Chapter 1

Sherlock had never heard John panic so much in his entire life.

When he had picked up his mobile to answer John's call, he thought that he would have to come up with some other excuse to get out of babysitting their six month old, Talia, again. It wasn't that he didn't love the girl; he was her godfather and all, but he didn't want to be asked to babysit every other day. He did want some time to himself. That was just the sociopath in him he supposed. However, this time, when he placed the mobile to his ear, he could hear John's high-pitched, panicked voice reply.

"Sherlock...I can't find Talia."

Sherlock's first reaction was that Talia had simply found her way out of the nursery when her parents backs were turned, and that she was hiding underneath the bed in the master bedroom. Before he could articulate his reaction to John, he replied, "And before you say anything, I've searched the entire house."

He let out a thoughtful hum. That was certainly an answer that he wasn't expecting to receive.

"Sherlock...she's gone. Someone took her. Mary is hysterical."

"As I would expect," said Sherlock, his mind wandering, trying to think of how Talia might have gone missing.

"Sherlock..."

"John, if you want me to help you, you do realize that I will have to ask you a series of questions?"

"Yes, of course..."

John still sounded as if he were about to hyper ventilate on the other end of the line. Sherlock let his eyes wander to the kitchen in his flat, which was still cluttered with his latest experiment. It looked as if it hadn't been cleaned in almost a month, and in all honesty, it probably hadn't. Mrs. Hudson had just about surrendered to Sherlock and his experiments, realizing that no matter how hard she cleaned, things would just become cluttered again. The possibility of inviting John and Mary over for tea, and questioning seemed like it would be stalled a bit. Maybe he could convince Mrs. Hudson to make some tea. Yes, that's what he'd do.

All of this, he had thought within the span of ten seconds.

"Can you and Mary come by the flat around one or so? We can have some tea, and I can ask you some questions."

John let out a sigh.

"Alright. Thank you for doing this, Sherlock. I'm just so worried. I mean, she's our baby girl..."

He nodded solemnly, even though he knew that no one besides his reflection in the mirror could see him perform the action.

"I understand, John. Don't worry. We will find her."

"Alright. See you soon then, Sherlock."

Soon, the other line went dead. Sherlock stared at his mobile for the longest while after the call, going over the transaction that had just taken place. He was slowly allowing what John had just told him to sink in. Talia, John and Mary's baby daughter, his goddaughter, was missing. Talia, the cutest baby girl that he ever had the good fortune to lay his eyes on, the beautiful child with the curly blond hair and the big baby blue eyes, was missing. He hung up his mobile, and placed it down onto the desk. He felt himself already starting to wander in the recesses of his mind palace in an attempt to start tracking down Talia's whereabouts with no information at all to go on.

He walked over to the window as he thought, reaching out a hand to pull aside the curtain, casting his gaze down onto the street, his crystal blue eyes scanning the people that leisurely walked by on the sidewalk. Talia couldn't have gotten too far. Maybe they were just being paranoid, being fairly new parents and all, and forgot they had left her in another room or something. He couldn't bear to think that Talia was being held somewhere out there, no doubt for a ransom of some sort. He couldn't bear to picture that sweet, innocent baby girl in the hands of the cruel world.

As he was staring out the window, he heard the familiar clicking sounds on the floorboards of his flat, signifying that Mrs. Hudson was around. He turned his head slightly over his shoulder to watch as Mrs. Hudson entered the kitchen. He smiled slightly. She was going to try once more. What a brave woman.

He turned fully around, walking with slow, and measured steps toward the kitchen. He paused in the doorway and watched her for a moment, watching as disgust crept onto her face as she examined one of his latest experiments.

"Oh, Sherlock. What have you done to the China?" said Mrs. Hudson with concern, as if the China glasses had a life. She lifted one up delicately, tipping it to look at the clumpy light green liquid inside it. "What is this, Sherlock?"

Sherlock walked over to her, leaning over her slightly to examine the contents.

"That would happen to be human mucus."

"In my good China?!" She said, turning to him with a startled expression.

"I had to put it somewhere," he said innocently, a small smile working its way onto his face.

Mrs. Hudson let out a sigh.

"What am I going to do with you, Sherlock?" asked Mrs. Hudson.

"Shall I answer your rhetorical question?" asked Sherlock, moving quickly yet gracefully, to save Mrs. Hudson from dumping his mucus experiment down the sink.

"Why? Is there something you need, Sherlock?" asked Mrs. Hudson, looking at the disarray in the kitchen, hands on her hips.

"Well, yes actually," said Sherlock, setting the cup down, looking at her. "John and Mary are coming over, and..."

"Oh! They are!" said Mrs. Hudson, practically squealing with glee, "And they'll bring along Talia too, I'm sure. Oh, that cute little curly girl!"

"Mrs. Hudson, Talia will not be accompanying them today."

"Oh, is she staying with Molly Hooper then? Is she babysitting for them again like she's been?"

"No," said Sherlock. "Actually, Mrs. Hudson, Talia is the reason John and Mary are coming over. She's missing."

"Missing!" gasped Mrs. Hudson, clapping her hands over her O-shaped mouth. "What happened?"

"I don't know. They don't either. That's what I'm going to find out."

"Oh, that's just horrible! Who would want to kidnap any innocent, baby girl?"

Sherlock shrugged, not having an answer for her question.

"Would you mind making some tea, and maybe even some biscuits, for their visit this afternoon? They'll be here at one."

Mrs. Hudson was silent for a moment, no doubt trying to let the news of Talia missing, sink in. Finally, after a minute or two of complete silence, she slowly nodded her head.

"Alright, I can have it ready, but remember Sherlock, I'm not your housekeeper."

A small smile crossed Sherlock's face as he nodded slowly.

"I'll remember, and thank you Mrs. Hudson."

She gave him a small smile back, though Sherlock could see that her smile was clouded by the worry running through her at the news of Talia. He watched her exit the kitchen, walking back downstairs. When she was gone, Sherlock started to disappear back into his head again. He leaned against the counter, thinking about Talia again. He would find her. No matter the cost. He would make sure that she was returned unharmed. He thought that he had seen the worst card that life could have dealt him, but he was terribly mistaken. This was the worst situation that he had ever dealt with in his life, but Sherlock had a few tricks up his sleeve. Giving up was not an option for him. He'd find his goddaughter or die trying.