Phew! A quick update. This chapter feels so much better than the last, and was much easier to write. I really hope you enjoy, and please rate and REVIEW! 3 thank you.

...

Yes, I did.

Three simple words could change Armelia's life. She could leave, and have a home. But...

"Now I know," she drawled in a bored tone, backing away from her...father. "That's all I wanted. You can leave now."

And with those simple words, she left the group and locked her door behind her, leaving them all stunned. Images were flooding Armelia's mind, reminding her of the things she'd seen of family and sentiment. It changed her mind. Sentiment was a weakness. Her mom's death taught her that. She'd thought...maybe...that she could get out of here. Meet the genius that had created her, and be free to experiment and learn as she wanted. But her brain knew. It was shouting warning signs at her from the moment she stumbled out of the room and saw the pale eyes that matched her's. They were just alike. They'd make quiet a pair, get attached, like she had with her mother and like he had with his blogger...but they did dangerous things, and eventually one of them would get hurt. One of them would die.

Armelia had lost one person. She didn't plan on doing it again. So he could go now,before he got to her, and leave her to her life. Her question had been answered. That was enough.

Back outside, there was chaos. Lestrade looked to Malinda for answers, but she could only return his baffled expression. John was conflicted, half confused and blank, half angry. What the hell had just happened? Sherlock, for once, had also been a bit shocked for a moment, though he would never admit to it. Still, he was able to deduce her change of heart quickly enough.

And for once...so was John. And that is where the chaos started.

"If that is all, then we shall be going. John, come." Sherlock said, walking away before the doctor even acknowleged him.

Getting past the initial shock that Sherlock was not a virgin (as was popular belief), the ex-army doctor's arm shot out and grabbed his friend's sleeve, pulling him back with a sharp yank. The consulting Detective stumbled back, and glared at his blogger.

"What the hell, Sherlock! You can't just leave like that. That is, no matter the current situation, your child! Your flesh and blood! You can't just leave her here as if nothing just happened." John was positively livid. His parents had died when he was thirteen, shot for the paper in their wallets, and if Harry hadn't just turned eighteen, he would have been sent to a place just like this. He had always been afraid of that, until he, too, was legally an adult.

The raven-haired man raise an eyebrow in question. "She said herself that we should go. Isn't it the kinder thing to do, to obey her plea?"

John shook his head. "No, Sherlock, that is not kind. She is just a kid. This is no place for her to live." he tried to explain, casting an apologetic glance to Malinda, who waved it off.

Sherlock sneered in distaste. "What do you expect me to do then, John? Raise the child? Me? Any common fool could see how bad of an idea that is."

John threw his hands up exasperatedly and laughed humorlessly. "Call Mycroft! I'm sure he could do something for her. Or maybe Molly would take her in. Something!" He was loosing the little patience he had held on to until now.

Back in the room, Armelia was sitting against the door, listening to the adults argue and humming to herself, while swirling a deep violet liquid around in a vial. Poison was her favorite of all sciences. It mixed creativity with chemistry. And as she listened (they were apparently talking with someone on the phone now) and gazed into the deadly concoction, she let her mind wander. Her curly black hair, her pale eyes, her ivory skin and high cheekbones,and, most importantly, her mind. She had gotten it all from him. Sherlock Holmes. Part of her, a very dangerous, impulsive part of her, was intrigued and excited by the thought of living with such a person and working with him. Oh, what she could learn! Then surely the boredom and...well, loneliness that always haunted her would finally go away. But the other part of her, the logical, solitary, and largely dominant part of her, dismissed the idea with a mental scowl. Honestly, what horrors could come from such-...

But she never got to finish that thought, because the door suddenly opened behind her, sending her falling backwards. She just barely avoided dropping the vial of poison all over Detective Lestrade's shoes by twisting about and quickly slamming her palm over the open top of the container. With a sigh of relief, she glared up at the group of adults. The blond man and Lestrade were both beaming down at her. Malinda looked completely lost. And Sherlock Holmes looked like he wanted to slam his head repeatedly into the nearest wall, scrunching his eyes closed and pinching the bridge of his nose.

Pushing herself off the floor, and noticing with growing irritation that the ribbon that had been tying her hair back had undone itself and left her hair loose, she fixed an inquisitive, frustrated gaze on the lot of them. The blond man glanced at her father, then extended his hand to her.

"My name is Doctor John Watson. I'm Sherlock's flatmate." he said, shaking her petite hand politely.

"Armelia Daae." She returned, liking the doctor for some reason. Natural charm, she supposed.

John smiled widely at her. "Well, Armelia, a children shelter is no place for a child to live. If you really don't want to, we understand, but our friend Molly Hooper would love to have you stay with her for awhile. She works at the mortuary and Sherlock often visits, to work on some of his cases. It would be much better than living here."

Armelia blinked slowly. She could leave? Leave AND not have to live with her exciting but dangerous newly-discovered father? She could have a friend. And, if she was being perfectly honest with herself, she wanted one.

"I'd love to." she blurted before she had even thought it completely through, a little too quickly. "I mean, I would love to stay with for a while." she repeated more steadily. And she fought, oh, she fought, to keep the smile she that threatened her stoic expression from giving her away.

…...

Author's note: :D Haha! Weren't expecting that, were you? Anyways, I figure this kind of situation will prove to be far more interesting, developmental, and entertaining to the reader than a simple "she goes to live with daddy" thing. Don't worry, Sherlock and Armelia will have plenty of time spent together. Thank you so much, my readers :)