The Science of Starting Again//Book Five

Chapter 3~ Mary Morstan

Mary's P.O.V

Inside my mind was telling me to attack, to fight this unknown woman who had somehow managed to sneak into the flat. For all I knew she could've been a murderer, a deranged maniac living in the streets. From the look of her she probably did live in the streets, with her untidy hair, frail looking body, and the slight smell of alcohol that she seemed to emit. I was able to stop myself from doing that, though. She hadn't moved since she had spotted me so there was no point in attacking.

However, the lack of movement from either of us was becoming stretched, and my paranoia was beginning to rise. With slow movements I crossed my arms and stared at the woman, eyes stony and reflexes ready for anything.

"Are you a client?" I asked, watching her carefully. Her face was deathly pale and she seemed taken aback that I had spoken to her. With wide, startled eyes she stared back at me before speaking.

"No?" She replied with uncertainty and I frowned, wondering if she was a crack-head who had just stumbled into the flat thinking it was hers.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, taking a step forward. The woman didn't seem to like this because she jumped backwards, eyes flickering from me to the door. She swallowed, seemed to talk to herself in her head as though trying to convince herself that she was safe, before wringing her hands in agitation.

"I- um- I just..." she trailed off, a pained expression on her face. With furrowed brows I stared at her face, concentrating on her eyes. I was certain that I had seen those eyes before, only not on a woman, on a man...

"You..." I drawled, realization sinking in like water into shoes. "You're the sister, aren't you? You're the other Holmes."

She didn't speak for a moment, but the look of pain and worry in her eyes said enough. I was right. The woman who had broken John's heart was back in London after nearly three years.

"I was just going..." She murmured, but I shook my head, my emotions all hitting me at once. Anger that she had returned, worry for John, curiosity about the woman John had once loved, and agitation that she may find out the truth.

"You can't just leave, not like that. We haven't been properly introduced," I replied, partly because I was curious to get to know her and partly because I wanted to watch her squirm. It was always awkward meeting the fiancee of an ex, even worse when the ex wasn't there to difuse the tension.

She must've sensed the game I was playing because I saw that look of worry in her eyes disappear, replaced with a look of competitiveness and pride. Her lips became a thin line and she stood up straighter, pulling at the oversized leather jacket she wore.

You're curious, but you're pissed as well, her eyes said. You want to show off a little bit, see what I've got going on, like some kind of battle. Ex versus fiancee. Okay then, I'll play.

"Well, if you're offering," the other woman said, before turning and opening the fridge beside her. "Turn the kettle on, let's chat, get to know each other."

I couldn't help but like her stubbornness. Although she doesn't look like much, she's got a bigger bite than Sherlock, I think. Perhaps I'll find the reason why John loved her in the first place. See if she's going to be a friend or a foe.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

We were sitting at the table, a cup of tea in both our hands. The woman- Teddy- had her eyes locked firmly on me. However her hands had been shaking for a few minutes now and whenever she sipped on her tea she looked as though she wanted to swap it for something a bit stronger.