Contact High → Sherlock Holmes (BBC) [on hold]

{ nineteen }

When Sherlock woke up, the first thing he noticed was the comforting warmth next to him. As his senses slowly started up, he realized he wasn't alone. He wrenched his eyes open and looked over, or more precisely, down. Carmen laid across him, her head resting against his collarbone. Her leg was thrown over him as she sort of full-body cuddled him.

Sherlock paused a moment and watched as she slept. Her face looked calm and peaceful. He could feel her chest rise and fall against him with each breath. He shifted uncomfortably, trying to wiggle out of her grip. She gave a sort of soft, sleepy sigh when he moved, tightening her grip on him. Her hair tickled his collarbone as she rubbed her face deeper into the crook of his neck. He really wouldn't have pegged her as such of a cuddler before, but then again, deducing people's sleeping habits wasn't very high on his to-do list.

He gave a sigh as he realized he wouldn't be able to move without waking her. Sherlock settled back into the bed, his mind running through the case. He thought about it for a long while; why the American's were so interested, why the phone seemed to be of so much importance... A million questions and answers ran through his mind. The possibilities were almost endless. Time slipped by as Sherlock thought through the case. He glanced over at the clock and realized it had been an hour. Carmen still hadn't moved.

A sound echoed through the room, an almost vulgar female moan. Sherlock glanced down at Carmen in horror, but she was still peacefully asleep. He looked around the room in surprise before his eyes caught on his coat hanging on the back of the door. It must have been his phone.

Sherlock sighed and tried to gently pry her leg from around him. He had just succeeded in freeing himself from the offending limb when she gave a sleepy hum. She woke, her eyes fluttering open. Sherlock put his arm back down and closed his eyes. Carmen sat up sleepily and rubbed her eyes, temporarily unaware of the other person in the bed. She stretched and her leg brushed against Sherlock's. She glanced over and felt blood rush to her face, "Oh."

Sherlock slowly opened his eyes and looked up at her, "Ah, good morning, Carmen."

Carmen brushed her hair back behind her ear. "Good morning, Sherl. Sorry, I must have fallen asleep..." she paused awkwardly, "I didn't... I wasn't?"

Sherlock raised an eyebrow, not helping the situation.

"I'm a bit of a cuddler," she confessed.

Sherlock shrugged, "I didn't really notice, actually. Just woke up, you know." A bit? he thought amusedly, thinking to her being wrapped around him. He felt better rested than he had in a very long time. He pushed that thought out of his mind.

Carmen sighed in relief and stood from the bed. She gestured over to the bathroom that was connected to the bedroom, "You mind?"

Sherlock shook his head. She paused in front of the door, "You haven't got a shirt I could borrow, do you?" Sherlock stood and pawed through the drawer of his dresser, pulling out a soft grey tee-shirt and tossing it to her. She smiled in thanks and headed into the bathroom. Sherlock paused and waited until he heard the shower start before heading over to his coat. He pulled the phone out of the pocket and clicked the screen on. There was a text, from Irene it would seem.

"Till next time, Mr. Holmes," it read.

Sherlock put the phone back and quickly changed into a fresh set of clothes. The shower stopped running just as he pulled on his red dressing robe. He moved out of his bedroom and into the living room. John had pulled the table out and was sitting, reading the newspaper. He smiled at Sherlock lopsidedly, "Where's Carmen?"

Sherlock walked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Hudson made them some breakfast, "I don't know what you mean, John."

"I mean, Sherlock," John continued, "Where in the world is Carmen Hughs?"