Gregory Lestrade had always been a workaholic, which was properly why his first wife left him for that PE teacher. But after doing his back completely in at that blasted warehouse he was stranded doing petty crimes and even more paperwork for the rest of his career, then again at 47 he wasn't as fit as he once had been.
Mycroft Holmes was an workaholic too, he had seen far more action that James Bond ever had, but at 42 he was M than 007, he still ran most of the British Government but had Anthea as legs since his own wasn't as agile as they once was.
How did these two workaholics cope with all of this new free time? They spend it together, having been flirting since Lestrade first came by Sherlock fifteen years ago. Unfortunately Lestrade was in a sham of a marriage and Mycroft was running half across the world doing god knows what, they did not do anything about their obvious attraction to each other before Lestrade´s divorce was final five years ago since then they tried to date, it was a bit difficult with two sets completely mental work hours but somehow they managed it.
They had been dating for two years when they decided to move in together, Mycroft had gotten the Kensington House from Mummy, when she wanted to spend the rest of her retirement in the Holmes' Somerset Estate. For Lestrade if was a complete culture crash, he had visited the house with Mycroft but living there was something completely different than the small flats he had been used to, even when he was married to Jules they lived in a small flat which was far too expensive but they needed to live close to the Yard.
They had been dating for four years when Lestrade finally asked Mycroft to marry him, the ceremony was a small private one due to Mycroft's position but Lestrade didn't mind, he knew life with Mycroft wouldn't be easy, the security risks and what not but he didn't care one bit, he loved Mycroft.
After a year of being husbands they had settled to married life easily, they had what they wanted and more to.
But that changed one day when Lestrade decided to take work home with him.
Lestrade was out on a crime scene, a domestic gone bad, a man had beaten up his wife. He was standing inside the house as the man was arrested and the wife being carted off into the ambulance, when he saw a young girl appear from the cupboard under the stairs; she was approximately between 10 and 13 years old, long auburn hair and wearing a pink dress that was crumpled, her face though made Lestrade wince, her lip was chipped and her eye was starting to go purple.
"Hi there, I was almost expecting Harry Potter to come out, I'm Greg" Lestrade held out his hand to the girl.
"Are you a policeman?" She asked not taking the hand.
"Yes" Lestrade answered sending her an assuring smile.
"Did you take him away?" She asked while looked nervously around the room.
"Yes I did, did your dad hurt you" Before Lestrade even spoke the last words the poor girl yelled
"HE IS NOT MY DAD" She almost screamed at Lestrade
"Good on you, he is a total idiot" Lestrade tried a different approached to her. She turned her eyes up and gave Lestrade a piercing gaze which could compete with Sherlock's any day. She was trying to read him, Lestrade tried with all his might to send as much comfort and security though his eyes. She smiled slightly and answered:
"He is" her smile stopped and the pout continued.
"Can I ask your name?" Lestrade asked
"you can, it's Jessica" She winced at her name.
"Well Jessica, have you ever driven in a police car before" Lestrade smiled, usually this worked in kids
"Yes" She grumbled
"Oh, well would you like to come down to the police station with me?" Lestrade said reassuringly
"Why?" Jessica scowled at him
"So you don't have to be here all alone and so you can tell me who did this to your pretty face" Lestrade held out his hand to her.
"Will I see HIM there?" She shivered
"No I promise you I will keep you far away from that bastard" Lestrade was retracting his hand when he felt a small shivering hand taking it.
"Thank you Sir" Jessica quacked
"Call me Greg" Lestrade said and he felt Jessica's hand gripping tighter.
oOo
An hour later they were still at the Yard, Jessica only willing to talk to Lestrade and she was clinging on to him as for dear life. Apparently she was in fostercare at the house; the sloppy system had failed to check up on the man which had a record of violence. The woman was alright though in a state of total fear because of her husband.
"We need somewhere to place the kid" The Chief Superintendent said to Lestrade while he was out getting cocoa for Jessica.
"I can call the social services and have them place her somewhere safe for the night" he said without any trace of care in his voice, God how Lestrade hated that cold hearted man
"You can't, she is broken enough as it is, she doesn't trust easily can't you tell?" Lestrade really tried not to let his anger and frustrations get the better of him.
"What do you suggest then Mother Theresa?" The CS hissed.
"I'll take her home, until the social services get their act together and find somewhere safe for her" Lestrade knew the words had escaped his mouth before his reason had thought this though.
"Fine, but don't think the police will compensate for her food and such" The CS hissed again, Lestrade walked away to the loo, he wanted to splash his face with water before facing the poor girl and perhaps call Mycroft.
"Holmes"
"Hi Love it's me"
"Hello Gregory dear, something the matter?"
"Yeah you can say that, Mycroft I have done something well not bad but something that will effect us both for a while"
"Are you alright?"
"Yeah, don't worry love it is just this case, a man beat the crap out of his wife and a girl which was in foster care at their house, she is terrified and don't trust the Social Services, I might just have agreed to let her stay with us until the Social Services finds somewhere safe for her, please don't be cross with me?"
"I'll make up the bedroom next to ours, of course she can stay"
"Thank you, I love you"
"I love you too, bye darling"
"Bye love"
As Lestrade hung up he was in his office again with Jessica, Jessica looked up at him with those piercing hazel eyes.
"Your husband?" She asked,
"Err, yes, how the hell did you know?" Lestrade said completely abashed
"The ring on your finger and the fact you used Love as a term of endearment, in my experience women usually want to be called something more nauseatingly sweet" Jessica smiled.
"Well done you! I have a proposition for you, how would you like to stay with me and my husband for a time?" Lestrade crouched down next to her.
"I'd be delighted and you forgot my cocoa" She tried to look cross but the relief in her face was shining though.
oOo
When the cab rolled up to the kerb of the house, Jessica was looking at it with eyes as big as plates and her mouth open
"So, you married someone posh then? You look more working class than upper class" Jessica gasped.
"I will try not to take that as an insult and yes I did, and there is my husband awaiting us in the doorway" Lestrade sent Mycroft an apologetic look but he just smiled that heart-warming smile that still got to him. Jessica took Lestrade's hand and looked nervously up at him. They walked slowly to the door and Mycroft held out his hand
"Hello there Miss, my name is Mycroft, and what may I call you?" He crouched and held out his hand to her and she took it.
"They named me Jessica but I've always hated it" She said as they were in the hall.
"Well, what would you like to be called then?" Mycroft asked and Jessica looked completely taking aback by this.
"I can choose my own name?" She asked excitedly
"Yes, of course, if you dislike the name why should we call you by it?" Mycroft asked in such a gentle voice Lestrade seldom heard spoken to anyone but himself. Jessica put her finger to her swollen broken lip and thought hard.
"I've always wanted to be called Nora" She said looking up at both men, Lestrade held out his hand to her and said
"A pleasure to meet you Nora" Nora took the hand and shook it violently.
"Are you hungry Nora?" Mycroft asked. Nora touched her stomach and nodded her head.
"I'll make you something, why don't you go upstairs with Mycroft and we'll get you settled in your room?" Lestrade said as he stoked her hair, Nora just nodded and took Mycroft's hand, Mycroft looked a bit startled at this but he led Nora upstairs. Lestrade went out to the kitchen and make a couple of sandwiches and some fruit; he made a pot of tea too.
When he got upstairs he called for Mycroft and Nora to come to the livingroom, Nora was ushering Mycroft by the hand but halfway across the hallway she stopped dead.
"Nora? Are you alright?" Lestrade asked worriedly
"You have, a, a, A LIBRARY?!" She looked up at Mycroft in complete awe.
"Yes, it is my guilty pleasure, you like reading?" Mycroft chucked.
"VERY MUCH!" Her entire face washed with glee.
"What is your favourite book then?" Lestrade asked as he walked over to them
"Besides the Harry Potter books of course?" She said firmly
"Of course!" Lestrade chuckled.
"Pride and Prejudice!" She exclaimed in excitement
"Have you any other Austen novels?" Mycroft asked her as he neared the bookshelves
"No, they homes where I've lived didn't have books and the school librarian said they were too difficult for me to read" Nora crossed her arms and pouted.
"Well I have all the six novels plus her juvenilia, please feel free to read any book you like" Mycroft said caressing the Austen novels on the shelf.
"But first; food" Lestrade cut in before Nora could tear down every single book on the shelf.
Nora followed Lestrade into the living room and munched down the sandwiches quite quickly.
Nora let out a small yawn when she was finished eating and Lestrade smiled to Mycroft.
"I think it's time for bed young lady" Lestrade said
"NOOOO There is all those books I want to read" Nora pouted
"Well, there is another day tomorrow for reading" Mycroft said softly as he stoked her auburn hair.
"I don't have any pyjamas here" Nora said looking from Lestrade to Mycroft
"No but I guess you can use one of my t-shirts for the night" Lestrade smiled
"And tomorrow we will get you some new clothes" Mycroft added.
"Okay, thank you for the food it was delicious!" Nora hugged Lestrade.
"You are very welcome Nora" Lestrade gasped, Nora was gripping him very tightly, Nora and Mycroft went into the guestroom next to their own bedroom while Lestrade found a t-shirt for Nora to use, he handed Nora the t-shirt.
"There are some fresh towels in the bathroom if you want to have a shower before bed" Mycroft said softly, Nora took the t-shirt and smiled to both men.
While Nora showered Mycroft and Lestrade spoke out in the hallway.
"She is a delightful girl, she doesn't seem terribly traumatised" Mycroft said as he caressed his husband's hand.
"You should have seen her at the house and the Yard, shut like a clam; she didn't say a word to anyone else but me. Though no one else showed her any kindness or consideration" Lestrade's smile vanished at the thought of that poor girl, left alone in the world with no one to care for her.
"You are a good man Gregory, the Yard doesn't deserve you!" Mycroft said as he kissed him softly. They heard a small cough coming from the room; Nora was standing there in the oversize t-shirt and looked very smug.
"Sorry" Lestrade said, blushing deeply.
"Don't say that, you look so cute together!" Nora smiled and Lestrade's heart melted.
"Thank you, now off to bed with you Missy, sleep tight and if you need anything don't hesitate to knock at our door" Mycroft said as they walked over to the bed, Nora walked over to Mycroft and Lestrade and gave them both a bone crushing hug.
"Thank you so much, good night!" Nora's smiling eyes said so much more than words could.
"Goodnight Nora" Lestrade and Mycroft both said.
They left the door ajar to both Nora's room and their own. Mycroft and Lestrade smiled to each other and kissed goodnight, a wonderful ending to a weird day.