"No one loses their innocence. It is either taken or given away willingly." -Tiffany Madison

Olivia sits on the couch next to her Uncle Greg. Her father and Sherlock are seated in their chairs, waiting for Olivia to speak.

After a couple false starts she gets the words out.

"I'm pregnant"

Sherlock barely mutters excuse me as he exits the flat noiselessly.

Lestrade immediately follows him, throwing an apologetic glance to Olivia and John and shutting the door.

John seems to be in a state of shock. His mouth opens and closes a couple times as he observes both exits. After a tense couple of seconds John stands up, sits down next to his daughter and envelops her in his arms.

Olivia had prepared herself for any reaction. Honestly, she had expected yelling. With the soldier/doctor combination for a father, lectures and reminders about safe sex were varied and numerous. The reaction to announcing an unexpected teen pregnancy, the result of a drunken one-night stand, shouldn't have been a hug. His words surprise her even more.

"Do you understand now? Do you see how this is everything I don't want for you?" whispers John. Fatherhood had been thrust upon him a week before deployment. Unwilling and unable to care for a child he waived his custody rights. Four years ago, in the wake of Sherlock's suicide and a tragic auto accident, Olivia Anne Morstan became his responsibility. Meeting her for the first time, John looked at her, thirteen years old, grieving and terrified. He promised himself to protect her.

As her tears soak his jumper, he realizes he has failed.


Lestrade silently curses Sherlock's bloody endless legs as he chases after him. Two days ago when Olivia had come to him, inconsolable, with a positive pregnancy test in her hand, he immediately feared John's reaction. Sherlock's reaction had been an after thought. Lestrade knows, probably more than most, that Sherlock cares deeply for John's daughter. If for no other reason than Olivia was the one to keep John sane during Sherlock's 3 year absence and to convince John to forgive Sherlock after his return.

Finally catching up to the gangly detective, Lestrade places a hand on Sherlock's shoulder. Sherlock whips around, ridding himself of Lestrade's hand, and glares.

"I don't need to be babysat," he spits out. He is angry. That much is obvious. The underlying emotions of betrayal and disappointment are much easier for Lestrade to identify after many years of knowing the detective. Lestrade backs up a couple steps, as if to say, I'm not a threat.

"What you're trying to do right now isn't going to help," Lestrade tries to keep his voice gentle. Countless conversations with the detective had taught him pushing Sherlock rarely ended well for either party.

"That cretin needs to be held responsible." If Sherlock doesn't already know the identity of the poor sod who got Liv up the duff, he will soon.

"Responsible for what?" Lestrade watches as Sherlock tries to avoid defeat. "You've deduced the situation and you know Liv doesn't want him in her life. Doing so will only upset her."

"What else am I supposed to do?" Sherlock's voice was near shouting. Passers by don't seem to notice or care the emotional confrontation taking place in the middle of the sidewalk. "Olivia's entire life is ruined! It's too late. There's nothing I can do." He's shaking now. Whether it's from the autumn chill or anger is hard to tell. Lestrade approaches the detective and once more places a hand on his shoulder, firmer this time.

"You need to get back to your flat," Lestrade grips his shoulder as if to physically press his words into Sherlock's body. "We're all a team in this, have been since the beginning." Sherlock slumps, the tension gone from his body. This is signal enough for Lestrade to start back, Sherlock close behind.