Hi Fellows! I'm back with a new story. I hope you like it 3. I know that there may be some inaccuracies with the deduction and such but I'm not Sherlock so I hope you understand. It's only to keep the story going.

Homework? I did it at recess.

Teacher's notes? In the box.

Clothes? Washed.

Anything missing...

Groceries.

Uh-oh. Grace sighed as she twisted the key and entered the flat, shaking the snow off her curly, raven hair and pulling off her scuffed faux fur boots. She rubbed her raw red hands together as she sighed as she wished that she had enough money to go and get herself a new hat and maybe a scarf and mittens but she could barely afford food with the money she had let alone new clothes.

Her father would just roll his eyes and tell her to endure it while going into some rant on how people in his homeless network didn't even have shoes, let alone a scarf.

She placed her old Cars bag down next to the couch where she was less than surprised to see an eyeball floating in a glass of water on the coffee table as well as her father staring straight up at the ceiling without a motion of acknowledgment at the eight-year-old girl that had just walked in. She looked at him with curiosity hoping that he would snap out of his demeanor and see her standing there. But it was kind of futile.

-Welcome home, Grace.

Thanks, daddy.

-I'm sorry you had to walk home alone today. But there was a very busy case and I just couldn't make it back in time.

It's okay daddy. I was fine. I'm glad that winter break has started. Now we can spend some time together.

She did that a lot. She played conversations in her head of what she imagined happening when she got home from school every day rather than being accustomed to the same silence day in and day out. She walked into the kitchen only to find that there was no bread or jam left to eat. She went on her hunt to find some food while avoiding the severed limbs.

She could have gone down to Mrs. Hudson but she didn't like being pitied. Then she would come up and chide her dad and then he would glare at Grace. In the end, she'd be too upset in herself to eat anyways. On her trek, she didn't notice the door opening.

"Hello Grace," she turned to see John at the door holding a wrapped sandwich in his hand.

"Hi John," she sighed. She also didn't like asking John for stuff because her dad once accused her on taking advantage of his best friend. He may have just said it during a deduction where he can't help some of the inquiries he makes but it made her feel needy all the same.

But that didn't stop her from taking the sandwich when he offered it to her. She unwrapped it and took a bite of Mary's delicious egg salad. She murmured a thank you when she was done halfway.

She remembered when she first got here two years ago. Alone and scared. John was the only one that cared for her for the first few weeks. Of course, Mary as well but he was the first to look at her like something special

Her mother wasn't all too keen on keeping her and she let her know it for as long as she could remember. But she assumed that once upon a time before she had hit the drugs, her mother had cared for her. But then with her boyfriends came her need to get high. She hit her when she spoke up or cried and her boyfriends did the same. She left horrible smelling drugs all over the place and never once fed her properly. When she was six, her mother seemed to have had enough of her.

Flashback

"Get in the car, Grace, I won't ask again!" The grown woman yelled as she shoved the little girl towards the run down Honda. She complied this time, knowing that if she didn't then her mother would give her a beating.

She scuttled in the back and brought her knees into her rapidly beating chest. The woman shoved a backpack with Lightning McQueen and his friends at her before going around to the drivers' seat. As soon as her mother got in, they were off.

Ten minutes into the ride, Grace found her voice. She noticed the white powder on her jacket sleeve and immediately knew that she was high. She wasn't thinking straight.

"Mum, where are we going," she whispered timidly.

"You're good for nothing father's house. I can't have you and my drugs. Fucking neighbours keep coming to check on you, they're gonna find my shit someday. You're gonna get me arrested someday, kid. I need you gone. Sherlock can have ya," she grumbled.

Grace didn't say a word but her tears said it all. Once they reached the heart of London, her mother left her in front of a cozy looking apartment building on Baker Street.

She noticed the way that the water droplets on the stairs indicated someone having gone up, them recently dripping wet with the rain outside and decided it was her best chance at finding some help.

She slowly climbed up the stairs with her bag and knocked on the door of 221B. The door was opened by a kind looking lady.

Bad hip. Not the maid. Just the landlady. But nice enough to sometimes be a maid. Her head told her. She looked out of place with her tattered jeans and over-sized hoodie. She must have been crazy to be out in the rain with no form of protection.

"I'm looking for Sherlock Holmes. "

EndFlashback

Then it all came to this. His dad made it clear on the first day that she wasn't welcome at Baker Street either but he didn't have much of a choice considering nearly everyone was telling him that he couldn't give her up for adoption. So she was there but not that he noticed. Things just seemed to take care of themselves for her.

Even Uncle Mycroft said that it was as though she didn't even exist. She was probably not supposed to hear that and he didn't mean it in a way that was meant to make her feel bad but rather try to persuade his brother to acknowledge the little girl more. But it did sting.

John was around sometimes. But he had a new baby boy of his own to take care of. He didn't always have time to be over these days. Leaving her to take matters into her own hands.

"You really should just come and stay at our house, Grace. At least I know that you're being fed there," John contemplated. Grace just shook her head.

"You don't have to do that John. I'm fine. You have to take care of Adam and Mary. Daddy takes care of me when he can," she shrugged off. She technically wasn't lying. Her dad did buy groceries when he remembered and gave her some money last week. She was saving up to buy herself that hat but it seemed that she needed some food instead.

She coughed lightly but it was followed by another until she fell into a fit. John immediately began to pat her on the back. It racked up her small frame and she coughed until her throat hurt. When she stopped she hopes her didn't interrupt the man on the couch.

"What on earth was that?" John cried while his doctor instincts took place and he scanned her body for any signs of wounds. Grace just shook it off by vaguely saying something about needing to take smaller bites.

"Alright, well, just drink some water and rest yourself up. You look tired. I just stopped by to hand you that sandwich. I need to get to work. Bye, Love," he said as he flew out the door but he slowly walked back in again, "And do me a favour and stay indoors. Your dad and I aren't sure what is going on but a lot of people have been going missing lately," and he was off again.

Grace sighed as she went to pick up her bag again before heading off to her room. Her room was pretty ordinary. She didn't have any personal touches or knickknacks other than the pencil holder filled with pens and the pad of paper that sat at her desk. She didn't want to ask her dad to buy her things in hopes that she could avoid criticism.

She didn't have many clothes either but she didn't complain because it was more than she has had in her whole life. Absolutely no toy or electronic could be found. Upon first entering the flat, one would assume that there wasn't a child living there at all and Grace hoped to keep it that way so her dad wouldn't have a reason to hate her like her mother did for it.

She pulled out her agenda to take out the recent notes from her school nurse and her teacher

Dear Mr. Holmes,

I am concerned and surprised to see that Grace Everest Holmes has not recovered at all from the cold that she had last week. If anything, we believe that it is getting worse. We advise you take her to the doctor because this seems to be worsening by the day.

Sincerely,

Ms. Blembly

School Nurse

Dear Mr. Holmes,

We are still awaiting your confirmation for the parent-teacher conference as we wish to discuss some important issues regarding Grace.

Please ensure that she is properly dressed for the winter. She has been feeling quite tired and feverish from time to time.

Sincerely,

Mr. Morgen

Grace didn't bother reading it has she pulled out the shoebox from under her bed and places the note inside along with the many other forms she got from school.

She didn't really know why she kept them. Maybe she liked to pretend that someday her father would come in and ask her about her life and she could be honest knowing that he wouldn't judge her. Or maybe she just liked having the secret from her genius father.

I should get some groceries. John can't bring me sandwiches every day.

She walked to her closet and pulled out a Mason Jar from behind the small bump in the carpeting. She pulled out the five dollar bill and the rest of the change.

£5.50. Enough for food for two weeks.

...

She pulled on her gray coat and pulled on her soaking wet boots. She walked down to the grocery store that was a couple blocks down from the flat. She knew she should have listened to John but she really needed the food. She entered and was about to make it to the bread isle when...

"Ah! Grace, my dear, what are you doing here," a voice called. She turned to see Mycroft coming towards her with a basket filled with fruits and vegetables.

He's in the bread section and his basket is filled with fruit that's five isles down. He wouldn't go there only to head back for bread.

"Hi Uncle Mycroft," she said with an unsure smile, "Why were you waiting for me?"

She figured she should get to the point. He clearly wanted something.

"You're clearly your father's daughter," he smirked. His smile quickly was wiped off of his face when he remembered what he wanted to tell her, "I don't know if John has told you but one of our old enemies is back. I don't want you coming out here alone like you've been doing. Ask John or Sherlock if you need anything. According to me, you shouldn't be out here alone anyways."

Grace knew that her uncle meant well but it was plain to see that he wasn't all too fond of her either. She wasn't surprised. She was an unwanted child. Her mother and father didn't want her. So why would he be concerned with her?

The only Holmes' that seemed to care about her wellbeing would be gran and gramps. But they were somewhere in Europe at the moment, traveling now that they no longer had young kids to take care of.

"Alright then, Uncle Mycroft, I'll just grab some food and be on my way-" she was interrupted by the older man.

"Don't bother, I had someone leave some groceries back at the apartment. Enough for three weeks. I suspect that Mor- that the criminal will be caught soon," he said before turning around and walking away.

Grace registered what he said before a huge smile had sat on her face. If she had enough food for the next few weeks that meant that she could buy her hat and even a pair of mitts. She scurried out of the store and headed to the thrift shop across the street with a little jump in her step across the slush covered streets of London.

She opened the door and stepped inside and happily stared at the rows of knitted hats and scarves. The old lady sitting at the register welcomed her warmly as she wandered into the store.

She made her way to the back of the store where she found a basket filled with hats and other items at lower prices.

She carefully picked out a snug-looking mahogany coloured hat and was delighted to see a matching scarf a few baskets down. She was even more delighted to see that she could buy them both and still have money left over for a pair of mittens.

She picked out a pair of light blue mittens and once she was pleased with her choice, she took it to the register.

"Preparing for the winter, I see. Is your mum or dad waiting outside for you, dear?" The lady asked as she scanned the items, "that'll be 4.50."

Grace avoided the question by vaguely mentioning something about her dad waiting in the car around the corner because she wanted to prove to him that she could go to the store by herself. She threw in a naive child's voice to make it more convincing and as luck would have it, the lady began to coo her and remark at how grown up she was.

After being handed her change, she thanks the lady quickly before pulling off the tabs and putting on her newly acquired articles of clothing. As she wrapped the scarf around her neck she smiled triumphantly as she thought about how this would be a warm winter after all.

She had just turned the corner when she saw a man huddled up next to the small building rubbing his raw, red hands together. She took the last pound she received as change and offered it to the man.

I don't need it, I got what I needed. He needs it more.

The man gratefully took it from her hand and continued to surprise him when she took the scarf from around her neck and placed it around his neck.

"Keep warm. My dad needs you," she said kindly. She knew that meant that she would have to wait until she could get a new one but she knew he needed it more. She may have looked a somewhat homeless herself with her woolen trench coat and her sopping wet shoes that were clearly not made for the weather but she knew what she had.

She turned around and continued her way home.