Elena settled back into her seat, leaning back, her eyes closed as she listened to him play. He really was an excellent violinist, and she enjoyed listening to him.

Sherlock just kept playing, letting her listen. Curiously, he didn't mind it at all. He actually kind of liked the fact that she enjoyed his playing.

Elena sat and listened to him until he stopped playing. She could have listened to him playing all day.

"I hadn't realized you played so well," she said quietly.

"The benefit of learning from a young age," Sherlock said as he put the violin away again.

"I can pluck a few chords but nothing more than that," Elena said with a brief grin. "On violin anyway. Give me a piano and that's a different story."

"Indeed," Sherlock murmured. He couldn't help but glance at her fingers and, yes, there it was, the tell-tale sign of at least a moderately-skilled pianist. "It seems there are still several things one of us doesn't know about the other, and vice versa."

"Indeed. And that is a bit surprising, considering your observational skills." Elena smiled a bit. "Why don't we play a little game of questions, then? You ask me whatever you want to know, and I get to ask you questions. We both get the option of passing on a question we don't want to answer."

Sherlock studied her for a moment, before nodding.

"Alright," he said. He sat down on the couch.

"Go ahead and start," Elena said, settling back on her chair, still watching him. She didn't mind letting him start.

Sherlock studied her for a moment.

"Why did you move to London?" he asked.

"I had lost my job, I had few friends back in the States, and my best friend was moving here. It seemed like a good idea at the time." Elena looked at him for a moment. "Do you have any family?"

"My brother Mycroft," Sherlock said after a moment. "Our parents." He took his time thinking of his next question. "Why do you go out with Lestrade every week?"

"Stress relief," Elena said. "My job can be rather stressful, so he helps me get rid of some of that." He had asked why, after all, not what they did. "What does your brother Mycroft do?"

"He runs England," Sherlock said dryly. "From his supposedly minor position, he pulls the strings of nearly the entire British Government. Now, since you so conveniently answered my question to the letter, I shall ask you to elaborate. Exactly what kind of stress relief?"

Elena couldn't help but grin at that.

"We go out shooting," she said. "He takes me to the range and he's taught me to shoot. I'm actually pretty decent now with a pistol. We were supposed to start with a rifle this weekend, but he's pushing that back now." She was quiet for a moment to let that information sink in. "He runs the British government? Really? Why haven't you mentioned you have a brother?"

"Mycroft is insufferable," Sherlock said. "Arrogant, entitled, a bit conceited..." He made a face.

Elena choked a bit on her laughter.

"Really?" she asked, keeping a straight face for the moment. "Is he a genius too?"

Sherlock grumbled under his breath before reluctantly admitting, "Possibly."

Elena nodded, biting her lower lip to contain her snickers. After a few moments, she reminded him, "I think you've got two free questions now."

"It seems so," Sherlock said. He was quiet for a moment, considering. "Why do you tolerate my presence?" he finally asked. "Most can't, or won't."

Elena was quiet for a moment. That was a difficult question.

"I don't find you as... abrasive as most people do," she said at length.

That made Sherlock pause for a second.

"I can't imagine why," he finally said.

Elena shrugged. "Perhaps I'm more willing to try to understand, rather than simply getting upset and holding a grudge," she offered.

"I see," Sherlock said slowly, considering that. "In any case, I do believe it's your turn to ask a question."

Elena considered for a moment. "Why does it bother you to work with me?" Because she could tell it bothered him.