The Science of Starting Again//Book Five

Chapter 2~ Back to Baker Street

Third Person P.O.V

These days, it didn't take Teddy Holmes long to fall asleep. A glass of whiskey helped, or in some cases a bottle, depending on how bad the memories were. By doing this, she was usually guaranteed a dreamless sleep. However, this meant that her sleep-ins were longer and she'd wake up feeling groggy and smelling like a liquor store, something her older brother did not agree with.

"I know you've always had a liking for alcohol, Thea. That was apparent as soon as you entered teenage-hood. However, I've never known you to fall asleep with a bottle next to your bed," Mycroft said the next day, his nose wrinkled in disgust as he picked up the empty bottle. His sister didn't say anything, her head buried underneath a pillow. Someone who had never met Teddy before would've thought she was still asleep, but Mycroft knew better. If she wasn't snoring, she wasn't asleep.

"You do realize you've wasted the whole day, right?" Mycroft said, pulling the pillow off Teddy's head and throwing it aside. Teddy's mane of hair was tangled and spread out all across the bed, acting as a nest for Dmitri who had slept underneath the pillow with her. The cat looked up at Mycroft and mewled softly, burrowing his way deeper into Teddy's hair. With a groan the younger Holmes rolled over, scooping the cat with her and letting him rest on top of her chest. Her grey-blue eyes stared at Mycroft in annoyance, slightly bloodshot.

"What?" she muttered groggily, raising an eyebrow.

"It's three in the afternoon."

"Three? Jesus, why'd you wake me up so early?"

"Thea."

With a roll of her eyes Teddy sat up, Dmitri jumping onto the ground beside Mycroft's feet. As the cat padded out of the room Teddy stretched, staring at the bottle Mycroft held in one hand.

"Was that empty when you picked it up?" she asked with a yawn, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. Mycroft nodded, disappointment clear in his eyes. However, he didn't mention it to her. Instead, he placed the bottle back onto the table before walking towards the door.

"Do you have any plans for the remainder of your day?" he asked, looking over his shoulder. Teddy scratched her head, heavy-lidded eyes staring towards the bottle before looking over at Mycroft.

"I gotta go get some more alcohol."

Mycroft sighed, shaking his head. Teddy didn't seem to notice though, or at least she pretended not to. Standing, she walked over to her on suite bathroom, grabbing a towel on her way.

"I think you need to cut back on the alcohol-"

"And I think you need to leave because I'm about to strip," Teddy interrupted, looking over her shoulder at her brother with tired eyes. When he didn't move Teddy waved one hand, raising an eyebrow. "Get out, creeper, you're not watching. Go on, the prime minister or someone probably needs your help."

When Mycroft finally left, closing the door behind him, Teddy walked into the large bathroom and set her towel down before running a bath. She took her time undressing, being careful not to bump her burnt leg. The skin where it had been burnt was healing up quite nicely, but the scabs were jagged and could get caught on things when they weren't bandaged up. When the water was hot and bubbling Teddy slipped into the tub, inhaling the smell of vanilla and honey that the bubble bath mixture emitted. She could feel her head clearing with the smell, as though it was chasing the fog away. For a moment she just stared at the ceiling, counting the tiles, before she closed her eyes and let her head sink under the water.

All she could hear was her heartbeat. She could hear it pounding, and she could feel her blood running fast through her veins. Although the water was hot Teddy could feel a coldness sweeping over her, images lazily drifting about in her mind. She saw a hospital roof and a figure standing on top of it. She saw a black casket covered in white lillies. She saw a man standing in a cemetery, sobbing over the grave of his best friend. They were dimly lit, these images, but they were becoming brighter as they increased in speed. A cell, her wrists chained to a wall, her brother's bleeding back, her own wounds gushing blood, the snap of someone's neck as she killed them, a bite to the ankle, gunfire and shouts, screams. Running through a forest. Soon, the memories were flashing before her and her heartbeat was too loud, it was deafening. Still, though, she could hear voices speaking to her.