You See But Do Not Observe

START

CHAPTER FIFTEEN : START

(Serena's POV)

Serena blinked sleep out of her eyes. She could vaguely remember Jason getting up that morning, but she had ignored him.

She groaned as she glanced at the alarm clock. It was only eight. Her head seemed to float above her body, trapped in a haze of hung over hell. It pounded as she sat up on her elbows. It was definitely not the worst she'd ever had. She didn't feel the familiar lurching sick feeling in her stomach.

She sat up. Nope, there it was. She would not throw up. She would not throw up. The world twirled for a while before coming to a halt. She pulled a long shirt over her head and stood up.

She walked to her bathroom, fighting bouts of nausea and dizziness. The while pills went down her throat easily, and she forced down a couple gulps of cold water.

Her hung over fix playing on the TV, Serena stretched out on the couch. She checked her phone in case anyone had left a message.

"Shit!" She exclaimed, and gasped as the loud sound echoed in her head.

"Damn, damn, damn, damn." She swore quietly as she checked the nine new text messages she had.

Sherlock asked me about you. Thought you'd want to know. -GL

Sherlock is driving me crazy. Why aren't you here to rescue me? -JW

I can't believe you. -JW

Are you coming? -SH

Ordered take-away and cleared off the table. -SH

You bring the cupcakes. -SH

It's quite late. What's taking so long? -SH

John just went to bed. He seems pretty mad. -SH

It's four in the morning. I don't think you're coming.

Serena felt like crying. The fact that she could hear his voice echoing around in her head, so accusing, hiding the feeling, but it was still there. He didn't sign his name on the last. Oh god, it felt awful, like a lion had taken her chest and torn it open.

She felt the alcohol and guilt making her pay for what she did as she stood up, phone in hand and rushed out of her apartment, locking the door behind her.

She ran down the sidewalk, hair flying in her face. She hardly noticed the vacant taxi. Baker Street was close by, close enough to sprint, close enough to make up for her mistake.

The door loomed like another monster from her nightmares, only this one wouldn't chase her away. She twisted the doorknob, and when it wouldn't open, she kicked at the door in frustration. The wood splintered, but the door stayed firm, and Serena heard footsteps hurrying towards her.

"Dearie, what do you think you're doing?" Mrs. Hudson asked.

"You have to let me in." Serena panted.

"Sorry, John told me specifically no visitors."

"No, he didn't. He just told you not to let me in."

Mrs. Hudson blustered with her sweet smile, and Serena broke.

"Please. Please, just let me in. Please."

Mrs. Hudson sighed and produced a key. Serena pushed open the door quickly.

She met a gun pointing straight at her forehead. John's livid face stared her straight between the eyes.

"What the hell, Serena?" He didn't lower the gun, and Serena's hands raised in surrender.

"Why are you pointing a gun at my face?"