Liberosis- An Elementary story

Back to the brownstone

We stand statutory at the steps of the brownstone. I look up at it with the same eyes and see what I've always seen but in a different light. This is my home. This is our home. In fact this is the only place that's ever even felt like a home.
As I turn I notice Sherlock starring at me.
"Odd isn't it, how the same place can look so different." He musses and I turn back to it.
"Yeah." I echo before shaking my head. "Shall we go in?"
"Indeed" Sherlock says as I climb the steps of the brownstone with him close behind. I pull out my key and clumsily put it in the lock before turning it. I'm instantly hit with the wooden smell I'm so familiar with and sigh happily.
"Clyde!" I exclaim happily whilst walking over to his tank. "We've missed you."
Sherlock laughs as I pick him up and stroke his shell.
"He's going to love the lettuce we brought him." Sherlock says and picks up Angus. Suddenly Sherlocks phone rings and he pulls it out and takes a quick look at the caller before pressing a button and then looking at me and mouthing 'Bell'. I nod and we move to sofa and sit on it side by side.
"Hey Marcus."
"Joan!" He exclaims happily through the phone. "You guys back?" He asks skeptically.
"We have returned yes detective." Sherlock says and a happy laugh can be heard.
"Thank god, you know Sherlock you're actually not that bad to work with compared to the cops here. You guys up for coming in right now?" Marcus sounds so hopeful that I can't help but laugh.
Sherlock puts his arm around me and I lean happily into him.
"What do you think?" Sherlock whispers and I pull my head of his shoulder and look into his eyes.
"Let's go." I whisper and his eyes light up.
"We shall be there soon detective." Sherlock says.
"Thanks guys! See you soon." Bell says with relief then the phone line goes dead.
"Nice to be missed." I say with a laugh before getting up and taking Sherlocks hand. He grins and squeezes mine.
"Indeed, poor Marcus."
We climb into my car and I make the short drive to the 11th. Suddenly I'm hit with a huge wave of tiredness as the jet lag catches up with me.
"What time is it?" I ask Sherlock and when I turn to him I notice he's laying back with his eyes closed. "Hey if I can't sleep neither can you."
I move my hand to shake Sherlocks shoulder but he suddenly opens his eyes and lightly catches my hand with a grin. I return my eyes to the road and pull into a spot at the station.
"It's 6:27 and I wasn't sleeping dear Watson, I was in fact checking I can still know exactly where we are with my eyes closed." Sherlock says gesturing smugly and I roll my eyes and the car engine stops.
"Sure." I say with a smirk as we climb out the car and walk to the precinct. We take the familiar elevator to our floor and walk over to Bells desk where he's sat with a stack of brown folders that make my eyes light up. Grinning happily I walk to one side of Bell and Sherlock walks to the other.
"Need any help?" I say casually with a grin and Bell jumps and looks up at me then turns to Sherlock.
"Guys! Smith and Joe you guys can go back to your squad, thanks for the help." Bell shouts to a couple of guys before rolling his eyes. "I would have got more done working alone." He says with a sigh.
Sherlock chuckles and scoops up a few files.
"Conference room?" He suggests and Bells eyes light up.
"I've missed that, let's go." Bell says and we all head to room 7.
Recently we've taken to all working together on cases in room 7, we put loads of pictures on the wall and bounce theory's off each other. I think it's fair to say it's all of our favourite way to work. We follow Bell into the room casually until he puts down folders on the desk.
"So how's the happy couple?" Bell says casually and Sherlock and I both freeze as Bell turns back to us in confusion. "Your brother and his girl?"
"Oh right yeah." I say quickly with a laugh. "The wedding was great, best four days I've had in a long time." I say sneaking a smirk at Sherlock.
Luckily Bell doesn't seem to notice anything as he sits down and spreads the folders on the desk.
"Captain wants two done tonight." Bell says with a stressed sigh.
"Easy detective, we will take one each then compare in half an hour." Sherlock says and Bell seems reassured.
We all reach on the table and pick out a folder. As I open my folder I try as hard as I can to keep my face composed as looking back at me are pictures of a beautiful woman covered in blood. Upon closer inspection it becomes evident that this is a stalking gone wrong. Even the word stalker sends shivers down my spine and I feel the familiar longing for justice as I look at the woman below. Her file says she reported a man she thought was stalking her just a month before her death but he had an alibi. I narrow my eyes as I look at a picture of him and notice his large hands are consistent with the bruising on the woman's neck. Her name was Emma Day and his Reece Gate. Only her brother Nick gave a character statement about her. Nobody's been convicted of his death yet she died two months ago. I'll find who killed you I think whilst looking at Emma's face.
As I flick through the folder I notice that it doesn't say what Gates alibi was.
I lift my eyes from the folder and notice Bell and Sherlock engrossed in their files and pull my chair close to Sherlocks who's next to me to reach the spare folders looking for any spare sheets only to find none. As I turn my head I find Sherlock staring at me with sparkling eyes and smile at him. As I turn my head back to my file I notice that someone named John Smith was in charge of it before and sigh as I remember that was the name of the officers Bell was working with.
"Bell I need John Smiths number." I say quietly as to not disturb the quiet atmosphere.
"He's the desk two down from mine if you want a face to face." Bell says with a sigh. "Be careful though, he's a big ass and a flirt." Sherlocks head snaps up and he looks skeptically at Bell as a smirk settles on my face.
"I'll accompany you." Sherlock says whilst snapping his file shut and I laugh.
"Don't worry I got it." I say with a smile and Sherlock looks skeptically at me. I stand up and notice Bell straining his eyes at us.
I get up and feel Sherlocks gaze on me as I leave. I know he knows I can handle myself but his protectiveness is sweet. I walk confidently to Bells desk and then two down from it to the desk of a rather chubby police officer.
"Are you officer Smith?" I ask and he looks up and then looks me up and down with a smirk.
"That's me babe, what can I do for you?" He says with an annoying smile that I don't return.
"You're crap at files." I say bluntly feeling no need to be polite. "It says here you interviewed Reece Gate but you didn't say what his alibi was." I say bluntly and put the file on his desk.
Smith takes a look at it with a smirk.
"Yeah I remember this dude. Come out for drink with me and I'll tell you everything." He says with that horrid smile that I stare coldly at.
"How about you tell me anyway and do your job." I say sarcastically and he laughs.
"Well just this once sweet cheeks." He saying with a wink that makes me roll my eyes. "His girlfriend was there and said they were together all night."
I look at him in shock.
"And that was enough to rule him out completely? She could have been an accomplice or lying." Smith cuts me off with a laugh.
"I don't think so babes but I'll happily come with you to his place." Smith makes to stand up but I put my hand out.
"No thanks Smith, you've been enough help." I say sarcastically and he grins and sits back down.
As I walk away I feel his eyes on me and walk ever quicker back too room seven and shut the door sighing slightly as I sit down.
"Are you alright Watson?" Sherlock says and I look up and meet his gaze with a smile.
"Yeah, did that idiot even train to be a police officer?" I say turning to bell who grins.
"Apparently."
"I'm going to need to talk to someone he interviewed to progress with this case." I say with a sigh.
"That's okay I've solved this one." Bell says whilst scribbling down some notes then closing it.
"As have I." Sherlock says closing his. "We can start yours tomorrow." Bell says happily and I watch as he sits back, looking much more relaxed than he did a few hours ago. "May as well get some sleep before then. You guys go I'll set up for tomorrow, thanks for everything."
I'm about to protest but Sherlock stands up and grabs our coats.
"Wonderful detective. We shall provide sustenance and be outside the prescient at 8?" Sherlock says whilst holding out my coat which I quickly slip into.
"Great see you then." Bell says with a smile that I echo before following Sherlock out to the elevator.