Repens

In her hands was an interesting tabloid with her boyfriend's picture on the front cover with the most alarming of words nearby. Steph was sitting in one of her aunt's cozy chairs staring at the words more than the picture she had seen a hundred times before- the dreadful one with the unpleasant hat.

So he had faked his own death- but why? No one seemed to know anything helpful about the situation at the time of the published article, that much had been obvious to her even before reading the story. There were many pieces to this puzzle and she wanted them all before arranging them. The man she had been sharing a bed with had many secrets and a past she knew only bits of. Leaving this little puzzle for her was clearly his way of letting her know more about him, things that normal people were best left oblivious to. But he already knew her and, in knowing her, he knew that this was one secret she was better off discovering for herself- at least she hoped that was his intention. The only way she could become mad at him for this was if he was merely testing her intelligence by having her solve this case of personal importance.

"What do you have there, love?" Mrs. Hudson cheerfully asked bringing a full tea tray into the room for them to share.

Quickly rolling the tabloid up, picture on the inside, Steph dashed all thoughts of her new obsession away, just until her aunt was busy. The day was going to be interesting to say the very least. She was going to find out Sherlock Holmes' deepest darkest secret before setting eyes on him again tonight.

"You and Sherlock, I still just can't wrap my head around it." The sweet woman tried to smile as the words thoughtlessly spilled from her mouth. Her unusually attentive niece only grinned with a seemingly pleased expression. "He is a very lucky young man, though- you being so pretty, bright and all."

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far. We'll see who the lucky one is all in good time," she happily replied while shoving the tabloid under the cushion behind her back.

The tea was being poured so that meant the conversation would last until the caffeinated liquid was gone. The young woman wasn't particularly interested in girl talk, emotions, and such actions of sentiment- until just recently of course. Even the new bits of emotions felt were mostly towards Sherlock and they weren't emotions that could carry over to her aunt or anyone else. Her kindness and attempt of family love would continue but still her mind was bursting with questions she never imagined she would ever be asking herself.

"Has Mycroft given the two of you any more trouble?"

"He texted Sherlock a few times, nothing of great importance- final threats and such. I think he might be willing to accept the situation soon. He couldn't possibly do anything to actually cause a 'break up'. I think John called it a power complex."

"Yes, he does like to be in control of things. And he's very keen on knowing what Sherlock does," Mrs. Hudson admitted.

"Either that is part of his complex or he somehow feels that protectiveness is part of being the elder sibling. The two aren't very brotherly, except for the constant bickering, and they seem to make a game of annoying the other in any way possible. Our dear Mycroft isn't married, holds himself much higher than he should, yet does seem a bit more perturbed about his brother and I than he should. Usually men in such a position of government as he is in do not concern themselves with relationships that do not immediately concern them. Those types forsake their own relationships and pass them off as distractions. While he keeps constant watch over our favorite detective, it is still very doubtful that his motives are strictly for Sherlock's sake. There has to be some sort of…"

"Stephanie!" Mrs. Hudson gasped in shock.

The girl had forgotten that there was even someone else in the room. There were so many wonderful aspects of 221B Baker Street to be analyzed. Of all of the new mysteries, the brothers' relationship was by far the most interesting to her; not having siblings of her own, she figured that if there had been a sibling their relationship would be very similar- if not mirrored- by the Holmes brothers.