The Baker's Detective

| The Date and the Smile |

John sits up, bleary and overwhelmed. "Sherlock? What? Is this a dream?"

Sherlock paces. "It's going to be a nightmare if you don't get up and help me."

"With what?"

"I'm going on a date with Lily."

John nearly falls out of bed. "You're what?"

"It just sort of happened and we're going to walk in the park around lunch and there's a bakery and I don't know what to wear."

John stands, grabbing his robe for extra warmth in the cold flat; Sherlock keeps the air up high in the summer. "Wear what you always wear."

"On a date?"

He starts towards the kitchen, forcing Sherlock to follow. "It's a casual thing, I wouldn't worry too much. Comb your hair, maybe shave, put on some cologne. Brush your teeth."

Sherlock has a heart attack on the spot. "Are you suggesting that I'm going to kiss her?"

"No! But your breath should smell not bad regardless." He gets a mug down from the cupboard. "I mean, you could kiss her-"

"I'm not ready for that."

John chuckles. "Okay, okay."

Sherlock runs his hands through his curls, messing them up.

"That's what your hair shouldn't look like."

"John, I am going to throw up."

"No, you're not."

"I am."

"Then you won't feel nauseous anymore."

"John, you are not helping."

He sets his mug down, quits making tea, and faces Sherlock. "Take some deep breaths. It's gonna be alright. You love her, right?"

"Yes, but she-"

"Said yes. She's probably just as nervous as you are. You both like each other, you get along fine anywhere else."

"But this is different."

"I know. But not that much different."

Sherlock rubs his eyes, takes a moment, and then sighs. "I'm going to put together some outfits and then you tell me which is the best one."

"Sherlock-" John starts, but he's already down the hall, rummaging through his closet.

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She should call somebody. She should really call somebody. How does she back out of this? Should she back out of this?

Probably, yes. But now that it's happening part of her doesn't want to. Why not just see what happens? Maybe this time it will be different — but this isn't the first time she's said that to herself.