gaze. He claimed to see something hiding within her but she had no idea what, maybe she was able to hide it from him as she had no idea what it was herself. Then of course there was the thing that stared her straight in the face when it came to Sherlock, she was utterly and completely in love with him, and the time away from his presence had only made it stronger. As they say absence makes the heart grown fonder.

With a deep breath Scarlett raised her hand and knocked loudly on the door of 221b Baker Street, within minutes Mrs Hudson was at the door.

"Scarlett!" she squealed happily pulling the younger woman into an embrace before she pulled away and looked at the young woman at arms length.

"You look, absolutely fabulous" she said hugging Scarlett again, Scarlett only laughed as she hugged the older woman back.

"Are they in" Scarlett asked motioning her head up the stairs.

"Yes, oh I can't wait to see their faces" Mrs Hudson laughed but before Scarlett could ask what she meant, she was ushering Scarlett up the stairs.

Mrs Hudson knocked on the door "John, Sherlock there is a young lady to see you" she said peeking her head round the door.

"Who is it" Scarlett heard Sherlock asked in a bored tone.

"Well she is here, I'll just let her in, shall I?" Mrs Hudson said with a coy smile to Scarlett before pushing the door fully open and allowing Scarlett to pass by her. Scarlett's heels clicked on the floor slightly as she made her way into the room, a strange nervousness falling over her.

Sherlock didn't even look up at her as she entered but instead stayed staring at his laptop screen.

"Hi" Scarlett said her voice shaking slightly.

"Scarlett, is that you?" John called from the kitchen before quickly making his way to greet the woman, with heels on she was slightly taller than John, John hugged her and she hugged back smiling widely.

At the mention of Scarlett's name Sherlock looked up.

"It's so good to see you" John said not noticing Sherlock now staring.

"You look amazing" John said looking Scarlett up and down slightly.

"Thank you" Scarlett said blushing slightly, before he pulled her into another hug.

Slowly Sherlock rose, laying his laptop on the table, his eyes never leaving Scarlett.

"I think amazing is an understatement John" he said staring at her wide eyed as Scarlett and John pulled out of the hug. Scarlett blushed a violent shade of red at his comment, but smile at him nonetheless.

"You look stunning" he said slowly, and Scarlett grinned as she saw a small part of his wall starting to break down again.

"Thank you" she said slowly, his dark hair was messy and stuck out at odd angles and for some reason that just made him even more attractive that usual.

"You don't look to bad yourself" Scarlett laughed jokingly "but then again you always did look good".

Sherlock looked at her his head tilted to the side slightly and for a moment there was silence then Sherlock spoke.

"Would you like to go to dinner with me" he asked.

"I'd love to" Scarlett replied with a grin.

John stood his mouth agape he knew that some part of Sherlock loved Scarlett but he never thought he would see him acting this way even around and towards her.

Sherlock grabbed his coat and pulled it on quickly.

"John, I'm going out" said Sherlock to his friends his eyes never leaving Scarlett as he spoke.

"Don't wait up" he said as he made his way to the door grabbing Scarlett's hand as he past her and pulling her along with him.

John stood in a state of shock for sometime after that.