Shadows of the Past (BBC Sherlock) -1-

Outtake #2 - "We Know What This Is."

"Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're enjoying your time there," Amanda told me as I held the phone to my ear, "it's just...I don't know. It seems too rushed, Rachel."

"How?" I switched the call to speaker so I could wrap myself in a towel. She'd called me just as I was out of the shower. I nearly missed answering before the call went to voicemail.

"Seriously? You barely know the guy, and he's stayed over already! I mean, I was all for this relationship before, but now..."

I shrugged. "So what if he stayed over?"

"Oh my God, Rach, you're so blind!" Mandy groaned. "You don't know a thing about relationships."

"As if you do?" I retorted tartly. Amanda had very little room to talk, she hadn't had much luck with men either.

"I know a bit more than you do. For instance, I know it's going way too fast when you ask him to sleep over. You two haven't done it yet, have you?"

My mouth dropped. "No! Things aren't escalating that quickly, Amanda! You think I'm that stupid?"

"You could be, considering you've barely known him a month and you've already rushed through so many steps."

"Not all relationships have to take time, Mandy. Things can go quicker if you have a good connection."

"I don't like it, Rach, I'm sorry."

"You're just jealous because I found someone and you haven't," I snarled.

"No, I'm worried that you'll end up hurt."

"Jim wouldn't do that."

"I get that you're still in the puppy-love phase, but you're new to this kind of thing. I'm telling you, it's dangerous to be this close this soon."

"He hasn't done anything to me."

Amanda hissed on the other end. "You know what? Fine. Stay in your delusional, things-are-all-great-here world. Don't come crying to me when this fling ends in disaster for you."

I gasped, glaring at the phone maliciously. I would have shouted at Amanda for such a cruel comment, but she'd disconnected the call before I could get the chance. I huffed, deciding it wasn't worth the effort to call her back to continue the fight.

What did Mandy know anyway? She didn't write a book on relationships.

Fuming, I stepped out of the bathroom, dressed for bed. I sat myself down on the bed, trying to calm myself down. Amanda and I rarely fought. It was weird to actually feel mad at my best friend. I glued my hands together, squeezing hard.

"Something wrong, kitten?"

I looked wearily to the doorway to see Jim standing there, in casual attire. It was becoming more of a usual thing for him, to not be in business clothes when he visited me. "It's nothing major."

"I don't know, your face says different." He crossed the room to sit beside me on the bed.

I wrinkled my nose. "I'm pissed with my friend. She thinks things are going way too fast. And she called this a...fling." The word sounded drenched with harshness.

"She doesn't know what she's talking about."

"Is this a fling, Jim? You can be honest with me."

He sighed heavily, prying my hands apart to hold one in his. "I thought this was at first. Do you think it is?"

I shook my head. "It can't be." I tossed my damp hair.

"Then it's not." I burrowed my head into his shoulder. "Don't listen to her, Rachel. She doesn't understand." A warm hand picked my face up off his shoulder. My mood lifted slightly when gazing into his brown eyes, eyes that understood, compassionate eyes.

I smiled and couldn't help but laugh as he kissed me. "So I'm guessing you're hanging around another night?"

"If you'll have me." He smiled a crooked grin.

"If you don't feel like going back to your place, you can stay here," I told him.

"Then I guess I'm staying." He pulled me to him, kissing my temple. "We can always have a little fun...It's just us in here."

My eyebrows rose. "I think your definition of fun and mine differ."

"Probably not by much." He fingered a long lock of my drying hair.

I squealed as he tackled me on the bed. I giggled shrilly as he hovered over me, our foreheads touching. I picked my head up to steal a kiss from him. He pulled me up in his arms so we both were sitting up in the bed. I could see a mischievous twinkle in his eye, but I wasn't too worried. Jim knew how far he could go with me; we'd established that not too long ago.

I was hit with the mischievous bug, because before I knew what I was doing, I had Jim's shirt in my hand and tossed it to the floor. I slipped my arms over his shoulders, bringing myself closer to him.

"Someone's being a little devious," he crooned, kissing my throat. A shudder rippled through me. He knew a few of my sensitive spots I never knew I had.

"Don't try anything," I warned him.

"I know." He rolled his eyes playfully at me. "A gentleman never disrespects his woman's boundaries."

"So you have a claim on me now?" I scoffed.

"I've had one since our first date." He kissed the bridge of my nose.

A thought was pestering me: "Can I ask you something?"

"You're ruining the moment, Rach."

I flushed. "Sorry, but I have to know." I paused for a second. "This isn't a ploy, is it? It isn't a scam?"

Jim's brows furrowed. "Why would you think that?"

I shrugged. "I don't know."

"It's your friend, isn't it? She's planted doubt in your head." He shook his head. "I'm not out to get anything from you." He kissed the corner of my mouth. "I think you're worrying too much, kitten. You need to relax." He took my mouth in his again, not being shy compared to past times.

Jim guided me back down to the bed. I pulled away, panting. My head was fogging over. My eyes shut as he found my sensitive spots. I shivered as his fingers trailed my body, not once daring to slip under my clothes.

"I don't care what your friend thinks of this." Jim plopped himself next to me. I opened my eyes and turned over so my back was facing him. I sighed as my body molded into his, like we were made for each other. Yes, it's sappy, but it felt true. "We know what this is, and that's all that matters." He continued to shower the nape of my neck with kisses.

I could stay like this all night if I wanted to with Jim. We knew what this was, and it was definitely not some silly fling like Amanda thought. She'd realize she was wrong about this when Jim and I would surpass her expectations. Maybe then she'd apologize and admit she was wrong.