Beauty and the High-Functioning Sociopath {#PFCC2k16}

The Three People Who Love You Most

(Present)

"He said you had some pictures for him as a treat." Archie's mother said.

"Er, yes. If he's good." Sherlock said, patting the child's head. He wasn't sure Archie's mother would approve of the pictures.

"Beheadings." Archie said. Alex snorted. Sherlock pryed Archie's arms off him.

"Lovely little villiage." He said.

"This is why we can't have kids." Alex whispered in Sherlock's ear.

"But I want one!" Sherlock said.

"No." Alex said firmly.

They went into the place they had rented after saying hello to all the guests. Alex and Sherlock were talking in the corner. Alex was eating anything she could get her hands on. Like Mary, she was starving.

"Dude, I'm bored." She said to Sherlock.

"What do you want me to do about it?" Sherlock asked.

"Deduce something." Alex said.

"Alright...um, that guy." Sherlock pointed to a man. "Traces of two leading brands of deodorant, both advertized for their strengths. Suggestive of chronic body odor problem manifesting under stress."

"Okay, my turn. Him. Compulsive cheat." Alex pointed to another man, who was preparing a chicken. "Waterproof cover on his phone. But his appearence doesn't indicate outdoor work. That suggests he's in the habit of taking his phone into the shower with him, where he could recieve texts and emails he'd rather went unseen."

"Nice." Sherlock said. He high-fived her. Mary and John walked up to them.

"So, Harry?" Mary asked reffering to the other Watson.

"Uh, no, no show." John said.

"Oh, darling, I'm so sorry." Mary said.

"Yeah, it was a bit of a punt asking I suppose." John said.

"But there is a free bar here, so it wouldn't have been a good mix." Alex said.

"Oh, God, wow!" John said.He was looking at a man dressed in an army uniform.

"Is that-" Alex started.

"He came!" John said. He walked over to his old commanding officer, Major James Sholto.

"So that's him." Sherlock said. "Major Sholto."

"Uh-huh." Mary nodded.

"If they're such good friends, why does he barely even mention him?" Sherlock asked.

"He mentions him to me all the time." Mary said. "Never shuts up about him."

"Yeah." Alex nodded.

"About him?" Sherlock said.

"Mm-hm." Mary said. She took a sip of her wine and gagged. "Blech! I chose this wine, it's bloody awful!"

"I told you you should have gone with soda instead." Alex said.

"Should have listened to you." Mary said.

"Yes, but it's definitely him he's talking about?" Sherlock asked.

"Mm-hm." Mary said. She glared at the glass of wine in her hand.

"I've never even heard him say his name." Sherlock said.

"Well, he's almost a recluse. You know, since..." Mary's voice trailed off.

"Yeah." Alex nodded. "I honestly didn't think he'd show up at all."