Costa Coffee

''So, how're you feeling today? Have an idea of what you'll be taking?''he asked, sometimes glancing at Watson who was walking beside him.

Sherlock had talked Watson into going onto a early snack so they could talk about their visit at Moriarty and also..at the same time, though it seemed weird, to avoid the subject the farthest they could. He walked pretty fast past the Costa Coffee's window and grabbed the door's handle. Then, he gazed at Watson kindly and opened the door. As he arrived at the counter, he ordered two coffees and a brioche, before turning to Watson.

''I'll pay. What will you take to eat? One of the coffees' yours...''

Might as well act kindly by paying...if Moriarty's gonna go after him......

After they received what they had ordered, Sherlock looked around and saw that there wasn't many people, but THEN...he noticed a familiar and utterly shocked face staring at him.

''Sally...''he whispered.

For a moment, he had raised his arm as though to wave teasingly at her with a huge smile, but then...he pulled himself together and did nothing else than to stand there, staring at her awkwardly and not completely knowing what to do...He didn,t really wanna talk to her....he had to avoid her..but it was too late, they both had noticed each other. Probably, they all did the three of them... But he had to somehow get away from her.

John was still a bit shocked about the whole Sherlock and Donovan thing. Who knows, if Moriarty is really interested in Sherlock, it'd turn into a triangle. And as he thought that, he was only half being sarcastic.

"I'm feeling okay, you know the usual", he said. "Coffee, at least. This morning wasn't exactly the easiest, either." He had been really tired when he had woken up, for some reason.

He gazed back at Sherlock a bit and gave a small smile as he opened the door for him. He appreciated the gesture.

"Thanks. I'll take a croissant", he said. Though he wasn't really hungry, just needed to get some coffee.

He turned around and saw the person Sherlock saw too, and had felt the need to say her name. Sally Donovan.

Awkward.. Well, maybe not. But he seems to think so. Why would it be awkward to me? Oh, how do I always turn out to be the third wheel in Sherlock's conversations?

Not with everyone, but with Moriarty, though he did not mind. He didn't exactly long to talk to him, and with Donovan, well, he honestly didn't care what her and Sherlock's relationship was, because it was none of his business, but it would be nice that his friend would share some info with him about it, though. No matter what it was.

Remember you're trying to be nice today.
Spotting the two men entering the shop, Sally's first instinct is to gape, and then curse her own bad luck. However, she manages to collect herself, pinning an eager smile on her face. She hesitates for a moment, and supposes she should wave them over, as they've all spotted one another.
She pushes out the chairs opposite her with her feet, looking at the pair questioningly, and shrugging.
"Hi Sherlock. John."
Her voice is less than enthusiastic, but it is early in the morning, and she hopes it can pass for sleepiness.
I suppose I was going to see those two at some point anyway.

Sherlock looked sideways, his coffee and brioche in his hands. He hoped he could find a way to get away from her...not that he actually MINDED her..but..well, you know the reason... But sighed and trembled a bit as he gave in and sat on the chair she had pushed. He noticed her tone of voice...and guessed she wasn't too happy about seeing them as well. It could have been from the morning groggyness, but Sherlock doubted it... He glanced at Watson to see if he sat down and smiled at him as he saw he did.

''Hi, Sally.''

He took a bite of his brioche, and just stared at her, then Watson, then her...

Shit.... Turning out badly... She nevers offers me to join her, and when I need to get away from her the most, there she acts nicely...no way... how can things turn this bad...?

He stayed silent, eating and drinking, totally not knowing what to say when you don't wanna be too mean but you gotta get away fro a person's sake...

"Hi", John said, trying to sound polite as he sat down. He stuffed half the croissant into his mouth and begun chewing. That was his clever excuse not to have to speak.

Now this actually is weird. Lovely. Nothing like an awkward meeting to cheer one up in the morning. I wonder if they're still.. doing something. If they ever even did do that.. something.

"So.. ", he tried to break the silence after he had swallow the croissant. "What's new..?"

And after that he stuffed the other half of the croissant in his mouth, again for the same reason.

Unsure of how to answer the doctor, Sally follows his lead, taking a bite of her muffin to give her time to think.
New. Your boyfriend is being nice to me, and it scares me. I also keep meeting him everywhere.
Erm, no Sally.
"Not much, you know," she settles for, somewhat lamely. She takes a swig of coffee, looking back and forth between her table companions.
This is awkward.
"Been hectic."

''Well, this is SO interesting...!''he exclaimed, sarcastically.

He turned a bit in order to face the window and took a sip of his coffee, faking to be completely uninterested by his..companions. Though, it wasn't true. He'd like to have a proper conversation with them, but..if he did...it meant danger. So, avoid, was the best solution. And he thought bitching was the best to show it.

''So, Donovan? Still haven't met up with Anderson?Or did his wife catch you both? Adultery is common, but not good. People mistaken it for being fine but it's not...just 'cause it's common doesn't mean they have the right to do it. Aren't you tired of being the third wheel of that relationship that never will be? Perhaps, you only love the physical part..that could work too.''

He was almost glaring at her now. Two reasons : 1- His plan. 2- His natural disgust with this...subject. But then, his expression turned into a kinder and a bit lost one as he saw Watson staring at him like : How dare you talk like this about that to the concerned person?

He gulped and quickly took another sip of coffee, staring right at Donovan.

"Right..", John mumbled to Donovan, but then remembered his mouth was full and quickly closed it and kept chewing.

He turned to look at Sherlock as he spoke. But didn't really wanna say anything. He didn't know why, but he felt like he was being different. But John couldn't quite grasp the different how part yet.

He again just decided to listen. It was good that he was more of a listener, and not a babbler, because then he would have had problems in every conversation recently.

Does he sound jealous? Or am I being paranoid? Sherlock jealous.. I'd like to see that.. No, I would not.

He took a sip at his coffee and looked from Sherlock to Donovan. Nothing to add.

Sally's cheeks flush - both with anger and embarassment.
That man needs to be kept on a fricking leash!
She's made momentarily speechless, but the moment doesn't last long, and the years of being looked down on and sneered at by Sherlock Holmes come rushing back.
"Why don't you just keep out of other people's lives?" she hisses, feeling a full on shouting match to be inappropriate for this time in the morning "All you do is screw them up. And you know...next time you're playing stupid games with me to get to some stupid nurse...well don't bother. I'm sick of your mind games. You can lay off me and Anderson. Maybe it's not ideal, but what gives you the authority to question the - well let's be honest, you're hardly a saint: Mr I-steal-body-parts-from-the morgue."
She glares at him.
"Don't look at me like that. Everyone knows about it. Those are people's friends or family, and you just take bits of them. So...stop and think about what you do before questioning the morality of my life!"

Sherlock just smirkled way too meanly for his normal self. He was hurt by Sally's shouting, but, he didn't show it.

''Because they are interesting! Always so full of problems and bad stuff... I screw them up? No! Their lives, like yours, are already mostly screwed up. How sleeping with a married man isn't screwed up?! You're the third wheel, Sally! He doesn't even care about you! AND WHAT DID YOU SAY?!?! NO FUCKING WAY! I DO NOT want to get to that nurse! How can you assume that?!?!''

He was now at two inches from her face; he was so enraged that she still thought he wanted that Moriarty...But then, he chuckled. It actually could be scary to everyone else...

''You never get anything, Sally, do you? .... No, you don't.''

Sherlock glanced at Watson before continuing his speech; he knew Watson was wondering what the hell was wrong, but, he'd fill in him with info later.

''Oh and, I never really tried to hide it...Donovan. Plus, I don't care...they're DEAD. It's just a symbol those persons are...mourning over. I need them for my experiments. Period. Anything to add?''

Please..I hate being shouted at... and I don't like acting like that... if only.....no...

Donovan sort of had a point. At least at some parts of what she said.

He drank the rest of his coffee and said: "I'm gonna get a muffin or something..", before standing up and walking to the counter. He did not want to be in the middle of a shouting.

He ordered, and got his blueberry muffin and turned back to them. Yep, Sherlock was still yelling. Though he had heard, too. So had everyone else.

He sighed, just sighed.

Ok, why was I brought here? Because I go everywhere with him.. brilliant. But this really isn't my place to be right now.

But he sat down anyway and avoided Sherlock's gaze as his took a bite of his muffin.

It would be lovely if they'd fill me in on this, but I have a feeling it's more than just a bickering.

"Perhaps in your demented little world they have no value, but to the civilised world they do. It's sentimental. That's something you wouldn't understand."
She watches John escape to the counter, and would really quite like to join him (that, or punch Sherlock in the face), but feels that the man in front of her needs setting straight.
So much for my relaxing morning and being nice to him. I suppose the fact that it was clearly all a pretence kind of makes being nice void though.
Good, he's a nightmare.
"And anyway," she continues, pointing a finger at him as a brilliant thought occurs. A smirk appears on her face.
Gotcha.
"If you don't care about symbols, what's the big deal with marriage?" She gives him a little grin. "You so like the nurse."

Sherlock just shrugged and replied ''Probably!''.

''Oh, okay...''

He watched as John went away to the counter and for a second there, he wondered if this really were a good plan after all... But then, he pulled himself together and reminded himself that Moriarty would stop at nothing. So, would he. He raised an eyebrow at her pointing finger and rattled his brain quick to find an answer to that one...a sincere one.

''Well, it's not more the marriage. It's more the relationship. Even if he had only a girlfriend, and not a wife, I'd think the same. It's because of the ''caring''...tjhe emotions people give it... And usually, most of the times..it ends up in disaster or murders... And I think it's sad.''he said, his piercing blue eyes staring right into Sally's brown ones.

Though, now...as she talked about that nurse again..two things passed through his mind...1- The want to punch her, which was totally terrifying because he had never thought about hitting a woman before, 2- Telling her that the nurse isn't nice at all.... But instead, he just sighed.

''Sally, Sally..always so ignorant. You see only what you want to see...''

But then, a third idea popped up...and he thought ''Why not?''. So he tried that subtle hint...knowing full well she might not grasp it since he was saying it as though it were the year's best joke around.

''haha... What if that nurse I like, as you say, was in fact the big villain and my interest and complete obsession as you such describe with yours eyes and expressions, yes, I noticed Sally, were only because I want to catch him and prove I'm way cleverer than him?...That'd be good, eh?''

And also because I wanted to protect you...even though you hate me. Why am I even doing that?

And he grinned.

Turn the tables around...Always turn the tables around...and drop a bit of info in it..people usually don't take what is said on an humorous tone for real...though they should...Sally..get it..no..don't get it....otherwise you might be in danger...well..not totally since I joked and did not QUITE tell you....arf...

As Donovan said that Sherlock liked the nurse, aka Moriarty, he turned his head to Sherlock. He actually might in some levels, sort of agree with Donovan. But who did he like now? Watson was so confused.

He ate his muffin quietly, occasionally looking up at Sherlock or Donovan, but mostly he seemed to be very fascinated by his breakfast.

As Sherlock spoke his last lines before grinning, he looked up to see Donovan's reaction.

"Well, at least we didn't have to worry about the awkward silence anymore..", he mumbled, mostly to himself.

It wasn't the fact that Sherlock was talking to Donovan that bugged him a bit, it was the fact that he wasn't even in the conversation anymore.

"It would be good," Sally agrees, smiling sarcastically at Sherlock, and draining the remains of her coffee. As she does so, she spots poor John Watson still sitting there in the midst of their argument, and feels a little guilty. Still, she didn't know him well, and he was off his head enough to live with Sherlock, so...
"But seeing as that would only happen in fiction, perhaps we should stick with my theory."
She gives him a little smug smile, and moves away from the nurse. She doesn't entirely care about Sherlock's fascination with him; it was only a device to irritate him.
"Well, maybe it's good you have some feeling. But leave my personal life out of your feelings, okay?" She gets up, empty coffee cup in hand, making to leave, but finds she's barricaded in by chairs.
I don't think I've ever been more pleased to have to leave for work.

''Hm... Probably, Sally, but I do not give a damn about your theory. Because we both know it's false.''he calmly replied, raising his eyebrow and taking another sip of his coffee.''Huh, you know it too, Watson, don't you?''

He was now staring deep into Watson's cute blue eyes, waiting for a complice answer. He tried hard not to smirk, though he knew his attempt was kind of failing because Watson knew him better than that... Plus, he had know Watson had been left alone and it bugged him...

''It is. Though sometimes they more get in the way than anything else... Who said I had feelings for your personal life? Just said such adultery makes me sad... Never said I felt something. You see? That is why you police forces aren't that useful after all..you get everything mixed up because you care too much... ''

He gave her back her smug smile as he saw she couldn't get away from them this easily because of the chairs...

''Oh, and Sally..please...do something for me... Don't ever talk to me again.''he said with such a dark glare it was almost scary and so unlike him.

... Because I care. But as usual, you'll take it the wrong way...Well, it'd actually be the best option for the both of us right now...so please, react as usual...

But then, his expression turned to a sad and concerned one....He totally disliked playing dirty like that. It wasn't fun...He loved to mock and prove he was clever...but this...was just ...no.

Watson had finished his muffin just in time to hear his name being said. He turned to Sherlock.

He always does this. It didn't bug me before, but.. maybe I'm not supposed to always agree with him. But what if I do? Oh, why am I like this?

"Yeah, I do", he said and then turned to look at Donovan.

Is this me being rude? No, not looking at someone doesn't mean rude. Well, it sort of does. I hate being rude. I'm never rude. Stop being rude! No, stop saying rude..

He was a bit shocked at what Sherlock said to Donovan lastly. He turned back to Sherlock, trying so hard not to look the way he felt, which was, yeah, shocked.

"With pleasure," she snaps at Sherlock, shoving the chairs out of the way with unwonted venom, and glaring at him.
I didn't actually think he was that mean. Well, would you look at that, I was wrong again. WRONG. Happy, Sherlock? You were right again. Me, I was wrong.
She turns back one last time, although when she speaks, her words are aimed at John. If she's never going to speak to Sherlock again, she's starting now.
"You're insane," she tells the doctor calmly, shooting a glance at the dark haired man who was resolutely looking in the opposite direction. She tuns back to John, and continues her warning. "You think he cares, but he doesn't. It's because he's a pyschopath, and he won't change." She rolls her eyes. "Don't say no one warned you."
And, with that, she crosses the shop in a few strides, and leaves.

Sherlock just rolled his eyes as if he didn't even care about Sally's snappy reply. And he chuckled as she acted so agressively towards the chairs and him...though inside, he felt more like crumbling. He didn't like to be this mean..he liked to tell things about people's lives, true, but not being totally mean *though, Anderson was an exception, but a guy who did adultery kind of deserved it..*. Plus, he liked talking to Sally...

How sad...just as things were getting better... I need to break it all....things suck.

He took another sip of his coffee and shrugged demonstratively as Sally adressed John. Though, he couldn't stand it as she qualified him of ''psycopath''. He stood up, glared at her and said with an angered voice:

''I'm NOT a psychopath! I'm a highly functioning sociopath! Thought you knew that, Sally.''

John was sort of relieved that Sally decided to end that argument, but it didn't mean he was happy she was leaving. He wasn't like that.

"Thank you, Sally", he said as Donovan called him insane.
He was quiet as Sally continued. She sort of hit close to home with what he had thought. He wasn't always sure if Sherlock cared or not, but he wouldn't consider him a psychopath.. much.

"And thanks for the warning", he then said. "But I don't think I'll need it."

He then turned to Sherlock briefly as he defended himself, and then back to Sally and smiled. He had nothing against her, because he knew this was about Sherlock.

It's Sherlock's yells that cause her to turn back, although she does register a little gratefully the doctor's quiet acknowledgement of her.
At least someone here has some proper human feeling.
"What happened to the no speaking, freak?" she shouts angrily across the shop. The few customers aside from those in the argument are beginning to flee, and Sally sees the manager behind the counter shooting looks in her direction, and whispering instructions to somebody close by.
I'd better go. A member of the police force getting arrested never looks good.
The smile she shoots at John takes more effort than it should, but she's so het up it's incredibly difficult to show much positivity. She doesn't even spare Sherlock a glare, merely marches out of the shop without another word, and melts into the crowd outside.