You See But Do Not Observe

PUZZLE

"Anything else?" Sherlock asked.

"Every man in this office is enamored with her, but she ignores them all. Serena's one cold fish, that's for sure. It just makes us all want her more. That body and that face, wow. It'll be worth the wait when I have her. Let me tell you, I've pulled out all the stops on this one."

Sherlock felt cold. He wasn't sure why he cared, but he did. John stood straight up in his seat.

"You're a pig." John said.

"John, come on." Sherlock grabbed his friend's shoulder firmly in one hand and the files in the other. "We're leaving."

Daniel's face was the epitome of puzzlement as Sherlock pulled John behind him. Sherlock glanced around for Serena and saw her coming out of a room. The little girl was still wrapped around her.

"We better leave." Sherlock said.

"Why?" Serena asked. She was still annoyed with him. He could tell.

The little girl peered through her eyelashes at him. She didn't seem quite as terrified as she was.

"John will kill that charming man if we don't." Sherlock said. John was still glaring at the confused Daniel. Serena sighed.

"Kayla, I need to go." She untangled herself from the girl's arms and set her down.

"I want to come with you!" Kayla said.

"I'm sorry, you can't." Serena said sadly. "But I'll be back tomorrow."

"Please?" She asked, her eyes getting big.

"Sandy?" Serena called out. A big man came around the corner.

"Kayla, come on. We'll play a game." He said gently.

The girl looked at him adoringly. "Okay." She said. "Bye Serena."

Serena waved goodbye and sighed.

"Orphan?" Sherlock asked.

"Yeah. She was four when it happened. She's six now. A mugger shot her parents in front of her and stuffed her in a box. She was found almost ten hours later by police. She didn't have any family, so she was put in foster care. The system decided she was too unstable, so they sent her to an orphanage, and they sent her here. She has hoplophobia and achluophobia, both treatable." Serena said as they got in the elevator.

It dinged and they stepped out.

"Look, I'm sorry for getting so angry with you. It was irrational." Serena said to Sherlock calmly.

"It wasn't irrational. You were protecting her." Sherlock said.

"I wasn't sure if you would understand that." Serena said.

"I don't."

"So if John was in danger, you wouldn't go to save him?"

"You're very perceptive."

Serena looked at John. His fists were still clenched, Sherlock noticed.

"Tell me, was Daniel a bother like usual?" She asked.

John let out a bark of laughter. "Bother me? No, finding heads in my flat bothers me. I wanted to rip his head off."

"What did he say?" Serena asked.

"You don't want to know." John replied.

"Oh, don't be noble, John. I'm sure she knows." Sherlock said, and Serena opened the door.

"He's a bastard." John said.

Serena smiled as she hailed a taxi. It was the pleasantly surprised smile of someone who wasn't expecting help. "I appreciate you defending me, but I can handle a couple horny coworkers."