A/N: Hey guys,
thank you so much for your support over the last little bit, I know the update schedule is strange but Mirkwood and I are now in separate countries so it makes writing slightly harder. This chapter has time jumped to when Emma and Ella are 14 & 16.
Any way, enough of me rambling, please enjoy and review if you want. Please don't hesitate to point out grammatical errors.
Warning: There is a trigger warning for self harm in this chapter and most likely be in more so if you don't like, don't read.
Chapter 2
Emma pov
"Father, please stop shooting, Ella is trying to help me with my homework." I yell at father as he was shooting the wall because he was bored again. Father didn't even acknowledge that I had spoken and kept shooting, and didn't even stop when the phone rang. After I lost a game of rock, paper, scissors I sprinted to the phone expected it to be a client for father or dad but no, it was Greg Lestrade. "Hey Emma, would you mind putting Sherlock on the ph….." he stopped mid sentence as he heard the sound of a gun going off. "Don't worry Greg, father is just bored again so he has begun shooting the wall. Now what would you like me to tell him?" Greg hesitated before telling me to send Dad and Father down to the station. Just before I turned around I heard dad stomping up the stairs like he always does when he is about to give father a lecture. "SHERLOCK! WOULD YOU STOP SHOOTING THE FUCKING WALL! THE GIRLS ARE IN THE SAME ROOM! WHAT HAVE I TOLD YOU ABOUT SHOOTING THE WALL WHEN THE GIRLS ARE IN THE APARTMENT!" Dad yelled at father who didn't even raise his head when he yelled back at dad "BORED JOHN, I'M BORED". Usually when this happens we don't interrupt but I thought that I better this time for the sanity for ourselves and mrs Hudson and the neighbors (who have already complained about the loud discussions that happen sometimes) "Umm…. Dad, Father" I say quietly but the both hear me and sharply over at me, I recoil a bit but still say "Greg says he wants you two down at Scotland Yard as soon as possible" Dad quickly says thanks before leaving while father says nothing and sulkily gets his coat and walks out the door. "What was that all about?" Ella asks.
Ella pov
Oh Emma she has been working on this case so much. Father would kill her if he found out, something about it being dangerous. I can't count the amount of times I've been kept awake at night with bad thoughts of what could happen to Emma. At this stage the worst wounds she has come home with is a not too deep cut and a black eye. You will be amazed with what makeup can do (even when I'm using it!). "Why does Greg want Father and Dad down at the station?" I asked as she pinned pictures and other pieces of information on the wall just like father does. "I haven't the slightest clue," she said trying to stick something on the wall, "hopefully it's a case."
"That would be nice," I said sinking down into Dad's chair, "finally some peace!"
"Peace? In this household?" she laughed,
"Well at least there won't be any more bullet holes in the wall for awhile." I said looking up at the ceiling.
"That's as close to peace as we ever get!" Emma said as she stood back to admire her work.
"How's the case going?" I asked letting my mind wander.
"I'm stuck on this last bit," she said as she started pacing, "they are all connected, but I can't see how."
"What gives you the thought that they are connected?" I asked leaving my land of dragons.
"They always leave behind an American 50 cent coin made in the same year and with burn marks on it suggesting they smoke and the places they pick never have cigaret buts on the ground untill after the robbery has occurred" she said, before Ella could answer they heard the front door open and close and then mumbling coming up the stairs. Quickly Emma sprang to action and tore down everything from the wall in a matter of seconds and shoving it in a box under the couch.
A grumpy Father walked through the door followed by an uneasy Dad. "What did Greg want?" Emma asked as if nothing had happened,
"It doesn't matter" Dad said,
"What do you mean?" Emma asked looking confused,
"What was your goal Emma?" Father said through gritted teeth, "What were you trying to prove?"
"I don't know what your talking about." Emma said for the first time in forever she looked scared.
"The case Emma." Dad said, oh dear even dad looked angry. Emma no! I stayed quiet, I do it when Emma is going to the station for the case I step in when she is in trouble. "How do you..." She started.
"Greg told us" Father said,
"What? How did you get him to talk!" She said, oh Greg what have you done? "Slip of the tongue plus a little persuasion" Father said.
"Father I can help if you would just let me try!" Emma said.
"You will never step foot in that station and no one will ever help you do it ever again!" Father said.
"WHAT? THATS NOT FAIR YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Emma yelled, this isn't going good.
"YOU ARE MY DAUGHTER. YOU WILL NOT WORK ON A CASE AT THE AGE OF 14." Father yelled back taking a step toward her, I slowly moved my feet so I could spring up at any stage to protect my sister.
"IF YOU WOULD GIVE ME A CHANCE!" Emma cried, she worked so hard for this and now it's all going to waste. "The case is a robbery done by a gang," Dad said worry was coated on his face "do you have any idea how much danger you were in?"
"I was perfectly safe," Emma said trying to calm down, "Greg didn't let me on the field anyway, they took pictures of everything and I solved it from there."
"They could have traced it back to you Emma!" Dad said.
"YOU ARE GROUNDED. YOU ARE NOT TO LEAVE THIS HOUSE WITHOUT ONE OF US OR MRS HUDSON. NO COMPUTER. NO PHONE. NO ANYTHING." Father yelled, Emma is going to kill me for not saying anything.
"WHAT YOU CAN'T DO THAT!" Emma yelled.
"I THINK YOU'LL FIND I CAN. GO TO YOUR ROOM!" Father yelled pointing at our bedroom door.
"YOU NEVER LOVED ME. ALL I AM IS A THING LIVING IN YOUR HOUSE. I'M TIRED OF IT." She yelled as stormed off.
"I will take the case," said Father still heated from the argument, "I won't rest until those people are found and arrested."
"Sherlock..." Dad started,
"John our daughter is in danger. What if something happened to her? I couldn't live with myself." Father said, I've never seen him so emotional. "Maybe you should have told her that." I said, I'm walking into dangerous territory but I have to stick up for my sister. "How long have you been here?" Dad asked,
"The whole time." I said gripping the arms of the chair tight.
"Don't ruin John's chair." Father said bitterly.
"Now I know how Emma feels." I said getting up and facing father.
"I only do what's best for you." He said, looking me dead in the eye. It's creeping staring him down. "Emma has been working so hard on that case and then you come waltzing in here and ruining everything!" I said with no forgiveness.
"I'm trying to help." He said.
"She was doing this for you. All she wants to do is help and you just shut her out. She feels like a piece of trash around you, like you don't love her." She said, he is a little bit like an open cut at the moment, so I'm going to take salt and rub it in (figuratively). "She is too young" he said walking toward me, he was now 2 meters away from me. "That's all she ever hears. Why can't you just take her on the less dangerous ones?" I asked hopefully,
"All my work is, is dangerous." He said taking another step close. "Talk to her at least!" I pleaded,
"I don't know how." He muttered looking down at his feet then back to my eyes. "How can you not know how, it's just like talking to Dad!" I said,
"John's different because I l..." He stopped midway through.
"Because you love him?" I said crossing my arms, "why can't you love us? Every since I remember you have always treated us like strangers. WHY CAN'T YOU LOVE US? WHAT'S SO WRONG WITH THAT?!" I yelled, something snapped inside Father because next thing I knew he took one step towards me raised his hand and hit me across the face. Dad immediately jumped in front of Father and pushed him back to make distance between us. I looked back at Father to see him looking scared and shocked, I was not expecting that. He walked backwards and fell on to the couch staring at his hand. "Are you all right?" Dad asked as he came toward me worry was a face he wore a lot, he reached to touch my cheek but I brushed him off. "I'm fine." I muttered lamely and walked off the the bathroom. I looked in the mirror and saw blood, not too much it was coming from a little cut on my face. The rest of my cheek was bright red, it will probably bruise. I left the blood as a reminder to myself.I walk into my room to see Emma holding her left forearm and crying. I turned on the light and saw blood seeping through her fingers. "Emma!" I gasped as I shut the door and ran to my bed to get my emergency first aid kit (yes I have my own first aid kit). I ran over to her bed and knelt in front of her and cupped her face. I wiped away her tears and then opened the kit and pulled out disinfectant wipes. I pried away her fingers to see multiple cuts. "Now this won't hurt a bit." I said as I started wiping her arm. She winced a little but then went back to crying, but this time it was silent tears.
