So...this is my first bit of Sherlock fiction...and really it was just a fleeting idea that came to me in the shower, as most of my ideas do...
I hope you enjoy it.
When Sherlock returned from his experiment for his latest case, he was greeted with a sight which he had never hoped to see. John was sitting in his armchair across from a woman with ash blonde hair. He could tell you the exact shade of her hair, and it wasn't from any new observation, but rather years of seeing that hair, though now there was grey lacing the long strands. And when the guest turned to see what John was looking at as he entered, she smiled and got up quickly. Within a few steps, had enveloped him in her arms, ignoring the blood spattered over him. It's not like her maid hadn't perfected getting blood stains out of even the whitest of tops. She did tend to enjoy her job as much as he did his. He had learned such behaviors from her, after all.
"Mummy, what are you doing here?" Sherlock had asked in shock, "Did Mycroft tell you where I was?"
"Sherly, you know Mycroft doesn't tell me anything of importance." His mother sighed, "The boy acts just like his father really. I had thought I'd told him not to keep secrets from me, but he'd kept a rather large one this time. Not only that you'd died, but that you faked your death." She smiled at him, "It was a good show I'd bet. My little detective wouldn't have put on anything but the best show."
"Mummy…" Sherlock complained with a sigh. Really he found his mother to be quite embarrassing with her doting on him.
"Oh, don't worry about Dr. Watson. We had a nice little chat before you arrived." She stated, "I can only say I hope this turns out better than what happened with Vincent and myself."
"Mummy-" Sherlock started but John cut him off
"Vincent?" John asked.
"Vincent Holmes, my husband." She said with a wave of her hand, "It's gotten so bad; he's trying to keep secrets from me."
"Dr. Holmes-" John started but was interrupted.
"Oh, please, , my son's friends are free to call me Mummy." At the look on John's face she added, "Or Seraphina if not Mummy. Dr. Holmes is only for formal use, dear boy."
"Seraphina, your son and I aren't in…that sort of relationship, we're just friends…" John stated, "Anyway, I'm not gay."
"With the practiced ease in which you say that, I think you might protest a bit too much." Seraphina Holmes smiled at him in the way of all-knowing that only mothers could pull off.
"Mummy, how long have you been here?" Sherlock asked.
"I dropped in around eleven in the morning. Your locks are quite easy to pick, son, you should change that or Mycroft will start putting cameras all over the place." Seraphina stated.
"Taken note of, Mummy." Sherlock said. His tone sounded like one scientist to another, though his words undercut that.
"Ah, Seraphina, I have a question." John asked.
"What dear?" Seraphina replied.
"You said you were a doctor but you didn't mention your specialty." John stated.
Sherlock scoffed at this, "Quite the obvious answer John." Sherlock had opened his mouth to continue but Seraphina stopped him.
"Sherly, take it from the one with more experience." Seraphina whispered, "If you constantly speak to people like they're idiots, they will start to avoid you. And when you form a connection with that person, their avoidance truly hurts." With that advice given, she turned to John, "I work in Forensic Pathology. I also have doctorates in criminal justice and psychology."
"So, are you where Sherlock gets it from?" John asked.
"Hm…You could say that. From a young age I took Sherlock under my wing, since Mycroft had taken far more interest in Vincent's line of work." Seraphina nodded, "In fact, I'm very proud that I was the first person he came to when he truly wanted in on a case."
"Mummy…" Sherlock protested.
"He was so cute, though I think that hindered more than helped." Seraphina continued ignoring her son, "I convinced the Detective Inspector on the case to listen to my little detective boy. They didn't take his advice. Of course if they had I'd have had three less autopsies to do. When the man responsible for the murders fit Sherly's description of him perfectly…well let's just say, the DI in charge of the case ended up transferring."
"What did you do?" John asked, quite interested.
"I just did what every mother does when their child does good in something. I bragged." Seraphina stated, "The police started to listen to darling Sherlock more often then though."
"Probably because you would embarrassingly bring up that case every time they were about to shrug me off." Sherlock muttered.
"Darling, my little detective," Seraphina reached up slightly to ruffle Sherlock's hair, "I'm your Mummy. I have the right to embarrass you. I received this right when I carried you around for nine months and gave birth to you."
"Mummy…" Sherlock sighed
"What my darling little boy?" Seraphina asked. Sherlock just pouted and sat down in his armchair. John on the other hand offered the couch to Seraphina before sitting in his own chair. Seraphina took the seat on the couch.
"So, Seraphina, what was it like raising Sherlock?" John asked.
"I suppose like raising most other boys." Seraphina stated, "Or what raising most other boys would be like to raise for normal women."
"What do you mean?" John asked.
"Sherlock has many similar issues to me. We have similar issues when it comes to fitting into society and, unsurprisingly came up with similar tests to determine if people were worth our time to socialize with." Seraphina said.
"Are you a sociopath as well?" John asked.
"Not quite. And neither is Sherly, it's just one of the tests." Seraphina stated, "We both have been diagnosed with Asperger's Disorder. It is similar to Sociopathy in some ways, like the fact that empathy is a difficult concept for us. And, since we both have such logic bound minds, the idea of apologizing became…pointless because logically, two words won't reverse actions. As such, it appears that we don't feel remorse." Seraphina smiled, "We do, but we just don't express it when we do. Because of that, we can say the word 'sociopath' and know that the people who run away wouldn't have lasted long anyway, as the key points of sociopathy are inability to feel remorse or empathize with others. Though Asperger's is traditionally related more to Autism."
John sat there for a moment, absorbing the information that had raced quickly from Seraphina. After a moment he heard a sigh from Sherlock.
"Darling," Seraphina sighed in return, "there are only so many times one can sigh before looking like an adolescent…"
"But Mummy, why are you telling him everything?" Sherlock pouted. Seraphina stood up and walked over to her son. She slid her arms under his back and legs before lifting him up and sitting in his chair, placing the detective on her lap.
"Darling you are getting better. You're still much to light, but it's better than it used to be." Seraphina noted, "I suppose we have one Dr. John Watson to thank for that."
"So?" Sherlock said still pouting.
"So, Sherly, normal people usually assume that if one is…like us, we can perfectly take care of ourselves." Seraphina stated, "If Dr. Watson has paid attention to your health it means he cares."
"Has father…" Sherlock started.
"Not in years, Sherly. My doctor's been worried. I keep making him promises but…I get distracted."
John, who had long ago comprehended the information and was now listening to the conversation decided to speak up again.
"What's wrong?" John asked.
Absently Sherlock replied, "Mummy has a habit of getting wrapped up in things and forgetting to eat. She ends up surviving on sweets one of the Detective Inspectors sends her."
"Yes…DI Colette Adders. She was on the case that I fainted during. Colette added, 'keep the ME alive' to her list of duties." Seraphina smiled, "She even came with me to London to make sure I didn't spend my whole months' vacation not eating…"
John laughed, "I think I've discovered who Sherlock learned his habits from."
Seraphina stated, "Well, Vincent was often much too busy with Mycroft to worry about Sherlock and by the time my dear Sherly was born, Mycroft had a very similar opinion as his father about me. In the end that lead to Sherlock and I…I suppose one could describe it as clinging to each other until he went off to Uni, then most of the issues started…But let's not go there."
Sherlock stood then and held out a hand for his mother, "I should escort you back to your hotel, Mummy. I'd also like to meet this Colette Adders. You met her…"
"Three months after you went to Uni. The fainting made a very good first impression…" Seraphina smiled.
"You didn't even last three months?" Sherlock said shocked, "I thought you'd at least last that long."
"Vincent had found a new…he had gotten a new secretary and she scheduled him so he was out more often than he was in so there wasn't any measure of time after the help went home." Seraphina stated in defense, "And it hasn't happened since Colette came into the picture."
"What do you mean, she didn't last three months?" John asked, standing to accompany the Holmes's to…however far Sherlock was going honestly…
"I made Mummy promise when I left for Uni that she'd take care of herself. We'd set up a routine until then that if she hadn't brought me food by midnight, I'd go make sure she was okay. I ended up getting her more often than not." Sherlock stated.
"And I usually sent us both to bed after we ate…" Seraphina stated, "Honestly I'm surprised Sherlock is as good a man as he is. I loved him like no other, but I wasn't a very good mother…"
"You are a great mother, Mummy. Other women wouldn't have been nearly so supportive to my desire to make up my own career." Sherlock stated, "Others had mothers who forced them to go into 'realistic careers'."
"Seraphina, from what I've heard, there isn't a woman in the world who would have been a better mother for Sherlock." John stated, placing a hand on her shoulder. Seraphina smiled at John.
"And we can only be glad Vincent was there for Mycroft." Seraphina stated.
"The only reason I'm glad about that is that meant I received all your attention." Sherlock stated as he opened the cab door for Seraphina, "Bring Colette with you next time and she and John can force us to dinner together." He stated, leaning on the cab. Seraphina laughed and Sherlock shut the door of the cab.
"Of course. Sounds like a great time." Seraphina stated before the cab pulled away. John and Sherlock watched the cab leave their sight, anticipating the next time they'd see Dr. Seraphina Holmes.
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