The Science of Deduction Does Not Extend to Relationships

Chapter 14: Gaping Isn't Polite

Chapter 14: Gaping Isn’t Polite

            In next to no time at all Sherlock and I had packed my things and were ready to go back to the Baker Street flat with a dumbfounded Spencer and Mark sitting at the kitchen counter.  “Can you please explain to us what is going on?” Spencer demanded and Mark nodded in agreement. 

            “How’s this sound, the three of us grab lunch tomorrow at that café right round the corner from the office and I’ll explain everything?” I silently begged them to just let me leave with Sherlock.  I had refused to admit it, but I secretly had missed the organized chaos that was my life at 221B.  Luckily, the two picked up on my eagerness to go home and they didn’t argue about it any further.

            Once in the cab back home, Sherlock tentatively took my hand in his.  He looked incredibly unsure and a bit uncomfortable, but the gesture was appreciated.  I smiled warmly up at him and leaned my head on his shoulder.  Neither of us spoke on the drive back, but we didn’t really need to; we were just genuinely enjoying each other’s presence.

            I immediately ran up to the flat and barged in without knocking.  Sherlock followed behind carrying all of my bags.  John jumped in surprise when the door slammed open and I laughed at the sheer familiarity of it all.  “You could have carried something Lils,” Sherlock grumbled dropping my things in his…our… room.  That would take some getting used to.

            “You’re back?” John asked standing up to wrap me in a tight hug.

            “I couldn’t stay away from your gorgeous face darling,” I joked and waltzed into the kitchen to put the kettle on.  “Right, so I’m going to make dinner for tomorrow night as a homecoming thing and we’ll have Mrs. Hudson, Lestrade, and Molly over to celebrate.  Oh, and I’ll check with Spencer and Mark about it tomorrow too.”  The rest of the night John and Sherlock filled me in on the Baskerville case so that I would be completely prepared to write my feature on Sherlock the following day at work.

            I woke up that morning curled up next to Sherlock.  He had his arm wrapped around my waist and his other behind his head.   I turned to face his sleeping form and bit my bottom lip; he was absolutely gorgeous and I spent a minute reveling in the fact that he was mine after all these years.

            “Haven’t I always been though?  Ever since we were six years old.”

            I stared wide-eyed at the now, very awake Sherlock.  “Did I—did I say that out loud?” I practically squeaked, my face turning bright red.  Sherlock just smirked and nodded at me.  “Why didn’t you say something to stop me?” I smacked his chest lightly and pouted. 

            Sherlock shrugged.  “I was curious as to what you’d say.  Besides, I figured I’d see how long you could stare before getting bored.  It was a simple experiment.”

            “How long were you awake?” I asked slightly mortified.

            “Long enough.”

            I rolled my eyes and pecked him on the lips.  “Well as fun as this is, I have to get to work.  I have that feature to do on you with a deadline tomorrow and I barely have any of it done.”  I rolled out of bed and threw on a blouse and skirt.  I was half under the bed trying to find my second flat when I suddenly saw Sherlock peek his head down on the other side. 

            “What do you say I…ah…make you coffee for your morning commute?”

            I smiled in triumph at finding my shoe and stood up to put it on.  “Sounds lovely Sherlock.”  He got out of bed and went to the kitchen as I ran a brush through my hair.  About five minutes later I dashed out of the bathroom with toothbrush in one hand and my bag slung over my shoulder.  Sherlock met me with a traveling mug full of steaming coffee.  “Milk and sugar?” 

            Sherlock gave me one of his ‘obviously’ looks and held the mug out.  “How long have I known you?”

            “Yeah, yeah, I know.  Here take this for me will you?”  I handed Sherlock my toothbrush and took the mug from him.  “See you later, and remember, I’m cooking dinner for everyone tonight so no going out to work on a case…that means the both of you!”  I called over to John who was sitting on the sofa with the morning’s paper. 

            I ran into the office with literally seconds to spare and slid into my desk chair.  “Late night?”  Spence teased from the desk opposite me and over dramatically winked at me.

            I shook my head and laughed.  “Shut up Spence, and no for your information, nothing like that happened last night thank you very much.” 

            He laughed and turned back to his computer screen.  “We still on for lunch with Mark this afternoon?” he asked, not looking up at me.

            “Yes we are,” I answered.  “Oh, and tonight I’m making dinner at 221B for a bunch of people.  You and Mark should come over and join us.”

            “What do you mean by ‘a bunch’?”

            “Well, obviously me, John, and Sherlock, and then there’ll be Molly from St. Bart’s and Mrs. Hudson, both of whom you’ve met.  Oh, and Inspector Lestrade from Scotland Yard.  Come, on it’ll be fun.”

            He sighed and smiled over his computer at me.  “Yeah, we’ll be there sweetness.”  I smiled happily and turned to my own computer. 

The rest of the morning I spent working on the feature on Sherlock.  It was nearly impossible to write about Sherlock and his detective skills without adding in any personal opinion, but I managed to write a great feature, none-the-less.  Finally, I glanced at the time and seeing that it was almost half past one I stretched and called over to Spencer.  “Oi!  You ready to go for lunch?  Mark’s gonna be at the café in a couple of minutes.”  He nodded and got up and the two of us went down the block to our favorite café.

Minutes later Mark joined us and gave Spencer a quick kiss and me a hug.  “So, you’ve got to tell us what the bloody hell happened with you and Sherlock last night?  I never thought you’d forgive him.”  Mark asked and sat down next to Spencer.

I blushed and kept my eyes glued to my turkey avocado BLT.  “Well, he showed up at your flat last night while you two were out.”

“Really?  You don’t say?” Spencer gasped sarcastically. 

“Oh shut it you,” I shot a glare across the table.

Mark put a hand out to calm me down.  “Okay, relax Lilly.  Anyway, what happened then?”

“I slammed the door in his face but he kept arguing with me and threatened to break down the door so I eventually let him in.  He explained that he said he didn’t consider me a friend because he’d considered it more than just a friendship ever since we were sixteen in Greece.”

“And what happened when you were sixteen in Greece?”  Both men asked simultaneously, staring at me from across the table.

I blushed and looked back down at my sandwich once more.  Suddenly it seemed like an incredibly intriguing sandwich.  “Well…ah…you see…our families shared a villa in Greece every summer from the time we were six until we were eighteen.”

“And?” Spence encouraged.

I blushed an even deeper shade of red.  “Every year while we were in Greece our two families took a trip out touring around the different historic places in Greece.  That year Sherlock and I opted out of the trip and our parents decided to allow it.  So we were incredibly hung-over one morning…well I guess it was afternoon by the time we woke up…anyway, we ended up…sleeping…together…”

“Shut up!” Spence gasped.

Mark was staring at me wide-eyed. “You didn’t!”    

I rolled my eyes and looked up at the two of them.  “You boys can close your mouths now.  And did your mothers ever tell you, gaping isn’t polite.”