(A/N: Hi! So this is a Sherlock story I have started. There is more on the way, I'm getting some of the plot details figured out still. Thinking up case details for Sherlock and John to solve is a bit tricky…Anywho, I know it might be a bit confusing that the girl's name is Molly, but I just couldn't decide on a different name for her, it just stuck. So she's not Molly Hooper, although, maybe the two will have to meet now Hope you enjoy! The plot will thicken in the next chapter!)

John Watson sat on a bench, his book sitting beside him. The weather had been decent this past month, and he had decided to frequent the park whenever he needed some quiet or just quiet away from Sherlock and his moods. Cases had been slow and so the detective had been finding little experiments to do around the flat. The smells, body parts, and whatever else he could get his hands on was not John's idea of a day away from cases. He had been gone a good few hours however and was just thinking of heading back to the flat.

"Toby!" A young voice shouted a ways off. "Toby stop, come back!"

John looked up; a little girl was running toward his direction, a scruffy spaniel leading the way.

"Toby stop!" The girl called again.

John watched as the dog neared, it would run right past him. He leaned forward, enough to grab the flailing leash but not to startle the dog away from him, and grabbed it.

Toby came to a stop when he realized he had been caught and gave a reproachful bark.

"Oh thank you!" The girl said, catching her breath. When she had regained her breath and steadied herself she pushed back her brown curls from her face and smiled as she took the leash. Toby was now quite content and was sniffing John. "Thank you for catching him for me. When he gets on the scent he likes to run off."

The doctor just stared at the light brown and white haired dog sniffing his legs and shoes. "That's quite alright. Glad to help. Does he do that often?"

"Oh not too often. He's old, so he only runs when he really wants to."

John glanced around. "Are you with your parents?"

"Oh," The girl looked behind her. "My mum is here." She waved at a woman a ways off, who waved back. "I better go see her." She put her hand out, "Thank you sir for your help." The girl grinned.

John smiled and returned the handshake, "No problem. Glad to help."

"Come on Toby!"

The dog took another sniff at John reluctantly but followed, trotting beside the girl.

John watched her go until she had reached her mother. Sighing, he grabbed his book and headed toward the grocery store. There was absolutely no food in the flat as usual.

Afterwards, not far from 221B John's phone buzzes in his pocket. Shifting the bag in his hands, he reached for his phone.

Did you remember milk?

-SH

Shaking his head, John went to pocket the mobile when he looked up and stopped.

He was about to walk into a familiar woman. That couldn't be her, could it?

The curly haired woman had stopped as well with the same curious look.

"Cadance?"

"John! How—I didn't expect to see you in London!" Cadance took John into a quick hug, careful of the groceries. "How are you?"

"Brilliant, how are you? What brings you to London?"

"Looking for work, got a job at the hospital and all. Just got here officially today actually. Found a place for a month or so until I can get a hold of something more permanent."

John shifted the bag in his arms, "That's great, good to hear!"

"Oh that must be a bother to hold, I'll let you get back to it. I'm actually on my way to do the same as well." She paused then said, "What's your number? I could give you a call so we can catch up."

"Oh yeah, course."

Cadance took out a piece of paper and John rambled off the numbers. "Do you want me to get yours or—,"

"Actually, I um, don't have one at the moment. Switching phones and all that."

"Oh right."

"It was nice seeing you John."

"Yeah, you too."

She smiled and continued on her walk. John hurried back to the flat so he could get rid of the bag that got heavier and heavier by the minute.

It was a few minutes before John started up the stairs to the flat.

"What happened while you were out?" Sherlock asked as John shut the door and headed toward the kitchen.

"What? What do you mean?"

The detective gestured toward John, "The way you walked in, that contemplative but eager look on your face. Did you see someone?"

John began putting the bag's contents in their designated places. "I did actually, an old friend from medical school. Haven't seen her in years, just moved to London."

"Mm, are you going to see her again?"

"Yes. I gave her my number. It would be nice to see someone from my university days."

Sherlock paused, then changed the subject, "There's someone who's moved in downstairs. They have a dog. I heard it bark earlier. I don't care for animals; I hope it doesn't make a habit of noise." John thought of the far wall of the flat where a particular smiley face was, but didn't say anything.

"I ran into a little girl with a dog today, an old spaniel. Dog wouldn't stop sniffing me."

"We are not getting a dog."

"What, so you could do experiments on it? I wouldn't think of putting any sort of pet in your hands."

Sherlock smirked.

Not long after there was a loud bark from outside the door and a bounding up the stairs, the door being nudged open by a brown and white muzzle. Sherlock started in his chair as the dog barked again and approached Sherlock. "John. John what the blazes—"

"Why, that's the dog! The one from earlier."

Toby turned his head and made for the kitchen, finding John and pawing and sniffing at him.

"Why hello there." He reached down and scratched the spaniel's head.

"Toby!" Frantic feet bounded up the stairs and stopped in the doorway. "Oh, I'm so sorry, where's my dog? I saw him come up here."

Sherlock pointed toward the kitchen with his violin bow.

Turning her head curiously around the door she stepped in. "Toby! You bad dog, what were you—oh! Hello sir."

John looked up, "Hello."

"Toby must like you; he's never been like this before. Toby, Toby come here."

The dog glanced at her and waddled over. "He's really a good dog; he just gets excited about some things. Not usually people though."

"You live in the flat downstairs." Sherlock stated behind them.

The girl turned, "Yes, me and my mum. And Toby of course."

Sherlock mocked a smile, "Of course."

A voice called from downstairs. "Oh! That mum!" She approached the door, "Mum I'm up here!" The girl turned back to John, "I'm Molly." She held her hand out with a smile.

"Molly, I have a friend named Molly. I'm John, John Watson."

"Really? I haven't met any other Molly's before. Mum says it's not that common of a name." She turned to Sherlock and before she could open her mouth to ask John spoke up, "Sherlock, that's Sherlock."

"Sherlock. I like your name."

Sherlock just stared at the curious girl. "Thank you."

There were footsteps on the stairs. "Hello? I'm so sorry is my daughter—oh! Hello."

"He-hello." John answered. "Cadance, you have the flat downstairs?"

"Yes, I know Mrs. Hudson. I lived here quite a few years ago and when I asked about an open place…it just so happened she had one."

John, remembering Sherlock had no clue what was going on, glanced at the detective, but before he could say anything Cadance beat him to it. "You must be Sherlock. Nice to meet you." She smiled.

Sherlock gave his idea of a polite smile.

John noticed the look in Sherlock's eye and shook his head. The last thing John needed was Sherlock "deducting" the woman. Instead he said, "Mrs. Hudson must have mentioned me."

She nodded, "Yes, when I asked about renting she mentioned the residents upstairs and their….peculiar routines and habits. She'd mentioned your name and John, but of course I didn't know it was you, John. I told her that whatever it was I am sure to be able to handle it. I'm glad that it was you, nothing to fret about."

John's expression said otherwise when he thought of everything that went on at 221B Baker Street and he noticed the amused look Sherlock had. "Ah, well, I wouldn't quite say that. Would you like to stay for tea? No reason to stand in the doorway."

"Oh please. Molly and me are just unpacking." Cadance had Molly around the shoulders and stroked her daughter's hair.

Molly had been silently observing the whole scene. Especially Sherlock, to his dismay.

"Molly, go shut the door downstairs and put Toby inside."

The girl hurried down the stairs, Toby at her heels.

"How have things been?" John asked Cadance as the three sat at the now semi-cleared off table in the kitchen, Sherlock still sitting in his chair, pretending not to listen and fingering his violin.

"Oh, they've been alright…I'm glad for my new job. The place we were at before wasn't…ideal." She looked down at her mug, then turned on a smile. "I'm hoping Molly gets along at school, she's such a wild spirit."

Molly wasn't paying attention. She kept glancing over at Sherlock and before John could catch her she hopped down from the table and walked over and sat in John's chair without a word.

John watched her as she went, he hoped he was better with kids than he was assuming.

When Sherlock realized Molly wasn't going away he looked up. "Yes?"

"Sorry. Do you play?"

"Why would I have a violin if I did not use it?"

Molly giggled. "I play a bit, my uncle used to play and he taught me."

"Mhmm." He mumbled.

"I don't have one though. I would love to."

Sherlock didn't answer.

"Could I play yours?"

"No."

"You don't like sharing? I understand. If I had a beautiful violin I probably wouldn't like others using it either."

Sherlock glanced at John when he realized the small being wasn't going away.

John's nervousness had subsided and he held back a laugh at the sight of Sherlock conversing with the girl. It was such a contrast. Molly in her bright yellow dress and curious smile; shoes tapping on the ground, compared to Sherlock's darker lanky form and indifferent expression.

"Is he not too good with children?" Cadance asked quietly as Molly continued talking.

"No. Well, I actually haven't seen him around kids much. Probably for the best though. He's getting on better than I thought he would."

"Do you always ramble, or is this a requirement for children?" Sherlock said sharply, sitting up and looking at Molly.

And there he goes….

"Sher—,"

"No. Not all of us. I don't mean to talk a lot. Mum says I'm just a curious soul. I've been called nosy and annoying before. Mostly from other kids. I don't mind though really. Don't you ever just get curious about stuff?" When Sherlock didn't answer she added, "If you like though I can go away. Most adults don't actually tell me to go away, they just glare at me a little. I do like your violin though."

Sherlock stared at her, unsure what to make of the girl.

John glanced at Cadance.

"Alright, Molly! I think we better go. We still need to do some more unpacking before it's time for bed."

"Aww mum!"

"No pestering Sherlock. Lets go."

"Alright." She turned to Sherlock, "It was nice to meet you Mr. Sherlock." She stood and held out her hand, but Sherlock only stared at it. "You're suppose to shake it," and before Sherlock could do anything she took his hand in hers and gave it a good tug up and down, Sherlock just staring at the small but strong hand gripping only a few of his fingers.

Sherlock glanced up at John, who had a surprised yet amused face, and Cadance who was attempting to hide a smile.

"Bye John!" Molly waved as she joined her mother at the door.

John smiled and gave a short wave as Molly and Cadance left.

Once the door was shut and their footsteps had faded John turned to Sherlock.

"You took that quite well. Better than I would have expected."

Sherlock leaned back in his chair. "What, you don't think I can converse with people?"

"Yeah, no. Not usually."

"Cadance. She seems, nice. Did you know her very well before?"

John took the mugs from the table, "We got on pretty well."

"Round the same age as you by her looks, yet she has a young daughter. You didn't recognize the child so you couldn't have seen her since before that. Yet you were familiar enough with each other that you knew she had a child, must have been in contact somehow, knew the brother well I presume."

"How did you know she had a brother?"

"Molly said she had an uncle. Simple."

"Alright, but that I knew him?"

"You say you haven't seen her in years, but you knew where she had been living, There's no ring on her finger so she's not married. Busy lifestyle as a nurse or whichever, long hours, probably needed financial support at one time or another, possibly the brother. Molly said her uncle taught her violin, so he would have lived close by or possibly with them. So, if you knew their whereabouts but hadn't heard from her in years, that explains why you didn't recognize Molly. The plausible answer would be you knew the brother."

"You guessed."

"I improvised and was proven right."

John gave a small smirk and sat in his chair. "I had kept in distant contact with Alex, heard what he was up to every now and then, he's….dead now, only recently actually. Good man. He took Cadance in when she became pregnant, supported them as much as he could until Molly was older. She probably didn't want to be one of those parents that's never home…I appreciate it Sherlock you didn't pounce on her when she showed up."

Sherlock gave John a look, "I can be civil when I chose to be."

"Right, well, that's good to know."

Sherlock put the violin under his chin with another glance before he began to play.

"Cadance is hiding something as well."

"What? How do you—,"

"The way she replied when you asked about how things have been. She looked uncertainly down, not wanting to give anything away, gripping her cup, fidgeting at it with her fingers. Things are worse than she lets on I presume."

"Yes well, it's none of my business if there is."

"Yes, I suppose. Could be finances, bills, men, all those things people fret about."

John shook his head at the detective but did wonder. I hope everything is alright. Whenever people showed up at their door it usually led to trouble. He just hoped that for Cadance's sake this wasn't one of those times.

(A/N: Some of you might recognize the name Toby. He is from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock story(s). The shabby spaniel mix that Sherlock goes to to sniff out the bad guys. So that is where his name comes from. Hope you enjoyed the chapter! I am hoping to have another up soon! Comments really make my day so feel free to leave a review if you like, or not, whichever .)