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A Study in Partnership	By : LadyLaran Category: S through Z > Sherlock (BBC) > Sherlock (BBC) Views: 4968 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own "Sherlock" as that belongs to the BBC. Nor do I make money from this!

Chapter List
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Author’s Note – Wow, the response to this chapter has been incredible. I can’t thank everyone enough for reading and reviewing. You guys are absolutely amazing, and I hope you know how much I value and appreciate each and every one of you. My muses are cooperating for the moment because of you guys, and it’s incredible!
Disclaimer – I do not own Sherlock or make money from this tale. I just get to have fun with the characters!
Chapter Six – The Case
Sherlock was pacing the living room when Johanna entered the flat, and he gave her a welcoming nod when he spotted her. She nodded her own silent greeting back, frowning a bit when she noticed a suitcase laying on the coffee table.
“That’s her case then?”
“It is,” he answered. “I just returned home with it and upon inspecting the contents of it, found something missing. Take a look and see if you recognize it.”
Johanna took a seat next to the table, going through the contents of the obnoxiously pink suitcase. Lingerie, change of clothing, make up, condoms, and personal grooming items were all present but given the woman’s possible job, there was something rather important missing.
“Her mobile isn’t here; Lestrade’s team didn’t find it at the crime scene, did they?”
“No, they did not,” Sherlock answered, giving her a pleased look before settling on the couch beside her. “Have you got your own mobile on you?”
“I do,” she replied, handing it to him and watching as he typed a message and sent it. “What’s the next step in the case?”
“I’ve sent a message and now we have to wait,” the detective replied, handing her mobile back to her and watching as she read what had been sent.
“The address isn’t where we found Jennifer Wilson,” Johanna commented. “Let me guess, you’re working under the hypothesis that her killer has her mobile.”
“Exactly,” he replied, eyes shining for a moment. “Do you like Italian?”
“I do actually,” the doctor informed him. “Just let me pop upstairs quickly to get something, then we can head out.”
Curls swung over his forehead when Sherlock nodded, watching her as she went up the stairs to her bedroom. He hid a small smile, feeling pleased with the interactions between himself and his new flatmate. It was becoming more and more obvious to him that this would be a partnership that would benefit the Work. Dr. Watson was proving herself to be observant and more intelligent than he had first expected.
His thoughts were diverted by the appearance of his flatmate, registering that she was adjusting the back of the extremely loose jumper she was wearing and her gait seemed to have eased just a small amount. Whatever she had picked up had boosted her confidence just a bit, and that spiked his curiosity somewhat.
“That didn’t take too long,” he observed in a mild tone, frowning a tad when she laughed.
“No, unlike most women, I don’t take long to ready myself for the day. In this case, I wanted to be certain I was properly equipped in case our suspect decided to make an appearance to the address you texted to him.”
“You’re armed,” he breathed out, eyes widening for a moment. “Brilliant, Johanna.”
“Best be prepared for anything,” she admitted, hiding her embarrassment at his reaction to the fact she was keeping her sidearm with her. “I’d rather have a trap ready for him and also be able to take control of the situation should he have one waiting for us.”
“Excellent,” he beamed for a moment. “That will certainly be useful in the future if we come across adversaries who are also armed. Now, shall we?”
Johanna nodded, adjusting her jacket to ensure the holstered firearm was not visible. She’d clipped the holster to the back of her denims, ensuring that no one could see it accidentally. As she didn’t have any kind of permission to legally carry her sidearm, the last thing she wanted was to draw attention to it.
The physician followed him out of the flat, leaning a bit on her cane as she managed the stairs. He waited for her, then led her out the door. The pair strolled down the street, heading towards the location that Sherlock had requested she text to the murderer.
It was a short walk, even with her limp, and it was nice to take London in at this time of evening. She breathed in the air, enjoying it. The only quarrel she had was that it felt so cold to her; her body had become used to the temperatures of the Afghan deserts, and it was going to take her a while to acclimate to the cooler climate.
“It’s strange not being able to see the stars clearly,” she said softly, not realizing she’d spoken that thought aloud.
“Light pollution of London does prevent that,” the consulting detective replied. “Did you observe the night sky often in Afghanistan?”
“During patrols or lulls in activity when I had night shift at the hospital tent,” Johanna answered. “It was nice to be able to step away from the events going on and just focus on a peaceful sight for a few minutes.”
“It can be rare to get a night like that here in London,” Sherlock observed. “But the nights when it does happen can be quite enjoyable.”
“I look forward to those nights,” she said. “It’ll be nice to relax and just stargaze if the opportunity presents itself. I used to enjoy it as a child.”
“Was that something you indulged in often?”
“Only on weekends when Dad didn’t have to work,” Johanna answered. “He’d make a thermos of hot chocolate, then he and I would go out into the field that was down the road from the house. We’d sit out and watch the stars; I’d listen to the stories about each constellation. Back then, I used to think he knew the name of every star in the sky.”
Listening to her voice, it was obvious the memories were ones she cherished but Sherlock did not gain much more insight into her past as her voice trailed off. He was rather curious about her history and decided to learn what he could through observation as well as listening to her when and if she shared more about herself.
He said nothing about this as he opened the door to Angelo’s restaurant, greeting one of the workers politely while heading to the table he had requested be saved for him.
“Sherlock, it is so nice to see you!”
Both he and Johanna turned to face the owner of the boisterous voice. The detective gave a tiny smile, greeting the man.
“Angelo, good evening. May I present Dr. Watson? Johanna, this is Angelo.”
The azure eyed woman smiled at the restaurateur, offering him a hand to shake. The solid but gentle handshake she received told her that this man was a working class man, using his hands a great deal, and understood what he could do with his size. The fact that he’d kept the handshake gentle also told her that he respected women, a mark in his favor as far as she was concerned.
“It’s nice to meet you, Angelo,” she greeted, voice soft but firm.
“As it is to meet you, doctor. Please, sit down. Anything you want, on the house. This man, he saved me from a murder charge,” the man said, sounding exuberantly grateful.
“I was able to prove that Angelo was breaking into a house on the other side of the city and was unable to be at the scene of the murder at the time of death,” Sherlock told her, taking a seat.
“He cleared my name,” Angelo told them, beaming. “Now, look at the menu and order anything you like, Sherlock. Same for your date. I’ll go get a candle, make it more romantic for you two.”
The detective was a tad startled at the look on his flatmate’s face when she heard the Italian’s comment about her being his date. She was shocked by his words, and it made him wonder why she would be taken by surprise.
“Why would he think we’re on a date,” the physician asked, watching the proprietor of the Italian eatery walk away.
“Typically I am here alone,” Sherlock replied. “This is the first time I have come here with any sort of companion, and I would assume that Angelo naturally believed that you are here due to some romantic overture on my part.”
“Strange,” she murmured, shaking her head. The shocked expression on her face faded a tad but was still detectable to his keen eyes.
“What is?”
“That he’d assume I was your date when you could certainly do much better than me,” Johanna replied, confusing the man. “I’m surprised you haven’t brought anyone here before now; it’s a very nice place. I’m certain any romantic partner you have would appreciate it very much.”
“That is something I do not have,” he informed her.
“A romantic partner? Really?”
“My time has been dedicated to the Work,” Sherlock answered. “I’ve no time or patience for any sort of romantic entanglements.”
“I can understand that,” she replied, playing with her water glass. “I imagine that cases require that you keep unusual hours, and it would take a very understanding person to accept that. It surprises me that you’ve not got anyone since you’re highly intelligent and attractive. Most women and men look for that combination in a partner.”
“Even if I had the inclination, I tend to be rather off putting due to my habits and personality,” he told the woman. “However, I am curious as to why you were so surprised when Angelo assumed you were here as my date?”
The former army surgeon was quiet for a moment, forming a reply that would be acceptable to the man sitting across from her.
“I am very much aware that my appearance is not appealing to men,” she answered quietly. “I’m not beautiful nor am I cute, and I have become quite used to being overlooked. The men of my acquaintance view me as a friend and have never viewed me as a potential partner for anything beyond friendship. So it surprised me when Angelo thought I was here as your date because a man of your intellect and appearance could quite easily snare a beautiful lady to be your dining companion for the evening.”
Sherlock stared at her, caught off guard by the answer she’d given him. Judging by the tone she had used, it was obvious to him that someone in her past had enforced such a negative self-image in Johanna’s mind. Given the memory she had shared regarding her father, the detective could only assume that the negativity had come from his flatmate’s mother.
“Physical appearance means nothing if the mind behind the façade is dull and ill-used,” he said to her, making a mental note to investigate this further when time allowed.
“Not many would say that, Sherlock,” Johanna said softly, sipping her water. “And most of those who would agree with you would also state that the physical appearance is what draws them in so they can get to know the mind behind the façade. How long do you expect this stakeout to take?”
If he was taken aback by the sudden change in topic, the tall male gave no signs of it. He settled himself comfortably in his seat, watching the street while answering the question.
“One never knows in a situation like this,” he replied. “I have hopes that his curiosity will drive him to this spot fairly quickly, but I never assume it will happen within a short time frame.”
“Well, at least it’s indoors and comfortable,” she mused, sipping more of her water and settling herself to wait. Johanna wasn’t too fond of keeping her back to the window, but she could observe the room in front of her as well as keep an eye on her flatmate. If anything happened, she would be ready.
Author’s End Note – Here’s the chapter! I hope everyone enjoyed this; please let me know what your thoughts are on this. For those on AFF, check out my profile for the yahoo group. I put my alerts for updates and new stories there. Have a great one! ~ Laran
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A Study in Partnership