When arriving back at Baker Street they found Mycroft sitting in Sherlock's chair. "Ah Brother, such a delight to see you again." Mycroft said with fake enthusiasm. "Not now Mycroft" Sherlock snarled, marching directly into his bedroom and slamming the door. John rubbed his face with his hand and slowly sank into his chair. "Had another domestic John?" Mycroft said suggestively. John rolled his eyes but handed over the photograph.
"I found this in one of the boxes, Sherlock began to talk about, Lara is it? (Mycroft nodded slowly) Well he was fine until he mentioned an argument between her and your mother and then he just shut down." John explained
"Ah yes. Lara. I can see why. Little Sherly was very attached to her; he was heartbroken when he found out she left. Never really been the same since."
"And how did you feel?" Mycroft raised a questioning eyebrow, "When Lara left, how did you feel?"
"Ah well I wasn't as close to her as Sherlock was, I was trying to do my best in university and following in Father's footsteps. I didn't really have time to dote on my younger sister. However I was upset when she left but to be honest John she wasn't really like one of us, never really fit in. I suppose she just got fed up and ran away."
"And you didn't look for her? Sherlock obviously loved her surely she wouldn't have just left him!" John exclaimed
"What was the point? She clearly did not want to be there? No use dragging her back to a place she disliked" As Mycroft stated this Sherlock slowly crept back into the room and glared at his brother. "John had a point there brother", Sherlock sneered, "She wouldn't have left me knowing that I would have been lonely and be brought up in the "traditional Holmes" way. The only way she ever would have gone was if….." Sherlock slowly trailed off as realisation hit him and he glared at Mycroft, "the only way she would leave was if someone made her!"
Mycroft's haughty expression slipped for just a moment showing panic and alarm but he quickly regained his composure but not quickly enough for Sherlock not to notice. "Mycroft?" Sherlock growled. Mycroft pulled at his tie, loosening it, "Sherlock I…." "No excuses Mycroft, I want to know what happened." Mycroft looked up at his brother's thunderous face and sighed. "Alright Sherlock, sit down." Sherlock walked over to the sofa and flung himself down, looking expectantly at Mycroft."
"As you know Mummy and Lara didn't get on very well, Mummy thought it was a waste of time to deal with her so didn't pay much attention to her needs or to care for her. Before you were born I would often look over her just to make sure she was alright, I was her older brother after all. But then you came along and needed a lot more attention especially considering how early you were born!" At this John glanced quickly over at Sherlock not really knowing anything about his past. Mycroft continued, "Lara constantly looked over you and often told a lot of the nurses off if they weren't holding you right or feeding you in the correct manner" Mycroft chuckled. "She really did love you and for a time everything was how it should be. Then I became engrossed in studies wanting to be exactly like Father which is what was expected and didn't pay much attention to the two of you, for that Sherlock I truly am sorry."
Sherlock nodded stiffly in response and gestured for Mycroft to continue. "As you and Lara got closer Mother became more jealous in a way that you would rather spend time playing pirates with her rather than learn. She took her frustration out on Lara by putting her down and over time it got worse and worse. Lara became very under confident and shy when meeting other people, the only time she was really herself was when she was with you."
John was shocked at the life which he did not know about. He looked at Sherlock who had tears in his eyes and was looking angrily at Mycroft, "Why didn't you or Father do anything?! How did I not realise this was going on! I should have….I should have done something..."
"You were too young to notice anything Sherlock, it wasn't your fault. And you know Father; far too busy focussing on national matters to take notice of home life..."
"And you?" John interrupted
Mycroft glanced quickly over at John like he had forgotten he was there and then back to Sherlock, "I felt too proud to do anything" he said quietly, "I thought it was between them and believed it to be wise not to get involved. I was far too focused on my career and hardly spent any time at home and didn't realise how serious the situation was getting. The night I arrived home was the night they had their biggest argument, I think you remember it. Mummy was shouting at Lara saying she was a disgrace to the Holmes family name and she was worthless, the only thing she could be in life would be a wife to a wealthy man and maybe not even that. It was Mummy that forced her to leave Sherlock. She didn't want to she begged to stay but Mummy had made up her mind…" Mycroft began to breathe heavily. "I…she came and...I…"
Sherlock glared daggers at his brother, "what did you do?" he snarled
Mycroft's cold exterior was shattered as he started to visibly shake. John had never seen either of the two brothers show this much emotion and hoped to God that England wouldn't fall!
"Lara saw me watching," Mycroft choked out, "she came over to me and begged me to talk to Mummy. She was crying and looking at me with such sorrowful eyes and…I just walked away...up to my room and shut the door not wanting to get involved." Mycroft let his head drop to his hands. "Please Sherlock forgive me" he whispered.
Sherlock seemed like he had turned to stone. He just sat there staring into space with a very pale complexion. Slowly he got up and moved towards Mycroft, John prepared for world war 3 to break out but instead Sherlock put a gentle hand on his brother's shoulder and quietly cried with him. John was in a state of shock, he'd never seen the two shake hands let alone to comfort one another! He retired to the kitchen to give them some space and to get well needed cups of tea!
When he returned with the tea and, much to Mycroft's delight, some of Mrs. Hudson's scones with Jam (result for John!) and cream both brothers were sitting on the sofa in silence. John put the tray down on the table and looked at them both. "Have you heard anything from her since?" John asked. They both looked up in surprise as they didn't realise he had entered again. Both shook their heads and went back to staring at the floor.
John thinking the answer was obvious stated, "well Mycroft can't you just find her with...whatever you use to spy on people? If you really want to see her I'm sure it's quite simple."
Sherlock ran to John and hugged him, "John you are brilliant! Maybe not to my standard but you are definitely above the normal standard!" John grunted at this and drank his tea. "Mycroft can you do it?"
"Of course I can dear brother!" He said with enthusiasm (real this time!) With that he gulped down his tea, shoved three scones into his mouth and left with the air of business about him. John smiled up at Sherlock who was grinning from ear to ear back at him.