Chapter 4: Coming and Going
Several Years Ago...
"What're you doing today?" Emily asked Sherlock as she made pancakes in his kitchen.
"Nothing," Sherlock groaned from where he was sitting in his chair.
"I'm sure you'll find something," Emily said with a smile. She put down their breakfast on the table and Sherlock looked at her with confusion.
"I haven't seen you eat anything since yesterday morning, so I take that to mean you haven't eaten anything," Emily explained.
Sherlock looked at her, "Thanks."
"No problem," Emily replied with a smile.
They ate in a comfortable silence. When Emily was finished she grabbed her violin case from the living room.
"Where are you going?" Sherlock asked.
"I have a show tonight remember?" Emily asked him. She was a violinist in the London Symphony Orchestra.
"Ah... yes I remember," Sherlock said, drumming his fingers on the table.
"I might text you around lunch if we get a break," Emily said, slipping on her coat. "Bye Sherlock," She said and waved before picking up her case and leaving his flat.
It was around then that Sherlock's phone rang, the caller ID read: Scotland Yard. Sherlock answered, "Sherlock Holmes."
"Hi Sherlock, this is Detective Inspector Lestrade, I spoke with you the other day about possibly consulting on a strange case?"
"Yes, of course, Garth wasn't it?" Sherlock asked.
"Greg actually," Lestrade corrected.
"Yes, right," Sherlock paused, "Come to my flat and we can have a meeting."
About half an hour later...
Lestrade was standing in Sherlock's flat taking a look around, it was quite messy, except for the kitchen, which was fairly organized and clean.
"So, tell me about the case," Sherlock said. He gestured to the sofa for him to sit, Sherlock sat in his customary chair.
"Well, we found a body in a sauna. Average fellow, mid-thirties, not married, no children. He was a lawyer I think..." Greg trailed off trying to remember.
"What was the cause of death?" Sherlock asked.
"Hypothermia."
Sherlock leaned forwards, "Interesting..."
A few hours later...
"So the conclusion is therefore obvious," Sherlock stated. He was about to give his conclusion to Lestrade when he looked down at his watch, it was 6:20 pm. "Fancy going to the symphony?" Sherlock asked Lestrade.
Sherlock began to leave, and Lestrade followed. He assumed Sherlock was taking him to where they'd find the murderer. Maybe they would also be attending the orchestra. Sherlock hailed a cab and told him to drop them off about a block away. Lestrade was slightly confused when Sherlock stopped to get some flowers, but again, he assumed it was for the case.
They approached the ticket box and Greg started to dig in his wallet for his badge, but Sherlock stopped him.
"I believe I have two tickets under the name of Holmes," Sherlock told the woman behind the glass with a grin.
She smiled back as she handed him the tickets, "You know where." Sherlock was a regular and she recognized him.
Sherlock lead Greg to two seats in an upper box just as the conductor entered the chamber.
After the show Sherlock and Greg made their way down to the lobby, they then took a side door the read: employees only.
"Uh, are we supposed to be back here?" Greg asked.
"Trust me, I have an inside source," Sherlock said with a slight grin.
"Sherlock?" A woman's voice asked from behind them.
Greg and Sherlock both turned, Sherlock smiled and walked towards her while Greg oggled slightly.
"Emily, you were wonderful," Sherlock said and gave her the flowers.
"Aww, thanks Sherlock," Emily said, she then turned to Greg, "Who's this?"
"Greg Lestrade," Greg said at the same time Sherlock introduced, "Detective Inspector Lestrade."
Emily smiled at him and reached out her hand, "Nice to meet you Detective Inspector," She leaned to Sherlock, "I told you you'd find something to do today."
"Yes, about that, do you think a disgruntled lover or an angry sibling would have more motive for murder?" Sherlock asked.
"Depends..."
Sherlock, Emily and Greg went across the street for chips and the whole while Sherlock was explaining the case to her.
"Well, usually I would say lover, but in this case, I think it's the-"
"Sibling, my thoughts exactly," Sherlock said and smiled at her.
Greg then pulled out his phone and presumably texted one of his officers to arrest the brother of the victim, Jason Wright.
Lestrade then looked at the two of them, "So you two are a couple then?"
"We're flatmates." They spoke at the exact same time, Emily laughed and Sherlock grinned.
"We've known each other since we were children," Emily told him.
Greg looked at her with surprise, "Really?"
"Yes, I believe I'm the only reason you passed Year 12 maths," Sherlock commented.
"Pff, you mean Mycroft was. You were a rubbish tutour," Emily retorted.
Greg smiled at them, Sherlock was a strange and funny man. He had only known him for a few weeks now but already felt a little protective of him. It was nice to see that he did have some friends after all.
Just after the crash...
Lestrade found out about Emily a few hours after it had happened. Sherlock had texted him,
"Can't come in on any cases for the next little while, ~SH"
"Why not? I just got a good one for you! ~GL"
"Emily is in the hospital. ~SH"
"Why? What happened? ~GL"
"Car accident. ~SH"
Greg looked up from his phone, "Johnny!" Greg called to another officer, "I need you to find out what hospital Emily Smith was recently admitted to."
A few minutes later...
Greg came to the hospital and was ushered to a room on the third floor of Barts, when he entered the room he noticed that it was already full of letters, even though it had been less than 15 hours since the crash.
Sherlock had his head resting on the bed, and seemed to be asleep, but when Greg entered the room his eyes opened and he sat up. Greg ignored the telltale redness creeping in the whites of his eyes and looked at Emily.
"Sherlock..." Greg started, but then realized he had no words to console the young man. "When do they think she'll wake up?" He asked after a pause.
Sherlock shook his head, "She was supposed to wake up hours ago."
"Well, sometimes these things take time," Greg said.
The two men stood in front of her in silence for several minutes.
"I need to get back," Greg said.
"Yes," Was Sherlock's reply.
Greg put a supportive hand on his shoulder and held it there for a few moments before leaving.