Hey guys! I am so so so sorry that I took soooo long for posting this chapter. I got a new job as a librarian and I was on training through out the whole month making it difficult for me to write it down. Well here is Chapter 14 and I wrote a scene of Sherlock feeling jealous for all those who requested it. I hope you enjoy it! Again, I do apologize for the delay, and I hope you like the chapter. Enjoy! :D

They sat quietly, in the backseat of the cab, staring out the windows; observing the wonders of life in London. Athena lowered her gaze, brushing her fingertips around the orchids that were tied on her wrist. She smiled at the sight of them, they were beautiful and delicate. She then turned to look at Sherlock, who was still staring out his window.

"So, what restaurant are we going to?"

"Hmm…?" Sherlock turned, raising a brow.

"The restaurant," She repeated. "Where are we going?"

"Oh, a restaurant in Soho, called Floridita. It's a Cuban cuisine restaurant. John says there is also a band that plays live music and a dancing hall for those who wish to dance; that sort of thing."

"Interesting," Athena stated. Sherlock shrugged in response and returned to look out the window. She smirked at the brush off. "So, you don't like socializing?"

"Not particularly," he answered. He heaved a sigh, "People are tedious, and desire to have dull conversations that deal with issues that don't concern me, such as family problems and their idiotic, love lives… I prefer quiet environments that allow me to explore my mind palace and ignore the insipid dullards around me."

"Understandable. I enjoy my privacy as well. It calms me and gives me time to meditate. You're right; sometimes other people's stories can be quite dreadful and dreary."

"Exactly."

"However, I do not mind the company of those I feel comfortable with." Sherlock cocked his head, glancing at her through his peripheral vision. Athena smiled and continued. "If I am in a party of some sorts, I tend to mostly hang around those who I am closest to, whether a friend or family member; I make special effort to ignore all others around us. If a familiar person is unavailable, I usually just pick out my own little area and try to keep to myself. So in the end, I don't mind being at a social gathering, just as long I have my space or am with someone whom I feel comfortable with."

"I see," Sherlock responded. He sat quietly, considering her words. He of course, endured social gatherings. Hadn't he had withstood John's wedding? Though, he had mostly been around Mary and John. And, let's not forget, that he had also been solving a murder attempt, which kept him busy and entertained. In addition, there was the Christmas party that they had had four years ago. However, enduring and participating were two different matters. He might as well try to join in the celebration tonight.

"Then would you mind if I sit next to you?" Sherlock asked swiftly, while he had the nerve. Athena turned toward his direction to find Sherlock fixated with a loose string on his shirt cuff.

"I do not mind at all," Athena smiled, soft and understanding, as she noticed a hue of red spread through his pale cheeks. "I would feel lonely, if you didn't." Sherlock raised his head to meet her gaze, a shocked expression on his face. "I-I mean…I do know John and Molly very well, but...never mind." A swell of warmth overcame her skin and she returned to the view outside of her window.

Sherlock smiled and rested his chin on his hand, storing the new information away in his room allocated to his librarian. Once completed, his thoughts turned more towards his freshly acquired favorite topic to think about: their relationship. 'She is more than just my counterpart; she is…she is… my human side. John makes me human as well, but she seems more patient than John is when teaching me. She's calm, collected and wise.' He smiled to himself. She reminded him of himself, without all the 'bit not good' sides.

Sherlock and Athena arrived at the restaurant 7:30 on the dot. Sherlock got out first, and offered his hand to Athena. She thanked him as she carefully stepped out of the cab. John met them at the door, with Mary standing beside him, and guided them to their group. "Glad you could make it, Athena," said John, grinning over his shoulder.

"Thank you for inviting me," Athena smiled.

"Athena!" Molly exclaimed, waving at a distance. "I am so glad you came." She gestured to the man standing beside her. "This is my husband, Tom. Tom, this is Athena."

"Hi, it's nice to finally meet you," Tom said, raising his hand to shake Athena's own. "Molly has told me all about you. How you solved the case and how you kept her safe through the ordeal. Thank you for that."

"The pleasure is all mine, and you are most welcome," Athena replied, shaking his hand in return. "I would do it again if I had to." The trio shared a laugh, and Athena returned to Sherlock's side.

"Well, we better get to our table," Greg commented.

"Indeed," John agreed. The blogger spoke to the waiter in the entrance, "Table for seven, please."

"Yes sir, follow me," the attendant gestured toward the direction the group would beheading.

As they arrived to their table, John pulled a chair out for Mary, and lightly pecked her forehead. Sherlock observed the action, and pulled out a chair for Athena next to Molly and in front of Mary, ensuring maximum girl talk for her. Yet, he was not sure of kissing her. True to his word, he took the seat beside her, his eyes flickering here and there, taking in as much data as possible. His posture remained proper, but stiff.

John noticed, and became concerned about his friend's unusual state. "Are you planning to actually eat tonight, Sherlock?"

The genius, distracted, nodded and took up a menu. He wasn't really hungry, but decided to choose something he knew would be favored by the majority of the group. If he didn't eat it, someone else would. He also found a light delight that, based on Athena's previous choices of meals, would suit her fine too. He noticed that Athena had not touched the menu that lay below her hands. She was focused on her conversation with the girls. 'It would be ok to order for her, wouldn't it? I know what she likes. John orders for Mary all the time.' He thought to himself.

"Sherlock, are you alright, mate?" John asked, pulling the young detective from his thoughts. Sherlock looked around him to meet everyone's stares; apparently he wasn't acting normal enough. He was trying though! Everyone's attention on him made him even more uncomfortable, making it difficult to think.

He knew how to act in a fancy restaurant; his parents had raised him well. However, in mixed company, outside of his immediate family whom not only tolerated him, but understood his eccentrics, he was unsure on how to conduct himself. Of course, during this time, he was supposed to be conversing with those at the table, wasn't he, and he was just staring back at them all.

"Sherlock?" Greg asked, worried as well.

His attention drew back to John, and he released a breath he wasn't aware he had been holding. "Yes. Yes, of course, John. I'm alright," he assured. "Just lost in thought, is all. Please, do carry on."

John furrowed his brow, unsure if Sherlock was telling the truth, but didn't have long to contemplate his friend's unusual behavior. John returned to continue his conversation with Lestrade. Sherlock tried keeping up with the topic of choice, storing words and phrases to interpret later, but somehow, a rugby game sounded very dull. Eventually, Lestrade chuckled at his vacant expression and changed the subject to their latest case, the reason for their celebration.

"Some case last night. It was a real workout, running on that wild goose chase," Greg chuckled, trying to make a joke to lighten the mood.

"That's what makes a case worthwhile," Sherlock stated, an ignorant grin forming on his lips. "The killer was clever to use her medical knowledge in committing, what was nearly, the perfect murder. I wish I had more of those. The simple ones are not worth my time. They are too obvious and dull. Don't you think?" Both men rolled their eyes, smirking at the expected response; at least he was talking with them.

"Well I am very interested to know about the case," Mary laughed, "Tom and I are out of the loop. So please, do tell the story."

Molly began the explanation with how she and Athena performed the autopsy on Julian Freeman. Mr. Freeman was originally believed to have committed suicide, but Athena had noticed signs of cardiac arrest and that the bullet wound was post-mortem.

"So what happened after that?" Mary asked with interest.

"We did some tests to confirm our conclusions," Athena joined. "We wanted to make sure we were correct and then it turned out that Mr. Freeman had been poisoned." Mary nodded and bit her lip with excitement.

"Yes, and that's when they called me," Sherlock added, a smile on his lips. "Naturally, it didn't take long for us to realize what was really going on. John and I searched through personal belongings, while Athena took on interviewing relatives. We didn't find anything of consequence, merely family pictures and useless books. Purely a waste of time," his lip curled in distaste. "However, Athena's interviews, while not on par with my own abilities, still managed to be most invaluable to this case. Upon her return, she helped our search and found more information on the victim's past relations. Within the victim's belongings, were secret letters that were sent to him from a former girlfriend. It turned out that they had disengaged their relationship, but the girlfriend still had hopes of reconciliation. To make a long story, short, we found a letter that was sent a month before Julian's demise, where a mystery woman revealed that she was moving back to London to work as a nurse's assistant at Bart's Hospital. Athena's interview revealed odd behaviors from the victim, especially on the day before he died."

"So he bumped into his ex-girlfriend?" Mary said, more than asked. Her brows furrowed in thought, as she summarized the story in her mind. After Mary meditated on the story for a few moments, her eyes bulged in realization, "Oh! So the ex-girlfriend was the murderer!"

"Yes," Athena laughed, amused by her excitement.

"What happened after that? Did you guys go to Bart's?"

"Not immediately, no. You see, we were still waiting for Lestrade's results from his scavenger hunt. He was looking into any hospitals with reports of medical materials being stolen," Athena replied.

"So we were forced to suffer a delay in the investigation," Sherlock scoffed. "Ow!" Sherlock rubbed his shoulder, sending a mild glare toward the librarian who smacked him. "What was that for?"

"What really happened was that we needed to be sure that it was her once we had Lestrade's report," John explained, grinning at the scene presented before him, "and if Bart's Hospital wasn't on the list, then we would have chased the wrong person." John rested back in his chair, placing a light hand on his wife's shoulder.

"Sounds reasonable," Mary nodded in agreement, leaning into the touch.

"Thank you, John, Mary," Athena smirked, looking back at the detective who sat beside her. Sherlock rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"It doesn't matter," Sherlock sneered, "I was still correct, and we did manage to capture the criminal."

"Really? As I recall, it was Athena who found her," Lestrade added. "She texted you when she was at the morgue."

"Wait, how did Athena end up at the morgue?" Mary asked, confused.

"I suggested that I should go and ask Molly if she knew of any nurses that matched the descriptors of our culprit," Athena answered. Mary hummed in response. "Later on, I found out that our murderer was Molly's assistant, Veronica."

"An intelligent suggestion," the lanky genius amended. "However, an unwise course of action. If you would have accepted my advice to have John accompany you, the hostage situation would have been avoided. Ow!" Athena gave him another sharp blow on his upper arm.

"Sherlock, be nice," John snickered. "She was only trying to help." Sherlock lowered his gaze in response, taking the doctor's subtle hint of "a bit not good" under his laughter.

"Hostage situation?" Tom questioned.

"I…was…taken hostage," Athena hesitated, her pale cheeks colored scarlet as she heard the surprised gasps. "I know. I did try to distract her, but unfortunately I blew my cover and she found out what I was up to."

Sherlock, aware of her discomfort, decided to lighten up the mood in order to make up for his "bit not good" behavior. "Even so, she did manage to tell me on time and we arrived to the morgue before anything worse could have happened."

Athena raised up to face him; her eyes wide open in surprise. The clever detective winked and gave her a reassuring smile. She smiled back in gratitude. Sherlock then, in remembrance of his early observation on John's behavior toward Mary, discreetly leaned towards Athena's side and rested his arm behind her chair, barely making physical contact, and continued the story. "That's not all, she even outsmarted our criminal. While in our culprit's grasp, Athena pretended to be helpless. Then, before the nurse could make her getaway, Athena escaped her grip and incapacitated the culprit."

"Which leads us to tonight," ended John, eyes sparkling. His heart floated in his chest, seeing Sherlock participating in a social conversation, even if it was about the case. He was even smiling! It was rare to see Sherlock genuinely happy.

What was more intriguing, was Sherlock's attitude towards Athena. The detective was being more than cordial with the librarian. If John didn't know any better, he would even say that Sherlock was dating the woman, expressing himself in his own suppressed ways. Still, it was a wonder to behold, the joy and such obvious adoration from his friend.

The band on stage began to play a soft melody. Couples all over the establishment were gathering on the hardwood floors, entangling themselves in their partners embrace. John eyed Mary, a loving grin adorned her face, as if she was already aware of his desire. He held up a hand, ever the gentleman, and tugged her toward the dance hall when her soft fingers grasped his own. Tom followed right after. Apparently, they weren't the only ones with the idea, as Greg wasn't far behind. The DI gently extended his arm towards the newest addition to the family, Athena.

"Ms. Tavington, may I have the honor of this dance?"

"Oh...me? I don't know," Athena replied in shock. She turned to Sherlock, her mouth opened and closed, but her eyes asked for permission.

Sherlock took a deep breath and tried to maintain his demeanor. He didn't like the idea. In fact, he did not appreciate that Greg dared to take the spot he wordlessly claimed his own, for he wanted to take his librarian to dance. 'Just say no!' his inner mind roared. 'She came here with you, not him! He has no right to interfere!' However, he did not want to spoil a good moment for her. This was, after all, a celebration and she is now part of the family. Why would he ruin it for her? With no choice of the matter, letting his ego aside, he decided to let her to enjoy the moment.

"It's alright…go on ahead." His brow furrowed as he forced a smile.

"Are you sure?" Athena asked, concerned.

"I'll be fine. Don't worry about me," Sherlock assured, trying hard to keep the smile. "It's not like we are out on a date right?"

Athena frowned as he sneered at the last statement. She knew he was upset. It made her feel guilty leaving him alone. Yet, she would have felt bad rejecting Greg on his offer as well. She really grew fond of the hard working inspector. He was very polite and amusing; it was hard to say 'no'. Taking Sherlock's word, she pursed her lips and nodded. She slowly turned to the DI, smiled and took his hand.

"Is everything alright?" Greg asked, troubled.

"Yes," Athena replied as she stood from her chair. "Everything is fine. Lead the way, Inspector." A grin appeared on Greg's face as he led the librarian to the dance floor, leaving the clever detective on his own.

John wasn't able to see Sherlock's face to the new turn of events, as Mary pulled him close, gaining his attention. As he smiled to his wife, he noticed on the corner of his eye how tense Sherlock appeared. He swallowed hard, nervous on what Sherlock would do next. He has seen Sherlock upset before on many occasions, but never for a woman. Mary took notice of her husband's distraction.

"John, what's wrong?" Mary asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Hmmm? Oh nothing…it's just…" John hesitated to answer. "Sherlock seems to be in a bad mood right now."

"Well, you know that he hates being around people, darling."

"No, I know, but he seemed upset when Greg asked Athena to dance."

"You don't think he's jealous, do you?" Mary giggled at the thought.

"I never thought I would say this, but I think he is," John chuckled, sharing his wife's enthusiasm. The Watson couple shared a small laugh upon discovering that their loving Sherlock Holmes is actually jealous for the first time.

Sitting still, Sherlock kept his eyes on Athena and Greg, carefully observing the DI's every move. He tapped his fingers impatiently waiting for them to finish. He mentally cursed the band for starting with a slow song. 'Why didn't I say no? I never had a problem saying it.' he scorned himself, clenching his fists until his knuckles cracked aloud. He curled his upper lip as he saw the inspector place his hand on Athena's waist, pulling her close. His eyes grew dark as he noticed the whisper exchange between the couple.

Sherlock's mind whirled wildly with thoughts that only made him assume the worst; the feeling of jealousy growing into his skin, filling his blood. 'What are they talking about?!' his mind yelled. 'Is he asking her out? Did she accept his offer? Wait, what am I thinking?'

The inept genius stiffened; surprised of the fact that he was acting defensive. Why was he? They are just dancing. It is a harmless act. In addition, they are not going out on a date. 'Nevertheless,' he continued to meditate. 'It should have been me who should have asked her to dance. I should be the one making her laugh as we are dancing. I should be the one embracing her, breathing in her gardenia scent, and stare into those deep chocolate eyes and run my hands through the curls of her soft brunette hair…No! No! Stop it!' Sherlock ruffled his hair violently, trying to shake the thoughts away. He cannot feel jealous. He does not do emotions.

Yet, he could not bear to see the one person he feels akin to, be taken away from him. Even though she was near, it was like as she was out of reach. He yearned to interlock her smooth, delicate fingers with his to feel the warmth of her palm against his own, gracefully guiding her through the dance floor as their bodies mirror each other's movements.

"That's it," he murmured under his breath, as he swiftly stood from his chair. Like a wild feline hunting for its prey, Sherlock prepared himself to take his chance. 'But wait,' he paused, thinking that it may not be a good idea to interfere. 'What if Athena gets mad at me for doing so? Not to mention, it may cause a terrible scene. I will make a spectacle of myself. Even worse, I might embarrass Athena.' He let out a deep sigh and closed his eyes tightly at the last thought. He would never forgive himself if he were to upset his librarian. Taking a deep breath, Sherlock straightened his posture and buttoned his jacket, and decided to wait for an appropriate time to take his chance.

A few moments later, the song ended. Sherlock took a deep breath, and slowly moved towards the couple, as the audience applauded the band. He was cautious, like a tamed animal approaching a human after being mistreated. Yet, he was hesitant to trust, afraid of being rejected and hurt, but wants that love and affection so bad. 'What if she says no?' he questioned in thought, unsure of what to expect. Never in his life had he felt vulnerable. Wanting the love and approval of another being, especially a person from the opposite sex. It was a new challenge for him. One that he welcomed with open arms. One that he was willing to win, come what may.

His train of thought stopped, as he finally stood beside the DI and librarian. The detective's heart raced rapidly as they turned to his direction when they noticed his presence, expecting an appalled stare from them. To his relief, he was greeted with warm smiles.

"Hello Sunshine," Greg greeted cordially.

"Hello Greg," Sherlock smiled, bowing his head. "I was hoping, if it's alright with you, to steal Ms. Tavington for a dance?"

"Um…" Greg was lost for words once he correctly heard his name fly from Sherlock's lips. "Sure, of course I don't mind. How about you Athena? Is it alright with you?" Sherlock turned to Athena's direction. Hope filled in his being, yet fear knotted in his stomach.

"Yes," Athena grinned. "I would love to."

"Well, I will leave you two. Have fun, Sunshine," Greg said as he tapped Sherlock's shoulder before leaving the couple. Athena giggled at the gesture, as Sherlock slowly stood before her.

"So, I see that you were having fun without me," Sherlock mocked, his hands placed on his back.

"What do you mean?" Athena furrowed her brow, confused at the statement.

"You know, dancing with Lestrade. I saw you two whispering at each other and laughing and such."

"Wait, did it bother you that I danced with him?" Sherlock pursed his lips in response. "Oh we are having a temper aren't we?" She teased at the sight of his moodiness. She slowly shook her head, smiling at the inept clueless genius, who acted jealous of the fact that she went dancing with someone else. 'How adorable of him.' She thought to herself as she lowered her gaze.

"Sherlock, of course I had fun with him, but…if it makes you feel any better…I was hoping that you would have asked me," She assured him, returning her gaze to the clever detective that stood before her.

"You did?" Sherlock asked, surprised.

"Yes, but I did understood that you are not fond of social gatherings, so I didn't wish to bother you about it."

"Oh," Sherlock whispered, lowering his gaze. He was surprised to discover that his librarian was really waiting for him. His heart floated in his chest, and heat flowed through his pale cheeks. He returned his gaze to Athena, and stared at her eyes with a gentle look. "Is there still a chance for me to have the honor of dancing with you?"

"Yes, Sherlock," Athena chuckled. After the clever couple shared their laughs, the band began to play another slow song. It was the familiar tune of Elvis Presley's Can't Help Falling In Love.

"Oh, um…" Athena began nervously. "I don't think this is quite the song you would like to dance. We can go sit down and wait for a better song if you like."

"Nonsense," Sherlock murmured, as he gently placed one hand her waist and took her hand with his other, positioning them for a waltz. Athena's breathing quickened as she stared into Sherlock's intense blue orbs. He looked back at her with tenderness, almost shyly, as their bodies slowly moved in the dance floor.

Out of the corner of his eye, Sherlock noticed that John was still dancing. He then observed a peculiar gesture the doctor did with his wife. He was laying his cheek on Mary's head. Sherlock tilted his head in thought. 'Is that normal? Would it be ok for me to do it?' His inner mind questioned.

Nervously, he decided to try it, and gently laid his cheek on Athena's head. His heartbeat accelerated, anxious of her reaction. He shut his eyes and breathed deeply, and mentally scorned himself for being too direct. To his surprise, Athena rested her cheek on his chest, and continued to dance with him. Sherlock opened his eyes, smiled in relief, and remained guiding her through the dance floor.

Athena felt like she was floating in a cloud. She has danced before, but only with family members. Right now, she was dancing with the world's only consulting detective, and a very handsome one at that. She loved the sound of his heartbeat. It was the best music she's ever heard. It was even better than Beethoven's masterpieces. The librarian couldn't help but smile, as she lay on his chest. She will always treasure this moment for all her life.

As the music filled the room, they whirled and swayed as one figure, never missing a beat, and as they danced, the beauty of the music washed over Sherlock. The feeling of Athena's soft, warm, slender form curved against him, her delicate fingers held within his, the sweet gardenia scent that flowed through his nostrils, and the smooth sensation of her brunette hair against his skin burned his every being. His chest tightened as he felt a great force of happiness overpowered him. He held Athena closer, never wanting to let go. He felt himself smile as she leaned to his touch, and he didn't care if anyone noticed. For once in his life, he was happy and he wanted to embrace it, and enjoy every moment of it.

So what you guys think? Was the jealousy scene good? Please review! Also, if you want to see any specific scenes for future chapters, please share your ideas :) I might add another dancing scene. But let me know what you guys think and what else you would like to see on future chapters :) Thanks for the support!