John's frown deepened, but he quickly noticed Sherlock's eyes dropping to the scalpel still gripped tightly in his hand. Glancing down at it too, John sighed and placed it on top of a nearby bookcase and crossed his arms, looking at the Alpha expectantly.

Sherlock blinked at him once, twice and John waved one arm in an impatient gesture. "Well?" he asked.

Sherlock put his hands in his pockets and frowned back at him, "Well what?"

"What are you doing here Sherlock and why did you bother to break into my flat? Which, if you didn't know, is illegal."

Scoffing at the insinuation of the law applying to him, Sherlock turned around to observe the room. "If you were going to call the police John, you would have done so by now."

A thoughtful expression crossed John's face. If it had been any other intruder he knew he would have confronted them, just like he had with Sherlock. Suddenly feeling exhausted as the adrenaline hit began to fade, John sat himself down on the nearby couch. "I never said I was going to call the police."

Surprise flashed briefly on Sherlock's face before he smiled with a slight smirk, "Yes, that was obvious when you barged in here with no concern for your safety. Incredibly stupid, even for you. I could have been anyone."

John considered him for a few seconds in silence but the pause was enough for Sherlock to narrow his gaze in slight suspicion, "Unless you had already known it was me."

Tilting his head to the side, John looked at Sherlock thoughtfully before replying, "Maybe, but you are the only visitor I have had since living here and the only person to have stepped on my door mat with feet as long as yours."

Sherlock glanced down at his shoes and then looked at John with something that could nearly be called approval. "You do not let anyone into your life and yet you knew it was me in your apartment even though I had broken in. Despite the fact we had spent no more than fifteen minutes interaction over twenty four hours ago."

With every sentence Sherlock took a step closer to John and John did not dare move off his position on the couch. The near predatory stare from the Alpha prevented him from moving. John began to understand why Alphas considered themselves the head of the hierarchy. If a single look had this effect on him, John began to fear what a touch from Sherlock would accidentally unleash.

Suddenly Sherlock bent down and was eye level with him, nearly nose to nose with John. Bright cerulean blue contrasting the deep brown.

"Why is it you, Dr John Hamish Watson, are still in my mind after a day when no one new lasts more than an hour! Now tell me! HOW and WHY did your scent change?!" Sherlock's voice had lowered until it was a growl rumbling in his chest and John could feel it vibrate through the air and into him.

It was the single, most, sexiest thing John had ever heard in his entire life.

Despite every repressed instinct that was screaming inside of him to crumble and tell this gorgeous, nearly over-whelming, Alpha all of his secrets, to submit and stop fighting, John's unbreakable resolve won through. He refused to allow his Omega-side to rule him. There was more to him than that, he had fought so hard to get to where he was. He was not going to change now.

John leant forward ever so slightly, his eyes boring into Sherlock's as if he could see right through him. Sherlock had never felt so uncomfortable in his whole life. John's scent had not changed once the entire time he had been here, not even in close proximity and Sherlock was at a loss. John was just staring at him and not saying anything, inspecting his face as if expecting to find some sort of meaning. Although he couldn't comprehend what it could possibly be.

But, Sherlock found that as he stared back, that John's face was much softer when up close. Not as harsh when he was frowning. Hmm, yes he was aesthetically pleasing at this distance. How could this man be a Beta and have this sort of effect on him? Could there possibly be an exception to the rule of not being attracted to Betas?

John suddenly leant back and smiled in amusement. "My scent may have appeared to have changed because the bonded Omega next door has been in heat for the past week. It gets everyone worked up at this time of year."

Sherlock immediately frowned, "What?"

John pointed behind him with his thumb to the lounge room wall, "If you had stuck around for another half hour you would have heard them going at it."

Sherlock glanced at the wall and wrinkled his nose in slight disgust, "It would not have been something I would have wanted to hear." He quickly looked back at John, his mind whirring at the possibility it could have been a bonded Omega triggering the scent change in John. But surely it had been John's fault? "How has it come to be that you are living next to a bonded Omega?"

John smiled, "Are you interested in celebrities?"

Shaking his head, Sherlock looked rather offended, "I have no interest in such superficial, unnecessary rubbish. Popular culture is not important,"

He looked away back at the offending lounge room wall, deep in thought and John felt himself internally relax. Having the wound up Alpha calm down caused the overwhelming musky smell in the apartment to disperse slightly.

John was constantly amazed that un-bonded Alphas did not realise how many pheromones they unconsciously released the more emotional they got. Anger was the worst for it. Now his apartment was going to be entrenched with the enthralling scent of a gorgeous Alpha who he did not need in his life and risk discovering his secret. Fantastic…

Sherlock looked away, more than slightly disturbed he seemed to have been wrong, turned away abruptly and walked away from John towards a leather armchair in the corner of the room. Sitting down rather heavily on it, drawing his feet up onto the cushion, he crossed his arms over his chest and began to visibly sulk.

The sight reminded John of a spoilt child. The surprise at seeing such a sight, the abrupt change in Sherlock's behaviour, that an Alpha was acting this way? That an adult was acting this way as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

It was…refreshing and calming. There was a restoration of balance in the apartment as John regarded the man in front of him with a blank expression. Ok, so the only Alpha who had ever caused a reaction in him was also, in retrospect, a large child.

Perfect.

"Cuppa?" John offered suddenly, he certainly felt like he needed one. There were a million questions running through his mind and John knew that there was no chance of him being able to ask Sherlock about himself. As much as he desperately wanted to. The man in his lounge room was such an enigma that John wanted to know more about him.

Sherlock nodded silently, deep in thought. He did not know much about the physiology of Omegas and how they were chemically different from Alphas and Betas. He had never met an Omega in his life and the chances of meeting one were so low he had given up on the possibility of bonding with one at a young age. Why bother to learn about what he cannot ever have?

Watching John move through his flat with calm and ease, even though he practically had a stranger in his home. A stranger, who had broken in, stood directly in his face and sniffed him. Sherlock oddly felt uncomfortable of his actions and slight guilt. He had desperately wanted to provoke some sort of reaction from this man, but instead he been offered a cup of tea and some biscuits.

A steaming white mug along with a plate of biscuits was suddenly placed on the small table next to Sherlock, snapping him out of his mind. His eyes studied John's back as the man made his way back to the couch. He could practically see the ease and anticipation in the Beta of looking forward to enjoying a cup of tea. Such domestics, they had never held a place in Sherlock's own life and nor did he ever want them. But, he had to admit, the tea did smell rather delicious and he was feeling slightly peckish.

His suspicions were confirmed on the first sip that John knew how to make a good cup of tea. It was hitting a spot he had not realised needed filling and Sherlock shut his eyes at the feeling of the hot tea settling in his stomach.

"Did you end up catching the killer?"

The curiosity was evident in John's voice as Sherlock opened his eyes and turned his gaze back to the smaller man. John obviously hadn't read today's paper. The gentle inquisitiveness was so clear on John's face that Sherlock knew the man would not be offended if he said no. But how he had marvelled at Sherlock's genius before made the Alpha wonder if the Beta would react the same way again.

Sherlock took his time in having another sip of his tea before answering, "Yes."

"How?"

Unable to repress the small smile at John's astonished face, Sherlock placed his cup of tea back on the table and began to explain everything. It was a long, complicated tale but by the end of it John sat in complete silence for a few seconds before his face broke out into a smile full of amazement and awe.

"That was fantastic", he gushed out and Sherlock felt warm prickles of warmth buzz over his body at the praise. "So you're some sort of detective then?"

"Consulting detective. Only one in the world, considering I invented the job." Sherlock replied but paused briefly. "That's not the usual reaction I get," Sherlock said, giving John a wry smile.

"What do people normally say when you…"

"Deduce…"

"Yes, deduce them?"

"Piss off." Sherlock said, smirking slightly. John's face softened before looking away with a slight frown.

He got up off his chair and collected both Sherlock's and his empty cups and took them out into the kitchen. Sherlock began to analyse John's unusual reaction until John called out from the kitchen, "They are all idiots to think that."

Sherlock ears pricked at the tone of sincerity in John's voice and he couldn't help the spark of a small smile on his face. When John walked back into the lounge room, the frown of disapproval still clear on his face, Sherlock found it to be quite interesting. He found himself not wanting to stop studying the expression on John's face. John's obvious displeasure at how others didn't appreciate his genius. Why did he care what others thought of him? He barely knew Sherlock yet here he was, defending him from the masses. Such emotion on the Beta's face... What was the range John could possibly show? It certainly would be fascinating to catalogue them all if given the chance.

Sherlock grinned at the thought and replied, "Yes they are."

John looked at him, slightly shocked at the change of mood but he quickly smiles too and suddenly they begin to find themselves both laughing. Neither not quite sure why, but it seemed that it was called for in that moment.

The night ended with Sherlock leaving out of the apartment door and him actually apologizing for breaking into John's flat and alarming him.

John, completely taken aback by the gesture, grinned and replied, "Please, just don't do it again. All you have to do was knock and if I'm not home, leave a note."

Sherlock smirked, " You have a hidden key on the underside of your door mat hidden under the loose seam on the right hand corner. I'd wait till you came back."

John's mouth dropped open and Sherlock smiled, "Good night."

Before John was able to reply, Sherlock ran into the nearby stairwell and out of sight. Eyeing the mat suspiciously, John immediately picks up the key hidden in the exact spot Sherlock had described. How he had known it was there was beyond him, but the fact that Sherlock had taken the time to pick the lock instead of just using the spare key was a little worrying.

"Need to come up with a new spot for this…" John mumbled as he went back inside and shut the door behind him, wondering when he would get to see Sherlock Holmes again.