Sherlock's blank face melted away and he cocked his head a bit. 'I see, you've got me all figured out.' Sherlock said with a hint of playfulness but there was something in his eyes, he was testing Lissa's reaction.

Lissa wasn't startled by being under inspection, she bit on her cupcake and answered: 'Nahh, I'm not smart like that. I was pointing out that even though you are quite extraordinary you are still human, and you are allowed to be human but the important part is that I don't think it's that strange to keep people out, it's quite understandable really, when you think about it.'

'But you are saying that you understand me?' Sherlock continued questioning.

Lissa sighed slightly. 'People are more complex than that. I don't believe one can be "figured out" or "understood" as a whole. I don't know if you can, but I'm not trying to be like you. I'm not showing off my "deductions" about you. I'm not saying I have bared you and seen through you, I am merely stating that I can understand why someone would like to keep their distance, it doesn't mean that the reason is simple or obvious or that I could deduce it correctly, I'm just saying it isn't as bizarre as people make it to be.'

Sherlock stared at Lissa for a second. Then he nodded slightly. Slight amusement spread on his face, and he spoke again: 'I don't think you have spoken that much to anyone these last days.'

Lissa felt almost embarrassed, she took a sip of her coffee and tried not to blush. She hadn't expected to encounter this kind of teasing from Sherlock, but it didn't feel bad, she just didn't know how to lift her gaze from the table.

'There's no need to be embarrassed. I would say it's a good sign.'

'Hmm. I guess everyone is looking for signs now. It's like everyone is holding their breath until they know I'm not going to give up.'

'It exhausts you.' Sherlock stated. It wasn't a question, so Lissa didn't see a reason to answer.

'Even after the most gruesome and traumatising events, people get through and keep on living. They believe… We believe that you can get through this.' Sherlock continued.

'How do you do it? Keep on living.' Lissa asked.

'I used to do drugs, and well now I have my work.'

Lissa lifted her other eyebrow in slight confusion.

'I guess I'm not a good example.'

'No. Actually, it's a great example. Drug addiction, there's no space for anything else, nothing feels like anything, right? But you have fought off that and found something, that makes everything worth it and not just holding on to but makes you feel something. Am I right?'

Sherlock was a bit surprised, Lissa seemed almost excited with her conclusions, but he nodded silently. Lissa nodded back in understanding the small excitement wasn't there anymore.

'Even if I would find that, I really don't have the strength to get there. I don't know how to continue anymore.' Lissa said.

'Just like before. You focus on the small things.'

Lissa was confused. Mostly about the fact that Sherlock was giving her advice on how to survive. 'I don't follow, what do you mean by that?' She asked.

'You like routines, right?'

Lissa nodded.

'You cling to them. It makes you feel in control of your life.'

Lissa opened her mouth but before she had the chance to say anything Sherlock continued. 'I'm not trying to do that now, I'm explaining this so you can understand.' Lissa closed her mouth again for a couple of seconds before answering: 'I guess it does.'

'You regain that control. You make new routines, you find small things to cling onto and little by little it will be easier for you. You may feel like an empty shell, but you just keep doing things until something starts to feel like something.'

'How do you know that?' Lissa asked and looked at Sherlock challengingly.

'Because you're normal.'

Lissa laughed. 'Sherlock Holmes, who would have thought. You should write a self-help book, really.' Sherlock rolled his eyes.

'I'm not making fun of you, there's just one problem. I'm alone and I have no means to do any of that. I have no money, no apartment, no family, no friends and no qualifications for any profession so that I could support myself.'

Sherlock was obviously resisting very hard the urge to roll his eyes again. 'All those things are very trivial.'

'Trivial?' Lissa furrowed her brows.

'Yes, trivial. I know Mrs. Hudson has already offered you some sort of arrangement. You are getting along with John famously and you said yourself you have made friends with Lestrade. You can easily get a part-time job and you can surely arrange that with your studies. It's all trivial if you are willing to do it. Yes, it won't be easy, but you will get help if you're willing to ask for it.'

In the middle of Sherlock's speaking Lissa's face went blank and she kept staring into the distance for a couple of seconds before being able to react.

'So you mean that I… That you… That I would…'

'Stay? Exactly. Was it not clear?'

'But you… and… armm...' Lissa wasn't really getting any sentences out and her face was still blank.

'Are you having a stroke?' Sherlock furrowed his brows this time.

Lissa snapped out of it. 'Would you really do that?'

'Do what?'

'Live with me.'

'Ahh, well, it seems that Moriarty's plan is quite long-term, and I need you to stay close for that and well you don't seem to mind the violin or the clients and you…'

'What did you say?' Lissa interrupted Sherlock.

Sherlock sighed. 'I said, Moriarty isn't obviously going to make his plans known any time soon, but I still need you to st-'

'Yes, the last part.' Lissa smiled widely while interrupting Sherlock again.

'I need you-'

'There it is!' Lissa's smile was almost arrogant at this point.

Sherlock was seemingly annoyed. 'Or maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.'

'I'm just teasing. I'll accept.'

'You will? Just like that? I thought it would be harder to get you to forget your plans to off yourself.'

'Well, I didn't promise anything about that, I merely agreed to stay at your flat, and how could I say no when the great Sherlock Holmes needs me.' Lissa said theatrically.

'Are you always going to be like that?' Sherlock asked.

'Nope, once I get my laptop and other things from Scotland Yard, I'll have something better to do.'

'I'm still going to play the violin all night.'

'And I'm going to keep the bathroom for two hours every morning.'

'I also might shoot the walls when I'm bored.'

'I sing in the shower.' Lissa shrugged.

'There will be human body parts in the refrigerator.'

'My make up and other products will be all over the bathroom.' Lissa shrugged again, like these things were somehow equivalent.

'And then the drugs.'

'No.' Lissa said seriously.

'What now?'

'No drugs.'

'You can not tell me whether I am to use drugs or not.'

'No drugs.' Lissa repeated.

Sherlock was quiet for a while. The girl was stubborn. 'We'll see what we can do about that.' Sherlock gave her his fake smile. Lissa lifted her finger and solely pointed at him sternly but left it at that. Lissa lowered her hand and they stayed in silence for a moment.

'Well, this has been a success.' Sherlock broke the silence.

'Yes, you're quite the psychologist.' Lissa answered monotonously. This conversation had been a big surprise for Lissa, she never would've expected Sherlock to offer her to live with him and it came so fast she had agreed before she had really thought about it. But something about their banter had felt easy. She wasn't worried about everything and how she would seem or sound. She knew she couldn't really fake her feelings so she didn't even try to and it was liberating.

'Well, this is going to be weird.' Lissa said after a comfortable silence.

'Weird is a very relative concept. As we have already established.'

'I know, I know. I guess we get the life we get, it's just that...' Lissa trailed off for a while. 'Doesn't it kill you to have me around? Didn't any of it… affect you?' Lissa hadn't really talked to anyone how she felt or what happened and she really didn't want to, but she couldn't help but to think how Sherlock felt, he was the only one that was actually there and he did go through the same thing in a sense.

Sherlock sighed. 'Doesn't it kill you? Why aren't you blaming me? Why aren't you terrified? Disgusted, by me?'

Lissa thought about it for a second. 'It wasn't your fault.'

'You have your answer there.' Sherlock said, and they fell into another comfortable silence. One that neither broke before their cups were empty.