When I heard of the 221B challenge and the first thing I thought was simply 'challenge acepted'. But yet it's taken me a year to write this story.
This is also my first young/child fic for any fandom I've ever written for and I quite liked writing it.
Age info: in this story Harry is about 16 years old and John is 5 or 6 years old.
Her Baby Brother
Harriet Watson learned early in life that the power of alcohol was not as evil as she was lead to believe.
To her a week wasn't a week unless three unique things happened:
One- John would be hurt in some way, shape or form.
Two: her parents would argue about John.
Three- she would creep into 'Fathers study' to steal a mouthful, possible several, of whiskey hidden behind the bookcase.
"'Arry?" her brothers soft sleeping voice behind her stilled her steps towards said study.
"Go back to bed John," she says while turning to him, forcing a smile on her face so he wouldn't be alarmed.
She knew what he wanted but she couldn't give it to him. For his age, John was far better at interpreting emotions and handling them than most. He would know she needed comforting when she wouldn't voice she needed it. She did have that comforting bottle of whiskey behind the bookcase.
Turning to the door hoping that John would get the hint his un-spoken plea wouldn't be listened to again she heard the silent sob escape his lips.
"It wasn't my bloody fault!" Harry's hands clenched as she heard her Father's tone combined with Johns cries.
Maybe, that whiskey behind the bookcase could be forgotten for a night.
After all she had her baby brother.
- End -
This was very hard but very enjoyable to write. Trying to keep within the word limit was the trickiest thing I've ever had to do. It may not look like anything and I hope it does make sense.
I'm also thinking of making this a series , let me know if there is anything you'd like to read about John's childhood and I'll see what I can do.