"Are you kids hungry?" Sherlock asked as he shuffled into the abandoned warehouse his arms overflowing with grocery bags. He smirked as his question generated many small, happy replies and the scurries of feet from all directions.

He placed the bags onto the floor, avoiding the rush as the children hurried to grab something good to eat.

Sherlock had a vast homeless network, scattered all across London. Therefore he'd come to know nearly every vagrant being in the city, including the children who were in this very room. These were the homeless children. The children who found themselves parentless. The children whom Sherlock Holmes had decided to house and feed.

The children ranged from 7, up into late teens, and so Sherlock was very confused to see a tiny, pale, innocent face staring up at him.

James, the eldest and the acting parent of the group, having just turned 18, spotted Sherlock staring bewildered at the new arrival and trotted over to explain. "She was found alone outside the warehouse last night. Her mother must have been in your network because she knew we were here, and left her right outside" He looked sorrowfully up to Sherlock's sharp face. "She hasn't really spoken to any of us. Her name is Evie."

Sherlock nodded at him as he motioned with a hand over to the crowd of children who were contently filling their stomachs. "Grab something to eat James, you must be starving."

He looked back down to the little child, smiling encouragingly at her. "Hello Evie." He spoke softly so not to startle her, and crouched down to her level. "How old are you?"

She smiled shyly up at him and held three tiny fingers in front of her mouth.

"Three?" he gasped dramatically, eyebrows raised. A little, endearing giggle sounded from her as she cupped her mouth timidly with her small hands.

"Do you like it here, Evie?" He asked her, seriously. A three year old shouldn't be living in an abandoned building; no child should be living here. However he couldn't home over 20 children in his small Baker Street flat, but he also didn't agree with leaving such a small child, who knew no boundaries, with no understanding of danger, without a responsible adult.

She shook her head exaggeratedly, a childlike pout and frown falling across her features.

Sherlock stood abruptly, receiving an alarmed gasp from Evie as she stumbled back on her feet, her eyes wide in shock. He smiled apologetically at her, placing his hand on her back to steady her, before striding over to James. "I'm going to take her back to Baker Street for a while." He paused wondering whether that was a sensible decision. He's never had to take care of anyone. He can't even take proper care of himself according to John and quite frankly, he wasn't the best role model for a child. John had gone away for the week, visiting his sister, Harry and therefore wouldn't be back until Monday. So, if Sherlock was going to take Evie with him, he needed to be prepared to act like an adult for once.

He stood frozen for a minute or two. "She's too young to stay here." He decided nodding at James. James just smiled at him in understanding before turning and grabbing a bread roll.

"Evie." Sherlock whispered as he knelt in front of the little bundle of red hair and pink bows again, he took her tiny hands into his own large ones and smiled at her. "How do you feel about coming to live with me for a little while?"

She dropped her head forward, hiding shyly behind her fringe as she nodded slowly. "Okay" She answered in an innocent whisper.