~*~Part 3~*~
'What is the meaning of it, Watson?' Said Holmes solemnly as he laid down the paper. 'What object is served by this circle of misery and violence and fear? It must tend to some end, or else our universe is ruled by chance, which is unthinkable'…
~The Cardboard Box by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
Sherlock walked side by side. The air around them felt crisp and a little damp as they wondered down the not so busy sidewalk.
"So, Miss Owenson has stated she sees glimpses of this man and at times he seems to follow her around. Not all the time. Yet, you say there is a pattern…" John stated, wanting to know more.
"Yes, there is. Luckily, she keeps a detailed journal. Many journals, actually, with the dates and times of each experience over the years and other stupid nonsense."
"Nonsense?" John questioned.
"I don't care that…" Sherlock's voice suddenly took a mocking tone, "Aunt Millie just made the most heavenly chocolate cake! It was so delicious! I simply had to have another piece. I hope I don't lose a foot."
"What?"
"She's diabetic."
"Oh."
"She didn't notice the pattern for it seemed much too random to her but it wasn't. If you also look at the other cases as well, the past and even the ones leading to the present…For a wolf always stays just that—a wolf. The wolf won't suddenly turn into a rabbit or a declawed kitten. Even if that wolf loses a member of its pack the wolf will still always hunt."
"You think he has a new partner?" John asked.
"No. What do you think this child molester will do? Put out an ad, do some interviews? Too much work and there's a chance the police will come knocking. He trusted his partner or at least knew how to control him. Hell, he had him lie for him and those so called witnesses to the suicide…Distant cousins, three times removed."
"So he did indeed fake his death?"
"He left the area and more than likely changed his looks. Yet, he kept right on hunting." Sherlock said the last word with deep disgust.
"If it's true that he's still hunting then there have been other children…"
"Yes, other children who have lived through a nightmare. His partner got off on the killing. This one, sure he enjoyed the fear and rape of his victims…With all the files I've looked at there is no doubt about that. I do believe he learned something very important with Miss Owenson. He liked them alive, knowing his victims still think about him, fear him; it makes the bastard feel powerful…" Sherlock informed him with a bit of anger in his tone.
"Jesus…" John whispered before saying, "You've given this a lot of thought."
"I give a lot of things a lot of thought. That is what I do. I did, however, look up some sick and twisted profiles online. I got a lot of classified profiles when I borrowed my brother's laptop…One just knows has to know how to look when using it…"
"Mycroft actually let you near his laptop?" John asked in total shock. Remembering quite well what happened the last time Sherlock 'borrowed' his brother's laptop.
"It was easy to do. I have a key to his house and I know how to get past his security. I also know his schedule…When exactly he takes what he calls 'power naps' or when does his much needed exercise . Plus, the one I used wasn't at all important. It's the one he keeps in his library. It's mostly a decoy. He keeps a couple of those lying around, to fool any stupid thieves. Anyway, what my dear brother doesn't know won't bother me any and if he did happen to find out it still wouldn't bother me any. He will just have to accept me the way I am, much like you do."
"Hmm, right. Though I'm sure he'll never learn to do that, Sherlock." John stated dryly with a little eye roll.
"True…" Sherlock said sadly, with a nod before continuing, "I don't often go to great extremes to borrow Mycroft's decoy laptop. Though being a decoy it does have its uses. It has some powerful programs and search engines, and certain things that normal laptops don't have."
"And he just leaves this decoy just laying about?"
"People are stupid. They see the decoy and think 'this is a simple steal'…They take it and it's filled with lies and misdirects. Though with some key words and codes you can find out the truth yet some of the fiction in there is hilarious. There is even a line that says Britain is run by a large pink rabbit."
"A large pink rabbit?" John asked, trying not to smile.
"God save the rabbit…" Sherlock told him, not at all hiding his smile.
"So…Does he have other decoy laptops?" John thought to ask after a moment of comfortable silence.
"Of course."
"Do you use any of those?"
"No. Why should I?"
"Hmm…"
"What?"
"Well, I wouldn't be at all surprised that he knows when you borrow it and what you've looked at." John stated calmly.
"Oh, that is highly doubtful."
"Hmm…"
"It is, John, very doubtful."
John simply gave him a look. "Tell me this, after you borrow this decoy laptop of his, do you get a 'surprise' visit from him a day or two afterwards? Perhaps he tells you that he's simply checking in on you…"
Sherlock stopped walking, his eyes narrowed. "Damn."
John nodded. "Told you so."
"Oh, shut up!" Sherlock shouted before he started moving once more, brushing by John purposely forcing him to follow a few steps behind.
John simply chuckled before he became serious once more, "Hey listen, Sherlock, when I showed up this morning I meant to warn you about something."
Sherlock allowed John to catch up with him so they were once again walking side by side. Sherlock gave him a glace. "A warning?"
"Have you ever seen a picture of Harry?"
"No."
"Then think of this as a heads up. A woman you've never met might come up to you one day very soon and slap you. Or maybe even punch you; she could even hurt you in the groin area."
"Why?!"
"Harry is mad at me and I do mean seriously mad at me."
Sherlock allowed his surprise to shine through as he asked in true bewilderment, "And because your dear, sweet sister is mad at *you* I have to protect *my* groin?"
"Yes." John stated calmly with a nod.
Sherlock gave him a look as he waited impatiently for an explanation.
John sighed. "For some time now Harry has wanted Mary and I to come over for dinner. Meet her new girlfriend. Life has been busy and to be honest I haven't been in the mood to have dinner with my sister. You know we don't get along. For we usually end up in some type of argument. This time it was a very heated type of argument. It was a very heated and very ugly one, in fact."
"So heated and ugly my groin is now in serious danger?"
"Yes. At least, I've given you a warning. What type of best friend would I be if I didn't warn you?" John asked carefully.
"I don't want to be hurt in the groin area because of a stupid argument with your sister!" Sherlock growled at him.
"It wasn't stupid, Sherlock!" John shouted at him before stating in a normal tone. "It wasn't stupid at all."
His eyes narrowed once more this time; however, there was something dangerous within those eyes. "Was the argument about me?"
John suddenly looked straight ahead. Lips thin and jaw tightly clenched for a moment before he admitted, "In a way."
"In a way? John, my groin is in serious danger here; I believe it's my right to know more about this argument…"
John's step quicken, "Where exactly are we going?" He was obviously trying to change the subject.
"Another block or so…You must tell me, John. You know you can't change the subject with me unless I allow it and I'm not allowing it."
"Sherlock, really, mate, it's nothing."
"Doesn't sound like nothing to me. In fact, anytime my groin is threatened I don't conceder it nothing!"
"Fine!" John growled, "Here is the rest of the bloody story. After her new girlfriend told a supposedly amusing tale about how my dear sister, as a favor to a friend, went to pick up her child from daycare…a child who had a totally different sex and skin pigment…I honestly told them that I was happy that there was papers in the works that stated that our daughter or any other future children will have Sherlock Holmes as their legal guardian should anything happen to Mary or me. I wouldn't trust her with a child's toy much less my own flesh and blood…Hell, I remember how she treated my toys and hers growing up…Trust me, it wasn't good."
John never noticed Sherlock's sudden stop as he continued his rant.
"Honestly, my sister is bat shit crazy! She hates children, not hates, hate them but there is a very strong dislike. She has told me repeatedly over the years that she doesn't like them. Sure, she'll love any nieces or nephews she'd get but she's happy that she'd not have to live with them day in and day out! Plus, she'll still be able to see them…It's not like you'll keep them away from her. You are not that cruel of a person and if you did happen to decide to not let her see them then I'd trust you to have a very good reason!"
John finally noticed that Sherlock had stopped and quickly walked back towards him. Not caring that Sherlock looked frozen much the same way he'd looked the day John asked him to be his best man. He continued on with his rant, gesturing with his hands, "And then she dares to bring up your past drug use. 'He can't be alone with your child' she says, 'he's a well-known drug addict and a madman.' I very kindly reminded her that she is a bloody alcoholic! I even asked her how many drinks she had before we even came over. Her girlfriend laughingly told me that she had started around nine that morning. Making my point, mind you. Also, I pointed out that seeing the dim look in the eyes of Harry's new girlfriend that she had a bit of a drug problem herself. Unlike, my best friend, who agreed to random drug testing and to do his best to stay away from the stuff. After that, the evening ended with me covered in a drink and my sister swearing that she was going to hunt you down and hurt you…She may have said the words…'I'll hit him hard in the balls'…Or something like that."
After John finished his rant, he calmed down enough to watch Sherlock slowly blink before he whispered, "I…I agreed? Me?"
"Yes." The 'you are a total idiot' was not spoken but it was still there.
"I'm…I'm going to be your…daughter's legal guardian should anything…"
"Yes. You are pretty much going to be my daughter's godfather. We've already been over all this, Sherlock!...Oh my God, you filtered it or put us on mute! About a week or so after the country went mental over the return of Moriarty and your brother turned around the plane with you on it…Mary and I came over for that huge dinner party you had. You remember…Mrs. Hudson made you your favorite bisquits…Molly and Greg were even there!"
"Greg?"
"Lestrade." John informed him dryly.
"Oh. Are you sure his name isn't Gavin?"
"It's Greg! Really, you need to learn his name!" John told him in deep aggravation.
"Is that really important to the big scheme of things? His name could be Alice for all I care! You told me all this at a dinner party. A dinner party, John! You know I hate parties…I only had one because it seemed to matter to *you*! I escaped into my mind palace for awhile because for some reason it mattered to you that I be there physically at least."
"It was a lovely party, Sherlock, thanks for attempting to be there…I wanted to celebrate you being able to stay in England. I would have missed you." John stated with some emotion.
"I would have missed you too and you're welcome!" After a moment Sherlock thrust his hands into his pockets, glancing down at the sidewalk. "And…thank you, I'll do my best not to let you down."
"I know you will." John answered honestly. "You made a vow to always be there for Mary, me and our daughter so I know you'll do everything in your power to keep it."
"Yes…" Sherlock said now looking his best friend in the eyes. "And I'm going to make damn sure you and Mary live a long, long time for the thought of raising your daughter feels me with a terror I'm honestly never felt before."
"Welcome to adult hood, Sherlock."
"Oh, piss off!"
~*~END OF PART THREE~*~